Into the Ashes [The Arcadians 2] (33 page)

Tristan said as he smoothed down the

new shirt over his chest.

Obviously hip, flashy clothing was

not a priority to a race of male

warriors. Raven smiled as she

stepped back and had to laugh as

Tristan and Kadan pushed Savitar out

of their way as they both looked at

themselves in the mirror.

Sometimes males were the same,

no matter what race they came from.

* * * *

Raven and her mates entered the

main hall to find the large room filled

with Arcadians in full celebration

mode. The usually basic room had

been transformed into a wonderland

with thick silver and golden streams

of iridescent material hanging from

the ceiling and walls. Hundreds of

crystals filled the room, casting the

room in starlight and warmth.

The long tables filling the room

were laden with platters of food, but

people were more interested in

mingling together, laughing and

talking. All of the warriors were

wearing shirts made of rich, vibrant

colors. The females wore dresses of

various shades, some made out of the

usual transparent material while

others had chosen a thicker material

that covered them better now that

Raven had given them permission to

do so.

Part of the room had been sectioned

off by several large silver cauldrons

that blazed with bright blue fire,

separating the unmated females from

the rest of the guests. Raven and Nyla

had decided to keep an area

sectioned off for the unmated

females, sort of like a safety zone

where the unmated males were not

allowed. This ensured that any of the

unmated females could still be part of

the celebration while still remaining

protected from unwanted attention

since most of the females had been

abused in the past and were leery of

males.

Savitar, Kadan and Tristan had

asked the mated elite guards to rotate

their time with their own mates and

watching over the area to make sure

the unmated males didn’t cross the

line. Raven had been worried that

this would cause problems, but

looking at the way all of the mated

males seemed to have stationed

themselves around the area where the

unmated females were, it seemed that

everyone took their safety seriously.

A smile crossed her face as she

noticed that even though they were

separated, several interested glances

were being cast from each side of the

room. A few of the unmated females

smiled shyly at a trio of warriors as

the males blatantly stared at the

females

with

barely

concealed

longing. A couple of the bolder

unmated females had gone so far as

to step up to the imaginary boundary

to speak to a trio of unmated males.

Overall, it seemed like the plan

was working…

All conversation came to a halt as

the guests realized Raven and her

mates had entered the room. Savitar

pulled her to a stop, his large hands

on her hips while Kadan and Tristan

flanked her sides.

“Honor to your mating!” the entire

crowd roared in greeting. The shouts

and cheers warmed Raven’s heart.

The citizens of the Citadel accepted

her as the mate of their beloved

kings. The pride she felt coming from

her three mates brought tears to her

eyes. They loved her completely, just

as she loved them. It felt good, really

good. Raven had never felt this sense

of belonging anywhere before, and in

her heart she knew she was finally

where she belonged.

She was home.

Raven blinked as Malik stepped

forward from the crowd and got

down on one knee, thumping his fist

over his heart. “As a warrior and

citizen of the Palace of the Iron City,

I pledge to honor and protect Queen

Raven. Unto death.”

Her mouth dropped open as

everyone in the room followed suit

and kneeled, declaring the same

pledge in a loud rumble of voices.

“Oh…wow,” she breathed out.

“They give you a great tribute,”

Savitar said softly. “You are

officially their queen now.”

Raven bowed her head to the

crowd. “As your queen, I am honored

by your many blessings. May the

house of Akira rule well and may the

Citadel stand strong forever!” The

answering

cheers

shook

the

foundation of the building.

“Well done, my queen,” Kadan

said. He took her hand in his and led

her to the first group of people to

introduce her. All three of her mates

remained at her side as they slowly

walked around the room, greeting all

of the guests. When the official

greetings were finished, Raven broke

away to go back to where the

unmated females were. She was

immediately

surrounded

by

the

women and laughed as everyone

began talking at once.

“We are so proud to call you our

queen!”

“Thank you for inviting us here

tonight!”

“Your mates look so handsome in

the shirts you had made for them!”

Raven held up her hands and

calmed the women down before

taking a few minutes to speak to each

of them. She was immensely pleased

when four of the females told her they

had given a trio of warriors

permission to visit them later on in

the week. All of the unmated females

felt empowered having a say in their

future. It showed by the way the

women held their heads up high and

the way they looked her directly in

the eye when they spoke to her. Even

the shy females that hadn’t yet gotten

the courage to speak to any of the

males now said they had hope for

finding a true mate and falling in

love.

Thinking of that, Raven turned to

see where Tristan and Savitar were

speaking to a group of warriors then

turned her head at the sound of

Kadan’s laughter as she saw him

talking to a trio and their mate. Yes,

she thought, everyone deserved their

chance at finding love. It occurred to

her how damn lucky she was that

she’d been drop-kicked into her

mates’ lives. She had found love in

the most unexpected place, but she

would always be grateful to the God

of the Sun and the Goddess of the

Moons for bringing her here.

Raven walked forward, planning

on joining her mates when she felt a

presence at her side. She didn’t need

to glance over to know who it was.

The bad vibes she got whenever she

was around Selina were telling

enough. The other woman had helped

her and Nyla with the planning of the

party, although help might have been

the wrong word. Selina found a way

to bitch about everything that was

going on. Even though she tried,

Raven couldn’t stand her and she

knew without a doubt that the feelings

were mutual.

Sucking it up, Raven turned. “Hi,

Selina. Are you having a good time?”

The other woman’s smile was

sickly sweet, hiding the venom

beneath. “As good as I can, in this

crowd. It is unseemly that you have

invited so many to the palace that one

cannot even breathe in here.”

Raven cocked her head to the side

as she studied the taller woman.

“And who exactly did you think we

shouldn’t have invited?”

“The females from the havens for

one. The warriors here are good

males who do not need a mate who

has been used—”

“Okay,

hold

up!”

Raven

commanded, raising a hand in the air.

She couldn’t believe what she was

hearing. Eyes narrowed, she was

surprised steam wasn’t coming out of

her ears she was so pissed. “Are you

really standing there telling me that

those women don’t deserve a chance

to find love with good men because

they have been abused? Who the fuck

do you think you are to say something

like that?”

Selina straightened to her full

height, insult puckering her face. “I

said no such thing. I simply meant

that by having them here mixed with

all the other unmated females in good

standing is insulting.”

“You know what I find insulting?

You. I don’t really care who your

brothers are, Selina. If you don’t like

it, why don’t you fucking leave?”

Raven asked.

Selina looked down her nose at

Raven and sniffed as if she was

smelling something unpleasant. The

gesture just made Raven want to

punch her in the face.

“You are a vulgar, unworthy

human,” Selina sneered, as if being

human was the ultimate insult. “I

belong here more than you do. You

are not fit to rule this kingdom!”

Amused at that, Raven smiled up at

the other woman. “What pisses you

off exactly, Selina? That I’m queen

and you’re not or that Savitar, Kadan

and Tristan are my mates and never

even looked at you?”

“I could have had them,” Selina

sneered. “But why would I want

them, even if it would make me

queen? When I mate it will be with

three perfect warriors, completely

dedicated to me. Not some scarred

freak—”

Raven snapped.

A red haze of rage clouded her

mind and without thinking her hand

snapped

out,

connecting

with

Selina’s face in a bitch-slap that

seemed to echo through the entire

room. Selina cried out as her head

snapped to the side.

Everyone around them stilled.

Raven couldn’t care less if she was

making a scene. It was one thing to

insult her. Fine, she could take it. But

no one insulted her mates. No one.

And she’d be damned if she’d let this

heifer get away with it. Raven’s skin

prickled with energy and it was all

she could do not to tear Selina to

pieces.

“Listen up, bitch, and listen good,”

Raven growled. “If I ever hear you

insult one of my mates again, I will

beat the ever-loving shit out of you.”

“What is wrong, little goddess?”

Kadan asked as he rushed to her side.

Raven wouldn’t allow him to pull

her behind him where he could shield

her. Incensed, Raven refused to look

away from Selina who had worked

up an eyeful of fake tears that she cast

toward Kadan.

“Please, my king! She just went

mad!” Selina cried out.

Oh, hell no…

Raven snarled as she launched

herself at Selina, who cowered away

from her in true terror. Savitar caught

her with an arm wrapped around her

waist before she could reach the

other woman.

“What is going on here?” Savitar

growled out, anger clear in his tone.

Hurt, Raven looked up at him but

regained some control as she saw his

anger wasn’t directed at her. It was

focused on the bitch trying to hide

behind her big brother Kell, who was

looking at them confused.

“Selina here thinks I’m not worthy

of ruling by your sides since I’m just

a human. Fine. I realize there might

be others who feel the same way, but

this bitch insulted my mates and I

will never allow that. I don’t care

who it is.”

Kell’s jaw clenched as he gripped

his sister’s arm. “Did you insult our

kings and queen?”

“Nay! She lies! I did not—”

“She did,” one of the shy, unmated

females said in a voice shaking with

fear by the confrontation. “I heard

her.”

“So did I,” Arkady said in a clear,

deep voice. “I would have stepped

in, but our queen reacted before I

needed to.” The pride was clear as

he called her queen.

“You are banished from the

palace,” Kell said in a hard voice.

“Nay, Kell!” Selina cried out.