Page 58 of Queen Takes Blood
“What do you want?” Vega asked without any introduction or preamble.
Though it burned like acid in my gut, I inclined my head to her as politely as possible and avoided meeting her gaze, allowing her to think she had the upper hand. “I have an urgent message for Her Majesty.”
“From your queen?”
My jaw worked, my teeth grinding together. I still wasn’t entirely sure how Esetta planned for me to talk my way into Skye court. Other than some whispered gossip about disappearing male alphas, I didn’t have much to go on. “Not exactly.”
Turning on her heel, Vega gave a disgusted huff and started to head back inside. “Fuck off.”
“I hear your queen likes males now.”
Jerking to a halt, she gave me an ugly sneer over her shoulder. “Not in her Blood.”
I shrugged. “I’m already Blood.”
“Exactly. So why the fuck are you here? Go home to your queen.”
“I can’t.” My voice cracked with strain, hopefully giving her the impression that I was near my breaking point. I was—but not for the reason she’d guess. “My queen sent me here.”
“Why the fuck would she do that?”
“She ordered me to present myself to Her Majesty Keisha Skye without delay.” Swallowing hard, I closed my eyes, allowing my face to twist with rage. “Please.”
Eyes narrowed, Vega stared at me, no doubt waiting for her queen to respond. When she finally jerked her head toward the door, I breathed a sigh of relief. The first hurdle.
Take it one step at a time.
Get into the building. Check.
Now get into the blood circle.
Sweat trickled down my face, my eyes burning with fever. Without another word, Vega escorted me to an elevator for a short ride up to the fourth floor. My heart pounded as we walked down the hallway toward another elevator. I could feel the warning buzz of the queen’s blood circle.
“I’ll take your oath first,” Vega said. “On your queen’s blood, swear no harm to anyone in House Skye.”
The gryphon surged inside me, demanding freedom. I’d snap off her head with one bite. Gut the two fools down at the door. Tear this whole fucking place apart brick by brick. Shatter every glass window. Shit on the spotless white marble.
To what end? I wouldn’t be able to get inside the main tower where the queen was. Though I could almost hear Esetta’s voice in my head.Be careful with the wording, Lew.
I clenched fists at my sides, digging my fingernails into my palms. “I, Llewellyn Isador, swear that I will not harm anyone inside House Skye as long as my queen, Esetta Isador, lives.”
Vega laid her hand on my arm and walked me into the warded elevator. I shivered but not only because of the tingling wash of magic along my skin as we passed through the Skye blood circle. Success—yet another reminder that my queen’s days were limited.
I couldn’t help but pray even though I knew my plea wouldn’t change either Esetta’s heart or Isis’ plans for Her house.Goddess, please, don’t take her away from me. Even if that damns me to an eternity of torture trapped in Skye Tower.
Pushing open a door, Vega gestured for me to proceed ahead of her. Dumb move, even with my oath.Harmwas such a very broad word with many definitions. I could all too easily convince myself a killing was necessary, even beneficial in the right circumstances. For instance, I’d certainly rather be dead than live without my queen—though not if that meant I failed to complete her orders.
I stepped into an executive conference room. Automatically I took in the details in a quick scan. One whole wall of glass with a standard business table and enough chairs for ten people. Papers and files were strewn across the table in no apparent order or system. On the opposite end of the room, several chairs were arranged in front of a decorative fireplace. Six women stood around the room. One queen. Three Blood. A human, likely the consiliarius.
The other woman I couldn’t immediately classify. Either she was a very weak queen, Keisha Skye had become so powerful that I couldn’t feel her power at all, or she was a sib not Blood. A large owl sat on the woman’s shoulder, so I leaned toward weak queen. I blinked my eyes three times rapidly to the owl, a sign of respect but also a silent signal, raptor to raptor. The owl gave me a long, sleepy blink back in acknowledgment. Interesting. I sensed goddess intent behind that slow blink, despite the queen’s insignificant power.
Focusing on the seated queen, I stopped several paces away and dropped to my knees before her, a subordinate pose she would appreciate. Keisha Skye was definitely more powerful than I remembered. Staring back at me coolly, she held her power at the ready, prepared to blast me into a smear with a bolt of her fabled lightning. Her arms were casually draped along the padded arms of the chair, though she tapped long lacquered nails as if bored. Or nervous. The air smelled like burning ozone, heavy with the threat of a looming storm.
I inclined my head, keeping my hands still at my sides. “Your Majesty, thank you for seeing me.”
“Vega says you have an urgent message for me. Why has Esetta sent you to House Skye?”
So fucking hot inside, a volcano ready to explode. My shirt clung to me, sweat running in rivulets down my face and neck. Wings beat inside me so hard I couldn’t manage a deep breath. My ribs creaked. My muscles twitched and strained. One slip and the gryphon would rise out of me, screaming a challenge. All would be lost.
