You Bet Your Banshee (12 page)

Melosia’s breaths became pants and she took another step toward me. “You did this,” she hissed, eyes sparking with hatred. “I don’t know how, but this is your fault and you’re going to pay.”

“Magda!” Ryvan shouted from somewhere in the mass of people who’d stopped fighting to watch the drama unfold on the dais.

There was no way I was taking my eyes off the bitch who stalked ever closer to me. She reminded me of stories I’d heard as a child of berserkers, mindless with rage and filled to the brim with strength. Every step she took rattled the ground beneath us. The crack in the marble hadn’t reached this far, but I feared it would grow the closer she got to me.

I opened my mouth, but the ground chose that moment to open up. Melosia screamed as she fought to keep her balance, the sword flew out of her hand. The crack split further the marble peeling back as though by a giant hand. Another leaf appeared and another, quickly followed by twigs. I’d never seen anything like it, but it looked like a tree was growing in the very center of the Wailing Court.

The tree screams for blood…

I shook my head, ignoring the way my vision swam from the sudden movement. This was impossible. Maybe I’d hit my head harder than I thought and I was actually in a coma because no sooner did the twigs clear the opening than a tree pushed its way through.

The tree surged through the crack with a groan. It was the biggest fucking tree I’d ever seen in my life. It sprouted skyward, reaching for the now-broken glass ceiling of the throne room. Shards of glass tinkled as it rained down on the people below.

I covered my face with my arm and heard Melosia scream a loud, wailing sound of pain and complete agony. Peering beneath my arm, I saw her feet kicking sporadically until the sound of her scream died away.

The tree gave one last loud groan and went still. Dust swirled in the air of the throne room, obscuring most of the people I knew were standing on the other side of it. I glanced up to see Melosia impaled on one of its mighty branches, her blood dripping down the branch without a single drop falling to the ground below.

You must feed it.
Gods, Crystal hadn’t been delusional.

The leaves were the most beautiful color, a light, almost glowing green. Like Phineas’s eyes had been. I gaped at the tree, recognizing the color of the bark as similar to his skin. But that was impossible! He was dead, killed by the Host and…No, I shook my head again. It was impossible.

I was still staring at the tree in shock when big arms scooped me off the ground, pulling me up against a chest as hard as rock.

“Magda,” he breathed against my hair. “Gods, I thought you were…”

“Does that tree look familiar to you?” I asked, ignoring his freak-out for now. I planned to suck it up much later, like when I wasn’t one big, aching bruise and could move again.

“What?”

“It’s Phineas,” Sable said as she landed next to us in a flap of wings. She glared at Ryvan. “I should kill you, you motherfucker.”

That was sufficient to drag my attention away from the tree. I frowned at my friend whose face was bruised. Blood streaked her hands and her clothes, but she looked fine otherwise.

“Why?”

She poked a finger in Ryvan’s direction. “I nearly killed myself trying to catch that damn cat, not to mention what the little bastard did to me on the flight to Fairworld.” That’s when I noticed all the scratches on her arms. “Then I hauled ass to the Fairy Court to report a rogue elf who helped kidnap a banshee only to learn it was part of a plan.”

“I couldn’t tell you otherwise Melosia would have suspected,” Ryvan stated calmly without a hint of apology. “I did what I had to for my queen.”

The kiss he pressed to my temple told everyone within listening distance who his queen really was. Warmth invaded me at the sweet words and gesture. I supposed I could forgive him for nearly getting me killed, especially since I’d won. With the help of a tree that had somehow grown from a splinter?

I frowned at the tree. “How did it get here?”

We all stared at the massive trunk covered with both bright and dark green vines. It really was one of the most beautiful trees I’d ever seen.

“Where is your tear?” Ryvan suddenly asked.

Still staring at the tree, I shrugged. “I broke it in the dungeon in case you’d told Melosia about me crying. I thought it would buy me time if I didn’t have proof of what I could do.”

“I do believe this is proof enough,” a musical voice called out from the crack where the tree had grown.

A tiny hand gripped the edge of the marble. Seconds later a tall, lithe figure vaulted from the crack to stand before us. Yeah, my jaw dropped. I’d never seen anyone like her before. I knew it was Queen Tamsyn because of the power she exuded, but she didn’t look anything like I thought the Fairy Queen would look.

She had a cap of jet black hair cut close in a boy crop that hugged her skull and an almost-feline cast to her sharp features. Instead of wearing a gossamer thin gown to go with her butterfly wings, she wore a pair of khaki hiking shorts, hiking boots with thick white socks, and a T-shirt that read “I Plant Green Things.”

“Queen Magda, nice to meet you,” she said, holding her hand out for me to shake.

This was the first time anyone had addressed me as queen—Ryvan didn’t count—and I didn’t know what to do, or how to act. I’d never
trained
to be a damned queen. I was a stripping banshee with a fat cat and a gorgeous…consort.

“Shake her hand. She doesn’t bite, I promise.”
Ryvan gave me a gentle squeeze of encouragement.

Tamsyn’s pixie-like nose wrinkled. “Of course I don’t bite. I might shear or rake you to death, but I don’t bite. Meat isn’t really my thing.”

Wishing I was clean and at least standing on my own two feet, I shook the fairy queen’s hand noting the calluses on her palms and fingers. Those calluses made me feel better. This wasn’t some figurehead queen who expected everyone to bow and scrape to her. She seemed…normal, for a fairy that is.

“It’s a pleasure meeting you at last, Queen Tamsyn.”

She smiled making her brown eyes sparkle. “Cucumber! We’ll have lunch one day.”

She turned back to look at the tree, pressing her hand to the trunk. Puffing males climbed out of the hole, their faces red and sweaty, but their uniforms declared them as Queen Tamsyn’s guard. They carefully set up a perimeter around the tree, watching everyone in the throne room.

“Cucumber?”
I asked Ryvan because I wasn’t quite sure what it meant.

He nuzzled the side of my neck with a chuckle.
“She refuses to use human slang and comes up with her own sayings. It means cool.”

“Right.”

Queen Tamsyn turned back to us, dusting off her hands. “You shouldn’t have any problem being acknowledged as queen. Besides killing Melosia, your tear grew this tree,” she said matter-of-factly.

“What?” I breathed staring at it in awe.

I sensed banshees and Red Caps nearing us, their eyes watchful and cautious. They weren’t sure what to believe. I hadn’t killed Melosia, the tree had, but I’d fought her and if this tree was mine, then…it proved my right to the throne.

Tamsyn nodded. Her voice rose so everyone could hear her. “I checked this tree out from the root system up. It came from a single sliver of wood. The size, breadth, and rapidity of growth all point to magic. You crushed your tear over that sliver of wood and buried it beneath the dirt. Given the amount of time it took to grow, I’d say you’re exponentially the strongest banshee I’ve ever met.”

Ryvan gently closed my jaw, his happiness and smug, masculine amusement burning through me like a fire. I’d grown a tree from a splinter and it’d killed the evil witch, I mean queen. Ding dong, the bitch is dead.

I didn’t know what to say, but Tamsyn’s knowing smile told me I didn’t have to say anything. She understood. “I will be available to you whenever you have need of me,” she promised in a soft whisper.

She spun on her heel with a snap of her fingers. “Let’s go, I’ve got some honey to collect.”

The Fairy Queen, surrounded by guards, strolled out of the throne room, leaving behind a confused, yet hopeful, silence. Ryvan placed me on the throne, holding onto me until I managed to find a comfortable spot. I didn’t really want to sit in this chair, not after it’d been tainted by Melosia, but I understood the symbolism.

I cupped his cheek before he moved away and pulled him closer to place a soft, promising kiss to his lips. I couldn’t thank him enough for this, for helping me realize my potential and helping me achieve it.

I felt a wave of love waft through me, filling me to the brim. I opened my heart to him, allowing that love to spread throughout my body and I returned it to him. We were bound for eternity. I knew he’d always keep me safe just as he knew I’d always drive him crazy.

When he broke the kiss, tears spilled down my cheeks, the silvery sacks caught in his big hand. “Greet your people, Queen Magda,” he whispered against my lips.

He moved to my side, his big hand resting on my shoulder as though he’d always been there. I took a deep breath to fortify myself and looked at the crowded room. It wasn’t as crowded as it’d been when I first got here, but I knew those left standing were either allies, or not sure if they wished to ally with me.

They stared back at me, their eyes wary. I raised my chin, daring one of them to challenge me. As one body, they bowed and curtsied, giving me the tribute of a queen. As I looked over them, I knew I wasn’t facing an easy road. Some of these banshees had been my trainers, some had been competition, and some had followed Melosia’s every whim in the hopes of gaining power. But some of them looked at me, their eyes brimming with hopeful tears. These were
my
people.

I touched Ryvan’s hand and mentally corrected myself. No, these were
our
people and we would lead them well.

Mrew!

A disruption started at the back of the throne room, people shifting and murmuring in surprise as something pushed its way through the crowd. Finally, it seemed to give up fighting and leapt onto one unfortunate courtier’s back.

“Breeze!”

Merew!

My fat cat used courtiers like stepping stones, leaping from one back to the next until he reached the dais. I swear he had a smile on his furry face as he jumped into my lap. His purr could’ve rattled bones it was so loud and vigorous. He butted his head against my chin, rubbing his cheeks against my jaw, his claws digging in and out of my leather top. I ran my hands over his plump body, but he seemed remarkably injury free.

I looked over at Sable whose eyes were downcast as she sat in a deep curtsey. “Sable,” I said softly, unable to stop petting my beloved Breeze. She looked up at me. “You have my most profound thanks for protecting him for me. Anything you need, you only have to ask.”

She smiled at me with twinkling brown eyes. “I wouldn’t mind a quick escape route back to Earth.”

“Are you sure? You’re welcome to stay here. I could use someone with your levelheadedness and loyalty among my advisors.” I wasn’t trying to flatter her. She’d proven to be a wonderful friend, one I wouldn’t mind having at my back while I made changes in the structure of the Wailing Court.

“Sable!” a male voice bellowed somewhere beyond the palace.

Her face paled. “Um, I’m positive, Your Majesty. I
really
need to get back to Earth.”

Though we’d been friends for years, just as she hadn’t known everything about me, I didn’t know everything about her. Whoever was yelling for her scared the hell out of her. If she wanted to return to Earth, I was more than happy to help.

“This doesn’t repay my debt to you,” I told her even as Ryvan directed one of the Red Caps forward. “Remember, if you ever need anything…”

She nodded, her auburn hair swinging. “I’ll contact you, I promise.”

The male bellowed again and she winced, hopping to her feet to follow the Red Cap to the nearest portal. Once she was gone, I looked back at the crowd of courtiers. I didn’t know what to say to them. They watched me, judged me.

Ryvan squeezed my shoulder, reminding me that I wasn’t alone any longer.
 

A hard hand caressed the naked expanse of my back, coasting ever so gently down my spine, sending shards of pleasure through me. I knew those hands just as I knew the silky, soft lips that followed the path of fire he trailed with his fingers.

Moisture slicked the bare lips of my sex as my body instinctively prepared itself for my consort. Ryvan’s chin was rough with his morning shadow. The gentle scrape of his beard followed by his lips was a tantalizing combination that made me squirm with desire.

“Ryvan,” I groaned into my pillow, not sure I was ready to wake up just yet.

But of course he didn’t give me any other option, not when his teeth grazed the tender skin of my ass. My eyes popped open as I made a gurgling sound of need in the back of my throat. I was still on my side, the royal heir resting in my belly, making sleeping on my stomach impossible. Ryvan didn’t let the awkward position stop him. Of course it didn’t. He continued tormenting the sensitive expanse of my spine until I shoved my hand between my legs to stroke my clit. He always worked me into a frenzy. It didn’t matter if I was sitting on the throne dealing with matters of state or having lunch with Queen Tamsyn. Ryvan would send me a hint of what he was thinking about and I went up in flames.

I should have grown used to his commanding presence, and I had, but sometimes it still surprised me how eagerly I accepted his domination. He allowed me to be the queen in public, but in private, I was his private plaything and I fucking loved it. And he knew exactly how to make me wild for him. It wasn’t surprising really. He was a gancanagh halfling who’d led a rebellion against an evil queen. Getting his mate to moan and groan against him before she even woke up was his way of starting off a regular work day.