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I think she’s attempting to seem motherly, and if anyone overheard us, they would think it’s just a loving queen counselling her deceased best friend’s daughter. Unfortunately, this is another warning laced in fake smiles and placid tones. There’s no doubt in my mind that this is another threat and that I’m expected to conform to these rules.Nod and smile, Laelia, I tell myself.Don’t rise to it.Despite chanting this to myself in my mind, my anger surges. It’s not the uncontrollable explosion of rage that Atlas was concerned about, but an icy calm animosity that grows as I stare at her.
“Oh, we’re working together now, are we?” My voice is calm, and for the first time since I walked into the hall, I’m not putting it on. Turning this around on the queen, I tilt my head like a predator watching its prey. “We would be a much more united front if you stopped threatening my mates.” My eyes burn with the strength of my ire, so much so she sits back as she takes me in, her smile dropping as she assesses how much of a threat I am to her right now.
Realising that she might have pushed me too far by bringing my mates into all this, she appears to come to a conclusion. Am I more of a hazard to her rule than the key to acceptance that she thought I’d be? Her smile is cruel, her teeth bared and eyes locked on mine as she leans across the gap between our chairs, her hand resting on my arm and squeezing to the point of pain.
“Make no mistake, Laelia, if you step out of line or the tides turn and you lose my favour, you will be killed in an instant. You are here and alive because I will it.”
She’s a master at hiding her true feelings and intentions, and no one would know that my life has just been threatened. That in itself is terrifying—not the threat, but her ability to switch emotions so easily. For some reason, I’ve always been able to see through the mask she puts on in front of her subjects, but right now, I know she’s being a hundred percent truthful, my gut warning me not to push her any further despite how much the darkness inside me desperately wants to lash out. I have people I need to protect, so for now, I’ll play along with this little charade.
We stay locked in a stare, neither of us backing down. Swallowing my pride, I lower my gaze. “I understand,” I reply quietly, internally screaming.
“Very good.” Her voice is full of smug pride, so she’s apparently satisfied with my response. “Come with me,” she orders, standing in a whirl of pink fabric and striding away, not bothering to check if I’m doing as she said.
Of course I’m going to follow her, but for a moment, as I’m up on the dais with everyone looking up at me, something shifts in my chest. Being up here in my own throne feelsright.
Terrified by my thoughts, I shake my head as if to banish them from my mind, and I take a deep breath. Standing, I brush down my dress and follow the queen.
ChapterEight
The queen’s sudden change of attitude is giving me whiplash. For some reason, when she’s nicer like this it makes me nervous. At least if she’s threatening me I know where I stand and how she truly feels. Despite all of this, I do as she says and follow several steps behind her as we cross the main floor. A group of young females around the same age as me are huddled together, pretending not to stare at a group of males across the room, and I realise with a tight knot in my stomach that’s where we’re going. The ladies are all dressed in some of the finest gowns I’ve ever seen, their hair perfect and makeup applied to make it look as though they are not wearing any. As soon as they see the queen approach, they dip into curtsies, wearing serene smiles on their faces as they murmur a chorus of, “Your Majesty.”
Graciously accepting their welcome with a dip of her head, she doesn’t waste time with pleasantries as she focuses her attention on one female in particular.
The whole group of ladies is beautiful and don’t have a single hair out of place, yet the one in the middle makes them all look dull in comparison. She has the same golden hair as the queen, which I’ve learned is an unusual colour for witches, most having very dark brown or black. Her eyes sparkle with the liquid silver of most witches, and her skin a beautiful tan hue. She has a perfect hourglass figure, something that’s shown off with the powder blue dress she’s wearing. It’s far more elaborate than most of the outfits here, looking more appropriate for an evening ball. It’s a long and elaborate version of mine, the fabric covered in an iridescent shimmer that makes her appear to glow. Our bodices are the same, yet hers looks much more revealing thanks to her large bust. The large skirt emphasises her waist before flaring out and dropping to the floor, the many skirts beneath giving it the appearance that the fabric is light and breezy.
My eyes narrow as I look over her again, checking that, yes, this is definitely the same dress. Was this also a gift from the queen? Something to embarrass me and show obvious favour to this female? It wouldn’t surprise me.
“Lady Tania, this is Lady Laelia Fairing. She’s new to court and needs someone to teach her the correct ways to act,” the queen says with a wave of her hand, her words almost flippant. “I would like you to be that person.”
The female, Lady Tania, smiles even wider, dipping her head to show she understands. “Of course, Your Majesty, I’m honoured that you thought of me.”
Her gaggle of friends murmur excitedly behind her, mentioning how much of an honour it is to be selected by the queen for such an important task.
Satisfied, the queen hums in approval before spinning on her heel. She closes the short gap between us and places a hand on my shoulder. “Listen well, Laelia.” Without another word, she walks back towards her throne.
Realising I’ve been left to fend off the group of gossip hungry females, I take a deep breath and steel myself. Sure enough, as I glance up, they descend. This is going to be rough.
Tania looks me over, clucking her tongue at our matching dresses, her smirk telling me that she thinks she looks better, and she would be right. My dress makes me look like I’m going to prom, whereas she looks graceful and ethereal.
“So you’re the wolf girl,” she sneers, her friends chuckling as they gather behind her, all crossing their arms over their chests as they watch me with a critical eye.
Here we go. I thought she looked like a mean girl, and it seems I was right. It’s obvious they all think calling me “wolf girl” is offensive, but I don’t see it as an insult. It’s a far nicer nickname than some of the things I’ve been called in the past. The problem is the tone in which she says it, the sneer and air of superiority. To them, I’m the wolf girl, and that’s not going to change. Even if I were a queen in my culture, they would always see me as lower than them.
Pursing my lips, I cluck my tongue. “Something like that.”
She deflates slightly at my lack of reaction. Her eyes rove over me again, and she glances over her shoulder to smirk at her friends, bolstering herself. That should have warned me of what was coming, but I wasn’t prepared.
“I can’t believe Lady Fairing fucked a dirty werewolf,” she says to her friends with a tsk before turning her attention back to me.
It’s a good thing she looked away when she started talking, because I only just manage to get my shocked expression under control before she looks at me again. She’s fishing for a reaction, and I’m going to fight my hardest not to give her one. Despite that, my back is rigid with anger.How dare she think she can speak about werewolves like that? I seethe.Especially right in front of me.
“Yet here you are, living proof,” she continues, oblivious to my internal outrage. Sighing as though this is some great disappointment to her, she clasps her hands in front of her, making herself look innocent as a small smile pulls at her lips. “She always seemed so sophisticated. I guess she was just hiding the fact she was a filthy who—”
She doesn’t get the chance to finish the insult. All thoughts of ignoring her comment leave my mind in a flash as I grab a handful of her stupid dress and pull her close, snarling in her face.
I might not have known my birth mother, but she seemed to have been well liked, and without her, I wouldn’t be alive. She attempted to protect me by giving me to the wolves, and for that, I’m grateful. Honestly, I’m a little surprised by the strength of my reaction, as I’ve never had many feelings about my birth mother, but perhaps being here has made me feel closer to her. Even so, she’s still family, and no one speaks badly about my family.
“I don’t care what the queen said or who you are. No one speaks about my mother like that,” I warn her quietly, the growl in my voice almost making it unrecognisable. “If I ever hear you so much as utter her name, I’ll let my wolf tear you to shreds.”
