Page 40 of Queen Takes Blood
It was all I could do to refrain from seizing the man by the throat and demanding answers. My temper screeched and howled like a clawing, fevered, rabid beast. Biting back a retort, I silently followed my brother like a shadow, allowing him to do the talking as we’d agreed.
“We’re only thirty-one years old,” Tlacel said in an even, amiable voice. “We would have come sooner, but Grandmama refused to tell us where we were sired until Mama passed away.”
A small white lie. Mama was still very much alive, though I’d hardly call her day-to-day routine living. She mostly lay in bed or outside on a blanket on nice days. Grandmama tended to her every need.
“Fine, young, strapping lads,” the man nodded approvingly. “Her Majesty might like you very much indeed. I’m Seti, by the way.”
“I’m Tlacel, and this is my brother, Itztli. Forgive our ignorance but we know very little about House Tocatl. Is this a large court?”
Seti grunted. “No, there’s just a handful of us. Her Majesty prefers to remain hidden, even among our own kind. If you hadn’t offered blood to honor her, then I wouldn’t have revealed myself.”
I clenched my jaw, fighting back another urge to say something harsh. Tlacel hadn’t offered thequeenhis blood. He meant to honor her goddess—and prepare the way for our full sacrifice. No goddess would look kindly on the elimination of Her heir, even one who allowed other vulnerable queens to be hurt and damaged.
We had no intention of leaving Teotihuacan alive.
21
TLACEL
Seti led us across the courtyard to a complex southwest of the Pyramid of the Moon. As we walked up the short flight of stairs, my skin prickled like I’d rolled in a fire ant hill. White columns marked the entrance to what had once been a grand palace. Another man waited just inside the roofed entrance, dressed in the same unassuming clothing.
In contrast, we’d worn our very best traditional Mexica attire of hand-dyed leathers with colorful beads, shells, and feathers. They had to be Blood, likely very old and powerful. I didn’t understand why they didn’t celebrate our heritage but chose to dress like colonizers. Perhaps they simply wanted to blend in, hiding in plain sight in case humans wandered into the city. Though with the building sense of dread squeezing my heart, I couldn’t imagine a human risking coming so deep into the ruin.
With each step up toward the columns, the sense of foreboding increased, making it nearly impossible to move my body forward. I couldn’t draw a deep breath, nor focus enough to touch Itztli’s bond to see how he fared. My nerves burned and muscles twitched, making my movements stiffer. My fingers twitched, itching with the urge to lay my hand on a weapon. Though I suspected the two Blood would cut me down in a heartbeat if I reached for even a knife on my hip.
Danger. Leave. Turn back now.
The compulsion buzzed in my veins. No wonder House Tocatl had been able to remain hidden and safe here.
Itztli ground his jaws together so hard I could hear his teeth clanking. Sweat beaded my forehead, my stomach a hard, cold pit of iron. It took all my will to take that last step onto the veranda. Immediately, the weight of dread dissipated, leaving me staggering to catch my step.
Seti chuckled, giving the waiting man a wink. “Very good, lads. That’s the hardest part. This is Tecuani, alpha of House Tocatl.”
My eyes flared and I barely avoided letting a sound of surprise escape. Alpha? He was barely as big as me, let alone Itztli. He didn’t radiate strength and dominance, and other than giving him the title, Seti didn’t show any deference to the man. Granted, I’d never been to a nest outside of my own, and Zaniyah had always been more of an extended family than a political court, but nothing made sense here.
To be safe, I bowed to the man, hand over my heart. “Alpha, this is my brother, Itztli, and I am Tlacel of House Zaniyah.”
Without a word, the man turned and walked away. Maybe to report to his queen? But why not use his Blood bond? Or maybe he just didn’t care.
Seti patted my shoulder like we’d been friends my entire life. “Not to worry, lad. Not just anyone gets into Tocatl nowadays. What was your mother’s name?”
“Citla Zaniyah. She fostered here thirty-two years ago.”
“From Tenochtitlan?”
“Yes, though Grandmama moved our court to the countryside outside the city shortly before its fall.”
Throwing his head back, Seti laughed as if I’d told him a joke. “We’re practically neighbors, lad. I had no idea anyone from Tenochtitlan had survived. Your Grandmama must be one hell of a woman.”
“Tocih Zaniyah, daughter of Coatlique, is one hell of a fucking queen,” Itztli growled.
Seti laughed again, shaking his head. “I mean no offense, lad. She wouldn’t make the trek with you to meet her neighbors?”
Wide-eyed, I cast a quick glance at Itztli.:Why would they want her to come along too? So they could form an alliance?:
:Or, more likely, kill her and destroy our entire house.:
I was spared from having to provide a response by Tecuani’s curt, “Bring them.”
