Page 7 of Crimson Bond

Wrong Answer

Reece

“You should know, things have changed since you left,” I said.

“Oh really? So you’renotImogen’s whipping boy, indulging her every whim these days?”

Oh, that sassy little mouth. How I wanted to shut it up. A vivid memory seized my brain—the two of us locked in a desperate kiss in that dark alcove at the Inception Ball.

No. Stop. Never evereverhappening again so don’t even think it.

I shook my head and bit the inside of my cheek to dispel the dangerous image. “Our population has exploded since President Parker took office. More and more vampires are losing their jobs, their homes. Many are being imprisoned on false charges.”

“Tell me about it,” Abbi muttered.

Sounded like the voice of experience. Whathadhappened to drive her back to this place when, as she’d said, she’d never intended to return?

“You said you were in trouble. What happened?”

“I’ll explain it all to your queen when we see her. No point in telling the story twice.”

Okay then.She didn’t want my concern. She needed my warning though, whether she realized it or not.

“Most of all, Imogen has changed,” I told her. “She’s less patient than she used to be with the way things are going in the outside world.”

Abbi gasped. “Lesspatient? Is that even possible?”

“You’ll see. She’s no longer content to sit idly by in the safety of our stronghold while, out in the world, the injustices against our species multiply.”

“I can hardly believe I’m saying this, but I sort of agree with her,” Abbi said. “Maybe peace at any costisn’tthe answer. But I’m not sure what the answer is. What is she planning to do?”

“I’m not at liberty to talk about it. She’ll share that with you if she chooses to,” I said as we reached the throne room chamber.

Standing before the heavy iron doors, I was suddenly gripped with a fierce impulse to snatch Abbi up and whisk her to the surface, to get her as far away from this place—and from Imogen—as possible before it was too late.

But then, it was already too late.

“You remember your court etiquette, don’t you?” I asked.

“Of course. Bow, address her as ‘my queen,’ don’t piss her off and get myself beheaded. It hasn’t beenthatlong since I was here.”

I stared down into Abbi’s far-too-innocent eyes, anxiety twisting in my mid-section.

“You don’t think so? Feels like an eternity to me.”

The doors to the throne room opened, and the guards stood back to let us pass. As we made our way toward the front of the room where Imogen sat, the other queensguard gave me nods of respectful acknowledgment.

In the past year, I’d risen to the position of captain. My duties kept me here most of the time instead of out on patrols. The guys in this unit were good men, and I did my best to keep them out of Imogen’s crosshairs and in her good graces.

Working this closely with her every day, there was the constant threat of tripping her wires and setting off her mercurial temper. Her queensguard took the brunt of it.

There was a decent crowd in the room. Supplicants were lined up to seek Imogen’s intervention in some matter or another—or to plead for her mercy if they’d run afoul of Bastion rules.

She wore her usual bored expression as she listened to the couple at the front of the line. Observing her from across the room, I supposed she might have appeared beautiful to a casual onlooker. The outer hallmarks of great beauty were all there.

But I knew her insides. No matter what she wore or how she styled her hair and makeup, Imogen’s looks did nothing for me.

She ignored our entrance, but naturally she was aware of it. Finally, she glanced in our direction, and I bowed deeply.

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