And she was. She loved working with herhands, being outside, and making a difference by helping these faeget back into their own homes. It had been a month since she feltthis useful, and she enjoyed it.
By the end of the day, she had blisters onher hands, but she felt good as she stepped back to examine thewall she’d helped to erect. Wiping the sweat from her brow, shesmiled at the building.
Some of the dark fae remained distant, butmany thanked her for helping, and they all congratulated Cole onhis engagement. Word traveled fast as even some of the council cameto congratulate them.
Becca didn’t join Elvin, Alston, and Finnwhen they rode up to see Cole. They all offered congratulations,but it was easy to tell they werefarfrom thrilled aboutit. They didn’t stay long.
She was sure Becca had also heard the news,but she didnotexpect Cole’s ex-lover to congratulate them.Even if he believed Becca just wanted his power, Lexi was sure thewoman was in love with him.
She was probably somewhere wishing Lexi deadand maybe trying to figure out a way to make it happen. However,Becca would be in for a surprise if she came after her.
Lexi may not have figured out a lot of herabilities, but she was faster, stronger, and awholelotbetter at fighting now. Becca expected a weak half-human adversary,but Lexi would kick her ass.
When Lexi accepted the jug of water one ofthe fae handed her and drank it without hesitation, all thosegathered close by stared at her. They had no idea what to make oftheir future queen acting like one of them.
Lexi recapped the water, grinned at the faeman who gave it to her, and flipped her hammer in her hand as sheshifted her attention back to the wall. She liked that they didn’tknow what to make of her but seemed to like her.
If they hated or disliked her, she would bein for a lifetime of unhappiness in this land. It would make Cole’slife miserable too, and that was the last thing she wanted.
So far, they were accepting, if not a littleshocked to see her, for which she was grateful. No matter how muchshe enjoyed working the land, this was not normally the properplace for the well-bred nobility of the realms, and certainly notfor a king or queen.
The dark fae would have to get used to thischange. She refused to be locked in the palace, shoved into prettydresses, and perched on a throne. And this wouldn’t be the lasttime Cole helped the fae.
That was not the way she was going to spendthe rest of her life. But then, if they succeeded in taking downthe Lord, her rightful place would be on the Dragonian throne…which threw one more complication into her and Cole’srelationship.
However, it would probably be the easiest oneto figure out.
How difficult could it be to decide whichthrone you preferred to sit on that day?
“You like doing this work,” Niall said as hecame to stand beside her. Either he or Cole had been within tenfeet of her all day.
“I do,” she replied. “It’s good work.”
“It is,” Niall agreed. “I just didn’t thinkit was a queen’s work.”
“It is now.”
His eyebrows rose as he chuckled. He would bemore astounded when he learned about her true heritage, and shedidn’t doubt that everyone in all the realms would eventually knowit.
That’s what they were all working toward withher powers, after all. And once the secret was out, it would spreadfaster than news of her engagement.
She glanced around at all the people who hadhelped spread that news. She was sure they’d sent crows to thefurthest areas of the Gloaming too, and she was happy they wouldall soon know Cole washers.
Marriage was sacred to immortals; it lasteduntil one of them perished, andnoone messed with thatbond. Though, she was sure the Lord would try.
He’d probably enjoy doing so.
Lexi pushed thoughts of him aside. Sherefused to let that monster ruin her good mood. He would do so soonenough, she was sure.
Studying the scorched earth surrounding them,a small tremor ran through her as she recalled the blood, death,screams, and the monstrous craz that ravished the land during therebellion. Unable to stop herself, she glanced nervously at thesky.
“The craz haven’t come back since that day,”Niall said; he must have seen the direction of her gaze. “It wouldbe certain death for them now that we’re not all fighting eachother.”
“How many more creatures like them live inthe Gloaming?” she asked.
“Far too many for anyone to know the exactnumber.”
That was the least reassuring answerever.
