Page 51 of Queen Takes Checkmate
“I’m sure Skye already had several clean-up crews on staff to cover up for all her… um… less savory dealings.” Gina hesitated and then lowered her voice. “Are you sure about Vivian? What if she’s carrying one of those things inside her too? Can you tell?”
I shook my head. “I felt the spark in her bond and she warned me there was something of Ra’s in the room. I don’t think I would have sensed anything amiss, at least until Madeline started showing symptoms.”
Vivian stepped back into the room. “We really ought to burn the body to be safe. I’ve seen scarabs hide for days and then burst out in search of a new host.”
I shuddered. “Definitely, let’s burn it, then.” I started to press a silver nail to my wrist, but she laid her fingers over mine, stopping me.
“There’s no need for you to bleed, my queen. Not when you have a phoenix at your disposal.”
“You didn’t shift after our queen took you,” Daire said. When Vivian narrowed a hard look on him, he held his hands up. “Just curious. A Blood only gains his or her gift once the queen bond takes over. You said you’d never had a queen before.”
Standing over the crumpled body, Vivian held her hand out, index finger pointed down. I felt her gift stir. Smoak uncurled from her slumber, spreading flames inside her. Holding her breath, she opened a tiny gate inside her and allowed fire to drip from her finger onto the body. It flowed like lava, hot molten rock that gleamed red and gold, sinking immediately into the body and catching flame. “I was born with this power, able to call Smoak at will. She’s my curse and my gift. For most of my life, she’s been my only friend. Though she’s very hard to control.”
Her voice quivered with effort. In her bond, I felt the phoenix’s eagerness. Flames licked Vivian’s ribcage. Sweat beaded on her brow as she strained to hold the tiny gate open without allowing Smoak to spread uncontrolled fires. Her instinct was to rage and burn. Not carefully dribble fire on a body to dispose of it.
I focused on my bond inside Vivian and glowed with power. Reminding them both of what I tasted like. What I felt like. The promise of pleasure and power in my blood.
Smoak subsided without another complaint. Vivian swiped at her forehead and gave me a weary smile. “Thank you, my queen.”
Someone tapped at the door. Gina stepped over to crack the door and see who it was, then she glanced worriedly over her shoulder at me. “It’s Kevin. Should I have him wait?”
I shook my head. “It’s best that he sees what we’re dealing with. If he can’t handle it, I’d rather know now than later.”
Gina opened the door wider and a beautiful young man stepped inside. His black hair was perfectly shiny and styled. His smile was dazzlingly white. His suit impeccable. His eyes were a brilliant blue, just a shade darker than Vivian’s. He started to bow and then caught sight of the flames spreading across his former employer’s dead body.
He froze, his eyes widening. Slowly, he straightened and looked warily around the room before his gaze fell onto me. He quickly bowed again, even deeper. “Your Majesty.”
“We had a bit of difficulty,” I said lightly.
“So I see. We have several professional cleaning crews that we’ve used in the past with utmost discretion. Shall I ring one?”
“Yes, please, but in a moment.” I gave a gentle tug on Vivian and she stepped away from the body and closer to the young man. I listened to Smoak, waiting to feel any spark or hint that he’d been contaminated too. Vivian shook her head slightly, and I nodded, letting her return to her work. “Is there another room we can talk, Gwen?”
“Of course.” Standing, she led us down the hallway toward another meeting room. I took my coffee cup, and so did Carys. Vivian, Guillaume, and Xin remained behind. Rik didn’t have to tell me why.
They still didn’t trust her. Not really.
:It’s not that I don’t trust her,:Rik said as I sat down once more.:It’s better to be safe than sorry, and I will always err to safety when it comes to you.:
:You said a Blood couldn’t be compromised.:
He grimaced slightly.:So I did. But that was before you called a Blood sired by Ra.:
Gina waited until we were all seated and then started the interview. Because that was actually what we were doing. Trying to fill a spot on my team. “I noticed that your work was showing up quite often in Madeline’s files, so that’s why I called you in. Her Majesty is in search of a second consiliarius, preferably someone who’s familiar with the Skye legacy.”
“Oh.” He blinked and nodded his head slightly, his eyes dazed. “Oh my. That couldn’t be further from my mind. I thought you were calling me up to take me to task for failing to do a background check on SLI. I swear, that wasn’t my fault. I noted it in the file, but Madeline checked off on their lease. I let it go.”
Gwen set the coffee service tray on the table and took a seat. “Now we know why.”
He shuddered. “I don’t know what happened. I don’t want to know. But I can’t say that I’m surprised that she turned out to not be… suitable.”
That was one way to put it. I studied him, trying to get a sense of his character. He reminded me of a young Winston, probably because of his gorgeous suit. “Have you worked for Skye long?”
“Only two years, Your Majesty.”
Gwen shook her head. “Fess up, Kevin. She doesn’t know the houses. She wasn’t born in a nest.”
He gave himself a little shake. “Of course. I worked as a sort of intern for Byrnes. He’s my grandfather.”
