From Slave To Queen (Athena and Michael) novel Chapter 127

Chapter 127

I graze Elara’s check one last time, drinking in her image. Her cheeks seem a little more flushed, her lips fuller. Without rush, Frise from the bed and square my shoulders, I make sure my clothes are smooth and walk until I’m face to face with Ciro. My nose brushes his as 1 lock eyes with these pink irises

“You think you’re something now that you have Elara under your roof. But I guarantee that will end–and every single one of your insults will come back to haunt you. You cling to my parents” Treaties now, but remember my name well–and the insults you hurl at it. Neither you nor the entire Council will protect you from my fury if I decide to end you.”

Only your fear speaks,” he replies smugly. “Because you know that when she wakes up, she won’t want anything to do with you. You re her worst nightmare.

“And you think you’re so different!

“Let me tell you something” He leans his face even cl

closer to mine. “It’s not just your nature she hates–it’s everything you represent. You tore her from her home, locked her in the cage that is your castle, and condemned her to be alone and cast aside. You’re not just the vampire who bought het–you are her ruin,”

“I’ve never pretended to be anything else, and she knows it.

slowly form a smile that reveals my fangs, and I step away from hum–but not without casting one last look at the body on the bed. I cross the sitting room and see the maids whispering with Silas, who lifts his eyes the moment he feels me enter the room. With one gesture, I signal him 10 leave, and with another, I let the maids know I’ll retum soon. As I reach the hallway, my body collides with another, and I expect to see the frightened face of one of Ciro’s servants–not that of Acron, followed by his feeder. Walter.

“What are you doing here?”

“Let’s talk for a moment,” Aeron says, grabbing my shoulder.

I see his feeder vanish in the direction I just came from, and for a few seconds I stand still, doing nothing, rethinking whether I like him being near Eliza

Het Aeron keep his grip on my shoulder as he leads us to a secluded corner, away from curious cars. He sighs, as if gathering courage. I know I’m not the casiest person to deal with right now–not when I’m this irritable. Then again, I’ve always had a volanle temper.

“What do you want to tell me?”

“In there anything you want to tell me?” he counters…

“No, not that I know of

He scoffs, almost mockingly, before looking at me again with a grimace.

“A month ago, you disappeared with men and ships, and came back with many of them dead” He raises an eyebrow and crosses his arms. “Don’t think I don’t know what’s going on. I might not know the details, but I know that whatever it is you did, it cost us men. Loyal Diluted died because of you because of a cause you haven’t shared with any of us”

“They’re my Diluted–I pay them. So they belong to me

“You’re right, however, you should be more careful when our situation is this delicate. The number of rebel Diluted is growing, and we can’t afford to lose even a single life”

“Oh, really?” I reveal my fangs in a biting smile. “Did you care about Giro’s life when the Council–yourself ficluded–agreed to let him steal my

“You’ve seen what the Treaties say—he’s entitled to compensation for the damage you enused. An eye for an eye, Cassian”

“And a tooth for a tooth,” I declare. “You’ve now caused me damage. Perhaps I should claim compensation myself. What do you say about Walter?”

“He’s just a human, Cauan. You can have as many as you want.”

“I thank your answer makes it clear not all humans are the same. Elara is to me what Walter is to you, isn’t she? fan’s his blocal more exquisite! Don’t yqur eyes follow him around the room‘ Don’t your dreams grow deeper when you sleep beside him? What would happen if I took him from you? This muny men would you send to their deaths to get him back?”

My words press relentlessly, and my body follows, cornering Aeron against the wall until our chests almost touch

-II she meant to you what Walter means to me, you wouldn’t have done what you did, Cassian. She’s gone. You’ve condemned her to something worse than death” He swallows hand. “You don’t love anyone. You know it You don’t feel like the rest of us do

“You’ve wrong” I grabs his neck, and the leather of my glove doesn’t stop

opane from feeling his skin–cold as marble. “I feel so

1227 PM c d

Chapter 127

I squeeze tightly, and it’s the whimper behind my back that makes me release him. Walter looks at me with wide, terrified eyes and doesn’t even try. to hide his relief when I step away from his master. He runs to him, but Arron recovers quickly and gestures for him to stay back. I don’t know why he bothers trying to keep his distance–everyone knows their relationship crossed the line of the merely physical years ago. I fix my gaze on him. one last time, with the unspoken promise that I’ll make him pay for all this one day.

The Council has been trying to speak to me for a month now; Acron is the most persistent, but I have no interest in listening to any of their problems or concerns. Not when my mind is consumed by something else entirely.

Outside the mansion. Silas is waiting for me, already mounted on his horse. Il it weren’t for lum, I’d run all the way home and be there in minutes. Instead, we ride on horseback for hours and reach the castle deep into the night.

I don’t stop to speak to anyone. I dismount and let one of the servants take the horse to the stables, Lignore every stare thrown my way as I head directly to the dungeons. The guards are surprised to see me–but they try to hide it. My boots make enough noise to wake my captive from her sleep.

Ragna is sitting on her col, knees drawn to her chest, chin resting on them.

“You don’t look pleased”

“Shut up.

signal to one of the guards to hand me the key to her cell, I insert it into the lock and twist it under her watchful gaze.

“Don’t you hear it?” she asks with a tone far too cheerful for my liking

I step into the cell, the darkness not enough to hide the stains of dried blood on the rags that were once a beautiful dress just a month ago. The shackle around her neck clinks as she tilts her head to study me curiously..

“Don’t you hear the songs, Cassian?”

“Shut your damn mouth.”

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