Page 5 of Queen Takes Sunfires 2
Weariness ached in my bones. The endless throb in my mouth told me I needed what Eivind could offer, if I only dared take it. Surely I had used those fangs in my lifetime and fed on another person. No, not just anyone. I instinctively knew that humans wouldn't give me what I needed.
I needed Aima blood. Like his.
But there was something I needed to remember first. Maybe there was a very crucial reason that I couldn't remember feeding on another person like us.
Holding the borrowed coat closed, I slowly turned to face the woman waiting for me. She smiled, and I definitely saw the family resemblance with Eivind. She had his reddish hair and a sprinkling of charming freckles across her cheeks, though her eyes were emerald green.As I approached her, energy began to buzz in the air. Fine hairs on my arms tickled. Something inside me heated, as if my blood had caught fire.
Reflexively, I jerked my attention up to the sky, searching for the flash of sunfires. The sun was low in the sky and weak compared to the burning torment of Ra’s sun. Some kind of dark bird floated in a slow spiral above, but it seemed focused on something out in the water.
A lot of water. Lake. I knew the word, but I couldn’t remember seeing such wonders in… forever. Trees lined the shore, not olive trees of my homeland, but beautiful just the same.
“Welcome to House Ironheart,” the woman said, drawing my gaze back to her. Three men stood behind her, giving me pause. They were large and intimidating, but that wasn’t what made me hesitate. There seemed to be something odd about them. They weren’t human for sure, but I didn’t think they were like Eivind, either.
They didn’t speak to me and didn’t hold any weapons. They certainly didn’t carry a sunfire demon like the Soldiers of Light. But they definitely carried something not of this earth.
I’d feel so much better if I had someone on my side. If Eivind hadn’t tucked tail and left me here, at least I’d know someone. I didn’t know who to trust. I had no one to protect my back, like these men were evidently protecting hers. I had no idea what the protocols were when meeting another Aima queen.
I had nothing. Not even clothing. I’d take even a hated golden robe right now. I was weak and faint with hunger that no human food would sate. Yet there was no way in hell I could trust these strangers.
Nothing showed on my face. I’d had an eternity to perfect the smooth, blank look of a marble statue in Heliopolis. My life had depended on never showing my true emotions. Never allowing anyone to see how much I hurt. How scared I was. This place couldn’t be worse than that hell, and this woman, this queen, certainly wasn’t Ra. I didn’t have to trust her to know that I was at least marginally safer here than in Heliopolis.
I took another step closer and the buzz intensified. It took me a moment to realize it was the power I'd drained from the skeletons. Liquid solar energy still hummed inside me, rising as I neared her. At least I wasn’t completely helpless against this unknown queen, though I wasn’t sure how I could use it against her if needed. Was the buzz some kind of defense mechanism? Hers or mine? I wished I could remember more about how this all was supposed to work.
She held both hands out to me. "I'm Helayna, Eivind's sister. Please, be welcome inside my nest."
He'd said something about a nest before, which I'd thought pretty odd coming from a wolf. Hesitantly, I placed my fingers onto hers. Immediately, the humming, prickling energy dropped as if she'd peeled back a curtain. I took a step closer and the invisible curtain tinkled and sparked along my skin, but it didn't hurt. He'd said I'd be safe from anything inside her nest, but my gut insisted that was impossible. Surely I'd been safe as a child in a nest much like this one, until Ra's minions had come and destroyed everything.
Was I supposed to kneel before this queen? Show some kind of deference? I had no idea how powerful she was, or the hierarchy. But after being God’s Wife for so long, I couldn’t find it in myself to show deference to her, or anyone for that matter. I needed her help, so I didn’t want to anger her, but I refused to start off submissive. Even in her own home. Not unless I had no other choice.
“Thank you for the welcome,” I finally said, trying to match her smile with at least a gentle curve of lips, though my face felt stiff. “I’m sorry, I don’t know the appropriate greetings or rituals. I hope my ignorance doesn’t offend you.”
“Not at all. We’re very informal here. Karmen, right?”
"Oh, yes, sorry. Most of the details about this world are still foggy. I'm afraid I don't remember much at all, even about the basics."
"Do you remember your house name?"
“Sunna.”
“A solar house. Very interesting.”
There was a kernel of hesitation in her voice. Distrust. Surprise. I wasn’t sure which, but it warned me to keep my secrets close. She turned to the three men who’d been waiting silently behind her, tucking my arm through hers to keep me close, like a sister or friend. It seemed so very odd given that she’d just met me. But again, perhaps it was part of the custom of welcoming a queen to one’s nest.
“Karmen Sunna, these are my Blood. Dörr of the Black Mountain, Svar of the Endless Slough, and Mryk of the Bottomless Pit.”
Each of them inclined their heads as she introduced them, murmuring, “Your Majesty,” in deep, rumbling voices.
“Thank you,” I repeated, not sure what else I should do. It would help if I knew what Blood meant. The way she’d emphasized the word told me it was important.
Luckily Helayna didn’t pick up on my confusion as she led me toward a two-story cabin. Rocking chairs and swings lined the wraparound porch facing the lake peeking through the trees. “We’ve only been here a few days, so I’m afraid we don’t have much set up yet. I didn’t know we’d have visitors. Do you know any other queens? I’m rusty with Aima court etiquette myself, but I’m sure I can call someone and get you in touch with them.”
“No. The only other queens I knew were my mother and aunt, but they’re both dead.” I didn’t elaborate on the details. I wasn’t sure how much Eivind might have told her about me, but I didn’t want to get into Ra and Heliopolis unless I had to. She certainly didn’t have to know that Aunt Lynnea had died trying to save us, and my mother had suffered at Ra’s feet while he put me on a small throne beside him until I was of age to conceive.
Our capture had broken her. She’d sobbed and screamed so much that he’d quickly given up on trying to get her to conceive another queen.
I’d had to watch while the sunfires devoured her.
Inside, the cabin was just as homey and welcoming, from bright, cheerful pillows and comfortable looking chairs to a bright white kitchen with vases of flowers and bowls of apples on the counter. It was all miraculous to me. She didn't live in fear, here. The windows were large and uncovered. Nothing was gilded or hard or grim.
