Fever Fae - Meg Xuemei X Page 0,54

could get to me during their watch. And now when I was battling for my life against three hunters, they’d stood by before finally stepping in.

I could have died.

“No fainthearted woman can be my queen,” Baron said. “My court won’t bow to a weak queen.”

“I didn’t completely agree with Baron’s method, Lady Evie,” Rowan said over my furious look. He was excellent at throwing his half-brother under the bus. He smiled at me, icy fire in his gray-blue eyes. “You proved to be courageous and cunning. Those are great qualities for a Fae queen. Your fighting skills need some improvement, but as a queen, you won’t need to fight. Your only lack is your ignorance of our customs and court politics.”

“How dare you blame her for that?” Baron glared at Rowan. “Lady Evie was raised in the mortal world. Nothing she lacks is her fault.”

Wow. They flattered me up, then insulted me more.

“Must you always rudely interrupt me while I am talking to my mate?” Rowan grated. “I’d never blame Lady Evie for anything. I was merely trying to gently explain to her that I’d send the best court scholars to coach her, so she’ll have nothing to worry about.”

“Don’t bother, Winter King,” Baron said. “I’ve arranged to have an excellent court counsel from the Summer Court…”

I was speechless as they got into the long dispute. Their arrogance indeed had no bounds.

“When the sun rises in the west and sets in the east, then I’ll be the queen to either of you.” I cut in.

Baron winked at me. “Talk like the future Summer queen, my lady. In Elfame, the sun rises in the west, opposite to the mortal world.”

I opened my mouth and shut it. Then I opened it again. “How’s this then—you can both stick your invitations to make me your queen where the sun doesn’t shine.”

Rowan frowned at me. “I don’t get the expression, but it sounded rude.”

“I’m done with you two,” I said as my mood turned fouler. “Just get out of my face. I’ve had enough today.”

They wouldn’t move, so I shoved them back and strode back toward the main road. My van and my siblings consumed my thoughts. I doubted that I could drive a car in that condition to pick up my charges. And I wouldn’t get a paycheck to fix it until the end of the week.

When it rained, it poured.

I took a deep breath and fought back tears. I’d survived today, hadn’t I?

What about tomorrow? The wolf-dude said someone had placed a bounty of ten-fucking-million dollars’ worth of gold on my head. What had I done to deserve that? People would kill for less than ten grand.

Anxiety and fear twisted my stomach, and my knees went wobbly with each step.

“Lady Evie.” Baron caught my elbow when I stumbled over some twigs. “I got you. You can lean on me. I won’t let you perish.”

I could lean only on myself. If I trusted the wrong people, I’d doom my family.

Both Fae strode beside me with their long strides and undefeated confidence, which I utterly lacked now.

“I understand that you’re upset, Evie,” Rowan said, lacing his fingers through mine. “But I have everything under control.”

I yanked my hand out from his, even though his touch made me crave more. I was still mad as hell and shaken with dread.

“You don’t have a damn thing under control,” I said mercilessly. “You should have incapacitated the wolf shifter instead of killing him, so I could at least question him on who sent him after me. But now I got nothing. Nothing. As a self-anointed king, that was a pretty shortsighted move.”

Baron chuckled at me scolding his rival.

“You’re no better.” I paused on my path and spat cold fury. “Rowan already iced the dark mage, and you couldn’t wait until I got answers before tearing his heart out like it was a sport to you? Do you know someone placed a bounty worth ten million in gold on my head? I’m marked for death. And do you know how traumatizing it is for me to kill a sentient being for the first time today, even though it was either kill or be killed, even though he was in his animal form when I stabbed him to death? I’ll wake up from nightmares every night for a very long time!”

They were utterly silent and still, and both Fae looked at me as if it was the first time they’d ever seen me.

Shaking my head, I kept going. Why