The celebrations in the Wizard Kingdom were continuing and Adrianna was finding it difficult to leave the realm. She knew that once Rhys had been compromised, Ziu would do anything to know what went in between all of them. This was also because everyone returned with no memories whatsoever. The people who had memories included Dmitri, Fleur and herself.

Dmitri sipped his wine while viewing the beautiful third level that looked as if it had been adorned with stars from the sky. Adrianna touched his back and the muscles inside the shirt rippled with pleasure. "Ziu is going to interrogate Rhys," he said turning his soft gaze at her.

​​

"I know," she replied as a smile lingered on her lips. She continued stroking his back and she could swear that he enjoyed the pleasurable moment. Her mate.

Dmitri continued to sip as he studied the contours of her face, the full lips, her golden yellow eyes, high cheekbones and the neck that he wanted to nibble at so desperately. "Don't you think he would shred his mind to extract the last of information? Rhys might just become a victim of something he hadn't even planned."

Adrianna turned her attention to his hips that she had cupped slightly and even squeezed. "Yes, that can happen but he wouldn't be able to get anything. I have planted exactly what he would have thought of with a little variation in Rhys' mind."

Dmitri gulped the content of his glass and turned his complete attention to his wife. The tease. He took his hand to her lips and traced them. As soon as they were in the center, she opened her mouth and took his finger in biting it at pleasure. He hissed. "What variation?" he asked as he slid the finger to her cheek and then to the middle of the collarbone and down to the center of the chest avoiding her breasts.

Adrianna's chest heaved for the want of cupping her breasts but he didn't do it. "That we chased him out with much difficulty."

Dmitri's hand reached her stomach and he slid his hand inside her nightshirt. He created small circles on her skin and he knew that she was ready to take him. In one swift motion he lifted her and took her to the bed. "Clever," he said and placed her on the bed.

Adrianna shifted back and snapped her fingers. The clothes that they were wearing vanished immediately. She turned her left leg to the side and with a guttural roar he came on to her. After that it skin to skin and soon they were a tangled mess of limbs and breath and sweat.

"My beautiful, fearless and intelligent wife," he admired her lying on her stomach and viewing her chin that he stroked with his fingers.

She let out a soft laughter.

Next day Dmitri sought Isidorus. He called her for a meeting and even asked Fleur to attend it. In the morning when they had their breakfast, they heard Isidorus entering the palace and there was quite a commotion outside.

The servants informed that Isidorus had been extremely angry with the gardeners of the palace for not taking care of the rose ramblers he had been so generously donating to the palace. "One of the servants has been transformed into a tortoise for pruning it wrong."

Adrianna's mouth dropped.

"The rambler died."

"So that is only one rambler which died. What about the rest?" she asked.

"The rest are fine."

Dmitri raised his eyebrow at the Prime Minister of the Royal Court.

"Let's go," said Adrianna as she took a deep breath. She knew that with Isidorus being so passionate about his flowers, this was indeed a grave mistake.

Fleur and Isidorus were waiting in the main hall and they bowed to the royal couple.

"What is the news my queen?" he asked.

"Dmitri has something to say," she replied not knowing about her husband's agenda. She didn't want to interfere with his plans.

Isidorus turned his full attention to the man he often didn't like and had to tolerate because he was his queen's mate.

"In the werewolf realm, this time I wasn't happy with what Fleur did," said Dmitri.

Fleur's head flinched back slightly. She couldn't understand what he meant.

"She could not make a decision to protect Adrianna when she was inside the bubble all alone with Rhys."

"I did make a decision," she countered, "By not entering the bubble as the queen had desired. I cannot break a protocol."

"That is not enough," said Dmitri in a cold, ruthless voice.

"Adrianna was a grave danger and all of us didn't know what was going inside. You should have broken the bubble's periphery and let us enter to help Adrianna."

Adrianna sent a message to Dmitri. You know that she couldn't have broken the wall I had created. Why bully her?

He disregarded her. "As a person who is so closely associated with her queen's safety, if you can't take such decisions on your own, then it is sad. You had risked Adrianna's life just because you wanted to maintain a certain protocol!"

Fleur's eyes became wide. She stammered, "I- I was following the queen's orders."

"To what? She could have died inside. Rhys is a powerful serpent, an heir to the throne of the Serpent Kingdom."

Slowly, Dmitri was weaving his words.

"It's not that I am not concerned about her safety. But yesterday if I had broken the safety net Adrianna wouldn't have liked it. How could I go against my queen? I have made my decision."

"That decision was flawed," replied Dmitri flatly with his arms crossed across his chest.

Oh please! Adrianna shouted through their mental bond. She was doing the right thing.

No, she wasn't! He shouted back with a roar.

"So what are you implying?" interjected Isidorus who had been quietly listening to them until now.

"She is not fit to be her personal guard."

Isidorus' eyes bulged.

"I demand her removal as my wife's personal guard with immediate effect."

What? Are you mad? She would cease being a witch!

"Instead of her, appoint a Mozia, whosoever you want," continued Dmitri pointing at her.

Fleur fell back on her seat in stunned silence.