“Hm?” was all I could grunt, as I tried in vain not to let on how much I ached.
Sensitive to me, as only Lena had ever been, she eased up on the strength of her massage, so that the pain was slightly more tolerable.
“I did not love him,” she whispered softly.
I almost told her I knew that, but I sensed there were more words trapped on her tongue, so I gave her the time she needed to formulate her thoughts.
“Every night for the first five years of my incarceration, I would take a midnight rendezvous. And do you know where I went?”
My brows dropped, and I thrust my jaw out, immediately suspecting that she meant to tell me about some lover who’d held her while she cried and made her feel alive again. I did not think I could bear to hear it, though I knew that in all fairness I’d done the very same. Though I’d never found anyone to make me feel alive the way she had, but I’d never stopped searching for one who could.
Her hands stopped moving as she seemed to travel back in her mind to some distant memory.
“I went to her. To see her. Zerelda.”
I frowned. I’d not expected to hear that.
“The hag?” I rolled onto my side, so that I could look her more easily in the face. “Why?”
It was hard to see Lena looking so small and childlike, see the hurt scrawling through her pretty eyes and see the blue glow so diminished with sadness.
She looked slowly at me. “Because she was all I had left. My last tether to who I’d been. I’d had you, and I lost you. She was it.”
“She was awful.”
Lena shrugged. “Aye. She was. But she was the only mum I ever knew. She was a constant in my life when everything else was running out of control.”
Sitting up, I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her tight to my side, running my fingers lazily through the tips of her petal-soft hair as I inhaled the sweet scent of her deep inside of me.
Lena had always reminded me of a new dawn—quiet, haunting, and yet enchanting.
“Did you talk with her?”
She sniffed, pulling back a little. It killed me to see the sheen of tears in her eyes. “No. I never got close enough. I’d just watch her through her window. It was really rather pathetic, I’ll grant you.”
Her laughter was self-effacing and infuriated me to hear it. Grabbing her shoulders, I gave her a gentle shake. “There is nothing pathetic about you, woman. You know how I felt about her, how I still feel about her.”
“I rather assume you’d like to eat her the way you did Hagar.” Her chuckle was wet with unshed tears.
“Lena.” I sighed, burying my face in her neck and doing nothing other than breathing her in.
She was so vital to me. Years we’d been apart, but here in the sanctity of this room it felt like time had never parted us. Like we were the youths we’d once been, like no time or space or distance had ever separated us.
Zelena clung to me as I clung to her, and we held each other for several long moments.
“I don’t know how to be a good queen,” she whispered slowly, hesitantly, as though she were afraid to give voice to her innermost thoughts.
I shook my head, framing her delicate face in my hands. This woman—this insignificant human, as my kind so often thought of them—had been crafted by the gods just for me. I knew this to be fact, and I would do everything in my power to never let her leave my side again.
“You wish them to love you, Lena? Admire and respect you? Then you show them that same respect first.”
She frowned, wrinkling her nose cutely, and I couldn’t help but grin to see it as I gently smoothed out the wrinkles with my thumb.
“But how do you do that?”
Leaning back on my hand, I drew up my knee and shrugged. I did not believe it possible that I could have ever had a passionate, beautiful woman in a bed—my Lena no less—and be capable of not tossing her down and ravishing every square inch of her body.
But what we did now, this talking, felt far more intimate than the feeling of having a woman’s mouth around my cock as she’d suck me off.
I was slowly coming to the realization that without the respect and admiration for a woman, she was just another nameless beauty (one of far too many) who meant nothing to me other than to help me temporarily slack the lust of my flesh.
“What do you do now?”
Blowing out a raspberry, she shrugged one shoulder. “I listen to their petitions.”
I waited, expecting her to say more, but when the silence ticked on for a long stretch, I realized that was all she’d done.
“Um. Well.” My forehead wrinkled as I tried to search for a polite way to tell her that was far from enough.
She beat me to the punch; tossing her arms up, she groaned. “See, I knew it. But you should know, prior to my becoming queen, Charles never listened personally to the petitions of those less than noble blood. I did make an effort to listen to the layman.”
I cringed. “Well, my dear, that is certainly a start.”
“Then tell me what you’d suggest,” she replied testily, and it was good to see the fire back in her eyes again.
“For one, simply listening and deciding who to ax and who to dismiss is far from enough. The people need to know you.”
Her look was serious as she asked, “I can’t possibly visit everyone in wonderland. There are far too many citizens.”
“Exactly, which is why you pick your battles.”
Curling her fingers, she picked at her thumbnail. “And tell me how exactly to do that; there was never a manual given to me, beast. I tried my best.”
I could tell she felt a little embarrassed, so I covered her hands with mine and squeezed until she looked back at me.
“Lena, the mere fact that you want to change and make good is astonishing. Royals rarely do what you are planning, and I believe most citizens generally tend to hate their nobility anyway.”
“Gods,” she groused, giving me a cross-eyed look, “you’ve not made me feel in the least bit better.”
I chuckled. “I’m simply saying, you’re not all that different from the countless others out there, so at least take some heart in that.”
“I take none, thank you very much,” she snapped waspishly.
Leaning forward, I forgot that we were still getting to know one another, I wanted very much to kiss her in that moment, and so I did. I took her lips and pressed a firm but tender kiss to them.
She instantly melted beneath my touch, and when I pulled back a dreamy smile laced the corners of her cheeks.
“My love,” I whispered, nuzzling the tip of her nose with mine for a quick second before sitting back down, “together we can turn this around, I vow it to you. Your reputation can still yet be saved.”
It was a little difficult for me to breathe; my head spun dizzily. Just that one simple taste of her only enflamed my growing hunger. But just as she wished to change, so did I. For Lena, I wanted to be noble and true. I would not make this harder on her than it already was. So I took a quick moment to gather my wits.
“How?”
“Who in wonderland is most revered and respected? The cat perhaps?” I suggested.
She laughed. “That charlatan, oh no. I should think he’s far more hated than I currently am.”
“Then who?”
She didn’t even stop to consider before she was saying, “The Hatter and his bride, Alice. They are very well liked.”
“Then we start there. Send a card to them, letting them know that in two days time you will drop by for a visit. I will join you.”
“For tea?” she frowned. “How could that possibly help my reputation?”
“Because others will listen to them, to what they have to say, and if they say that you’ve turned over a new leaf, you will find just how quickly news of that will spread.”
Nibbling on the corner of her lip, she looked lost in thought, and it was all I could do not to claim her again. I blew out an agitated breath and shifted
, trying to will the blood currently flowing hot and heavy to the center of me to cool down.
It was a battle I was losing, however. If she glanced down, there’d be no denying how very much I craved her.
“Fine. I’ll trust you, beast. I’ll do as you say.”
Looking down at her feet for a time, she finally said, “You know I didn’t have the elephant killed for its skins.”
It took me a moment to figure she’d switched subjects on me. “The rug?”
She nodded. “His name was Opal, and I loved him. He was my friend. He died of a jabberwocky attack.”
That would explain the shredded condition to the part of the skin she kept hidden beneath her bed.
Tears shimmered in her eyes when she looked back at me.
“You wanted to keep a part of him with you forever, didn’t you?” I guessed.
Knuckling tears from her eyes, she gave a pitiful-sounding chuckle. “I know, I’m a fool.”
Taking her hands in mine, I squeezed them gently. “You feel, Lena. And that is a wondrous thing. I’m sure Opal would be happy to know that a part of him was still here with you.”
She lovingly dragged her foot along the soft fur of the beast’s skin. “Maybe.”
We’d been in her room for over an hour, and I wanted nothing more than to shove the sheets down and sleep beside her for the rest of the night. But Lena meant to make a true change, and I would help her in any way I could. Which meant getting out of her room before we were discovered. As innocent as our time in here had been, very few would believe it so.
I winced when I stood to my feet, but the pain in my leg did feel significantly improved.
She pouted. “Must you go?”
I was being noble, but nothing said I had to stop touching her completely either. Taking up the curl resting heavily on her right breast, I tugged on it gently, until she stood.
Lena moved swiftly into my side, sliding her arms around my middle and running them up my back. I shivered, and she grinned.
One good thing about Zelena having been with other men was she’d had practice. Her touches were far more skilled than the youthful ones I remembered. Brushing my knuckles tenderly across the sharp ridge of her cheek, I smiled.
“I think I should,” I finally whispered.
“I’m sorry I ripped your trousers.”
“No, you’re not.”
“Okay.” She giggled. “I’m not. But I will send you a new pair in the morning.”
I made to move, but she grabbed my face and yanked me down, stealing a kiss and the very breath from my lungs.
It was a sweet kiss. Quick and short. But it made my body burn.
I growled. “You love to torture me, human.”
“Well”—she shrugged, stepping out of my arms—“it’s only fair after all the wenches you took to your bed.”
I snorted, grabbing my chest. “Moi? Why, I am a virtuous, unsoiled dragon.”
“My arse.” She giggled, and I couldn’t help but respond in kind. “Ragoth,” she said after a moment.
“Hm?”
“I love you too.”
Chapter 15
Aphrodite
“Ohhhhhhhhhh.” Calypso smiled dreamily, wrapping her fingers together as she began twirling and dancing and filling her waters with laughter. “They are so cute!”
I smiled then glanced up when I heard the deep throaty voice of Hades step through the doorway.
“Hades!” The sea elemental cried, running to her lover and wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.
He lifted her high into the air, twirling her about as he kissed her senseless.
It was sometimes impossible to believe that after five hundred years the two could still be so ridiculously in love, but their love was no act.
I felt the beat of their passion stir through me heavily, making me miss my poor, sweet Hephy.
He hated when I parted from him for any amount of time. I suspected another week or so and Ragoth and Zelena would be right where they needed to be.
“Aphrodite.” Hades said my name in that deep, proper burr of his that never failed to elicit a shiver from me.
The man was darkly beautiful. I’d often entertained a dalliance with him but knew his heart was one that needed a permanent mate, and since my heart most definitely belonged to Hephy, I’d not wanted to mess with the fallout.
I was happy for my friends though; it was good to see the death god so deliriously happy.
“Well, my beauties”—I stood sensing my partner in crime was quite distracted now—“the sight of you two has made me miss my, Hephy.”
“Yes. Do go.” Caly waggled her brows. “I wish to rut my mate like a porpoise.”
“Hm.” I grinned at Hades, who shrugged adorably. We loved our Calypso, though she rarely made much sense.
By the time I’d vanished, I doubted they were aware I’d even gone. Clothes had been ripped off at breakneck speed, and all I could do was grin.
“You’ve still got it, lady love. You’ve still got it.”
~*~
Zelena
I woke up the next morning feeling deliriously happy. I knew I was days away from finally being able to announce to the world that Ragoth was mine. And not only was he mine, but he would rule as my equal.
I’d never wanted another king, because I’d had no respect for any male. Except for my dragon. He would make an honorable king. I knew this.
But I also knew he’d never wanted the crown. He’d abdicated from his own bloodline, refusing to be a king in waiting should anything happen to his brother. My dragon was wild and free; he’d always been. I only hoped I could somehow convince him of the rightness of my decision.
I knew my people might worry, and while I did wish to make a different and good impression on them, on this I would not budge. Ragoth would be my king and theirs. Though I would still very much be the neck that turned the head. I grinned.
We would rule as equals. And I couldn’t believe that the idea of that excited me, but it did.
And it had nothing at all to do with gaining my powers back once he put on the ring; even if I never gained them back, I wanted and needed him in my life.
He’d helped me put things into perspective last night. And this morning I knew that he was right. Talking to Hatter and Alice was a start. But beyond that, I had also decided that I would visit neighboring villages and drop by to speak with the leaders there as well.
The journey of a thousand miles began with the first step after all.
My door was suddenly flung open, and Druscella strolled in, carting another one of my many royal gowns across her arms. “Good morning, my quee—”
She stopped dead in her tracks when she realized I was already awake and smiling. She frowned.
“Are you ill?”
Laughing, I tossed back my heavy quilt and practically hopped off the bed. “No, but I am in love. So possibly yes, I am ill. Either way, it is a glorious day.”
She hardly breathed, she looked so spooked.
Rolling my eyes, I tossed my curtains open, letting in the morning sun, and even pushed open the glass-pane window, inhaling deeply of the early morning. The land smelled of sweet dew and dragonsnaps.
“I’ve decided that today I shall tell the men who I’ve chosen.”
“So soon?” She blinked. “But the trials have only just begun.”
“Oh come, Dru, do not be willfully obtuse. You knew this would happen. I love Ragoth, and he loves me, and that is all there is to it.”
Finally the shock seeped away, replaced by a knowing but happy glint. “I rather suspected you meant none of what you said concerning that dragon. Though how do you suppose we will get the people to accept him as their new king?”
Funny, how she knew me well enough to accurately guess I’d make Ragoth king and not consort.
“You are one of the most level-headed and smart people I know, Dru. If I could make you see Ragoth as the good beast that he truly is, I’ve no doubt m
y people will someday come to see it too.”
“True enough. Do you wish me to tell the men they are dismissed then?” she asked as she sat my dress down on the corner of my bed and clapped her hands for my dress fitter.
“No, leave the rest up to me.” We had no more time for talking when an instant later a meek, mousy looking girl with orangey-red hair came sprinting through the door, bowing instantly. Her freckled face was splotchy and red as though she’d been running pell-mell to get to me.
Bloody hell, yet again I had another new fitter. My reputation was in tatters, but I would change this. I would. Grinning, I nodded at the girl.
“Who are you, child?”
The girl’s big blue eyes grew to twice their size, and she darted a glance over to Druscella, as though for help. I had to remind myself that snapping at her to look at me and not my handmaiden was the very opposite of best behavior, so I patiently waited and was rewarded when finally she softly said, “Telulah, my queen.”
I smiled. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Telulah, and I do hope that you will consider staying my personal fitter from here on out.”
From the corner of my eye I could see Dru giving me a beaming thumb’s up. I smiled; this would be a piece of cake.
~*~
I glanced up from the head of the dining hall table when the golden-haired Midas walked in. The man’s eyes were red, and his features looked pinched. I knew the siren’s song had still not fully released its grip on him. He looked awful, his clothes were wrinkled, and his hair was a mess.
“Midas,” I said without preamble.
He glanced up and quickly bowed, as though only just noticing me. “My...my queen,” he said with a hoarse voice and tried to bow but looked more like a drunk jester than a courtly noble as he did so.
I grinned. “You are dismissed.”
It took him a moment to understand my statement. He stood there in stunned silence for several heartbeats before finally asking, “From breaking the morning fast?”
I wiped my mouth with my napkin and pushed my empty plate away. “Oh no, from the castle. You may go.” I clapped my hands, and one of hundreds of servants awaiting my call materialized as though by magic.
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