“No more than I usually do, but I’ve never felt like this.” I had never seen her like this: her hair a mess, makeup from the night before smeared under her eyes, and the same dress she had on at dinner last night.
Bash and Adar may have died before someone hurt her, but I knew Bronwen would have rather died than someone seeing her in the state she was in currently.
As we made it up the last step, her eyes widened when she realized there wasn’t a glamour on me.
“What the hell did I miss?” she asked.
“I found the black opal,” I said nonchalantly as I walked past her.
She grabbed my wrist and pulled me back to her. “Where was it?”
I leaned in and whispered, “Around Nathara’s neck.”
Bronwen glanced at Bash as she said, “And where is Nathara now?”
“She and Lilian are gone. Along with my Guard that just attempted to overthrow me.”
She looked between the two of us as she realized how much exactly she missed.
“Those fuckers—they drugged me!” she said, stomping her foot like a small faeling. “I missed all the fun!”
“Oh, come on, B! At least you didn’t have to get your hands dirty,” Bash said as he threw his arm over her shoulder and headed for the castle doors.
As we walked inside, I noticed a few servants peeking around the corner at us.
“It’s okay, you can come out. It’s over,” Bash said. They walked around the corner but stayed in the room with us, keeping their eyes on me.
“I have been keeping something from you, love.” Bash raised a hand, and I watched as the fae servants turned into something completely different. One that was once a small, frail lady with short black hair, pale skin, and deep-set black eyes was now a creature that had the same humanlike features as before, but now she was covered in black scales, had glowing red eyes, and atail that went all the way to the floor. She gave me a small smile, showing her pointed teeth. The male that was the first servant I had met upon my arrival here was now a two-headed creature with wings. He flew above us in excitement like he had missed the feeling of being free with his wings that had been hidden all of this time.
Before I could say anything, even though I wasn’t sure I had any words to express the shock I was feeling, Bash spoke.
“When Alentara was created, Queen Mother sent every faerie and creature to a specific realm that she deemed the best fit, but she didn’t take into consideration the personalities of the faeries and creatures. She only looked at their appearances or their gifts to determine which realm they should go to.
“This meant that the benevolent creatures like these,” he paused as he motioned to the creatures, “were placed in a realm filled with monsters that killed anything they deemed weaker. No one here is a forced servant. They are given a safe haven within the castle walls and in turn, they work.”
I was in awe as my mate continued to surprise me with who he truly was. “You keep all of this hidden. You’d rather the other realms see you as someone who forces fae into servitude than them see what they really are.”
“Outsiders only see monsters, not the kind souls on the inside. I’d rather them think of me as a monster than my staff be forced to endure the stares and the comments.”
“But I saw Yara? I guess you told her I was the Night Realm’s to keep?” I said as I rolled my eyes.
He smirked as he said, “We didn’t tell her about you. She sensed it herself and wanted to see how you’d react to her. Because she can’t speak, I couldn’t glamour her to work in front of the guests. She wasn’t supposed to show herself, only complete tasks behind closed doors. She went a little rogue and took the job of one of the glamoured staff to meet you.”
“Look at you,” I said, elbowing his side, “your heart isn’t cold after all.”
He turned to look at me. “Don’t take that as me being weak. When it comes to you, I will gladly take down the world, and everyone in it.”
I knew he wasn’t exaggerating. After seeing what he did today, I had no doubt he would destroy anything that stood between us.
“I’m going to find Adar,” Bronwen mumbled as she left the room. The servants quickly followed suit and left me and Bash alone.
“What now, love?” Bash said as he tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
I stared into his eyes—a sight I could look at forever. I could spend eternity, content, here with him.
But there was something out there. Something that belonged to me. The glimmer of power I felt today, it made me realize how badly I wanted it. That I wouldn’t be able to rest until it was mine. Until I got the revenge that my parents and my realm deserved.
“I want my throne.”
