Chapter 56
SHARA
The rest of Marne’s Blood rushed past us, answering their queen’s need for protection. Though from the rising pitch of her screams, I didn’t think any of them would be able to save her from Kora.
Leviathan kept a scrolling image playing for me in his bond.
Jagged black shards pierced Marne in hundreds of spots, though she remained standing and very much alive.
The three-headed dog sat at Kora’s feet, his tongues lolling, completely unbothered by the screaming or chaos around them.
He didn’t bristle or bare his teeth as the other Blood approached.
Without looking away from Marne, Kora slung her hand carelessly in their direction, and black glass exploded out of their bodies, slicing them apart into meaty chunks strewn across the green.
I sighed ruefully. “We might have more clean up to do.”
Vore clicked his jagged teeth together. “We stand ready, my queen.”
Unharmed, the giant Blood with many arms bellowed, his six hands clenched into fists as he strained against the chains. Kora’s head jerked up. “Briareus?”
Ah. She recognized him.
:He’s one of the Hecatoncheires,: Sekh said. :A direct son of Uranus and Gaia who helped defeat the Titans.:
Guillaume let out a soft whistle. :So he’s about as old as you.:
:Hardly.: Sekh snorted. :To thank him and his brothers for their help against the Titans, Zeus sent them back to the darkest, lowest level of hell called Tartarus to keep the Titans jailed. Which kept them imprisoned too.:
Kora ran to Briareus and smeared a bloody thumbprint across the large golden seal locking the chains around him. The metal melted away, and he wrapped all six arms around her, lifting her off her feet.
:No one could control them,: Sekh said softly. :Except their queen.:
Haides. The Queen of the Underworld. :Sounds like Persephone’s daughter has plenty of reasons to want Marne Ceresa dead.:
I shifted my focus back to my own tedious but necessary clean-up duties.
Dozens of sibling queens stood together in small clusters, their whispers falling silent as I stepped onto the dais once more.
Carys stood on my right, Leonie on my left.
Neither sat, despite the second chair Marne had used remaining beside me.
The rest of my consiliari stood in front of the dais, along with the man who’d opened the door to us and brought us into the circle.
I guess Rosalind had seen fit to make her consiliarius act as a doorman.
“Siblings of House Valois, you are free to go.”
A ripple of whispers and gasps echoed through the crowd.
They fully expected to be killed with their queen.
Weariness weighed heavier, a crushing exhaustion that had nothing to do with physicality and everything to do with the fucking Game of Queens.
Even the faceless pawns expected to be slaughtered, simply for existing on the board.
“My consiliari will ensure all contracts are fulfilled and paid out of the Valois legacy. Of course any of you are free to swear to House Isador if you wish, but be warned that Carys Tylluan will examine each of you to determine your trustworthiness before I decide to accept your oath.”
The queens looked around at each other, probably conversing through their sibling bonds.
Finally one woman stepped forward, evidently nominated to be their spokesperson.
“Your Majesty, may we ask some clarifying questions?”
I nodded. “Of course, but first introduce yourself.”
She curtsied. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I’m Sorcha de Cestra, Daughter of Sequana. Is it true that House Isador doubled House Skye’s former contracts when you took over the tower?”
My lips quirked. Kevin and Gina had warned me that word would spread of my extremely favorable sibling contracts. “That is true. My siblings also keep their birthright inheritances from their houses. I refuse to strip other houses’ coffers to increase my power base.”
More whispers and nods. Giving them time to decide, I tapped into Leviathan’s bond again just in time to see a black mirror roll up into a slit and snap shut.
Kora and her Blood—including the giant—were gone.
Weapons and armor littered the green but nothing else remained of House Ceresa.
Not even a scrap of gold dress or a mangled crown.
Byrnes still stood at the outer door, his back turned and stooped, a hand over his eyes.
I felt a moment of empathy for him, wondering how many decades he’d served his queen.
If he loved her like family. Like I loved Gina and Kevin.
Then I realized he was on his phone, making calls, likely to her other siblings or consiliari.
Business as usual. I hoped to goddess my consiliari cared a little more about my demise than organizing another fucking contract.
:Every person in your house will be utterly devastated, my queen,: Rik said. :Goddess, let it be a very long time from now.:
The three new Isador Blood stood shoulder to shoulder with Lew. Old habits died hard, I supposed. :I hope they don’t cause any discord or issues—:
:There will be no issues,: Lew broke in before I could complete the thought.
:We know who our alpha is, Your Majesty: Khalid said. :We were just looking for a friendly face in a crowd of Blood.:
Lew grimaced, twisting his lips in a snarl, which made me laugh.
:Seventeen Blood is hardly a crowd,: Sekh said. :Both Rosalind and Marne had fifty, and that wasn’t even all the queen of Rome’s court.:
:Don’t forget the Blood at home,: I replied automatically. They might be dead, and I couldn’t feed on them like my other Blood, but the sight of them sustained me. It fed the power I’d inherited from my mother, their queen. They’d tasted my blood.
They’re mine.
Fiery golden stars streamed through Lew’s eyes. :Then our queen has twenty-two Blood.:
I heard their coos and chirps, screeches and shrieks as they dived through the grotto. Five colorful birds exploded up out of the Valois fountain and came straight to me. Their happy chattering made my throat ache as they perched on my shoulders and the arms of the ugly chair.
:I won’t forget to ask you to come with us next time,: I promised.
Sorcha went to her knees, and one by one the other queens followed suit. “We will gladly swear to House Isador.”
“Long live Shara Isador, daughter of Isis, She Who Is and Was and Always Will Be,” Gina called out. “Queen of New York City and the ancient City of Light. Long live the Triskeles Triune Queen!”
Thank you for reading Queen’s Purge!