Total pages in book: 86
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85552 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 428(@200wpm)___ 342(@250wpm)___ 285(@300wpm)
Ian’s voice seeped into my head. Little queen?
I stiffened.
Ian’s voice. . .its presence was different. It needled inside instead of slipped like Xander’s voice. There was a dim warmth to the voice also, as if it were a thin sheet that had just been washed with river stones and left out to bake in the sun.
Ian’s voice needled into my head again. Little queen? Can you hear me?
I shivered. “Do you hear that?”
“Hear what?” Xander turned to me. “I don’t hear anything.”
Oh no. . .
We have our own mental connection, little queen, Ian said in my mind. One that Xander can’t hear. Come meet me.
I swallowed down fear.
Are you insane?
I am. Ian said. Still, you should come. I have more answers. Ones that your prince may not want to hear.
What answers?
Come by yourself and I will tell you all.
I fisted my hands at my side.
Where are you?
Ian responded. In the bathroom around the corner.
“Is everything okay?” Xander asked while Octavia looked at me with concern.
What do you really want, Ian?
More of your blood, and I’m sure you want more answers. Ian’s chuckle trailed behind his voice. Come alone and I swear, little queen, you will not regret it.
This was a fucked up situation. All logic said to simply tell Xander what was going on. To which I believed he would probably ripen some more in rage, search for Ian, and tear him apart.
I couldn’t let that happen.
Still, sneaking off to talk to Ian would also piss Xander off.
I wanted to be loyal to Xander, but I also wanted to protect him too. That meant getting answers to help him truly defeat the Quiet King—his father.
The very thought of Xander going up against the Quiet King gave me chills.
However, Ian was the Quiet King’s brother and Xander’s uncle.
Did that mean I could trust Ian? Did that mean that I should walk off without Xander knowing, to learn these answers?
What if Ian could tell me about the Quiet King’s weaknesses?
Surely he would know more than anyone how to beat him. And even more, after being forced to stay in the sewers for so long. . .didn’t he want revenge against his brother too?
Damn it.
I cleared my throat. “Where’s the bathroom, Octavia? I just need a minute to myself.”
“It’s around the corner. When you walk out of this room, you’ll see a silver door.” Octavia pointed in that direction. “Take my guards with you.”
“That’ll be okay as long as they stand outside.” I headed to the bathroom.
The guards followed.
As soon as I opened the door, all I saw was an empty bathroom with rainbows painted on the walls.
Xander and Octavia really love rainbows.
The door closed behind me. Hands wrapped around my mouth and pulled me into a muscular shoulder.
Then, full satin lips brushed against my ear. “Don’t scream, little queen.”
Chapter 25
Answers
Camille
I was stiff with fright.
Those strong arms kept me still. While that hand remained clamped over my mouth.
“It’s all right,” Ian whispered against my ear, holding me tightly. “I won’t hurt you, little queen.”
That soothing voice penetrated my panic, but I couldn’t form words to answer. My mind raced.
What should I do?
Nothing.
Get out of my head.
Ian loudly inhaled me. “Do you promise not to scream?”
I nodded.
As soon as he released me, I spun around and slapped him on his face. “Was that necessary?”
He rubbed the soft, pale flesh on the side of his face and smiled. “I thought you would scream when I startled you.”
“Maybe you should just try not to startle me in the first place?”
“That doesn’t sound like a lot of fun now, does it?” He focused those copper eyes on me.
Ian wore black pants and a white shirt that was open at the top. He had no hair on his head. Although pale skin covered his face, gray decomposing skin still coated the rest of his body. He was clearly healing slowly.
I looked back at the new skin on his face—pale and smooth. It was the skin of a newborn child that had just left his mother’s womb.
For now, he looked oddly young. Only Ambi knew what he would look like after fully healing.
“Little queen.” Ian lifted his nose and inhaled again. “I want more blood.”
“And I want more answers.”
“Then, ask me something.”
“Let’s start with why you watched Xander and I make love.”
Ian directed his attention to my breasts and then let his gaze travel down my body. “That should be an obvious answer.”
I gritted my teeth. “Don’t do it again.”
He smirked in response. “Is that an order?”
I let out an exasperated breath. “Please, don’t do that again.”
“As you wish, my queen.” He did a dramatic bow. “We don’t have much time. Maybe we can make both exchanges in the same instance.”
“What?”
“I drink from your wrist while you ask me questions.”
I shivered.
“I’ll send the answers to your mind and end my drinking when you stop asking questions.”