A Queen of Ruin (Deliciously Dark Fairytales 4)

Xavier grinned. “Nor do you know any of the customs. You’ve already fucked up in a major way, and it’s only day one.”

My stomach twisted, and Tamara scowled.

“Remember who you’re talking to,” she told Xavier. “Show some respect.”

“I’m talking to a commoner who stands in the shadow of the most beloved queen in history,” he replied. “Finley might be the prince’s mate, but she hasn’t been sworn in. She’s not official.”

“Didn’t you hear the prince?” Lucille shoved him. “He made her official in word, if not yet in deed. Not to mention that as soon as he’s king, he’s going to change things. She won’t be just a figurehead. It’s about damn time.”

“We’ll see,” Xavier said in a low tone.

“Power or not, being sworn in or not,” I said in an even tone, “keep talking to me like that and we’re going to have a problem.”

He smirked. “Except the queen took her sword back.”

“Do you think I need a sword to slit your throat?” I ground out. “I’ll find a fucking piece of glass if I get desperate enough, and I doubt I will, because a dagger or pocketknife will do just fine.”

His eyes narrowed, but his mouth shut. He correctly realized I didn’t give idle threats.

My stomach didn’t stop churning, though, something I wouldn’t allow to show on my face. I hadn’t been ready for his sudden swagger. It was like he didn’t remember all we’d been through. It was like he somehow thought the old hierarchy was alive, and his place in it was assured. Well, he’d be slapped with the dick of reality soon enough. The kingdom he’d returned to wasn’t the golden one of times past. It was broken, and swagger had no place here.

Still, his sentiments would be shared by others. I’d probably have more dissenters than supporters.

Maybe you should make an example of him. You wouldn’t need a blade to put him in his place, my dragon thought. You just need me. I’ll take his dragon any day. I’m bigger, more alpha, and most importantly, I am so much meaner.

Five men and women walked up, the men tall and broad, with clearly defined muscles and hard eyes. The women were a bit shorter, with not as much girth, but their curves spoke of hard muscle.

“The alpha sent us,” said the man at the front, brown-haired and with a chiseled face and deep-set, velvety brown eyes. “I’m Ehno. I’ll be heading up this subsection of pack. I’ll be following your lead.”

Tamara’s eyes widened, and Xavier frowned and shot me a look. This was significant in some way, but I had no idea why. My lack of knowledge about shifters and court in general was already hindering me. I needed to get some lessons, ASAP. I wondered if Tamara would give them to me.

“Do you know where we’re going?” I asked Ehno.

“Yes. Back to where we came in, right?”

“Right. Hopefully they didn’t get any dumb ideas about wandering into Wyvern after the magical wall lifted. I doubt the villagers would be happy to see those demons.” I nodded at him. “We’ll be flying overhead. We’ll keep pace with you.”

Ehno nodded, stepping away to shift.

I did the same, leaving the trees for a moment so my dragon could take over. We shifted, and she rose into the sky, beating her wings lazily as she took us over the trees. The other dragons joined me, and we soared over the Forbidden Wood—or the Royal Wood, I guessed, now that it wasn’t forbidden anymore.

A thrill arrested me. Was this for real? Was I a fucking princess?

A princess?

I still remembered the wonder I felt watching Nyfain soar through the blue sky in dragon form, his gold scales glittering. Back then I was a young girl, separated from him in every way that mattered, but he was mine now. My mate. Maybe one day the father of my children, if I was blessed enough to have any. My forever. I couldn’t believe we were finally back together, the curse lifted.

There is still a lot of work to be done, my dragon warned me. Forever won’t mean much if that demon horde comes back and cuts the legs out from under you. Or that queen rips the throne out from under your ass.

Can you just let me have one damn second to marvel at my good fortune?

Marvel when he’s fucking you. Start thinking about his wing issue now.

She had a point. Demon magic had ripped the wings from his back. Stripping it away had returned some but not all of the scales. Why? Could some of their magic have gotten tied up within him when he forced the shift?

If so, Calia, the powerful faerie who’d helped us break out of the dungeons and into our kingdom, should be able to sense the magic. Hopefully, she would also be able to unravel it or strip it away.