Chapter 21 #2
I let out a heavy sigh and focused on the witch again. But before I could speak, Alpha Leo tapped his foot under the table, causing the skin on my palms to itch.
“How do you know about this crystal?” he asked.
“My sisters and I found it deep within the heart of a hidden cavern near our cottage, and we donated it to a university to benefit the humans.”
The Alpha jerked his head back. “You did what?” He gave a slight shake of his head and looked at me. “Queen Breanna, you are not going to put the outcome of the war in the hands of a mere crystal we learned about from the witches who, until now, didn’t want to have anything to do with us.”
The woman, still smiling, sent me a glance, and then her intent gaze returned to the Alpha. “We’re helping because of Queen Breanna. She is one of us, although much more powerful,” she said. “The information I’m giving you is the extent of the witch coven’s help.”
Silence stretched in the space among us, thickening the air with more tension, but also hope. Glancing around the room, I saw thoughtful faces.
Lucy walked quietly to the snack table and poured steaming coffee into a to-go cup. She grabbed a handful of sugar packets and a stirrer.
“Can we be sure that the crystal will work?” she asked and walked, carrying her cup, to the conference table. “And even if the vampire compulsion power is neutralized, will the vampire Queen’s compulsion power over her subjects be neutralized?”
She had a point. Victoria could still order the vampires she’d sired to do her bidding, even if she couldn’t compel the werewolves or humans.
“When held by a witch, the crystal resonates with her magical aura, forming a connection between the witch and the crystal,” the witch said, watching Lucy’s movements carefully.
“The resonance enhances the witch’s innate powers, allowing her to channel her magic with unparalleled precision and strength. ”
Putting her coffee cup between Dad and Alpha Leo, Lucy seemed completely at ease as she opened the sugar packets and poured the contents into her cup.
“So you’re saying that since Queen Breanna will carry the crystal, the vampires won’t be able to compel the hunters and werewolves, but the vampire Queen, as our master, can still tell us what to do, correct?” Lucy dropped the wooden stirrer into the mug.
“That’s correct,” the witch said, lifting her hand from under the table.
She twisted her finger and muttered something else. The buzz of magic sparked before Lucy, and the stick in her cup moved in circles as if a tiny gust of wind moved it around, causing Lucy to smile.
“Thank you,” she said and looked at the witch.
Nodding, she placed her hand back on her lap.
Lucy picked up the wooden stick and licked it. After gathering up the empty packets, she walked to the trash.
Alpha Leo watched the women with disgust in his eyes.
“So the vampires won’t be able to back up our Queen when she fights Victoria,” he said.
“I’ll be next to Breanna,” Hayden said.
“I’ll be her backup too,” Adrian said, leaning back.
The chair creaked under his massive back.
A feeling of weightlessness washed over me as I realized that I had allies and a crystal. But would it be enough to win?
“What university did you say you donated the crystal to?” I asked.
“Bewitched Relics is the name of the university exhibition in Los Angeles. At that time, it was the only one displaying magical artifacts in their library.”
I blinked. There must have been more witch items held by humans, showcased in museums without anyone knowing the items’ powers. Perhaps it was for the best.
Lucy pulled her phone from the inside pocket of her jeans jacket.
I strode toward her, looking at the phone screen.
She had pulled up the exhibit’s website and a picture of a light-purple crystal about the size of my palm.
It looked unique, its shape resembling a spear but with smooth, rounded edges.
Even in the image, the crystal radiated a soft, shimmering glow in pink hues.
Staring at the screen, I said, “Lucy and I will go to the university exhibit to…ask if we can borrow the crystal.”
Lucy chuckled. “We’ll be stealing it, and I will compel the humans to let us borrow it.”
Sighing, I imagined we would be breaking more rules.
“I’m coming with you, sweetheart,” Hayden said and walked toward us.
“No, Hayden, I need your help with the kingdom.”
After a moment, he nodded, understanding he had to stay behind to ensure no one in the kingdom lost their cool. There would be a hundred hunters, a dozen vampires, and three witches.
“Queen Breanna, please make sure you’re carrying the crystal with you, and don’t forget that the Lunarimar is potent when it can gain energy from the moon.” The witch stood and headed to the door. “Your fight will have to happen during the night.”
“Thank you,” I managed to say before she walked out of the boardroom, disappearing.
Scraping chairs and chatter echoed as everyone else followed the former King, who would show them their accommodations in the royal manor.
Lucy grasped my wrist, bouncing on her feet. Her contagious smile was genuine. “Let’s go before the exhibit is closed.”
A low growl vibrated behind me, and Lucy’s eyes flashed crimson as she stared at someone over my shoulder. I didn’t have to ask who it was as Hayden’s body heat seeped into mine.
The warmth traveled through my entire body, and I wanted to lean into him. I tilted my head back, seeing Hayden’s hard gaze focused on the spot where Lucy held me. She immediately released my hand, her smile disappearing.
“I recognize an overprotective mate as soon as I see one,” she said.
“Take five warriors with you, sweetheart,” he said while staring at Lucy.
But the vampire woman didn’t waver as she held his gaze with her own. I liked her.
“We can’t take an entourage with us. We’ll be too obvious. It’s a crystal, Hayden. Lucy and I will manage. We’ll be inside the library and out in a jiffy.”
Hayden’s hand slid around my throat, causing my head to fall back onto his hard chest. My breath caught as his fingers wrapped around my neck, but he did not squeeze.
Hayden held me gently but possessively, his minty breath caressing my face.
His fingers then moved, tracing the contours as he leaned closer.
His lips lingered near my skin while his fingertips brushed against my mouth. He traced the outline of my lips as my own breath grew ragged and my core tightened. When I inhaled, I took in his male scent, and my body trembled in his hands.
He moaned. “I can feel the pleasure pulsing in your veins,” he whispered. “Come back to me safe.”
He kissed my forehead, helped me straighten my posture with his hand, and then he was gone.
My face flushed. I looked at wide-eyed Lucy, more blood rushing to my cheeks.
She cleared her throat. “So where’s the other one?”
“What other one?”
“The dark-haired male?”
I sighed. “I’ll tell you in the car.”
Lucy drove for about two hours northeast to a private university outside the city. The drive was long enough for me to explain how Torin ended up captured again by Victoria.
Lucy listened intently and frowned, glancing at me as if checking that I was okay. It was difficult to talk about Torin without my voice breaking. She likely sensed my hesitation to discuss him, so she didn't ask any questions and kept her attention on the road.
We arrived at the campus. From the size of the parking lot, I guessed this university must have been much larger than the one I attended in London. I insisted we buy tickets to the exhibit as if the guilt of breaking the rules would lessen.
Huge posters and brochures featured the pink Lunarimar’s beauty. The crystal must have been one of the main attractions on display.
As we entered the exhibit, a magnificent array of rare books behind glass cases greeted us. The hand-written parchments, weathered and fragile, reminded me of my library job.
Lucy’s gaze darted around us, struck in awe. Like me, she seemed to appreciate the timeworn pages and drawings.
More visitors spilled inside the exhibit hall, their expressions captivated by the display of books and artifacts.
High ceilings and large windows allowed natural light to illuminate the exhibits.
Framed paintings hung on the white walls, adding elegance to the atmosphere.
As we dodged distracted people, a low hum of whispers and chatter carried around Lucy and me.
The exhibit wasn’t divided into different sections as I’d expected. As we wandered through the hall, I saw books, art items, and artifacts displayed wherever there was space. Visitors leaned in to the glass cases, carefully reading the descriptions.
I was reminded of the book exhibits at the library in London, where I was part of a team that carefully preserved delicate pages behind transparent cases. I didn’t allow myself to be transported back to my life among the humans in London.
I was the werewolf Queen, even if I lacked a wolf spirit. I felt responsible for the fate of the kingdom and its people.
I straightened up and inhaled deeply. In a nearby corner, stone sculptures and pottery stood on sturdy white display boxes. The seating area with comfy benches beckoned me to sit and watch the artifacts from a short distance away.
There was always something about ancient books and artifacts that called to me. Perhaps the appeal for me was the power and beauty of human knowledge, where the past converged with the present.
“I could spend my entire day here,” I said, glancing at Lucy.
Her gaze darted around the hall. “Sure, me too, if we didn’t have to go to war.”
“Perhaps we can come back here once the war is over.”
If we won the war, it would depend on finding the crystal.
We walked deeper into the hall, our steps soft on the red carpet.
“This way,” she said, and I followed her. “The signs point to this case over there.”
We arrived at a vast room partly closed off with red ropes. Only two other attendees focused on reading signs and gazed at displays. Lucy and I squeezed between the metal posts and walked to the glass case that glowed with the library’s ambient light.
Lucy tensed next to me, her hand grasping my forearm. I looked at her, and it seemed as if she had stopped breathing.
“What is it, Lucy?”
“That can’t be,” she said, shaking her head, her eyes glued to something in the distance.
A few visitors blocked my view ahead. Lucy must have noticed and pulled me behind her until we got to a white square display box. On top of it, a glass case rested.
My pulse sped up, and my throat went dry. The glass box was empty.
“No,” I whispered. “The crystal is gone.”