Unlikely Queen (Crystal Castle 1)

“He thinks he owns me already,” she scoffs with mock indignation. Being “owned” is a difficult concept for my headstrong sister to even entertain.

“Already?” I question. “It’s been less than a day.”

She looks at me with large eyes, lips twitching as she envisions her mate. “I won’t lie, he’s hot, and I haven’t seen or been attracted to anyone, for… like… ever. But at the same time, he makes my blood boil. His ego—”

“You have an ego, too,” I quip. I’m rewarded with a gentle elbow to the ribs.

“He’s just so cocky and self-assured, but he makes me feel other things at the same time.” Sensing his presence, she turns away from me and watches John leave his house. He’s still bare-chested with taut muscles on glorious display. It’s no wonder all the women around here pant after him. He brings it on himself.

Yet, unlike all the other women who fall at his feet, Tatiana grumbles, but she doesn’t look away.

“If only he would get over his barbaric ways.” With her forgetting how in-tune they are, John stops in his tracks and locks eyes with her. He’s smiling, having heard every word she said even though he’s far from earshot.

“I think you like it, a lot,” I whisper low, determined not to sink my sister in further. She’s quite capable of doing that herself.

“You may be right, but that isn’t my focus.” She turns to face me, eyes suddenly serious. “You are.”

I nod my head but am at a loss for words. Perhaps I’m too frightened to express my concerns. She senses my unease and tries a different approach. “Now, tell me more about the Angel of Death. He certainly has eyes only for you.”

What does she mean by that?

“Grim protects me. He always has. Where he is the Angel of Death for some, to me, he has only ever kept me safe.”

Tatiana scrunches her brows together, uncertain of how she should interpret the relationship I have with Grim.

“He comes to me at the most unexpected times,” I continue. “He knows when I need him most, and he’s never let me down. I can count on him.”

“He saved you, Talia!” I see a glimmer of hope in her eyes. Having Grim on my side during this time is a huge asset. One that will surely ebb some worry off my sister’s mind. “He stopped you from going through the portal, only the Angel of Death has that power… to stop time.” She pauses, taking a deep breath. “We are going into incredibly dangerous territory tonight. If you need him again, will he come for you?”

It is never as simple as that.

“History tells me yes. Yes, he will be there. But… I don’t call to him. I don’t even know how to. He simply appears. He knows what’s going on before I do.”

“I can only hope he can go into battle with us. Become our ally. We will need all the help we can get. I trust in the wolves, but even they are not strong enough to defeat the queen and her army. The Angel of Death is the only one who carries power to rival that of the other angels and whatever the queen can muster. He can control the elements, stop time, and travel back through it. He can outsmart the other angels because they work for the queen and act on her behalf. He is a lone soldier. He answers to no one and has no duty to uphold. That makes him as beneficial as he is dangerous.”

I see the worry in her eyes. The uncertainty of whether she can place her trust in the Angel of Death to protect her sister—and her, for that matter.

“Don’t get me wrong…” she continues, “…we witches have some tricks up our sleeves, and the wolves are a solid army. But we need Grim to step up and be there.”

“Girls.” John’s voice sounds from behind us. We turn and watch as he pulls a shirt over his tanned, muscled torso. “The sun isn’t going to be up forever. We need to move.”

“Okay, we will prepare,” Tatiana responds with zero hostility, which renders both John and myself speechless. Curious glances are thrown between us, but my sister seems none the wiser of her extreme mood swings toward John. One minute, she’s rebelling against every look and every word, the next, she is cooperating with a smile on her pretty face.

Tatiana stands from the log. Taking my hands in hers, she sits us both on the ground. To build strength, we utilize the power the earth offers us and embrace it as a coven. Or in this case, just my sister and me. We close our eyes and let the warmth of the sun heat our skin, inhaling deeply, feeling the soil and its richness beneath us. She taught me all this when I was younger. I do this more for Tatiana’s sake, since she relies on the earth’s energy to build and maintain her powers. Tatiana’s power is earth.