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“Mayte is a daughter of a god as well,” I added. “Though we only confirmed his identity recently.”
Mayte rolled her eyes. “Nothing like our queen, who’s also the daughter of a god. Though I admit I am getting stronger every day. It’s as if your blood has broken a dam inside me, letting loose a torrent of new power.”
I didn’t move a muscle but sent tendrils of my hair sliding up her arm teasingly. “Then imagine how much stronger you’ll be once we regularly meet and feed on each other.”
Her breath sighed out, her eyelids fluttering. “That will be amazing. But not because I might gain more power or even enjoy giving and receiving as many orgasms as possible, though obviously that’s a huge benefit.”
Laughing, Leonie sat up and rose from the bed so she could remove her gown. “Obviously.”
“Just to have other queens to converse with is a blessing. Queens I can trust. Who know what it’s like to carry so much power.” Mayte opened her eyes, her brow crinkled, her lips tightening into a frown. “I have no idea how you manage to carry so much power, Shara. I’m exhausted every day, and it’s nothing like the load you must carry.”
I stroked my fingers over her cheek, trailing down her graceful neck. “Mostly I’m too busy trying to stay alive to worry about how heavy everything is. But you’re right. It can be exhausting. When I spoke with Isis today—”
Her eyebrows rose. “What? When?”
Leonie slipped back into bed with us, snuggling up against me once more. “Our queen had an eventful forty-eight hours.”
I blew out a sigh. “Understatement of the century. Downstairs in the ballroom, there’s an altar my grandmother had removed from Isis’ temple in Aswan, Egypt. When I stepped onto the stone, I spoke with the Great One. I drank from Her again, and it was like being swept away in a flood. Clinging to a little twig, trying to hold onto the smallest piece of myself. I don’t want to lose who I am.”
“Goddess,” Mayte whispered.
“Literally,” Leonie added softly.
“I didn’t know we could feed directly from our goddess.” Mayte looked over at her. “Have you?”
“No, never. I haven’t seen Her face, though I have spoken to Her. Many times. Though sometimes She sounds like my mother.”
“This is a new world for Aima.” Mayte turned her attention back to me. “You’ve purged the old blood from the courts to make room for fresh, new ideas and generations of new queens to come.” Her head tipped and a mischievous look flickered across her face. “When will you be ready for your own heirs?”
I rolled my eyes, though I could feel my cheeks heat. “I have too much work to do to even think about having an heir right now.”
“But?”
I looked from her to Leonie, hesitating a moment. Weighing whether I wished to even discuss it outside of my Blood.
But how could I profess to love them and welcome them into my bed with open arms if I kept a part of my heart and mind separate? “May I tell you something no one outside of my Blood knows?”
They both nodded solemnly.
“When I went to release Basilia in Mykonos, I spoke to her goddess, Medusa. My dragon king carries the last Gorgon blood remaining on this earth.” I waited, watching their expressions carefully. Interest. Curiosity. Then lightbulb.
“She wants you to have an heir with Leviathan,” Mayte whispered.
I nodded.
“Did you agree?” Leonie asked.
“I didn’t refuse.” I released a long breath, nodding softly. “If I do, Medusa promised she would carry all the Gorgon gifts.”
“Plus whatever Isis blesses her with,” Leonie replied, her voice just as hushed.
“Exactly.”
“She might even be stronger than you, my queen.”
My jaw tightened. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
VIVIAN
