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

The Alice rose from her throne and stood over Raven. She raised her hands to Raven’s face. Her fingers crawled over Raven’s cheeks and toward her eyes. The Alice rested her thumbs just above Raven’s cheekbones as her fingernails elongated, forming wicked, pale claws. The Alice dipped her fingers into Raven’s sockets ever so slightly, puncturing through the cornea and bringing crimson pain to drip down her face.

Raven screamed in pain as her body twisted and contorted, bones snapping and shifting under her skin.

Wings black as sin sprouted from her back as her body stopped convulsing. Raven lay on the floor panting as sweat dripped from every pore. Her fingers wiped the long red streaks from her cheeks, and Raven stood.

With a smug grin, the Alice left Raven and returned to her throne as darkness once more came for me.

The last scene started with Raven walking through the forest alone. She was wearing a version of the leather armor she’d worn around me, and she carried no weapons. She stepped through the forest like a ghost as light from ahead of her cast dancing shadows over her face.

Raven strolled out of the woods and into a campground, a dirt clearing that had over a dozen tents hammered into the ground and fires going. Men and women sat around the largest fire eating and drinking while a massive boar roasted on a spit over the coals. They were too busy enjoying themselves to notice Raven, who’d slunk behind them. She stopped and pursed her lips in what had to have been a whistle, as everyone turned at the sound.

A large barrel-chested man with brown, unkempt hair and tattoos over his arms rose from the log he was sitting on to walk over to Raven.

I knew the man.

Hal had never been the brightest of the bandit kings, but he made up for it in savagery. He didn’t care who he killed as long as he got paid. And he stood over Raven, staring at her like a woman to bed, rather than as the threat she was.

Raven thrust out her hips, throwing a lazy smile on her face, and as Hal reached a hand to grope her chest, Raven shot out her clawed hand and ripped his throat out.

Hal tumbled to the ground, his windpipe and bloody spine showing through the torn, ragged flesh as blood gushed over his chest.

When he hit the ground, the others stared in shock, but none immediately went for their weapons. Not that it would have saved them, regardless.

Her midnight wings sprouted from her back as she flew into the mass of bodies, her claws raised as she tore into the bandits with gleeful murder in her eyes. Her jagged black talons shredded through the bandits with ease, and even the few who’d managed to bring their weapons to bear against her were no match.

She flew into the air and peppered them with her razor-sharp flechettes. In minutes, the dozen or more bandits were dead or dying from blood loss.

Raven took her time, going to each body, and dead or not, she pulled a dagger and thrust it into each bandit, again and again.

As the last of them died, she dropped to her knees, crying and screaming at the top of her lungs.

She’d gotten her revenge, but it had cost her everything.

The scene faded out, and as I returned once more to the darkness, I filled in the rest.

The Alice wasn’t known for her kindness or mercy. Raven had willingly sold herself, body and soul to the Alice for power, and she in turn had sold Raven’s contract to Magnus.

That was the end for her. Raven would never taste freedom again.

I came back to myself, blood stained on my lips with Raven still holding me, my face buried in her chest as she got her breathing under control. I pulled back and she looked up at me with glassy eyes. “That was…it was─it wasn’t unpleasant.”

“It was good for me,” the Aspect said, speaking through me. “Her memories were so sweet in their bitterness. Did you like the ones I showed you? She had many more, but none were as sweet as those.”

Raven pulled back, her eyes wide. “What? My memories? What are you talking about?”

I sighed, wiping the blood from my lips. “When I drink blood, I get a glimpse into the person’s life whose blood I’m drinking.”

“You saw my life?” she asked, her voice quivering.

I nodded.

The Aspect was right. Though it didn’t leave me much choice, I still made the same choice she did. I judged her without knowing anything about her. I’d have made the same choice. I have made that choice.

Who am I to judge anyone? My sins are greater than hers will ever be.

I stepped away from her, my heart heavy, and started up the stairs. “I’m sorry.”

“For what?” she asked at my back.

“I’m just sorry,” I whispered.

Chapter 13 - Silvanus Darkwoods

Eris

It seemed like I was the only one who was shocked by the sudden revelation. I didn’t really understand the implications of what was going on, but I knew “empress” was a title that demanded respect.

The others were very nonchalant about the whole thing.

After the threat to our lives had disappeared, the remaining bandits went to loot the houses and the dead while Cassimere stood with a few of his men and talked to Adam and Evelyn.

“What are they talking about?” I asked, sliding over to Makenna and Gil.

“No clue, but it’s not my business, so I’m staying away.”

“I really don’t understand what’s going on. Can someone please fill me in?”

Gil sighed and wound his hand over my shoulder, leading me back inside the inn, which had suffered the least amount