Page 14 of Queen of Darkness
Decan was waiting in the hallway, but I ignored him for a moment as I tried to fight the sensation of walls closing in. I’d gotten an answer, but everywhere I went, I seemed to find myself banished.
What was I going to do next? I needed help. I just didn’t know where I would find any.
Chapter Nine
“Come, Miss Alustria,” Decan urged after giving me a moment to absorb everything.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked warily, following him down the hallway, alert for a trap. My eyes darted to each door we passed. Would someone jump through and grab me? One of the queen’s agents, perhaps?
“Simply showing you out. I wish I could do more to help you,” he said apologetically.
“Thanks, Decan,” I muttered. As we came to a stop at the end of the hallway, I surveyed the crowd of people in the bar, keeping solid walls on either side of me. I wasn’t ready to venture out there among all the Broker’s denizens. At least one of them had to be an agent for Queen Elenia.
“I do like you,” he said. “You have come far since you first set foot in here, and for that, I commend you. It is unfortunate that I, too, must obey my liege and give you no further aid.”
“Yeah, tell me about it. Seems to be the story of my life lately. ‘We’d like to help, but we can’t.’”
That wasn’t fair, of course. Johnathan had said he would help me if he could. But he couldn’t ask more of the pack in good conscience as the Alpha. How could I ask them to either? So many had already died for me. Pouting like I was then did nothing more than tarnish their memories. It was what it was, and I had to deal with that and move on, not sit around whining about it like a child.
It’s time to grow up. So start acting like it.
“All of us serve a master other than ourselves,” Decan said. “Whether we know it or not.”
“Don’t worry about it,” I said, figuring he was apologizing again. “It’s fine, seriously. I’m still allowed to stay here, aren’t I?”
“Ofcourse,” Decan said, waving his arm at the bar in front of us. “You are not banished. Anyone in here that isn’t employed by the Duke might be willing to help you. They are not bound by any contract.”
“No,” I said. “But odds are that some well-placed rumors aboutwhyshe was here accompanied her presence. I bet everyone out there knows who I am and that I’m hands off.”
“It does seem likely,” Decan admitted.
“Yeah. I suppose I’ll have to go. Just have to find a way past her ambush first. Then, I’m home free.”
There was only one place left for me to go, and I really didnotwant to go there. Dani and Vir would welcome me to their realm, the Direen, which was the ancient abode of the shifter gods, but I didn’t want to intrude. My presence there would bring others to them, and with Dani being pregnant with the child of a god, I wasn’t going to overstay my welcome.
But I needed to gosomewhere.
Beside me, Decan visibly restrained himself from … something.
“Everything okay?” I asked, glancing over my shoulder to ensure that it wasn’t trouble.
“Of course. I simply thought that perhaps you might enjoy the drinks on the second floor better.”
I glanced at him.
“It is merely a suggestion, of course,” he said.
“The bartender there is pretty good at making drinks?”
Decan smiled. “Oh, yes. I think you might find the atmosphere to be more to your liking as well.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“Do not thank me,” he said. “I did not do anything for you. I simply made a suggestion.”
“Of course. As any reasonable host would do,” I replied, keeping my face calm.
Decan bowed his head. “I must return to my liege now.”
