Defy The Alpha(s) novel Chapter 741

Chapter 741: Murder A Queen

Queen Annequin followed Rhara, her stride unhurried, spine straight, and her chin lifted in confidence. If this was a trap, and she was being led to her death, she sure showed no sign of fearing it. In fact, she looked almost amused by the possibility.

Guards lined the corridors wall to wall, standing at rigid attention. Their presence was heavy and every turn they took revealed more of them.

Annequin glanced around, her sharp eyes taking it all in. "Is the palace always this well protected," she asked lightly, "or is all this for me?" She smiled to herself. "Because if it is, I must say, I’m truly honored."

Rhara didn’t respond, her jaw set tight. The foreign queen was exhausting. Every word out of her mouth felt like a provocation.

When no answer came, Annequin hummed. "I suppose most of the Fae here don’t talk much."

That was it.

"Just shut up and walk," Rhara snapped.

Annequin stopped.

The sudden stillness was palpable. Slowly, she turned her head, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Rhara. When she spoke again, her voice was tight, controlled, and stripped of its earlier playfulness.

"Careful," she said. "I may be an outsider, but I am still a queen."

Something shifted in the air.

Rhara felt it immediately, a pressure she hadn’t noticed before coiled around her spine, subtle but unmistakable. For the briefest second, unease crept in. What power did this woman carry beneath her armor and smug smiles?

"Apologies, your highness." Rhara said respectfully.

"Apologies accepted." Annequin said so casually it didn’t feel like she had been offended at all in the first place. Her mood swings were out of this world.

After that, Rhara didn’t say another word.

They walked in silence until they reached a wide set of double doors. Rhara pushed them open, and Annequin stepped through only to slow in surprise.

Books.

Shelves upon shelves of them towered from floor to ceiling.

Annequin blinked, then gestured around. "Didn’t you say the Queen’s study?"

A voice answered her from the corner.

"Why?" Queen Seraphira stepped forward. "So you can pinpoint my quarters and murder me in my sleep?" 𝚏𝕣𝕖𝚎𝚠𝚎𝚋𝚗𝐨𝐯𝕖𝕝.𝕔𝐨𝕞

"Of course not," Annequin said, almost offended. "Why would I leave my kingdom only to come to another and murder its queen?"

Seraphira’s gaze was cold, and assessing. "I don’t know. You tell me."

For a moment, the two queens simply stared at each other. Power met power, neither willing to blink first.

Then Seraphira broke the silence. "Rhara. You may leave us."

Rhara stiffened. "Your Majesty—"

One look from Seraphira silenced her. Rhara bowed and withdrew, pulling the doors closed behind her.

The room fell quiet.

Seraphira did not respond. She simply studied the woman before her, trying to reconcile the carefree tone with the undeniable authority Annequin carried. She behaved so lightly it would be easy—dangerously easy—to underestimate her.

But Seraphira knew better. No one ruled a kingdom by accident.

Annequin finished by collapsing into the chair opposite her with zero grace, throwing her arms wide and letting out a dramatic groan. "Freedom," she declared. "I swear, I’m never getting back into armor. At least not anytime soon."

In contrast, Queen Seraphira lowered herself into her seat with elegance. She folded her hands atop the table, her posture perfect.

She wasted no time.

"Why are you here?" she asked.

Annequin blinked at her, then groaned again, rubbing her face. "Vacation."

Seraphira stiffened. "Excuse me?"

Annequin dropped her hand and met her gaze directly, all humor stripped away in an instant. "My kingdom is loud. Politics. The nobles and their endless opinions." She shrugged. "So I chose the one place no one would dare to follow me. And here you are. Congratulations. Your kingdom appeared on my radar."

"And you expect me to believe that?"

Annequin lifted a brow. "Why wouldn’t you?"

Her eyes searched Seraphira’s face. "Tell me, Queen of the Free Fae. What do you think I’ve come to achieve in your realm?"

"Or," Seraphira leaned in, her voice dropping low. "You tell me, what did my husband promise you?"