1

"Don't you think you're taking things a bit far?" a woman's voice said from the doorway of the study.

I snorted, not even looking up since I knew her voice, and finished reading over what I was focused on before signing it. I moved it to the other pile to be handled now that I had approved it.

I glanced up at Mel with a hostile smirk. "That's rich coming from you of all people. The woman who wanted to kill her best friend and declared sister because I denied you your vengeance to keep you alive." I continued when Mel opened her mouth. "And then you made it like a twelve-fucking-step process to forgive me which was severely off the mark. So really?"

She ground her jaw but then gave a swift nod. "You're right. I deserve all of that." She adjusted her neck, still not able to take criticism very well and I was poking at her bullshit. "But don't you maybe think that makes me the exact right person to call you out on this?"

I was about to verbally spar some more with her, but then my magic warned me to stop. I checked my simmering annoyance that seemed to be my default setting now and studied her.

Mel was scared. Worried. She wasn't here for a fight but out of genuine concern and knew I would give her shit for coming, but she did anyways. That gave me pause, and I swallowed down my annoyance to give her a real answer.

Except then she pulled out her phone and played that ridiculous fucking clip that was all over supe social media of me.

"Look, as much as we all can be stupid, people aren't actually dumb—especially not as much as supe media believes to constantly tell them lies," I told Stefanie in between classes right after Luke had died.

Clearly, we hadn't known we were being recorded.

"Yes, of course, but I think it better that you set the record straight instead—" she tried to reason.

"What is there to set straight?" I growled. "I worked with someone in the Underground. Am I really the first to work with a spy or turn an asset? Is this some foreign concept supes can't handle because humans have whole agencies dedicated to get spies in to check on bad guys. Hell, watch a damn Bond movie. Yes, I worked with a bad guy to take down the even worse guys.

"What is there to explain? Is it advanced calculus? Do they want to know if we wore matching Tom Cruise outfits and did things Mission Impossible style? We're not going to confirm operational shit anyways, and I doubt the average person fucking cares, Commander. No, it's the nosy leaders and media wanting to bait people in this story.

"We're taking down the Underground. That is the fucking story. That is what the average supe cares about. That we're taking out the threat that their councils and leaders couldn't—didn't even really know was such a threat until I fell into this world. So yeah, the news is blowing up that I worked with a spy. Let them look stupid. Let them try to make me look stupid with this.

"So what? Like… It's a Thursday and the media is coming after me. Oh no, let me clutch my pearls and get defensive. I did work with a spy. We confirmed it. You guys all knew, and some of you didn't like it. Some of you knew the intel was good, and he wanted the Underground finished more than we did."

"Yes, and you're right that the ‘enemy of my enemy is my friend,'" she cut into my rant. "We just think that you should go on the record saying that, Your Highness."

I sighed and rubbed my hand over my hair. "Stefanie, that's a waste of time and gives oxygen to the fuel of these fools. If they can force me to comment and confirm I'm not an idiot who… I don't even remember their latest accusation. I was chasing wolf tail for another possible mate? Whatever, Luke had his mate, and they don't know shit.

"But this takes us away from taking down the Underground. I know this might sound a bit paranoid, but I'm not always wrong. Do you think maybe some of these stories are a smoke screen to distract us so we're not focused and some of the baddies can get away? You don't think the Underground has ever paid off the media or friends there?"

"That didn't go over well," Mel said as the recording finished.

"Yeah, well, clearly they loved me since there was more to what was said and that we needed to be smarter and address the real issues or once we got all the criminals," I drawled. "Or all the idiots barking at the moon tired themselves out and I could say a few quick words. Which is what I plan to do. I'll talk to fairies, and whatever we will show to supes they can play on their media."

"You want to report the victory along with the story of Luke," she muttered.

I opened my mouth but then closed it as I stood and stretched. "I think that's Neldor's plan. I don't know that I've gotten that far." I sighed when worry filled Mel's eyes again. "I'm—well, I'm not fine. I'm not okay. I'm not in this dark hole that—"

"You had Neldor sedate you," she argued.

I sighed. Heavily. "This is not for public knowledge, but I can practically feel you vibrating with worry, and I appreciate it." I waited until she nodded. "I had another power level jump two days before. Yes, I was fucking upset to the max. I was being safe . I'm still upset. I'm not denying that. I'm fucking upset he died."

"But?"

"But it's not like I lost Izzy or you or one of the guys. Or even one of the commanders." I let out another heavy sigh and leaned against the desk. "I don't know how I saw this ending any other way. He wasn't walking off into the sunset when this was all over. He'd committed too many crimes, and I would have been the bad guy if I'd let that go.

"And his soul was broken after how his mate died and all he took on himself. I don't know, Mel. I knew from the beginning Luke wasn't one I could save. It just played out this way, but I was ready for it. I'm fucking pissed he did it this stupid. I'm pissed this is how his life played out. But I'm not like locked up with this."

She didn't respond at first. "You know yourself best. You're just worrying people."

I snorted. "I'm the only heir and option for Faerie. People worry if my farts smell funny." I felt better when she burst out laughing and clearly believed me. I wasn't lying.

Life sucked, but I wasn't drowning in darkness or anything.

"I'm just trying to get shit done so we don't lose most of them. They were smart, and there's a reason they got away with this much and for so long." I snorted again. "I mean, besides the ignorance, corruption, and incompetence of the councils."

"You're sure?" she checked.

I nodded and stretched before walking past her and into the kitchen. "I'm stressed. I'm always going to be stressed. My pants are cranky but fine. That's just—"

A portal opened and a captain walked into my kitchen, bowing to me. "We're ready when you are, Your Highness."

I glanced at my watch. "We leave in ten minutes, Captain. Have extra food ready for the dogs and details available to let them enjoy Faerie. They've been going and going for weeks."

"Yes, Your Highness. Commander Shael has it all prepared."

"Thank you." I shot a glance at Mel after he left. "Yeah, that's how it's been. I'm not the only one pushing. Everyone wants this over ."

"Julian wouldn't have contacted me that there was more to this if it was everyone," she pushed, her tone gentler.

I sighed as I went for the fridge. I offered her a sports drink and tossed her one when she nodded before grabbing my own. "I have deadlines most normal people don't have, Mel." I swallowed another sigh when she just gave me a confused look. "My dad will die when I become queen. People are ready for me to make it official like yesterday for stability."

She froze in raising the drink to her lips. "And there's no way Lageos will leave you while this threat is still viable."

"No, and I want to enjoy the little time I have left with him," I confirmed. "He's made it clear that this and the other situation have to be handled before he will let go."

"You get why that would worry the people who love you, right?"

"It should. Of course, it should. I'm not trying to deny that or push back that my situation isn't fucked. It is." I nodded when she simply stared at me. "Mel, most people might be in a padded room if they were forced to handle things so their dad could die. That's a normal reaction to something horrible, but normally it's a terminal illness. This isn't and it's fucked."

"It is. You took all fall break and only concentrated on this like a demon who—"

"It's solely so less rats fled." I focused only on her and let her see it in my eyes. "It was timing and no other distractions. We all jumped on it."

She nodded. "I'll tell Julian." She chuckled when I rolled my eyes. "He's not wrong that a dragon could assess to see if you had dangerous tunnel vision, and after their missteps of not talking to Izzy or others who know you too, he didn't want to miss something."

"I get it which is why I'm not mad. I just think their choice of person is a bit…"

"Hypocritical? Especially when we've barely spoken the past year? More," she offered, not seeming offended when I shrugged. "I've wanted to but…"

Now it was my turn to be concerned. "You good?"

She blew out a harsh breath. "Izzy is a hard nut to crack. I thought getting you to forgive me would be impossible, but you seem fine."

I waved my hand back and forth as I chugged down my drink. "I get a bit salty sometimes still but yeah, we're good. We can't be what we were, but that's not even because of what happened. We're not the same people. Your biggest fear is ever becoming a sidekick like your dad. Or how you see him. You want to be the superstar, and I can't be a sidekick anymore."

"You were more than that," she argued.

"You never treated me like one, but I was. I was good with that. I didn't have a problem with being one. I used to prefer it." I frowned hearing how my answer had changed. I used to say I did prefer it. I shook off my thoughts. "Now I think I'll be a good queen and this is my spot."

"Connor asked me if I would consider taking over for my dad one day," Mel told me, chuckling when I dropped my bottle in shock but caught it at the last second. "Yeah, that threw me as well. A few of my siblings aren't happy, but he said he wants a rebel like me, not another Trigger. That was who his father needed, but if he's going to shake things up, he needs me."

I let out a whistle. "If you need anything, let me know."

It was her turn to be shocked. "Thanks. Really, Tams."

"We're good, Mel. We just…"

She nodded. "Yeah. I am still sorry."

"I know. I'll talk to Izzy."

"No, she's right to still be pissed at me. I tried to fix things with you, but I never put in the work to fix my friendship with her like I should have. I'm big enough to admit that." She smirked at me. "Her and Claudia, huh?"

I bit back a chuckle and nodded, waggling my eyebrows at her. "She's all hearts and—it's the real first love she deserves. She could probably use some insight on how to hook a dragon better if you're looking for an in."

"I can be of some use there for sure."

I finished my drink and didn't really know how to wrap up her visit. I wasn't going to thank her for stopping by to try and corner me. I did appreciate her caring, but… I shrugged it off.

I threw the bottle in recycling before tapping my chest to focus my magic. Teleporting my outfit to my bedroom, I teleported my Faerie Guardian uniform on at the same time.

"That's still so fucking cool, and you do so many amazing things," Mel praised as she tossed her empty bottle too. "I think even RDJ would agree you're the prettiest Ironman option Marvel could ever have."

I laughed. She was now and forever such a smartass.

"Be safe, yeah?"

I nodded. "It's the last general of the Underground." I winked at her when she couldn't hide her shock. "Yeah, in a few weeks. I wasn't kidding that we wanted to get them all. We have every commander and captain. This last general was a slippery fucker. I just want it done, and we can pick up the minions as best as we can."

"Rats always pop their heads out eventually. You know that."

"You taught me that and I do. After this, we're giving the supe police the list of who we have and the clean councils. They can give us known associates, and we're working it too. I just want all the heads cut off—or in our custody."

"Happy hunting, Tams." She flinched when she got shit looks because we were around others. "Your Highness."

"I'm so used to hearing that now, but it still sounds weird from you."

"Still sounds weird saying it," she admitted.

Fair enough.

I teleported ahead to where we were going and froze everyone. That was the compromise we'd all agreed to when we'd started this after Luke died. I would do that to keep people from escaping but not move my butt from that spot away from traps or issues and the rest of my army would come and I would let them do their fucking job.

Which is pretty much how Neldor had said it word for word… And he'd spent a few hours persuading me in the best way to agree.

I was going to from the start, but when he offered stress relief and I was feeling so shit—I wasn't going to turn that down.

Seriously, who would?

Portals started opening with the commanders coming through. I simply pointed to my feet and smirked to let them know I hadn't moved a single inch.

"Smartass," Iolas grumbled as he walked past me. He took in a deep breath and glanced back at me. "Well done, Tamsin. The last general. The Underground is no more."

"I'll celebrate when we crack this one open like the others and make sure there aren't some other hidden secrets," I said after a moment. They had been really smart and each one held certain information the others didn't. It hadn't been the general who had killed Luke and his mate who knew where her body was.

It was the third one we'd captured. Everything was compartmentalized to an annoying extent. I'd thought that it would have been that first guy with the download of the guy's brain I'd gotten, but when I'd dived in deeper with Onas's help and interrogations, he hadn't known. He had a few guesses and images of her dead but no location.

They were that locked down.

Hell, it had to be fucking annoying for them to remember who had what information. I couldn't keep it straight which commanders had which specialties besides Onas for interrogation and the runes.

And that was only because I'd needed him to do it so often and we'd basically caused him a mental breakdown because of it.

We rounded everyone up once Onas had the general in custody. I blew the guy a kiss as he was escorted to the portal. I'd be seeing him very soon, but honestly it was just fun to fuck with them and make them unsettled.

They should be.