8

"I cannot believe we thought he'd ever take over," someone said from behind me. I wanted to turn around, but I didn't.

No, I couldn't. I couldn't see what was behind me because I didn't know.

Dream. This is a dream, and I can't see it because they didn't.

Still, I stepped out of where Neldor was, watching his face as he tried to pretend he couldn't hear what he was. Glancing around, I saw we were back at Six Flags.

"Or at least get her under better control," another man said. "Fine, she's not a disaster like we worried, and the changes she's made have been working. She's surprising."

"Yes, but if there is going to be one ruler of Faerie, it should be a dark fairy," the first man said firmly. "And if the ancients are gone, it should be a man. Too bad the prince ended up being a fool who lets himself be led around by his mate."

"It's pathetic," a third man agreed. "Here he arranges this huge surprise and she's upset that she had to wait to find out. And he caves to agree with her and is pathetically watching her. He allows the vampire—how disappointing. A pussy-whipped fool."

"No need to be crass," the second man said before snorting. "And he's not been with the princess even yet. He can't even get her to be that."

The third snickered. "I would have hoped he inherited Alok's finesse and ability to handle his mate. It seems Neldor is more like his mother and prefers to be the one led around."

"He respects my daughter as his father did his mate," Lageos said. "I suggest you apologize to my possible son-in-law before I lose my temper and obliterate you idiots."

Neldor turned around and I got to see the three men… And my dad looming over them ready to pound them. Neldor hurried over there and asked to talk to Lageos privately.

"No, and if Tamsin knew you just let people talk about you like this when you could hear it, she'd smack you," Lageos said.

"Well, if it's what the princess says, he should listen since he clearly gave her his balls," the first drawled, flinching when Lageos moved closer. "I did not disparage your daughter. What I say about our prince is my business."

I watched the rest of it, impressed with how Neldor and Lageos kept their heads and didn't explode. The men were way out of line and not remotely being fair.

So I wouldn't be either.

When I woke the next morning, I knew I had a full day of fun planned, but there was something I needed to handle first.

Three somethings to be exact.

It took a bit to find the men, sharing the dream with Commander Talila so she could identify them. She was just as pissed but promised to stay out of it.

They weren't nobles but rich fairies of the upper class… And handling some of my projects in the dark realm. I found the first overseeing the building of new hobgoblin housing. People took note I was there and stopped working, bowing and behaving as they should.

He noticed that and glanced around, shock filling his eyes, but about to do the same as he should.

I didn't give him the chance, slapping him across the face, careful of my strength. Everyone froze, shocked I was behaving that way.

"That is not from your princess, but as a woman for insulting and harassing my mate." I held up my hand when he recovered and tried to say something. "Don't. I saw the whole thing in a dream." It was hard not to smirk when he swallowed loudly. "We might not be together, but Neldor is my fated mate, and I will defend him just as he would me.

"We are also a team." I gestured all around us to the progress and good things happening. "This is all happening because we are a team that works well together. We have peace because of that, and you are so petty that you feel the need to call him a ‘pussy-whipped fool' in public? Are you having a laugh?"

He glanced around and winced at the way people were reacting to hearing that. "I apologize for my behavior, but I wasn't the one to say that, Your Highness."

I narrowed my eyes at him for calling me out on the semantics. "You didn't tell your friend to shut up either. That's the same thing. You were party to it and we both know it." I was glad when he was smart and kept his mouth shut. "Now, as your princess, I will warn you to never behave that way again."

"Yes, Your Highness. I apologize," he whispered, glancing around again, but I saw the tension in his shoulders.

"I don't want puppets. I'm not a dictator, but there is a time and place. We are still in crisis, and by the gods, people will behave better so others don't see us as weak and try to attack us again!" I was glad when he flinched. "You want to run your mouth in the privacy of your own home, do so. That is the appropriate place for your drivel.

"Not in public! There were other supes there. You did it so Neldor would intentionally hear you at an event he was running." I gestured around again. "You are a leader and in charge of our projects. Act like it and watch yourself. I will not warn you or anyone of your family again. If you cannot behave in the other world as a fairy should, I will ban you from going."

He dropped to his knee and bowed his head. "You are right, Your Highness. I was a fool. Completely and totally. I was childish and petty. Many of us believed we were on a certain course with Prince Neldor, and when he changed his mind, we were left—I will never behave that way again. You have my word of honor."

"Good." I decided to address part of what he'd said. "He didn't change his mind because of sex, especially when we haven't had it. He saw my actions and dedication to saving Faerie. He should be commended for what he did."

I swallowed a growl when I felt the man's confusion along with many around us.

"I wanted the prince to rule as well, but I respect him even more than I once did," Talila said loudly. "He stepped aside from his own desires to rule because he realized the princess was what was best for Faerie and all of you. He put all of us before his own desires and hopes. Just as the princess does. We have never had rulers that we should respect as much as them for that alone."

I couldn't hide my shock, thanking her before turning back to the man. "It's as the commander says. Neldor realized that while many see me as not a real fairy since I didn't grow up here, I had a perspective that could make Faerie a paradise if we all worked together. He saw my vision for the future and wanted that more than to rule. I can't force you to respect that as anyone intelligent should, but I can punish you if you ever treat him like that again."

I was glad when the man and everyone around us believed me.

They should.

I did the same to the other two men and then went off for the fun that was actually planned for my day.

Izzy was able to be there because it was early enough before work started and she was able to fit it in as her breakfast. I gave her a kiss on the cheek and checked how she was doing. She seemed a swirl of everything. She admitted to being stressed but gave me a look to leave it alone.

"Fine, as long as you talk to me later," I muttered under my breath. "Everyone pushes me and it's healthy to get it out. You fell into the same bad pattern as I did."

"You're right," she accepted. "Thanks."

Good deal.

Neldor came in glamoured as I was… And with a bit too much in his expression.

So clearly, he'd heard what I'd done.

He came right over to me and grabbed my arms, shaking me. "You have to—my job is to protect you. You will be the queen. I am the one to scorch the ground around you. Not the other way around!"

I was about to blast him, but I saw the fear in his eyes. I didn't know why or what that was about, but Hudson, Lucca, Julian, and even Darby seemed a bit off as well.

So I went with a bit goofy to break the tension, leaning in and kissing Neldor's nose. It worked and he let me go with a growl.

"Nel, it's not your job." I shook my head when he argued. "We're a team. We protect each other. That's—you're my right hand, not my—"

"I'm your mate," he bit out. "Even if we aren't together." He leaned in closer even if everyone would still hear us. "And I will burn both worlds to keep you safe. Let me."

I took a step and moved my hand to his chest. "How does that saying go? ‘A hero will sacrifice you to save the world and a villain will sacrifice the world to save you.'" I curled my fingers into a fist and thumped him on the forehead. "I want neither, Nel. I want a smart man who can save me and the world without risking anyone else."

"And a smart man never ignores when their partner is the MVP," Darby said firmly as he moved up next to me. He let out a slow breath and then actually went behind me and hugged me to him. "You might be the second-strongest fairy one day, Neldor, but she will always be the strongest. Being with her means you know that and let her. Let her be her."

"It was always what you did best," I whispered as I hugged his arms to me. I kept Neldor's gaze. "There are times I can't be the one and you will have to step up. I accept that. You have to accept it from me too. That's what being partners means."

He reached out and cupped my cheek. "For being such a smart woman, you are an idiot sometimes, baby doll. I accept all of you." He shook his head when I sighed like he wasn't hearing me. "My soul can't take people hating you again. I can't go back to fairies talking trash about you and how it killed you. Please, don't piss them off for me."

I understood better but then got angry, knocking his hand off of me. "Then they don't deserve either of us." I ignored when all the fairies with us went tense. "If they would hate me for rightfully calling them out when they're assholes, then fuck them. I won't be quiet and fake things to be loved. That didn't work well for our mothers, did it?"

"That's why you also have to accept that she's the smartest, smarter than you," Darby said with a chuckle as he kissed my neck. "You got too in your head with graduating and stepping into your new role, Neldor. Chill the fuck out."

I blinked a few times and looked over my shoulder at Darby. "Who are you and what did you do with my mate?"

He sighed and turned me to face him. "He finally heard what you said about being passive and not saying more. You're saying exactly what you told me. If fairies don't like me for being me, fuck them. You need me to step up and stop worrying about doing the wrong thing so much. It kept leading me to do nothing or the wrong thing."

"Glad you finally heard me, you stupid vampire," I muttered, giving him a soft kiss to take the sting out of my words. "You're still grounded, Nel. So I'd take Darby's advice and let's just have some needed fun."

"Yes, baby doll," he sighed as I walked past him and to the area set up for us.

The food challenge was a dozen donuts in twenty-five minutes… So easy.

At least for fairies.

I got three of each of the specialty donuts: Biscoff, Oreo, strawberry and white chocolate, and Kinder chocolate. They were bigger donuts and topped with a lot of everything.

Yum.

I killed it and honestly wanted more. The impressive part of what Darby and Julian had set up with the food challenges they planned out for the whole summer was that we weren't just getting free food. No, they knew I felt a bit guilty that these were meant to stump humans and we could crush them. Also, others were joining us now.

Neldor, Hudson, Lucca, and I all crushed the challenge. That was free food and a small money prize. Most of the places we went to were family-owned restaurants, and we weren't going to try and hurt anyone.

So we were also buying a bunch of food too. Not just for my guards or others. They had a whole system in place and honestly, we were spending a lot more money than what we received.

That place was so good, we practically bought it out for the day even.

There were always people ready to eat that were just a portal away.

Next was an all-you-can-eat Belgian waffles competition where you had to beat the last winner's number. It was seventeen in the hour time limit. I wanted to snort. Yeah, I could handle that.

My eyes went wide when I saw how big the waffles were. Okay, so I could handle it but maybe not kill it like I'd thought.

There was only so much I could physically stuff in my mouth or not make my stomach explode after all. I hadn't found that limit yet, but it had to be there, right?

We did not buy anything extra there because the owner was kind of a jerk. He was miffed that we weren't filming and he wasn't going to get any promotion or views out of us doing the challenge. He had assumed that we were YouTubers or professionals with Julian calling to set it all up. The guy wasn't even going to give us toppings for the waffles.

So yeah, we didn't want to screw anyone, but we weren't going to be nice to the assholes either.

And I won with twenty-two waffles. The owner was not happy because he didn't think anyone was ever going to beat that and people who might give his place attention wouldn't even try because they didn't like losing.

Then don't have a food challenge! He couldn't pick and choose or be a jerk like that. Have something on the side for content creators. No, that would make him look like the jerk he was.

Whatever.

Darby and Julian had a lot set up with a few of the Guardian captains we trusted—both light and dark—who had coordinated with some farmers. I had thought it was just for my cleansing, but apparently it was for Neldor and me to work on pushing our magic. Professor Sontar was there along with some of the royal healers and a handful of nobles who were involved.

I waved them all off when they were trying to explain it all and get their credit for what they'd been doing. "We have limited time. Thank you, truly, but let's get to it. Julian and Darby don't make arrangements that aren't worth the effort, so I trust them." I was glad when they both seemed happy with the praise, and the fairies with us seemed like they were glad they'd trusted them.

All I needed to know was the food we were growing was going directly to the wildlife conservation efforts. For this whole week, so we built up the animals in Faerie up starting with the lowest in the food chain and working our way up.

Next week, we were doing the same for farming animals. Darby had a whole schedule and locations mapped out to help our farmers with their lands and animals.

I think that was when I finally forgave him for his neglect. This was the proof I'd needed that he was back on my team—our team and putting us first. Not because he did something for me or Faerie, but he put the time in to take a burden off my shoulders that I actually worried about.

Not something he thought to worry about because of appearances or… Yeah, stupid vampire.

We basically exploded a huge section of a forest, the grass growing up to our hips and completely out of control. But there were a lot of herbivores that ate grass, shrubs, leaves—all of it. They needed more veg. Nuts and fruits off the trees. Lots of good eating for them.

And that made the animals in Faerie want to make babies.

And more babies meant more animals. Who grew up strong and eating a lot because the food was there and then they made more babies.

Unfortunately, a lot of everyone would get eaten by those higher on the food chain, but that was nature and how life worked. My focus was to get that balance back to where it was and even better so my people had food for their health and magic.

I stopped when Neldor was told to tap out, but then I made a few geodes, seeing one of the nobles I trusted most there. I thanked Mallory, glad when she told me that those who had worked with Darby on this were impressed with how he'd handled the gobs of information while balancing listening to them and the experts.

Good. He was amazing, and I wanted people to have the chance to see that.

Then we to Finland to have an early lunch. The first challenge was ten chicken breasts, then three of each: cuts of strip steak, pork loin, and sides. There actually weren't many options for the sides, so I went with the mashed potatoes after seeing them.

Plus, I knew there would be at least one burger challenge a day with this group and that meant fries. I could never risk getting sick of fries.

We killed it, and I saw a bunch of Guardians eating there pretending to be customers but really as our guards as well. That worked. We didn't need to make a scene or splash everywhere we went. Someone came and picked up a bunch of orders and meals to take back somewhere to work, so that was exactly what I wanted.

Next was a twenty-four-inch pizza with weird topping options at least to me given where I was from. The pizza was great and no problem… Except other customers kept coming up to us wanting to talk. Normally, I had no problem being friendly, but it was like we were on display to be their entertainment while they ate.

Um, fine, but could they do it quietly from where they sat? One lady went to just pull up a chair while I was trying to eat as was the point of the challenge. Julian smoothly handled it and then gave the manager a look to tone it back.

But they were nice, so we did buy some pizzas and had fun.

And last, for "lunch" in Finland, was a burger challenge. I called that one correctly. It was two loaded burgers with four patties each, cheese, toppings, all the fixings, and an injector of melted cheese in it. There was a side salad meant for like the lettuce and tomato on the burgers that wouldn't fit because of all the meat.

Plus, so many onion rings and fries that it looked ridiculous all on the one little platter they brought it out on. We only had thirty minutes to do it but honestly, it would be fine.

The owner was actually nervous with so many of us doing it. Julian assured him again that we weren't going to take the prize money but only the food for free, and if it was good food, we were ordering more. I shot him a glance, and then he told me in my mind that the owner was in a bit of trouble because so many kept winning the challenge.

The prize converted to over a hundred-and twenty-five dollars US. Ouch. Yeah, he needed to make it a bigger plate or less time. I hoped not less time because I didn't like those challenges.

I moaned the first bite, the burgers perfect and so was everything. Neldor and a few of the commanders who were doing it with us nodded as well. This was definitely going to be put on the list of places we came for food. It was a good old-fashioned diner-type greasy burger with the right ratio of fatty meat to lean and just… Yummy!

This time when we went to Faerie, Neldor went first and did the same as last time. We were both curious as to why we weren't going together, but there was always some sort of plan when it came to Sontar and the royal healers, so I wasn't worried.

It turned out that they wanted me to really push until my magic told me to stop—hoping it did at least. So far, it only had a few times, and now they thought it was important to see if it was only certain magic or if I could start trusting my power not potentially kill me.

That would be great, so I agreed.

I focused on Sontar and just did as he said, moving with him and letting myself go to my magic. My dad was there to monitor me and see how it went for me, so I didn't have to worry. I didn't get lost in it like when I cleansed, so it actually got a bit boring. I ended up smiling at Darby and just treating it like we were getting an afternoon off in Faerie and taking a walk.

A very long walk as it turned out.

I told them when my magic seemed to waiver and felt heavier. I compared it to tiring during a run and maybe like it was time to refuel but not really wrap up?

"It's too low of a level of magic," Sontar muttered as he wrote down some notes. "We have to figure out a way to combine or up the level to truly test her."

"Huh?" I asked after I shut it down. I frowned. "That was easy. I just stopped, not even having to pull it back like other stuff."

"That's what he's saying," Lageos explained. "It's like using a light water rune or something basic. It's too easy." He gestured to where I had just walked. "Like walking. You're used to flying or racing up mountains. You could walk all day until your feet hurt or you needed to eat. You're not out of magic or pushing it, you just get the warning to refuel."

I snorted when they seemed disappointed. "You guys expect too much sometimes."

"I agree," Julian muttered, giving them annoyed looks. "Her magic just told her to worry about refueling. That's amazing and something she should be happy to know. Her magic is maturing enough to understand its own limits and protect her. That's what you wanted to know more about and it did it. Wonderful." He came over to me and gave me a soft kiss. "Well done."

"He's right," Lageos agreed. "We were focused on—I was focused on failing you with my plan. That is good news and absolutely needed. Yes, good. Let's eat."

We headed to Japan where it was morning and had breakfast for our first dinner. Well, it would be breakfast to us since it was an egg dish, but I was fairly sure people in Japan ate omurice for any meal.

It was eight kilograms, which was almost eighteen pounds of food. In forty-five minutes. I gave Julian and Darby looks like they were nuts.

"We tried to find one you might not actually be able to finish, agra," Darby said with a chuckle and evil glint in his eyes.

Fine, I loved a challenge.

It was two kilograms of fried rice mixed with ketchup and topped with fifty scrambled eggs. It also had six hamburger patties, four huge sausages, and like a whole cooking pot of curry sauce smothering everything.

I made sure we didn't have to like lick the sauce clean.

"Or can we get like bread to wipe it up?" Neldor asked, looking as thrown as I was. The people at the restaurant thought we were kidding and being goofs, but we weren't.

I realized they didn't really care because there wasn't a prize or free food with it. We paid for the challenge just like any other meal. It was basically bragging rights and being on their wall of fame.

So the part I didn't care about. But no one had ever managed to do the eight-kilogram challenge, only smaller ones. Their thoughts were that we were idiots to even try, especially me as just a woman.

It was hard not to roll my eyes.

"At least it's really good," I grumbled after the first few bites.

And yes, we both did it… But barely. We only had like seven minutes left when we were done. Or something like that. It wasn't easy and yeah, that was a lot of food.

Oh, and no, we didn't lick the plates. We just ate whatever sauce we needed with the rice and meat.