The Lost Queen

Ch. 14: The Lost Queen

Jarrah slumped against Rayne's side as the two of them slid to the ground with a heave. Though he was careful not to put too much pressure on her stomach region, he did lay his head back into the scruff on her neck with his arm wrapped around her. He rubbed his fingers against her fur, and she pushed herself closer into his embrace.

"I'm so sorry you were there by yourself, wolf," he whispered, his breath blowing against the hairs. She wanted to shift back to answer him, but something told her he just wanted to talk to her wolf. So for a bit longer, she thought it best to stay in her shifted form.

Rayne did, however, make a low rumbling sound in the pit of her throat and nudge him with her head.

"But it is my fault," he insisted, distraught. The remorse in his tone made her nuzzle her head against his. "I sent you up there by yourself and could have gotten you hurt. My guards didn't even sense her presence until it was too late. I could have been too late."

But you weren't, she whined.

Jarrah sighed, hugging her tight. "I know," he exhaled. "I just hate this. We thought we only had one person to worry about, but now there's a queen? What queen?"

Rayne shrugged her large shoulders. She'd been wondering that too and unfortunately, had no answer. It only added to their list of unsolved problems that only seemed to get longer and longer. Gruesome deaths, an assassin, and an unknown queen who obviously had a vendetta against them. Rayne didn't even want to think about what could come next.

"Did she say anything to you that could help us?" he asked, hope lingering in his voice.

Rayne shook her head. She knew nothing that could help them figure out who it was. She knew she wasn't Fae, but she could be working with someone who was and that could explain how she was getting through the glamor. And the lost queen was the one pulling the assassin's strings.

She shifted her body against the ground and Jarrah moved away from her. Without asking what she was doing, he stood up and walked over to one of the chambers, washed his hands in one of the bathrooms, and then came out with a large quilt. Rayne smiled inwardly at his thoughtfulness and focused on her shift back to her human form.

"She admitted to doing the queen's bidding, so I'm assuming she's only acting on her orders. But I don't know who this lost queen is."

"We'll figure it out," Jarrah said. He pressed a hand to the side of her stomach. "Before they get here."

She grumbled in agreement. Jarrah wrapped the blanket around her naked body and carefully picked her up as he drew the two of them onto the couch. His cheeky smile made her roll her eyes.

"You're terrible," she muttered.

He laughed and wrapped the blanket securely. "It's not my fault you're beautiful with and without clothes on. Why do you think I washed up really quick?" he admitted, smirking.

Her cheeks warmed as she lightly scolded him. "Nuh uh, you're not getting anything from me just yet, Jarrah Pinestone. It's time for you to focus."

"I'm focusing," he mused, his gaze trailing down the exposed, smooth brown skin leading down the blanket.

"Not on that!"

Rayne fixed the blanket to cover herself until after they talked. Jarrah obviously deflated, but turned his gaze back to hers. He fixed her across his lap and waited for her to bring up the conversation neither of them wanted to have.

"Do you know anything about any other queens out there? Are there other Fae queens you haven't told me about?" she questioned, raising an eyebrow.

Jarrah rolled his eyes. "If you're insinuating that I married someone else and convinced you and the entire kingdom that I'm single, then I'm sending you to Kliden to get looked at. As for other queens, the Fae are the only ones who have a monarchy, aside from the vampires. But Lilith was the last ruler they had and she's dead, so it can't be her."