Page 59 of Queen Takes King
“Yes, some.” The guide looked at me doubtfully. “But it won’t be a comfortable ride. Verybumpy.”
“Please. I can deal withbumpy.”
He signaled his horse and we started trotting and bouncing up the gradual incline. “We won’t be able to go all the way like this, butsome.”
“Okay.” Jounced back against Rik, I didn’t try to say more than that. I didn’t know if all horses had such a hard gait or if we were justunlucky.
The trail steepened, sometimes running us so close to the cliff that I could reach out and touch the stone. Although it was December, it was seventy degrees and sunny, though it was almost dusk. A huge change from the chilly Kansas City temps. Moss and plants grew out of the stone, clinging to rocks. Water trickled down the rocks, creating a moist, green livingcarpet.
Our guide slowed his mount to a walk and I ground my teeth. Fuck. I was going to lose my mind. If I’d been on my own horse, I probably would have kicked it in the flank and gallopedahead.
Which I knew was stupid. Though the trail was easy to follow and clearly marked, I had no idea what pitfalls might lie ahead. It’d help nobody if I accidentally broke a horse’s leg in my rush to find the waterfall I’d seen in mydream.
As the horse worked harder, scrambling up a steeper section of trail, I understood why he’d slowed our pace. We had one scary moment where the horse’s hooves slipped on rock and we started to fall backward. Rik stayed calm and gave the horse his head. With a hard lunge that threw me back against Rik’s chest, we finally made it up to a relatively flat section of dirttrail.
“Here’s the waterfall, ma’am. Is this where you needed togo?”
Rik guided our horse around on the left to give me a good look. I wasn’t sure, honestly. It’d been just a glimpse last night and it’d beendark.
:I’m not sure,:I said to Rik.:I can’t feel himanywhere.:
He swung down and reached up to help me dismount.:Walk around a bit. See what youfeel.:
The rest of my Blood fanned out, taking up protective positions down the trail and up ahead, in case anyone came down from the top. Gina stood talking softly with Dr. Borcht and Frank’s team. I turned back to the water splashing on the rocks. I tipped my head back and marveled at how tall the waterfall was. I couldn’t even see thetop.
Closing my eyes, I laid my palm on the wet rock. I pulled up the surrounding tapestry in my mind and searched for anything that might confirm this was where I needed to start. My bonds all glowed, bright and healthy and strong, even my two humans. After giving them some of the golden energy last night, their faces glowed and everyone’s moods today had been positive and warm. No signs of anything negative atall.
Trying to block out those shining bonds was difficult. I finally managed to dampen my awareness of them somewhat. I didn’t feel anything shadowed approaching, even though dusk was falling fast. Chills rippled up my spine. I hadn’t been outside, at night, in days. My period was still flowing but had slowed considerably. I’d used a tampon for the trip, so hopefully my scent was well contained at the moment. I didn’t know how many thralls might be in Venezuela but I didn’t want to find out if I could helpit.
I looked deeper, searching under our bonds. I felt the prior bonds Daire and Rik both had with the Skye court. Though I’d killed Kendall, they had other connections that Keisha would be able to use against us. Though hopefully she’d learned herlesson.
But nothing felt like Leviathan. No scales, no claws, no snake scent, no rumbling beast hidden deep in theground.
I shivered, hugging myself. Maybe I was too late. Maybe the king was dead. I didn’t know what that would mean going forward. If Isis had sent me here for a reason, then Leviathan was important. Why? Why did I have to findhim?
“There’s a legend,” the guide whispered, his tone reverent. “Some believe there’s a portal here that takes you to anotherworld.”
“Here, at thewaterfall?”
He shrugged. “No one knows for certain. Most say it’s at the top of the tepuy, but people have disappeared from this area forcenturies.”
Had they disappeared… or had Leviathan eaten them? If there was some kind of portal or gate here, it might need magic toopen.
Which for me, meantblood.
I didn’t want to flash fangs and scare the guide away. Before I could even think, Guillaume stood beside me, a small blade in his hand. Unobtrusively, I swiped my left palm across the razor sharp edge. Blood dripped down myfingers.
I heard him inhale. All my Blood did. Their bonds sharpened. Rik’s molten lava flowed brighter. Daire’s warcat prowled in his bond. Guillaume’s hoof beats rumbled like thunder on the horizon. Xin’s wolf paused and looked at me, a silver flash against thedarkness.
No snake or dragon ormonster.
My blood plopped onto the ground, and suddenly my ears roared like I’d stepped into a wind tunnel. A gust blew my hair back and water sprayedme.
Wind… from thewaterfall.
“It’s true,” the guide whispered, his voice shaking. “You opened theportal.”
I couldn’t respond. Too many emotions and sensations pounded through me. They weren’t mine, though I felt themintensely.
