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

I nodded. Thinking of Sam was already banishing the lingering void. I was free and would never go back. “Sam was the first person in a thousand years that was worthy. Though he doesn’t think so.”

Gil scooted over and patted me on the back. “D is harder on himself than anyone I’ve ever met, but none of us are exactly the picture of mental stability anymore. You have to understand, the world we came from was a hellish place, and for some people, Duran especially, it’s hard to let go of your ghosts.”

“I know, it’s just…”

I didn’t know what I was going to say. That I wanted Sam to stop blaming himself for Micah’s death, along with whatever other tragedy that kept haunting him? It’s easy for me to say, but here I was letting my own ghosts still have a hold on me. I’m sorry, my love. You’ve had to shoulder so much pain, and you refuse to let anyone help. Maybes it’s time we both start sharing each other’s burdens.

I lapsed into silence after that, trying to work though my own past, and the others were aware that I wasn’t in the best place to keep up a conversation. Everyone turned back to their food and devoured their meal while I only picked at mine. I knew I would regret it in a few hours, but I couldn’t stomach another bite when it was in so many knots.

After breakfast, we quickly packed up and set out. The horrible storm from the night before had blown away to reveal bright blue skies and a beautiful day. It was impossible for me to keep sulking when I was surrounded by such beauty, so I soon got over my slight bout of melancholy and perked up to enjoy the day. Sam, when we see each other again, I promise to lay everything on the table, and I want you to do the same. No more ghosts. I’ll help rid you of yours if you help with mine.

I let the fresh air and sunshine wash away everything and just basked in the open air as we rode. Two hours later, and we came out of the woodlands and found a small town, right where Gil had said it would be.

“Welcome to Odelpha, a town where we best keep an eye on our purse strings,” Makenna said.

Odelpha didn’t give off any bad vibes as I glanced about the town as we rode in. We crossed back near the Salted Mire, and the scent of salt clung in the back of my throat, but the town itself seemed fine. Most of the buildings were built of rough, dark wood with muted windows and worn wooden roof tiles. A few buildings were made of stone, namely the largest building in the center of town that looked like a house but much larger. Mansions. I think that’s what Sam called them. It was built on solid ground, while further towards the marshlands, houses and buildings were on wooden stilts raised off the ground, which looked perpetually wet and muddy.

We stayed on the main road and made our way to the largest building next to the stone mansion. From the sign swinging in the wind it looked like an inn. It was a three-story building equally as worn as the others around town, and the windows were too dark to see inside, but even through the thick wood door, music mixed with loud conversation and shouting. We stopped at the front porch, hitched our horses, and went inside.

It was dark. Even though there were a dozen lanterns along the wall and a fire roaring on the far corner, it only helped to cast dancing shadows along the wall. Thirteen tables were scattered around the floor, most of them packed with people. Men and women of all types, but each of them looked worse for wear, like none of them had eaten a decent meal in a few days, and they all eyed us hungrily as we entered.

Gill and the others didn’t seem to be bothered in the slightest. Each of them wore hard glares as they stared down the inn’s patrons. Most of the withering looks faded, and people went back to nursing their drinks and food.

However, it seemed one of the patrons didn’t take the hint and gathered the courage to attempt to pickpocket Evelyn. I didn’t see the man approach but couldn’t miss his screech as Evelyn suddenly moved and grabbed him by the throat. I turned as she lifted him with one hand as if it were the easiest thing in the world.

The man was young, just out of his youth, and clearly the life he’d led had been a hard one. His blond hair was shaggy and greasy, and his blue eyes were hazy, like he was drunk or worse. His teeth were black and rotten as he gasped an apology to Evelyn, kicking and squirming in her grasp.

“I’m…I’m sorry,” he managed to squeak out.

Evelyn smiled a frigid smile. “I’m not,” she said and produced a small thin knife from out of nowhere, placing it against the man’s heart and slowly pushing in.

Blood began to trickle down his chest before increasing to a stream, and it poured down his chest as the blade struck his heart. He struggled in pain but could do nothing against Evelyn and succumbed to death a moment later.

Evelyn withdrew her knife, wiped it on the man’s shirt and tossed his corpse aside before going and lounging in the only open table available. The entire inn dead silent, the beating hearts and gulps of fear from men three tables down were audible to my ears as we followed Evelyn and took out seats. Gil gave her a shake of his head and a chuckle, clearly less perturbed about her casual murder than I was.

“Was that absolutely necessary?”

“Of course not,”