Faerie Kissed

by Jaliza A. Burwell

  I ran a hand through my hair, frustration bubbling up. I didn’t know what to do with them. This was dangerous for them.”

  “This place doesn’t look scary. It’s beautiful but not scary.” Jason turned around slowly, taking in the open field we were in and the tree line into the massive surrounding forest.

  I snorted. “Aren’t the deadliest things in the world also the most beautiful?”

  That shut him up.

  “Do not touch anything.” I smacked Waylon’s shoulder as he bent down to get a look at a tiny creature that was sneaking closer. It was a small ball of fur with four tiny little feet and a puffball tail. I zapped the infestation with my magic. It squeaked before baring its sharp teeth and scurrying away.

  “Cute,” I said. “But he would have torn you apart and sucked on your bone marrow.”

  “That tiny little thing?” Waylon asked, clearly disbelieving me.

  “A scout. Where there is one, there are hundreds. A colony is probably trying to move closer in. I’ll have guards clear it out before it becomes a problem.”

  “Again, that little thing?”

  “Think of them as termites. If something is living and breathing, they will have no issue tearing through it and leaving nothing behind.”

  I wiped at my face and realized that the twisting in my chest and the clog in my throat was because of my fear for them. I blinked furiously, but it was too late. The tears fell.

  The guys swore and surrounded me, comforting me, trying to calm me down.

  I couldn’t.

  This was the last thing I wanted for them, the last place I would ever want them to be.

  “Sh, please stop,” Foster said, sounding heartbroken.

  “Josie, it’ll be okay,” Jason added in.

  “We’ll make this work. We always do, Jo.” Waylon kissed my forehead.

  I shook my head. “Why? Why would you do this? You don’t understand.”

  “We don’t care,” Foster said. “We talked and we don’t care. These last ten years were hell without you and to think you’re alive, in a dangerous place, and we can’t do shit for you only makes it worse.”

  “We would have risked getting ourselves killed to hunt down a fae who could get us back to you,” Waylon said.

  “It’d kill us to know you’re here and fighting to survive while we’re tucked away safely in the human realm,” Jason added. “You don’t get to take our man cards away from us. We do the protecting. Not you.”

  I didn’t have it in me to tell them I had secretly set it up to safely take away the knowledge of the fae from them. That they’d forget about the last few weeks with me. Judah had it all set up and he had promised to watch over them for me.

  Then they had to ruin it and come here. Over and over they kept ruining my plans, inserting themselves back into my life. I shouldn’t have been surprised that they did this. Yet, I was in shock. Years in Faerie made me used to seeing people do anything to protect only themselves. It made me a cynic.

  Jason, Foster, and Waylon had been teaching me to believe in people more, and this was just another lesson taught by them. They were the reason why I loved humans, why I missed being human. Around them, I didn’t always need to think about the ways they were planning to stab me in the back.

  “Josie?”

  I took in a shuddering breath, relaxing into their comfort. They always gave it to me so willingly and I always ate it up desperately. My chest still felt tight, but at least I wasn’t feeling like I was drowning anymore. They did that for me.

  Once I could think clearly, I pulled away. “You need to listen to everything I say and tell you to do. No talking. None. I don’t care what anyone says to you, do not say a fucking word. Got it?”

  They nodded.

  “Good. Once we get through today, we’ll figure everything else out.”

  “What’s today?” Jason asked.

  I jerked my head at the still unconscious Laikynn. Berry was at his side, standing guard, scanning the area, ears twitching. “Him.”

  “What is going on?”

  We all turned to see Jahandi standing at the tree line, gaping at us. Guards stood at his back, ready to tear into us if they deemed us a threat. Well, tear into the guys. They wouldn’t dare to touch me.

  “Jahandi, I have returned,” I said, slowly turning into Queen Joslyn Naevana, pushing Josie back into the black depths where I hid her. It was hard, almost impossible, but having the guys at my back helped, reminding me what was at stake.

  “And who are your companions?” Jahandi asked as he eyed them. His lips curled down in disapproval.

  “You know who they are. It does not matter. They are under my protection.”

  That got the guards to back off. Jahandi glanced at Laikynn. “He will be taken care of.” That was all the permission the guards needed as they surged forward and roughly picked the traitor up and lugged him away.

  “Follow me,” I said and walked away, not looking at the guys. The grass rustled behind me, letting me know they were following. The remaining guards parted as I walked by and surrounded us, acting as an escort back to the castle.

  Jahandi moved to my right and back a step. “What do you think you are doing bringing humans here? And them of all people?”

  “I am thinking that things will be more interesting now.”

  “They will not be able to remain at your side.”

  I stopped and turned to my advisor, expression cold. He grimaced, recognizing the precarious line he currently straddled.

  “They will be where I want them to be and as of now, that is at my side. Try to remove them and you will find yourself begging the slags to remain living.”

  Redness creeped into his cheeks as he backed down, my threat enough to give him nightmares. No one wanted to deal with the slags. They were the darkest of fae, the most depraved.

  “I need to clean up.”

  “Right away, my queen.” He bowed his head before we continued. The castle wasn’t far from where we were. We had created the portal as close as Faerie would let us to the castle. The guys were good and kept their mouths shut, but I could practically feel their amazed shock.

  Faerie was a gorgeous place, meant to lure you in, and then once you felt safe and coddled, tear you apart. Every part of its existence was deadly, right down to the grain of dirt encasing the blades of grass.

  The fae knew the moment I returned and were waiting to watch me walk by once we stepped through the waiting gates. Spirals of crystal and marble reached for the sky, the path designed in limestone so smooth and polished that we were practically walking on glass. Flowers were tastefully lining the pathway, opening up in my presence. The entire castle felt my return home.

  Fae servants dropped down politely before straightening and taking notice of my companions. Every single female fae saw my humans and loved what they saw. They were practically licking their lips, lustful eyes taking in my men.

  To make a point, I snapped out my magic and had a group of tittering females down on all fours, ready to kiss my feet. They tried to strain against it, but I only pushed harder until one of them snapped their arm from not being able to handle the pressure. A reminder of how powerful I was.

  The warning was received by everyone.

  They were mine. No one got to touch them.

  My personal servants stood at the top of the castle steps, waiting in a bow. I had trained them well and trusted them enough to deal with my matters discreetly.

  “Take them to the room next to mine to rest. Have them ready for tonight by sundown,” I said.

  “Of course, milady,” they said in unison before straightening and motioning for the men to follow. Jason, Waylon, and Foster remained still.

  “Go,” I said with a dark warning.

  “What is tonight?” Jason asked.

  My hard glare had all of them pressing their lips together to prevent themselves from speaking out again. “Laikynn’s punishment. It will all be resolved tonight. Get ready
. You need to wear something more appropriate.” With that, I turned around and stalked off.

  I had some catching up to do before I could get ready. The day was already long and it wasn’t even morning yet.

  Chapter Thirty-Eight

  If only being queen meant I was all-powerful. In theory, I was. And people feared me. But I still had a council that liked to tell me that every decision I made was stupid and I should only listen to them.

  As if.

  I spent the day dealing with them. They were furious that I dared to bring humans back into their lands. I told them to shove their conceited dicks up their asses. They were not impressed and determined those human men were a risk and they were already seeing those effects in my attitude.

  I reminded them why I was queen, leaving them shaking in their little mini throne chairs as I strolled out of the room and got ready for Laikynn’s trial. That meant hours of being scrubbed and prodded as I was groomed to perfection. The servants made sure not a single piece of my hair was out of place and wouldn’t move out of line for the rest of the night. Then they stuffed me into a black dress with golden designs. It was a little puffier than I liked, and a slit went up the side so I showed off so much leg that if I moved just right, I’d give them a more intimate view of me.

  Everyone was gathered in the ballroom, wanting to see the finale to Laikynn’s existence. He had become a common nightmare among the fae, too many people having lost loved ones when he fought his way out of Faerie, wanting to exact his revenge on everyone who had so much as looked at him sideways throughout the years.

  My men were already standing around my throne chair, expressions blank, unmoving. They looked absolutely stunning in their suits, dressed in black silk shirts, black slacks, and a black and gold blazer to match my colors. The fae only had to see my colors all over them to know the humans were mine. Their hair had been trimmed and styled to match them individually, each one of them had been freshly shaven, a shame really since I loved it when they got a little scruffy.

  I eyed the bracelets around their wrists and clenched my teeth.

  Should I start biting to find who did this? Berry brushed against me briefly.

  I settled my hand on his head in a subtle admonishmentto behave as we reached the throne.

  I pretended to inspect my men, the fae accepting nothing less than cold calculation from me. As I did so, I touched each bracelet and deactivated them. The change was instant, but minute. They were smart enough to keep up the charade. There was only the slight movement in Jason’s shoulders. The strain in Waylon’s expression relaxed a little. Foster remained unchanged. I only received an acknowledgment in his eyes. They knew the game they tossed themselves into and they were playing it masterfully.

  I was more than impressed. I was in awe. But I couldn’t let them know that. I was also part of the game and had to keep up my own part. I turned to face Faerie’s people. There was no doubt about that. No matter who the queen was at any given time in the fae history, the people always belonged to only Faerie. The queen was expected to work and speak and decide on behalf of Faerie. And if a queen dared not, she made it well known.

  That was the real position that I was in. I was a puppet to Faerie herself. The shackles were still there even if I no longer belonged to whichever fae managed to get their grubby hands on me at the time.

  This had always been far worse.

  “Bring him out,” I said in a low voice as I settled into my chair, crossing my legs and making sure to keep my expression cold. Berry stretched out at my side as a warning against anyone who dared to approach me. The double doors banged open and guards frog-marched a trussed up Laikynn. Anger flicked through his eyes before he got his reaction under control and his cocky side came out.

  They dumped him at the stairs that led up to the platform where I sat. They stepped back, spears pointed and ready to skewer him if he tried anything. The bindings around his wrists flared, and he winced, reminded why he should not be trying to use magic. Those bindings would sever his hands if he pushed it too far.

  “Don’t you look cozy,” he said with biting words, his disdain for me clear.

  “And don’t you look pathetic,” I replied and got up. Everyone in the room held their breath, practically eating up what they saw as entertainment to end their day.

  Each step I took was slow and measured, the golden swirls in the black dress shimmering, giving them an impression of moving. Laikynn didn’t look away, as entranced as everyone else with how regal I looked. My magic filled the space. Every heartbeat in the room reverberated through my chest. Every intake of breath filled my lungs.

  We were back in Faerie. Where I was strongest. And I saw the very moment Laikynn figured that out. He was weak here. Nothing. And he was going to be punished for the slaughter he’d done, for the lives he had needlessly taken.

  “Laikynn Lighteria, you have committed treason to the highest degree. You dared to put Faerie at risk. You dared to wipe the existence of not just the humans, but all fae too.” That caused a small buzz in the air as the fae whispered in shock. “There is only one ending here and that is with your head gone. You no longer hold on to your right as a fae. You are not even worthy of being a human. You are nothing but the mud the slags like to roll around in. As is your right, do you have anything to say before your punishment?”

  “You’ve sold yourself to Faerie long ago and you don’t even know it. If anyone is to be disappointed, then it’s me. You used to be better than this, but now you are nothing but Faerie’s mouth.”

  Magic flared through me. Not my own but hers. Her fury, her need for retribution. It hummed through my veins. His fate was sealed. I grabbed the sword from the nearby guard, whirled around and flung my arm out. The sword had no resistance as it sliced through his neck. Faerie didn’t like messes, so her magic cut the blood flow, cauterizing the wound to prevent the blood from pumping out and all over the white marble.

  Laikynn’s head flew and one of the guards caught it. His body stayed still for a moment, his limbs twitching until he finally fell over.

  The threat had finally been neutralized.

  All that magic within flew back out of me, disappearing somewhere in the room. I stared down at a man I once considered the closest to family I could find in Faerie, numbness enveloping me as I closed down.

  A giggle echoed through the room. It was dark, eerie, full of a darkness that had touched every fae in existence at one point. The fae shuffled to the side, knowing exactly what that sound meant.

  If it were something we could escape, we’d do it.

  Another giggle, high pitched.

  The crowd moved as a little girl, no more than nine years old slipped forward. She wore a cute golden summer dress that fluffed around her knees. Her golden Mary Janes echoed against the marble, each clank more of a warning drum to each of us.

  “Well, I have not felt so satiated in so long,” she said. She licked her lips as she looked down at the body, eyes hungry for more bloodshed. “You have done me well, Joslyn. I have chosen well in you.”

  Her gaze flickered to my men behind me. Not wanting her attention on them for too long, I shifted enough to gain her attention. “Your compliment has been received.”

  She hummed, the sound melodic, and I could feel everyone in the room falling under her spell. Including my men. They stepped forward, prepared to give her the world if she chose to ask. I remained untouched, but only because she wanted me to see it all happen and know I was powerless to stop her.

  Foster reached her first. He scooped her up, holding her close, his eyes blank. He wasn’t home. I clenched my teeth, fisting my hands at my side to hide the fury that boiled in my blood. She knew exactly who they were to me. This was nothing but a reminder to me of who she was and what I was.

  Putting me back in my place. As always. As if I could ever fucking forget.

  Still, the murder burned in my eyes. On this, I could not bow down.

  Jason moved to her side and beg
an playing with her big black curls as she blinked those fake big round hazel eyes at me. It was a sick joke. She chose parts of the guys and created the form before me, into what I never had a chance to have with them.

  A child. A perfect blend of them and me. Pain pulsed through my heart. I lifted my chin and gave her a cold smile.

  “Your prank goes too far, milady.”

  “Does it?” she asked as she cupped Waylon’s face squeezing his cheeks as she had him look at her. His smile was empty and goofy at the same time, the spell practically an aphrodisiac, in a way. If she commanded, they’d be all too happy to provide it. “You have brought me some delicious looking human males. I thought they were a tribute to me.”

  Her taunt was meant to make me admit that I had messed up. I knew her game.

  “They are here for me.”

  She waited for more, tried to coax the words out of me. I bit my tongue and stubbornly kept my lips pressed firmly together. I would not admit that I had messed up, never to her. I’d seen what she’d do to people who have failed.

  “You know what, child,” she said with a smile. “You have brought me back the betrayer. You have prevented him from destroying the realms.”

  I saved her life.

  “For that, you shall be rewarded.” She hummed again, looking around thoughtfully, then at my men with a smirk.

  “Shall I return them back to where they belong, as they should be before they entered my lands? I can reward that to you.”

  I glanced at my men, at the vacancy that left a cold hand clenching around my lungs. I picked apart her words, finding all the loopholes. She knew that was what I wanted most. Them back in the human realm, safe from the fae.

  “What shall it be, my little Joslyn? Shall we break their hearts again without you?”

  My gaze snapped to her, hating the curl of her lips, the way her blue eyes twinkled, knowing she had once again won. I was right where she wanted me.