Page 31 of Queen Takes Rook
With a reluctant sigh, Shara lifted her head. “I must go.”
“I know. Will you come again? Soon?”
She met my gaze, her bond still shadowed and cold, not with grief, but determination. “I think we’ll be paying a visit to New York City soon.”
Mayte’s breath rushed out. “Oh, Shara. Be careful. Draw on my power as often as you need to. Everything I have is yours.”
Shara looked over at the dancing little girl, chasing butterflies in a beautiful dress. “No. You must protect her above all else.”
As if she sensed the attention, Xochitl turned and waved at us, her smile bright. “Goodbye, Your Majesty!”
“Goodbye, Princess of Unicorns.”
Shara remained silent in the car, though she dropped her head against my shoulder. We transferred to her jet and she immediately kicked her shoes off and cuddled into my side. I dropped my arm around her and just held her, letting her soak in my warmth and assurance. All would be well. I would make it so.
She finally looked up at me, her eyes dark, but not as haunted. She didn’t say anything. She didn’t have to. I held my hand out and Guillaume slapped a blade against my palm so I could make a cut on my throat for her.
Her mouth tightened for a moment. I felt the war inside her, a flood of rage and tears. Vicious determination to keep us all safe, fighting the hopeless fear that even the last queen of Isis was not all-powerful against the grave.
With a sigh, she settled against my chest and pressed her mouth to the cut. Her hunger rose, and she dug her fingers into my shoulders, pulling me closer like she wanted to crawl inside me and hide from the world forever.
“You will never have to ask, my queen. For anything.”
:That’s what I’m afraid of.:
14
Shara
Coming home to my nest after being away was damned near a religious experience. I’d enjoyed Mayte’s nest and it had felt secure.
Butmynest…
Layers of tension and alertness that I hadn’t even been aware of, fell away from my shoulders. My trees whispered a glad greeting, the gentle rustling of their leaves a soothing balm to my nerves.
Surprise. For you. Welcome home.
The whispers drew my gaze to the heart tree, now surrounded by large boulders mixed in with the thorny bushes that ringed the rose tree. I took a step toward the new landscape to explore, but Winston opened the door and called to me.
“Your Majesty, I was going to call you, but then Gina texted of your imminent arrival. A package arrived for you.”
I wasn’t sure why he seemed so anxious, if his voice was quivering with nerves or excitement. Until I realized it was New Year’s Day. No postal service would be delivering packages today. “Who’s it from?”
“Rome,” he replied, his eyes wide. “Marne Ceresa herself.”
Of fucking course. I’d barely even been home a minute, and all the plots came tumbling back to ensnare me again. With a scowl, I stomped back toward the house. Whatever surprise my trees had in store for me must wait.
Winston met me at the driveway and led me down to the guard’s station at the gate that blocked the front public entrance to the property.
Frank McCoy, my head security guard and one of my human servants I carried a blood bond with, gave me a worried nod of welcome. “Sorry, Your Majesty. I didn’t know if I should say anything when you first arrived or not. I thought you might be asleep.”
I did have the annoying habit of sleeping on Rik while traveling. Even the first time I’d seen my home, I hadn’t been able to wake up long enough to look around.
“A sharp black Mercedes drove up about fifteen minutes ago. The rear window rolled down and an older man held the box out and said, ‘A special delivery for Her Majesty, Shara Isador.’ I didn’t know what else to do, so I took it, but I didn’t think you’d want it carried into your nest until you took a look at it.”
Nodding, I studied the box. It looked like an old-fashioned hat box, beautifully decorated with white and black damask paper and a baby-pink bow. “Did you get a good look at the man?”
“I’d know him if I saw him again. White hair, goatee and mustache, neat and trimmed, black suit that looked like a million bucks. He wore black leather gloves, too. That gave me pause. If he had to wear gloves to touch the package, I definitely didn’t want to take it up to the house until you saw it.”
