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He touched his hand to his heart and bowed so low that his forehead was almost on the floor. ‘I am honoured and grateful that you saw fit to leave me so. I was encouraged to attack you – I was told that I would make a mighty king. In my conceit, I agreed.’
‘Who encouraged you?’ I asked. I waited for Rain’s name to fall from his mouth.
‘Kearns,’ he confirmed. ‘And a vampyr called Voltaire, to whom I owe a debt.’
I tried to keep my shock off my face. Fucking Voltaire; Greg had been right about his hatred of me after I’d piped him, and his betrayal didn’t come as a surprise. But Kearns? He’d been the only one on the Council that I’d thought was definitely for me. If even he was against me… I felt a wave of despair. How on earth would I win them all over without any allies?
We could just kill all the alphas, Esme suggested. Then we’d take over each pack and rule completely.
It was her matter-of-fact tone that chilled me the most. No. That won’t be our way.
Then how, Lucy? she asked, exasperated.
We’ve earned their fear – or at least their caution. Now we’re going to earn their love – or at least their respect.
How? Esme asked again.
We’re going to find Nina’s missing orb and we’re going to restore the werewolves’ lost air powers.
Nothing like a giant order, she snorted.
A tall order, I corrected.
This one isn’t tall like Abberdon; it is giant like Goliath.
It was hard to argue with that. I refocused my attention on Abberdon, who was still almost prostrate at my feet. ‘Do sit up,’ I said, trying to keep my voice businesslike. He sat up immediately. ‘You accept my authority as Queen?’ I asked mildly.
‘Utterly,’ he said instantly. ‘Never have I seen anyone with powers such as yours. It is clear that you are destined to lead the werewolves to our ultimate destiny.’ He looked at me with fanatical devotion and I suddenly empathised with how awkward Emory felt about the dark seraphs.
‘Excellent. I can rely on the County Durham pack, then?’
Abberdon sat up straight, almost vibrating with eagerness. ‘Absolutely, my Queen!’
‘Who, then, is still an enemy of mine?’
He grimaced. ‘Many. But if you silence Rain, the rest will fall into submission – even Isaacs.’
I wanted respect, not submission, but that had to be earned. I would get there. Somehow.
Rain was the lynchpin. I wasn’t interested in earning his respect because I knew what manner of a man he was; what I wanted was a way to humiliate and kill him. I had to completely undermine him then cut off the head of the snake.
‘Be my eyes and ears, Abberdon, and I will reward you greatly for it,’ I promised.
‘Yes, my Queen.’ He clapped his hand to his chest and bowed again. He looked as if he’d do anything I asked, even if it was to take a long walk off a short pier. Such devotion was unsettling and uncomfortable, particularly since I’d done nothing to earn it except for killing three men and sparing him. If that was the bar for devotion, it was very low indeed.
I excused him just as my ‘suitors’ returned. Liam, Archie and David had extended invitations to the other alphas that Samuel had trusted; they returned with confirmation that I could count on a visit from each alpha. ‘Bring me Kearns,’ I ordered.
Archie went to do just that, and moments later Kearns was kneeling in front of me. ‘My Queen,’ he said reverently in greeting.
I had no time or inclination to pussyfoot around. ‘You encouraged Abberdon to challenge me. Why?’
Kearns boldly met my eyes. ‘He was a threat to you, my Queen. He has always been popular amongst the alphas. If there were any here who would take the throne because they are liked, it would be him. Better to have him challenge you here and now and forever settle the issue, one way or another.’
‘I could have killed him!’
‘Yes,’ he agreed. ‘But then the threat would have been eliminated.’
I pinched the bridge of my nose. ‘You had him attack me for my own good?’
