“That’s a good thing,” Myanin pointed out as she put another bite in her mouth.
“Only if I can truly trust him.”
“Mates don’t lie,” Myanin said. “Or at least that’s what I’ve heard.Canis lupusare the loyalist of the loyal with their mates.”
“I hope it’s true.” Tenia took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “It’s not like I have a choice on whether to trust him. He’s there and I’m here. I told him if he lets any harm come to my son that what I would do to him would make Alston look sane.”
Myanin grinned. “Mothers are protective of their young. I know theCanis lupusalso feel strongly for their pups. If he said he’d protect your Torion then I think you can believe him.”
“Even though he works for the Order?”
Myanin shrugged. “I’ve never heard of aCanis lupusturning on his true mate. Not once in all of my existence.”
Tenia seemed to think about this for a few minutes and then nodded. “I haven’t either.”
Myanin finished her cotton candy and put the empty bag back in her pocket. “Are you ready to proceed?” She motioned toward the mountain.
Tenia sighed. “Might as well get it over with. Facing Perizada might actually be worse than finding out I have a werewolf mate that has ties to the Order.”
“She’s that scary?” Myanin asked.
“Not so much scary as … crazy,” Tenia said. “No, no, not so much crazy as … batshit insane when she gets irritated, which seems to happen a lot.” A tiny smile formed on the fae’s lips that made it clear she had at least some affection toward the high fae. “You never really know what she’s going to do.”
“A little crazy is good,” Myanin said.
Tenia frowned. “On some people. But I think maybe you should reignyourcrazy in.”
“I’m not crazy,” Myanin said matter-of-factly.
“Yes you are.” Tenia walked over and held out her arm. “Anyone who tells you differently is straight-up lying to you.”
Myanin placed her hand on the fae’s again and shrugged. “I’m working on myself. I can’t fix everything all at once. Crazy might have to be the last thing I fix.”
Tenia snorted. “Great.” Then they flashed.
When they appeared in the queen’s chambers, Lilly was standing with her back against the wall. It was obvious she’d decided she would not be caught unaware again. Myanin had texted her about thirty minutes ago.
“You’re late,” the queen said as she looked down at the phone in her hand.
A second later, Myanin found herself pushed against the wall with a fae blade pressed against her throat. A small but very powerful fae—Perizada, she presumed—glared at her.
“Peri, you agreed to hear her out,” Lilly said, sounding much too bored for Myanin’s liking. Myanin wasn’t actually afraid of the high fae. Though it was apparent by the woman’s power that she was ancient and actually more powerful than Myanin. Which she found interesting considering Myanin knew she herself was more powerful than Alston. Was Perizada actually more powerful than Alston?
“I’m having second thoughts,” Perizada said as the blade pressed tighter. If Myanin had her throat slit by a fae blade, there would be no healing. She would be well and truly screwed. But then, isn’t it what she deserved?
“Do what you must,” Myanin said, her voice soft as she met the high fae’s eyes. “It is no less than I deserve. And I have made things right with my Creator.” Myanin heard a door open and close, but she didn’t take her eyes off the woman who held the blade. There was a deep rumbling and then what sounded like two males, because the grunts were too deep to be female, struggling.
“Peri, let her go,” a deep guttural voice commanded.
“Just because we’re mates doesn’t mean I agreed to take orders, wolf,” the high fae said as her icy gaze continued to stare into Myanin’s eyes.
“You know me well enough that I would never attempt to give you an order, female. But I’d really rather not have to hurt Gerick,” said the male, presumably Perizada’s mate, who was apparently a wolf.
“Why on earth would you have to hurt Gerick?” the high fae asked, still not moving her blade away.
“Because he is currently attempting to get to you,” the male said.
“Hmm,” Perizada purred. “Interesting.”
