Page 120 of Within the Veil

I pause briefly and narrow my eyes. I do not need reminders of failures, I need solutions to them. I let my eyes wander over the body on my floor curiously; The King of Whispers and his band of fucking proverbial crotch goblins. Yet, another pain in my ass. Everyone knows of them, but no one has been able to capture a member, let alone the 'king.' Not in all the centuries that they have been around. And even if someone is misfortunate enough to get close enough, the Whisperers are lethal, nigh on impossible to kill, and loyal to a fault. What are the chances? I think to myself. It would make sense, but just because something may seem sound, it doesn't prevent it from being completely untrue.

At one point, we believed that one of the Whisperers had been captured. A belief that was reinforced ten-fold when I attempted to break his mind and failed. The only thing I could ascertain was that the suspected Whisperer was under an enchanted oath--One which prevented him from having his mind penetrated or answering questions. Admittedly, his tongue had been removed upon capture. I didn't need saccharine words from those pleading for their lives; I wanted answers. Locations and information. All of which I should have been able to steal from the mind of anyone I choose. Lesson learned because not only did his mind withstand my, no... his, powers, I correct, the suspect took his own life before we could come up with a more painful and creative alternative.

In the end, one of my men--who is now dead, obviously, for being the bearer of bad news-- recognized his face, and it turned out that not only was he not, in fact, a legendary soldier, but he was simply someone who worked closely with the 'King,' trading trinkets. One well versed in combat. Which was laughable, if not genius.

If a mere trader for the King of Whisperers can withstand an attack imbued by a God on his psyche, then it stands to reason one could pierce the veil. Interestingly enough, in the past, their little attacks were more to serve their own needs, like an insect who constantly buzzed around your meal. But not once have they directly attempted to interfere with my ruling. That fact never quelled the desire to find the self-named King and rip his head off his shoulders. Regardless of his lack of true interest, his skill level would always be a threat if he weren't working for my army.

I scowl, and the Unseelie before me steps back.

Cowards, the lot of them, Uranus says scathingly, and I ignore him once again.

"What will it take for me to determine who this King is? What's his damn role in this coming war?" I murmur.

"Well, as you know, those who know of him can't disclose his name or location, nor can they hold a clear photo of his face within their minds..." The soldier trails off as I spin on my heel and fix him with a glare.

"I know that. Don't speak of what I already know. Tell me what I don't know. Where are we with the Arallu? That tip was at least useful."

He smiles darkly, "They are... more compliant now."

I pick up a knife and twirl it along my fingers. Looking at my fingernails coated with blood, I decide I rather like this look. More than usual today.

I feel my lips curl in response; with the Arallu controlled, that's one mate down.

"And the other rumor?"

"Confirmed from the mind probes, your highness, a young child. Whispers of the first seer in centuries," he nods.

"Kill her," I say and walk out of the room.

"But your majesty! We..." he chokes, falling against the slimy floor, as I suck the breath out of his lungs. "There's no need for a seer; I see my future quite clearly. Anything else is fallacy and treasonous," I whisper, leaning down close to smell his fear.

His eyes bulge as he tries to take a breath. Too bad I consider him a close friend; it would be nice to see the light fade from his eyes and his skin mottle as he rots. My favorite show.

I straighten and weave through the bodies writhing in pain on the floor. "Wonderful, let's see how much stronger you are now, Rhiona of Fheall."

Chapter21

Hudson

* * *

After a well-earned shower and change of clothes, I watch from my window perch, as my mates, well more specifically Hunter, Grayson, Ryder, and Remi, run around, the sound of footsteps echoing on the staircase as they prepare for their impending journies. Elodia put things in perspective, but the real mind fuck was Li'Ella or, rather, Siomha. I loved Li' Ella with all my heart, but her timing to be possessed and have her host announce cryptic shit is less than ideal.

Okay, that sounds off, I admit. But to be fair, they are related. I can only imagine what Ella will get into with the four trouble, bladder-hating, little ones currently residing in my swollen school bus of a uterus.

King strides over, his beauty encased in a ridiculously distracting package of muscles and magic, with a burger in his hand, and leans over, hovering above me. Bridging the distance between us, he nips at my lower lip before bringing the burger to my mouth. " I would take this a step further, but the little ones requested a burger with extra cheese and caramelized onions," his deep voice sends shivers down my spine, but his words whip up a fervor as I snatch the burger from his hand, and shove it in my mouth.

He laughs, sitting down and pulling me onto his lap. Nothing better than a burger and a man who can smoothly pick up a sixty-two-month-pregnant woman without a sound.

I sigh, "They look like little worker bees, don't they?"

Their frenetic pacing--even though they could simply teleport wherever they wish--is a telltale sign of their nervousness. Despite their attempts to radiate confidence, our mate bond conveys their hidden anxiety.

He chuckles, "That's an interesting way of putting it. Although after watching 'The Mist,' with Oberon...don't ask..." he adds when I twist around to look at him. He's joking, right?

"No, I am not joking, but I am not looking forward to whatever training session he dreams up to have me battle giant monsters that pop out out of a misty forest. Remind me not to let him watch any of the Final Destination movies." He rolls his eyes, and I laugh.

"Anyways, they are worried, Love. They are trying to keep moving."

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