“Of course it will stay on. What do you think I’m here for? Eye candy?” Peri rolled her eyes. “It makes a statement. You wear the crown. It is rightfully yours. You are the queen. He has obviously forgotten that. The wicked, pointy thing on your head is a perfect reminder.”
“Well,” Lilly said as she looked around the room, “I really thought we’d have a little more time to plan for this.”
“Unfortunately, bad guys don’t care about your timeline,” Peri said.
“You don’t seem worried,” Lilly pointed out what Myanin had been thinking.
“Why should I be?” Peri asked as she motioned toward the door where the two warriors were still standing. They looked worried. “Your mate passed his power to you. The Great Luna has blessed your position as queen. Who can stand against what the Great Luna decrees?”
“Apparently, lots of people,” Lilly said. “Like ... the Order, packs we didn’t know existed, and Lysander. Should I continue?”
“No, we don’t have time. You need to march your kick-ass looking self down there and take care of the rat who thinks he has a right to your throne. Later I can say, ‘I told you so.’” She looked at Tenia and then at Myanin. “You two need to stay out of sight. Right now, we don’t know if Lysander or anyone in his clan is in league with the Order or if some will rebel once he’s taken out and join them.”
“Of course,” Myanin said as Tenia nodded.
Lilly turned to Gerick. “Gather the warriors but instruct them they are not to engage.”
Myanin watched as Gerick’s jaw clenched. He didn’t like what his queen was telling him.
“You know they can’t,” she said. “I must defeat him on my own.”
Finally, Gerick nodded. He turned to Myanin and, to her utter shock, pressed his hand to her cheek. She didn’t slap his hand away this time. The general leaned forward until his mouth was next to her ear. “I apologize, mate. But I’m going to have to disagree with your ‘no touching’ rule. I find that I rather like touching you.” He pressed a swift kiss to her neck before releasing her. She didn’t have time to respond, as a second later he was out of the room giving orders to the two male warriors.
“And the awkward moments just keep coming,” Peri sang as she grabbed Lilly’s arm and then her mate’s.
“Wait,” Lilly said as she leaned down and picked up a rather ancient looking book that had been sitting on the coffee table. “I’m going to need this before I kick the rat’s ass.”
“Queen Lilly,” Myanin said before Peri could flash.
“Yes,” Lilly asked. Her voice was a bit strained, but her shoulders were pulled back and her chin raised.
“Look for his tell before he attacks. Everyone has one. It will be a shift in his eyes, maybe a slight turn of his torso or even the slightest movement in one of his feet,” Myanin said, hoping she could help even now. “And you can’t show him any mercy. One of your own that is willing to attack in a time of war shows he has no respect for authority. For a king or queen responsible for thousands of lives, that cannot stand. You must kill him whether or not he yields.”
“Yep, I like her,” Peri said with a disturbing smile. If that was how Myanin smiled, she really did need to work on it.
“My mate said the same thing,” Lilly said as she looked at Myanin.
“Your mate said he liked her?” Peri asked, her brow furrowed and the weird smile gone.
“No, you weirdo,” Lilly huffed. “He said I couldn’t have mercy on Lysander. Cypher said if he were in my place, he would kill Lysander simply for attempting this takeover.”
Myanin nodded. “He’s wise. I’ve no doubt you will be victorious. And then we can focus on getting you ready to deal with the Order.”
“All right, in the words of Jen, let’s do this,” Peri said and then flashed.
“Who’s this Jen person?” Tenia asked once they were alone.
Myanin looked at her and shrugged as she pulled out a small bag of cotton candy. “I have no clue, but I think I’m going to like her.”
Tenia glanced at the cotton candy and shook her head. Then she smiled.
“Now you look creepy,” Myanin said slowly as she put a piece of her treat in her mouth.
“So …” Tenia said, ignoring the comment. “Gerick, huh?” She bounced her eyebrows up and down.
Myanin swallowed and then shook her head. “Never do that thing with the eyebrows again. And if we’re going to talk about mates, then be prepared to share.”
Tenia’s mouth snapped shut.
Myanin smirked. “Didn’t think so.”
Chapter 15
“A long time ago, I was an orphan. I was a child who was lost in a world in which I didn’t feel I belonged. Now, I’m the queen of a supernatural race, an orphan no longer. I have a family. There are people who love me and who I love. I’ll be damned if I let anyone take that away from me.” ~ Lilly, Queen of the Warlocks
Lilly felt his hand on her lower back and knew her mate stood at her side even though she couldn’t see him. She felt the heat of his lips next to her ear as he spoke. “You are the rightful leader of our people, beloved. Prove it to them.” The next moment his breath and hand disappeared, but she could feel that he was still with her.
“You’ve got this, Lilly,” Peri said as they stood in the grand foyer of the warlock mountain stronghold. Lysander and his clan were on the other side of the immense walls, waiting to see what she would do. No doubt he thought she would falter under his challenge. He had obviously not raised a teenage daughter. There would be no faltering.
“Lilly!”
Her head snapped around at the sound of Cindy Morgan’s voice. What the hell?
“Cindy?” Lilly
