The Bastard Queen (Viciously Yours #2)

Shifting my ass on the saddle, I struggled not to rub at the base of my spine. I really shouldn’t have started us off in a full sprint, I thought. I hadn’t rode a Kelpie in forever, I really needed to start thinking things through. Too bad that sounded like it required effort.

Your stud, is he as annoying as his Kelpie?

Oh, definitely. I didn’t think he had it in him but he’s a total tease.

The pretty ones always are.

He is pretty, isn’t he? In his own way. I replied, casting a look over my shoulder at the giant.

My Kelpie snorted and continued her slow trek through the woods, Why haven’t you slept with him yet? You’re not the type to hold back.

Why haven’t you slept with your stud?

Because he doesn’t actually want to settle down, he just wants to say he has me. Your turn.

Huffing, I gazed at the ever darkening forest surrounding us, I’ve come close but he always does something to ruin it. It’s like he doesn’t want to sleep with me.

That’s hard to believe. His eyes have been glued to you this entire time.

Well, that’s not usual. Have you looked at me, Babes? I’m magnetic.

Chuffing out a quiet laugh, she didn’t respond as she picked our way down a rocky incline.

If Cillian wanted to keep our relationship platonic that was fine but teasing a touch starved individual such as myself? That was cruel. Then again, maybe I just needed to slip out one of these nights and get laid. I was reasonably sure that I was ready. Although sex no matter who it’s with does require a certain level of vulnerability and trust. Could I let some stranger put their hands all over me after everything I’ve been through? My heart began to pick up speed at the thought while my knuckles turned white and the leather reins creaked in my grip. Closing my eyes, I took a deep shuddering breath and calmed my mind. Exhaling, I took another deep breath and held it for several seconds.

Releasing it, I opened my eyes and thought about the very depressing realization I had just come to. I’m going to be a celibate god. Nope, no, nevermind. Absolutely not. Just because I wasn’t ready now, didn’t mean I wouldn’t be forever. I had about another three or four good millennia’s left in me, provided I managed not get myself killed. Oh! And, I’ll be a Divine after I transformed and who knows how much time that’ll add to my life! I have plenty of time to get over my aversion to that type of vulnerability, right? Right?

Wo-ow. That was a downwards spiral on crack.

Oh, sue me. I like my sex life alright? It’s important to me.

Her black mane flew around my hands as she tossed her head with a laugh, Well, I have a solution to your problem that won’t take hundreds or thousands of years.

What is it?, I asked, giving the back of her large head a skeptical look.

Fuck that hot piece of ass that obviously has a major hard on for you. By the way we’re here.

Snorting, I threw my leg around her back and jumped down. Divines, you kiss your mother with that mouth?

What? Scared of giving him your virginity?

Gasping in outrage, I quickly walked around to stand in front of her. Pointing a finger in her smug face, I snapped, You take that back, I haven’t been a virgin since before the humans had fire!

You haven’t had sex in almost eight hundred years. She deadpanned, turning her head so she could look at me with her right eye. You’re probably wound tighter down there then a mouse trying to give birth.

Mouth dropping open in shock, I looked her over before choking out a soft disbelieving laugh. “I fucking like you, you nosey bitch.”

The feelings mutual, She sassed back with a toss of her mane.

Still chuckling, I shook my head and walked over to Cillian and his Kelpie. Sidestepping the large tree between us, I looked up at his impressive form on the equally as impressive Kelpie. Or at least I tried to, my gaze got stuck half way and locked onto his muscular thigh directly in front of my face. Divines, the power behind this mans….Why haven’t I slept with him yet? Because it’s a down right travesty.

Oh yea. I thought as his foot, not so gently, knocked against my shoulder. He has spectacularly shit timing.

“What, Ugly?” I grunted out, my fantasy of us rolling around in the fire light burnt to a crisp.

He tipped his head in the direction of the dim fire distantly visible between the trees.

Rolling my eyes, I walked to the back of his Kelpie and started digging around in his bag without bothering to ask. Teasing me, ruining my Divines damned fansty. I should kick your literal giant ass. Gah, fucking men and their fucking idiocy. It’s like if they didn’t do half the shit that they did, they would get laid ninety percent of the time, I ranted to myself.

Preach!

My hand paused in it’s digging, at least I thought I was ranting to myself. Fingers snagging on the thick fabric of his extra cloak, I yanked it free of all his other crap and reclosed the bag. Shaking out all the wrinkles, I smiled at the fine quality of the cloak and then I dropped it. Jumping on top of it, I hummed an old Fae tune as I twisted my feet and dirtied it up. Done with my little dance, I picked it up with a grin and called on a blue dagger.

Cillian’s Kelpie shifted closer to me but it was too late. With a series of quick slashes, I shredded his cloak into something that resembled rags. Flicking the dagger over my shoulder to melt back into one of the swords, I wrapped the dirtied cloak around my shoulders. Clasping the button at my throat, I pushed my hair back to fit underneath the hood as I pulled it over my head. A sharp mental demand had my twin swords curving and bending to mold over my torso like a breastplate. Grabbing the sides of the cloak, I pulled it in and together to hide my body so only my face could vaguely be seen.

Boots slammed down in front of me as I bent down and rubbed my fingers in the dirt. With little thought, I rubbed the gritty soil into the smooth skin of my cheeks and forehead. Once you’ve been covered in your own shit and piss, dirt is nothing, I thought sardonically. Slapping my hands to rid them of the dirt, I stood to my full height and raised my eyes a little higher to meet Cillian’s through his mask.

The silver of his brows peeking out of the eye holes in his mask made it obvious he had a question. And by obvious, I meant an educated guess on my part. So, being the tendered hearted Fae Queen I was, I decided to answer the unasked question of my subject.

“I’m a damsel in fucking distress, can’t you tell?”

He blinked and tilted his head in further confusion.

Okay, maybe I wasn’t selling this right. Breathing quickly, I cleared my throat and batted my eyes until they watered. Show time. Pulling the cloak tighter around me, I pitched my voice and gripped Cillian’s cloak desperately, “Oh! Oh, thank Divines I found someone! Please, my-my-my village was just raided by soldiers and I had to leave my sister behind, can you help me? Please! You have to help me!”

Lilly stared down at me for a few moments before his eyes crinkled.

With a shove, I let go of his cloak and hissed, “Go ahead and laugh, Asshole. But those soldiers will be begging to help me, mark my words.”

Knocking him out of the way with my shoulder, I stomped towards the trees just to come stomping right back to spit, “And I liked you better when you had no emotions!”

As I spun back around, I caught him straightening his shoulders and striding after me. Uh oh. Pulling the ends of the cloak off the ground I discreetly sped up, not because I was afraid but because the image of him spanking me was extremely appealing. Picking my way around a large boulder, I glanced back to find Lilly right behind me with the others carefully making their way towards us. Jumping a little, I took two large steps forward when his hand clamped down around my shoulder.

Turning to the side in his hold, I stared at the low glow of the nearby fire and the figures walking around it as I said, “I’m going to go in and distract them while you and the others surround us. I don’t want a single survivor.”

“That’s not a plan, Macha. That’s half an idea.”

At his low serious tone, I waved him off, “It’ll be fine. And you’re not supposed to be talking, remember?”

“I don’t like this. What if we don’t get to you in time?”

Twisting my head to face him, I gave him a grin, “More fun for me then.”

He shook his head in disagreement, “I’ll come with you.”

“Noooo. They’ll never believe me if you come hulking out behind me.”

“Macha.” He replied in a warning tone.

Sighing, I took another step back so he could see me more clearly and reached up to pull the cloak away from my neck. Dipping two fingers into the neckline of my tunic, I gripped the velvet cord between my fingers and pulled out the beautiful diamond hanging from it.

His eyes collided with it like metal to a magnet, “You’re still wearing it.”

“Of course, I am. You gave it to me. So, don’t stress. You’ll always be with me.” Annnd how I wish I could suck that last sentence right back into my mouth. Cheeks warming in embarrassment, I tried to speed pass the words by blurting, “A woman should always have at least one diamond on when going into battle.”

“I agree.” He murmured, hooking a finger in the cord and gently tugging me closer. “My diamond and only mine.”

Brain short circuiting from his unexpected possessiveness, I went on autopilot. “Give diamonds to a lot of women then, do you?” I purred, mindlessly.

Ugly, Macha. Ugly. He kicked you in the shoulder!

You’ve got it baaaaad.

Get out of my head, Kelpie!

Lifting his hand, Cillian cupped the side of cheek and brought his face inches from mine to whisper, “Just to you and all your personalities, Cell Bait.”

A genuine smile spread my lips at his words and something warm and fuzzy infected my chest.

In coming.

“Then be satisfied that you’re technically coming with me.” I replied, wrapping my hand around his and pulling it free of the pendant.

His back straightened and stepped a respectful distance away at the same time our soldiers came around the large boulder.

“Relay my orders, Acolyte.”

Not waiting for a response, I turned and carefully started making my way closer to the enemy camp. Eyes on the ground, I periodically glanced up to make sure they hadn’t spotted me while trying not to step on any twigs. Pausing with my hand against a tree trunk, I wrapped the cloak tighter around me and sped up my breathing. Batting my lashes, I waited until I had the urge to cry and then thought about jabbing an iron stake through the side of Mab’s slender neck.

Tears immediately began trickling down at the image I had created in my mind. It’s just so….fucking beautiful!, I thought with a sniffle. Pushing off the tree, I hunched my back and added a heavy limp to my gait. Left foot dragging through the dirt, I thought about what sob story I’d tell them as I made my sniffling louder.

What do you think, Kelpie? I’m stuck between whether they killed everyone in the village and burned it to the ground or I watched them slaughter my entire family before my eyes?

Aren’t those the same thing?

No. One is way more graphic and requires sobbing, maybe some devastated screaming.

And you’re sure you can pull this off?

I smirked as the campfire came closer and shot a look up at the sky, Time to see who’s a better liar, Father. Me or you. I’m betting on me.

Dropping my gaze, I started a limping run through the trees with heavy breaths that made it seem like I had been running for miles. Scraping my hands against the bark of a tree closer to their view, I pushed off it with a stumble and cried out. Twenty heads immediately snapped in my direction with hands on their weapons as I came stumbling out into the warm light.

“Please!” I gasped, pretending to trip and sprawling to my hands and knees in front of them. “Please! You have to help me!”

A woman with cautious yellow eyes and black streaked hair took a step closer to me as her hand locked around her sword, “Who are you and how’d you find us?”

Panting, I swallowed thickly and shot my gaze around the camp in a frantic manner, “Your-your soldiers of Mab’s Kingdom, right? ”

“Are you color blind, girl? Do you not see our purple tunics? Now answer the questions!” Barked an older man standing behind the fire.

Oh. I am totally killing you first, Asshole.

Flinching deeper into the cloak, I shakily shook my head and rushed out in a sobbing mess, “My name’s Maeve. Please, they burned down my village. My-My, oh Divines, my father he tried to-to…”

The woman, who had spoken to me first, stepped even closer as the other’s dropped their hands from their swords. Crouching down, she tried to connect our eyes but I kept mine on the ground as I fake cried, “Who’s they, Sweetie?”

“The soldiers wore blue and laughed as they-they gutted my father.” I rasped between gasps of air.

Cursing the yellow haired woman rose and gave me her back as she spoke with the older male, “I told you her men were close. We need to get word to the Commander that the traitor is amassing an army.”

“And I told you it’s pointless.” He snapped back with a scowl. “She must still be nearby-” You have no idea. “And she probably brought her entire little army to burn the village-” Not even close to a quarter of my army, actually. “We can slaughter them all and go back to Mab with her head in tow. We’ll be heroes.”

Oh, how I adore arrogant men.

Me too. They’re so satisfying to kill.

Leather boots crunched aggressively over the sparsely grassed area to stop beside me. A moment later, a harsh hand gripped onto my covered forearm and yanked me to my feet without warning. Stumbling over my feet, I fell back to the floor with a fake cry while the man tightened his grip and hauled me up again. Gritting my teeth, I pushed back the urge to chop his disgusting hand off at the wrist for touching me.

Your mans getting restless.

Are they in position?

Almost.

Then stop him.

“Enough! You’re hurting the poor girl, she just lost her family for Divines sake!”

“I don’t give a fuck!” He screamed back. “This is war, there is no room for kindness.”

Flicking my eyes from the ground to the woman, I watched as she shut down on herself and turned her back to us while the others practically did the same. Weak. I sneered to myself. Back still hunched to make me appear shorter than him, he locked a hand around my wrist and shook me roughly.

“Was there a woman there? One with blue hair and silver tattoos?”

I shook my head meekly and gave a weak pull against his hold, “No, please. I-I don’t know. It all happened so fast.”

“You couldn’t have missed her, she’s a giant with two swords. Come on, girl! Make yourself useful!” He shouted, spit flying from his gaping mouth.

“I don’t-I don’t know! I didn’t see!”

The man’s tan face grew red until I could practically see the steam coming from his ears. Fighting down a laugh, I flinched away from him instead. Orange eyes flashing, a cruel smile twisted his lips before he said, “We’ll see if you still don’t remember after I slap these on ya.” Free hand reaching behind him, he brought it back to dangle a pair of iron cuffs in the air between us.

Freezing in place, the air left my lungs in a rush as my eyes stayed glued to the metal swinging from his fingertips. The man’s voice turned to muffled murmurs while I stared at the pair of cuffs mocking me. Head tilting, I flicked my narrowed eyes from the cuffs to the man holding them and then back again. Iron. That’s iron. Iron chains. He’s trying to trap me. Cage me. Throw me back in a cell.

Rage hammered through my veins like a war drum as my limbs began to shake from it’s intensity. Pointed teeth forced my clenched jaw further apart and cut into the sides of my cheeks. The sting barely registered as I watched him raise my wrist and bring the cuff closer. Cage me, lock me away. Again. He wanted to trap me again. Tossed in a cell. Screaming and clawing at the walls. Tortured and beaten. Weak. Flashes of my time in Slykhelm raced across my vision, one horrible event after the other. Concrete walls, bloody water swirling down a drain, bruised and split skin, the crack of a whip.

I WAS NEVER GOING BACK.

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Oooop. I don’t have too much to say because your gonna wanna read the next chapter. But it feels so good to be writing again after my mini break!

As always, comment at will!

Smooches, Verbage💋