“Rise, Ruby Morningstar, Queen of Hell,” she declared.
I pushed back on the balls of my feet and turned to face the people—my people. Sinumpa’s words came to mind as I looked out to them, and I knew deep down that I’d found what and who I was always meant to be. A queen that would serve first and rule second. A leader that would change this world.
“Long live the Queen!” the beast projected. Every voice in the room and the hallway beyond and the streets below heard her as a rallying cry rang out so loud that even Heaven might have heard it.
“Long live the Queen!”
In my heart of hearts, I knew then that this wasn’t just the end of an age. It was the beginning. My beginning, and theirs.
Life was a gift and I had no intention of wasting it.
As I looked down at each of my Horsemen, I whispered those three little words in their minds. When I said them now, it was because I wanted to—because I meant it—because the best was yet to come.
** Moira**
Three months later…
I let out a yawn that ruffled the pages of the ancient text. I’d already read the damn thing three times, but whatever answers the Sins had claimed it held didn’t seem to be there.
My hand slammed the book shut and I pushed back in my chair, standing to head for the door. I strode down the aisle and out of the library, the heavy doors closing behind me. The night air was cool, almost chilled. This high in the clouds it was always that way, though. I stuffed my hands in the pockets of my leather jacket and took a walk.
I wandered aimlessly for a bit, nodding to the blood Fae and demons that also inhabited this city with me. In my time here, I’d grown to have quite the name. I rather liked it, if I was being honest.
But the loneliness could be crushing at times.
I’d seen Ruby only just last week for spring equinox. We’d celebrated in Inferna but stayed in Lamia’s mansion this time instead. Months had passed and the reconstruction was still underway at Hela’s palace. Which was fine by us since Lamia did indeed host the best parties. Ruby and the Horsemen had come out in full glory, looking far better than when I’d last seen her. I knew she was happy. I felt it, even though phantom whispers of destruction still dwelled within her. The beast and those mates of hers balanced my best friend well, as did the bloody raccoon.
I scrubbed a hand over my face and let out a whistle into the wind.
The people of the floating city heard my call and moved as the giant three-headed dog barreled down the streets. Behind her, three little monsters squealed in delight.
They had three heads like my Fate, but their faces were fucking raccoons. It wasn’t enough that he’d impregnated my damn dog. No, he’d given her three mutant trash pandas that never left me the fuck alone. Ruby thought they were so adorable with their little faces and blue fur.
Terrors. They were devil-damned terrors.
Fate came rolling up to me and planted a slobbering kiss on my face, her three brats nipping at her heels. I was looking forward to the day I could pass them onto Ruby. As it was, Fate still had to feed them, and they were doing wonders for the kids here. Lilith’s youngest daughter was a three-year-old half-banshee who was fearful of most things—except three-headed dogs, apparently. Having the monster-babies around was helping her and some of the other kids. Enough so that I let Ruby talk me into keeping them a little longer…but at twelve weeks, these bad boys were going to her.
I grasped a handful of Fate’s fur and swung myself onto her back. I could just fly if I felt like it, but this was more comfortable for both the Cerberus and me. Here on a floating city, thousands of feet above with nothing but wind, we took all the comfort in each other we could.
She let out a howl and took off down the steps, her spawn trailed behind us as we traveled half the city before Fate came to a stop. One her heads lolled, giving me the biggest puppy eyes. I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose.
“Fine.” I threw my hands up in the air. “You can come, but the ugly trash pandas gotta stay outside. Got it?” The middle head let out a whine and I groaned, looking to the night sky above me. I would pray, but given my best friend was the very deity these people prayed to, that wasn’t going to do me much good. Her other familiar was the reason I had this problem to begin with. “Ugh, whatever. Just keep them quiet, will ya?” The third head nodded while she wagged her tail. I leaned in to scratch her between the shoulder blades, then turned to walk into the bar. The swinging shutters hit the walls with a wild bang. Fate and the three stooges came in behind me and went to curl up in the corner of the lounge.
Demon bars on Earth had been downright normal compared to the ones in Hell. They let literally anything in, because you never knew who or what was a familiar. Mine were regulars and well acquainted with the massive dog bed in the corner. A generous contribution from an “anonymous” donor, i.e. Ruby. She was worried I spent too much time alone and thought having dog beds put in wherever I frequented most was the best way to encourage me to get out.
I didn’t have the heart to tell her that I had no desire to enter a relationship just yet. While it was lonely at times, I still hadn’t left that place of fight or flight. I wasn’t ready for anything serious right now. That’s alright, though. I had Burt the bartender, and for tonight he would be enough.
“Evening, Moira. What’ll it be?”
“The usual,” I said, pushing the sound waves forward for my voice to carry. He smiled as I sat down at the counter and slid an oversized frosted mug of amber liquid to me. This shit was brewed from fermented white lotus and tasted like perfection. I inhaled deeply and took a long sip, exhaling on a happier note.
Sometimes it was good being me. A cold night in a pub with an open tab and Fae beer to drink was always one of those times.
My immortality had only just begun and I planned to enjoy every second of it.
Epilogue
“Alright, everybody,” the green one said. “Tonight is the night we crown the King of Fools!” Then the other ones with opposable thumbs began grunting and stomping their feet.
“Pffft. And they say I’m the animal,” Bandit huffed. He rolled his eyes, settling against Fate while the banshee went on. Not far, Ruby sat with their pups.
“Moira doesn’t care for the babes,” Fate said.
Bandit knew from his time with her that the green one was prickly. She would need to be persuaded. While Fate adored her familiar, Ruby was a far better bond mate. She enjoyed feeding him sardines and thought it was adorable when the little ones had flaming burps. Yes, she was a better bond mate.
“Have you tried having them groom her?” Even the green one shouldn’t be able to resist that affection.
“She complains about ‘spit’.”
“What is spit?” he asked. She licked him behind the ear and he let out a purr.
“I’m not sure. It comes from licking.”
Bandit narrowed his eyes at the green one. Ruby’s four mates were standing on chairs, along with other demons. They were all covered in food.
“My person likes to be licked,” Bandit said, recalling all the times her mates seemed to groom her. It was a bit excessive, though, even for him.
“Maybe she’d like it more if they were cleaning her all together,” Fate mused. Bandit lifted an eyebrow and listened as Fate told him her idea. Bandit liked it. He liked it very much.
Rising up on all four paws, he stretched languidly before shrinking. He needed to blend in for this. Weaving through the crowd of drunken persons wasn’t hard. Neither was finding a bucket of delicious vegetables. He was very tempted to eat some of them…maybe just a nibble.
Bandit snatched an orange off the top, stuffing it into his mouth before anyone noticed. A sly glance at Ruby said she was still preoccupied by the triplets. Good.
He grew a little in size, just enough to snatch the handle of the pail with his teeth and disappear before anyone saw him. Sneakily, Bandit dashed up the stairs to the second floor. His bucket cl
anked against the wooden steps, but no one paid any mind with all the cheering going on.
It only took him a moment to climb over the railing and heave the bucket onto the rafter right above the green one. Perfect. He clapped his paws together and let out a chitter. Taking great care, he grabbed a giant tomato that squished in his paws. Balancing right over her, he held the tomato out and dropped.
“What the—” she said. He grabbed an egg and tossed it.
“RUBY!” she roared. The rafters swayed a little with her annoyance. Bandit wasn’t worried though. He dug through the fruits and veggies to find the litters’ favorite.
Kiwi.
He threw the little green fruits off the rafters, cackling as they pelted the fuming demon. The babes followed the scent of food and left Ruby to chase the green one. They quickly caught up, despite her running, and pounced. Licking at all the delicious fruit splattered on her.
“What in the world…” Ruby frowned, looking up to where the food had come from. She spotted him and Bandit backed away slowly, hoping she wouldn’t notice… “Bandit! Get down here,” she called.
Welp. Fate’s rumbly laugh hit his ears as he quickly scaled down the rafters and bolted through the crowd, outside and onto the street beyond. Fate came after him, followed by the triplets, and they ran through the alleys under the pale moonlit in a land that was finally at peace.
“Moira’s not happy with you,” Fate told him as one of the young ones hopped on her back, grabbing at the first head’s ears.
Bandit let out a raucous laugh that lit the sky with blue flame while the green one’s cries about that devil-damned trash panda followed him.
It seemed that the more things changed, the more they stayed the same.
At least where Bandit was concerned.
He was but a simple raccoon, after all. One that now had an eternity of trouble to look forward to—and with Rysten and Moira to terrorize for many years to come…
Bandit grinned into the dark shadows of the night, ready for wherever life might take him, so long as he had Ruby.
And sardines. He couldn’t forget those.
The End.
Also by Kel Carpenter
The Daizlei Academy Series:
Heir of Shadows (Book One)
Trial by Heist (Novella)
Scion of Midnight (Book Two)
Queen of Lies (Book Three)
Vessel of Destruction (Coming Soon)
Queen of the Damned Series:
Lucifer’s Daughter (Book One)
Wicked Games (Book Two)
Infernal Desires (Book Three)
Brimstone Nightmares (Book Four)
About the Author
Kel Carpenter is a USA Today Bestselling Author and writer of all things fantasy. She loves reading, watching Netflix original shows, and subjecting her friends and editor to crazy, harebrained book ideas. Kel currently resides in Atlanta, GA with her boyfriend and three fur-children. When she is not writing or working on completing her senior year of college, she is spending time with her dog, Harley, or teasing her two cats with a laser pointer.
Join Kel’s Readers Group!
Acknowledgments
I have so many thoughts—but not many words—for all the things I feel about finishing this series and leaving this world. A little over a year ago, an idea came to me while I was in the shower. A story about a dark queen and her four horsemen, and since then, Ruby has taken such a radically different journey than I first foresaw. I loved writing these characters and this world. It’s a bittersweet moment to say goodbye to something that’s eaten up every spare moment of your life for over a year, but here we are, and there’s a lot of thanks I need to give to some pretty awesome people for helping me get here.
~To Analisa Denny, thank you for being my editor, for all the long conversations that you didn’t need to have—but still did—for caring about my characters as much as I do. Thank you, more than anything, for being my friend. I look forward to your red pen, and whatever comes next for us.
~To Lucy Smoke, for making me sit my ass in the chair and sprint with you. There were a lot of days that beating you was my sole motivation. There were a lot of conversations that changed this series for the better and you may not even realize it. Thank you for being my creative springboard and one of my best friends.
~To Courtney Lummus, for reading every book and making it better. Thank you for supporting me and always being there.
~To my tribe of author friends: There are so many of you that I want to thank for always inspiring me and being there when I needed to talk books. Special shout-outs to Amanda Pillar, Carrie Whitethorne, Alex Lidell, Meg Anne, and Rita Stradling. I love you guys.
~To the members of Kel’s Krew: you guys have no idea how much your support has meant to me. Thank you for all the crazy gifs and raccoon posts these last months. Caitlin Thom, Sandra Portillo, Aaricka Swanson—you ladies inspired some very interesting characters that made their way into this final book. Thank you.
~To my fiancé, Matt…I love you, babe. Thank you for standing by me and helping out with all of the tedious, boring things around the house so that I have as much time as possible to write. I wouldn’t have been able to do all this without you.
~To my friends and family and readers that have supported me along the way, to you I give the most thanks. I was told being an author was a pipe dream. That I would never be able to get by as a writer. But I am, because of you guys. Thank you for coming on this journey with Ruby, Moira, Julian, Rysten, Allistair, Laran, and of course—everyone’s favorite—Bandit.
Thank you from the bottom of my heart.
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