Hive Queen by Sinclair, Grayson (positive books to read .txt) 📕

It seemed like I’d gotten less than a second’s sleep before I had to open my bleary, sleep-encrusted eyes, and they stung as the dim light of the mine shaft came into focus.

“I’m up, godsdamn it.”

“Good, ‘cause it’s dinner time.”

I got up from the creaky wooden chair and shuffled in behind the growing line of prisoners filing out of the tunnel. The faint ring of the dinner bell sent a hypnotic miasma over everyone, and like rats to cheese, they followed without question.

As we reached the common area, the guards were all lined up on the railing overlooking us, bows at the ready while two soldiers stepped onto the stone elevator with today’s meal. Even from here, with the packed reeking bodies, the strong aroma wafted from the steaming cauldron. Lentil soup—vegetarian, if my nose was leading me straight. I’d have killed every last prisoner in here for a nice, juicy steak, or ye gods, a godsdamned ale.

The inmates lined up as the platform descended, and the guards cupped soup into tiny metal bowls for them. As the line thinned, Maus stepped up to receive his bowl, but as soon as his fingers curled around it, one of the soldiers, a wiry, pinched-faced man, knocked it from his hands.

“Oh, my bad, Maus. Don’t worry, I’ll go fetch you a fresh cup right away,” Bayln said.

Maus hung his head and walked over to where I was sitting, which didn’t go unnoticed.

“How about you, king? You look hungry, your majesty, please, let me go fetch our finest suckling pig for your refined palette.”

“Keep laughing, Bayln,” I said, holding up my hand. Without even needing to voice it, black chitin formed a wicked-long set of claws over my hand.

I drummed my talons over the table rhythmically, carving shallow divots in the wood each time my fingers struck down. “You won’t find it so funny when my hand is writhing in your guts, rearranging your intestines.”

Bayln paled a tad and took a step back, visibly stopping his hand from going to his sword. He realized what he was doing and stood ramrod straight, putting a false mask of confidence over his features. “Whatever, king. You’re stuck in the hellhole. You can’t touch me!”

He glanced up and nodded to one of the men. Within a second, the platform rose once more, and Bayln spared once last sneer at me before leaving.

“What a fucking prick,” Maus said, leaning back in his chair.

“Yep, but most of them are that way. Bayln isn’t special, he’s just an ass. Speaking of, thank you for the assistance, Aspect.”

“You’re welcome, knight. Though I expect to be repaid in blood.”

I promise, I’ll get you as much as you want—within reason—when we get out of here.

Maus looked at me sideways. “You have a weird fucking class, Duran.”

“You’re telling me, but it beats out infiltrator,” I snapped back with a wry grin.

He couldn’t help his smile. “Screw you.”

Our rumbling and aching stomachs stole the smiles from our faces. It had grown from hunger pangs to gut-ripping agony as the days wore on. The little bits of food we snuck staved off death, but only just. We were going to die if we didn’t do anything. Either from hunger or one of the prisoners.

“We need to leave tonight if we’re going,” Maus said.

“Yeah, but don’t get your hopes up. I’m betting it just leads to a dead end.”

“Let me be the judge of that. Besides, what else do I have to look forward to in this pit of decay? A slow, painful death by starvation or a shiv in my back. I’ve been here six months already. I’m not going to survive another six months.”

“Fair point. We’ll check it out on night duty tonight. We’ll have a couple hours before anyone comes and checks on us.”

While the other prisoners got to sleep in bunks in an antechamber connected to the mine, we had to stay awake and keep working, and every so often a different prisoner was voted to come and check on us. Some would keep their mouths shut, but I knew at least a few would spill their guts at the first opportunity, so it was constantly a gamble to try and get some sleep.

“Oi! Get back to work, your highness. Enough lollygagging!”

I glared up at the guard but sighed and stood. “Looks like our break’s over with,” I said before shouting, “Food was delicious as always, Bayln. But next time use more spit, really adds to the flavor!”

“Fuck off, king. Get back to work before I have you beaten.”

Maus and I left the common area and headed back into the shaft. I snagged my pick where it had fallen and started swinging away at the rock. After an hour of chipping away at the wall, soft footsteps echoed from further up the tunnel. Right on schedule.

A dwarven girl with short brown hair and a missing ear peeked her head ‘round the corner and glared at us before popping back under cover and scampering back to the others. As soon as she was out of sight and her footsteps faded away, I traded grins with Maus.

“Give me five minutes, and we’ll switch,” I whispered.

He nodded and took my pickaxe, hammering in a stilted chaotic cadence while I ducked into a small shaft near us and sank against the wall until I hit the ground. I pulled out a large portion of meat and my waterskin and downed them as fast as I could while I gathered what remained of my strength.

The five minutes passed like seconds, and with a soft whistle, I groaned and picked my weary body back up and shambled over to Maus. He handed me the pickaxes and went to rest. I broke the rock apart and collected