Page 33 of The Royal's Bumblebee
“And what is it you expect me to say to the humans?”
“To give her to me.” The Ucfeni insisted. “I want her. Lucy. She’s a botanist. It means she grows plants. I smell her even when she’s not there. I am consumed with her scent. I see her when I close my eyes. I can’t stand this madness.”
“Son.” The Chieftain spoke softly.
“No, no I need her. The humans listen to you. Tell them to give me Lucy.” He hissed. Whoever this Lucy woman is I don’t envy her to have this Rapali snapping after her.
“Calm yourself. We can’t justorderthe humans to give one of their females over to you. They don’t scent their mates like we do.”
“Izule, can we go now?” I whisper up at his mouth and he smiled at me.
The raging storm of hissing made me squeal. I clamped down in Izule’s arms and duck my head down. “W-what’s going on?!”
???
Billie
“I need you to stay down.” Izule ululated deep and dark, his whole body tensing around me.
“Why what’s happening?” I clamp my eyes shut at the sound of people snarling and shouting all around me.
“What is the meaning of this?!” Xulei snarled. “Howdareyou brandish a weapon in my presence.” Are the Rapali attacking? “Guards!”
“If you think we’re going to be passed over again you have another thing coming. You let your son be claimed by a Rapali, but you let your daughter turn her nose up atallof us?” Not the Rapali then.
“Where are the guards?!” Vrujac snarled. “Get the females back!”
“Into a defensive formation now!” The King orders.
“The Rapali stand with the Orna Royals! Now!”
“I-Izule?!” I don’t like all the snarling and shouting. I really don’t like it when he tries to put me down. “No. No, I want to leave.” I still have my eyes shut and try to keep my arms locked around his neck. “Izule-take me home-don’t-no don’t.”
“I will protect you. I swear.” Izule kisses me on the mouth, and I am too busy having a meltdown and a panic attack to do anything back. I didn’t like it. It felt like a final kiss, not a first one. “Stay down. Stay here.” I cry when he forces my arms away from him and I’m left empty. I slide down to the floor and shut down, hugging my legs. I’ve never been so scared in my life. I can hear being shouting, screaming, hitting the ground, and the wet sound of blood hitting the floor around me. I flinch every time there’s a thud close to me, and I’m sobbing. I want Izule. I want our bed of pillows. I want locked doors between us and all this violence.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOO!” I hear Izule howl with agony. Is he hurt? Did someone hurt Izule? No no no no no. I grip my legs so tightly my knuckles are white.
Every crash. Every thump. Every scream. Every howl. Every single whine. It hit me and pushed me deeper into my shutdown. Part of me screamed that it wasn’t safe to shut down here, but I couldn’t move anymore.
“I’m sorry Billie but I need you to move. I am not losing you to this bullshit.” I don’t know when Hannah arrived beside me, but she grabbed me and I screamed. I’m not ready to move yet. It’s too loud and I’m scared. She drags me and hurts my arms as she forces me away from the floor. “I’m sorry.” Hannah cries. “I love you bumblebee.” I sob and try to lower back down to the floor but she won’t let me. My heart clenches and drops into my stomach when Hannah shoves me forward. I tumble and roll, curling up and wheezing as my back hits a wall.
“Billie.” Izule hisses and scoops me up. “I’m here.” I thrash and cry, my eyes stinging with tears and aching from how hard I’m clenching them shut. “I’m getting you out of here.” Good. I’ve been wanting to go home since before someone attacked us. I wish I could ask about Hannah, but I can’t speak. I’m shaking and sobbing, curling up as much as I can in his arms as he leans forward. We’re moving at speed and I want to focus on the fact we’re going away from danger…but my fingertips are wet.
Every other thought I had in my head slipped away. I opened my eyes and looked at the blood on my hands. I stared at his throat scales and shredded leather collar. It, and the com-gem, were barely hanging around his neck. His chest and neck were bleeding from several slices from a blade. He’s hurt.
“Y…you need medical attention.”
“Not as much as I need you to be safe first.”
Chapter 24
A few moments earlier
Izule
A few moments earlier.
Chaos has broken out on the royal platform. Triggered by the fact that my sister, Princess Jajana, in her own kingdom, did not choose from the Royals who came to present herself before them. As is her right. It was a rouse, of course. The Naltiks were making a play for my Father’s throne and the Eryans were in on it. I never thought I would be relieved to have Rapalis at either side of me, but those shuckers know how to fight. If they hadn’t crashed our Gcorket festival then we would have been facing the Naltiks and Eryans on our own. They mustreallywant my father’s help to get this human woman Lucy to come out of her compound for Aszu, if they are willing to join us for a fight at the drop of a leaf. When the Death Striker Peacekeeper reared up with his human partner, armed and ready to go, I was certain we would have a swift victory. My Father, Vrujac and Broak all gave the Death Striker the order for the death bite. Victory had to be assured.
