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

sword that had slid from his hands when he took the nosedive. I nudged it with my foot as his fingertips brushed the leather handle, sending it skittering down the hall.

The man looked up at me, his wide brown eyes panicked, shot through with fear.

“Mercy!” he pleaded.

“You’ll find none here,” I said as my sword ended his life.

I wiped the blood from my blade, staring at the scorpion tail as it drifted into the corner of my eye before curling around my waist. For what Aliria tried to do, I have to admit they’re damned impressive.

No sounds crept toward me from either end of the hallway, so I hastily pulled up my interface.

Combat Results!

7 Killed (Human): 10500 Exp!

Total Exp Gained: 10500 Exp!

Exp: 6800/6800

Level Up!

Level: 69

3800/6900

10 Stat Points Available!

 

I paused at the notification, at the first life I’d taken today. I’ll make her pay for your death, Jasmine, I swear.

With a thought, I closed the interface and let the Chitin Armor fade. My arachnid appendages wormed back under my skin, and I changed into my shadowsteel plate. You gave this armor and sword to me, Magnus. I’m going to use them to destroy you both.

Magnus would never lay his hands on Eris. I would die first.

I left the bloodied hallway and started working on finding my way back to the others. I encountered only minimal resistance as I wound through the sharp corridors. A few guards who engaged me met their end on my blade. I cut them down, not even bothering to use the chitin at my disposal.

With a flick of my wrist, I cast their blood off the edge of my blade as they dropped to the floor. Though the guards told me one thing, that I was going in the wrong direction. Evelyn wouldn’t leave even a single guard alive, so I need to pick a different route.

I took a right at the next hallway I came to and picked up my speed.

It took another few minutes, but I eventually found my way to the stairs that led to the upper floors of the castle and the parapets. I took the stairs two at a time and burst through the doors as the sun hung low in the sky, burnt orange tinged the horizon as day began to fall to night.

The others gathered around Raven, who’d already shifted and had Eris sitting atop her, staring at me, eyes wide with concern. I smiled at her as I approached but shook my head when she attempted to climb off Raven.

“All right, let’s get moving! What are standing around for?”

Evelyn walked across the ramparts to stand in front of me. She leaned up and flicked me on the nose. “Idiot,” she said, but there was no heat in her voice. “Do you expect us all to fit on the giant chicken?”

“Ah,” I so eloquently replied as I stared over at Raven. Yeah, no way we all fit. Three is pushing it—four is out of the question.

“Okay, Adam, take Eris and Raven and get out of here. Evelyn and I will work our way out.”

“I’m not leaving you!” Eris shouted, hopping off Raven and sprinting the distance. “I won’t leave you behind.”

“We don’t have time to argue about this. We’ll be right behind you, I promise. Now go!”

Eris hung her head, her large obsidian eyes downcast as she reached out and brushed the tip of my hand. I pulled her in close and held her for a moment. “I love you, but Evelyn and I can take care of ourselves. We’ll join you in a few hours, I promise.”

Adam rushed between us and grabbed my shoulder. “As touching as this is, we’re out of time. Larry just died, and that bitch took out my wolves like they were nothing. Nick is coming, we have to go!”

Eris and I broke apart, and I all but pushed her towards Raven. “Go!”

She didn’t fight me and ran back to Raven, quickly climbing up her feathers.

“You too, Adam.”

He shook his head. “I’m not leaving without Evelyn.”

I threw my hands up. “Then both of you go, I’ll stay.”

“No!” the shouts of both Raven and Eris were deafening.

I was about to reply when Evelyn tensed. “Doesn’t matter now. He’s here.”

The large doors burst open as Magnus strolled through with Aliria in tow. They were only a couple hundred feet away, and we were on the cusp of running out of time.

“Go, go, go!” I shouted and took off, but a firm hand grabbed mine and stopped me in my tracks.

Evelyn’s golden eyes stared into mine as her hand wound around my wrist. “There’s no more time. Make sure James leaves, do you understand, Sam?”

“What about you?”

“I’m going to buy you time to escape.”

I shook my head violently. “Hell, no. I’m not leaving you here, Magnus will kill you!”

She gave me a small smile as she lifted onto her toes and pressed her lips to mine in a chaste kiss. “Yes, he will.”

She stepped back, and my interface flared to life in front of me.

Ability Share: Return to Zero

Accept Y/N

 

Yes.

I waved away the screen as quickly as it appeared, not bothering to read what the ability did. “What’s this?”

“A weapon. Use it when the time comes,” she said as she pulled away from me. In her hands was the knife Thrayl had given me. She’d stolen it from my belt. “I’m taking your knife. You won’t get it back.”

She turned to face Magnus as he and Aliria drew near. My heart beat too loudly in my ears as my mouth ran dry. The last thing I wanted was to leave her alone, but I couldn’t stay. I had to protect the others. I had to