Chapter 19 #2
Iave scowled and shrugged one shoulder, “None of your business, Reshar.” He moved a little closer to my side, his fingers twitching at his hip as if he was itching to grab his ax again.
Iave didn’t like this Reshar much but when the Master Scout invited us, or rather, Iave, to come meet the Queen. Iave just grunted in reply.
I had to remind myself just how monosyllabic he’d been when we first met, not everyone got the talkative version of my mate. The smile that stretched across my face was pure happiness. I knew the real Iave, I got to see the sides of him that nobody else did. Least of all the Clan that cast him out.
It felt like the escort across the battlefield was as much there to prevent us from just slipping away, as to keep us company.
Then my eyes widened in surprise when I saw a pale form glide across the field in the distance.
Briefly, my mind tricked me into thinking it was one of the zombies that had escaped.
Then I realized that the creature had scales that glittered and glimmered with hints of gold, not a zombie, but Artek the Shaman.
He was carrying a bag of supplies and dipping down next to each body he crossed to provide aid if they lived. He did not differentiate between the Naga from the Bitter Storm Clan that had attacked this village or the Naga from Thunder Rock.
“Iave, did you see him? The Shaman’s here.
Should we ask him to check your cuts? From the zombies?
” I was fairly certain Iave or I wouldn’t just turn into one of those creatures like in the movies but better safe than sorry.
Iave’s only response was a glance in Artek’s direction and then a grunt that could have been interpreted both ways.
I realized the reason for his silence a moment later.
A figure had appeared at the entrance to the village, exiting it with a cluster of followers.
In one glance I knew that this was the Queen that Iave had mentioned several times and I instantly disliked every part of her.
From the extravagant opulence that covered her, to the arrogant tilt of her chin.
Looked like I was facing down two Queens in as many days and I had a feeling they were both equally as evil.
Her followers were a handful of females, distinct from the Naga males by virtue of more slender, slightly smaller figures.
They wore bands over their chest that hid their breasts, but those were small and flat.
Of her followers, there were several that were as grimy and battle-worn as the many males that had flooded the battlefield to clear it and care for the dead or wounded. But there were a handful of females that were pristine, just like the Queen was; they hadn’t fought, they’d hidden.
“Iave, you always were my best warrior!” the Queen drawled as she drew closer, carefully coiling her azure blue body around any blood splatter or debris so she wouldn’t get dirty.
I narrowed my eyes at her, hating how much everyone so far had ignored me, and even more how she was trying to come on to my male.
Reaching us, she hovered just in front of Iave and raised a palm to press it against his huge chest. His towering size made the woman seem small and dainty, even though she was bigger and more muscled than I was, her long tail making her easily triple my length.
I glared at that hand, she might be a Queen, but she wasn’t our Queen so she better fucking take her hand off him before I decided to shoot it off.
As if she could sense the murderous thoughts roiling through my head, her eyes briefly flicked from Iave’s face to me, tightening at the corners. She didn’t like seeing me here but as Reshar had already spilled, they had seen other humans before. Possibly Vera and the others from the wreck.
Iave’s response to the Queen was to shrug his body to dislodge her hand and then he flung his arm around my shoulders and yanked me close. I flushed with warmth, good man, making sure he was letting her know he was taken. Not that the Queen seemed to care about it.
“Because you were the hero on the battlefield today. I will restore your status to the Clan, and I will provide you with a mate. What about Sazzie? Wouldn’t one of my daughters make a fine mate for a warrior like you?
” The Queen flung her arm to the side to indicate one of the females hovering at her back.
This Naga was muddy and blood-splattered, with not a hint of gold or jewels.
She wore a vicious grimace on her face, not a smile, not a snarl, but something in between.
Her fangs were small and dainty but they still looked like they could hurt, and her hair was a thick braid of azure that had actual leaves and twigs clinging to them.
As far as offered mates went, I had to admit that this female, covered in scars from previous fights, was probably not a bad match. And she didn’t look any more pleased to be offered to Iave as Iave did to get said offer. He was scowling even more fiercely.
“I refuse,” he snapped, which caused the Queen to rear back in shock.
A hush fell over the crowd that surrounded us and then mutterings picked up among both the males and females, though they didn’t mingle.
Iave nudged his chin down toward the crown of my head.
“And I wasn’t the hero, that was my mate, Kalani.
She was the one that made the army scatter. ”
Before my eyes, every mating mark along his front lit up, and even spots along the outside of his tail started to glow.
I had no idea that he could control those marks and make them illuminate on command, but the effect was powerful.
He stated his claim for all to see. I wasn’t of his species, but he wasn’t ashamed to claim me, to show me off.
I could hear the pride dripping from his tone when he said I was the one who had won this battle, he was exaggerating, but it still warmed me.
“You ungrateful…” the Queen started to curse but Iave just spun us around, turning his back to her like he didn’t give a fuck.
Then the two of us started walking to the sound of shocked exclamations and excited talking erupting behind us.
I started to smile, grinning from ear to ear up at my guy, and then I caught a happy glint in Iave’s eyes and realized he’d enjoyed that little showdown.
He had probably wanted to take the Queen down a peg or two for a long time.