By
May Dawson

To escape a curse, I married four cocky Fae kings.

The arrogant sea king who would pursue me to the ends of the world.

The brothers of autumn, who have loved me, and hated me, and can’t quite make their minds where they fall now.

The winter king, who betrayed me to save his own court.

The five of us are bound together, even if we’re not sure now if we’re enemies or lovers or both. My father, the High King of all four kingdoms, is still alive—and he’ll stop at nothing to make sure I die instead of reclaiming my throne.

But I’m the rebel queen, and at my side are four impossible Fae knights. If I can get them all to stop trying to knock each other senseless, we can rule the four Kingdoms–and save them.

And if we can’t, we’ll die.

If you haven’t read the first two books in this series STOP! Go back and read them, this book starts where ‘Fallen Queen’ ended.

In the prologue of this book, we learn about Tiron and who he really is. Who his parents are and where they are as well. We also see as Perin and Dala take Azrael as insurance that Tiron will do what they want him to do.

We join the wedding where Alisa has just taken Raile, Duncan, Azrael and Tiron as her husbands. Although Raile was in the process of changing the vows so Alisa would belong to herself that was overridden by Tiron’s beginning his own version of the vows. Alisa however includes them all, assuring her the throne.

Now they have to fight their way out of the palace, Raile helps Alisa by gifting her his powers, that weakens him but gives her the strength to help get them out. It didn’t hurt that some of the guards quickly changed sides to fight with them. Once at sea on Raile’s ship, Duncan wants to know where Azrael is, he was last seen with Tiron. His brother is also not answering Duncan as he calls to him on the wind. We see Tiron’s conversation with Perin as he arranges for Azrael to be brought to him.

The enchantment Herrick has placed on Alisa prevents her from speaking of the issues before them, it’s also forcing her to kill herself. When the guys realize this, they keep her unarmed and away from all pointy things.

Of course, the rendezvous is a trap and Torin heads to the Winter Court to get Azrael. Raile, Duncan and Alisa return to the ship to go to the Sea Court to meet with the council of war. They need plans to stop not only the Black Fae but Herrick as well. On the way Alisa has to break the enchantment as Herrick tries to get her to scuttle the ship and kill herself. Now she can talk about what he’s done to Faer and her.

When a dying mermaid from the Northern watch is brought to them with the new of eighty Black Fae Ships heading toward the Winter Court, the decision is made for Raile to do what he can to stop them. Under protest, Alisa agrees that she should return to the Cursed caves to get her memories back. Calista and the rest of the fae knights would accompany Duncan and Alisa.

This is a favorite scene.

When Duncan, the Fae knights, and I rowed ashore Raile came with us. The day had been long and shadows were growing in the forest beyond the beach.

“Stay safe, wife,” Raile said.

“You too, husband,” I said lightly, but I didn’t miss the glint of satisfaction in his eyes.

I could sense Duncan watching us even as he busied himself with the Fae knights, and I was surprised he didn’t scoff, but he was silent. It wasn’t even his angry silence.

It was hard for me to say goodbye to Raile. I hadn’t expected that. He stared at me, the space between his brows dimpling as if he realized, and before he could tease me, I bobbed up onto my toes to kiss him goodbye.

Our lips seared together, and he wrapped his arm around my lower back, holding me close.

When he released me, I was breathless. He pressed one last kiss to my forehead, his hand spanning the back of my head, then turned and walked away. He leapt into the rowboat effortlessly and it slid through the waves, the water obeying his command.

He didn’t look back. Fae don’t.

As soon as we started to move into the woods, Calina and the other Fae knights seemed to form a perimeter around me. I glanced at Duncan, wondering if he’d told them to protect me, but his head tilted as if he heard something.

“Halt,” he called softly, and the next thing I knew, he caught my arm and dragged me a few steps off into the forest.

It was quiet except for the wind flitting through the leaves above, making them rustle.

“What is it?” I asked, half-expecting Duncan to have some new series of complaints about ways I’d wronged him.

“Azrael,” he said. His eyes had that faraway look, as if he were listening to the wind. The breeze blew up around us.

“Is he all right?”

“No,” Duncan said shortly, after listening for a moment. “But he wants to be where he is. He says the Winter Fae are plotting something with the Blood Fae and…” He broke off, then frowned. “They want to use you as a sacrifice? Az, get out of there. You idiot.”

Azrael clearly refused, and Duncan raked his hand through his hair in frustration.

“Tell him I say he’s an idiot too,” I said.

“He knows,” Duncan said shortly. “He wants us to focus on your memories and our court. He says when he needs our help, it’ll be time for him to retire.”

“He’s an ass.”

“He is.”

But as soon as the wind died, I told Duncan, “Thank you.”

It was the closest I could come to hearing from Azrael, and it was a relief. For a moment, it felt like a bond between us, the way we loved Azrael—and the way he exasperated us.

Duncan nodded. There was something in his gaze I couldn’t quite read. “Of course. You love my brother.”

I frowned, staring up at him. “I do.”

He nodded curtly. It was hard to believe that a few days ago, the two of us had clashed together in a dungeon, our bodies and mouths meeting over and over.

I tilted my head, trying to understand him. But before Duncan and I had sex in the dungeon, he’d confessed to me about our past: I’d chosen Azrael over him, I’d told Duncan he was less than his brother.

He frowned at my gaze and turned away. I’d rejected him for a second time, with Herrick watching, when I told him I’d marry Raile. But surely he knew it was just the enchantment…

I seized his wrist before he could walk away, swung him toward me. He turned quickly, his brows arching over those icy blue eyes.

“Yes?” he demanded. His nostrils flared. “You stink of the sea.”

I forged on, despite the insult that made me flush hot. That shouldn’t even be an insult. Sooner or later, these males would all have to share me.

Just thinking of what Raile had suggested for our future made my nipples pebble.

“I love you as well,” I said firmly, refusing to be shaken by his rude moments. He was terrible at being vulnerable, but he’d have to get over that.

He stared at me, his chest rising and falling as if we’d been fighting, even though his face was stoic.

“As much as I hate you half the time,” I went on. “There’s something between the two of us that can’t be denied, Duncan. There always has been.”

“You don’t even remember what always has been,” he grumbled, but his eyes lit up.

“Always will be,” I said, though that didn’t stop fury from sparking. I pushed him then suddenly, and he stumbled into the bushes behind us, almost tripping into a nest of thorns. He sat down abruptly on the forest floor. “Even though you’re an absolute idiot!”

“What?” he grumbled, glowering up at me. “You’re bad at confessions of love, Princess.”

“You’re bad at hearing them,” I accused. “That’s why you said there was no point in talking to me until we broke the enchantment. How many times will you have to hear me say I want you, I choose you, until you believe it?”

He rose to his feet, towering over me as he brushed stray leaves and debris off his clothes. He growled, “Maybe it would help if you didn’t yell at me.” “Maybe it would help if you trusted me!”
Dawson, May. Rebel Queen (Lost Fae Book 3). Kindle Locations (2230-2281). Kindle Edition.

Now we have this story on two fronts, well three really. We have Raile on the Sea, Torin and Azrael in the Winter Court and Duncan and Alisa traveling through the Summer Court to get to the caves in the Spring Court.

A lot happens in this book, the Black fae aren’t pleased with Dara’s sacrifice and Raile does lots of damage before ending up safe with Azrael. Then Torin shows up. Duncan and Alisa run into more friends and monsters before she gets her memories back.

I’m not saying anymore, what I’ve said is just the tip of the iceberg in this page turning read. So much action, suspense, intrigue, revelations, sizzle and one heck of an ending!

5 Contented Purrs for May!

May Dawson

May Dawson writes reverse harem romance about magic, strong women, and the men who love them. A native New Yorker, she’s settled in Virginia, where she is raising two red-headed troublemakers and a passel of cats.