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

“What do ye mean?” Ranulf shouted, his deep voice booming in the temple. “She cannae lose the crown! It belongs to the MacCoinnich bloodline!”

I hadn’t even been Queen a full twenty-four hours yet and I was already at risk of losing everything. I’d never realized just how hard this would be. With enemies everywhere, I didn’t know where to turn. What I did know was that I couldn’t just give up the throne. I couldn’t do that to Alexander.

Ranulf was still ranting while Ophelia stood there calmly, absorbing his words. Even though she was blind, it felt as if she was staring at me.

“Ye must be wrong!” Ranulf yelled. “Who is this ruler? Huh? Give us more information!”

Ophelia carefully navigated down the altar steps and walked toward me, ignoring the irate guardsman. When she stopped mere inches from me, she held up a hand and cupped my face.

“Trust yer instincts, Mackenzie. They have never steered ye wrong,” she said tenderly. “Ye will face death, and the fate of the Lycan will depend on that outcome. It is in yer hands.”

I frowned and concentrated on her words, but was no closer to figuring out what the hell she was talking about. “I don’t understand … If I’m not meant to be Queen, then why does it matter if I die or not?”

“Yer the key,” she insisted, then let her hand slip away. “Ye are the tether that holds it all together.”

I shook my head in confusion. “None of this makes sense, Ophelia. Can you speak plainly for once?”

She smiled softly. “It will soon.” Ophelia stepped back, putting space between us. “Now go. Ye must return to the castle.”

“Wait!” I reached for her arm before she walked away. “Will you help us? Against Fenrir and the others? You’re in the forest; we need all the help we can get,” I urged.

Ophelia gave another enigmatic smile. “The trees are yer friend, Mackenzie. Do nae fear.”

I frowned at her response and opened my mouth to ask her to clarify, but before I could say anything further, Bash tugged at my arm and motioned for us to leave. I sighed and nodded my head in acceptance. There was no point pushing the topic any further. Ophelia was filled with nothing but riddles.

Ranulf stomped out of the temple angrily while I walked out slower with Bash by my side. The two guards who accompanied us inside followed us back to the clearing where the other guards were waiting for us. We headed back to the castle in silence, each of us lost in a sea of questions and no answers.

When we arrived, Alexander was waiting for us in my office, which used to be his. But instead of sitting behind the desk that once belonged to him, I dragged myself to the sitting area and plopped down on the sofa. I was exhausted, mentally and physically. I still hadn’t recovered from last night’s injuries, and after the mental gymnastics of today, I was spent.

Bash sat beside me and pulled me into his arms, kissing the top of my head. Ranulf paced the room with long, angry strides. Alexander watched us quietly, a frown forming as he examined our individual reactions.

Alexander stood and walked over to the sofa where Bash and I sat in resigned silence. “What happened?”

“That damn oracle!” Ranulf growled, his fierce eyes glowing gold.

“What did Ophelia say?”

I sighed. “Well, apparently I’m going to lose the crown,” I revealed, looking up at Alexander’s face. “The greatest leader the Lycan will ever know will take the throne, but it won’t be me.”

His gray eyes widened and his mouth dropped as he stood perfectly still. “That cannae be,” he whispered.

“She’s not exactly a five-dollar fortune teller on the corner of the street,” I said with a snort. “Her visions are legit. There’s no point fighting it. It wouldn’t be fair to the Lycan. They deserve a good leader. Someone better than me.”

“But ye are a good leader, Mackenzie!” Alexander exclaimed hotly.

I offered him a sad smile. Of course he would say that. He loved me. But honestly, none of us even knew if I would be a good leader or not. I hadn’t had the opportunity yet.

“Thank you for that vote of confidence,” I said, “but whoever this person is, when we find them, we have to do what’s right. Even if we don’t like it.”

Alexander collapsed onto the couch across from us and loosened his tie, releasing a breath. “The MacCoinnich have held the throne for centuries,” he muttered in shock.

“I’m sorry it’s come to this,” I mumbled, ashamed.

“It’s nae yer fault, darling,” he added quickly. “We will figure this out, I promise. For now, we must keep the crown away from the Summits and Fenrir. No matter what, I refuse to believe they are who Ophelia was talking about.”

I gave a derisive snort. “I agree. Whoever it is, we haven’t met them yet.”

“Ophelia didn’t give us a timeline,” Bash said thoughtfully. “This might not happen anytime soon. We have to continue as if everything is normal for now.”

I nodded. “You’re right. I can’t just give up. I’m still Queen.”

Alexander ran a hand through his hair, brushing back that single curl over his forehead. I knew I was stressing him out.

“I heard ye fired the Council members,” he chided tiredly. “Do ye have a list of new members?”

I met his eyes with a determined spark. “I want you and Bash on the Council. Besides Ranulf, you’re the only ones I trust right now.”

Alexander’s eyes widened and he straightened. “I’d be honored, Mackenzie.”

“There’s no law against it, right?” I questioned.

He shook his head. “Previous kings have served on the Council or as consultants to the newly appointed Kings, if they were still alive.”

“If they were still alive?” I raised a brow.

“Most successors ascended to the throne because the previous Kings died,” Ranulf answered. “Alexander became King when his father died during a war with