Page 50 of The Daughters of Nyx

“Had she not seen Rowan use magic or Elias shift, I doubt she would have believed us. She has also admitted to starting her transition.”

“The dreams have begun.” Queen Greer sat back. I hadn’t noticed it during my previous meetings with her, but it was clear now that the magic was leaving her. For two hundred years, she’d remained so stoically familiar that now it was becoming clearer just how close to the end she was. “She must return sooner, so that I may be able to help her through her transition.”

“We are still trying to convince her of her destiny, my Queen,” I replied carefully. “We were working to gain her trust, but I fear with this new development, we have been set back with our plans. I also worry about her safety in general, since the attacks.”

Queen Greer frowned. “She would be much safer here. At least in Avalon, she has chances to find mates to help her control her power. I thought we had more time…”

Seer Sable spared her old friend a glance, one thin eyebrow raised. “I believe we must tread carefully with our new Queen. Bringing her here against her will may have dire results. And until we can be certain her enemies aren’t skulking within the palace, it is perhaps safer for her to be in the outside world.”

Quietly, the Queen nodded. “Your hellhound disappeared almost as soon as it arrived in the compound.” The Queen’s dulled eyes met mine. “We fear someone working close to us is betraying us.”

I froze, my own worry rising in my throat. Sable had already expressed as much to me, and to hear it from Queen Greer…I swallowed, mouth dry. “We are reinforcing the wards on her home and where she works. She will not be leaving our sight. We will also be taking precautions for her family—one of her worries is leaving them. We’ve also learnt that her roommate and best friend might be something else as well, though nothing I’ve crossed paths with in my years.”

“And is she aware of what you all are?” the seer asked, a spark of intrigue entering her eyes.

I nodded. “Ivy made it clear that her friend would be told everything for her own safety. We may need to make arrangements for her and Ivy’s immediate family if this threat attempts anything against them.”

Queen Greer pulled her hands to her chest and rubbed them absentmindedly, her eyes glazed and staring off in the distance. It was Seer Sable who responded, eyes sad. “Yes, we can make arrangements for them. Keep us up to date on any changes and developments. And tell my son to contact me.”

The tablet clicked off. I sighed and sank down in the leather armchair, letting my head fall back against the back of the seat. My eyes slipped closed, the darkness shaping itself into a familiar face; her soft lips pulled up in a smile, cheeks flushed pink, eyes sparkling with laughter. My own lips, against my better judgement, turned upwards as Ivy filled my thoughts.

I’d wanted it to all go differently; if perhaps I’d been able to gain her trust through friendship, then maybe she would have had a better reaction. Maybe then she would not have been put in danger.

Whoever was coming after her knew more about her than we did. I had to believe someone close to her was working with whatever shadow agency stalked her.

The smile disappeared, replaced with a frown. How many people would have known about her trip to the hotel? Adrian hadn’t even known the address until she’d contacted him. The only other person would have been Thea, and although her species evaded me, I didn’t see her betraying her best friend.

A door opened, soft footsteps following. “I take it the debrief went well then?” Rowan snarked, stopping somewhere behind me.

I cracked my eyes open and sighed, pulling myself from the armchair. “Your mother wants you to contact her,” I replied, almost smiling as he grimaced.

The mage wore nothing but sweatpants, his arms crossed over his chest. For the son of nobility, he certainly didn’t look like most who spent their days lazing about Avalon, surrounded by their riches. Rowan Archer, who had once been a scrawny mage, had filled out with muscles. Old Nordic runes lined either hip, black against his golden skin.

Once, I might have forced myself to find someone like Rowan attractive. I might have looked upon his sculpted body and enjoyed what I saw, like I imagined Ivy and Thea did.

But years spent without my Sire burned that away, leaving me with my own preference towards women. I no longer feared my desires, like I had so long ago.

Rowan groaned. “She’s going to call me any minute because she knows damned well I won’t call first.”

“Why are you so against your mother?” I asked curiously. I’d watched the boy grow up, albeit from the shadows. He likely didn’t know who I was until we’d received the mission.

The mage rolled his eyes and pulled his cell phone from his pocket. “My mother and I simply have a complicated relationship that gets increasingly better when we donotconverse with one another. I don’t even know why she’s trying so hard. I don’t need her distracting me from this mission.”

I nodded. “I agree with that. But she’s also the Queen’s Seer. She may have valuable information.”

“Or comments on my love life,” he muttered, shaking his head.

I almost asked why he’d taken a step back from his role of becoming Ivy’s friend when his cell phone went off with a shrill ring. Rowan’s grimace turned dark as he waved the piece of tech around him.

“I knew it.” He pressed answer. “Hello, mother. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

I could hear the old Seer, almost like she was standing with us in the living room, her voice as clear as Rowan’s through the cell phone.

“You could learn to be a little more gracious, kid. You never know when this will be your last time speaking with me.”

Rowan frowned. “Don’t tell me you’ve foretold your own death? I thought you couldn’t do that,” he deadpanned, shaking his head.

“Don’t get smart with me. And don’t be stupid, either. I can see what you’re doing, and it won’t end well for either of you.”

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