“As I just stated,” Fang snorted coldly. “You’re not the goddess.”
I glowed, my presence lighting the surrounding woods. “Holy shit,” I murmured, looking at my arms in awe of my essence. “That’s new.”
“Synthia,” Zahruk growled, strolling up beside me, facing off with his brother in silence. “You’re needed at the stronghold. You’re fucking glowing, woman,” he hissed into my ear.
“Yeah, we just discovered that.”
“Why are you glowing?” Zahruk eyed his brother before focusing on me.
“Fang said the Goddess of the Fae had huge tits and looked more like a blow-up doll, so I was proving him wrong.”
“Turn it off,” Zahruk muttered.
“I can’t,” I admitted, laughing.
“What do you mean, you can’t?” Cocking his head to the side, he stared at me disbelievingly.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Fang demanded, staring at Zahruk through hate-filled eyes. His hands clenched into fists, and I lifted a brow in a silent warning, causing Fang to drop his hands.
“I’m searching for the Queen of the Horde,” Zahruk grumbled, and I snorted. Of course, Ryder had dispatched his best tracker to find me.
“She isn’t here,” Fang snapped.
“Yes, she is, asshole.”
“I have no business with the horde, and I sure as fuck would know if she was in my camp.”
“She’s right in fucking front of you.” Zahruk motioned to me and then looked at his brother as if he were the dumbest fae in Fairy. “Fang, meet Synthia, Queen of the Horde and the Goddess of the Fae. Syn, meet my asshole brother.”
“We’ve met, he’s cool,” I said offhandedly, trying to take some of the tension away from the brothers. “Anywho, have you seen the White Stag? He can either be a Stag, a beautiful man, or pretty much anything he wants to be. It’s a toss-up as to what he wants to appear as, I guess.”
“No, I’ve never seen him.” Fang shook his head.
“Okay, take me back to my prison, Zahruk,” I mumbled, turning to stare at him. It filled his cold, unforgiving eyes with an expression I’d never seen, one that looked like regret. Slowly, he grabbed my hand, and we vanished together, reappearing just outside the war room.
“Why would you seek him out?” Zahruk demanded the moment we were back.
“I wasn’t looking for Fang. A sprite said the Stag is known for being in the forest, so I thought I’d check it out. I watched him for a bit when I stumbled upon our guards. He almost discovered their presence, so I intervened. “Why were you there?” I countered.
“Ryder asked me to bring you back so you two could talk,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “Go easy on him, Syn. He isn’t wrong. People think he is vulnerable and that you make him weak. He has to show the horde that isn’t true, and that he is their king. If they smell blood, they will attack us. That can’t happen with the mages moving their forces closer to us every day. You love him, and he loves you. That’s a fucking problem. The horde doesn’t understand love, and they don’t understand Ryder’s changes. They see it as something to exploit. Also, glow bug, we’re about to head into battle, and he can’t do that if his head is here and not there.”
“When do you guys leave?” I asked, hating that, once again, Ryder and I would be separated at two different battlefronts.
“In a few days,” Zahruk admitted, a frown deepening and creasing his brow. “I know you hate being here, but the guys fight better without women in battle. Ryder can’t fight while worrying if you’re okay. You’re the queen, one who the people respect. I’m not saying you won’t be fighting with us soon, but while we set up the troops where they’re needed, stay home. You’re the biggest fucking piece in place, and Ryder trusts you to hold his throne while he’s doing what is necessary. You are right where you