The Lost Queen

Ch. 27: Rayne's Lament

The searing sting of betrayal cut through Rayne's body like a knife. With a determined stride, she moved past Ronan's protests, confronting the two women who now stood in silence. A fiery heat spread like wildfire from her pounding chest, to the tips of her ears. Her lips curled into a snarl, sending a ripple effect across the faces of the two women. One glared at her with a mix of anger and disgust, while the other wore a smug, amused expression.

Despite the fear emanating from Ronan, he growled in solidarity, ready to step forward. But Rayne held out her arm, halting him. She couldn't allow him to do something rash. Not just yet.

"How?" Rayne forced the word through clenched teeth, her voice trembling. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears, her heart heavy with the knowledge she didn't want to share with Jarrah. She instinctively wrapped a protective arm around her growing midsection as a dull ache pulsed in her belly. "How . . . could you do this to Jarrah? To them?"

The room fell silent, the weight of the betrayal hanging heavily in the air. Rayne's question lingered, demanding an answer that could never fully heal the wounds inflicted upon her heart.

The cursed woman, the betrayer, hissed with fury, her eyes ablaze with anger. As she stepped forward into the light, a wicked grin spread across the assassin's face, adding to the eerie atmosphere. The sight of their enjoyment made Rayne's stomach churn. But despite it all, Rayne couldn't tear her gaze away from the woman who should have held loyalty to her own family.

"To them? I couldn't care less about the monstrosity growing inside you," Nuni spat venomously, removing the cloak. "I'm doing this for my son! Do you really think I'd let your filthy mutts take control of my kingdom?"

Nuni scoffed dismissively, the sound echoing in the tense air. Rayne's heart sank at the sheer disgust on Nuni's face. She had never liked her, but hearing her say such things about her own grandchild shattered Rayne's heart. She knew that no matter who they were, Nevaeh would love them unconditionally. To hear those words from Jarrah's own mother was both shocking and disheartening.

"You betrayed your kingdom," Ronan accused, moving to her side. One glance up and she saw the hard curves of righteous anger on his face. "You betrayed your son!"

The assassin, undeterred by Nuni's rising anger, purred the single word "treason," which added a layer of tension to the already charged atmosphere. The air crackled with intensity.

"Silence, shapeshifter," Nuni snarled, glaring darkly at the powerful woman.

Rayne's mind echoed with the single word.

Suddenly, everything made sense. The reason the assassin's scent was unrecognizable and why she possessed such formidable power was because she was a shapeshifter. She could transform into any animal she desired — a cat, a bird, a bear. The possibilities were endless.

A triumphant gleam danced in the shifter's eyes after Nuni revealed the nickname. "I prefer Helena, but please, continue," she said, a mischievous smile playing on her lips.

Nuni scowled at Helena, but turned back to face the two wolves. It was clear that Nuni's intense hatred for Rayne overshadowed any rational thinking or concern about her alliance with the assassin. But if she had an alliance with Helena, then she was working with Queen Lilith. And she did it all right under their noses.

Rayne's heart ached at the thought of her mate, who would surely be devastated to learn of his mother's treason. She couldn't help but worry if his father was involved too, or even the maids, guards, Takoum, or Terryn. The possibilities swirled in her mind, overwhelming her with a wave of nausea. Who could she trust now in the palace?

"I didn't betray my son," Nuni growled defiantly, lifting her chin high. "Everything I did, everything I'm doing, is for his future. The vampires aren't here to kill the Fae. They're coming to destroy the ones who hold their dead king captive."