Oh no.
I shoved that thought down before my males got excited slash terrified all over again. I was not in the mood to hear more about Zane’s unhinged child-rearing plans that involved lessons on how to massacre demons.
“We need to go find Kai before the orgy ends,” I announced firmly. Since my males were still processing their orgy experiences, it was up to me to take charge of this rescue mission. But that was fine. I had excellent leadership skills and totally reliable magic.
My plan was simple: we’d find Kai, rescue Farris from the bitch queen (because we needed him to get home) and get the fuck out of here.
What could go wrong?
My familiar rolled his eyes. “Knowing you, everything.”
“Thanks for your support. It means everything to me.”
Kenji shook himself and ignored my sarcasm.
“We don’t know where the queen is holding Kai,” Maverick pointed out, still not meeting my eye.
“Good thing I went looking earlier,”Kenji said. “He’s in a cave below the armory. Follow me.”
“I hope we meet some angry mermen,” Zane declared, rubbing his hands together gleefully. “I’m in the mood for some violence, and I have a lot of magic to expend.”
“You’re always in the mood for violence,” Maverick pointed out.
Zane grinned. “It’s my love language.”
Kenji trotted off, leading the way. I made it a grand total of five steps before stumbling in my stupid heels and nearly breaking my ankle. Luckily for me, Rasmus used his vampy speed to catch me before I hit the floor.
“I’ll carry you,mea amica.”
Being carried while on an important rescue mission wasn’t a good look for a strong, badass witch in charge of her males, but I decided it didn’t matter tonight. Speed was of the essence, and Rasmus was faster on his feet than I was.
Learning to delegate was a sign of a capable leader.
Just as we reached the stairs down to the lower levels of the palace, the queen’s consort blinked into view in front of us.
He slammed his trident into the stone floor, sending a wave of powerful magic blasting out.
“This area is off-limits to guests!”
“We were looking for our suite and got lost?” I forced a dippy smile, but the merman wasn’t buying my bullshit.
“The queen will be most upset that you are abusing her hospitality.”
“Daresh, leave them be.” For the first time ever, I was grateful to see the fae. He strode toward us while tucking his shirt into his pants. I forced myself not to look down in case little Farris was saluting the world; the evening had already been traumatic enough.
“Your companions are trespassing, my dear friend. I can’t turn a blind eye, not even for you.”
Farris sighed. “Look, I didn’t want to drag you into this, but that mate mark on the witch? It’s Malakai’s. The witch is his soul-bonded mate, and unless you help us rescue him, he’ll die.”
19
Raven
“So it’s true.” Daresh’s trident vanished into the ether, and his gaze softened. “I didn’t want to believe…” His voice trailed off as a tear slid down his cheek. I felt bad for thinking the worst of the horrible queen’s consorts. Maybe the mer queen had been using coercive control to keep them under her thumb.
Unlike the queen, Daresh seemed genuinely upset about his son. However, I wasn’t ready to forgive him completely.
“Why haven’t you stopped Queen Laryssa from hurting him?” Rasmus’s hold on me tightened, and his voice purred in my mind.
