Unlikely Queen (Crystal Castle 1)

All except one.

I hear her voice chanting a spell.

Turning, I watch as the queen moves her hands like she is sculpting clay, words seeking revenge spilling from her mouth.

The floor beneath my feet begins to quake, the tiles rising with jagged edges. Through the broken floor, a portal takes shape and the queen’s chant becomes louder.

Tatiana is awake now, her scream catching my attention.

I turn to Bronik, but he is standing too far away, eyes wide as he watches. Did I think he could possibly save me, anyway? Why was there even hope there? The pull of the portal is too strong, and I can’t fight it. Clawing at the air in desperation, I feel a hand at the center of my back push me.

“Goodbye,” the queen sings in jubilation.

I slip as far down as my waist, and I try in desperation to hoist myself out, but the tiles are cracking under my fingertips as I feel around for leverage.

Then I see the sole of a boot. An angel ready to seal the deal.

Until he doesn’t.

He’s frozen in place, his boot only inches from connecting with my face.

He doesn’t move, and neither does anyone else.

I’m the only one seeing.

Doing.

Until I’m not.

A hand reaches out and hooks under my elbow. In an effortless maneuver, I’m hoisted out of the portal and placed onto steady ground. I’m confronted with a broad chest dressed all in black. I know who it is before my gaze meets his own.

It’s him.

It’s always been him.

When I brave looking up, I see a smile twitching on his gorgeous face. My heart falters if only for a second. He has always had this effect on me, for as long as I can remember.

He is my own secret.

No one else knows about him, and no one would believe me even if I told them.

I was five when he first came to visit. Appearing out of nowhere to keep me away from danger. And since then, he is a regular visitor, even if it’s only from afar. He is the security blanket I never asked for but gladly accept. He’s someone I can confide in, someone who never thinks of me as odd or different.

He is just as magnificent-looking as the angels but in a dark, roguish kind of way. There is nothing light about him except for his eyes. Like the angels, they shine a brilliant silver and seem to come to life when I tell him all I have learned for the day.

I know his name, but it wasn’t until recently that I found out who he really is. And now, as he stands in from of me, I dread the truth.

His name is Grim.

The Angel of Death.

“I’m not dead!” I say adamantly, running my hands over my body.

Grim simply shakes his head at me. “You bloody well should be, have no doubt about that, my little fighter.” He always calls me that, a term of endearment that brings light to a dark situation. I smile until his eyes flick behind me. His affection is lost, and they turn dark at whoever is holding his attention. He can be a frightening man when he is crossed.

“It’s not long until they all unfreeze. We have to go.” He reaches out and pulls me against his hard chest, his muscled arms wrapping around my body, encasing me. “Snuggle up, fighter.”

“Unfreeze them so my sisters can see I’m safe.” He listens and nods his head, and for a second, everything unfreezes.

Confused by what they are witnessing, my sisters watch on. They’ve never seen Grim before, and now I am leaving with him.

I grip my savior tight and squeeze my eyes closed. There is a moment we are caught in a violent wind, much like the one I created earlier. But it doesn’t last longer than a few seconds.

When my eyes reopen, I find myself back in my bedroom. Grim releases me and I’m instantly overcome with dizziness. Transporting as fast as he can carries its consequences for those traveling with him.

“Steady up,” he says, gripping my elbow and lowering me to the bed.

“Will that ever get easier?”

“No,” he says in all honesty. Grim releases my arm, and I feel him pull away. He is leaving and I feel that familiar pang of loss. “You need to go… now. Pack what you can and get to the wolves. They will protect you while I take care of business.”

I shake my head. “They won’t want any part of this. Defending us against the vampires’ hatred is one thing, but taking on the queen and the angels is an entirely different story. They won’t want to get caught up in something that could see them banished or killed.”

He places a finger underneath my chin, softly with his rough hands, and tilts my face until I meet his hardened gaze. He is having none of it. “The wolves knew about you before you were even born, Talia. They’ve been expecting this day. They will be ready, and they will fight to keep you safe. Plus, you may be surprised by something when you get there. The alpha will protect you.”