Queen of the Lycan, Karina Espinosa [accelerated reader books .TXT] 📗

bitch who almost killed me, weren’t angels at all; they were most likely Valkyries, another creature I used to think was purely myth.

Just thinking about it made me feel like I was losing my marbles.

Bash and I didn’t get the opportunity to talk, because as soon as we arrived in the guest wing, it was time for me to leave for the evening Council meeting. We looked at each other and sighed, irritated because our discovery would have to wait. Ranulf was waiting for me outside our chambers. He walked with me to the council room.

By the time we entered, everyone was already seated and waiting for us. I started to take my regular seat, but Ranulf motioned me to the head of the table—to Alexander’s seat. I gingerly sat down and saw the flashes of annoyance flit across the Council’s faces.

Well, tough luck, buddies, because soon this will be my permanent seat.

“I call this meeting into session,” I announced, wishing I had a gavel to add to the effect. “What do we have on the agenda?”

The table was quiet and no one would look up from their notebooks. Then it dawned on me.

“Feeling shitty, are we?” I snapped as I peered around the table. “The minute we lowered security at your request, our King was attacked, almost killed. I knew you were an unloyal bunch, but to wish death upon your King—”

“We would never!” Finlay yelled, slamming his fists on the mahogany table with a loud thud. “This was all Callum’s doing!”

“What?” Callum jerked his splotchy face in Finlay’s direction. “All of ye agreed with me! Don lie now, ye coward!”

“Enough!” I held up a hand. “You’re all cowards. From now on, you listen to what I say and don’t think twice about it. How’s our security?”

“Reinstated at the maximum level,” Jacob reported, barely making eye contact. “The castle is on full lockdown.”

I nodded. “They’re hiding in Caledonian Forest. I want guards sent in there without disturbing the Highlanders. You understand?”

“Aye,” they all responded, some more grudgingly than others.

“We’ve already dispatched a small platoon of guards into the forest, but they have nae returned,” Jamie revealed, yet another Council member who stayed relatively quiet and let the others bicker. “All communication with them has been cut off.”

I frowned. If those guards were missing, it meant they were probably being held captive by Fenrir, or worse. We didn’t know how many Valkyries he had, and right now we needed numbers. It was the only way we would gain the upper hand.

I peered around at the King’s Council. “Get me Lucian Young.”

Jacob scoffed and grimaced. “The vampire?”

I turned the full weight of my uncanny gray gaze on him. “Yes. Is that a problem?”

“Aye,” Jacob answered stubbornly. “We don need the vampire’s help.”

“I beg to differ,” I contradicted. “Lucian lives on the border of Caledonian Forest and has a working relationship with the Highlanders. We need him to get in touch with them to find out what’s going on in the forest. Or don’t you care what’s happened to those guards?”

Jacob grunted, “Of course I care, but one of us can go.”

I laughed. A big belly laugh. All eyes turned to me. “You’ll have better luck getting a newborn to read. The Highlanders don’t trust you, and with good reason. Since I can’t meet with them, Lucian is our best alternative.”

“I’ll send word to Lucian,” Ranulf inserted before the others could fight me on it.

I looked to the King’s trusted guard, who was typing notes into his phone. “I want to know what happened to those guards, and I want them back within the castle grounds as soon as possible.”

“Aye,” Ranulf agreed as he continued to type.

“How protected is the castle from an aerial attack?” I asked, being careful not to say anything about the threat of Valkyries. I didn’t think they would believe me, anyway.

“We have increased the wards in place, Princess,” Ranulf responded briskly. “No one is getting in.”

I leaned back in the King’s chair and ran a hand over my mouth as I pondered the information. “We need a plan for Sunday. Unless we plan on cancelling.”

“No, we cannae cancel yer coronation,” Ranulf interjected quickly before anyone could contradict him.

“Then I’ll leave the planning to the Council for how they’ll keep the castle secure when the guests start arriving on Sunday.” Getting guests inside the castle would be difficult without setting off the wards. I didn’t know how they would do it, but that was for them to figure out. “Now, if there’s no other business, then this meeting is adjourn—”

“Princess,” Finlay interrupted me, “how is the King?” He looked extremely guilty, as they all should have been.

I cleared my throat. “He is recovering, but he’ll be fine. Thank you for asking.”

Finlay was the only one who looked even a tiny bit remorseful. I made a mental note of it. The rest of the lot looked as if they had better places to be. I wanted to slit their throats to avoid having to look at their smug faces any longer.

“This meeting is adjourned.” I stood from my seat quickly, making the chair screech against the floor. “You’re dismissed.” Before any of them could move, I left the room first with Ranulf trailing behind me. If I stayed in there a moment longer, I might have done something I would regret.

Ranulf escorted me to the guest wing and we walked in companionable silence until we reached the doors to the common room.

“Princess?” He stopped me and I paused with my hand perched on the doorknob.

“Yes?” I peered over my shoulder.

“Yer almost there. Stay focused.” With that, he turned around and left me in the corridor, staring at the guard’s retreating back.

The next morning, I was up early to start my day. Bash said he would be meeting with Alexander and Ranulf to fill them in on the Valkyries and what we learned. In the meantime, I paid a quick visit to Alexander to drop off