Chapter 18 The Missing Queen
Chapter Eighteen
The Missing Queen
Alex
Alex was utterly spent when she arrived back at the palace.
There had been another attack at the docks.
This time the thieves were able to make off with a large supply ship.
Being in charge of Varon’s recovery battalions, she had been one of the first to arrive on scene and the last to leave.
She had been all over the realm trying to catch these guys, but they always eluded her, almost as if they were advised of their movements in advance.
Groaning in frustration, she flopped down on her bed, face first. Every muscle in her body ached.
She knew that she should stop pushing so hard, but it was the only way that she could sleep.
She drove herself to burnout nearly every day, waking early and retiring in the late hours of night or early morning if she was honest. It was the only way to keep from running into Rivka.
Or thinking about her. Or wanting her. It was so hard not to go to her, and pretend that nothing had changed.
Gods, she missed her. What she would give to be able to walk down that corridor, find Rivka in her bed, and let all of the stress of the day melt off in her arms. Alex sometimes thought she caught Rivka’s luscious scent of lavender and vanilla in her room, on her pillow. How she missed it.
Allowing herself thoughts of Rivka was dangerous, but she couldn’t stop them. She often dreamed of her, a barrage of good memories, of happier times. Alex fell asleep with thoughts of Rivka dancing through her mind, almost like an embrace.
They were laying side by side on Rivka’s bed, Rivka’s hands running through Alex’s hair, nothing between them but the sheets twisted at the end of the bed.
“Do you ever think about what it will be like when I have a child? What they’ll be like?”
Alex looked over at the face she loved more than anything, smiling. “You will make a wonderful mother, Riv. Although knowing your luck, he or she will have Ellis’ temperament.”
Rivka laughed. “Behave! There is nothing wrong with Ellis. Plus, they can’t get into too much trouble with you parenting them.”
Surprise speared across Alex’s face. “Me? Parent? Oh, no! I am definitely not mom material! Riv, why would you say that to me?” She ended the statement on a laugh.
“Because I love you, Ria. I know that you will take one look at that tiny babe, with my beautiful eyes, and Ellis’ dimple and fall madly in love.
You won’t be able to help yourself. Besides…
” her voice dropped to a whisper, “I can’t do it without you.
I want to share the whole of my life with you.
The good, bad, and messy.” Leaning over, she pressed a featherlight kiss to Alex’s lips.
Alex grasped the back of her head, deepening the kiss, tongues melding together. Alex pressed her body in close, throwing a leg over Rivka’s hips, the movement forcing them deeper into the pillows. Alex nuzzled her face into her neck, sucking her ear into her mouth, nipping it with her teeth.
“I need to taste you.” Alex’s breath tickled Rivka’s ear, sending a shiver down her spine. Rivka's eyes glazed with desire.
“All of you.” Alex continued, tracing a path down her neck with her tongue, massaging her naked breast in her hand, flicking her thumb over her nipple.
Rivka’s moan was the only response that Alex received, arching her back, demanding she take more.
Alex bent, taking Rivka’s breast in her mouth, gently grazing the sensitive bud with her teeth, while her fingers rolled and pinched the other.
Rivka’s hands cupped her face, tugging her head up and slamming her lips against Alex’s, their tongues and lips tangled in a sensuous dance of desire, her mouth claiming hers.
Rivka rolled, pinning Alex beneath her, grinding her hips against hers, her breasts pressed hard against her chest.
“You want all of me?” Rivka teased. Alex gave Rivka a scorching look of challenge, grasped her hips and roughly moved her up her body.
Rivka sucked in a breath at the sudden movement, her balance thrown forward, forcing her to grab onto the headboard in front of her.
Alex didn’t give Rivka a moment to recover, pulling her hips down, she wrapped her mouth around Rivka’s clit, working her tongue in circles, adding pressure in just the right place.
Rivka struggled to contain her cries at the onslaught, the overwhelming sensation consuming her.
Alex loved it all; the breathy noises Rivka made, her moans, the way she gave up any pretense of shyness and ground her hips onto Alex’s face.
She lived for it, to please her, to give her everything.
She could feel her own release building, but she could wait. Her sole focus was Rivka.
Alex knew she was close; she could feel her quivering under her hands, watched as her lover caressed her breasts, kneading them, aching for that last little edge that would push her over.
Alex slipped a hand between Rivka’s thighs, knowing what she needed, and thrust two fingers inside, curling them.
She shattered above her and Alex welcomed the pulse and squeeze she felt, swirling her tongue across Rivka’s pussy, guiding her through her orgasm until her tremors stilled.
Alex opened her eyes, breathing heavy, slick wetness dripping between her legs.
The ache was unbearable. She wanted to hold on, to live in the dream for just a little while longer.
She shut her eyes tight and moved her hand down her body, electric shock zinging when her fingers parted her lips, sliding up and down through her arousal.
The images from the dream remained frozen in her mind, egging her onward.
She pressed the tips of her fingers to her clit and moved in faster circles.
She needed to hold on to this; she had nothing else, only the dream, the dream where she was still a lover, and loved, and…
“Alexandria!” Andrew’s voice had the dream dissolving in seconds.
Fuck.
“What is it!” Alex barked, sitting up.
“The queen is missing!”
Shit. Quickly cleaning herself up and throwing some clothes on, Alex ripped the door open. Andrew stood there, panic radiating off of him.
“What the hell happened?” she demanded, shoving past him and pulling her door closed behind her.
Lowering his eyes, he tried to hide his shame. “I think I was drugged. I fell asleep on my watch. When I awoke, Queen Rivka and King Consort Ellis were both missing.”
“YOU FELL ASLEEP!?” Alex’s rage exploded, her barely contained control unraveling. “You fell asleep and lost our queen?” She was incredulous. If it had been Colin, she wouldn’t have been all that surprised, but never Andrew.
“Yes, but like I said, we were drugged!” Andrew rushed on, trying to defend himself. Alex’s gaze pinned him, her expression deadly. “Never mind that. We’ll deal with that later. What do you mean they are missing? Where have you searched?”
“Everywhere. The palace has been cleared. We sent guards to check the market and docks.”
Alex took a deep breath, her fear threatening to choke her.
She had to keep a clear head. Striding down the corridor, she slammed into Rivka’s bedchamber.
The bed was unmade, the curtains still drawn.
Alex noticed immediately that the armoire door was slightly ajar.
Pulling it open, Alex leafed through the garments, noticing multiple items missing, not enough that would be noticed but she knew better.
Wherever they had gone, they had packed for it.
She decided to keep this to herself for now until she could find out more information.
Spinning, she made her way back down the corridor. A guard was sprinting towards them, panting as he skidded to a stop before them.
“Captain! There are reports from men stating that the queen and king consort were spotted boarding a ship just after midnight.”
She had been at the docks all night and hadn’t seen them. Which ship?” she asked, her voice dangerously calm.
The guard's shoulders slumped. “The one that was besieged.”
Alex’s face blanched and her eyes widened. “Are you implying that our queen has been taken?”
“We believe so.”
Her mind reeled. Why had they boarded that ship to start with and why in the dead of night? They had obviously packed. They surely didn’t plan on the attack happening. But someone must have known. Someone who obviously meant her queen harm.
“We have to call an emergency council meeting. I will go and notify Queen Regent Sophiana.” Alex commanded. “Andrew, you will accompany me and report everything you know.”
“Of course.”
She turned to the other guard, “Keep looking, and report back what you find, directly to me.”
Letting out an exaggerated breath, Alex started the long walk to the other end of the palace. This was not a conversation she ever thought she’d have to have.
Sophiana sat, too stunned to cry, too scared to do much of anything.
Evanar ran a soothing hand up and down her back.
His face, strangely void of emotion. Alex wasn’t sure how she’d expected them to react to the news that their daughter and son-in-law were missing, but she had tried to ease the blow as best she could.
Initially, Evanar had let his temper flare, berating Andrew for sleeping on duty. Sophiana had balked, not believing it to be true, only occasionally asking questions, but eventually, they had calmed. Well, as much as they could, given the situation.
They knew what came next, what needed to happen for the province to stay protected.
Sophiana had ruled for many years before her daughter was crowned and had stayed close with her as she navigated the rules of politics in the royal world.
Rivka had excelled at it, never needing much guidance.
She was a strong leader and you could tell Sophiana had been proud to relinquish her reign to her.
The fact that she would have to deal with the drama and politics again was inconceivable.