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“I cut my hair off in this house for a reason, daughter of mine. A symbolic act, of course, as I surrendered my power and Blood, but also to keep it safe for the day I could give it to you. My power is an insignificant drop in the ocean compared to yours, but you’ll find all my secrets woven into these strands. All my magic. Small yet precious treasures hidden within just for you.”
In the darkness, the two ruby tears glowed in her throat, and I could suddenly smell her blood. Flowing over me, filling my mouth. Liquid moonlight. Pure, clear water glistening like crystal ice. Warming to thick honey, sprinkled with velvety petals of blue lotus.
“Carry my hair, my power, and know my blood already flows in your veins. You’ve tasted me because you’ve tasted Her. We’re in every drop of your sweet blood. Generations of Isador queens, living on in you.”
Her voice softened though her hands still stroked my hair. Her cheek pressed to mine. “Most of all, I am so proud of you, Shara Isador, only beloved daughter of Esetta, daughter of the Great One but not the last. Nothing you could ever do will disappoint Her—or me. I knew exactly what kind of queen you would be, and She is well pleased in our daughter.”
* * *
RIK
My queen didn’t reach for me in the bond, but I felt an urge deep in my bones to go to her. Her bond dipped into the quiet stillness of heavy sleep, and my queen always slept better wrapped in Blood.
I found her curled on her side in the sunken pool beneath a heavy black blanket that cascaded across the marble floor. Only when I touched her, I realized the blanket was her hair. Thick and heavy, several feet longer than when she’d left the bedroom. Like Esetta’s hair in Lew’s memory.
Reverently, I lifted her from the tub, trying not to disturb her. Her hair dragged the floor, but I was afraid I would tangle it if I tried to gather it up. Or worse, wake her, after she’d struggled to find any peace after Thierry’s ordeal. Nevarre generally claimed hair duty for our queen, but I had a feeling he’d be challenged by everyone wanting to get their hands in our queen’s new display of power.
:Dibs,: Vivian said in the bond, at the same time that Daire said, :Bet.:
Nevarre only laughed softly. :Anyone who wishes to assist with our queen’s hair can challenge me for the opportunity on the green.:
:No fair,: Daire retorted. He’d already faced—and lost—Nevarre’s caber toss. :You can’t dress her and claim her hair too.:
Before the discussion escalated from Blood teasing Blood to a full-blown argument, I sent a firm alpha push through everyone’s bond to quiet them. :As always, she’ll decide who goes where when she’s awake. Until then, Lew, keep Thierry under your watchful eyes at all times. Daire, Guillaume, with me. Sekh, take charge of the shift changes.:
Her first three Blood. Her closest in many ways—though Daire would object right now. With the addition of Sekh, Daire was feeling a little lost and overlooked. He didn’t have the military and warfare background of Guillaume and Sekh. He wasn’t an assassin like Xin. He wasn’t a king or a renowned warrior. After seeing me killed by her venom, he couldn’t deal with her cobra queen.
He was the brattiest brat there ever was, always good for a laugh and a cuddle. Not that she’d had time lately for much relaxing in bed while he purred for her. Now, he feared losing even that, since Sekh was also feline. Though I had no idea if the sphinx could purr.
:Can a sphinx stand in a blasting sandstorm beneath the blistering sun while raging floodwaters close over his head and still guard for all time?: Sekh made a low grunt of disgust in his bond. :Of fucking course I can fucking purr the stripes right off the warcat. Let the little fucker purr, alpha, and I’ll hold my peace. As long as he doesn’t fuck up again.:
:He’s young,: I replied, feeling the need to defend him.
I am too. Too young compared to these ancient, powerful, legendary Blood she’d called to her side. I hadn’t even hit one-hundred years on this earth, yet I was supposed to command a five-thousand-year-old sphinx and the last Templar knight while wrestling Leviathan, the king of the depths, into submission. Praying I didn’t fuck up myself as my queen rose in stature on the Triune.
Daire hopped onto the bed with the lithe ability of his cat to land on any surface without jostling her sleep. Already purring, he made a nest for himself in the silken tumble of her hair, draped across her legs. Leaving room for Guillaume on her other side opposite me.
Sekh didn’t challenge me. In fact, he seemed perfectly willing to do whatever I said, even after I’d tried to pound him into the ground. Tried. Because if he’d wanted to pull on his sphinx, he’d have ripped us all apart while she was unaware and drunk on his blood, and he wouldn’t have needed the legion to help. My rock troll’s formidable strength had barely put a dent in him.
:So are you, alpha. Yet you never once thought to cause a single moment of harm to our queen to protect yourself. My sphinx will crumble to dust and blow away on the winds of time before I’ll ever cause her a moment’s sadness by harming someone she loves. Unless they fail in their sacred duty to protect her.:
In the bond, Sekh yawned, head back, lion teeth glistening. :Even the motherfucking dragon.:
31
GUILLAUME
I didn’t sleep so much as drift, soaking in Shara’s presence. Wallowing in her scent of smoldering magic. Power rolled from her, even while she slept so heavily I couldn’t feel her mind wandering the bond at all.
A luxury I’d never been allowed in all my years of service to my former queen. May she suffer for all time in the worst hell imaginable.
My queen’s lips touched my throat, directly over my pulse, and my body zinged to full awareness.
Though she’d only been asleep a few hours, she felt alert and well, especially in her spirit. A feat indeed after the long healing session she’d endured to bring her mother’s Blood back from a rotten shell of a thrall.
“We didn’t die today,” she whispered.
“The day isn’t over yet,” I replied lightly. It was, if we counted the sun rising since we’d left the nest, but she knew what I meant.
