Page 3 of Renegade Queen

The General’s face turned bright red. “Magic could solve all of humanity’s problems. We could get rid of hunger, disease and poverty. So why shouldn’t they share it with us?”

“Humanity,” I scoffed. “You’re the epitome of humanity. Greedy, selfish, sacrificing those around you without a second thought. And for what? Because someone won’t share their toys with you. Well, boo-fucking-hoo. You preach about saving the world, but we all know what will happen. Magic will be limited to those that can afford it. Those in power. And you’ll crush everyone beneath you and those who dare to stand in your way. People like you don’t change, Philip.”

I got up and paced away from the bar stool in frustration.

Humans were all the same, always wanting what someone else had. They were like spoiled children. Never happy with what they had and breaking everything around them. I’d been around long enough to see what humanity was capable of.

“Siberia was twenty years ago, Alyssa. You don’t think I could change in twenty years?”

“No, I don’t! Because look at what is happening right now.”

God, I fucking hated him so much.

“Wait,” Smiler said. “You left a child alone in Siberia?”

He actually looked angry, and that weirdly made me happy. It would be interesting to see his reaction when he found out the truth. So, I sat my ass back on the stool, crossed my arms and got ready to watch the show.

“Of course, I didn’t,” the General spat, clearly getting frustrated that things weren’t going his way. Personally, I think he would, but maybe I was a little biased when it came to dear old Philip.

“Sir, with all due respect, she’s got to be, what? Twenty-five?” Blue eyes said, staring at me closely. From the look in his eye and the way they lingered before roaming over my legs, I think he liked what he saw.

The General turned to me and glared.

“What? I’m enjoying this far too much to help you out.” I laughed, looking behind me for another drink.

“I don’t know how old she is,” he said, throwing his arms up. “But she hasn’t aged a day since I first met her twenty-three years ago.”

He sat down and gave me one of those smarmy smiles like he thought he’d won.

“Well, that just sounds crazy!” I cackled, throwing my arms up in the air the same way he had. It was seriously starting to get hard to hold my drunken giggles in.

“Alyssa, stop fucking about and just tell them how old you are,” the General snapped.

The three rangers were starting to look uneasy. They’d been dragged into something they had no reason to be in.

“Answer me this first,” I said instead, turning towards Blue Eyes. “How much do you know about the mission your brother and his team went on? How much do you know about where they went?”

He frowned as he thought it through before he spoke. “They were sent into enemy territory to recon a group which holds an asset US intelligence wants eyes on,” he told me.

“That’s very evasive,” I said, turning to the General, who watched me carefully. “You just heard him say the words ‘realm’ and ‘magic’, and you’re not questioning if what they’ve told you was the truth?” I cocked my head to the side in question.

“Where is my brother?” he asked, stepping closer. He was getting angry now, and it was the first smart move he’d made since walking through that door.

“Why are you asking me? He’s the one that sent him there.” I cocked my head to the General, who sat on his stool silently. The other two rangers were looking between us, clearly unsure what to do. They did stay at their friend’s back, though. Perhaps there was hope for them yet.

“You seem to know more than I do, and he hasn’t been telling me the truth.” He looked suspiciously at the General. “I don’t know if I can trust him,” he admitted between clenched teeth.

I took a moment to think. When I looked across at the General, he just raised an eyebrow at me in challenge.

“Challenge accepted,” I declared with a smile.

The look on his face clearly said that he didn’t believe I had the balls.

When I turned back to the rangers, I told them. “What I am about to tell you has been classified to the highest level by your military. More importantly, my people will kill you and me when they discover you know the truth. Are you sure you still want to know?” I asked in interest.

All three nodded once.

“Cool. So, General Shitstain over there sent your brother and his team through a portal to a different realm. The Fae realm, to be exact. I know this because it’s where I was exiled from. I’m a Fae and, in answer to your earlier question, I’m one hundred and two years old.” I smiled. “Oh, and magic is real.”

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