The Queen's Flight (Emerging Queens) (12 page)

“Queen Viola of America.”

Viola nearly stumbled when she heard her title. Her heartbeat was loud on her ears. Queen? It was now very real. She bit down a nervous giggle and entered the room.

“Welcome, sister.” Cassandra said. “You may leave us, Justice.”

The stone doors closed behind her with barely a whisper, and she found herself the center of attention for a hundred dragons. Most of them men. There was a brightly dressed contingent of ten females sitting on pillows below Cassandra’s settee. Around the room, the blue weave arced and settled at their feet. Blinking, Viola wondered if everyone else could see the dancing pattern. But no one seemed to be tracking it. Maybe it was normal in a Queen’s castle? The threads of power made her fingers itch to knit it all together.

“Come forth and let us see you.”

Viola strained to hear the whispers of the male dragons but she couldn’t decipher the language. Their stares bored into her and her chin rose. She stopped at the steps leading up to the stage.

“What brings you to Ireland?” Cassandra asked. Even though she was in human form, the way she sat reminded Viola of a coiled snake. The question was asked with a sincerity that rang false.

Viola’s mouth opened to ask for sanctuary, but a
ping
of warning struck her from the weave. Startled, she felt a pull coming from one of the women on the pillows. It seemed to be coming from a Carrie-Ann-Moss-circa-the-Matrix lookalike. Only the woman was contemplating her nails instead of actively participating in the assembly.

Had these women asked for sanctuary and found themselves in debt to Cassandra in some way? There was a hostile vibe in the weave that urged her to be cautious. She should’ve talked more with Sergei about this when she had a chance. What else could she say?

Surveying the expectant faces, she felt very alone. The disapproving scowl on Cassandra’s face reminded her of her mother. Viola inhaled sharply. That was it. She had a family tie here.

“I’ve come to see my father,” Viola blurted out, which caused a startled murmur through the court.

Cassandra frowned and sat up. “Why would your father be here?”

“He telephoned me a few days ago and invited me.”

Her nostrils flared and a trickle of smoke drifted out. “Which stud dares issues invitations without consulting me?”

Panicked male voices rushed over her in the harsh consonants of the dragon language.

“He is human.” Viola raised her voice over the din.

Silence descended so abruptly she thought she had gone deaf.

“Who is your father?”

Well, that was a good question.

“I am.” A human male stepped in from the side of the stage. He was wearing a red sash.

“Sebastian?” Cassandra glanced from the man to Viola and back again.

Viola stared at her father for the first time. Her mother refused to even tell her his name. Always referring to him as “that man” or “your father.”

She’d inherited her coloring from her mother, but she saw her nose and chin when he turned to smile at her. He beamed, and she felt something stirring in the weave. It was black and chilling and coming from Cassandra.

“This is my daughter,” he said, coming down the stairs and clasping Viola in his arms.

Viola stiffened and the court gasped. She extricated herself as gracefully as she could and tried to come to terms with the fact that this man was her father.

Sperm donor.

Give him a chance.
He’d helped her by being here.

Viola was getting a headache from arguing with herself.

“Please escort your daughter to our guest rooms,” Cassandra said with a polite malevolence that would have rusted metal.

“This way,” her father said, taking her out a side door near the stage.

“Bring me my wine,” Cassandra bellowed out.

Cassandra was Sergei’s nightmare Queen.

Viola almost got whiplash, looking back at her, but her father pulled her down the hallway, and the door shut behind them.

Chapter Fourteen

“So uh, Sebastian,” Viola said as they climbed up wide, stone stairs. “Nice to meet you.”

“I’m glad you came,” he said. “I was worried you would be taken by a stud.”

“How did you know that I…shifted? Let me guess, you saw me being hustled into the car with my hoo hah hanging out?” That little geek’s blog had gone viral, and the comments from YouTube weren’t very nice.

He shook his head. “No, I’ve known since you were born that you were a dragon. When Lerisse broke the spell, I tracked you down. It was very helpful that you still lived with your mother.”

“Wait.” Viola stopped in the hallway. “You knew I was a dragon? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Would you have believed me?” Sebastian gave her a rueful look. “Well, you might have, but your mother didn’t want to hear it.”

Viola cocked her head. “I suppose it would be a little suspect coming from someone who never even sent me a birthday card.”

“Do you think your mother would have given them to you?” His voice was dry, but there was a hint of hope underneath it.

“Did you try?” Viola countered.

“No,” he said quietly. “Perhaps I should have.”

He opened a heavy wooden door, and she peeked in. It was an enormous bedroom. A double-king-size bed was the centerpiece of the room. Viola walked in and whirled around.

“This is amazing. But where is Merrick going to be?”

“In the courtyard with the rest of the studs. Unless you require his…” —he coughed— “services.”

“Uh no, that’s quite all right,” she said, backing into the room, waving her hands wildly. “Am I going to be safe here?” Sergei wouldn’t be too happy that she was here, but it wasn’t as if he’d told her the Queen’s name. Would he still come for her? She crossed her arms over her chest. He’d better.

“You will now,” he said. “I’ll have someone bring up some lunch. Do you have any preference?”

Viola’s stomach growled and she was bone-weary from the flight. She could feel reaction set in and she sat at the end of the bed. “I need to get in touch with my Protector.”

“Why isn’t he here?” Her father frowned.

“I don’t know. We were escaping from a Cult of Humanity attack. I don’t even know if he’s alive.” She stroked the furs piled on the bed. Big pillows were thrown at the head. A fire was just starting to catch in the fireplace, so the room had a nice smoky scent. All she wanted to do was pull the blankets up over her head.

“What’s his name? I’ll send him up should he arrive soon.” Sebastian started to close the door behind him.

“Sergei. I think he was in this court before.”

Her words stopped him in his tracks. He hung on the heavy door for support. “That butcher is your Protector?”

“He’s not like that.” Viola reassured him.

“He hates Queens,” Sebastian whispered in a low tone, darting glances over his shoulder.

“I’ve noticed,” Viola said. “Can you let him know I’m here and that I’m okay?” If he was even still alive. Pain darted in her chest at the thought she would never see him again.

Sebastian stuttered. “I-I don’t know. He isn’t in our records.”

And if he were alive, would he take this opportunity to be free of her? That thought was too sad to even contemplate.

“What about Reed or Jack from the American embassy?” At least she knew they would come for her. Carolyn would never give them a moment’s peace until they did.

His face cleared. “Of course. I’ll leave that message for them. Is there anything else?”

“There’s everything else…Dad. Starting with how you knew I was a dragon and ending with why are you with Cassandra?”

He walked over to her and knelt by the bed. “I never told your mother what this meant.” He rolled up his sleeve and showed her a tattoo of a pike with flowing ribbons in a rainbow color.

“Nice ink,” Viola said. “Is that supposed to mean anything to me?” Viola was actually a little weirded out by the tat. It reminded her of what a cultist would have on his body.

“Order of the Dragon Slayers. It’s an officer’s rank.”

“So you slay dragons?” Viola refused to flinch away from him. “Why are you working for one?”

“I only slay dragons who are a threat to humanity or have killed humans.”

“How many dragons have you killed?”

Sebastian hung his head. “I’m not proud of what I’ve had to do. I’ve had the unpleasant task of putting down five studs.”

“How did you do that? You’re human. I just saw one of my court take a tank shot in the gut and fly from New York to Ireland. How the heck can a guy like you kill one of those?” Viola pointed toward the door.

Sebastian leaned into her and spoke in a low voice, “My training allows me to work around the dragons’ magic.”

“How?” Viola leaned away.

“I’m afraid I can’t tell you that.”

“Could you sound anymore creepier? You’re like that robot from 2001: A Space Odyssey.” She scooted farther away from him.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” He wrung his hands. “You’re not in any danger from the Order. They have a soft spot for Queens, anyway.”

“So are you their personal assassin or Cassandra’s?”

“She’s helped identify the miscreants.” Sebastian stood up, his knees cracking. “But ultimately, it was the Order’s decision.” He made his way to the door again. “Is there anything else I can get for you? If not, I should be returning to my post.”

Viola settled back on the pillows and yawned. “Was Mom always so bigoted against dragons?”

Sebastian rubbed his hand over his face. The gesture was so familiar. She’d seen her mother do the same thing. “No. In fact, she loved Cassandra’s money. Until I decided to pack up and come to Ireland. I wanted to take you both, but this castle isn’t any place for humans.”

“So why are you here? I’m going to go out on a limb and guess that Cassandra knows you’re with the Order of Dragon Slayers and keeps you close for a reason? Aside from sex? I mean I don’t want to know, if it is the sex, because even though you’re a stranger, you’re also my father and that’s creepy. Ack, now I’ve grossed myself out and have to bleach my brain.” She rubbed her hand down her face and wondered if he was thinking it was a familiar gesture, too.

“Dragon slayers can sense dragons. That’s how I knew when you were born that you were destined to be a Queen. But my brothers-in-arms knew there was something stopping the Queens from shifting at puberty. So I caught Cassandra’s attention with my tattoo and agreed to be a member of her court to keep her updated on the Order’s movements. In exchange, I got free rein in her laboratories to experiment while researching a cure for the curse.” He leaned on the doorframe.

“So, you left Mom and me and took off to Ireland without a second glance?” Viola tried to keep the hurt out of her voice. It really shouldn’t matter. This man was a stranger. She never knew her father. Hadn’t thought of him in years. But what would her childhood have been like if there hadn’t been a curse? Would her mother have been different? Nicer, more nurturing?

“My work, if it had been successful, could have ended the suffering of the Queens. It would have freed you. But if you and your mother came with me, I ran the risk of having Cassandra know I had a Queen as a daughter. She may have kidnapped you, or worse.” Sebastian gripped the door until his fingers were white. “Please believe me. I had your best interests in mind. Not a day has gone by that I haven’t thought of you.”

Viola shivered, and she was pretty sure it wasn’t from the drafty old room. But Sebastian caught the movement and came back into the room to tend to the fire. “If she’s such a bad Queen, why have you stayed with her?”

“The devil you know. The others are more reptilian than human.” The heavy logs he tossed on the fire sent sparks up.

“So what happens now?” Viola wrapped a fur blanket around her shoulders.

“You can stay here until the Queen’s Conclave next year. No stud would dare harm you.”

“Nothing’s free, Dad. What does Cassandra get out of this?” She wished she could blame the stone walls for the chill, but it was dread that had her trembling.

His lips twisted. “That’s between you and her, but as my guest, you won’t be obligated to grant her a favor in the future. That’s something, at least.” He checked the latch on the window and brought a few more candles over to the bedside.

“Is that what the other Queens have to do?” Viola appreciated the extra light and the attention. But if he got her a glass of water and wanted to read her a story, she was going to kick him out.

“A favor for a favor. It’s best not to be beholden to a Queen.”

Viola took a deep breath. “Who leads the Queens? The elder council? Justice?”

Sebastian gave a short laugh. “No one.”

“Who’s the Queens’ Queen?”

Grimacing, Sebastian shrugged. “Each Queen is an authority. The Queen’s Conclave is where they make policy decisions, and then it’s by majority rule. The elder council is only an advisory board. Justice is Cassandra’s Protector, and he’s also on the advisory board with the rest of the Great Wyrms.”

“Who’s her consort?” Viola couldn’t keep her head up anymore and she sank onto the pillows.

“It depends on the day of the week.” He tucked her in and, against her better judgment, she let him.

“Here’s what I don’t get,” she said, turning with the covers so she could watch him leave. “What if I ask a stud to help build a school and another Queen tells him to burn it down? Who does he listen to?”

“Both. A Queen’s word is law. He’d build your school and then burn it down.”

“What if he didn’t want to do either?” Viola yawned so wide her jaw cracked.

“The studs live to serve.” Sebastian left the room.

“And the price for defying a Queen?” she called after him.

He poked his head back through the doorway. “Death, torture, banishment. It’s up to the Queen.”

Viola shook her head. “Pleasant thoughts.”

“I’ll be able to help you with getting used to the court. I can see that you’re tired. As much as I’d like to stay, you need your rest. Is there anything else I can get for you?”

“I don’t suppose there is cable or wireless this far up?”

“I’m sorry, no. Is there something you need?”

“Is there a local yarn store around?” Viola asked.