Friends with the King of the Underworld | Book 1

Chapter Thirty-Nine

"Hello, dear."

The words chilled me to the bone. How many times had Robyn called me that same nickname? Hearing Damien say it made it even worse. It took me back to that lonely mansion - the memories flooded back.

I suppressed a shudder in front of Leah. My own anger of her appearance steeling me.

Her eyes scanned me up and down as I stood next to the throne that would have been hers. How different we were now.

The last I saw her she had been furious, staring at Robyn with complete disdain as he crashed the party the night before her would-be wedding. She had been dressed beautifully with jewels adorning her ears, arms and neck.

While she still dressed the same - she was in complete disarray. Her hair was picked up but a few strands were loose around her face. She had struggled against the guards that brought her forth before us.

I only imagined her anger when she finally saw me. How she felt when she took in my casual appearance in a T-shirt in jeans standing in the one place she'd almost killed me to get - right beside Damien.

And then I suddenly realized she was surprised. She was surprised to see me. It was as if she never expected to see me again. Had my return been kept a secret?

"Emylin -"

Damien interrupted Leah. "Lady Emylin, you will be wise not to forget your lady's title."

Leah froze and visibly paled.

It was hard to hide the smile that was about to spread but somehow I managed it.

Oren suddenly appeared with a bundle of clothes in his arms draped to the floor.

I blinked. It wasn't a bundle of clothes. It was the Magister.

Oren let him go and he fell into a shaking heap on the floor. I watched as he coughed then finally looked up at each of us in turn.

Still on his knees, he bowed deeply, going much lower than I'd seen anyone before. He stopped when his nose touched the floor. "My King. My Queen."

I almost jumped out of my skin when he spoke. That word - that stupid title that everyone seemed more than happy to call me.

Queen.

I hated it.

Leah watched the Magister as he cowered before Damien then looked at me.

No one corrected what he called me.

And if only to watch Leah continue to squirm, I'd own it.

Damien didn't move from the throne. "Rise."

While he did get up off the floor, his shoulders remained slumped, his eyes barely looked up at us but his gaze did go over me. I watched as his eyes drifted over my eyes, my face, my appearance. "Truly the last of the Light."

I didn't stop the words as they spilled from my lips. The sarcasm practically dripped from my words. "I suppose I have you two to thank for that?"

He nodded as Leah shook her head vehemently. He didn't look at anyone as he spoke - just the stone floor. "I tried once alone to do it. The first time it nearly worked. I almost unbound you. You had to stand under the moonlight for it to work but the magic was too strong to unbind you completely."

He had me stand under the moonlight in the Observatory. He made me drink a potion. "You made me believe it was to erase the Mark. You lied to me."

He shook his head. "Forgive me, my Queen, I had to deceive you otherwise you wouldn't have taken it. The Mark will never go away not so long as the Giver is alive. All I did was take the handprint away. King Robyn was careless-"