Page 95 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

He didn’t give me time to respond before opening the door and shoving me through. Every eye turned toward us. Nismera stood with Vincent at her side, the members of The Order looking more than stressed.

“Cameron here has a lead, my king, and I think you will want to hear it.”

Nismera glared at me and said, “Well, let’s hear it then.”

The war room doors closed behind us, and I was reminded again that Kaden wasn’t the worst thing in the world, not compared to her.

THIRTY-FIVE

DIANNA

“This is the weirdest place to have a meeting,” I said, my nose still wrinkled against the rotten smell.

Orym had snuck food in for Savees, and he was currently sitting on the floor eating. It was guaranteed that they fed him little, if at all. I leaned against the wall with Samkiel at my side.

“Does everyone have a tail here?” I asked, glancing at Savees. His twin tails, tipped with dark fluff, bristled.

Orym shook his head, but he thrashed his tail, too. “How can we get to the upper room?”

“Why do you want to go there?” Savees asked as he ate the skin off whatever small bird they served this morning.

“I think there is a weapon there for me. It’s the only place it could be because Dianna has searched everywhere else.”

“Plus,” I added, “when we arrived, I felt . . . something up there. I can’t explain it.”

Samkiel nodded, his arm braced above my head and his body hovering protectively over mine as he leaned against the wall. I smiled to myself and wondered if his need to show everyone we came across that I was his would wane. Not that I was complaining. It was nice to be wanted so much for once and not just for what I did when we were naked.

“I felt it, too,” Samkiel said.

Savees cleaned the bone in his mouth until it shined and tossed it toward the disgusting cell.

“Good luck getting topside. Those doors won’t open unless Commander Taotl opens them. He has a chip set in his wrist to unlock all the doors.”

My face scrunched. “But the other guards and the food, all that gets here. You’re telling me it’s not delivered?”

Savees picked up another small bird leg and sucked it into his mouth. “It is through the system they have topside. It’s a bunch of tunnels that squeak all night. I can hear them through the wall.”

“And this commander? What does he look like?” Samkiel asked.

“He’s Estiine. You can’t miss him.”

Orym cast a glance toward Samkiel while I looked confused.

I held my hand up. “Okay, can you guys tell me then? Sorry, I haven’t been to this realm in, let’s say, ever, and all you’re doing is throwing one word after another like you think I know what you are talking about.”

Samkiel hid a snicker as Savees and Orym looked at me. “He’s the tall one, skin a mix of spots and a short coat. He has hooves,” Orym said finally.

“The guy that looks like a huroehe? With the long face, mane, and big ass weapon?” I asked.

“Yes, that is the one. He is a sadistic bastard,” Savees said, chewing on the words.

I nodded. “Okay, I’ll find him, kill him, and take his form. Then we grab the weapon and leave.”

They all spoke at once, and I held my hands up. “One at a time, please.”

Savees jumped in before the others could. “Don’t leave me here to rot when you leave.”

I cast a glance at him. “I’ll think about it.” Then turned to Orym. “You?”

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