8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Grandy passed me my crown, which I took gratefully. As I settled Terrance back on my head, I saw Sara blink, shake her head and frown at me. She could understand that I'd been passed something but she couldn't quite see what. She shrugged a moment later, like she no longer cared about the inconsistency.

Thank you, I said to Terrance. Thank you for helping my grandfather.

Not a bother, my Queen. I must say, it's been a rather long time since I vanquished a foe – Nina wouldn't let me start so much as a hearth fire! But I've still got it! he said cheerfully.

You have indeed, I agreed sombrely. Markith's phantom screams were still ringing in my ears and I swallowed hard against the sudden bile rising once again in my throat. Why did seeing people die not get any easier ?

Grandy gave me a sudden hug, which startled me. He pressed a kiss on my forehead. ‘Thank you, Luci. That will certainly buy me some more time.'

‘I should hope so – and you can borrow Terrance whenever you need to.'

He smiled slightly. ‘For now, you need his protection as much as I do. Have a care, Luci, you are kicking the hornets' nest.'

‘I sure hope so. Let's see who comes to sting me.'

He gave me one last squeeze and then he faded into the shadows and away. I liked to imagine that he had a castle of his own and he slept in a velvet-lined coffin.

I climbed into the front seat of the car. ‘You're driving?' Sara asked dubiously, eyeing the passenger seat.

‘What? I'm a great driver!'

She sighed, folded her wings and climbed awkwardly in next to me. ‘The rest of you take to the skies above us,' she barked.

Mack gave her a jaunty salute and did as he was told. I was surprised when Jacob did the same without comment or complaint; I'd thought he was in charge but maybe not if he jumped when Sara clicked her fingers. I was interested to work out the dynamic but maybe that was for another day. I focused on the road and carefully drove the short distance home .

Sara slid me a sideways glance. ‘You drive like a granny,' she sassed.

‘I drive like a person who cares about personal safety and respects the laws of the road,' I countered.

You drive like the infirm, Esme joined in.

Yes, thank you, Esme, I said drily.

As always, she missed the heavy sarcasm. You're welcome.

As the gravel of the driveway crunched under the car's wheels, my eyes rested upon Nina. The seat of power was somewhat power less these days, mainly due to the theft of a magical orb that had helped her do all sorts of cool things, including helping werewolves everywhere to access air magic and communicate freely with the Great Pack.

Our air magic was clearly still within us all – the dark seraph were proof of that because even in their gargoyle forms they had been able to access their air element. Something in the witches' curse had bridged the gap that the orb usually did; when the orb had been stolen, their power hadn't faltered.

Still, I wasn't about to go around cursing werewolves willy-nilly just to try and get the extra jolt of air power. I needed that orb and I really didn't have the first clue how to go about finding it .

I parked up at the mansion but rather than heading inside, I headed out. ‘Where are we going?' Sara asked.

‘To visit Nina,' I explained.

‘Who is she?'

‘She's the seat of power. You'll see.'

David was leaving as I arrived and he gave me a small smile. ‘Alpha,' he greeted me.

‘Hi, David, how are you?'

‘I'm good, Alpha, thank you.'

‘Thanks for keeping Nina company. And I must say, the rose gardens are looking truly splendid. Some lovely early blooms.'

‘Thank you. It'll be June before most of them flower but by then it will look wonderous.' He beamed at me as he pushed back his glasses up the bridge of his nose.

‘I'm sure it will.' I patted his arm. Because I was incredibly nosey, I wanted to ask about him and Daniella but I didn't because I tried to respect personal boundaries.

There had been a time when things seemed to be heating up between them, but of late David had chosen not to sit next to her. He'd walk into a room, she'd light up and smile at him in welcome, he'd give her a tight smile and sit elsewhere. Her face would crumple – and I hated seeing it. All I could assume was that she must have offended him somehow, hard as that was to imagine. I'd yet to hear the kind-hearted nurse so much as raise her voice, so it was inconceivable that she'd give offence on purpose.

Not our business, Esme said firmly. As long as it doesn't interfere with the pack's wellbeing.

She was right. Alphas like Rain thought that marriages were their business but they were wrong; every person should have the freedom to choose who to live their lives with. I smiled at David and let him disappear into the night, wishing to hell that I could interfere just a little bit.

No, Esme said firmly.

I know, I know. I'm not doing anything. I really wanted to pipe David, to force him to tell me the reason for their disagreement so I could fix it, but that would have been all kinds of wrong.

Thank goodness my mother had instilled such a rigid moral code in me. If she hadn't, I'd probably be Queen of the whole Other realm by now, but equally I'd probably be friendless and miserable. And I wouldn't have Greg by my side. Or maybe I would, but he wouldn't love me in the same way.

Nina's lights twinkled in the night making her look magically warm and inviting; she was a far cry from the ramshackle mess I'd seen on the Staffordshire Pack's lands. Having the loners as occupants seemed to have taken her from strength to strength. Whilst she had always derived her energy from releasing the deceased wolves back to the Great Pack, I was beginning to suspect that she gained even more energy simply from playing host. She didn't just look magical, she was magical. Every inch of her.

I suspected we'd only just begun to scratch the surface of her powers. Well, it was time to scratch a little more. It was time to get some answers.