Hive Queen Read online

  As I shut the top drawer and opened the second one, I found it was filled with Sam’s underwear neatly organized by color, mostly hues of black and gray with some dark reds sprinkled in. A quick glance told me what I was looking for wasn't here. I shut the drawer and opened the last one to find it mostly empty, barring two small chests. I opened one to find it filled with gold coins, nearly to the top—thousands of them, but no hair ties.

  With the first one having no luck, I closed it and opened the second one. It was a makeshift jewelry box. Separate compartments for rings, necklaces, and bracelets. All made with the highest level of detail, some with gemstones set into the metal. Why would Sam have these? I've never seen him wear jewelry, except for his wedding ring.

  The matching band around my own finger. I played with it as I searched. Spin, spin, spin. There were plenty of beautiful pieces here, but no tie. I was about to close it when one item caught my eye. It was a silver hair clip, masculine in its structure, but it was so pretty with its emerald stone set in silver. It was otherwise unadorned and plain. It suited Sam, and I would have preferred something more feminine, but it would work, and it was still pretty.

  I picked it up and held it with my teeth while I pulled my hair back and used the hair clip to keep my hair in place. With my outfit and hair problem solved, my ravenous stomach demanded attention. The children have been sleeping long enough. Time to get them up and go eat.

  Closing the drawers, I left our room and headed back to wake Tegen and Cheira. The hallway was clear and silent as I made my way to the guest room. The torches had been lit and cast ample light. I reached the door and entered. The children were right where I'd left them. Tegen was still cuddled into Cheira. I went over to the far side of the bed and shook Cheira; she awoke slowly and yawned, showing her rows of sharp teeth.

  "What is it, Aunt Eris?"

  "Time to get up, sweetie. Breakfast."

  Her rumbling stomach was her reply, and I giggled at hearing it. "C’mon, get your lazy brother up and let's feast.”

  Cheira sat up and rubbed her brown, human eyes. Even though both of them were in safe company, they preferred to use their Camouflage to conceal their true natures. I wished they wouldn't, but I understood why.

  Cheira turned and started poking Tegen, not gently either, with a heavy voice. "Hey, get up, Tegen. I'm hungry."

  He just scooted away from Cheira and waved her off, which made her frown. She grumbled to herself before grinning like a madman. A devious idea played around in her head. She leaned over her brother and whispered to him, "Wake up, or Misumena will eat you."

  Tegen bolted out of bed as if it were on fire. "I'm up, I'm up! I swear!"

  Cheira rolled on the bad, clutching her sides as she shook with laughter. It went on for a half a minute before she calmed down and climbed out of bed, tears streaming down her face.

  She wiped them, still chuckling to herself. "Gets him every time."

  Meanwhile, Tegen glared daggers at his sister for pulling her prank. He was upset, and there were a few tears in his eyes, though for different reasons. I went over to him and knelt to wrap him in my arms. "There, there. It will be all right, little one."

  Tegen was prone to tears easily, and Cheira knew it, too. For her to be younger than Tegen, she acted like the big sister. The mean tomboy big sister.

  "Cheira, apologize to your brother."

  She huffed but apologized. She knew she had gone too far. As soon as the words left her mouth, Tegen stopped crying and went and hugged his sister. Much as they fight and bicker, they love each other to death and would do anything for each other. It was a wonderful sight to see, and it made me hopeful for the remaining members of the Hive. With both of the spiderlings up and my belly crying from lack of food, we all headed for the kitchen.

  I held both of the children's hands as we left the room and walked down the many stairs to reach the first floor. The top floor bedrooms were deserted, but the second floor was bustling with half a dozen of the maids that kept the castle clean. I hadn't explored the second floor much; it was filled with training rooms and workshops. Things I didn't have any business with, so I stayed away.

  We descended even more steps till we reached the first floor. Even though we were still a good distance away from the dining hall, hints of food being cooked wafted our way: baking bread and the heavier scent of cooking meat. Bacon, if my nose was telling me straight. The curious sniffs from the children told me they could smell the food too.

  I smiled down at them. "Let's hurry!"

  We quickened our pace and, in a minute or two, had reached the heavy door to the dining hall. Before I even opened the door, several people talking at once and boisterous laughter slipped through the crack under the door. I tugged on the door and just managed to pull it open. I held the door for the children and squeezed in just as the door shut with a thud.

  If the scents of food were strong in the hallway, in here, they were nearly overbearing. A dozen different smells swirled around me, from the soothing scent of fresh milk to the sharp tang of peppers cooking. Too many different kinds of scents sent my poor nose into overwork, but I tried to ignore it as best I could. It was all heavenly, but thick and heavy.

  The dining hall was built with the same stone as everywhere else in the castle but had over half a dozen windows that were open to let in a cool breeze which swept some of the heaviest scents out. The morning sun shimmered off Lake Gloom in the distance. The water looked inviting but would have to wait, as I desperately needed food.

  From a quick glance, it looked like most of the Gloom Knights were here eating. There were several huge wooden banquet tables in the room, but everyone sat around the largest one that sat closest to the giant stone fireplace, which had a raging fire going. I searched the faces of everyone, looking for Sam, but he wasn't here.

  Odd, I wonder where he could be? I'll ask the others after we eat. Most of them were busy with the food on their plates, but Gil, Wilson, and Evelyn glanced up as we entered. Both Evelyn and Wilson returned to their food, but Gil welcomed me with a broad smile that showed his shining teeth that only served to stand out next to his chocolate skin.

  "Good morning, Eris. I was wondering when you and the lug-head would crawl out of bed," Gil boomed, his voice deep and rumbling like thunder as he spoke.

  His serious voice didn't match his friendly attitude at all. Gil was the big brother I'd never had, and I couldn't help but grin at the giant.

  "Good morning, Gil!" I beamed at him.

  I sat down across from him, and the children sat on either side of me. The children were frightened of so many humans around, and they huddled into me, refusing to look at anyone but each other and myself. I stroked both of their heads in an attempt to get them to open up.

  Gil just watched the exchange with quiet bemusement on his face. Though his words finally registered past my hunger.

  "Have you not seen Sa—Duran this morning?" I said. Whoops, that was a close one.

  Gil picked up his mug and gulped what smelled like ale and wiped the foam from his mouth before speaking.

  "No, least I don't think I've seen him today. We talked for a bit last night, but that's it. Why? Wasn't he with you all night?"

  I shook my head and was about to answer when one of the maids tapped me on the shoulder. She was cute, with dark brown hair that stopped at her chin and curled. Her brown hair and freckles gave her a mousy appearance.

  "What can I get for you, Miss?" she asked.

  "Oh, uh…"

  I'd completely forgotten about food, but as soon as it crossed my mind, I couldn't notice anything else. I looked down at the children and asked them what they wanted, and I wasn't picky, so I let them decide.

  "Meat!" they said in unison, and I couldn't help but laugh. I turned back to the maid with a chuckle. "Well, you heard them."

  The maid blinked. Squishing her eyebrows together as her eyes darted from the children and me to Gil.

  "Um, am I missing something?" I
asked Gil.

  He looked like he was trying so hard to hold in a laugh, his cheeks were red, and he was trying not to smile. He pointed to the children. "We can't understand them."

  I nearly slapped myself. How could I forget such a simple thing? "Oh...right, I forgot that."

  Gil couldn't hold back his laughter anymore and nearly doubled over from his giggling. I had to smile at my own idiocy. I forgot that no one else could speak Rachnaran. Through all this, the maid was still waiting patiently for our order.

  "I'm sorry about that; I completely forgot that little fact. Um, could we have a bunch of meat? No other preference beyond that."

  The maid nodded at me. "Right away, Miss, and what to drink?"

  "Milk will be perfect."

  She nodded once more and turned to head back to the kitchen. I wasn't brave enough to drink ale first thing in the morning, and from what Sam had said, I was a lightweight, whatever that meant.

  Gil was still chuckling softly to himself. I wonder if anyone else has seen Sam?

  I looked over to where Evelyn was eating. Her pale skin and silver hair were perfect, not a strand out of place. She was picking her way through a plate of eggs and bacon, though she was hardly touching the food; instead, she was buried in a conversation with her brother.

  I hated to interrupt them, but my need to ask about Sam outweighed my reticence. "Um...Evelyn, could I ask you something?"

  She looked up in a flash, her golden eyes ringed with fury. It sent a wave of chills down my spine, but as soon as she noticed it was me who had spoken, her fiery gaze softened considerably.

  "Oh, it's you, little queen. What can I do for you?"

  I was suddenly less sure of asking her questions, I hadn't truly believed Sam when he had told me Evelyn was dangerous, but the darkness in her eyes was unmistakable. I sat with my hands in my lap, running my fingers over each other while I worked up the courage to speak.

  "H—Have you seen D today?"

  With the drop in temperature from her eyes came quizzical humor. "The guild leader? I haven’t seen him since yesterday. Why? I thought you and he shared a bed. Trouble in paradise?"

  "Of course not, but Tegen and Cheira didn't want to sleep alone, so I slept in the guest room."

  Evelyn picked up a piece of bacon. The smell sent even more waves of hunger through me. She took a deliberate bite and chewed thoroughly. Her eyes never left mine, but there wasn't a trace of her earlier hostility. Her eyes were smiling at me, but I hadn't the first clue why.

  "Right, the spiderlings."

  She nudged Adam with her elbow; he jumped and looked up from the book he was reading. "What?"

  "Have you seen the guild leader today?"

  "D? No, not since yesterday. Why?"

  I frowned. This is getting strange. "Surely, someone has seen him today?"

  Adam returned to his book and picked up a strawberry from his plate and popped it into his mouth. "I'm sure he's fine," he mumbled, already engrossed with reading.

  I was about to ask Makenna and Harper, who were sitting a few seats away, but the maid returned with our food, and my stomach forced me to put Sam out of mind while I focused on quieting my pangs of hunger. She set the plate down along with three mugs of milk. Tegen and Chiera's eyes lit up at the sight of so much food. The dish was piled high with bacon, sausages, and ham along with a half a loaf of bread and some spicy smelling pork in a brown sauce. All were nearly spilling over the plate.

  I let the children dig in, but there was more than enough food for all of us. I picked up a piece of bacon and nibbled on it, but it was overcooked—well, overcooked to me. So I let the children devour the rest of it. I tried one of the sausages, and the hot juice and spice flowed into my mouth when I broke it open.

  I savored the flavor. It was indeed quite spicy, but I enjoyed the heat as it brushed my tongue. Tegen enjoyed the bacon, but Cheira didn't much care for it. She, like me, stuck to the spicier meats. They didn't touch the bread, so I tore it apart and dipped it into the brown sauce. Which turned out to be spicy gravy. It was delicious, and I mopped up every last drop, and when the spice became too much for my mouth, I washed it away with the milk. It was cold and tasted fresh, which was strange, as I hadn't seen any cows in the castle. Where did the fresh food come from?

  I was going to ask, but the children were eating their weight in food, and there wasn't much left, so I picked at whatever they didn't like until I was stuffed. From the looks of content on the children's faces, they'd eaten their fill. They simultaneously took hold of their milk and drained it to the last drop. It was adorable.

  With my hunger satisfied, my thoughts immediately turned back to Sam. I knew he wouldn't like it, but I was getting worried, so I trailed a tendril of thought through our bond. It was just enough to crack open the door to his psyche. It was also enough to tell me everything I needed to know.

  Sam was gone, far away from me, and he was afraid.

  A pit of despair rose up in me, and there was nothing to stem the tide of grief that overtook me.

  Sam was far away, so very, very far. It was like a punch to my stomach, and for a second, I forgot how to breathe. I choked and nearly spit up my milk, but I fought back the bile and the sadness that rose in me.

  My heart was about to crack at the terror radiating from my bonded. My lungs wouldn't work anymore, and I let a few tears escape while I fought to keep from sobbing.

  Chapter 3 - The Cracks Deepen

  Sampson

  "What are you saying?"

  I understood Magnus's words, but they refused to make sense. My mind didn't want to comprehend what I’d heard.

  A thousand years? That's impossible!

  I stood from the chair so fast, it tipped over, clacking heavily against the stone floor. It can’t be true. It can’t be. There was a plan, right? A plan for going back to Earth after the ghouls had been dealt with. They wouldn’t just leave us here!

  But my thoughts rang false. We were nothing but lab rats, to be discarded when we’d served our purpose. I’d known that from the moment that man placed the barrel of his pistol against my head. We were completely disposable.

  I grabbed the mug of ale in front of me and downed it. The sweetness did nothing to ease the turmoil running through my head. I looked around for Magnolia and motioned her over. She came to me immediately.

  "What can I get for you, My Lord?"

  "Whiskey," I managed to stammer out.

  She left without a word, and I stared down at my hands for a minute or two, trying to process things.

  While sweet, the ale had some effect as inebriation kicked in. Rapturous bliss brought heaviness to my thoughts, removing my inhibitions and, by some miracle, it let me think around the world-shattering revelation Magnus dropped on me.

  What am I freaking out about? So what if we’re stuck here? There was nothing left for me to return to anyways. Mom, Dad, Micah. They’re gone. Sophia’s gone. I’ve been dead for a very long time. My body is probably dust by now. There is nothing left in that world for me. This is my home now.

  By some miracle of the gods, Magnolia returned quickly and set down a rather large bottle of liquor and a glass.

  I didn't even bother to read the label, it’d probably cost a fortune. I don't give a fuck what it is at this moment, could be paint thinner for all I care. I poured the whiskey in the glass and chugged it, barely paying attention to the sickening burn and nausea as I filled my throat to the brim with forgetfulness.

  All right, so we've all been here a hell of a lot longer than any of us realized, so what? Doesn't change anything. Doesn't change the life I've built.

  I poured one more glass of the top-shelf whiskey, not nearly as full as the others, and knocked it back. The drink was already starting to hit me. A soft fuzziness slipped in from the edge of my vision.

  I poured one more and drank it slow. After nearly three glasses of liquor, I was finally ready to face Magnus.

  He hadn't moved from his seat. Both he and
Aliria watched me devolve in silence. Magnus still held his look of sadness like he’d accidentally kicked my puppy, rather than shoved a stick of dynamite in my skull and lit it.

  Regardless of the turmoil I was going through. All I had to do was ignore it and keep pushing on. Easier said.

  I put the thoughts out of mind and focused on Magnus. "Okay, so we've been here for a thousand years. How? Why?"

  Magnus sighed and leaned back in his chair as he worked through his thoughts. "Are you sure you want to know? It won't change anything. You can leave, you know, go back to your castle and live the rest of your days in peace."

  "After all this, all I've gone through these past weeks, just pack up and leave?"

  "Of course. You weren't supposed to be involved in the first place. A mistake on my part for handling the situation poorly, but nevertheless, you can wash your hands of this, go home and spend time with your wife."

  His words were tempting, enticing even. I fiddled with the ring on my hand, considering his offer. Just leave Magnus to his own devices and go back to running the guild and spending time with Eris. It was my dream goal. The goal I'd been trying to find for so many years—a life I was content with.

  Magnus was a bad man, yes, who kept company with some of the worst scum I'd ever come across here, but who was I to cast stones? With the things I'd done, I had no room to judge anyone, and he was right, after all.

  This wasn't my problem. I liked his offer, and I was going to take it. Walk away from all this, go home, and spend a week in bed with Eris.

  I told this to Magnus, but what I said wasn't what I meant to say. My words twisted, and what I spoke wasn't what I'd said.

  "Regardless of any of that, I'm here now, so tell me."

  Godsdamn it, Ouroboros!

  This was the second time it’d taken over my words. Whatever purpose it wanted me for was here, with Magnus, and I knew too well the pain that awaited me if I tried to fight it.

  I growled under my breath. Fine. I know you’re listening to me, so hear this. I’ll cooperate, for now, but don’t you think for a second I won’t settle accounts when this is all said and done with.