Chapter 26
Twenty-Six
SOPHIE
Enya lets us through the front door, but we wait for her in the grand foyer.
My body is shaking like a tree in a storm.
I’ve always felt uneasy whenever I was in Queen Tatiana’s presence, but knowing now that she’s my mother, my tension level is going through the roof.
My stomach is coiled so tightly, it’s painful.
“I’ll escort Sophie to see the queen,” Enya tells us. “You and the lowborn vampire will wait here.”
“Lowborn vampire? That’s harsh, lady,” Vaughn complains.
“My instructions were to stay with Sophie the entire time,” Derek argues.
“Whose instructions?” I ask.
Enya watches Derek in open contempt. “I care not for your instructions.”
They glare at each other again, and who knows how long they’ll stay engaged in their stupid animosity battle. My nerves are fried, and I have no patience for it.
“I’m not your subject, and I don’t need a security detail. She is my queen,” I reply through clenched teeth. “Please, Enya. Take me to see her.”
“It’s not wise…,” Derek presses.
“I’ll be there to protect Sophie if the situation requires,” Enya cuts in.
I swallow the lump in my throat. “Protect me from what?”
“Come, child. We don’t have much time.” She turns toward the grand staircase, but I hesitate and glance at Vaughn. I wish he could come with me, but I don’t want to be a damsel in distress who needs a knight in shining armor to protect her. I have to see this through alone.
“You got this.” He smiles.
I nod, then follow Enya up the stairs. With each step, my heart seems to beat faster, and by the time I reach the landing, it’s galloping at breakneck speed. I feel sick.
“What did you mean that you’d protect me if needed?” I ask Enya.
“Didn’t Derek or your father tell you about Queen Tatiana’s illness?”
“No, they were both pretty vague about it.”
Enya stops in front of a door at the end of the hallway and turns to me. “The queen suffers from a malady that has befallen all first-generation Bluebloods. She’s losing her mind, forgetting things, and becoming aggressive in the blink of an eye for no reason.”
“That sounds horrible. So… it’s not only her? I mean, if it’s all first-generation vampires, then does that mean the usurper king too?”
Enya nods. “It’s my understanding that it is so, although none of his people have confirmed it.”
“Does my father suspect it?”
“I’m not sure what your father knows. As I mentioned before, he hasn’t communicated with me in a long time, and I think you know why.” Her sharp eyes bore into mine.
“He wants me to ascend to the throne. Only I have no desire to wear the crown.”
Enya arches a brow. “Is that so? Well… his desire is moot anyway.”
“Why do you say that?”
She turns to the closed door, pulling a skeleton key from her pocket. “We can talk about that later. Let’s go in before it’s too late.”
The room Queen Tatiana occupies is shrouded in darkness; the only light is coming from the moon outside. She’s standing in front of the window with her back to the door and doesn’t turn to us when we enter the room.
“My queen. I’ve brought Sophie to see you per your request,” Enya announces.
“I know.” She turns slowly and smiles, showing a hint of her fangs.
I don’t remember a time when she smiled in my direction. I curtsy. “My queen. I hope you’ve been well.”
“I can’t say that I have been well in general, but tonight, I feel like myself. Come closer. I want to see you.”
I frown. What a strange thing to say. Vampires can see pretty well in the shadows. I look at Enya to make sure it’s safe to approach the queen. She nods.
With my heart stuck in my throat, I move closer but stop a few feet from my mother. She watches me with a benevolent smile that’s so at odds with my impression of her that I fear I’m staring at an impostor.
“Your hair is different,” she says.
I touch a strand of my blue-and-green hair. “Yes. I wanted something new.”
“Interesting color choice, but it suits you.”
“Thanks.” I shuffle from side to side, wringing my fingers, not knowing what to do.
“Has your father told you who you are?”
“Yes.”
“I thought he would. You must think it cruel that I gave you up and pretended you weren’t mine.”
“I… I don’t know how I feel about it yet. Why did you?”
She clasps her hands behind her back and begins to pace in front of me. “I didn’t think you’d survive if certain individuals knew you were my daughter. I hid my pregnancy.”
“Who would harm me? King Raphael and his followers?”
She stops walking abruptly and whips her face to mine. “No, not him. He’d never harm an innocent child.”
I’m shocked how quickly she came to his defense. I thought she hated him. “Then who?”
“Danger was much closer to home.”
Boone is the name that pops into my head, and I shiver. “As in your son would want to kill me?”
Her eyes grow larger and sad. “Yes.”
Tears make my eyes burn. I don’t want to think about what that monster did to me, but the memories come to the forefront of my mind anyway.
“He tried, didn’t he?” she asks, guessing my train of thought. Maybe I was wearing my distress on my face.
“Yes,” I hiss, curling my hands into fists.
She shakes her head. “I loved my son, but I wasn’t blind to his many faults, or his cruelty. He takes after his father, Lord Kurgan, a male I should have never let get near me.”
Lord Kurgan died in battle, killed by King Raphael.
“Why did you want to see me?”
“As you know, I’m sick. I don’t think I have much time left before this illness takes over completely. It has claimed the life of my sister, Madeleine, already.”
“She’s a specter trapped in the bowels of Bloodstone Institute. I saw her.”
“Yes, I’m aware. Who do you think helped trap her there?” She smirks.
“You did? Why?”
“Because my sister was a psychopath before she fell ill. She resorted to black magic to find a cure, which turned her and her friends into that aberration you met.”
“My father wants to free her.”
Queen Tatiana’s eyes widen. “You must not allow it! If she leaves her prison, nothing will stop her from killing thousands of innocents.”
“I didn’t think you cared about the loss of innocent lives.”
Guilt shines in her eyes before she looks away. “I did horrible things. I won’t deny that. But I wasn’t always this cold and ruthless. Once upon a time, I was just a young woman in love. That was before I was changed into a vampire by the Nightingales.”
“Who were you in love with?”
She looks at me. “Isn’t it obvious, my dear? King Raphael.”
I open my mouth, but no sound comes forth. “I… I don’t understand.”
“He was my betrothed. It was an arranged marriage blessed by Maewe, the Nightingale queen.”
“What happened?”
“He backed out at the last hour and broke my heart. I was distraught, consumed with anger and jealousy. You see, his reason for ending our engagement was that he had given his heart to someone else.”
“That’s why the war started? Because you were jilted at the altar?”
I can’t believe all this bloodshed and suffering was thanks to a broken engagement.
“Heaven has no rage like love to hatred turned, nor Hell a fury like a woman scorned.”
“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because you need to stop the war, Sophie. I’ve already made my peace with King Raphael. We created the Accords, but unfortunately, too much bad blood exists between our people, and we can’t contain the hatred ourselves.”
“And you think I can?”
“You must. It’s the only way we can convince the Nightingales to reopen the portals and bring their magic back.”
“But you had the Accords in place already and that didn’t work.”
She runs a hand through her white-blond hair. “Maybe because neither my people nor Raphael’s really took it to heart.”
“Nothing has changed as far as I’m aware.”
“The regular vampire who came with you. He’s one of King Raphael’s followers, and he’s special to you, isn’t he?”
My spine goes taut. How does she know what Vaughn means to me?
“He’s a friend.”
“He’s more than a friend. I can smell him all over you.” Her eyes flash crimson, making me leery. I step back.
“You fucked him at the first opportunity, didn’t you, you stupid whore!”
“Sophie—” Enya starts to warn me, but it’s too late.
Queen Tatiana moves her arm, hitting my face so hard that she sends me flying back.
I crash against the furniture, and white-hot pain flares up my back.
I’m stunned, but I manage to lean on my elbows and see her striding my way with intent to kill.
I don’t think I can jump to my feet fast enough to avoid her killing blow.
The door to the room flies open, and Derek and Vaughn burst in. Queen Tatiana stops in her tracks, switching her attention to them.
“Sophie!” Vaughn runs to me.
“You can’t be here. She’s going to kill you,” I say.
“You’re not yourself, my queen.” Enya steps between my mother and me.
“How dare you betray me like that?” Queen Tatiana advances toward her familiar with clawed hands ready to strike.
Derek steps in the way and throws a liquid at her face, making her shriek and retreat. What the hell was that?
He glances at us. “Get out of here! Now!”
Vaughn helps me to my feet, and we run to the door. Derek and Enya follow us out, and Enya locks the door behind us. A second later, Queen Tatiana bangs against it, saying the vilest things.
Derek looks at me. “Are you okay?”
“I’ll live.” I touch the blood dripping from my nose. Most likely, it’s broken.
He glares at Enya. “You said you could protect Sophie.”
“The change happened quickly.”
“You’re bleeding, Soph.” Vaughn wipes the blood under my nose with his thumb.
“Yeah, she caught me by surprise. It’s not that bad.”
“Did she at least tell you what she wanted before she turned on you?” Derek asks.
I nod. “She wants me to end the war.”
“End the war how?” Vaughn asks.
“I’m not sure. She didn’t get to explain it before she turned psycho on me.”
Derek rubs his face. “Well… that was a waste of time.”
“It wasn’t a waste of time to me.” I don’t elaborate.
What I learned isn’t anyone’s business but my own. Sure, Enya was present, but she must have known the truth of why my mother abandoned me long before tonight. I understand now, but it doesn’t make it less painful.