Page 111 of The Queen

“I contacted Maddox. Lex and Axion are dealing with stragglers on the top levels, but have been met with some resistance. Their entrance wasn’t quiet, and troops were sent to deal with them. They’re fine but delayed. It’s taking longer than expected to fight through. Also, as we know, our location is likely compromised now that we’ve used comms.” Shadow sounded very calm about all of this.

If he was right, and everything was fine, then I had no reason to panic. “Well, then, we need to move, obviously. Can they just meet us there?”

“That’s probably the best plan. But it’s not the only issue. We have a single team of trained alphas and maybe one hundred farmers. We have twenty plasma rifles divided among the group and a whole lot of pitchforks. There are a shit ton of soldiers between here and the throne room and not all of them are friendly,” he replied.

Most of that I knew already, but I hadn’t worried about it because there was a solid steel door blocking the way. Now there wasn’t. We had to actually go out there.

“Okay, but they were all called back to the noble sector to guard the throne room, right?” I asked.

Albion and the rest of the alphas joined us near the open exit and were nodding in agreement.

“So we shouldn’t have any trouble until we’re on that level, assuming we can get through all the locked doors?”

More nods.

Albion stepped forward. “But once there, we need a plan because while we are good at our jobs, ten trained soldiers, two medics, and, respectfully, a bunch of farmers, aren’t going to make it far in a sector packed with troops whose loyalties are unknown.”

“Violet?” I looked around for my friend, finding her hurrying down the corridor toward me.

“Yes, ma’am, I’m right here.”

“Remember that time we snuck into the administration wing and there were all the servants’ halls? Do they have that in the noble sector?” I figured they must. Edeth didn’t seem like the type who’d want to see menial workers going about their business.

“Of course, ma’am. Most of the upper floors have them.”

“I assume there are passages to service the throne room, then?”

“Yes, there are. There’s actually a few.” As soon as she said it, her big blue eyes widened with understanding.

“Easy. We use those. It’ll give us the advantage of surprise.” I had some other ideas that we could discuss on the way.

We divided into three teams with the trained alphas leading each, and someone that understood how the fail safes on the doors worked with a little instruction from Jared, and headed out as quietly as a large group of farmers could.

The servants’ halls were quiet and dim, with floors carpeted in a thin shag to muffle the sound of footsteps. The nobles must not have wanted to be bothered with sounds of the household staff going about their duties. I would imagine that even the smallest noise would have been an annoyance not worth bearing. It benefited us, though. Because with the thirty or so people I had with me, we were silent.

My pulse thundered with anticipation. Shadow was a steady, calming influence by my side. He was completely in his element if the quiet focus through the bond was anything to go by. In fact, all my alpha mates felt similarly focused. Grey was projecting tightly leashed anxiety. I appreciated the effort, but he and I were not trained for this, and some panic was to be expected.

Jared moved through the group to the front and went to work on the door that was barring the way. It would let us out directly into the throne room next to the main entrance. The other two teams would be entering through side doors to secure the exits.

My heart throbbed in my throat and I tried to swallow it down, but the panic was like a flood through my veins. Shadow and Grey came up beside me and each put a hand on either shoulder. My stomach was uncomfortably tight and my mind was fuzzy. Silently, I chanted, you can do this while my hands shook.

Jared stood from his crouched position next to the maintenance panel with a nod. He’d done it. It was unlocked. Shadow checked his comms unit and held up five fingers, slowly lowering them one at a time. The only thing I could hear was my panicked breathing as the last finger dropped and Jared pulled the door open, and I stepped into the light.

Chapter Seventy

Saphyra

The passage opened, unveiling a sea of velvet and silk clothed nobles bathed in the twinkling light of crystal chandeliers. The soft purple of twilight shimmered through the huge windows behind the throne, framing the scene in a whimsical glow. When the door banged against the wall, an ocean of prim faces turned from their card games and tea cakes, gasping as commoners poured through the servant doors to block the exits.

I stepped forward with a cloak of fake confidence wrapped firmly around me that would’ve made my mother proud. Dirty and covered in blood with the crown of Verden secure on my head, I stopped at the top of the stairs overlooking so many people that’d taken their positions for granted. Screams pierced the air, punctuated with gasps and scurrying feet. Chairs fell, and the nobles scattered, trying to move as far away from the intruders as possible.

Edeth shot up from where she’d been sitting on my throne and sputtered. “What’s the meaning of this? Guards!”

My reply caught in my throat, seeing her in that chair, as if it was hers. She’d taken everything from me. My mother, my freedom, my childhood. She’d tried to keep me away from my mates and murder Grey. She imprisoned my people and kept them starved and afraid. How dare she sit there like she was the queen?

The small number of soldiers that’d been inside the throne room shifted uneasily as my loyal guards trained plasma rifles at their heads. Some of the alphas were familiar to me and might not have been a threat, but we weren’t taking chances. The stakes were too high. Success or death, those were the only options tonight.

I grit my teeth against a flinch as a hollow banging came from the door behind me. The guards beyond were trying to get in and realizing that they could not. “Help won’t be coming.”

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