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

was bright and high in the sky, telling me it was mid-afternoon. I basked under the sun’s rays as they brushed along my skin. We flew for an hour at least before Raven’s tempo faltered and she slowed. She’d worn herself out and landed in a grassy field in the middle of nowhere.

As soon as I climbed off of her, she transformed back into her human form and sagged to the ground.

“Fuck, I’m beyond exhausted,” she said, leaning back on her hands.

“I’m just glad we got away. Seems like whenever I leave a place these days, it’s because people are chasing after me. You know, a month ago, my life was actually pretty simple. Now it’s world-shattering conspiracies and power the likes of which I don’t understand.”

“You can’t say it’s not exciting, though.”

“Ha, you know, back on my world, there was an old two-part curse that went something like that: ‘may you live in interesting times.’ These are certainly that.”

Raven laughed as the breeze lifted blades of grass into the air around her and clawed at her gorgeous dark hair. “What was the second part?”

“May you find what you’re looking for.”

“Doesn’t sound like much of a curse to me, but then again, my threshold is set at a terrifying little girl gouging out my eyes.”

I chuckled and pulled out my bag, trying to find some food and drink. “Touché.”

There was still a bit of dried food and water left, so I split it among us, and we scarfed it down while letting our fatigue fade.

“We better hurry,” Raven began, fifteen minutes later. “I’d rather not reach Castle Aliria in the middle of the night.”

“Hey, hand me the Heart.”

She did as I asked, taking it out and passing it to me. I took it and grunted as the curse set in, but the reduction of my stats was nothing new, and I grinned and bore it. I stowed the gemstone away and stood up.

“I was fine carrying it. Why’d you take it back?”

“Because we’re not going back to Magnus,” I told her.

“What? Why?” she asked, climbing to her feet.

I had to admit, I liked Raven. Her personality and mine got along well, and I would be the first to admit I was wrong about her, but at that moment, none of that mattered if she was loyal to Magnus.

“I just spent the last five days working myself to the bone in Tombsgard. I’m tired, angry as hell, and I want to go home. Magnus has waited for his bauble long enough. Another day or two won’t matter.

“Now the question you need to answer is where do your loyalties lie? If they’re to Magnus, then you can run back to him like a good little slave.” I held out my hand to her. “Or you can come with me.”

It wasn’t even a decision for her. She took my hand without hesitation, and my heart swelled.

“Then let’s go home.”

We set off and spent half a day flying. When I spotted the Rolling Hills in the distance, I knew I was home.

The sun faded under the horizon when we glided over Lake Gloom. The cool air was tinged with moisture, and it beaded along my skin and clothes. Castle Gloom-Harbor was the same as always, but I’d never seen it from on high like this, and as we dipped and flew over the gate, shouts rose from our men at arms.

Raven landed in the outer bailey as a group of guards approached in charcoal and purple armor, each of them brandishing their weapons.

“To the king who walks in shadow,” I shouted before they made a foolish mistake.

At once the assault halted in its tracks. The man lowered his weapons. “Sorry, lord. We didn’t know it was you.”

I smiled at the rabbitman. “It’s okay, Lyahgos, you were just doing your job, but speaking of…”

“Right, lord,” he said in a rush, and they went back to their posts.

Raven transformed once again, and when her human form presented itself, she smiled. “You probably gave them a heart attack.”

“You’re the one who shifts into a big-ass bird.”

She doubled over with laughter, and I was about to join her when a notification blared in front of my face.

Warning! Proximity to Hive Queen less than a hundred meters.

Stat penalty removed.

 

Eris!

In that instant, I didn’t care about anything else. I didn’t care that she had slept with someone else, or that I was angry with her. It didn’t matter in that moment.

I ran for the doors and arrived just as they opened. It seemed nearly every one of the Gloom Knights came to greet me as Gil and Wilson pushed open the doors, weapons drawn, with Evelyn, Adam, and the others close behind.

They just stopped and stared at me, eyes wide.

“Duran?”

“Hey, guys.”

Wilson went to respond, but a voice silenced everything else in my world.

“Sam!”

Eris rushed through the crowd like oil through water and was suddenly standing before me. Her large obsidian eyes filled with tears as wind swept at her unruly golden mane.

Then she was in my arms, and everything was right with the world again.

I cradled her against me as she sobbed in relief and brushed my fingers down her hair as she shook. I didn’t even care that she’d said my name in front of everyone. I no longer cared. All I cared about in that moment was Eris.

We stayed that way for only a short time, and after what must have only been a few seconds, she let go of me and stood. Though her eyes never left mine.

“I’ve missed you.”

“As I you, my bonded.”

I pulled her close and kissed her, telling her with my lips how much I loved her. And I knew that no kiss could ever