Chapter 136
HANNAH
Was I dreaming? I asked myself. But the sound of the woman in front of me taking delicate little sips of her coffee told me that this was all too real.
In the silence now broken by the rattle of the spoon against the cup as she stirred her coffee, I could hear my feet nervously tapping the floor. If I could hear it then she could. I forced myself to stop and then I started twisting my fingers in my lap.
Get a grip, Hannah, I told myself.
If the Lycan Queen noticed how nervous I was, she didn't show it. She was completely calm. Looking at that smooth, perfectly made-up face, it was hard to tell what she was thinking or feeling.
The silence between us stretched to an uncomfortable extent. I opened my mouth to say something, anything, but I was scared I would say something that would come out stupid. She suddenly stopped stirring her coffee.
She looked up. Those light blue eyes held mine. She glanced at the steaming untouched cup of coffee in front of me.
"Don't you like coffee?" she asked in a low, quiet voice.
"I- I-"
"If you don't like it black, if you need cream or sugar, simply summon them."
She raised a hand, from which at least half a dozen rings glittered, to call the servers.
"No. Your majesty," I said quickly, and she raised a perfectly pencilled brow. "I, um, actually take my coffee black, so it's perfect, thank you."
Her hand dropped back to her side. The man who had served us coffee, and who kept a respectful distance as he waiting to be summoned, stepped back. He seemed to want to blend into the wall. Apparently, I was not the only one nervous in the queen's presence.
I grabbed the cup and gulped half the contents. It was hot, too hot. It burned going down my throat. Somehow I kept a straight face.
"I see," she said and continued staring into the depths of the cup.
Inwardly I sighed in relief. Something was unsettling about having her look at me, and I didn't think it was because she was royalty either.
I wished she would just go. I wished Willa was here with me then I wouldn't be so anxious.
After the Queen had ordered me to follow her into the mall, she had insisted everyone except the staff leave because she hated noisy places. 'Everyone' had of course included Willa.
I wondered what kind of person would come to a mall if they hated noisy places. Maybe she had ordered everyone out just to show her power. I had a strong feeling that was the case. Already I disliked her more and more.
I took the opportunity now to study her. She was dark-haired, not at all like her son. She was pretty in a severe way. She was way taller than most werewolves but carried herself in such a way that made her seem even much taller. Her clothes were well-fitting, her hair styled back in a very tight bun.
It made me wince just looking at it. Didn't it hurt her? Probably not.
Not when she liked to hurt people. At least that was what I had heard from stories of how ruthless she was. When Edward and I had met each other for the first time, I remembered wondering, though I wasn't entirely conscious of it at the time, how such a good and kind person could be the son of such a... dragon.
Yes. That was the word that best described her. A female dragon, breathing fire on everyone just because she could.
"My son likes you," the queen said abruptly, snapping me out of my thoughts.
"Pardon?" I said, not sure I had heard correctly.
"My son likes you," she repeated. "And my Edward rarely likes things... or people. He's very peculiar that way."
As she poured herself another cup, I took the time to digest her words. In my head was a barrage of thoughts.
Edward liked me. I knew that.
I had tried to pretend I didn't.
How was I supposed to respond to this? With a thank you? Was it even a compliment?
"Thank you," I murmured, not knowing what else to say.
She didn't acknowledge the fact that I had spoken.
In that same slightly bored voice she said, "I asked for pictures of you. I must say, I was a bit disappointed." Her eyes, looking as cold as an iceberg in winter, travelled over my face. "Your features are rather irregular, are they not? And that hair... You are not as perfect as I thought the woman my son would end up with would be. It's sad Edward has not shown the slightest interest in the beautiful Lycan princesses his father and I have introduced him to. Sad and rather disappointing."
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