25. Polina

POLINA

T he man called Kyle lifts his hand to hit me again, but this time, I'm ready for him. I push myself up off the ledge just as his hand flies down to smash me, and I grab my stinger blade from my abdomen. I haven't had to use it since I was very young, but if there ever was a time, it's now. As I unsheathe it, a metallic ring pierces the air. I thrust forward and stick the blade straight into the human's flesh.

"Ow! Fuck!" he yells, and lifts his hand to his face to inspect the wound. I stumble backward and hold my blade up in front of myself, just in case I'll need to use it again. But Kyle merely stares at his hand, dumbfounded, like he's never been stung by a bee before. Maybe he hasn't.

That's when I notice the red rings around his eyes. He's been crying.

When he looks back down at me, he blinks. I wave at him. "Um, hello? Hello, there! Can you hear me?"

Kyle takes the burning stick out of his mouth and rubs it into the concrete ledge beside me. I let out a hacking cough as the smoke from the stick invades my nostrils, making them burn as though they were lit on fire. My lungs ache from the smell, which is ghastly, and I throw myself into the air.

"Your name is Kyle, is it now?" I yell, but I don't dare get too close to this human lest he decide to get slap-happy again. I can't help my hive or my beloved if I'm squashed, of course.

I whirl around, searching for Calvin. But when I can't find him, my heart leaps into my throat. Where is he? He was just here a moment ago. I left him up on the ledge, out of harm's way. Kyle stares at me, still blinking as he staggers back, and presses a palm to his forehead.

"N-No way … another one? I must be hallucinating. There was something in my smokes," he mumbles. I have no idea what he means by "another one," but I don't have time to find out. I flit around the human in a tizzy, frantically searching for my Calvin.

"Calvin!" I scream, and let out another hacking cough. That burning stick really did a number on my lungs. I feel awful, like I could lie down and fall asleep for the rest of the day. But this is no time to rest! "Calvin!" I cry out again.

This time, the human peers at me with narrowed eyes. "Did you just say ‘Calvin,' little fly?" he mutters.

I let out another cough as I bash myself against the human's nose. "I am not a fly, you disrespectful ingrate! I am Princess Polina of the bee fae, destined for the throne of the Sugardove City Hive!"

Kyle's blond brow furrows. "Oh, shit. Uh, sorry, Your … Highness?"

I hover in front of his eyes and blink. "I am mildly impressed you managed to get the honorific correct."

He lifts his shoulders in a lazy shrug. "My sister made me watch period romances on local television. I'm educated. So, little princess, what can I do for you? And why did you ask for Calvin?"

Finally, we're getting somewhere. Kyle lifts a finger for me to perch on, and I sit down immediately. Whew. Hovering in the air while inhaling that much smoke does wear a girl out quickly.

"I'll try to make a long story short, but I refuse to repeat myself, so please listen carefully," I say. "Calvin and I met three days ago…"