Page 46 of Queen Takes Sunfires 2
The man’s head tipped back, and his eyes caught fire, glowing with red-gold energy disturbingly similar to the sunfires burning in the lake. Beams shot out of his eyes, making me recoil a step. An image formed in the air, hanging above his queen’s head. It took me a moment to realize it was the lake, seen from above. Like a recording of what the Blood had seen as he passed over it.
Fiery, brilliant essence flowed and spun around a black center with dizzying speed. The faster the outer circle spun, the brighter it glowed. Fingers of energy flew up out of the bunch, turning into flames and fireballs that had nearly burned us out of the nest. Tendrils surged up out of the swirling mass, as if they were trying to escape. Shapes formed, flowing and transforming so quickly that it was hard to identify them. Horses. Things with wings. All glowing as bright as the sun. They surged up out of the burning ring, but inevitably sank back down toward the inner hole.
“Sepdet is the center,” Vivian said grimly. “He’s known as the darkest light for many reasons. Certainly the most violent, the Soldier of Light who reveled in torture and pain the most. But also because his power still worked even if it was dark outside. For that reason, Ra often used him for night-time raids on queens’ nests. A day-time attack would require a pair of sundogs to kill the queen.”
“Yes.” Helayna’s voice shook. “The sundogs entered the nest. My blood circle wouldn’t keep them out. Karmen said they were used to kill the queen, and she sent me into the house to find darkness.”
Vivian nodded. “Darkness will stop just about any sunfire except Sepdet. He revels in it, and now, it appears as though he’s gotten even stronger.”
“Is the power his? Or his sunfire’s?” Shara asked.
“The power is his sunfire’s, but I’m not sure why his sunfire didn’t abandon him. Smoak says most of the sunfires abandoned their soldiers when Ra died. But not Sepdet’s. He doesn’t know why.”
“He can communicate with them?”
Vivian clenched her jaw, dropping her gaze to the ground as her queen focused on her. “Forgive me, my queen. There is much I haven’t said about sunfires.”
Shara shook her head. “I haven’t had the time to ask you, and we didn’t need to know before.”
“The sunfires share a common consciousness. They are independent, but united. What one knows, they all know.”
“Son of a bitch,” I growled, my wolf’s ruff flaring again. “So they’ve got a spy right here in our nest? Thanks a lot, Isador.”
Shara gave me a quelling look that practically lopped off my tail. “If you believe that I would betray your House, wolf king, then perhaps you don’t need my help at all.”
“Forgive my brother, Your Majesty. He doesn’t speak for House Ironheart.”
“I understand your anger,” Shara said. “But please direct it at yourself rather than me. I’m not the one you’re truly angry with.”
Shame choked me. I squeezed my hands into fists, fighting to control my wolf. It paced frantically, claws ticking on my ribcage. But she was right. I was furious—at myself. It wasn’t their fault that I’d been an idiot and left Karmen to deal with these sunfires on her own.
“As I was saying.” Vivian gave a pointed look at me, her lip curled with distaste. “The sunfires can all communicate among themselves because they share one consciousness. That doesn’t mean they’re telling their handlers what they know. For instance, Sepdet has no idea where Karmen is, even though Smoak knows where she is, what she’s doing, and what she is feeling, because he’s part of the sunfire collective. But he wouldn’t betray her. Neither would the sunfire held by Sepdet.”
“Wait, please,” I whispered, determined to keep my tone pleasant. “She’s alright? Even though sunfires took her?”
“Yes.” Vivian spoke, but all three women all gave me a pitying look again, making me feel like a toddler with a soiled diaper. “When Ra died, the Soldiers of Light legions split into factions. One small group retained their sunfires, and that group got Karmen out of Heliopolis alive. They retrieved her when Sepdet arrived, taking her to safety. Most of the sunfires abandoned their handlers, but Sepdet’s couldn’t break free. Why, he’s not entirely sure. But Sepdet is using him to suck in all the other sunfires to him, increasing his power exponentially. If he succeeds in drawing in all the remaining sunfires, that will include Karmen. She’s one of us now, plus she…”
Her face blanked, her lips clamped firm.
“Vivian?” Shara said slowly. “Are you alright?”
“Yes, my queen. Forgive me. I cannot say more. It’s not my place. I cannot betray my sunfire’s trust.”
“I understand.”
Fucking hell. I didn’t. I didn’t give a rat’s ass about her sunfire. I only wanted to make sure Karmen was alright.
“The main sunfire consciousness is Quasar,” Vivian continued hoarsely. “He’s the energy pulling the others to him like a black hole. If we can free him, then he will bring all the sunfires with him. They’ll flock to Karmen, and Sepdet will be powerless.”
“And how do we do that?” Helayna asked slowly. “I’ve tried everything I could think of to put out those fires and nothing has worked.”
I didn’t like the smile forming on Shara’s lips. It was too knowing by far. Too… secretive. As if she saw the universe unfolding around her and guided the stars and planets to fall out of their orbits to suit her whims.
“We fight fire with fire, of course.” Shara turned away, her Blood at her back suddenly even more alert. “A human approaches from the road.”
“What, here?” Helayna exclaimed. “Who could that be?”
A sudden pit of dread opened up beneath my feet like that black hole burning out in the lake. I had a very bad feeling about this.
