Page 60 of Retrograde

“I think it’s great you’re worried about your people, Your Majesty, and that you want to protect the queen, Benson, but we allsawthe attack after the queen gave the alert,” he cut in. “There won’t be charges. He also had a warrant out for his arrest.”

I turned towards the elder and rolled him onto his back so I could get a better look. “Oh, right. He was the one involved with Loraviel on the drugging me plot.” I stood and rubbed my face, wincing when I felt the blood. “Okay, well, I guess now we don’t have to have a hunt for an elder.” I glanced around and recognized his mate. “Was this a family affair?”

“Yes,” several people said at once, and I focused on Benson.

“He gathered his whole family to take us out?”

“Us?” one of the policemen locked in on.

“I think you should answer this with less ears later when the adrenaline wears off some,” Belinda said as she gingerly walked over towards us.

I shot Benson a look to keep his mouth shut before hurrying over to her. I glanced around and found a policeman wearing a jacket. “Give it here. Cover the ancients and—”

Someone had already been on the task because Belinda was wearing some Nerthus police sweats a moment later.

Hey, whatever worked, right?

I gave out some more orders and checked in on updates before the convoy from the castle arrived with more police escorts than was needed. I sighed wheneveryonepractically begged me to get back to the castle.

“He had a lot of powerful friends and the news is now reporting it all live,” Onyx reminded me as he gestured over his shoulder. He said the one thing that made me behave. “Your guards and the ancients could get hurt trying to protect you if there’s another issue and they think they could get at you.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, knowing exactly what he’d done… Before heading to the vehicles. I made sure Benson was driving ours and only with Belinda.

“From now until the end of time, you stopped using your power as a void so our side could have the advantage when you realized we were better trained,” I told him, making it clear that it wasn’t open for discussion. No one could ever question why Belinda was able to use magic during the fight.

“As long as she teaches you how to do that when you’re ready because I’ve never even heard of that being possible,” he accepted after a few minutes of us flying down streets.

“I didn’t need your threat, child. I will teach Sagan everything I can for as long as the gods allow me still on this planet,” Belinda drawled. “You made sure my friends are in the vehicles too?”

“Yes,” we both answered, and I reached forward to use the radio to communicate with the castle. “Someone get Raquel and the chefs ready. The ancients got beat up and they’re going to need some pampering. Please and thank you. Whoever needs overtime is approved or—”

“Sagan, I’m fine, child,” Belinda mumbled, sounding half asleep. “You always were such a worrywart when it came to everyone but yourself. I won’t leave you again, my dear girl. I promise. My love is too strong for that.”

I smiled when a soft snore escaped her lips. It was so Belinda of her, but more than that… I believed her. Belinda would never leave me again and that was all I’d ever wanted.

That was crazy when I’d had a mother who supposedly “loved” me though, right?

15

Sagan

The station June worked for tried to make demands through Toni or they would cancel the weekly interview. The call came in right after I arrived back at the castle and Darren hugged me.

I was worried about Belinda, and he caught on something was going on and picked up the dragon. I always hated how others could do that so easily. I was strong enough.

More than strong enough.

But everyone wastallerthan me and that made things awkward fast. Not emotionally or mentally but… Physics.

It was just easier if someone taller lifted the shorter person. Like no shit.

I made sure to talk to Raquel that I wasn’t demoting her or anything, but I didn’t trust anyone else but her to tend to Belinda. She knew something was up if I was making demands and rolled with it. She had Belinda in her suite and the right food to help her get ready.

Perfect, because I apparently had to deal with fucking assholes.

Toni came to me and showed me the demands in the form of “updating me” what the show would cover… Including information on the attack, how it all played out, and everything so far over the line I was annoyed.

Not just that they were threatening to pull something helpful to people, but that they thought I was so fucking stupid or desperate I would agree to any of it. I voted they assumed I was stupid because all the executives were male.