Hive Queen Page 3

  I remembered the pain I was forced to endure, the agony of my heart being ripped to shreds by the war of the two magics, and when Eris told me of the Aspect, she had mentioned it was acting unusual, so her words made sense. But beyond that, I think I knew all along. Ever since I became the Hive Knight, the Aspect's had a hold on me, twisting me into something dark.

  Aliria smiled. "But you've known, haven't you? You can feel the Aspect inside your mind, driving you, pushing your anger and rage."

  "How did you know that?"

  "Because I was once like you."

  "I don't understand?" I replied.

  "You wouldn't know this, but the black magic that cursed my daughter to her prison and bound the two of you together is a much stronger version of the bonding magic the Hive used to bind our partners together. Though, because of the nature of the spell, you have it far worse than I did.”

  Son of a bitch. I understood the meaning of her words now. All this roundabout speak was leading me to the only conclusion available. I drained the rest of my ale, though it too was losing its flavor. My stomach was in knots. Magnolia was there to hand me another mug of ale, but I held off.

  Eris told me once that the females were considered the property of the males, but what Aliria was saying was much worse than that. If they used a form of black magic to bind them, then the females were literally slaves. Eris and I were bound through the black magic, and then we'd bound ourselves together through the bonding ritual.

  Not to mention Ouroboros’s influence, turning me into the Hive Knight. Yeah, after all that and the Aspect, I'd consider myself an abomination too. So that explains Aliria's behavior in the Mnemosyne.

  "You killed your husband to remove the magic that bound you together."

  Aliria smiled and laughed, a true laugh that held none of her earlier bitterness. It was throatier, but her sing-song musical laugh was very much the same as Eris’s. She kept up her laugh and looked at me in a new light. "You're not as inept as I first thought."

  Magnus let out a disjointed bark that I took to be laughter. His eyes glazed over, and he swayed in his chair, which looked ready to topple to the floor at any moment. "See, A-Aliria…told you he was c-c-lever."

  Least I have the drunk’s vote of confidence. At the sight of Magnus deep in his cups, Aliria scowled, which, strangely, fit her face better than if she were laughing. I could handle it better than her friendly laughter. "Dear, I think you've had enough to drink this evening."

  "Psh, no, you're…you're ridiculous." He turned to me and breathed heavily as he tried to speak, his wine-soaked breath pungent even from where I was sitting. "Hey, Duran, you tell her I'm still good to go!"

  "Sorry, Magnus, but you're trashed."

  At this, Magnus stopped. He had been reaching for the next bottle of wine on the table, but hearing my words, he put down the bottle and seemed to consider what I'd said. He looked down at himself for a moment. "Hmm, it seems you are both correct. I am quite…how did you put it? Oh, yes. Trashed.”

  I laughed a bit, and the heavy tension between Aliria and me seemed to abate for the time, as we both had to deal with a drunk Magnus. "It’s okay. Happens to the best of us. All you need is a little time to sober up."

  Magnus's eyes glinted—something I said was funny to him. "You're quite right about that; I just need to sober up is all." He raised his hand and snapped his fingers. It cracked through the hall, echoing around before sinking into the heavy stone walls.

  What the actual hell? In the span of half a second, Magnus had rid himself of his drunken stupor. Before, stood a sloppy drunk with glazed eyes and a bright red face. Now stood the man I had met in the throne room. His sandy hair swept out of his eyes, which stared at me, alert and with intent.

  "How?" I asked.

  He smiled wide at me, a knowing grin, but one that wouldn't let slip his secrets easily. "It’s bad form to ask a player about their class, and besides, that would be telling."

  He had me on that one, but still. "Oh, come on, you're doing things that should be impossible. I don't think game etiquette really applies here!"

  Aliria interrupted me. "I'd save your breath; he wouldn't tell me either. I had to figure it out myself, though if you guess right, he'll tell you."

  I sighed as a headache crept in. Dealing with these two will drive me up the wall. "With how infuriating you both are, you guys are made for each other."

  At that, both Aliria and Magnus smiled at each other, a gesture so different than what I'd come to expect from them, it put me off. It was a look of affection between two lovers, two people who cared dearly for one another. A look I knew well.

  Aliria's hardened features softened as she spoke. "Well, we've had plenty of time to get used to each other." She reached across the table and took hold of Magnus's hand, to which he responded with an affectionate squeeze. "That we have, love. That we have. A hundred years, and its flown by so fast."

  Their clear adoration for each other only made my longing worse. It hurt to be away from Eris, and to see such love only drove it home.

  I was so lost in thought that what Magnus said hadn't really registered. And then it crashed into me as my brain caught up to what he had said. A hundred years? Has Magnus lost it?

  "Hey, Magnus, you might want to check your math. We haven't been here thirty years yet, let alone a hundred," I said.

  Magnus shifted his gaze from Aliria to me, and his eyes went from lovelorn to filled with sorrow in an instant. They held an emotion I couldn't place, sadness and regret perhaps. It, more than anything else Magnus had done, frightened me.

  "Oh, dear boy, you don't know, do you?"

  "Know what?"

  He sighed deeply; it sank my heart to hear, and the heartbeat between his sigh and his words stretched on forever. After a lifetime, he spoke again.

  "We haven't been in the Ouroboros Project for twenty-nine years, Duran. We've been here for over a thousand."

  Chapter 2 - Alone

  Eris

  The early morning light hit my eyes and woke me. I groaned, not wanting to get up, but I was cold and hungry, and I really needed to pee. I blinked my eyes, but they were heavy and didn't want to cooperate with me. After I wiped the sleep from them, I rolled over.

  The stone ceiling above me wasn’t the same as the one in Sam’s room, which confused me for a moment before I remembered. I was in the guest bedroom. I sat up from the comfy pillows I'd been lying on and noticed Tegen and Cheira huddled together against my side, their fine brown hair a chaotic mess.

  They'd clung to me ever since Sam saved them from the slavers. I know they're still frightened about being near humans, but I do hope they'll come out of their shells a bit more. They'll be scared of humans forever at this rate.

  Though, those two weren't the only ones who needed to be open-minded. Sam's kept his distance from the spiderlings. I know he's afraid of spiders, but he's an adult. He can afford to be more open.

  Thinking about Sam brought a smile to my lips. I hadn't spent much time alone with him in the last few days. Which is my own fault. I'd spent the entire trip back to Gloom-Harbor with the little ones. Neither of them liked being alone and were so wary of Sam and the rabbitmen that they'd refused to talk to anyone but me.

  "We'll just have to change that. All right, time to get up and start the day!"

  I sat up off the comfy bed reached over to shake the children. Tegen's eyes jumped open at my touch, but he smiled when he saw it was me. "Time to get up, Tegen," I said.

  "It's too early, just a few more minutes," he mumbled.

  "You don't want to sleep the day away, do you now? Come on, wake up your sister, and let's go get breakfast!"

  Tegen just rolled over and cuddled up with Cheira. I smiled at his back. I guess it won't hurt anything to let them sleep in, and there isn't anything important to do today anyway.

  That and it would give me plenty of time to bathe and get myself ready. I didn't have any of my clothes in the room with me, but Sam had c
leared a bunch of space in his wardrobe for me, which I appreciated. It was kind of him to turn his bedroom into our room.

  I opened the heavy oak door that led out into the hallway, the guest room was located on the top floor of the castle with everyone else's bedrooms, but it was also the furthest from Sam's room. I shut the door as quietly as I could; the spiderlings would sleep through a thunderstorm, but I didn't want to wake any of the guild if I could help it.

  They've all been very gracious to accept me into their home. I know Sam's the leader, but everyone's been very welcoming. I made my way through the hall as quiet as I could, though the thick red rug that lined the entire hallway made it very easy. My bare feet enjoyed the plush carpet under them.

  I reached the door to the room and was just about to go inside when footsteps rose from the stairwell. They were light and padded, muffled by the stone walls. Almost as soon as I heard the steps, I wrinkled my nose. The rough stench of water, moss, and fungus tinged my nostrils. It was the smell of Lake Gloom. Strange, who'd be at the lake at this hour?

  A second later, a thin man with long shaggy brown hair walked up the stairs. His hair was so thick and unruly that I couldn't even see his eyes, though he could see me. He smiled when he noticed me, waving.

  "Ah, good morning, Eris. I hope fortune finds you well, and may your skies never darken."

  "Good morning to you too, Markos. How are you today?" I asked. I didn't really understand his words, but they were meant with sincerity, and that was good enough for me.

  "The Fates have found me in fine health this morning, is Duran up yet? Miguel and his crew just finished unloading our profits and picked up their shipment of mushrooms. Duran told me to tell him when the Delilah arrived.”

  Ah, that explains the smell. I shook my head. "I’m not sure if he’s up yet, I was just going to see him and get a bath. Would you like me to get him for you?"

  Markos shook his head, "Oh, no, it’s not that important. He can deal with the coin at his leisure today or tomorrow, though I’m sure Wilson would insist it being today.”

  I pressed down the brass handle and kept my voice low. "I’ll let him know, I promise.”

  "Thank you. May the light always find you smiling."

  "The same to you." Markos was a strange man, but he was an easy person to like. I nodded my goodbye to him and stepped inside.

  Sam wasn't in bed. His bed was unmade, and the pillows were strewn all over it. His fluffy crimson blanket was halfway off the bed.

  I chuckled at the sight. Sam never makes his bed. I'll have to try and break that bad habit. A bed should always be made properly each morning. Well, I could at least make the bed for him in the meantime. It wouldn't take long. I busied myself with the task. The sheets are dirty and will need to be washed before we leave for the Silvanus Darkwoods.

  My heart swelled at the prospect. There are still some Hive left. I couldn’t fight the wide smile that tore at the corners of my mouth, and I hummed while I worked.

  I’m not alone anymore! I tried to keep up a brave face for Sam, but some nights I could still hear the call of the void, and I knew it would never truly leave me.

  Sam was the only reason I hadn’t succumbed to my misery, but the fact that there were others of the Hive sent my head spinning. I went to head into the bathroom when I noticed the door to his balcony was open. Is he outside?

  I walked onto the balcony to find it empty. There was nothing out here but a large crystal bottle, half-filled with amber liquid. I picked it up and took a sniff. The sharp medicinal scent burned my nose and made me want to sneeze. Why would Sam leave his liquor lying on the floor? He's lucky it didn't break. I didn't know what to make of it. Sam was usually a neat person; he wouldn't just leave something lying around to get damaged or lost.

  Well, he's not in bed, and he's not on the balcony, maybe he's bathing? That thought brought a smile to my face. We hadn't shared much intimacy with the children around, and while I had to take care of them first. I missed Sam's touch. I crept to the door and opened it as slowly as I could, wanting to surprise him.

  As I opened the door, I was met with silence. The clear absence of the room told me Sam wasn't here either. I couldn't stop the smile from falling from my face. I wanted to spend some alone time with him. I don't know why, but I'm starting to feel uneasy. But I was being ridiculous; Sam was just downstairs getting breakfast.

  I could've used our bond to check on him, but Sam valued his privacy. He wouldn't say it, but I know he didn't like it when I abused our connection.

  Even if I can't share it with him, I still need to bathe. We could always take one together later, after all. I stepped over to the edge of the bath and stripped out of my shirt. I sat down on the lip and stuck my feet in the water. The heat was wondrous. Sam had increased the temperature of the water, and steam rose off it to swirl about in the air. It floated towards me and was blown away when I breathed out.

  I stayed there for a few more minutes, staring off into space and daydreaming, the shimmer of the water along the walls made getting lost in thought easy here. I had to quit when my stomach growled with hunger.

  I lowered down into the bath, the water came up almost to my neck. The bath was built for Sam, who was a bit taller than me. At least it didn't swallow me completely, though if I were any shorter, it would. I proceeded to wash myself clean. As the soap ran over my pale skin, hints of vanilla, lavender, and cherry stuck to me. It smelled like Sam, which sent my heart fluttering.

  I washed the sweat from the night before from my skin and let the water carry the suds away. I wonder how the bath stays clean? Sam said he had help from Adam in building it, but I hadn't the first clue how it worked. Sam told me Adam was a genius with building things, but I couldn't begin to understand how he did it.

  When my hair was clean, I grabbed the washrag floating in the water and cleaned my ears. They needed extra attention, and I would need to see if Sam had any oil I could rub on them. They dried out and flaked easily if I didn't take care of them.

  I looked through the rack, but there was nothing there. I didn't expect there to be, but Sam was very hygienic and kept himself clean, so I was hoping. I guess I could ask Makenna or Evelyn if they have any. Yumiko also takes good care of herself, but I’d rather not ask her.

  I wouldn't bother the vampire unless I didn't have a choice. Maybe Sam isn't the only one who needs to get past his prejudices? I had a strong distaste of the nocturnals, but I could do with being more tolerant of them. Or Yumiko, at least.

  My rumbling stomach screamed for attention, and so I unwillingly climbed out of the bath. My hair was still soaking wet, and it kept getting in my face. I wonder if Sam keeps an extra hair tie around somewhere?

  I padded over to the washbasin next to the bath. The gray stone was cool to the touch. It was nice after the heat from the bath. The steam made me lightheaded. The mirror had fogged over, so I wiped it clear with my hand. My reflection stared back at me. The pale skin of my face was red with the heat of the bath.

  My dark blonde hair even darker and heavy with water, it streamed down my face to drip onto the floor. My black eyes stared back at me. I'd always hated them because they were so different than the others. Everyone else got pretty rainbow colors, and I got stuck with the ugly black ones. Father hated them and would insult them whenever he could. But that was then.

  I don't mind them so much anymore; they have a depth to them that the others of my kind didn’t have.

  It took time, but I was coming to accept and even enjoy the previous aspects about myself that I once hated. Though as I stared down at my breasts, I still wished they were a bit bigger, even if Sam liked them. I grabbed a towel and dried and brushed my hair. There wasn't a hair tie on the basin, just more soap and Sam's razor. With the towel wrapped around me, I left the bathroom and went to get dressed.

  I placed the towel in the wicker hamper by the bathroom door and went searching for a hair tie. The first place I searched was the wardrobe, but I did
n't have any luck. There were several sets of armor and my chestplate in the top, along with our casual clothes in the bottom drawers, but no hair ties. Since I was over here, I picked out what clothes I wanted to wear.

  Sam bought me plenty of outfits to wear, as well as several matching skirts, I didn't really see the need to wear them, but Sam was adamant about it. At least he didn't make me wear shoes. I hated shoes with a passion. Nothing but cramped, sweaty toe prisons, and I'd had enough of prison to last several lifetimes.

  I picked up one of my newest shirts. It was a deep burgundy color with a high collar that clasped around my throat. I might just leave it unbuttoned, though. I slid it on and tried to find a matching skirt. I had several ones that would work, and I decided on a black one that stopped mid-thigh. I had a longer skirt, but I preferred the short one.

  “If I’m forced to wear one, I’m going to wear the one that covers me as much as absolutely necessary and not an inch more.”

  When I was dressed, I checked the last place I could find a hair tie, the nightstand. I opened the top drawer to find it dominated by pieces of wood in disarray, along with a set of knives and odd instruments. There was a rather large piece of wood that looked to be in the process of being carved. I picked it up and turned it over.

  I gasped in surprise. It was me. A tiny, incredibly detailed statue of me, down to my eyes and ears. It was carved with loving detail and could only be from someone who loved the subject. I couldn't stop the few tears that fell from my eyes, nor from my heart straining against my ribcage like it was going to burst from my chest. It's beautiful, Sam. Thank you.

  I set the sculpture back in the drawer carefully as not to damage it in the slightest. I didn't want him to know that I'd seen it; I would have to act surprised when he showed it to me. Just thinking about it brought more emotion welling up, so I doubted it would be too difficult.