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

The dining hall was comparably muted to the rest of the extravagance in the castle. An equal mixture of dark stone and wood filled the room. Stone floor and ceilings, with wooden support beams along the walls that formed rows of archways. Wide-open windows let in soft cool light along with a gentle warm breeze. From a glance as I passed by the window, I spied the deep sand dunes of the Badlands in the distance.

That puts this castle on the furthest edge of the Isle of Nexus, past the ruins of Machine City and into some truly dangerous territory.

I was distracted from gazing out the window by the clink of glass on wood. I turned to find Magnus drinking alone at the head of a large banquet table. Two long rows of chairs sat unoccupied. Magnus had just finished a large drink and spoke to another one of his maid staff. It wasn't Jasmine, but it could’ve been her mother. She had the same skin tone and hair color, if longer and pulled back out of her face.

As I approached, Magnus stopped whatever he had been saying to the woman and acknowledged my presence.

"Ah, Duran, would you like a drink before dinner?"

"Sure."

He nodded. "Magnolia, please uncork another bottle of wine if you don't mind, and whatever our esteemed guest would like."

"Of course, Master. Another bottle of the surilie?"

“Please.”

Magnolia turned her attention from Magnus to me. Her darkened eyes were waiting. When I didn't immediately respond, she cleared her throat and spoke. "And for you, My Lord?"

"Oh, uh, ale," I said.

"Any particular?"

"Surprise me."

Magnolia nodded and exited the dining hall. Leaving us alone with each other. I just stood there in front of the table, not so sure of what to do with myself. Magnus took note of this and chuckled. "Come now, Duran, I won't bite. Sit down and share a drink with me; it might surprise you to learn I don't get to do this very often."

I find that hard to believe. As much power as you wield, I imagine there isn’t much you couldn’t do. I kept my thoughts to myself, but raised an eyebrow, a frown formed as I stared at him.

He grinned wide at my expression. The tanned skin of his face only brought out the sharp white of his teeth.

"I imagine you could get anyone you wanted to have a drink with you," I said.

Magnus threw back his head and laughed. The much-needed sound broke the tension in the air. I chuckled myself; his laugh was infectious. I pulled out one of the heavy oak chairs and sat down next to him.

He spoke through his laughter. "Much as you might be right about that, it's rare that I have anyone other than my servants or Aliria to drink with me, certainly not someone I could treat as an equal."

I scoffed. "Equals, not hardly."

He just laughed harder at my words, thumping his empty wine glass on the table in the process. "Ah, dear boy, maybe not in terms of wealth or power, but those are trivial matters. You have tenacity and strength of spirit. Things neither money nor power can purchase."

I didn't get a chance to respond to his words, as the door to the hall was thrust open. Aliria strode through, followed by Magnolia carrying our drinks.

"Ah, I figured I would find you here…and Duran is here too, lovely."

Well, it was a nice evening while it lasted.

I inclined my head to our new arrival. To which she just smiled at me. A wicked grin that showcased her prominent sets of canines. "How was your bath?" Aliria asked.

"Not as quiet as I'd have liked, but I made do."

What the hell is your game, Aliria?

She frowned at my words. "Did you not like my present?"

"It was unnecessary."

Magnolia came and poured Magnus another glass of wine, and a rich aroma spilled out of the bottle. She filled his glass to the brim, to which Magnus drank deeply. She then set down a large mug of ale in front of me.

It was a perfect golden brown and had a good head to it. I took a long pull, savoring the richness on my tongue. The sweetness of the malt was accented perfectly by the hint of bitterness on the back of my tongue. It was a full-bodied drink, and it went down far too smoothly.

Magnolia noted my appreciation for the booze with the hint of a smile. "Would you like another, My Lord?"

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble," I told her.

Magnus, who has been occupied with his wine, finished off his glass and joined the conversation. "Aliria...what did you do to the poor boy?"

Aliria laughed at Magnus's reproachful tone. "Nothing much, I just sent Jasmine to entertain our guest."

Magnolia accidentally knocked over my empty glass as she attempted to pick it up. "Sorry, My Lord,” she apologized.

"Don't worry about it.”

Magnus's humor fled as he gave Aliria a withering glare. “Jasmine is far too young for such things."

"Morrigan's feathers, you should stop treating her like a child. She's older than I was when I was bonded, you know."

"And look how well that turned out." I turned to Magnolia. "So that you know, I didn't lay a finger on her. My heart belongs to another."

Magnolia unclenched her fingers from the mug and gave me an appreciative smile. It smoothed the lines in her forehead and under her eyes, making her look years younger.

Aliria just rolled her eyes at my words. "I'll never understand you humans and your desire to shackle yourself to a single person. It's unnatural."

"Says the woman who murdered her own husband."

"I had my reasons."

Because you enjoyed it, you sick monster. The memories of the Mnemosyne were vivid, and I had witnessed up close