But we needed Pawl alive to find them.
“Princess Destiny is correct, My Queen,” I offered. “We need him alive.”
And I felt a tiny bit sorry for the fucker.
After several tense seconds, the queen walked back to the table and sat down. “He’s not the only one. I want Radella brought to me.” She poked her finger at the table, her voice full of command. “Now. I don’t care if you have to drag her out of her bed, drag her naked through the streets, put her in chains. Bring her to me. Now.”
Captain Turaya shoved Pawl in my direction and I took hold of his upper arm, holding him motionless so he posed no threat to anyone in the room. He couldn’t do much with the restraints, but I wouldn’t put it past him to try, even as broken as he appeared to be from the latest revelations.
Before he could move, a loud boom sounded behind my mate. She turned, weapon drawn. Thor spun, shoved Faith behind his back. Leo grabbed Trinity and pushed her to the floor. Captain Turaya jumped in front of the queen.
We stood, weapons raised, facing the newly forming opening in the wall.
No, the secret tunnels. Fuck. We were under attack.
“Not again.” Captain Turaya had his weapon drawn, his face grave, and I realized this was how the attack on the queen had happened all those years ago. They’d used the tunnels. Just as Zel had used them to try to harm Trinity.
“We should seal those fucking tunnels,” I told the captain.
“Too late for that now.” He moved forward and I’d had enough. I shoved Pawl to the ground, set my knee in his back.
“If you move from this spot I will kill you myself.” Pawl nodded his agreement and remained still as I moved closer to the queen. In this moment, I had to trust Destiny to take care of herself. I had a job to do. I was a queen’s guard, and even being Destiny’s mate did not release me from that duty. “Stand behind me, My Queen.”
6
Nix
A small white garment placed on the end of a stick emerged from the door. Captain Turaya fired and struck true. The fabric caught on fire.
“Wait!” Destiny yelled the order and we all froze, unmoving. “They’re waving a white flag!”
“What the hell?” Trinity peeked out from behind Leo’s back. When he put his hand on her head and shoved her out of the line of danger, she weaved and popped out the other side. I heard his growl of protest.
“What is this white flag?” I asked.
> “It’s an Earth thing.” Destiny spoke loudly, but didn’t take her eyes, or her ion blaster, off the gaping entrance to the room. “All right. White flag. You surrender. We won’t fire. Come out with your hands up.”
Lady Radella walked forward with her arms raised, palms forward. She lumbered awkwardly, one high-heeled shoe on her left foot, her right foot bare. Her fine yellow gown was stained and torn, as if she’d been shoved to the ground many times over. Her face was tear-streaked, but her gaze was defiant and filled with hate. Irrational. Burning hot.
Lady Radella? What the fuck?
Behind was a man I’d never seen before, but based on Destiny’s reaction, I knew instantly who he was. Her father. Adam. From Earth.
He shoved Lady Radella farther into the room and she stumbled. She didn’t look happy. In fact, she looked miserable. I wasn’t sure where the danger rested with the duo.
“Dad!” Destiny put her gun down and ran toward him, leaping into his arms as she’d never leaped into mine. Jealousy reared its ugly head, but I bit it back. He was her father. Of course, she loved him. He had raised her to be strong. A warrior. He had helped her become the perfect female for me.
Lady Radella kept walking, moving slowly toward the table. She collapsed into a seat next to Amandine as if she had every right to be seated there. As far as I knew, she did.
“Adam!” The queen stepped forward, but I put out one arm to stop her progress, keeping her close enough that I could place her behind me in an instant if things went bad. The shocked look on her face as she looked at her mate had me far from relaxed. She did not look nearly as happy, nor as accepting, as her daughter. “Adam?” she repeated. “What is going on here? Why are you with… Radella? Why are you with her in the tunnels?”
“Mother, are you all right?” Pawl shouted from the floor, but there was no way he was getting up to help her. His concern for his mother was evident, but my threat held, and he was smart enough to know I’d meant what I said. If he moved, I’d blast him.
Destiny released her father and he set her gently aside.
The man looked to the queen. “Celene, babe, I can explain everything.”
Babe? Was that an earth endearment? Because the queen was a female fully grown. She was not an infant.