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:Agreed,: Sekh said. :Unless Kijin and Gorgos are willing to work together and pick us off one by one.:
:True,: Guillaume replied. :Though their body language says they’re just as suspicious of each other as us.:
:They’re Skolos. We’re not.:
:How about we compromise?: I suggested. :If we pair up as much as possible, rather than everyone stick together, we can at least spread the fight out while still having backup.:
:That works,: Guillaume replied approvingly.
I focused on Itztli’s bond. :You’re in charge of the battle strategy. Use your blade skills to protect our shifters and match up the rest of the Blood into pairs as you see fit.:
:Understood, alpha. I’ll make their empty skins dance.:
:What about the legion?: Guillaume asked.
:If I bring the entire legion to this plane, the carnage will be immense,: Sekh replied. :They must feast to return to their eternal watch. I doubt our queen would be pleased if a few thousand humans disappeared after her publicity stunt on the same beach. Though even ten sphinxes will certainly sway any battle in our favor.:
:Can they cross the queen’s blood circle?: I asked.
:Not until I bring it down. It’ll take me a few minutes if it comes to that level of battle.:
Leviathan let out a disgusted sigh, blowing a plume of smoke around our queen. :She doesn’t smell like a Gorgon. Maybe that’s why I missed eliminating her.:
:What do we know about Basilia?: Shara asked.
:Not much,: Guillaume admitted. :General?:
Sekh’s eyes deepened to bronze, and he stared at the approaching queen. Her mahogany hair was plaited and wrapped around her head. She wore a forest green gown to highlight her lighter green eyes, high necked and old fashioned like something from the Elizabethan era with long, wide sleeves down to her knees.
His eyes flashed back to gold. :Her primary home is on Mykonos. She hasn’t demonstrated her power in a long time nor left her island in decades, at least. Though I have Seen her as a hydra centuries ago. She can kill with a stare if she’s shifted and breathes poison. She was born after your imprisonment, dragon. Her mother was called to Rome before you went on your rampage and thus was spared.:
:Cut off one fucking head and another sprouts,: Leviathan said. :Better to eat her fucking heart. I call dibs.:
“You called this quorum, Undina,” Basilia said. “Let’s discuss your so-called urgent business so we can all return to our busy lives.”
“Oh,” Carys said out loud, and then turned beet red. Winnifred flapped her wings and squawked.
:I take it she’s the one who wants me dead?: Shara asked in the bond.
“Ironic, Basilia, since you were the one who couldn’t be bothered to answer Aleka’s calls all week,” Undina snapped. “This way.”
:Only the second one-hundred percent I’ve ever seen, my queen.:
:Given our current situation, how likely is she to succeed with her goal?:
Carys paled and swayed, leaning against her as if suddenly ill. :Goddess, Shara. It doesn’t look good at all.:
Seemingly unbothered, my queen laid her fingers on my arm and started to walk after Undina. :Then I’ll have to be ready to change the game as soon as I have the chance.:
* * *
SHARA
Power prickled the fine hairs up and down my arms, humming and ready to strike. Though I didn’t have a reason, let alone any idea what kind of defenses Basilia might have against me. With three Skolos Triune queens ready and eager to pass judgment, my entire House could be put to the sword if I acted without cause. Even if we fought our way free, Marne Ceresa would be all too eager to back any Skolos execution order.
We’d be hunted—unless I had cause to kill another Triune queen. The Mother might have sent me here to save the Skolos Triune in some way, but I had to assume another queen’s death would still be a strike against me.
I kept my blood contained without letting it drip free, grateful for my nails that allowed me to easily pierce my skin without drawing attention from the other queens. Though I had to remember not to touch the bracelets and reveal their presence in front of the other queens. Hopefully they wouldn’t be able to smell my blood, either.
