Page 51 of Queen Takes Triune
“Why would Jörmungandr take her?”
His eyes hardened like amber diamonds as his wolf flowed back up to swallow his human form. “I don’t know, but I intend to find out.”
As he sank into swirling shadows, he released a mournful howl. His pack howled around him, their song of rage tugging on me until I rose up and howled too.
They turned and faded back into the forest one by one, still pausing occasionally to howl at the moon. The pack instinct was strong. My wolf wanted to join them, racing silently through endless forests, nose to the ground while we hunted for the missing queen who smelled like warm spiced apples.
Butmyqueen smelled ever so much better.
Night-blooming jasmine and desert sands. Hot, thick blood, the taste burning on my tongue. I dropped my nose and focused on her. She smiled, though the twinge of sadness in her eyes made me pull my tail tight.
“For a moment, I thought you’d leave me.”
:Never, my queen.:
She raised her bleeding wrist toward me, but I resisted the equally-compelling urge to lick that warm trail of blood from her skin. If she thought I would ever abandon her, then I didn’t deserve such a reward.
“Drink, my wolf, and know that I love you.”
* * *
SHARA
Sadness lingered, even though my ghostly silver wolf lowered his muzzle to my wrist. I couldn’t shake the image of the young woman trapped in darkness. I still held her necklace in my hand, so perhaps that explained the connection I felt.
I allowed the pendant to slide off my palm. As the silver chain slithered to the ground, I saw again the dark scales tightening around her. The stench of the snake was still thick in my nose. I’d smelled Mehen’s scales before and it hadn’t bothered me.
“Because I’m not a fucking bag of festering poison,” my dragon retorted.
“What do you know of Jörmungandr?”
Mehen came closer and dropped down beside me. “He’s another bound monster whose release is supposed to bring about the end of the world.”
The crow queen chirped and sent me an image of her cozy, warm nest.
“Of course, Nightwing. Thank you for coming to help me with the wolf king. You can take the necklace back with you until we find its owner.”
The other crow hopped down from my shoulder to snag the silver chain and the crows flew back toward the heart tree.
“What else do you know about his legend? How did he become imprisoned?”
“Odin threw him the fuck away into the deepest part of the ocean,” Mehen replied. “When Jörmungandr is finally freed, he’ll drip poison and blood into the oceans and destroy the world.”
“Ragnarök,” Rik added as he dropped down behind me. He wrapped his arms around me, and I instantly felt better. Less sad and hopeless, and more solid. How could I ever feel uncertain when I had solid rock at my back? “The great battle where the world is destroyed and many of the Norse gods are killed. I know a bit about it since I’m descended from giants, though my line is Germanic not Nordic.”
“Forgive me, my queen.” Xin looked up at me, no longer his ghostly wolf, though his eyes were haunted. “The wolf song was supposed to bring you joy, not sadden you.”
I hooked my arm around his neck and drew him closer. “I loved it. For a moment, though, I felt you gliding away from me. Not physically, but mentally. Like you were already gone with the pack.”
“The pack instinct is strong,” he admitted, pressing his forehead to mine. “But not stronger than my love for you, my queen.”
Ignoring the other man, Mehen leaned in and playfully nipped my shoulder. “How about we get this garden party started?”
I raised an eyebrow at him, though a smile quirked my lips. “What did you have in mind?”
“An orgy beneath the full moon.” He gripped the material of my dress in his teeth and gave it a tug. “Duh.” Rik thumped him in the bond, and he grudgingly added, “My queen.”
Though this wasn’t a formal affair by any means, I’d selected a gauzy silver gown that made me think of the full moon. I’d wanted to look the part of a garden party, even if it was just us. Besides, I was starting to like having nice clothes for a change. Especially when I put on something pretty, and then saw the heat glowing in my Bloods’ eyes when they looked at me.
