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

and stopped before my desk. “You summoned me, Princess?” he smirked.

I knew despair was painted all over my face, so I tried to school my expression, but he caught it before I had a chance. He hurried to sit in the chair across from me.

“Is everything all right?” he asked with obvious concern.

I rested my elbows on my desk and clasped my hands. “How much can I trust you, Bobby?”

He frowned. “Typically I’d say you can’t, but considering our current circumstances, you can trust me, Princess.”

It wasn’t easy for me to trust Bobby, but maybe Sebastian was right and I had to take a leap of faith. Unfortunately, with Bobby’s track record it wasn’t easy. The last time I trusted him, he forcibly bound himself to me and made me do things I never thought I’d be capable of committing.

“What I tell you, you can’t tell Fenrir. Can you do that?”

His expression darkened as he sucked in a breath. “And what could you possibly be wanting to keep from Fenrir?”

I shook my head. “You didn’t answer my question. Can you keep a secret?”

“Depends on what the secret is. Does it affect what we’re currently doing?”

“No,” I lied. “It has nothing to do with Abaddon.”

The lie came out so smoothly, I worried he’d catch me. Luckily, Bobby didn’t think twice. It was my first clue that he trusted me.

“What do you need?”

I leaned forward and whispered, “I have fae magic in my blood and I need to get rid of it. Can you do that?”

Bobby’s almond eyes widened for a moment before he straightened. “Why do you want to get rid of it? What’s the problem?”

I huffed, “Nothing’s the problem, I just don’t want it. Can you do it or not?”

He jerked back like I’d slapped him. “Yeah … yeah, I mean I can do it, but … you’re pregnant. I don’t want to do anything that’ll affect the baby. Can’t you wait until after you give birth?”

“No,” I said adamantly. “It has to be as soon as possible. Like yesterday.”

Bobby’s brows furrowed. “You’re keeping something from me. This isn’t the whole truth, Princess.”

“You don’t need the whole truth. Just do me this one favor.”

He eyed me for a moment before looking away. “It won’t be easy, and I can’t do it right away. I’ll need a blood sample.”

I extended my arm and tapped a vein.

Bobby rolled his eyes. “Not now. Fenrir is with me. He’ll ask questions. I’ll stop by tomorrow to get it.”

I exhaled a relieved breath. “Thank you.”

He pursed his lips. “Don’t thank me just yet, Princess.”

We both stood and started to walk out of the office. My guards who were posted outside the doors followed us as we walked toward the foyer.

“Yer Majesty, the others are waiting in the dining hall,” Liam informed me as he led the way.

We walked across the castle to the dining hall in silence. When we entered, I found Bash entertaining Fenrir and Raven.

“Finally! You’re done,” Fenrir said, standing as we walked in. “What was this about?”

Bobby shrugged nonchalantly. “Princess just wanted to know when she could stop by the temple and practice with the oracles.”

Fenrir frowned. “Why couldn’t you ask Ophelia?”

I cleared my throat. “The last time I spoke with her, she made Bobby her emissary.” I jabbed my thumb in the warlock’s direction. I could only hope Ophelia had a vision and saw this coming in case he asked questions.

“Why would she do that?” Fenrir pondered mainly to himself.

Raven patted him on the back. “She mentioned something about not being able to travel as much.”

I couldn’t help the surprised look on my face as Raven helped us carry out our lie. Then again, Raven knew more than she was telling Fenrir.

“Anyway, have you had any visions?” Fenrir asked urgently.

I shook my head. “No, I haven’t.”

Fenrir threw his head back and sighed. “What good are you as an oracle if you don’t even work?”

“Hey, asshole!” I took a step toward him and pointed a finger at his chest. “I don’t work on demand, and I’m not your personal oracle. I’m not a fuckin’ vending machine giving out visions. So get bent.” I was so furious, it took me a moment to realize my vision was clouding and I was getting wobbly on my feet.

“Yer Majesty?” I heard Liam call out.

My sight went milky white and I knew I was about to be plunged into a vision. Ironically enough, the very thing I’d just told Fenrir I didn’t do on demand.

“Catch her before she falls!” Bash yelled before the world spun around me and I was tossed somewhere else.

I was standing on the wooden drawbridge in front of the castle looking toward the path that led to the village. It was dark out, but I could see a few guards patrolling the area. Everything seemed quiet until someone up ahead dropped to the ground. Then another. And another. All the guards on duty began to collapse where they stood, going limp without a flutter of protest. Coming toward me, a single figure approached. All I saw was his silhouette as he slowly advanced, bodies continuing to fall all around him.

My body chilled and I couldn’t move, but I knew without a doubt who it was.

Abaddon.

When his heavy boot touched the drawbridge, I snapped out of my stupor and tried to move out of the way, but I couldn’t. It was as if my body was glued in place. He stopped before me, mere inches away.

“Hello, Mackenzie,” he purred.

I gasped. No one had ever been able to see me in a vision. I looked behind me to see if my corporeal form had suddenly emerged from the castle, but there was no one there. It was just me in my spectral form.

“I see you’ve come out to play.” He grinned and then waved at the guards on the ground. “I didn’t kill them, by the way. They’re just taking a nap. I thought I’d be generous this time.”

“H-How?” I stuttered.

“There’s a lot of