Content to hold his lofty and invisible position, Cathbad searched the faces for any idea what was going on. He hadn’t wasted his time asking the guards at the entrance to this room. Not when the penalty of repeating anything she said in here would be far worse than dying.
Queen Maeve had never cared for the swift punishment of death, as was the case with that red dragon she’d kept in the form of a throne for too many years.
Not this woman. Death would cheat her of a pleasure only torture provided when she executed a penalty.
“Who among you deserves to return to the human world?” she roared, turning to face each one. As she twisted around, her misshapen jaws and jagged teeth came into view. A horn stuck from her forehead.
Cathbad had not seen that before. Nothing about the horn could be good news.
All of her followers in the room lifted their trembling hands, volunteering to return to the human world.
Who wouldn’t raise a hand when remaining here would end with the equivalent of their skin being peeled away while alive?
She tossed her head back and laughed a high-pitched cackle that grated on Cathbad’s ears.
When she stopped laughing, she swept a furious white-orbed gaze at them. “Four will not return.”
The warlocks and witches began looking around at each other, clearly trying to determine who went and who stayed.
Slowly, the queen’s body began shrinking back to a normal state. Even her hair smoothed out and shaped itself into a towering pile of curls and jewels. She drew in a deep breath as she returned to her normal shape and a dazzling red gown replaced the smoky black robe.
Her voice also returned to its sultry smoothness. “I do not send you to the human world to waste your time there. I expect results.” As they all nodded fervently, she continued,“Which four would prefer to stay with me?”
Not a person moved.
They barely breathed.
She broke out a sexy smile. “Oh, come now, it isn’t that hard of a decision.” After waiting another minute, she shrugged. “I shall allow you to decide as a group. You have one minute to cull your group back to twenty without my help or I will choose who stays here.”
The air sucked out of the room as panic set in for a split second then battle erupted with screaming and blood flying. Some of those warriors were highly skilled. Some were not.
The pregnant females died first.
Cathbad sighed to himself. What a waste.
In less than thirty seconds, ten were dead.
The others fought on.
Queen Maeve lifted her hand and made a slashing move. Every follower still breathing froze in place. “You have fourteen left to complete your task. You will return now and find the damned grimoire volumes. Do not expect to face me empty-handed again and for me to be so understanding.”
With a flick of her hand, those still living disappeared.
Had she considered where she teleported them to at this minute? Probably not. If someone reappeared in the middle of Atlanta traffic or on a train track, they would not survive.
Shoving her hands on her hips, she stared at the carnage with a confused expression.
Did she not realize she had created that bloody mess?
He allowed his energy to flow out slowly.
Lifting her head slowly, she turned to stare straight up at Cathbad.
He dropped his cloaking. “I was not hidin’ from ya. Merely stayin’ out of yar way, love.” With a smile in place, he floated to the ground.
She pursed her lips and shifted her head one way then another, studying him as a cat would a tasty prey. “What do you want, druid?”
At one time, she called him druid as an endearment.
Not now. The word sounded as though it tasted bad in her mouth.
“Would ya like me to make this all go away?” He’d often cleaned up her messes.
Without taking her eyes off him, she extended her arm with her palm down and waved it. All the corpses burst into smoldering flames then expanded and imploded into themselves, drawing the blood spilled with them.
With a small pop, it all disappeared.
She brought her hands together in front of her in an elegant show of being composed and lifted an eyebrow in question.
“I understand yar message, Maeve. Ya feel ya do not need me or anyone else.” He walked over to her. “Sadly, ya have lost yar desire to rule all of this world, while I still wish ta accomplish what we started.”
She did not move a muscle to acknowledge or deny his words.
“I do not know where we stepped off our path, love, but I am willin’ ta find our way again if ya are. Ya could use some help with yar people. That has always been one of my strengths. In fact, ’twas a duty ya handed me when we reincarnated.” He kept his voice pleasant, but business.
This would only work if she returned to the woman who once met him halfway.
If he pushed her, she would never come back.
“What do you want, druid?” She repeated as if she could see inside his head to know his true reason for being here. He’d come to use her scrying wall. His gaze slid past her to check her progress.
The wall swirled with pale blue and gray smoke.
She’d completed the wall? How long had it been active?
He glanced back at her.
She had a cunning smile in place and crossed her arms, tilting her chin up.
Oh, hell. Had she been observing him with that scrying wall?
Chapter 20
Daegan almost called up his blade when Luigsech pulled hers free of the sheath.
“You are not takin’ me away from here, Drake. Not without blood bein’ shed and I warn you it will not all be mine.” She’d backed up so she had Quinn in view as well.
Quinn's voice came into Daegan’s mind. We’re losing her. Maybe
