Blood of the Wolf: The Crown (Mackenzie Grey Book 11), Karina Espinosa [top 10 ebook reader txt] 📗

Bash was hesitant, but he released me after a few lingering seconds. Every cell in his body told him to protect me, but he couldn’t act upon it. I couldn’t imagine what that felt like.

“We’ll be here, Yer Majesty,” Ranulf said as he adjusted the straps of my backpack. “Come home safely.”

I nodded. “I will.”

Alexander stood beside Ranulf and I turned to him with a tentative smile. There was nothing I could say to put him at ease and we both knew it, so all he did was pull me toward him and press a kiss to my forehead.

“I’ll see ye soon, darling,” he murmured.

Having said my goodbyes, I turned my back on everyone and headed into Caledonian Forest without looking back.

With the map in one hand and a flashlight in the other, I followed my route to the coordinates specified by Ailios. I put the flashlight under my armpit and pulled a compass from my pocket to make sure I was still heading in the right direction. Once it was confirmed, I slipped the compass back into my pocket and kept moving forward.

I’d been hiking the forest more than three hours before I saw the hill Rowan mentioned. I could reach it in about another hour, maybe less if I picked up the pace.

It was dark out, made darker by the canopy of trees that blocked out the night sky, dimming the glittering stars and the full moon. The moon called to me to shift, but I couldn’t, which made me feel tired and overworked. I had to stop plenty of times during my trek to drink water and rest a few seconds. Seconds I didn’t have to spare.

With all the animals of the forest gone, frightened away by Abaddon’s presence, it was too quiet. The only sound was that of my beating heart and soft footfalls. It made me nervous, which in turn made my palms sweaty. The forest felt haunted. Maybe it was.

Once I reached the hill, I realized the climb up would be the real time killer. My legs were already killing me, and I was sweating through my sweater. Luckily there was a trail. Instead of an arduous climb, it only felt like I was on the elliptical for a very long time.

When I reached the top, I scanned the area before pulling out my compass and making sure I was in the correct spot.

I looked up at the night sky and saw I was directly under the full moon. The sight made me wince and my knees buckled as I dropped to the ground. The journey to get here on foot was too much for me, but at least I knew what kind of effect the full moon had on me. Unfortunately, it wasn’t an energy boost.

I rested for a moment before trying to stand again. I couldn’t let Abaddon find me on the ground. That would show weakness, a state of vulnerability. I couldn’t do that.

I didn’t know where Fenrir and the others were, but I hoped they were near. The space was too open for any hiding spots, so I couldn’t imagine they were anywhere close enough to be of assistance if things went south between me and the demon.

“You made it,” a deep, gravelly voice said from behind me.

I spun around, but he was hidden in shadows and I couldn’t see his face. All I saw was the outline of a man who was tall and broad. “I presume you’re Abaddon,” I guessed, hating that my voice came out a little breathlessly.

He chuckled, his shoulders bouncing up and down. The sound of his laughter was a bit eerie in the darkness. “That is I. Did you like my gift?”

I shrugged as if it was no big deal. “You could have waited until the baby shower.”

There was a quiet pause. “Do you know the gender?”

I did. Not because Dr. Harris told me; he said it was still too early to find out by medical means. No, from my vision, I was sure it was a boy. Especially since Ophelia used he/him pronouns.

“No I don’t,” I lied.

He tsked. “Such a shame. Either way, they will be mine.” His voice darkened and it sent ice through my veins.

“Why?” I asked. “Why do you have a claim over my child?”

“You truly don’t know?” he teased.

“Obviously,” I deadpanned. “Why don’t you enlighten me?”

“Hmm … what was his name?” Abaddon pondered. “Ah! It was King Dougal MacCoinnich. He summoned me from the Underworld to strike a bargain. He had an ailing son, his only heir who was born sick. In exchange for curing him, I would get the first MacCoinnich born to fae blood.”

My eyes widened as they went all over the place trying to piece everything together. I remembered hearing that King Hamish was born sick with something none of the witches or warlocks could cure. It was the only reason King Dougal would have gone to a damn demon for help. What was he afflicted with, and how could he have been born so sickly when the bloodline was supposedly blessed by the fae? But the real kicker here was the fact that my son would have fae blood … even though I wasn’t even sure how, since neither of his parents were fae. None of this made sense!

Fuck Dougal MacCoinnich. That bastard.

“And pray tell, what do you, a demon, want with a baby? I doubt you’re looking to be a nanny,” I said dryly.

“That’s for me to know and you to figure out. Come on, Queen, don’t make me do all the leg work,” he groaned jokingly.

My eyes roamed the hilltop back and forth, trying to come up with something. “I’ll bargain with you!” I blurted out, regretting my words the second they escaped. “I’ll give you something better. Whatever you want besides my child.”

Abaddon laughed. “You have nothing of value to offer. Don’t make me laugh.”

“I didn’t agree to King Dougal’s deal,” I gritted between my