From Slave To Queen (Athena and Michael) novel Chapter 111

Chapter 111

Drystan staruls before me, breathing heavily, his eyes anxious

“Not king now,” he says ragerly. “We’ll be at the coast in a couple of hours?”

Brows, contined.

“How long has it been since we last saw each other?

“Day and a half?” I repeat in disbelief. “It didn’t feel like that long..”

I glance one last time inside the cabin and close the door. I feel confused, even alisoriented. To me, the visit to Idara lasted barely a couple of hours. not a full day. I don’t think she even feb we were together that long. Most of the time, she just slept, and the rest we simply looked into each other’s.

“Some men are wondering how we slinuld proceed“.

We head up to the deck, where several of them are aheadly gathered and awaiting my orders. I clasp my hands behind my back and walk among

thens, meeting their eyes without showing how unsettled I feel

“They know we’re cuning. In fact, it’s likely a traps. They’ll expect is to attempt a slistraction, bust this case, I believe we shoudil focus on repelling the threat rather than trying to toy with it. We’ll go in head on?

“Will we attack or wait”

“I’m taily certain that “n’t our enemy’s first clasice. They’ll try to carry out these plaar with the fewest casualties possible, so we’ll maintain peace as long as we 1” Tlook at each of them. “However, the moment there’s any sign of conflict, I want you prepared and willing to do whatever it takes, Remember, one second of hesinitium can usean death—and maybe some of you have lost respect for that idea, but everything can

“What exactly are we

ve up against?” another asks.

I take a breath of fresh air.

“Shapeshifters. Their numbers have grown significantly. Apparently, even in the Wasteland they’ve rogue Diluted, led by Eleazar. He’s there ton.”

artigril to

They’ve been joined by

I study the faces before me, especially those of the Diluted among us, looking for any suspicious reaction. I know my fellow Purebloods are sking the same—just not as overtly, I wait a bit longer, and when no one asks anything else, I signal for everyone to return to their posts. It’s night again and everyone is busy, fulfilling their duties until we reach land.

1 look ahead, waiting for the moment I glimpse our destination. As Drystan infirmed me, maybe a couple more hours pass before I finally see the Ime of coast where, indeed, we are expected. I spot eight men, all strong and middle–aged, carrying torches that turn their into points of light in me dark night. I raise my hand to signal my men to stop and prepare a boat. Dit hot taking all of them with me just yet, I’ll communicate mentally with one of them if needed.

In minutes, everything is ready and with Drysian and a few men, we descend till the boat hits the water and they begin to now. I can’t stop thinking about Elara and how she must be right now in ilut hole, with the cold, hard ground against her body and that damus thing that deforms her skin more with every passing second

We’ve barely reached shore when they move toward us like hungry dogs. I refuse to let any of them lay a land on ine, so I get out of the boul, soaking my boots and part of my pants in the process

“Here I am,” I say defiantly “Now give me who I came for.”

A man steja forward. The torchlight illuminates his face–black hair and eyes altered by blindness,

“Ragna is waiting for you.” he simply says

I don’t give a damn about this Ragna,” I spát. “Elara. Mae’s the one I care about and I want to see her nowTM

“That’s not possible,” he replies calmly. “My lady wishes to speak with you, and none of your requests will be heard before

I take a step forward, undeterred by the threatening stares of ose around him. I get so close that the fabric of my shirt brushes his chest, and | don’t break rye contact as I speak.

I don’t give a shit what your lady wants!

1/3

다

Chapter 111

“If you care about the girl, you’ll come, he threatens.

“If you care about your life, you won’t say something like that to me again. I’ll kill you”

He doesn’t hesitate even a second. Instead, he steps aside, as if inviting

The

to walk ahead of him. I do so, reluctantly, because I want to get this over with as quickly as possible. It won’t be easy, so better to start now. We walk along the beach for a while until we reach a building that crumbles like a child’s sandcastle. Its walls are the golden color of sunlight, but that’s where the similarities end. There’s nothing dazzling about it–it’s simply a structure that looks ready to collapse at any moment. I test my gift by making a small rock in the rubble shatter and nearly vanish into the air.

I smile to myself and continue following the black–haired man through corridor after corridor. Two guards watch a door that they open without hesitation when we arrive. It doesn’t take a genius to guess where we are high ceilings adorned with paintings, heavy tapestries on the walls, vases

a once held fresh flowers–and in the center of it all, a throne of misshapen fangs and claws.

The woman seated on it returns my gaze, golden and green, radiating deep hatred. I stop in the center, waiting, scanning all possible exits in case 1 need to flee. I’m certain I will nothing good can come from us being in the same space. I search for Elara with my eyes. I know she isn’t here, and yet I search

“So, I finally meet you. Cassian Draven.”“”“

“Sorry, you are…?

She dashes a fake smile of white teeth.

”

“Seems no one taught you to be less arrogant when negotiating. She lifts her chin. “I’m Ragna Vortiger.”

I recognize the surname as belonging to the lineage that has ruled the shapeshifters for over a millennium. Still, I show no sign of acknowledgment

“Are we negotiating?” I ask innocently. “Well, then no one taught you that screwing over the person you want to negotiate with isn’t a good start.”

She uncrosses her elegant bronzed legs, the gold bangles on her ankles clinking. The skirts of her dress part, revealing more of her skin, and I look away before she thinks her filthy tricks might work on me. There’s nothing about her that interests me and I’ve never been a man of weak will except with one woman in particular.

“I’m only looking out for my people,” she says calmly. “For too long, your kind punished us unjustly, exiling us to this land where nothing grows. It’s time for that to change.”

“And what do you propose?” I want her to think I’m genuinely interested.

“Our exile is over,” she replies bluntly. “We will be welcomed back’into Drystia, new agreements will be signed granting us what we deserve.”

“You think the people of Drystia will just accept you?” I smile cynically. “Your nature makes you territorial and always ambitious–no agreement would ever satisfy you, and we’d be right back to the same wars. Do I need to remind you of all the humans you killed? You’re not far from rabid dogs when anger clouds your minds.”

“Don’t pretend you’re doing this for the humans” she spits.

“You’re right. I’m doing it for selfish reasons for one human. The same one you’re going to return to me if you don’t want to end up twisted between the fangs of the throne you sit on.”

Her eyes glisten with animalistic rage, but we’re both surprised by the sound of the doors opening and closing. First, I smell apples, then I see him walking calmly, as if he weren’t the bastard who laid hands on her and threw her to the wolves–literally.

Drysian, who until now has remained silent and a few steps behind me, tries in vain to stop me. In the span of a blinkt move toward Eleazar, who dozin’t seem too surprised to see me on top of him. I grab him by the neck, feeling his muscles tense beneath my fingers,

“You wanted the best for your prople?” I growl inches from his face. “With what you’ve done, I’ll make sure your rebel Diluted die on their knees,

screaming”

“This is your fault. Your delusions of grandeur,” he says with effort

I squeeze until I feel the column of his throat beneath my thumby. The urge to apply pressure and hear the bones crack beneath my fingers is overwhelming.

“This is your interionty complex,” I hiss back”

I feel several pairs of eyes on us, and I know everyone is paying close attention to our exchange. Gripping tightly, I pull him toward me and then slam him to the floor with a quick motion, cracking the marble beneath. Eleazar rolls his eyes as he hits, but I know it’s not enough to kill him. I pin him down with my boot on his neck, holding him there. I raise my gaze to Hagna, who watches the scene with anticipation, her hands on her

“Now, if you don’t mind, tell me what you really want.” I demand. “Or I’ll start looking for what I want now–leaving a trail of corpses behind. Your choice. Ragna”

2/3