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

the delight and the bloodlust on Aliria's face as she brutalized her husband. He'd been a bastard, scum who treated his family like objects and bargaining chips. I'd have killed him in a heartbeat and slept soundly, but I wouldn't have enjoyed his death. I wouldn't have reveled it as she had.

I slammed my fist down on the table. "Bullshit! I saw what you did to him. You took pleasure in killing him; you ripped him to pieces!"

Aliria’s eyes widened, for the first time since I'd met her, she looked shocked. Something had surprised her. Her surprise twisted into a black grin. The yellow of her eyes lit up with dark delight.

She relaxed her shoulders and glided towards me, and she moved to pull out the chair next to Magnus and me. "Well, well, well. Someone has been a naughty boy. Your memories didn't show me that. If you've experienced that particular memory, that means you've tasted of my little Eris. Tsk, tsk."

Shame and heat flushed through my face. I couldn't deny it, I had drunk of Eris, had tasted of her flesh and blood. The mere memory of it sent waves of revulsion through me. I'd scarred her. Even if I'd never meant to hurt her.

The heat of my face was plain as day. Aliria laughed at my reaction.

"Oh, wipe that look off your face. I'm not judging you. It's quite all right. It's natural for entomancers to partake of our bonded."

I wanted to say something, but she'd left me with nothing to say. She didn't seem to care about the fact I'd drunk her daughter’s blood. She just wanted to watch me squirm. She hasn't even mentioned Eris except as a jab at me, hasn't once asked after her daughter’s well-being. She's one cold bitch.

My retort to her was put on hold as Magnolia entered back into the dining hall, carrying a tray laden down with drinks. Magnolia wasn't alone, as several more men and women swept into the room. From the style of dress, I assumed it was the cook and their staff.

They brought carts heaped with platters of food. Almost every kind of food I could've imagined wheeled out. Plates piled high with chicken, fish, roasted pig, and steaks. Along with steamed vegetables and potatoes. Several soups and salads, as well as a tray of different loaves of bread and jars of butter. It was an extravagant feast, and the sound my stomach made was audible to the whole of the hall.

They arranged the carts in front of us, and the staff served us a little bit of everything. I was eying the boar steak like a thief eyes a noble’s purse, but I held back from snatching at the food like a savage. I could wait a few moments more and dine like a gentleman.

Magnolia set down another ale in front of me. As she placed it on the table, she leaned down and, so quiet I almost missed it, whispered. "Thank you."

Then she stood up as if nothing had happened and continued to serve our table their drinks. Magnus gleefully accepted more wine; from the slight flush of his cheeks, I'd say he was tipsy. Magnolia sat down the decanter, filled with the strange liquid, next to Aliria, who was looking at the container with anticipation. My curiosity got the better of me, and I had to ask.

"What is that?"

Aliria licked her lips, her long tongue dancing across her teeth. She picked up the decanter and poured a generous measure of the drink into a wine glass next to her and brought the glass to her lips, taking a long drink before looking at me and answering my question. "It's bloodwine. Would you like some?"

"Too strong for my taste. I prefer hard liquor."

"Hmm, you don't know what you're missing—or perhaps you've just developed a taste for my daughter’s blood instead, is that it?"

Her words sent rage and disgust rolling through me. In the back of my mind, I knew she was just goading me, looking to get a rise out of me, but I couldn't take the callous disregard of Eris any longer. I bolted out of my chair to jab my finger at Aliria. "You don't know what the fuck you're talking about!"

Magnus looked up from the bottom of his wineglass at the hostility in the room. He didn't look upset; instead, he wore a grin on his face and spoke up as Magnolia poured him yet another glass of wine. "Now look what you've done, Aliria. Did you have to provoke him like that?"

Aliria smiled wide. "Of course I did. He's bonded to my daughter, after all. I must see what the little abomination is made of."

Magnus nodded his head and returned to his drinking with a murmur. "Well, I won't interfere with a family dispute; just don't make me break up a fight."

Before his words, I'd been ready to stab Aliria, and my hand gripped the handle of my steak knife so tight, my knuckles stretched white over the skin. Calm yourself. This is what she wants, and besides that, I can’t take both of them, maybe not even one of them. Not to mention my lack of weapons. This isn't the time to lose control.

I brought the calm and collected logic to soothe the coals of my rage. While not dousing them completely, my rage had subsided into mere embers rather than the raging inferno. I turned to Aliria. "That's the second time you've called me that. I'll bite. Why am I an abomination?"

Aliria cocked her head to the side, a gesture so like Eris, it hurt. She reached out with her hand and pointed at my chest. "Do you not feel the magic within you?"

"Of course."

I couldn't not, even now. It writhed and swirled in the ruins of where my once human heart had