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Chapter7
“In the year that you’ve been here, how many times do you think I’ve said stay away from my son?”
I stared into the ground, begging it to swallow me whole as the queen paced back and forth in front of me.
We were alone in the throne room. Apparently, the minute the council meeting was over and everyone cleared out, I was the first thing on her mind.
“Your Majesty, I—”
She held up her hand, looking at me as her lip curled in disgust. “Save it. Obviously you have no respect or regard for our legacy. Noah’s legacy. If you think that he is going to be with his human feeder, you are sorely mistaken.”
She walked closer to me. “Do you think there are not a hundred Vanessas lined up waiting for a chance to have his hand?”
“With all due respect, do you want a hundred Vanessas?” My smart-ass comment was not what the queen wanted to hear, but her thinly veiled threats were growing obnoxious. I had the respect of the king and the heart of the prince—at least I thought I did after his comments last night. Though I guess I couldn’t be truly sure.
“I am the queen of the Unseelie, and a nobody from a world that doesn’t even care that she’s missing is not going to sit on the throne and rule our people—ever.”
I disliked the queen. Obviously, she’d never been fond of me. But the fear she had lorded over me didn’t hit the same anymore. Instead of me being afraid, I saw the fear in her eyes. Maybe that was why she grew colder toward me.
Could she make my life a living hell? Absolutely. But it wasn’t me who was cowering before her like I was sure she wanted me to.
Instead, I watched her carefully, seeing the pain she tried to hold in at her husband not being here. The fear she had that Noah would take the throne and their line would be tainted with human blood. It was about her fears. Her worries of how things looked.
The realization hit me. Like a sixth sense had generated in my time here in Faerie. I could practically feel the pain radiating out of her, as well as the horror at what the other Unseelie would think of a weakened line.
I thought about the humiliation she had inflicted on me, ripping my clothes off in front of the entire court while Vanessa was here. If it wasn’t for the king coming in and saving me, I don’t know what other cruel things she and Vanessa would have tried to pull.
And even in that moment, remembering something that affected me so, I couldn’t bring myself to hate her anymore. While I was sure to continue to dislike her treatment of me, my feelings toward her shifted almost instantly as I felt her emotions.
I raised my chin, meeting the queen’s gaze. I would not be bullied, but I also would not show the disdain on my face that I so often wore.
“Do you have anything to say?” The queen’s cocked eyebrow wavered the longer I stood silent. If she had wanted a reaction from calling me a nobody, she wasn’t going to get it.
I bowed my head in a small gesture. “I understand you.”
The lip curl grew so severe on her face that I thought she’d permanently have a puckered look to her. “I need you out of the castle. Noah has work to do, and I can’t have the council see him swooning over you.”
I remained in place, waiting for her to continue.
“Remus’ favorite evening tea is a special blend that only one shop in town can provide. I want it ready for his return. Get it and take your time coming back here.” She walked away from me, her gown swishing as she moved.
“Where is this special tea store?” I asked.
She paused, looking over her shoulder with a calculating grin. Probably wondering what a store was. “I’m sure someone resourceful enough to woo a prince can find the local herbalist.”
Without another word, she moved toward the door in the back of the throne room and vanished through it.
Once she was out of the room, I let myself clench my fists and growl under my breath. I didn’t want her seeing that she’d gotten under my skin, but damn it, she was ruthless in her attempts to get me away from here.
I didn’t bother looking to see if the guards by the door had glanced toward me as I left. Instead I stormed hastily back to my own room to throw on some shoes more suited for walking than the ones I wore inside the castle.
“Stupid errands. For a stupid queen. And this stupid—” I growled again as I tripped and stubbed my toe putting my shoe on. “Mother fuck—”
“Such language from such a delicious-looking mouth.”
I spun and saw Noah leaning against my doorframe with his arms crossed. His eyes danced with amusement watching me hop around, slurring curse words.
“A mouth you won’t taste for days if you don’t stop mocking my pain, Your Highness.” I tossed my shoe at him as he ducked, laughing out loud.
