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

“Well, you fought surprisingly well today,” I said, setting down my bowl and spoon.

Raven looked up with surprise, more sauce at the corners of her mouth where the hint of a grin lifted her lips. “What? For a shapeshifter, you mean?”

I pulled out the flask again and took another drink. “Yeah, for a power-hungry leech, you didn’t suck,” I said, offering her the flask.

She took it and drank a larger gulp than I was expecting and passed it back. “Damn, that’s good. Thanks for sharing.”

I laughed and gave an exasperated sigh. “All right, spill. What happened to the meek, subservient girl in the throne room, kowtowing to Magnus? Seems like you pulled an alternate personality out of your ass.”

Raven laughed and held her hand out for the flask, so I passed it back. She leaned back and glanced up at the incalculable number of stars overhead. There was absolutely zero light pollution, and millions of stars shone bright in the night sky. It took her a minute to speak, but when she did, her voice was filled with fear.

“You haven’t been around him long enough, but Magnus is the most terrifying man I’ve ever met. He’s utterly ruthless in the pursuit of his goals, and nothing is off limits when it comes to achieving them…I’ve found keeping my head down is the best way to avoid trouble.”

She took another drink from the flask. “Despite your hatred of me, I’m still grateful, you know. To you.”

“Whatever the hell for?” I asked.

“For getting me away from Castle Aliria, even if it’s only for a little while.”

Castle Aliria? Yeah, she seems the type. I scoffed. “Don’t thank me. I’d have left you there in a heartbeat if I could’ve. I’m just as bad as Magnus, and I don’t need your thanks.”

My words didn’t push her away as I wanted. Instead she looked up at me with a tilted head, her crimson eyes regarding me with intent. “I’ve been watching you, ever since I was told I’d become your tool. You’re not as bad as Magnus. I can say that for certain.”

“You’re wrong.”

Raven shook her head. “I am not. Magnus was cruel when I didn’t do exactly as he said or made a mistake. You wouldn’t hurt me.”

“Don’t be so sure of that,” I replied.

She scooted even closer to me.

“Then do it,” Raven challenged. “Hurt me.”

My first response was to laugh at her; she was right, after all. Even if I couldn’t stand the fact she was a shifter, I wasn’t going to physically hurt her.

But as I gazed down at her pale throat, the slight raised vein on the side of her neck throbbing in time with her heart, my inner demon roused itself from its slumber again at the mere thought of blood.

“Do it, knight. Hurt her. Feast upon her flesh and savor her blood.”

I bit my lip in anger at the flood of desire radiating from my chest. Finally decided to speak after being so quiet? I don’t need your influence, Aspect. Back off.

I forced my eyes away from her neck, but the pull was strong. I wanted nothing more than to feast on her blood.

To lap at her neck and drink my fill.

Get out of my fucking head! You left me to fend for myself with Aliria—I’m not doing a damn thing you demand!

The magic in my heart burrowed free from its shell and filled my veins with ice water as it sought out my brain. The Aspect sought to control me again, its frigid grip on my mind, fogging my thoughts and weakening my resistance.

Pain filled my body and converged on my mouth as if I’d stuck a red-hot coal into my gums and gargled with acid. I backed away and clawed at my face, dragging my nails down my flesh, ripping deep furrows into my cheeks. The pain shifted something in my mouth, and I spat on reflex.

A handful of my teeth and a large gob of blood fled from my mouth.

“What the hell?” Raven asked, stepping back.

The pain receded, and I rode the pain for all it was worth, because it kept the Aspect from taking control of me. Though a sense of smugness came from within.

“Fight all you want, knight. We are one now.”

The Aspect faded back into my heart as I pulled out Raven’s bag and found the item I’d noticed earlier. A small hand mirror.

Opening my mouth with trepidation, I found I’d been changed once again. My canines had elongated and been joined by another set, side by side in my mouth. Just like Eris’s.

I had the teeth of an entomancer now.

The mirror showed them in complete detail, and I didn’t want to look at myself anymore. I stowed it away and sat back on the ground. Raven had distanced herself from me, and I thought that a wise move.

“I wouldn’t put much stock in that theory of yours, Raven. I can hurt you just fine.”

Chapter 9 - Training

Eris

As the glow of leveling up faded away, I knelt as fatigue set in. I wiped my brow; the hot, muggy air clung to my skin and burned in my nose from the salt in the air. Oh, that’s interesting. My Agility increased by five, and so did my Durability. That seems reasonable, though I wish I had gained a bit more mana.

“Congratulations, on the level up,” Gil said. “What’s it at now?”

“Only twenty. I wasn’t allowed to take any really dangerous quests growing up, so it took nearly twenty-two years for me to even make it to nineteen.”

“Well, the rate we keep going, you’ll climb the ranks quickly.”

Gil turned back to the others and left me alone.

The yellow squishy thing