Queen of the Lycan - Karina Espinosa (bill gates book recommendations .TXT) 📗

my report from last night’s Council meeting, I hurried off to my next meeting, which was with Lucian. Ranulf worked quickly and sent word right after the meeting concluded, asking Lucian to arrive at the castle at first light, which was quite a sacrifice on Lucian’s part since he was a vampire. Though sunlight didn’t harm him, it made him extremely tired. Since he was ancient, even in vampire terms, sunlight didn’t affect him like it did newbie vampires.

I waited in Alexander’s office until Lucian strolled in dressed in his customary all-black ensemble with a black umbrella tucked underneath one arm and expensive black sunglasses covering his eyes.

“Good morning, Pet,” he announced cheerily, his broad smile a welcome sight first thing in the morning. “The office suits you.”

I gave an embarrassed shrug. I still hadn’t gotten the courage to sit behind Alexander’s desk. Case in point: I was currently leaning against it. “Thanks. Sorry to rustle you out of bed so early.”

“Nonsense. Anything for you, Pet. I got Ranulf’s message and understand how dire the situation is. Tell me, is Alexander all right?”

I nodded. “He’s recovering. Honestly, I think he’s perfectly fine and just milking it at this point,” I chuckled.

“Probably,” Lucian laughed along with me. “But your father deserves some time off. He’s worked incredibly hard all these years.”

“Yeah … which is why I need your help getting the bastards who did this to him. They’re hiding in the forest.” I gripped the edge of the desk with such force, I could splinter wood.

“You want me to speak with Ailios?” he guessed.

“Only if you’re comfortable with it.” I sort of fibbed with the Council. I mean, the Highlanders trusted Lucian way more than they did the Council, but Lucian and the Highlanders weren’t exactly besties, either.

“I’ll do my best, Pet. Do you know who else you should speak with, since I’ll be in the forest?” he asked pointedly.

“Who?” I raised a brow.

“Ophelia. The Sisters of the Sight might be of great help,” he said, looking at me knowingly.

I bit my bottom lip. I owed Ophelia a call anyway. I was just waiting until Sunday, since I knew I’d see her at my coronation. I peeked at the guest list and saw she’d already RSVP’d. Ophelia was an oracle who knew my biological mother Adaline, who was an oracle before her untimely death. She promised to train me, but I kept postponing our lessons because my oracle abilities had been dormant lately. They typically only showed up when I was feeling extremely emotional, but I hadn’t had a vision in months, almost a year.

I was a hybrid – a cross between a wolf and an oracle – which was supposed to be impossible in the supernatural world. Because of my lineage, I was scared that I’d find out my oracle abilities were gone. My attachment to that side of my history was odd since for so long, I hoped to find a way to get rid of it. Now I didn’t want to. Go figure.

“You think Ophelia would help?”

“For you? I’m almost positive she would,” Lucian confirmed. “She asks about you often, Pet.”

His admission made me feel like shit. I was the absolute worst at keeping in touch. But it wasn’t like the old woman had a cell phone.

“Fine. Go visit the temple and see if they can assist. And …” I paused and bit my lip again. “And tell Ophelia I’ll see her on Sunday.”

Lucian winked. “As you wish, Pet.”

6

The months before my coronation seemed to zip by, but the night before my coronation felt like it passed in a blink. Just thinking about it kept me awake in the darkened room beside Bash. He spent the evening with me in the stables with my horse Shadow, trying to distract me from tomorrow’s coronation. It worked … until now, when the room was quiet and my mind was left to wander.

I quietly slipped out of bed and tiptoed out of our bedroom and into the common room of our wing. Grabbing a robe on my way out, I wrapped it around my body and slipped on a pair of fluffy slippers. Clothed as much as propriety required, I left the guest wing to roam the dark, empty castle.

The corridors were dimly lit with sconces along the walls, which made it just bright enough not to stumble, but also had the added effect of making it look eerie. I wrapped my arms around my midsection and a shiver slid down my spine.

I wandered the castle halls aimlessly until I found myself on the other side of the building standing outside the council room hallway, gazing at the portraits of past MacCoinnich Kings. Hesitantly, I reached out to touch Alexander’s painting but pulled back at the last second. There was an unspoken rule that one could look, but not touch.

I always thought he looked unbearably sad in his portrait. A young Alexander was seated on the throne in full Highland dress with his crown perched on his head, sitting erect and stiff. His gray eyes looked dead as they stared back at me. I wondered if this was my fate in the years to come.

Suddenly, I heard his voice. “What are ye doing up so late?”

I jumped nearly ten feet and clutched my chest to stop my galloping heart. “Shit!” I took a deep breath. “You nearly gave me a heart attack! When did you get here?”

“Just now,” he answered as he shoved his hands in the pockets of his blue robe. “I was heading to the kitchen for a glass of milk when I felt yer presence. Is everything okay, darling?”

I nodded sheepishly. “Yeah, just couldn’t sleep,” I mumbled.

Alexander smirked. “Yer nervous.”

I bit my lip. “Sorta.”

Alexander wrapped an arm around me and pulled me toward him in a one-armed hug. “It’s okay to be afraid, darling. I was scared too, the day I became King.”

I peered up at him uncertainly. “You were?”

“Aye. My da had just died and I