The Empress's Revenge

Chapter 34

Since the wedding, the duties as Queen had settled on my shoulders and I had taken my role very seriously.

I wore lose dresses to cover my growing bump, but I think some of the servants suspected.

One day, I was sitting on the comforter in my office infront of the fire, when I heard a scratching noise.

Looking down, I found two emerald eyes staring up at me.

"Jade!" I gasped, scooping up the black cat and hugging him.

Where had he gone? Why was he here now? Where did he come from? Questions flitted around my head, but I didnt care. My companion was with me.

I set him gently on my lap and looked him over.

He was so skinny, you could see his bones and black fur was missing from some parts of him.

Running a hand over his back, Jade seemed to study the documents beside me and I smiled. He was so intelligent.

Jade sighed and nestled on my lap, kneading his paws against my legs, and he brushed against my stomach, stopping short.

I nodded, scratching behind his ears. "Indeed. I am with a child "

Jade froze, not blinking or moving. It was an eerie reaction for an animal, and I prodded him.

"Jade?"

Just then, there was a knock on the door and Barvoscha strolled in, catching my eye and coming over to lean on the back of the couch.

"How go your duties, my dear-"

He stopped short when he saw the cat on my lap, still frozen.

Suddenly, Dankish whipped his hand out, darkness shooting through the air and encasing the cat in a black see-through cube that felt weightless.

Jade seemed to have snapped out of his trance as Dankish flicked his wrist and the cube went zooming towards the fireplace and rested closely beside it.

"Your majesty!" I cried as the scene unfurled.

My new husband strolled over and crouched infront of the box.

"Thought I wouldnt reconize you? You filthy, lying, slimy, absolute piece of sh-" I cut him off by grabbed his shoulders and attempting to tug him backwards.

"What are you doing?" I hissed at the King.

There was an odd glitter in Barvoscha's eyes as he stared coldly down at me.

"That cat is a shapeshifter."

I was taken aback.

"No hes not. I've had him for almost a year now."

Dankish snorted. "How convenient."

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms. "Not really. And who would be so low to try to be my accomplice..." I trailed off as Dankish raised an eyebrow.

"Think."

I looked at the cat who was scratching against the shimmering box, a look of panic on its face.

On its emerald eyes.

Its black hair.

Oh my gods.

I took a step back from the scene, attempting to process what was going on.

Harlow was Jade.

My heart raced as I looked Dankish dead in the eye. "Prove it."

He sighed and snapped his fingers, causing the cube to evaporate and Jade to tumble out, singeing his tail in the fire and yelping.