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If not for the dark shadows surrounding her, I would think she was merely asleep. Well, that and the memory of how her body felt while it seized in my arms. I could live a thousand more lifetimes, and that would continue to haunt me.
Her hair falls around her head, a tangled mess; even still, she’s beautiful. A few strands are plastered to her forehead, dripping with sweat, and I gently push it from her face with shaking fingers. Her skin is pale, almost washed out, and I’m not sure if it’s from the darkness of the shadows or whatever is causing her pain, but something isn’t right.
I can feel it.
“Oh dear, I’m sure asking you to put these on is out of the question right now.” The queen tosses a pair of pants on the foot of the bed. “But how about you at least pull the blanket onto your lap for me? I need to concentrate, and this old lady can only take so much without becoming distracted.”
She turns back around, waiting for me to cover myself. I hadn’t loved the fact that shifting left us naked earlier, but now it was about the farthest thing from my mind. I’d all but forgotten until she said something about it. Of course, now I’m hyper-aware of it, along with the fact that Serena is also on my very naked lap.
I lift her easily, pulling the blanket down the bed and draping it over me. Pants would probably be the better choice considering my dick has a mind of its own right now, but that would require me putting Serena down, and that’s not going to happen.
“I’m covered.”
The queen turns back around with a soft smile before she approaches the bed, and I get a closer look at her for the first time.
Strange, I wouldn’t peg her as old at all. If I'm being honest, she hardly looks old enough to be Garrett’s mother.
“Time works differently here. I’m just shy of my eight hundredth birthday,” she tells me, and I’m not sure if I spoke aloud or if she could see the confusion on my face.
“Shit.” It’s the only word that comes to mind. I don’t realize it might not be appropriate to curse in front of her until after I’ve said it. If it is, she doesn’t seem to mind. She chuckles as she begins to mix different things from the bottles and throws in herbs I have no hope of identifying. After a few minutes, she dips her fingers into the mixture before leaning over the bed to smear it on Serena’s face. She starts at the top of her head, trailing her fingers over her forehead, down her nose, and over her lips down her throat.
The mixture is a bright purple color that shines as if made of glitter. It smells floral but is not like anything I can put a name to. She sets the bowl down on the bed beside my leg and closes her eyes, mumbling something in a language I’ve never heard before.
“It’s the language of the gods,” Garrett says in a low voice, probably so as not to disturb her. I’d forgotten he was here until just now. “It’s mostly a dead language now, but my mother takes healing seriously and learns anything she can when it comes to it. Even languages that have been long since dead.” He’s trying to sound annoyed, but I can hear the fondness behind it. Garrett loves his mother. I don’t feel like I need to know more about her to know she loves him as well.
She smirks at her son but doesn’t stop chanting before returning to Serena. Her brows pull together in concentration, and I can’t look away from her face.
It’s not only Garrett she loves, but Serena as well. I saw it when she jumped into action the second she realized Serena was in trouble. At first, I thought she was doing her duties as the queen, taking care of her because she had the power to do so. It’s her job to care for the people, and she knows she’s important to Garrett.
But that’s not all it is.
Her concern is similar to that of a mother worried for her child. I’ve seen it a million times from my own mother, either for me or Storm. It couldn’t have been easy dealing with us. Twin boys were probably already a lot, and then add in our alpha beasts, and we were always hurt or getting into something.
Most of the time, it wasn’t even on purpose, believe it or not.
It’s nice to know she had people who cared about her before us. Serena has her adoptive parents back home, and they love her. I’ve never questioned that. But I’d be lying if I said I never thought about her alone and afraid, just a little girl lost in the woods before Asher found her.
“You love her?” The queen’s voice startles me, and I realize the room is otherwise quiet now. I’m not sure when she stopped her chanting. I was lost in my thoughts, but glancing around the room, I realize Garrett’s no longer here.
Strange. What could pull him away from Serena?
“He said the others were here and left to handle them. I’m assuming he means more of your friends.” She smiles at me before returning to the table and grabbing a bottle of blue liquid. If she’s annoyed by us being here, she doesn’t show it. Instead, I’d say she almost looks happy about it. She pours some of the blue liquid into her hands and rubs it in, almost like a lotion, before taking Serena’s hand as her eyes fall closed.
“Ah, yes, that makes sense,” she says with a nod before dropping Serena’s hand.
“What is it?” I ask, finally finding my voice again with the possibility of getting answers about what might be wrong with Serena.
“What’s making her sick?” she asks, and I look at her, confused about what else she thinks I might be asking.
“That’s hard to say, but she appears to be in perfect physical health. Whatever is happening is mental.”
My face must show my concern because she’s quick to continue.
“I wouldn’t worry too much if you can help it. I know that’s easier said than done, but she was a lot like this when she washed up on the shore as a child. She was out for a few days. Nothing was wrong, but something inside of her needed time. When she woke, she was just fine, full of energy and life, after she adjusted.” She smiles fondly down at Serena, and I look down at her as well.
“Serena is strong. If anyone can get through this, it would be her, you’ll see.”
I know she’s right. Serena has always been strong, even when she didn’t think she was. We saw it. She’s been our glue for a long time, and dealing with us isn’t for the faint of heart.
