Her power surrounds me, trying to find a weakness, but I push it easily away. My eyes focus back on my mate as she glares at the queen before blinking, her face settling into a pleasant façade. The music starts back up, but the conversation is subdued as everyone attempts to figure out what’s happening. Or what is going to happen.
It takes over an hour, and the ice is almost fully melted before the queen stands. Everyone shushes again as she clears her throat to speak. “This past week, rumours have been swirling through court that I thought I would address. It is true, our future queen ran away, ran from her duty, from her responsibilities, and flouted all that we treasure,” she spits.
Everyone looks at Alejandra, and those around her step away, leaving her alone to face the vile threats from the queen who moves past me, heading towards my mate. She stands tall under it all, her chin high, her eyes defiant, unwilling to bow anymore.
“She ran away, into the Forbidden Forest. She abandoned our people.” The queen stops before her and leans down, whispering something to her before whirling. Her dress slaps Alejandra, who does not wither under the blow, if anything, she stands taller. Pride flows through me for my mate, her strength astounding me. I ache to tell her to do what she needs to do, to save herself and to stop herself from being hurt, even if it means my death.
I would die just so she was okay and safe.
“Our future queen is not above being punished for her traitorous ways. We will correct them and ensure she is fully aware of the consequences. But first, to deal with the monster that stole our future queen away—the wolf.” All eyes turn to me, and I snarl.
“Tonight, the wolf dies!” she yells, her power surging through the room, making everyone gasp at its strength.
All but my mate, my brave little mate, who steps forward.
Silver eyes flashing, body glowing like the moon, eyes locked on her prey, she proudly calls, “I, Alejandra of House Bloom, goddess born, goddess chosen…challenge you.”
Alejandra
My challenge ripples through the crowd, but I don’t look away from the queen to spare them even a glance. They are fickle creatures, unworthy of my duty and respect. Slate is my choice, and tonight, I will fight for him. I will kill the queen and free him.
The queen laughs, actually laughs as she turns to me. “You think you could defeat me, little queen?” she mocks.
I step forward with a smirk on my lips. “Yes. I am to be queen, not you. I was chosen, not you. I am sick and tired of kneeling to the snake that sits on the throne. You let your own son die, and you did nothing.” With each barb, I step forward. “You let our people suffer, you kill them, torture them for fun, and you abandon them to wild magic while we all wither and die under your control. And now? Now you want to kill my mate?” I snarl as I reach her. I tilt my head back and meet her eyes, and for a moment, I see a flicker of fear there. “To that, I say I challenge you, I will defeat you, and I will show them all just how much of a false queen you are. That all this bravado, power, and fear you use to rule stems from a scared little fae out of her depth. I will not let you ruin us. I will not let you kill him,” I whisper to her, then I yank her head down and seal that vow with a kiss.
I taste terror and the truth of my words on her lips. She uses fear to control us, and because of that, no one dares defy her or challenge her…until now. Pulling my mouth back, my eyes still on her unblinking ones, I wipe my lips with my hand, disrespecting her further. “To the death, my queen,” I declare as I bow.
My eyes flicker behind her and meet Slate’s, imploring him to understand, to trust me. His narrow, but he stops growling. His brothers are here, though they are disguised using fae glamour, masquerading as fae who were considered lesser and are serving around the room. I am doing this for them as well, for their freedom, so that hopefully, their children will have a better life than they did. I’m done standing idly by. These are my people, and she will hurt them no longer.
I turn to face the crowd, running my eyes over them as they watch in shock. My gaze catches on Bella, and I wink. They are here to ensure Slate gets free. During the fight while everyone is distracted, they are to move him out the back door and into the forest. The queen is up to me. I am to slay her…after that, I’m not sure what will happen to me, but I don’t care as long as he is free.
I promised Mira I would try, while Bella watched me with a knowing look. Dabria understood. She knows I might not win, that I might die, but Slate is too important to die here. With or without me, they have a mission. Even if they think they need me for it, all they really need is the bond between them. I hope they realise that, and if the goddess is with me tonight…I pray she allows me to rejoin my mate one day.
The queen rebuilds her confidence and laughs loudly, and some of the court joins in nervously as I wait. “You wish to challenge me, child? Fine. The marble will run red with your blood before the night is through, and you will die like you should have all those years ago,” she sneers.
I turn and wait for the challenge to begin.
She stands tall opposite me as her advisors quickly rush to sort out the challenge. Usually, this would have been accepted days in advance, allowing time for preparation, but I didn’t give them that luxury. They draw a crude magic circle around us in which we can duel. It will stop us from destroying the castle and our land, as well as hurting other fae. When the circle is complete, an adviser is chosen, and he steps into the middle of the circle to take our blood oath.
Eyes locked, we walk closer to him, our hands outstretched. I have been challenged three times before, all minor things, but this…this is to the death. I can feel it. We can decide to let our opponent live if we think we have bested them enough that they will never come for us again. But only one of us will leave this circle, and the other will die in it.
Otherwise, neither of us will ever be truly free of the other.
“This challenge is witnessed by the court. Do you, Queen of the Glittering Throne, accept the terms set forth? Either death or acceptance of defeat? Do you vow to follow the rules of the challenge?” he asks nervously.
“I do,” she snarls, and then rips her nails down her hand. Her blood hits the cup he holds with a splash, and without breaking eye contact, she licks it clean as it heals.
He turns to me and repeats it. I grab the knife, slice my hand, and let my blood drip and mix with hers in the cup. “I do,” I promise, and then I heal my hand in a quick show of magic. It could be costly, but it’s worth it when I hear the murmurs and see her eyes flash with anger.
“Under the eyes of our goddess, the challenge is sealed.” He speaks the declaration and passes the queen the cup. She takes a gulp, our blood dripping from her lips. She passes it to me, and I do the same, the taste of the blood overpowered by the taste of magic building within me.
This simply ties us together until the challenge is over. I feel her blood moving through me, and she will feel mine flowing through her. Stepping back, we wait for the fae to leave the circle, and with a gasp, it snaps into place, locking us in together.
It’s just her and me now.
Queen versus goddess born.
She raises her head and strolls along the border, watching me, trying to intimidate me. “Did you really think you could beat me? With your cute little healing magic? You are nothing. I will bathe in your blood and wear it as a dress as I dare the others to defy me.” She laughs, the sound echoing around the room. The hair on my arms and neck stand on end as I feel her magic surge.