2. Diana

2

DIANA

G ive me the strength, father, one last time, to see this through despite my grief...

I sucked in a deep breath and let it out, pausing to study the faces around the table of my war room.

It had been a scant five weeks since he'd been killed and the grief had not eased one bit.

Lochlin, seated in the chair beside me, where my father used to sit. My packmate, long-time confidant and friend. Now, my right hand and advisor. Usually quick to smile despite the scar that bisected his face from one brow to the corner of his mouth, the auburn-haired, bear of a man was stoic today. I had no doubt he wouldn't like my plans, but that was alright. We'd locked horns plenty over the decades, and while I appreciated his counsel, I was Queen .

We'd do it my way.

Beside him sat Will, the youngest of my three brothers. Now that we'd defeated and killed our oldest, Edmund the Vile, Will was King, and he deserved the title. A good man. A fair man...despite being a bloodsucker and all. His brand new wife Bethany was seated to his right, holding his hand in a quiet show of support. That was good. He'd need it. Despite enjoying the backing of most in their Territory, there was still a fringe faction of his kind who would never accept his marriage to a natural-born human, even if she was a vampire now...

I turned my head and locked gazes with my other brother, Dominic. Dark, dangerous, and General of the Vampire Army. He'd been crucial to the success of our mission to take Edmund down. But just as crucial, his wife and beloved, Sienna. I still marveled at that one. A human—or so we'd thought—with powers beyond anything I'd ever seen. Stories of her healing magic had spread across the Territories far and wide. And now that she could ride the bloody Hunters as if they were her own private ponies, she'd reached an almost god-like status. And still, she stayed humble and kind...and stubborn and foolhardy at times.

All part of why I liked her, honestly.

Next to them sat Nicholas of Southwind. A vampire aristocrat raised in a family of diplomats with an interesting skill set I'd yet to witness personally. And Raven, another vampire whose presence I still questioned. He was far too handsome, and charming in a way that raised my hackles. If it wouldn't please him so much to get under my skin, I'd have already demanded to know why he'd even come to this meeting.

Finally, I shifted my gaze to the woman directly across from me, Evangeline. My savior. The woman who had protected me from Edmund as a child, and spirited me away to Werewolf Territory. Defying the king himself and risking her life to save mine. A Duchess with a heart of gold and a spine of steel.

Although you wouldn't know it now. She looked like a husk of her former self. Those snapping brown eyes, always lit with determination and wit, were now downcast as she stared at the intricate pattern on the mahogany table. Losing Lycan had been tough on us all. It was as if a live grenade had been tossed in our midst, tearing through us all. The pack was still reeling, friends and clan members from far and wide had been in mourning for weeks now. And me? As much as I tried to play it off...show the strength and fortitude so necessary in a Queen, some days it was hard to even put one foot in front of the other and get through the day.

And still, Evangeline was suffering more. She'd barely left her quarters and seemed so deep in a fog, I was starting to wonder if she'd lost her grip on reality. Or maybe she'd just been lost in memories of the past .

I'd spent a fair amount of time doing the same lately, so I could hardly judge. Still, I hated having to leave her like this. Especially without knowing when—or if—I'd be coming back.

I spared one last glance out the window and pursed my lips. There was a fair chance it didn't matter what I or any other creature on this planet did now. The end was near. Ever since the Veil had fallen fifteen years before, we'd been on a downward slide.

It had been slow at first. So slow, we didn't even notice. But then the winters grew colder. Longer. The summers sweltering. The winds and tides unpredictable. And lately, especially these past few weeks, the weather was off the rails. Storms even while the sun shined. Snow and sleet mixed with hail and thunder. If we got caught at sea in something like that, we'd all be at the bottom of the ocean. Wolves were stronger and hardier than humans to be sure, but Mother Nature was the great equalizer.

Shoving aside the big-picture problems, I focused on the ones I had a shot of actually solving.

"I think that's everyone," I said, forcing a smile to my lips as I rose to stand. "Let's begin. I'm sure you've all seen how?—"

The door flew open, banging off the stone wall with such a crash that I instinctively laid a hand on the hilt of my sword.

"Sorry I'm late!" rasped the tiny, misshapen woman who hobbled into the room. Her face wasn't visible due to the towering plate of food she held balanced in front of her, but I didn't need to see it.

"Myrr?" I demanded, immediately irritated. "What are you doing here?"

She plopped into a side chair closest to the door and shot me a mostly-toothless grin. "I'm the Oracle, ain't I? I need to be kept apprised of all the haps, don't I? I swear, I won't interrupt. I'm just going to sit here and eat my breakfast while you all do your plotting and scheming and such, hmm?"

I let out a sigh. I wanted to remind her that, as the Oracle, technically, shouldn't she already be apprised of "the haps"? But I wasn't about to call her on it. Dominic, a non-believer who was only just starting to come around to the idea of someone truly seeing the future—barely—had no such reservations.

"Aren't you supposed to be all-knowing?" he demanded. "All-seeing?"

"Not all, no." Myrr hefted what looked like an entire haunch of venison in her gnarled hands and glared at him through one, milky eye. "But I knew you lot were meeting here without me so I guess I know some things, eh, big boy?"

Sienna laid a hand on Dom's arm as he seemed ready to fire back, and he settled against his chair with a sigh .

"Fine, do as you please. You will anyway," he muttered.

It wasn't that Myrr wasn't helpful...exactly. It was just that it took some time—a lot of it, in some cases—to see how she was helping. Since I'd found the note my father had left for me in the event of his death, I'd met with her to talk over breakfast—at her request—a half dozen times to get some guidance. All I wound up with was a headache from grinding my teeth in irritation after listening to her chew for an hour straight. Now, with my journey imminent, she was just as likely to harm as she was to help. Many of her visions were cryptic and erratic, muddying the waters more than they offered clarity. Others were so ominous and full of impending doom that it made it hard to stay the course and keep morale high. If the weight of the world was on my shoulders, I needed morale at its highest, and the water to be crystal clear.

The time for prophecies and the doubts they could bring had passed. Now was the time for action.

I turned to her and lifted a brow in stern warning. "Just observing, yes? If you have something to add, we can meet afterward."

Or not.

The Oracle set down her venison to mimic the locking of lips before throwing away the key.

I dipped my head and then turned to face the others at the table .

"The reason I've asked you here is because I…" I glanced at Raven and Nicholas of Southwind and let out a sigh, "Or my brothers trust you implicitly. As you all know, Sienna has an enemy out there working behind the scenes to wreak havoc on both her and on the Territories as a whole. This enemy, she has considerable power, and she is using that power to prevent the rebuilding of the Veil, a process that apparently involves Sienna and four other keys." I turned to Sienna. "Care to step in and share your experiences with this entity?"

Sienna sucked in a breath, her expression darkening as she spoke. "She was feeding me false prophecies and dreams for some time. She was also the one responsible for the werewolf Elka's possession, and subsequent attack on me. She has the ability to intrude on my dreams somehow, and even cause injury from within them. It's jarring because you don't know what she'll do next. She even spoke to me through Will's bloodworm at one point. Her powers are chillingly strong, and largely unknowable at this point."

I nodded. "So be wary of strange dreams or other such intrusions. Beware of voices giving false directives, no matter how alluring they may seem. We theorize that Elka was targeted because of her dark emotional state at the loss of her brother, Jordan. We believe that the entity is most likely to make her move at times of strong emotion, or weakness. "

"In hindsight, I'm fairly certain that my second in command, Scarlett, was possessed by her too," Dom cut in, and Sienna nodded at his side. "Perhaps for quite a long time. Unlike Elka, Scarlett didn't seem like a woman possessed. It was almost as if this entity prayed on her jealousies and insecurities, and wore her down over a long period. It's also very likely that she has a way of keeping track of us, given the nature of her powers. She clearly doesn't need to be directly present to invade someone's."

I turned to Myrr as I continued, "But it's not all bad news. There does seem to be another force out there that is trying to aid us. Elhimna, the enemy called him. He has spoken through Myrr on several occasions, and seems familiar with our enemy and her tricks. He has counseled us to gather the remaining keys and keep them safe at all costs."

Myrr nodded, setting down her venison for a moment to add, "There's something about his words that rings true. I'd stake my name as Oracle on his words being reliable."

"We have scholars studying the history books for any record of his name or of a dark force with powers like the entity we're facing, but have found nothing. For now, keep your guard up at all times. This will be most important when it comes to this next bit." I reached for the stack of papers before me and handed them to Loch. "Can you take one and pass the rest down?"

I didn't need to keep one for myself.

"I found this note shortly after my father's death. I've spent over a week trying to decide how to handle this, and now that my path is clear, I wanted to share it with you all."

I cleared my throat and began to recite from memory.

"'If you've found this, Diana, that means I am gone. Likely too old and too slow to keep up with the pups in battle. Such is life. What you need to know most of all is that you were my greatest joy. I cannot imagine how empty my life would've been without you in it, and if that was all my Evangeline ever gave to me, it would've been enough. I am so proud of you, and all you've accomplished. You are already a better leader than I ever was. Enough of that, though. Now, for the hard bit. I hate to burden you further, my daughter, but I'm afraid it can't be helped. I've been in search of something that might help us fix what has been broken. Something The Oracle told me in secret could save you all. Decades ago, when I was still king and you were more trusting, a man came to our keep. Charming, silver-tongued, and handsome. That man left our territory with a jewel he had no right to take. I believe he is still in possession of that jewel, and we need to get it back, daughter. Only then can we find the other keys…Only then can we restore the Veil.'"

The rest of the room was silent, except for the Duchess's' now-labored breathing.

She met my gaze through the thin, black lace of her widow's veil as she pushed back her chair and stood.

"I'm sorry, Diana, but I can't be here. I hope you'll forgive me."

I swallowed past the lump in my throat to reply. "Of course."

She swept from the room, closing the door behind her. I knew it had been a gamble to request her presence, but I didn't want her to feel excluded.

It was probably for the best that she wasn't here. Emotions were sure to run high and we needed to think with our minds, not with our hearts, now more than ever.

I glanced around the table as I continued. "I know who this man is. I know the gem my father spoke of. In fact, I am the reason it was so easily taken. But that's a story for another day. What's important is that I own its mate, so I know exactly what we're looking for. And, thanks to our amazing tech team, I know that it's located in the human realm. What I need now is a few volunteers to come and help me find it."

Sienna's arm instantly shot high. "I'm in."

Dom grabbed her hand and yanked it down. " I'm in. "

Bethany shot Sienna a glance. "If she's in, I'm in too."

Will nodded. "In."

"Me too," Loch said.

I pinched my eyes closed and let out a sigh. Gods give me strength.

"As much as I appreciate your loyalty and passion here guys, none of that's going to happen. Loch, I need you here in my stead. And William and Bethany are the brand new King and Queen of the Vampire Territory. They need to be here for their people to waylay any concerns and ensure that the last of Edmund loyalists have all been rooted out. Dominic cannot be separated from Will. It's his literal job to ensure his safety. And obviously, Sienna, being the one key we do have, needs to be protected at all costs."

I crossed my arms over my chest.

"I brought you all here because I need some recommendations. Dominic," I said, turning his way. "I need one of your men to come with me and offer some cover. Someone strong who can handle himself if things go sideways, but also smart and well-connected, with deep knowledge of the human world, whose presence won't be questioned. Someone who can call in some favors if our quarry proves to be hard to find."

Raven cleared his throat and hunkered down in his chair, silent as he eyed Dominic through heavy lids.

"That's Raven," Dom said with a clipped nod. "He's been my right hand since...since Scarlett's passing, and spent more time in the human realm than any other warrior I know."

I instantly balked.

"Raven? What's he going to do, seduce Maverick into giving him the stone?"

The man in question met my gaze, a grin stealing over his firm mouth. "Your Majesty, make no mistake. While there's no doubt I could do it that way, I'd be much more inclined to fight the man than fuck him. I like my lovers...softer, if you will."

Heat stole over my cheeks for no good reason, which pissed me off. What was I, some blushing maiden? Hell no. I was a werewolf queen, damn it.

"Be that as it may," I said with a tight smile, "I was thinking Nicholas of Southwinds."

Anyone but Raven.

"Nicholas should go as well," Dom agreed. "His talent for…reading people could be useful. But you have your pack and this whole Territory relying on you, Diana. You need protection as much as anyone else in this room. If I could convince you not to go, I would."

I opened my mouth to speak but he held up a hand.

" But since I knowI can't change your mind,it has to be Raven. There's no man I would want beside me on the field of battle more than him. If I have to put your life in someone's hands, it will be his."

"I'm honored to go," Nicholas said, his tone solemn.

Dominic turned to look at Raven, who slumped back in his seat and let out a groan, his eyes rolling hard enough that I wondered how they stayed in his head.

"I mean, yeah. Alright, then. I did swear fealty to King William, and now report to Dominic. If he says I go, then I go."

"Your enthusiasm for the task gives me the utmost confidence," I said through my teeth.

His smile never faltered. "I'd be a lot more willing about the whole thing if you didn't act like such a high-handed bitch all the time."

Something inside me snapped, and an instant later I was across the table, my short blade pressed against his neck.

"You dare call a queen such a slur in her own home?" I whispered, adrenaline pounding through my veins, making me feel more alive than I'd felt since before Lycan's death. I held Raven's mocking gaze, getting angrier by the moment as I called over my shoulder. "Brother...you say this is the strongest fighter you know? He couldn't even stop me from getting the drop on him."

Raven had the balls to wink at me. "Alas my Queen, if I chose violence today, you'd already be dead. "

"Raven!" Will snapped. "Enough!"

Raven's voice dropped to a whisper, low enough for only me to hear.

"I get it. It's not your fault. Most women have a hard time letting me go."

As much as I wanted to take all the pent-up anger and grief of the past weeks out on this bastard, I couldn't. With all eyes on the two of us, it was best to let this little pissing contest die a quick death or risk creating a rift. Our pack had a strong ally in the vampires for the first time ever. I needed to keep it that way. No matter how satisfying it would've been to wipe the smirk off his face.

I lowered my knife and stepped back, smoothing the braid down my back as I forced a smile.

"You see I'm right, though. He's difficult, Dominic. There is zero chance he'll obey me. The last thing I need is to be dealing with a wild card bloodsucker who can't do as he's told. And while I understand that the you and Will trust him, I do not. For all I know, he'll try to eat me while I sleep."

His mouth quirked. "If I decide to eat you, Your Majesty, you wouldn't be asleep for long."

"Godsdamnit, Raven!" Dominic growled, thumping the table with his fist. "You're not making this any easier."

"Just pick someone else. Anyone," I managed, suddenly flustered and trying not to think of this irritating man bent before me, mouth pressed to my–

"Wordplay aside, our brother is right, Diana," Will said, clearly not thrilled by the thought, but resigned. "I know he can be vexing, but in this time of political upheaval, there is no one else I would trust with your life, either."

Will pursed his lips and shot a glance at Dominic, who leveled his friend with a cold stare.

"Raven. Apologize. Now."

With a sigh, the bastard rose from his chair to stare down at me just long enough to let me clock his sheer size and presence that far overwhelmed my own before dropping to one knee.

"Forgive me, Your Majesty. It was never my intention to offend. I apologize for my insolence and offer my fealty." He bent his head low to the ground until it touched the tip of my boots and I was staring down at his gleaming, dark hair. Then he looked up. "From this day forward, I am yours to command."

He looked so solemn, his voice suddenly ringing with such sincerity that I actually believed him. Raven mocking me and acting a fool was one thing. This Raven was far more unsettling. I could hear the pulse in my neck pounding and, judging by the way he was staring at it with barely repressed hunger, so could he.

He had just ceded control to me, but somehow I felt more out of control than ever …

Nope. Not happening.

I was about to put this nonsense to bed once and for all when Myrr dropped the iced bun she'd been holding and spoke, her tone the low drone of prophecy.

"Yes. Our Queen Diana, Nicholas of Southwind, and Raven of the mainland. This is the trio that will save the Empire."

Oh, sure. Now her visions were clear as glass?

I knew I should've kicked her out when I had the chance.