Queen of the Lycan by Karina Espinosa (trending books to read txt) 📕

“May we have some privacy?” Bash requested, though to anyone with ears, they could tell it was more of a demand.

Alexander’s face was mottled with his frustration, but he calmly walked out of the room with Ranulf.

Dr. Harris collected his bag and gave a polite nod. “I’ll wait in the common area of the royal wing.”

Once it was just the two of us, the silence was uncomfortable. Bash approached the bed and perched on the edge, sagging forward with his elbows on his knees and his head down.

“I’m only going to ask once … Whether you tell me the truth is up to you, Mackenzie,” he started. My stomach tightened apprehensively. “What are you hiding?”

I tried to sit up and rest against the cushioned headboard, but was only able to manage something that made me look slumped over. I was about to speak when he cut me off.

“I’ve learned to give you space and not ask so many questions when every ounce in my body wants to be overbearing. But I know with you I can’t be that way. I can’t be overprotective, even though I want to keep you locked away safely.” He sighed. “But don’t think I’ve forgotten the blood debt you owe the fae. By your reaction just now, I’m assuming it’s already been paid. Is that how you freed Bernard’s father from the fae realm so quickly?”

My breathing came out in shallow breaths and my mouth was dry from the effort, but I knew I couldn’t lie to Bash. Not now. He wasn’t stupid. Even though I didn’t tell him about the deal I brokered, he put two and two together. It wouldn’t take a rocket scientist to figure it out.

“Y-Yes,” I stammered. “I worked out a deal with Angus to free Bernard’s dad from the fae realm, amongst other things. To do that, they asked me to pay my debt.”

Bash refused to look at me. He kept his head bowed and stared at his clasped hands. “And what did you learn?”

“What makes you think I learned anything?”

Bash scoffed, “Don’t insult my intelligence, Mackenzie. You wouldn’t be refusing a blood draw unless you found something out about your blood. What is it?”

I couldn’t keep this to myself any longer. He was right; I was only insulting him by acting like there was nothing to tell. Bash was my partner in crime, my soulmate, my best freakin’ friend. If I couldn’t trust him, I couldn’t trust anyone.

I swallowed loudly. “They found fae magic,” I whispered so no one outside the room could possibly hear me.

At that admission, Bash finally turned his head to face me. “What?”

“You heard me,” I continued to whisper. “I don’t know how, and I don’t have any fae powers obviously, but Angus warned me to keep it a secret.”

Bash’s expression turned stony and his clear blue eyes were ablaze. “Mackenzie, I don’t think you understand the gravity of the situation,” he whispered back.

“I do,” I tried to nod. “I’m already a hybrid, and now I have fae magic in my blood. I’m a freakin’ circus freak.”

Bash shook his head slowly. “No, you don’t get it. If you have fae magic in your blood, that means you could possibly have a claim to their throne.”

I frowned, sure I misheard him. “What?”

He shifted on the bed and faced me fully, leaning forward. “Tell me exactly what happened. How did you give them your blood? What did they say? How did they find out?”

I took a couple deep breaths before speaking. I was still incredibly weak, but I pushed through, knowing I could collapse later. “Angus told me to meet him in Central Park. When I got there, he came out of the realm along with four other fae. They surrounded me in a circle and started chanting something in their language, I don’t remember what it was.” I scratched my head at the foggy memory. “Angus pricked my finger, specifically my left middle finger, and bled me into a small vial. One fae stopped chanting long enough to taste my blood from the vial, and he announced I had fae magic. Then Angus told me to keep it a secret.”

Bash scratched at his scruff. “Something’s not right about this, Mackenzie. First, Angus insisted on a vial of your blood and we never questioned why. That should have been our first red flag. The fae are anxious for a new leader, yet they haven’t named anyone. He could be prepping you—”

I shook my head before he could finish his thought. “No way. The fae hate me after I killed Drusilla. How could I become their Queen when I killed the previous one?”

“Not all fae hate you, Mackenzie,” Bash stated dryly. “Drusilla may have had a little cult following, but most of the fae didn’t agree with her ruling style. It’s why so many of them fought with us during the Freedom War. It only seems like they don’t like you because fae aren’t necessarily known for being warm creatures.”

He could say that again. Angus was cold as ice and stiff as a board. I wouldn’t use the word ‘warm’ to describe him.

“Fine. If that’s the case, then we just tell Angus and his followers no. It’s simple. I have enough to deal with among my own people. I don’t need to add the fae to my laundry list of problems.”

Bash grunted, “You better hope it’s that easy. What are we going to do about the blood draw? You’re sick, Mackenzie. Dr. Harris has to do his job.”

I sighed. “You could just find a warlock to hocus pocus me back to health.”

He rolled his eyes. “You know it doesn’t work that way. They need to find what’s wrong with you first, and then they can hocus pocus you or whatever. You and your human terms …” he grumbled with a shake of his head.

“Fine. Figure out a way to treat me without the blood draw.”

With that,