The Queen's Dance (Emerging Queens) by Jamie K. Schmidt Page A

and tattoos stood at the junction of the road. His arms were crossed, and his feet were planted in a wide stance. His mirrored sunglasses glinted in the sun as he stared at them when Remy stopped the truck. Margery was halfway out the door when he yanked her back.
    “I’m your protector. I go first.”
    “Is he going to be a problem?” He certainly looked like he was going to be a problem.
    “That’s Sergei. Viola’s mate. He’s her protector and consort.” Remy slid out of the truck and ambled up to the man, and Margery hurried to catch up to him. She remembered Sergei as a purple wyvern—he was part of the dragon team that had rescued her from the pirates.
    “Hi, I’m Margery. I don’t think I ever got to thank you properly.” She held out her hand while the male dragons continued to stare at each other. “I hope I’m not interrupting the pissing match, but I’m dying for a mug of tea.”
    “What type?”
    Margery looked beyond the big shoulders of Sergei and saw a blond chick knitting a hat. She wore an intricate sweater and jeans.
    “We got white, green, black, and red. The red one is—”
    “Rooibos,” Margery finished.
    They shared a delighted smile.
    “Is that Fair Isle?” Margery asked, pointing to the woman’s sweater.
    The blonde’s face lit up. “We’re going to be best friends.”
    Sergei groaned. “Oh, here we go. No, we’re not going shopping.”
    “Did you just say no to a Queen?” Remy said.
    “Between Carolyn’s books, Viola’s yarn, and…” Sergei leaned over to her. “What’s your hoard, honey?”
    “I don’t have a hoard.”
    “Of course you do,” he said. “If I dropped you off at a shopping center, what’s the first store you go into?”
    “The bookstore,” Carolyn said, walking down the road from the house.
    “The yarn store,” Viola said, smiling at her.
    They all looked at Margery.
    “Tea.”
    Sergei clubbed Remy on the shoulder. “Way to your Queen’s heart, Champ. Dried leaves. You’re welcome.”
    “I think I’ve got a book on tea,” Carolyn said.
    “Of course you do.” Sergei nodded.
    Carolyn gave Margery a hug and introduced the blond woman to her as Viola.
    “I didn’t recognize you without your other heads,” Margery said. Now it made sense why Margery immediately liked her. “Thank you for rescuing me.”
    She heard Remy sigh at her gratitude and ignored him. Being a dragon for a few months wasn’t going to erase decades of being human.
    “All in a day’s work,” Viola said.
    “So Carolyn tells me you worked with Smythe,” Margery said. “Can I ask you a few questions?”
    “Sure, let’s get some tea and we can have a Queens’ circle,” Viola said. “No men allowed. No offense. We want to bitch about you without your feelings getting hurt.” She smiled at the studs and then took Carolyn and Margery’s arms and led them back toward the farmhouse.
    …
    Remy watched the trio go with more relief than he’d expected to feel. He hadn’t realized how tightly he’d been wound ever since Margery passed out in his arms last night. Had he come on too strong? Scared her? What else couldn’t he do right like other dragons? He’d never been with a Queen before. Maybe he could learn something from Sergei and Reed without giving away how much of a novice he was at politics.
    “They going to be all right all by themselves?” he asked Sergei.
    “There aren’t any studs in the area but us, and Reed is doing long-range surveillance. I’ll take the air and you take the ground.”
    Not that he had a choice.
    Tamping down on that bitter thought, Remy watched as Sergei shifted and soared into the sky.
    He’d never missed flying. He wouldn’t give up his expertise in the water for anything, but he couldn’t deny he lacked the advantage of arms and claws in a fight. Still, it was a vote of confidence that Sergei trusted him to protect his Queen.
    Remy walked a perimeter around the farm. It was as quiet, as Sergei said; the only