Page 29 of The Nightmare Queen

His face is smug, both of his arms crossed. “I warned you. Now, will you stop acting like a petulant child and let me get you to the healer mage? Because your shoulder looks disgusting and we really don’t have time for all of this.”

“Fine.” I reach out my hand for him to help me, but he slaps it away, choosing instead to throw me over his shoulder. His thick arm bands across my thighs. “Excuse me but I didn’t say ‘Fine. Carry me like a fucking sack of grain!’” I beat my good arm against his back. But it only serves to make him laugh, loudly.

He thinks this is funny.

“Actually. You didn’t specify how I had to carry you at all.” He comments.

“I hate you.”

“Tsk tsk tsk. Such sweet nothings you share with me.” The words coming out of him in a croon.

Oh bleeding hells.This is humiliating. On every level.

“You!” Rorin points to a younger boy, Seth, the son of my head staff. “Go get the healer mage and tell them to meet us at Queen Eveera’s rooms immediately.”

“Uh..uh..” Seth stammers.

“NOW!” Rorin roars and Seth breaks off into a run.

I shake my head. “Great. Now you’re ordering my staff around.”

Rorin winds down the halls stopping short between his and Mousy’s rooms, the latter of which happens to stumble out and quickly take in the sight of the princeling and I. Maxwell and Orem look equally ashorrified.

“Um.” Orem squeaks out.

My hand waves out to cut him off, “Ifanyof you mention this ever again. I will personally rip out your vocal chords with my bare hands.” Max blanches. A swift SMACK! hits the back of my thighs and the men’s eyes bulge, “what. the.HELL. RORIN!”

“Stop threatening people for five seconds and tell me where your room is before you die from this venom.” I groan. “Only twenty minutes.” He reprimands.

I’m sorry, I was wrong before,nowI am going to kill him. If I wasn’t wanting to before I really am now.

“Straight down the hall through the pitch black.” Orem offers.

“Thank you.” Rorin nods moving us quickly down the hall with Mousy trailing behind on our heels.

“Did you just sayvenom?!And why are you two even together?”He asks.

“Not now Mousy, the adults are handling things at the present moment.” I sneer.

His face screws up in a scowl muttering, “I’m older than the both of you”,under his breath.

The prince kicks open my doors, neither Armond or Axel are outside, meaning they must have taken my advice and gone to bed. He lays me down gently, a sharp contrast to him smacking directly under my ass a few moments ago.

“Tsk tsk tsk. Oh Eveera, what have you done to yourself now.” Marjorie’s voice chimes in my ears. I watch as she shakes her head.

“I’m fine, Marjorie.” I grumble. H

er pointed look argues differently as she waves her hands upward at me. “Come on. Up, up, up.”

My arms lift up as best they can. She peels off the shredded tunic, having to pick at certain parts that are glued by blood to my body.“Gah!”I hiss again,gods it got me good this time,I say to myself.

“She has to be shirtless for this?!”The prince's companion, shrieks.

Marjorie’s face turns pained in annoyance. “You do not have to be here, Sir Will.” He flattens his lip at the clear reprimand.

“Yes, whyareyou here, Mousy?” I grit out while Marjorie’s gnarled hands work to get every last piece of fabric out of the wound.

“Becausehe’shere.” He replies, pointing at Rorin, whose face is stoic while he watches Marjorie work intently.

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