Chapter 41

Elara moved through the hidden passageway like she owned Drakenfell’s blueprints, yanked a portrait aside, and shoved them both into a storage room before Serena could get a word in.

As soon as the door swung shut, Serena pulled her into a hug.

“Elara, I am so glad you are okay p>

“Thanks to you. Thank you for not giving up on me,” Elara whispered. “And for not letting the dragons kill me either p>

“None of that was your fault p>

Elara glanced down, only just noticing the bow and quiver in Serena’s hands. She smiled and looked back up at her, curiosity clear, but before she could ask—

Serena clapped her hands and bounced in place.

“I just remembered. Hale marked you p>

She squealed with the kind of pure, infectious joy reserved for watching someone finally get the life and happiness they deserved and getting to witness it firsthand.

Elara groaned, her face turning red. “I am mortified p>

“You know they used to do public markings in ancient times,” Serena said helpfully.

“Gods,” Elara pressed both hands over her eyes. “They also used to do mating rituals in public. That does not help p>

Serena laughed, but then her expression shifted and went serious so fast it caught Elara off guard.

“I had sex with Dex,” she blurted.

Elara blinked a few times, not having expected that.

“First of all,” Elara said, deadpan, “Dex rhymes with sex. Second of all, holy shit, that was fast p>

Serena’s cheeks burned. “We had sex twice, actually. When he marked me, I fell unconscious and he cleaned me up after while I was unconscious. Which meant he saw blood from losing my virginity. So if you want to talk about embarrassing p>

She did not finish the sentence. Elara squealed, clapping her hands like she had just been told the best news of her life.

Serena buried her face in her hands, mortified and laughing all at once.

“Damn that’s embarrassing. But mine is still worse,” Elara said flatly, then her grin faded. “I wanted to talk to you because Hale is starting to ask questions about where we are from p>

Serena didn’t hesitate. “Of course you should tell him p>

“Are you sure? I would not tell him everything. Just a little more. He does not understand how you speak so many languages, or why I am trained in matters of duty and pack leadership p>

“He deserves context. And Hale is not stupid p>

Elara exhaled slowly, tension easing from her shoulders. “Alright, I will give him more context p>

“Good. I trust Hale completely. If he thought repeating anything would hurt you or me, he would not. He is a good one p>

“He actually just mindlinked me. We should get back. Your mate is stressed and deliberately did not mindlink you because he did not want to be overbearing p>

“Aww, really?” Serena’s heart swelled at that.

She giggled and shook her head once. There was no chance he would ever smother her. If anything, she had been worried she was doing that to him with how much time they had spent together.

She caught Elara’s arm before they moved. “Wait. Something else is bothering you. Tell me p>

Elara looked up at her, hesitated for exactly half a second, then blurted it out in a rush.

“We tried to have sex, but he is too big, so he stopped, and now it is awkward p>

Serena’s jaw dropped. “I mean. He is a big man. Did you tell him to stop p>

“Yes. I panicked.” Elara’s voice cracked on the last word.

“That is not awkward,” Serena said firmly. “That is consent working exactly like it should. Hale stopping is a green flag the size of a damn castle p>

Elara tipped her head back and stared at the ceiling. “It’s still awkward. I wish he wouldn’t have stopped now. Gods p>

“Just kiss him. Get him riled up again and then make sure to not say stop. Once you do it, it’ll cancel out what happened in his mind p>

Elara stared at her. “You sound like a sex expert now. Jeez p>

Serena burst out laughing, then killed it so fast the silence was almost louder. Color crept up her neck.

“Elara.” She leaned in like the walls might hear her. “I think Dex assumed I would know what I was doing. He seemed genuinely surprised that I did not. He even commented that I was a virgin in the middle of it. If he knew I had not even kissed a boy before him p>

“Don’t tell him that last part unless he asks p>

Serena nodded. “Wasn’t planning on it. And gods, we are both idiots p>

Elara sighed, then straightened.

“Yes agreed. But I can feel Hale’s anxiety now, fully. We need to get back to them before they both have a meltdown p>

Serena paused at the door. “Elara. Has anything ever gone right for us? And stayed that way p>

“Don’t,” Elara said firmly. “Don’t do that to yourself. Not with this one p>

Serena nodded once and stepped through the door.

To: King Reginald Viremont

Father,

The situation has deteriorated beyond diplomacy.

Dexmon has marked his whore. Rumor has it, she’s being crowned in three days. Crowned, Father. As if she earned it. As if she belongs here.

She’s turned Dexmon against me. He humiliated me in front of all the nobles over her.

Bloodpetal’s Kiss failed, their healers reached her too quickly.

I met with your contact and arranged for the seamstress to lace that dress with poison. At your request, they’ve added it to her formal Drakenfell combat suit before the summit.

Outside of that, I need something stronger to manage Dexmon. Something that cannot be healed or antidoted. A man cannot choose what he does not remember. You mentioned once about Viper’s Kiss. I need it. Whatever the cost. That’s the only way I can get her out of the picture fully.

My allies within Drakenfell remain loyal, though their patience wears thin. I fear my window here in Drakenfell is coming to a close.

Bellatrix has invited me to dine with her tomorrow evening with King Tiberon. She is furious about the crowning and I believe she can still be useful, though her methods lack subtlety. The flowers were her idea. Embarrassing.

With the War Summit approaching, I beg you to request my presence so I can attend. If I fail again with Dexmon, t he Shadowclaw King will be there.

Send me Viper’s Kiss. Send me reinforcements if you have them. Or send me orders to return home.

But do not ask me to watch her take everything that was promised to me.

I await your response.

Your daughter,

Agnes

Future Queen of Drakenfell (with your help)

Agnes folded the letter, pressed her seal into the wax, and handed it to the servant waiting at her door.

“My father. Before dawn. Speak to no one p>

The servant bowed and vanished into the corridor.

Agnes returned to her vanity and studied her reflection. Two days until the crowning. Four days until the summit. She traced the unmarked skin of her neck and let her nail press until it left a crescent.

Every lock had a key. She had already found Dexmon’s.