Cherish

I grin at the woman standing in front of me as she frowns down at me.

“What are you doing?” she asks, an eyebrow raised.

“I’m making food.” I look up from the half-made sandwich and meet her eyes. “Want some?”

“Cherish,” she chides, looking amused. “You’re supposed to be a Queen. Queens do not make their own food in this world.”

I snort. “Well, I think we can all agree that I’m definitely not like the other Queen’s in this world, Lyra,” I point out, a small smirk on my face.

Xander chuckles as he walks into the kitchen. “She’s got you there, masha,” he says. Come to find out, ‘masha’ is ‘mom’ in their language. I knew that Xander was old, so obviously his mom had to be too, but the woman looks only a couple years older than Xander. It’s kind of weird to be honest, but I’m starting to get used to it.

Lyra scowls at Xander. “You should be helping her to blend in, Xander, not letting her stand out.”

Xander’s eyes are warm as they scan me. “Cherish will always stand out, masha. And it will never be a bad thing that she does.”

I feel heat rush to my cheeks and I throw a piece of bread at him that he catches, taking a bite out of it as he laughs. “Stop making me blush. It’s annoying.”

Lyra fights a smile as her gaze bounces between us. “Him making you blush is annoying, or blushing in general is annoying?”

“Blushing in general,” I grumble slapping a piece of bread on top of my now finished sandwich. “It’s literally the stupidest thing ever.”

Xander snorts as he invades my space, running the back of his finger down my warm cheek. “You may think so, but I think it’s cute.” I grouse under my breath before taking a bite of my food, making him chuckle as he kisses my forehead.

“Are they back yet?” I ask after finishing my bite.

“No. Andrei warned us that it might be a day or two before they can get back.”

I frown. “Why the hell would it take that long?”

“They’re meeting with the people we have placed in the Ikishri Kingdom, Cherish. They need to make sure they aren’t followed and that the people they’re meeting aren’t followed,” Xander explains. “It might seem like a bit much, but until we know exactly what the Ikishri have planned we’re playing it safe. We won’t play with your safety like that.”

I purse my lips before taking another bite. "I never actually said that you're being paranoid," I point out, my lip twitching.

Xander narrows his eyes at me. "No, but you were most likely thinking it."

I shrug as I finish off my food. "Guess we'll never know."

Xander shakes his head. "You're a pain in my ass sometimes, you know that?"

"Xander!" Lyra chides. "Language. And you don't tell your girlfriend who also happens to be your Queen that she's being a pain in your butt."

I grin at him as he winces. Oops. Didn't mean to get him in trouble, but it's kinda funny that I did.

"It's fine, Lyra," I assure her, trying not to laugh at the glare Xander's shooting my way. "I swear more than he does some days. And I know full well that I can be -and usually am- a pain in the ass."

Lyra sighs at me. "That isn't the point, my dear."

I laugh. "I know what you mean, but I really don't care either way, Lyra. I'm not as," I tilt my head from side to side as I try to find the right word before giving up and just going with one that made some sense, "classy as other royals might be, but I won't change myself just to please other people. It's just not in me. I'm my own person, and I wouldn't ever punish someone for making a joke."

Lyra eyes me. "You see things very differently than many in this world," she says matter-of-factly.

I chuckle softly as I meet Xander's warm eyes. "So I've been told."

"What do you two have planned for the rest of the day?" Lyra asks as she hip checks me out of the way and begins to pick up the mess that I made.

I frown at her. "Lyra, I could have done that."

She waves my words away and repeats her question.

Sighing in defeat, I cross my arms and lean my hip against the counter. "I kinda want to walk around the village, maybe go visit the baby dragon. If Xander says yes, anyway." I meet Xander's eyes as I finish my sentence and grin at the nod he gives me.

Lyra chuckles. "Well, get going. It's around noon right now, so you should have plenty of time to make it back before dinner."

"Unless she gets distracted by all the artwork in the village market," Xander counters.

I freeze and eye Xander. "There wasn't any artwork posted when we went through the village last time. Well, that I can remember."

Xander chuckles. "If there wasn't any up then it was most likely because they were gone, moved, or the seller was sick."

I squeal happily. "Well, what the hell are we waiting for?! Let's go!" I grab Xander's hand and drag him out of the kitchen.

* * *

Andrei

"We should be at the meeting spot in about five minutes," Kade mutters.

"Good. I don't want to be away from the castle and Cherish for too long. We still aren't one hundred percent sure we can trust the other guards to protect her."

"You've gotten paranoid," Kade says, sounding shocked.

"Not paranoid," I counter. "Just more cautious. She's already been kidnapped by someone who was supposed to be her friend and someone that should have been trusted to stand at her side."

"Okay, I can see your point," Kade concedes. "I don't like all that's happened to her since we introduced her to our world, but she's getting stronger, Andrei. She shouldn't have to deal with all of the shit, especially the shit that's being shoveled her way during the start of her reign."

"After all this shit is over, we're taking Cherish to see her friends," I tell Kade, my tone not allowing any room for argument. "I don't give a shit if there's anything else that needs her attention once we're done with the Ikishri. She can go visit her friends for a day or two."

Kade chuckles. "I figured that's what we'd do anyways. So let's aim to get this shit done and over with sooner than later."

"Sounds like a plan."

After another minute of walking, Kade continues on to the meeting spot where we know the man we're meeting is waiting while I circle around to make sure there isn't a tail anywhere.

Satisfied that he wasn't followed I make my way back to the meeting place.

"Ralnor," I greet our spy.

"Andrei," he says dryly. "I could have told you I wasn't followed."

"I wasn't taking that chance, Ralnor. We've had a lot of incidents lately."

Ralnor nods. "I understand. I have a few things that you need to know. It's bad, Andrei, and I really can't stay long. I barely managed to get out today without questions."

"Say what you need and you can head back."

Ralnor sighs, letting out a big breath. "King Castien plans to have several units of soldiers attack the Tira villages neighboring his land. Tonight. I don't know exactly how, but that it will happen and it will be bad."

My blood turns to ice in my veins. Jesus. An attack of that magnitude? Castien isn't pulling his punches anymore. Kade's eyes are wide as we exchange a worried look. I look back to Ralnor. "Is there anything else?"

Ralnor hesitates. "The Queen. She's in danger. I haven't heard what Castien has planned for her, all I do know, is it's no longer his goal to kill her. He wants her taken alive. I think he wants to use her for something, but I can't imagine what."

I frown. That doesn't make any sense. What the hell would he want with Cherish? Even if he found out she was Marked, he'd be crying out for her to be ki-

My heart races as a startling possibility runs through my mind. The only thing that makes any sense is that Castien found out that Cherish is Marked. He doesn't want her dead. He wants to use her for something. Something that only she can do as a Marked elf.

I swallow hard and meet Ralnor's eyes. "Do you have more?"

Ralnor shakes his head. "No. I really do have to go now, though," he says sadly. He gives Kade and I a sad smile. "It was nice to see you guys again. I aim to find out what the fuck is going on so that I can come home soon."

"Soon, brother," I murmur as Ralnor turns and walks away.

"What the hell could Castien want with Cherish?" Kade asks.

"I don't know," I whisper, not wanting to tell him my suspicions without Cherish and Xander. "Whatever it is, it won't be good."

"Well, he won't get her," Kade states firmly.

"No. He won't," I agree. I lift my hand and open a portal to the castle. "Go warn Cherish and Xander what's going to happen tonight. Tell them we need people. I can't get these people out of these villages without some help."

"You got it." With that, he disappears through the portal.

I take in a shaky breath.

Please, let me be wrong.