Page 67 of Queen Takes Queen
It wasn’t this man. It was something behind thatdoor.
Something precious. Something that he would willingly diefor.
Then it dawned on me. The man was as big as Rik. Maybe… even slightlybigger.
Rik gave me a look over his shoulder, brow arched. “He’s not bigger than my rock trollthough.”
“Unless he can shift into something bigger than he alreadyis.”
Rik snorted with disgust. “Mehen’s dragon is bigger than me, but we all remember how that wentdown.”
“It doesn’t matter how big he is. I don’t feel drawn tohim.”
Despite his confident words, a crease eased in his forehead. My big, bad alpha liked being my biggest and baddest.:That will neverchange.:
“I don’t recognize him and he doesn’t smell like Skye. A man this big, this powerful, would have made an impression on her. She would have been damned near giddy to have the opportunity to breakhim.”
“Is healpha?”
“Yes and no. He’s like Mehen, or Guillaume. Old and powerful, yes. He could be alpha if he chose. But he’s not. Maybe Zaniyah already had an alpha when she calledhim.”
I opened my eyes and swayed slightly, disoriented. It took a second for my brain to make the adjustment to the guest quarters, rather than the dark tunnel. “At least he’s not a plant by Skye. Other than that, we don’t really know what he’s protecting or why she lied abouthim.”
“Should I go back and try to learn more, my queen?” Xinasked.
I cupped his cheek and he turned his face into my caress, rubbing deeper against my palm. “No, thank you, Xin. I don’t want to risk you being discovered. I’ll find out what she’shiding.”
“How?”
I yawned, which Rik immediately took to mean I should be picked up, shifted deeper into the bed, and tucked in against his big body. Not that I was complaining. “What time isit?”
“Four in the morning,” he replied against my shoulder, his lips a softcaress.
I listened to my bonds a moment, taking a quick inventory. Mehen had switched with Nevarre on the balcony. Daire had taken over for Guillaume at the door, though Ezra was still up and gave no sign of leaving his post now that Daire had joined him. Gina was sleeping. “Xin, could you write a quick note for Gina and ask her to set up a meeting with Mayte first thing this morning? Like eight. Slide it under her door. I’m sure she’ll be up long before Iwill.”
Xin nodded and immediately stood to go in search of paper andpen.
Rik rubbed his nose behind my ear, breathing in my scent. “Are you sure you want to be up so early, myqueen?”
“Regretfully, yes,” I sighed, closing my eyes. “I have a feeling it’s going to be a very longday.”
26
Nevarre
My queen was many things.Gorgeous, powerful, sensual, a walking, breathing goddessincarnate.
But she was not a morningperson.
Rik held her coffee cup beneath her nose but she still gave him a bleary look of exhaustion. “Whose stupid idea was it to be up so early for ameeting?”
He grinned at her and lifted the cup to her mouth. “Yours.”
Gina unzipped the traveling wardrobe that contained our queen’s clothing. “What image do you want to portray thismorning?”
“That I’m not death warmedover.”
“Something business like? Or sultry? Innocent and sweet, orformidable?”
