Lahat ng Kabanata ng The Alpha Queen's Deadly Secret: Kabanata 101 - Kabanata 110

 “Wasn’t I clear about what the cakes make possible, besides vivid dreams?” Margot asks quietly, grimacing and crossing her arms over her chest. “Darling, how did you think I knew what Mahl was dreaming about every night?”I gape at her. “He…he didn’t just tell you in the morning?”“Oh, baby,” Margot says, sighing and reaching for me, pulling me into her arms and giving me a big hug, rocking me back and forth as she shakes her head. “You think Mahl wakes up and tells his concubine all about his good dreams? Sugar…” She grimaces again.I groan, ducking my head against her shoulder. Because of course. Of course he’s not that kind of man. God, what was I thinking?“What happened?” Margot asks, her voice all soft and comforting as I go to absolute emotional pieces with my face pressed to her shoulder. “W

I push back the hood of my cloak a little, looking around the shady grove into which we ride.“Just ahead!” Margot says, laughing a little, clearly pleased to be home.But…home.God, I knew Margot came from humble beginnings but I didn’t think she honestly lived in the wilderness like this. Everything around us is just wild - woods and trees – a pretty brook with waters tumbling over its rocks in a lively, cheerful way – sunlight falling through the leaves and dappling the floor. Not a sign of civilization anywhere – not even a road leading to this little clearing.But it’s…beautiful.Honestly nearly the entire ride here I've just been worrying so much about Auden - what to do, how to fix this - but now that we're here -God, all I can do is just...stare at the beauty all around.As I nudge my horse further forward, following Margot’s own mare, I wonder if I would have liked to have grown up in a place like this. Such freedom but also such…boredom. I don’t think I would have made it w

 “Oh my god,” I whisper, leaning across the table to get a better look at Margot’s mother’s face. She grins at me again, showing a set of straight white teeth. “You’re…you’re the woman, from the cart…”She laughs, her eyes crinkling in the corners, blending in with the wrinkles that otherwise crease her face. “The woman from the cart – yes, my finest moniker, the name my mother dreamed I would bear –“I laugh a little, sitting back, my cheeks flushing – because that was rude – but Margot laughs too, harder than me, and a glance at her happy face lets me know that it’s all right – I haven’t truly offended anyone.My friend looks between me and her mother, interested. “Wait, so really? My surprise introduction isn’t so much of a surprise?”“You tell her,” the woman says, gesturing to Margot a

“That little bag of powders and potions is an arsenal in the right hands,” Margot says with a sigh, rolling her eyes a bit. “But whatever, Everleigh, you’re the Queen and you get to do whatever you want -”“Margot.” My voice is solid as I stop my horse, reaching for her and wrapping my hand around her wrist. She stops her horse too, turning to me in the saddle, curious but wary. “I have nothing,” I whisper. “Nothing in this world to protect me – Mahl has taken it all away. Except for gold and jewels. And it might seem like that is a resource – but Mahl has largely closed my lines of contact so that even if I have gold at my fingertips I have nowhere to spend it. So if I can trade a bit of that, and better your mother’s life, and build myself a tiny arsenal of minor spells that maybe – maybe I can begin to use to protect myself…would you really deny me that?”Margot’s shoulders slump as she looks at me, a sad frown taking her lips. Then she shakes her head. “No, Everleigh. I’m sorry. I

“Auden,” I whisper, starting to tremble a little as he looms above me. Slowly, I lift my hands from the door, my heart pounding as I reach for his face. But I hesitate – not daring to touch. “I – I’m fine! Nothing happened! I’m fine – we were fine!”Auden groans, his shoulders starting to tremble now as he turns his head sharply to the side, pressing his eyes shut and swallowing hard, clearly pulling himself together. “Foolish and reckless, Everleigh. As usual.”“I’m sorry,” I whisper, shaking my head, meaning it. “I’m sorry – I didn’t think! I…wanted to spend a day with my friend – like I used to. Angeline and I used to go riding in the woods all the time! It was –““Unguarded? You went riding unguarded with Angeline?”I hesitate, dropping my hands to my sides. “Well, no,” I whisper. “I guess not, now that I think of it.”Auden groans again, though his heart isn’t in it this time. He turns his head back to me. “How…fuck, Everleigh, if you act like this how the fuck am I supposed to ke