Shades of Darkness (Guardians of Eternity #16) - Alexandra Ivy Page 0,1

outside the nursery, not the royal chambers,” Troy chided.

The two men came to an abrupt halt, as if they’d been so intent on their argument, they hadn’t noticed a six-foot imp in pink spandex standing in the middle of the corridor.

Hard to believe.

Jord sent him an impatient frown. Troy’s sardonic refusal to concede that the mer-folk were superior to other fey creatures meant he wasn’t a favorite among the natives. That was fine. He wasn’t there to win friends. His only concern was Inga and whether or not she was being treated with the respect and loyalty she deserved.

Riza stepped forward. “I need to speak with Queen Inga.”

“I’m sure she’s busy,” Jord snapped.

“Of course she’s busy, she’s the queen,” Troy drawled, covertly studying the younger male. He was obviously upset. Maybe Inga should find out what was going on before Troy ran them off. “But I am certain she can make time for one of her loyal subjects.”

Jord made a sound of impatience. “I assure you it’s not necessary.”

Troy arched a brow. Why was the male so determined to keep the younger guard away from the queen? Was he the usual arrogant ass who enjoyed bullying anyone who happened to be his underling? Or did he have another reason for trying to silence the younger male?

Only one way to find out.

Troy moved to rap his knuckles against a gilded door, waiting for Inga to call out for them to enter before pushing it open. He stepped over the threshold and entered the room that matched the rest of the castle, with lots of marble and fluted columns and sparkling chandeliers. The major difference was the large dais that held the velvet and gold throne.

A throne that was currently empty.

Troy rolled his eyes, already knowing what he was about to discover as he strolled up the crimson runner that led the way to the dais. Sure enough, there was the sound of grunting as Inga struggled to her feet, and then she abruptly appeared from behind the throne.

“Good morning, Troy.”

She didn’t look like the Queen of the Mer-folk. There was none of her mother’s ephemeral beauty; instead she’d inherited her ogre father’s sturdy body that stood well over six foot, with shoulders broad enough to make a football player proud. Beneath her drunkenly tilted crown, her reddish hair grew in tufts and her features were carved with a blunt lack of finesse. Her blue eyes were the only hint that she had mermaid blood in her veins, but they flashed an ogre-red when she was annoyed. Which was more often than not.

At the moment she wore a hideous muumuu dress that was an insult to fashion. The billowing gown was a strange shade of olive with big yellow and orange flowers splattered over it. She was also speckled with paint.

A delicate shudder raced through Troy. He’d finally convinced this female to spend at least a few hours in the throne room each day, listening to the concerns of her people, but whenever she had a moment alone, she lost herself in her love for painting. It was a harmless hobby, he acknowledged, and she was exquisitely talented. The murals on the walls of the throne room were now the finest in all the castle. Still, she looked like she’d been sucked through a whirlpool, rolled in a multicolor mud pit, and tossed out the other side.

Thankfully, she had the massive trident clutched in her hand. The Tryshu was a magical artifact that chose the leader of the mer-folk. As long as Inga was holding it, there was no question that she was the queen.

Stopping next to the dais, Troy offered an elaborate bow. “Your Majesty,” he said in deep, formal tones.

Belatedly realizing that Troy wasn’t alone, Inga grudgingly straightened her crown and forced a smile that revealed her pointed teeth.

“Are you here to see me?” she demanded.

Both guards offered polite bows. “I apologize for interrupting, Your Majesty,” Jord said, sending his companion a foul glare. “Riza is one of our younger guards. I fear he’s prone to exaggerating.”

Riza folded his arms over his chest. “I’m not exaggerating.”

Inga blinked in confusion. “Exaggerating about what?”

“The prisoner,” Riza said.

Inga’s confusion deepened. “Which one?”

“The pureblooded Were,” Riza clarified.

Inga stiffened in alarm. “Brigette?”

Riza nodded. “Yes.”

“What about her?”

The younger guard paled, clearly intimidated by the towering ogress holding a trident that could destroy the entire castle with one blast.

“I…” Riza stopped to clear his throat. “I heard her talking.”

Inga glanced toward Troy. He shrugged and she returned