Only Human: Hide and Seek

Chapter 179: June Jackson

"Who are you?" The dark fae queen demanded. I could hear the anger and indignance in her voice, and I knew that I was now in deep trouble. I had hoped to have the dryads on my side before possibly meeting one of the fae queens.

I scrambled up to be kneeling instead of kowtowing. "I—"

"June!" Mrs. Kline shouted interrupting me. Her bony hands gripped into my arms and pulled me to a stand beside her. "I'm so sorry, Your Majesty. We were taking this criminal to your forest for trial, but she must have foolishly thought that begging for your amnesty would spare her from justice." Her voice was sickly sweet and reverent. The complete opposite to the tone of voice she typically used on me.

Queen Ebony's intense yellow eyes only left mine for a moment to take me in. She wasn't impressed. "Criminal? What could this human girl have done that would warrant a trial with us?" She spat redirecting her attention on Mrs. Kline. Queen Celeste elegantly drew closer to observe the spectacle that my old drama teacher was stirring up.

The mentor fae signaled for Hope and them to come forward, and they did so with heads bowed in respect. "Greetings, Your Majesties. The human here was a preferred prey of ours back in the human continents." Hope introduced. I fought the urge to roll my eyes and quietly scoffed.

Queen Ebony glanced at me disapprovingly, but went back to analyzing Hope. "So?"

Hope's eyes widened in panic, but Ayla stepped forward. "We believe she consorted with a wealthy vampire to fabricate a union with the king of dryads to falsely remove her from our custody." She said eloquently.

Both queens raised their brows in surprise. I knew what was coming, and braced myself. Queen Ebony bent over and laughed like some Disney villain, while Queen Celeste delicately chuckled and stifled her laughter with her poised hand. Other fairies from behind us started to join in on the laughter, and the fire of indignation burned in my core. Cenderion thought I was good enough to be a queen. So did the entire dryad community. What these fae thought didn't matter.

The dark fae queen in front of us flapped her black wings a few times and finally got control of herself. "And how did she do that?" She asked amused while swiping a tear from her cheek.

Mrs. Kline clenched my left wrist and forced my arm up to show the back of my hand to her queen. "With this ring, My Queen." She said cheerfully.

Queen Celeste peered over Queen Ebony's shoulder and gasped. "It's made of cenderion wood. How on earth..."

The dark fae queen leaned closer and scrutinized the ring. "It is quite the believable fake... The wealthy vampire was probably hoping to use the girl as much as she was using the ring. They wanted to get more sway in Alturess. Rather ingenious, but incredibly patronizing. Did he or she truly believe that they could outwit the fae?" She stood and turned around resuming her march towards her carriage. "Kill the human and retrieve the ring. And you six come to the Queen's Forest. We'll discuss your reward there." She said dismissively.

"Wh—" I started, but was once again overshadowed by a louder voice.

"Wait! My queens we beg mercy. Those changelings have not revealed the whole truth!" Anthony called out.

I turned to see him and his group stepping forth from the crowd with their attention solely on Queen Celeste. Anthony noticed my gaze and winked at me. I held back my disgust and pulled my arms from Mrs. Kline's grip.

"Speak, Young Ones." Queen Celeste said.

"These changelings have abused their feedings on this poor woman! All five of them have been feasting on her misery for the last six years!" Anthony said clutching his chest as if trying to temper himself.