The Viking's Mate Hunt

CHAPTER 153

Thyra's POV

I hated it. I hated feeling like this! It had been the Fay Queen's personal guard that seemed to have a personal beef with the door to my room. He is a massive guy; I bet he is on the plus side of two meters tall, and with the gold piece on his shoulders, he had to twist his upper body just the slightest to enter the room. However, that wasn't why I hated myself right now. No. Right behind him, a beautiful, tall woman appeared. It was the fay Queen herself, a woman I wanted to yell at and fist fight. Instead, my gaze lowered, and a horrible, humble feeling spread like a disease inside of me. I hated the feeling of respect and fear I felt in her presence.

Royalty. King and queen. But not my King and Queen! This is not my world; she doesn't deserve the respect and the awe I felt towards it. While following behind down the massive hallway in silence, I tightened every single muscle in my body. I searched every corner of my mind and memory, and it felt like I pulled energy from my entire body. All this is just to try to turn this feeling off. At the same time, I tried to convince myself she didn't deserve it. I didn't owe her any of it and agreed with all my will, but it didn't help. It didn't change, so I dragged my feet down the cold stone floor. Feeding my dislike for her by finding everything wrong with her, everything I disliked, was not a challenging task at all.

She remained silent, not even deigning to utter a simple greeting. Her eyes, however, spoke volumes as they roved over me, dissecting me with their gaze. I struggled to keep my composure under her scrutiny; my cheeks burned with shame. Again, I lowered my gaze and desperately tried to stare hole at the wooden floors.

I still felt like a mere peasant, and I could still feel that humiliating shame in my bones. This unjust, uncontrollable feeling made my face and neck flare in anger. Anger I had to keep inside. The Queen's high heels slammed against the stone floors, echoing down the hall. Her hands were still folded in front of her, and her deep blue dress moved like waves as the trail swept the floors behind her. With my head still slightly bowed, I stared at her. Her perfect, soft curls bounced down her back and over her shoulders with each step she took. A thread of gold with small details, I could not make out what was swirled up her pointy ears. I've never seen an earpiece like this, and strangely, it really highlighted the fact that she was a fay. A magic being appears in a movie deep within a forest lit up by fireflies, flying candles, and whatnot. Not real. But that was just the thing, and it is real. I am here; she is here, and I am stuck in an unknown, dark fairytale movie.

At the end of the hall, a massive man stepped in front of the Queen and opened the door so she could enter. I rolled my eyes; God forbid the poor woman had to do it herself!

Dark and heavy wood decorated the walls, and a massive wooden desk was placed in front of two floor-to-roof windows. The place reminded me of an old office in one of the vampire books I once read. Dark, heavy, and gloomy, but still, the room screamed class, wealth, and importance. Deep green, thick drapes tied up with golden chains framed the massive windows, and then the view caught my eye.

Gaping, I kept staring, and a crippling sensation smoldered inside my chest. Painful realization manifested; this is real. I am here- a different world where magic and monsters are an everyday thing. A loud slam shocked me out of my dazed state, and confused, I turned to the sound, slowly blinking myself back to reality, my new reality.

"Please sit!"

Still stunned by confusion, I turned to see the Queen sitting by the desk, lazily waving a hand toward a wooden chair right above her. Hesitant, I slowly walked toward the chair, trying to avoid her intense green eyes.

"Ah! Duncan, cover the chair with that blanket over there!"

Her soft, light voice surprised me. I don't know what I expected or if I thought I would never hear her speak, but not this. It was not this innocent, almost childlike, soft voice. Then I realized what she had just said, and my eyes followed her guard, who was now walking over to the chair. He smoothly leaned in front of me and covered up the chair before I was allowed to sit. Warmth spread on my cheeks as I sat down in the covered chair, and I'd never felt so dirty before. Filthy and unworthy.

"Leave us."

For a couple of seconds, he looked as confused as I did, and for a blink of a second, I expected him to protest. So many emotions swirled beneath the surface, but to my surprise, he then nodded and walked out without a single word. I followed him, my eyes glued to his back until the heavy wooden door slammed shut. He was leaving me and the Fay Queen alone. Seconds trail away, and the office suddenly feels smaller. Darker, and I swear her eyes burned the skin on my neck. I knew I had to turn around. I knew I had to face her and that she was waiting for me, but everything inside me screamed not to. But what choice did I really have?

With a deep breath, I turned towards her. It felt like time slowed down; my ears filled with the rush of blood, and the thumping of my heart pressed against my skin. A whisper of the old me scoffed in the back of my head; back in my world, this little Barbie doll could never make me feel this way. A stunning doll flying around in a problem-free world on her family's money. She reeks of entitlement, but again, I feel the same jealousy. Jealous of her easy life, her carefree life, her beauty, and her constant getting attention.

We had girls like her even in my shitty little school. It was a run-down public school, basically a building outside the old hood where all kids between 10 and 17 were stored under false pretenses of learning. In reality, it was just a place to keep an eye on us and keep us, and I quote, out of trouble. I knew her type, and I knew they should not be underestimated. Money and the right connections made them dangerous but not at all invisible.

I hear myself breathing, and slowly, I regain my composure. This might be another world, but pretty little devils like this smell fear no matter where they are, and I am not making it easy. I need to find myself again, and I need to remember who I am again. I need to pull forward all the strength I've accumulated through the years.

"I've assigned you a mate."