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

“I can’t. It’s too risky to let Fenrir find out what Abaddon is really after.”

“I don’t trust him, either. We’ll figure something out.” Bash pulled me toward him, my back to his chest, and wrapped his arms around me, placing his hand on my abdomen. “For now, let’s just stop thinking for a while.”

Cradled in his arms, feeling his body warmth, my eyes grew heavy with sleep. Before long, I stopped thinking and fell asleep.

Standing at the edge of Caledonian Forest, Bash was getting off the phone with Dr. Harris as I impatiently awaited the doctor’s decision with William steadfastly by my side. I had been adamant that no other guards accompany us on our impromptu visit with the fae.

“Well?” I urged once he hung up the phone.

“Dr. Harris said he doesn’t recommend you riding a horse,” Bash said sternly. “It’s not safe.”

I exhaled loudly. “Great,” I murmured. “Another hike.”

“You don’t have to come, Mackenzie. I can do this alone.” When he said that, I knew he wanted me to stay safely behind.

“No. I want to go. You’ll need me to send a message through to the fae realm, anyway,” I reasoned.

Without another word, we started our hike into the forest. To be truthful, I didn’t leave them much of a choice because I led the way.

William hurried to my side and we followed the trail that led to Loch Lomond. No one said a word as we made our way through the dense, quiet forest. The only sounds were the ones our feet made through the underbrush. Not even a lukewarm breeze rustled the leaves. Pockets of sunlight filtered through the trees, providing whatever weak warmth it could.

It took us a solid hour on foot to get to Loch Lomond, but mainly because I had to stop and rest a lot. Admittedly, I wasn’t in top form.

The instant we pushed past the tree line and the shore came into view, the water rippled as if acknowledging my presence. I hurried to the edge of the water and crouched down. Extending one claw on my pointer finger, I sliced a line on my palm and laid it flat against the water’s glassy surface.

I need to speak to Angus, I thought silently to whomever was listening on the other side.

The loch waters swelled and rushed toward me, wetting my sneaker clad feet. I dried my bloody hand on my jeans and waited for someone to answer.

The last time I tried to reach Angus, it was a while before he appeared. Either he was waiting for my call, or we were super lucky, because we didn’t have to wait long for the elusive fae to appear. In less than five minutes, the water parted and revealed the glittering waterfall, under which Angus emerged.

His gleaming, white hair glistened against the sun and water as he walked calmly toward us, looking like a model on a runway. The sides of his hair were pulled back so his pointed ears were on full display. When he got closer, his lavender eyes pierced me in place.

“Mackenzie MacCoinnich,” he greeted. The smooth timbre of his voice startled me, and I jumped up from my squatted position and backed up to stand beside Bash and William. “What a pleasant surprise.”

“Is it really?” Bash grunted. “Let’s not be coy, Angus.”

The fae tilted his head mechanically. “Whatever do you mean, Sebastian Steel?”

“We know what you did,” Bash growled. “That night in Central Park when you took her vial of blood.”

Angus’s upper lip quirked into a smirk. “It was nothing but a blessing,” he replied cavalierly. “We give them all the time.” He shrugged. “This must mean she’s been blessed with child, if you’re so upset.”

“You don’t give them out without ulterior motives,” Bash snarled. “She didn’t want this! You took her choice away!”

Angus chuckled. “What are choices, anyway? Mackenzie MacCoinnich lost those when she became Queen.”

His words made me snap to attention and out of whatever stupor I’d been in. “Excuse me?” I growled. “You had no right!” I started to move forward, my claws extending, ready to dig into his throat.

William grabbed me and pulled me back. I looked back at him with wild eyes, but he only shook his head, secure in the fact he needed to stop me from doing something I’d regret—like start a war with the fae.

“I understand you’re upset,” Angus said stoically. I could tell he didn’t understand at all, but was parroting back what he thought I wanted to hear. “But you must think of the greater good. This was needed.”

“What purpose does my child have for the fae?” I growled. I needed to know what I was up against. It wasn’t just Abaddon. Angus had some nefarious plans up his sleeve and I had to nip them in the bud now before this got out of control.

“To be the next ruler of the fae,” he said calmly, as if it should be obvious. “Queen Drusilla blessed your bloodline; this is known by all. When King Alexander involved himself with an oracle, something happened to that rarified bloodline. Oracles by nature are pure, which only intensified whatever it is that you are, Mackenzie MacCoinnich. You’re not fae, but the offspring you produce will be because of the blessing and what you’ve become.”

I shook my head. “That’s nonsense!”

“Is it?” He tilted his head again. “Is that not why Abaddon is after your child? I could help you, you know.”

I narrowed my eyes. “Of course you can … for a price.”

Angus grinned. “You speak my language. You might be fae, after all,” he laughed. “We will help protect your child from Abaddon. In exchange, when the child is born, you will hand him or her over to us to be raised. We will allow you to visit, of course, but they will be raised in the fae realm.”

Bash let out a growl that rivaled my own. “You think I would protect my child from one demon just to hand them over to you?”