that I loved her son. She only spoke of how, together, we would destroy the world. Not to mention, she had an affinity for randomly attacking me, as well as Ryder, who she called Alazander, accidentally mistaking the two.
It concerned me that so many of the women here were heavy with child. There was a good chance that eventually, each would need to shelter-in-place when the alarm sounded. Judging by their size and slow running due to their pregnant bellies, we had to find a better way for them to get here. While having the women shelter-in-place wasn’t ideal, it was the best we could do, considering their delicate situations.
I poked my head into one of the rooms and saw Kahleena holding court like she’d been born to be queen. The orphans sat dutifully around her, gaping as they hung on her every word while she leisurely sipped her tea.
I leaned against the wall, taking in all the kids who were abandoned on our steps. Zander leered while he watched the boys with a furrowed brow, his tiny fists balled at his sides. Cade mirrored his stance, one brow lifted to his hairline as his sister described where they’d hidden, the Blood Kingdom, in vivid detail to all the children surrounding her, hanging on her every word.
“Uncle Liam, while scarred by my grandfather, fights like a knight,” Kahleena explained, swinging her arms like she held a sword as her tea spilled on the skirt of her dress. “I plan to be a fighter one day, just like my momma.”
“Aren’t you a girl?” one of the young boys asked.
“Girls can fight, too,” Kahleena huffed, rolling her eyes toward the heavens for patience. She turned to me silently, waiting for a response, and when my lips turned up in the corners, she pointed at me. “My mom rips the throats out of her enemies, and she’s a girl.”
Oh, shit. I hadn’t been ready for that to come out of her lips.
“She’s not normal,” the boy exclaimed.
“Take it back!” Zander’s face reddened, and his nostrils flared as he gripped his tiny fists so hard that his knuckles were turning white.
“Children,” I muttered, exhaling slowly as I rubbed my temples. “There is enough fighting in our world, let us not add to it, sweet ones. Who is hungry?” I asked, changing the subject before the children ended up brawling with a horde of orphans. At their nodded replies, I heard a deep chuckle, and my attention turned to Alannah.
“Follow me, wee ones. Let’s see what the king and queen have placed upon our table, shall we?” Alannah’s pretty eyes swung to Olivia, brow raised in question. “Would you like a heart from one of the orphans? My grandchild must be half-starved with your inability to feast on flesh.”
“There is no need for that. Ristan feeds me well, Alannah.” With a saccharine smile, Olivia pushed her red curls away from her face. “He blends the hearts with fruit to remove the bitterness. In fact, I had one just this morning.”
I shivered at the thought of eating hearts and moved to my children. Hunching down to their level, I stared at Kahleena, who frowned, causing my mouth to mirror hers.
“Not everyone is like us, daughter of mine. Women were not created to fight as men, and while some of us do it, not everyone will agree that we should, and that is okay. It’s an opinion. Everyone has their views regarding what is expected of women. Even if you don’t agree, they are entitled to their point of view. It’s important for people’s opinions to be heard. Even though I am your mother and queen, not everyone agrees with what I have done, Zander,” I whispered, a smile lifting across my mouth.
“I am the only one who can be hurt by their words if I decide they are valid, which I don’t. I am not normal, and I am perfectly okay with it. I love you all, but keep in mind that they look to us to lead them. You must be kind and decide what you allow to bother you. Words