Chapter 108: Last Words of the White Queen

Maeve

Hayden paced around the room for a long while, lingering in meditative silence as I watched him. Occasionally, he turned to glance at me but made no further moves to touch me, or Troy.

| was kneeling next to Troy, trying desperately to wake him up. He was struggling to keep his eyes open for more than a few seconds at a time, the effects of the wolfsbane still gripping his body.

I looked around for anything sharp, anything I could cut myself with to give Troy some of my blood, and finally resort ed to bringing my hand to my mouth, preparing to bite into the flesh beneath my thumb.

“Uh, no. Don’t do that.” Hayden was at my side in an in stant, knotting his fingers in my hair and pulling sharply. I screeched, which seemed to rouse Troy from his stupor enough to bare his teeth and grimace, his fingers twitching.

“Ah, see? All you had to do was scream to wake him up. Let’s try again.” He pulled my hair so hard, some of it came clean out of my scalp. I grimaced, shaking as I held in the scream threatening to erupt from my mouth.

“Scream!” he demanded, twisting my hair violently until 1 could help but whimper. Troy moaned, rolling onto his side. “It’s useless. This is no fun.” He tossed me onto the ground, shaking his head as he walked away and began to pace again.

“What do you want?” | winced as I rubbed my head. My hair was already falling out in droves after having the boys, but now I was sure I had a bald spot.

“I’m nothing more than a babysitter right now, I’m afraid. Until it’s your turn.”

“My turn for what?”

“Well, once Tasia finishes up with Hanna, then you’re next. I think she wants to kill you in front of Troy, at least that’s what I hope. And then your parents, of course. I’m sure she’ll have the White Queen watch-”

“My parents?” I stammered. “Are they here?”

“Last I heard, the rogues were battling with some Drogo mor warriors in the forest, so they know you’re nearby. Gosh, Tasia is just so happy she was able to take care of this now, in stead of waiting for the solstice.”

Llicked my lips, glancing at Troy before meeting Hayden’s eyes again.

“What was she planning to do on the solstice?”

“Well, that is when the stones are at their most powerful. She was going to bleed the two of you dry, you and your mother, that is, and activate the stones to heighten her power enough to bring the entirety of the packlands to the ground.”

I wondered if Hayden was supposed to be telling me any of this. He didn’t seem like the sharpest tool in the shed, that was for sure.

“She doesn’t mean to combine them?” I asked.

“Well, no. She doesn’t want the Moon Goddess to come down and smite her, I guess. I’m not sure how that all works-” he waved his hand in dismissal.

“Smite her?” I couldn’t help but laugh. Having already talked to Tasia, I knew her end goal was to kill us all, take over the pack lands, and end the rule of the White Queens forever, paving the way for those of the Lycaon bloodline to rule.

But she wanted something else from Hanna. That’s why she had her alone.

“What does Hanna have to do with all of this?” I asked, squeezing Troy’s arm. He was starting to stir now, trembling as the effects of the wolfsbane left his system.

“Well, from what I understand, Hanna is either going to give birth to the next White Queen, who has some prophecy about her as well, but I don’t know the specifics, or she’s go ing to try to turn Hanna to our side. Hanna is very powerful, as you know. More powerful than Tasia from what Carl has said. Carl wants Hanna for himself, so it’s likely he will force Tasia to keep her alive-”

“Shut him up, Maeve. I can’t take one more second-” Troy groaned, a little green around the gills.

“Goodmorning sunshine,” Hayden said mockingly, crouch ing only a few feet away from us and tilting his head as he peered at Troy.

“Get away from me. From her-”

“I’m on strict orders to keep an eye on you both.” Hayden exhaled, standing. He glanced at me, his mouth pulling into a wide, delirious smile before he kicked Troy right in the center

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of the stomach.

I jumped up and lunged at him, swinging blindly, missing his jaw by a fraction of an inch.

a feisty one. You surprise me, Troy. I always thought you’d end up

up, Maeve. For the love of the

this time landing a punch right in the center of

now. Let’s talk this

he was not nearly as strong. Hayden swayed and staggered at each of my blows, and soon I had him cowering along the wall,

“That’s enough-”

him before taking three long strides across the

grip on me as he pulled me out of the room by my hair, tossing me into

me?” | bit out as the red – eyed Rogue covered the

Tasia. She’s

a narrow passageway full of moss and tan gled tree roots, the space having been taken over by nature

about running, Maeve,” he said coolly, “it’s entirely

must feel like home to you,” I quipped, my tone dry and

replied, smirking. “Did you ever hear

out of what is now Winter Forest? Yes

happen. But did you hear what she did, exactly? How she used her power to try and

was walking behind me, holding a lantern up as we walked into

mountains, sparking a massive volcanic explosion, so leg end goes. Lycaon had no choice but

the people of Dianny came from,

sharply on

gone by, by the time that

created by the eruption. The

possible? The eastern mountains are hundreds of

who had already left them, for guidance and help. Lycaon’s betrayal angered the Goddess herself, you see. Morrighan had access to that

their fullest? It’s a once in a lifetime occurrence, from what I’m told. Your mother’s life was spared when her true mate took on her burden of death, and he was only spared because your mother used the Moonlight

was sacred to us. But your grandmother used her gift to heal her pack

because White

you? That’s what Tasia said. She said you didn’t mean to do it,

How sad. Watch

held the lantern up over my head, illuminating a massive cave, the light reflecting off

1 B

all around us.

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will destroy the stones. Once she does that, and kills both you and your mother, the Moon Goddess will have no physical tie to our

Romero into saying the powers had indescribable

needed their help to access you, Maeve. All I had do was offer Damian riches,

what my Dad had told me before the ball, that no one else could know about the moonstones. He, and Carl,

Power.

had explored the for est outside of the castle grounds whenever we visited Mirage when I was a child, never knowing such a place existed

light nearby, reflecting off the stalactites as we covered more

to a large open

I saw

| stammered, unable to hide not

51

my deep concern. “How did

don’t say anything,” she warned, turning her gaze back to an area that was

but the flames were strange. They were the brightest, most vivid blue I had ever seen, and beneath the fire, no embers burned. I saw the eudialyte stones on second

cloaked figure stepped into view as Carl pulled me to a stop,

woman let her hood fall back, revealing

snarled. She only smiled, giv ing me a tight, businesslike

toward me, taking me forcibly by the elbow and leading me over to where

bruised and bloodied, as she sat next to Rowan, who was kneeling, his

out to me, taking my hand in hers. I

over fo Hanna as she directed her words

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