Three: Mal

If it weren't for the scorching flame in the pit of my stomach, this whole thing would feel like a joke.

Our past rivalry bubbled up inside of me and fanned the anxious blaze like muscle memory, only exasperated by the sheer ridiculousness of the predicament I found myself in. Alchimia's arrival was no surprise; she was born to be our ruler, but her training had taken half the normal amount of time, which made her half as old as any Queen we'd had before, and her immaturity was already rearing its ugly head. She was ambitious, sure, but she was not the wise, empirical enchantress Olympus had promised Echelon. I wouldn't be the only Mystic with a sour taste in my mouth over the way she gave commands before she'd even seen the place once.

Demoting me to play as her security guard was even worse. I still technically held dominion over her. Though I was a member of the court, the only person who really out ranked me was the Queen, who was a representative of Olympus or some boring beaurocracic crap like that. Even that was just a formality; it was well known that only one citizen in this city was capable of putting the whole operation to an end if Zeus decreed it, and I'd spent a long time earning my keep as a result of that knowledge. People trusted me because I'd earned their trust, not bullied it out of them.

Alchimia was, somehow, under the impression that status alone was enough to deserve respect. Fear, maybe. Pandering certainly. While I'd secretly been proud, excited even, while we learned about her victories, the real-life Queen-to-be was a disappointment so far. It was almost like the impressive, powerful woman I'd once known had disappeared entirely. Like a few wins had made her high-handed and pompous, and this arrogance had destroyed her potential.

Maybe the girls had been right before. Maybe she had humiliated Zeus and he really did want to knock her down a peg. Who better to humiliate a cocky enchantress than a demon God whose powers would unravel her? My ability to turn even the most sacred Mystics into puddles of desire was a unique side effect of both my genes and my jurisdiction as a God. I was irrisestible to all beings.

All beings but Alchimia, and that was the first of many flaws in this arrangement.

"Do you think your mother is truly that heated?"

Bia had returned home, frustrated and in a rage. It was improper of Alchimia to show up unanounced like this, but it was hardly a punishable offense. My mother knew this, and I was sure she was already walking on eggshells upstairs as it was. Nero had likely guessed the same; his green eyes smiling in a way that betrayed the hard set straight line of his thin lips. The fox demon was ancient, much older than me, and came originally from modern-day Japan where he'd spent an unknown amount of his time in servitude to a God he refused to name or speak of. There was no way of knowing how he'd come to be unbound--or why he'd been punished that way in the first place--but we'd met on my first day in Echelon and been a duo ever since. My pale, slim friend with pin-straight blonde hair down to his ankles and cat-like olive eyes was a perfect business partner for our line of work; ruthless, swift, lethal. Most of all, he was quiet and cunning.

We were opposites in the most complimentary of ways. I was loud with a personality that filled a room, a perfect distraction for my lithe friend to perform any discreet task. I could lead and command outright; people listened to me and took direct orders, but Nero had a guileful way of manipulating those that wouldn't. He blended into crowds with a sleek, modern style of dress and a slight frame, but I was larger than life--quite literally, wider, stockier, and taller than anyone else in Echelon unless an Olypmian visited. My skin, inherited from my father, was a deep shade of plum that always glittered and glistened as if I'd just finished a workout. My features were strong, distinct, unmistakable. One would never look at the two of us and see a matching set.

"I doubt it. The child Queen is bound to bring out the worst in all of us during her time here, but Bia's not stupid enough to stir the pot over a cocky fledgling."

"Careful," Nero grinned, his sharp canines making a rare appearance. "Perhaps they listen." Nero was right. The Queen could hear our conversations if she wanted to. And so could her daughter. I'd been victim once or twice to her eavesdropping spells ages ago.

We rode the rest of the way in silence until the elevator doors opened onto the lobby.

The imposing form of my old rival stood at the center of the room, ignoring the chaos of the staff who ran and twirled and bobbed around her in attempt to complete their tasks a week ahead of schedule. A few of them were brave enough to ask her opinion or offer her food and drink, but she was fixated on me and Nero, who was staring at her, dumbfounded. In all of his years, he'd never seen an enchantress before. There was so few of them, and the vast majority either looked human on purpose or lived away from other beings. She was almost blinding to observe in her splendor if one was not accustomed to it.

"Go and check that the rest of the staff is informed and has what they need." Nero disappeared, off to perform his assignment, and I moved toward my new charge.

She was unequivocally gorgeous.

Alchimia commanded a room in much the same way my demon aura did, standing at least a foot taller than most everyone else around. Her skin was flawless and delicate, rosy pink and shimmering with the essence of her magic. Large, round eyes swept the room, violet irises decorated with gold and silver flakes that made them look like gems. Her features were fierce but feminine, curving then angling at all the right places. She had always taken my breath away, but in this setting I had to struggle to keep myself composed. To keep my eyes from wandering to what was surely a perfectly landscaped masterpiece of a body.

I realized, after I had stared for a beat too long, just why my emotions were so heightened earlier. A tide of intensity washed over me, and my loathing was joined by lust, heartache, and a plethora of sensation I could hardly make sense of. Underneath it all was an overwhelming need. The bond urged me toward her like a boat to a lighthouse.

The activity had stopped; everyone was staring at us.

She said nothing, but I could tell from the way she quirked one eyebrow and narrowed her eyes that my casual grin, slow pace, and relaxed demeanour were enfuriating her. I knew, too, that it wasn't because she felt I was being direspectful. It was because she had studied a textbook about formal royal etiquette in Echelon before her arrival, and I was likely not acting in accordance to what she'd read.

"Your Grace," I greeted her, bending to kiss her outstretched hand. The jolt of electricity that shot through my body irritated my already raw nerves as our skin met, but she seemed entirely unaffected. How could she not feel what I felt? "We were not expecting you so early." Nearly all I could think about was the burning desire to pull her to me and taste the rest of her flesh.

Alchimia's eyes locked with mine but she didn't betray any emotion. "I intend for you to join my mother and I for dinner later. Until then, I'd like to discuss my investigation of your impolitic operation."

I couldn't show it, but I was livid. She'd been here for a week? Investigating me? The entire room quieted, many of them straining to hear our conversation. It may as well have been a public lashing.

"Is that so?" I asked, casually, firmly grabbing her by the arm, careful not to appear as though I were being forceful, and pulling her to my side. "Let's talk about that another time, your Grace. I imagine you're exhausted and eager to check that your accomodations are to your liking."

"I-"

I bent my head low, my teeth grazing her ear, and whispered "Listen to me and listen closely, Prigkipissa for you have no idea the consequences of what you are about to say. Everyone here thinks you are arrogant and naive. You are about to make the grave mistake of proving them right, and any good ruler knows they're nothing without a loyal following. Humiliating me will not have the effect you intend."