Hive Queen by Sinclair, Grayson (ereader iphone .TXT) 📗

“Well, given the stakes, tensions are going to run high all around. But as Eris said, we were behaving inappropriately.”

“Yes. Thank you, little queen. I’d have hated to take your lover’s head. I kind of like him.”

I laughed and reached for my flask, only to find that I’d left in back in Magnus’s study. Oh, well. “I’m glad too. It would be a pain to respawn and level up now.”

“You wouldn’t respawn. Not this time, Duran,” Magnus said, laying his palms flat on the table. “It’s why I couldn’t bring Jasmine back and why I’m thankful no blood was shed between us. The system has worsened faster than before, and I’m afraid there are no more respawns for any of us.”

I slumped over in my chair, deflating at his words. Silence filled the room, broken only by the subtle gusts of wind that howled through the open windows.

So this is it for all of us. We either fix what’s wrong with the system or we die for real. Fuck, I’m not cut out for this.

Any thought of food soured in my mouth, and I fought the churning in my stomach and swallowed bile. I’ve died before, but I’ve never had so much to lose as right now. I can’t afford to die, not yet.

“Okay,” I said, raising my head. “How do we stop it?”

“We don’t,” Evelyn said, turning to me. “They do.” She swept her hand past Magnus and Adam. “They helped build the damn thing. They’re the only ones who can even hope to fix it.”

“So what’s the problem? Why can’t you fix it?”

“It’s not that simple,” Adam said with a shake of his head. “I’m going to have to dig into the root directory to find out what exactly is going on, and that’s complicated, to say the least.”

“Do tell,” I replied, drumming my fingers along the edge of the wood. “Seems there is a lot you still haven’t told me.”

He shook his head. “You know most of it…”

“But not all of it.”

“Playing coy after all you’ve revealed to the boy? Don’t get squeamish now. I’ve heard Magnus’s side of the argument, but I’m so curious about yours,” Aliria said, her arms crossed as she leaned to the side of her chair.

Adam sighed. “When the schism happened, Nick and I argued on the correct course of action, much like we’re doing now. We just couldn’t reach common ground, as he wanted the most extreme option.” He looked from me to Magnus with fire in his eyes. “Nick went behind my back and used his admin access to override the system and force it to purge all non-essential data. He betrayed me.”

“I’ll say what I told you then, what I told you minutes ago. I did what had to be done. You were content to sit and watch while trying and failing to come up with an alternative. I took decisive action and saved everyone I could.”

“It doesn’t give you the right to play god!” Adam shouted, standing up so fast, his wooden chair clattered to the floor.

“Do you hear yourself, James? With the power we wield in this world, we’re as close as we can be, you two especially. If not us, then who?” Magnus asked.

“This isn’t what our power was meant for! We are supposed to be guardians, protectors, not executioners!”

“By the nine kings of hell! Can you two not fight for two seconds?” I asked.

They both turned to me as I ran my hand over my face, my jaw tight from clenching. “Adam, I understand your position, I do. But the perfect option doesn’t always exist. We have to do what we can with what we have. And unless you have a definite plan to save everyone, it’s just wishful thinking. Let’s hear what Magnus has to say, because from where I’m sitting, he’s the only one here with a plan already in mind.”

He jabbed a finger at me. “This isn’t your─”

“Let him be, brother. Guil─Sam is right. And he’s earned his place here; even I can’t deny that anymore.”

Adam sat down in a huff, but when his eyes met mine, gone was the hostility. His eyes were back to the normal, back to the eyes of my friend. “You’re right. Both of you. I just─the whole point of this entire project was to save as many people as we could.”

“Which is exactly what I’m trying to do, James. You have to admit to yourself that what I’m doing is the best and only way we can save as many people as possible.”

“I can’t admit that, but I’ll hear you out this time, at least,” Adam said and knelt to pick up his fallen chair off the ground.

I stood up and leaned on the table, looking at Magnus. “I’m assuming that your plan is the same as before?”

“Essentially. Though we can’t shrink the island, as it’s the last landmass in this world, we delete everything we can, starting with the NPCs since they take up the most data besides players. We delete as much as we can to save as many people as possible.”

“As long as everyone I care about is safe, I’ll help in any way I can.”

Magnus nodded; his lips pressed together as he folded his hands in his lap. “I’m glad to hear it, but we can’t begin without James.”

“You want my override code?”

“I need it.”

I held my hands up. “What override code?”

Magnus stood from his chair as someone new entered the room, the clink of crystal on metal caused me to turn as Magnolia came in with drinks. But at a second glance, my eyebrows raised. I was wrong. I’d reflexively thought it was Magnolia, but it was actually Aliria. She carried a tray of drinks in both hands without so much as