Tristan said as he smoothed down the
new shirt over his chest.
Obviously hip, flashy clothing was
not a priority to a race of male
warriors. Raven smiled as she
stepped back and had to laugh as
Tristan and Kadan pushed Savitar out
of their way as they both looked at
themselves in the mirror.
Sometimes males were the same,
no matter what race they came from.
* * * *
Raven and her mates entered the
main hall to find the large room filled
with Arcadians in full celebration
mode. The usually basic room had
been transformed into a wonderland
with thick silver and golden streams
of iridescent material hanging from
the ceiling and walls. Hundreds of
crystals filled the room, casting the
room in starlight and warmth.
The long tables filling the room
were laden with platters of food, but
people were more interested in
mingling together, laughing and
talking. All of the warriors were
wearing shirts made of rich, vibrant
colors. The females wore dresses of
various shades, some made out of the
usual transparent material while
others had chosen a thicker material
that covered them better now that
Raven had given them permission to
do so.
Part of the room had been sectioned
off by several large silver cauldrons
that blazed with bright blue fire,
separating the unmated females from
the rest of the guests. Raven and Nyla
had decided to keep an area
sectioned off for the unmated
females, sort of like a safety zone
where the unmated males were not
allowed. This ensured that any of the
unmated females could still be part of
the celebration while still remaining
protected from unwanted attention
since most of the females had been
abused in the past and were leery of
males.
Savitar, Kadan and Tristan had
asked the mated elite guards to rotate
their time with their own mates and
watching over the area to make sure
the unmated males didn’t cross the
line. Raven had been worried that
this would cause problems, but
looking at the way all of the mated
males seemed to have stationed
themselves around the area where the
unmated females were, it seemed that
everyone took their safety seriously.
A smile crossed her face as she
noticed that even though they were
separated, several interested glances
were being cast from each side of the
room. A few of the unmated females
smiled shyly at a trio of warriors as
the males blatantly stared at the
females
with
barely
concealed
longing. A couple of the bolder
unmated females had gone so far as
to step up to the imaginary boundary
to speak to a trio of unmated males.
Overall, it seemed like the plan
was working…
All conversation came to a halt as
the guests realized Raven and her
mates had entered the room. Savitar
pulled her to a stop, his large hands
on her hips while Kadan and Tristan
flanked her sides.
“Honor to your mating!” the entire
crowd roared in greeting. The shouts
and cheers warmed Raven’s heart.
The citizens of the Citadel accepted
her as the mate of their beloved
kings. The pride she felt coming from
her three mates brought tears to her
eyes. They loved her completely, just
as she loved them. It felt good, really
good. Raven had never felt this sense
of belonging anywhere before, and in
her heart she knew she was finally
where she belonged.
She was home.
Raven blinked as Malik stepped
forward from the crowd and got
down on one knee, thumping his fist
over his heart. “As a warrior and
citizen of the Palace of the Iron City,
I pledge to honor and protect Queen
Raven. Unto death.”
Her mouth dropped open as
everyone in the room followed suit
and kneeled, declaring the same
pledge in a loud rumble of voices.
“Oh…wow,” she breathed out.
“They give you a great tribute,”
Savitar said softly. “You are
officially their queen now.”
Raven bowed her head to the
crowd. “As your queen, I am honored
by your many blessings. May the
house of Akira rule well and may the
Citadel stand strong forever!” The
answering
cheers
shook
the
foundation of the building.
“Well done, my queen,” Kadan
said. He took her hand in his and led
her to the first group of people to
introduce her. All three of her mates
remained at her side as they slowly
walked around the room, greeting all
of the guests. When the official
greetings were finished, Raven broke
away to go back to where the
unmated females were. She was
immediately
surrounded
by
the
women and laughed as everyone
began talking at once.
“We are so proud to call you our
queen!”
“Thank you for inviting us here
tonight!”
“Your mates look so handsome in
the shirts you had made for them!”
Raven held up her hands and
calmed the women down before
taking a few minutes to speak to each
of them. She was immensely pleased
when four of the females told her they
had given a trio of warriors
permission to visit them later on in
the week. All of the unmated females
felt empowered having a say in their
future. It showed by the way the
women held their heads up high and
the way they looked her directly in
the eye when they spoke to her. Even
the shy females that hadn’t yet gotten
the courage to speak to any of the
males now said they had hope for
finding a true mate and falling in
love.
Thinking of that, Raven turned to
see where Tristan and Savitar were
speaking to a group of warriors then
turned her head at the sound of
Kadan’s laughter as she saw him
talking to a trio and their mate. Yes,
she thought, everyone deserved their
chance at finding love. It occurred to
her how damn lucky she was that
she’d been drop-kicked into her
mates’ lives. She had found love in
the most unexpected place, but she
would always be grateful to the God
of the Sun and the Goddess of the
Moons for bringing her here.
Raven walked forward, planning
on joining her mates when she felt a
presence at her side. She didn’t need
to glance over to know who it was.
The bad vibes she got whenever she
was around Selina were telling
enough. The other woman had helped
her and Nyla with the planning of the
party, although help might have been
the wrong word. Selina found a way
to bitch about everything that was
going on. Even though she tried,
Raven couldn’t stand her and she
knew without a doubt that the feelings
were mutual.
Sucking it up, Raven turned. “Hi,
Selina. Are you having a good time?”
The other woman’s smile was
sickly sweet, hiding the venom
beneath. “As good as I can, in this
crowd. It is unseemly that you have
invited so many to the palace that one
cannot even breathe in here.”
Raven cocked her head to the side
as she studied the taller woman.
“And who exactly did you think we
shouldn’t have invited?”
“The females from the havens for
one. The warriors here are good
males who do not need a mate who
has been used—”
“Okay,
hold
up!”
Raven
commanded, raising a hand in the air.
She couldn’t believe what she was
hearing. Eyes narrowed, she was
surprised steam wasn’t coming out of
her ears she was so pissed. “Are you
really standing there telling me that
those women don’t deserve a chance
to find love with good men because
they have been abused? Who the fuck
do you think you are to say something
like that?”
Selina straightened to her full
height, insult puckering her face. “I
said no such thing. I simply meant
that by having them here mixed with
all the other unmated females in good
standing is insulting.”
“You know what I find insulting?
You. I don’t really care who your
brothers are, Selina. If you don’t like
it, why don’t you fucking leave?”
Raven asked.
Selina looked down her nose at
Raven and sniffed as if she was
smelling something unpleasant. The
gesture just made Raven want to
punch her in the face.
“You are a vulgar, unworthy
human,” Selina sneered, as if being
human was the ultimate insult. “I
belong here more than you do. You
are not fit to rule this kingdom!”
Amused at that, Raven smiled up at
the other woman. “What pisses you
off exactly, Selina? That I’m queen
and you’re not or that Savitar, Kadan
and Tristan are my mates and never
even looked at you?”
“I could have had them,” Selina
sneered. “But why would I want
them, even if it would make me
queen? When I mate it will be with
three perfect warriors, completely
dedicated to me. Not some scarred
freak—”
Raven snapped.
A red haze of rage clouded her
mind and without thinking her hand
snapped
out,
connecting
with
Selina’s face in a bitch-slap that
seemed to echo through the entire
room. Selina cried out as her head
snapped to the side.
Everyone around them stilled.
Raven couldn’t care less if she was
making a scene. It was one thing to
insult her. Fine, she could take it. But
no one insulted her mates. No one.
And she’d be damned if she’d let this
heifer get away with it. Raven’s skin
prickled with energy and it was all
she could do not to tear Selina to
pieces.
“Listen up, bitch, and listen good,”
Raven growled. “If I ever hear you
insult one of my mates again, I will
beat the ever-loving shit out of you.”
“What is wrong, little goddess?”
Kadan asked as he rushed to her side.
Raven wouldn’t allow him to pull
her behind him where he could shield
her. Incensed, Raven refused to look
away from Selina who had worked
up an eyeful of fake tears that she cast
toward Kadan.
“Please, my king! She just went
mad!” Selina cried out.
Oh, hell no…
Raven snarled as she launched
herself at Selina, who cowered away
from her in true terror. Savitar caught
her with an arm wrapped around her
waist before she could reach the
other woman.
“What is going on here?” Savitar
growled out, anger clear in his tone.
Hurt, Raven looked up at him but
regained some control as she saw his
anger wasn’t directed at her. It was
focused on the bitch trying to hide
behind her big brother Kell, who was
looking at them confused.
“Selina here thinks I’m not worthy
of ruling by your sides since I’m just
a human. Fine. I realize there might
be others who feel the same way, but
this bitch insulted my mates and I
will never allow that. I don’t care
who it is.”
Kell’s jaw clenched as he gripped
his sister’s arm. “Did you insult our
kings and queen?”
“Nay! She lies! I did not—”
“She did,” one of the shy, unmated
females said in a voice shaking with
fear by the confrontation. “I heard
her.”
“So did I,” Arkady said in a clear,
deep voice. “I would have stepped
in, but our queen reacted before I
needed to.” The pride was clear as
he called her queen.
“You are banished from the
palace,” Kell said in a hard voice.
“Nay, Kell!” Selina cried out.