Amneris had no idea how she got into her bed, let alone how she’d got into her rooms in the Palace. Hell, she didn’t even remember getting to the Palace. For that matter, she didn’t remember leaving Iraliya . . .

Amneris convinced herself to sit up, only to groan as her head exploded with pain. No doubt an aftereffect of the attack. The downside to being a Photon Ruler was the pain whenever your world was attacked. Some thing put in place in the God Worlds to make sure neither actually had a direct attack on the other, or something.

Wait, what had happened to Iraliya?

“The city is fine.”

She turned at the sound of her father’s voice. “It is?” Lvaane nodded. Amneris fell back down, raising a hand to her head as she closed her eyes. “Thank the Gods.” A hand grasped hers. Amneris opened her eyes again. Colt was above her, his face willed with concern. “What?”

He kissed the back of her hand. “Kek got away with the items.”

“WHAT?” Amneris grasped her head as pain ripped through it again. Through gritted teeth she asked, “How?”

The silence lasted long enough that Amneris forced herself to look at the two men. Colt and Lvaane were having some sort of silent conversation. Or argument. Amneris asked again, “How did Kek get away with the items?”

“Helia,” her father said, moving to sit beside her and wrap an arm around her shoulders. “You were in very bad shape. Leo and Colt brought you back here—”

Amneris whirled on Colt. “You brought me back here instead of going after Kek?!” She was on the verge of screaming at him. “Why didn’t you go after him?!”

“Calm down, Helia.” Her father’s hand moved from her shoulder to her hair. “You know the Court’s priority is you unless told otherwise.”

“Nikki, Carmin and Dan have gone to track him down,” Colt said. “They left two days ago.”

“Two . . . Two days?” Amneris shook her head. “The fuck happened?”

Again the two men had a silent conversation. In the end, it was Colt who explained.

You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

“After you and Kek did that thing where you try to kill each other, there was a gib explosion. We all got knocked out. You, uh, died. Your head was, uh, never mind. Anyway, you came to, threw a tantrum—”

“I do not throw tantrums.”

“You do. Let me finish. You got it out of your system and, for a moment, it looked like you would be okay. Then you saw Kek’s whip and, well . . .” He spread his hands helplessly. “You fainted.”

“Not again . . .” Amneris sighed, rubbing her hands over her face. “Thought I was over that. It’s been five thousand years since it happened and it’s been ages since I last, you know . . .”

Lvaane pulled her hands from her face. “We know the Core cannot heal what’s in here.” One of his hands moved to her head. “That spell Colt did only heals physical wounds. Like this one.” That hand moved to her stomach.

“Physical not mental. I know.” Amneris turned to Colt with a sad smile. “Why couldn’t you do one that fixes everything?”

The smile was returned as Colt climbed onto the bed, sitting on her other side. “I guess that is not how it works.”

“Why can things never be easy?” She answered herself before either of them could. “Because the Worlds don’t work that way, I know.”

“Something like that.” Colt moved until he sat behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “If it counts for anything, Tali, you are not alone in this.”

“You have all of us,” Lvaane finished, leaning over to press a kiss to her hair.

Amneris lowered her head with a smile. “What would I do without you two?”

“Go on a murderous rampage,” Colt murmured, clearly not caring they were in the company of the Old King as he kissed and nuzzled her neck. “Maybe destroy Creation while you are at it.”

“You are a horrible Human Being.”

“I am no longer Human.”

“You know what I mean.”

“If I am a horrible person then you are a horrible Fae.” He kissed her neck again.

She pushed him back with a laugh. “Not in front of my father!”

Said father shook his head with a smile as he stood, making his way to the other side of the room. “I have no idea what you are talking about,” he said lightly, closing the door behind him.

Amneris cocked her head to the side. “You know how I said you’re horrible?” Colt nodded. “You’re not horrible. He’s horrible.”

“And listening at the door, no doubt.”

A muffled cough and footsteps answered the statement.

Colt shifted beside her so he could lay down. He placed a hand on the pillow beside him. Amneris lay down. Colt tugged her against his chest. Amneris sighed happily, wrapping her arms around him.

“You are staying here until I say otherwise,” Colt said firmly.

“But what if I need to get up and do Queenly stuff?”

“You are in no shape for it. And do not act like you are disappointed,” he added at her pout. “We both know you are no fan of your work.”

“True,” she admitted. “Alright, I’ll stay here. Since you insisted.”

Colt raised a hand and snapped his fingers. The lights flicked out immediately.

“Forgot you could do that,” Amneris said.

Colt pulled the blanked over them properly. “Go back to sleep, Tali.”