Queen

When I had told Paris that we'd have many rough days and nights, I didn't expect it to come so suddenly. After his meeting with the counsel, there was a change in his mood. Paris and I noticed it immediately after he came back home. Instead of talking to either of us, he walked past us and straight to his room.

I remembered following after him, puzzled by his silence. I opened the bedroom door and met him in his closet where he was tugging off his tie and shrugging out of his white button-up, his motions were that of irritation and anger.

I crossed my arms and leaned against the door as I studied him. "How was the meeting?"

"It was fine," he replied flatly, stepping out of his dark slacks and grabbing a different pair.

"What happened?"

"Nothing that hasn't been happening." He sighed, running his hands through his hair before grabbing a new crisp black button-up. He slipped his arms into the sleeves, focusing on the mirror as he got dressed and I frowned, leaning off the wall and walking toward him.

"Are you leaving again?" I asked.

"Yes." He rolled up his sleeves, eyeing the watch on his wrist.

"It's past ten, Syn. Where do you need to go?"

"I have a few things I need to take care of."

"Like what?"

"Queen, if you were truly interested you would have gone to the meeting with me. Hell— if you were truly interested or even cared, we'd be in the Underworld instead of this place in the middle of goddamn nowhere."

I was stunned into silence, taking in his coldness as he buttoned up his shirt and grabbed his shoes. He sat on the bench in the closet, beginning to put them on and I crossed my arms. "If I went to the meeting? I didn't think I was even invited..."

He placed his forearms on his legs and looked up at me, an annoyed gaze set on me. "An invitation? It's not a party."

"You know what I mean, Syn."

"Not to burden you but- despite everything going on, Queen...you are the Queen of Hell. Even if you don't feel like our marriage is still intact, the kingdom watched us take our vows. Vows in which we swore to not only protect and serve each other but them. They are still counting on us, and even though you're with me, it feels like you've abandoned us."

"Where is this coming from, Syn? Did something happen at the meeting? Because this is sudden," I said. "This is the first time I'm hearing you even—"

His phone buzzed in his pocket and his jaw clenched as he looked down at it. Without so much as another word, he stood up and walked back into the room, grabbing his suit jacket from the chair. "I'll be back later. Don't wait up for me."

He walked past me to the door closing it behind him and I let out a deep breath, rubbing my temples. His words were hurtful, but I was more confused than anything. How was he going to be angry at me for something I had no idea was even a problem? If anyone should've been mad, it was me at his outburst and brash attitude.

I shook my head and rolled my eyes. I was not going to let him ruin my night with whatever the hell was going on with him. When he wanted to grow up and tell me what the issue was I'd be here but until then...two could play the silent game. I was here to help and support him. I knew that would entail him lashing out at me sometimes but this was different. He was very much in control of every word he spewed.

The days following that one were filled with silence and tension. He'd come home at odd hours in the day and night, disheveled and covered in someone else's blood. He didn't talk to me. He'd just head to the shower immediately and step out again, quiet and brooding as always.

I didn't send a word his way either. My eyes would be on anything else when he walked into a room or I'd preoccupy myself with something.

There was only one time when I went as far as leaving a room he walked into.

I was looking through the books in his office, bored out of my mind. And instead of saying anything to me, he sat down and continued a mundane conversation on the phone with someone.

How are you...how's your family...all the works.

It was then that I realized that he had the time to speak to me. He just didn't want to. And that hurt like hell. I had to practically run out of there to keep from crying.

Today I woke up alone in bed, again. I was partly thankful for it, not sure I could go through another emotional morning watching him leave without speaking to me.

Four. Fucking. Days.

It had been four days since the argument in the closet and we hadn't said a word to each other.

I dragged myself out of bed, took a quick shower, and made myself look presentable before going downstairs for breakfast. At least this was something to look forward to. Paris would cook breakfast in the mornings and since it was just the two of us and he was trying his best to avoid the topic of Syn, it was slightly enjoyable.

"Morning," I greeted him, sliding into the chair across from him at the dining table. He smiled at me. "How'd you sleep?"

"Great." He shrugged. "It's a lot easier to sleep when you don't hear all the moaning and pillow talking. It's been a quiet few days."

"Hmm." I grabbed a slice of toast and a knife, spreading butter across it. "Tell me about it."

We ate in silence, a comfortable air surrounding us, and I relaxed. I glanced outside the window to see the birds flying around the trees and I leaned my head against the chair. This was a beautiful place. I wish I could focus on that instead of dealing with Syn being an ass.

Paris placed his utensils down with a loud clang, grabbing my attention and I frowned as he clasped his fingers on the table. "What?"

"As much as I enjoy the quiet...the two of you not talking makes him a much bigger asshole than he usually is. It's making my life hard, quite frankly."

"Then maybe take it up with him." I shrugged. "He's the one acting like this."

"No," he said. "I'm taking it up with the person that it needs to be taken up with. If Syn were the problem I'd say something to him."

My mouth dropped. "How am I the problem? He came in here acting like a dick and when I tried to talk to him, he shut me down and left."

"But he always comes back, Queen," he says.

"Well, duh. He lives here."

"Do you think he wants to exert all his energy coming back here for twenty minutes every few hours? He could easily find some hotel in the Underworld or better yet- stay in that fucking palace...but he doesn't. He comes back here because you are here," he said. "I've worked for so many men who didn't have anywhere near the workload and responsibility that Syn has. Their wives are miserable, drinking themselves to death because they don't come home...but he does, way more than I would honestly, and you don't say a thing to him."

"You say that like I'm the only one doing to ignoring—"

"You are."

"You saw him yesterday—"

"I saw him yesterday extend an olive brand and try to join us for breakfast and you didn't even look at him," he told me. "He was looking at you the entire damn time. If you had even looked up once and stepped out of your angry fucking bubble, you would've seen it."

My heart sank as he talked to me and I slumped my shoulders, the toast in my mouth beginning to taste like cardboard. I hadn't noticed. "If he's not angry then why isn't he talking to me, Paris?"

"I didn't say he wasn't angry," he said. "He probably is but that doesn't mean he doesn't want to talk to you or be around you."

"But angry for what?!" I asked, exasperated at the conversation.

"Were you not listening when he told you?" I scrunched my brows, recalling the conversation in the closet that Paris must have heard.

"Because I didn't go to the meeting..."

"That's a small part of it," he said. "Let me ask you something. Maybe it'll give you a little perspective."

"Okay."

"How often since you've left Hell have you checked in with an advisor to see how things were going?" I thought back in my mind, not being able to find an answer. Paris immediately caught my look and raised a hand at me.

"See?" He asked. "What about an article? A newspaper? Anything?"

I shook my head slowly. "No."

"Hell is his home, Queen. Second to you and Saint, I'm sure it's the love of his life- even if he's never admitted it," he said. "Did you know in the past year there's been a string of serial murders? How about that explosion in the orphanage Syn built, hmm? Our people are dying. And he is carrying that burden alone along with having to deal with his own issues. It's not your fault, but it's some insight into what he may be struggling with right now."

"I- I had no idea." I swallowed and held back tears. "He had an orphanage built?"

He nodded. "He did. Renovations finished months ago and all the kids moved in- you should've seen it. Vampires, demons, fairies, and some angels believe it or not. It was like your haven Xavia, but here for the children that were still alive and needed help."

"And it's gone..."

"Just like that." He snapped his fingers. "He poured everything into that place and those kids and all in one second, it was gone— set to flames."

"But the kids are okay...right? That'd be traumatizing but they would've survived."

"That's what we thought at first," he said with a shaky breath. "But when we went in to check through the rubble, there was nobody left. The kids we could account for were dead along with the volunteers, all of which were underworld creatures."

"How is that possible?"

"We have yet to figure it out. It was a contained blast- none of the surrounding buildings were touched. So it was targeted, and some type of magic...but we have no fucking clue."

"How long have you been working for Syn?" I asked him. I had figured he was hired as soon as I came back, but his knowledge of the recent events told me otherwise.

He shrugged. "Like I said, I'm a friend of Cain's. But I've known Syn for maybe a year. I've been the head of security for the artifacts. It was only recently that he personally hired me to watch over you here."

"So you were demoted."

"My bank account says otherwise," he said.

I nodded, still distracted by everything he told me. I bet the incident with the orphanage didn't help with his drug problem. I couldn't imagine what he must've gone through. He was in a world of pain with Xavia...but the hundreds of kids he took under his care...it had to be heart-shattering.

"He needs you, Queen. He may have gone about telling you the wrong way, but please stop holding that against him. Give him the chance to open up to you and stop being childish."

I took a deep breath and stood up from the table, excusing myself. "I have to go."

"Yes, you do."

꧁꧂

I gripped my handbag in front of me as I stepped out of the portal and faced the tall building I had to suffer years alone in as Queen. A cool wind surrounded me, the dark skies swirling around the skyscraper somehow warning me away and I closed my eyes, damn I missed this place.

I stepped forward, my hand wrapping around the silver handle as I pulled open the tinted glass door. All eyes fell on me the moment I entered, everyone's chaotic and rushed movements coming to a halt as they stared. I nodded, walking past them straight to the elevator and they bowed their heads. I could hear the whispers as my heels clicked against the marble floor and I held my head high.

Once I was in the elevator, I pushed the button to head to the highest floor. When the doors began to close, the chaos ensued and I could hear the cheers and whistles. Someone yelled "she's back!" and I smiled a bittersweet smile as the doors finally shut.

I didn't know if I was back, but it was nice to be here.

The doors finally dinged open and I stepped out onto the familiar empty floor. My eyes took in everything as I walked toward the receptionist's desk. Everything looked the same. I was happy to see that Syn hadn't redone any of my decorating. It was all the same...even the red-headed secretary whose bright blue eyes bulged out of her head as our eyes met.

"Mia?"

꧁꧂