Queen of Death

Hunter

Ace calls to us to gather so we can teleport to the Elder’s council headquarters to pursue his father but I know that if I can get Griffin to teleport me, I can get us into that same hallway we were in when the blast went off and Sol slipped away.

Four years ago I made the mistake of going after my enemies first before making sure the love of my life was safe. I won’t make that mistake again.

“I’m going after her with Griffin. I’ll link you once I find her and we’ll teleport straight to the Grove.” His face remains impassive as I tell him what I’m doing rather than asking for permission to do it.

Our bond thrums with reluctance on his part. Not because he’s alpha and he’s stubborn. It’s because he doesn’t like not having control over everything, he doesn’t like taking unnecessary risks.

But if I don’t have Sol in my arms within the hour I will kill every single person between me and her until she’s found.

“You find her and you bring her home.” He says firmly, punctuating each word for emphasis.

I give him a quick nod and turn to Griffin. I concentrate with him on the hallway we were in and fortunately it was enough because we land in the ruins of what was once a sterile, immaculate hallway.

The dust has settled and a stone staircase that leads down into an ominous basement is exposed behind what used to be the hidden door.

Quickly and quietly Griffin and I descend the stairs, winding our way deeper into the depths beneath the council headquarters. For as modern and advanced the technology is upstairs, down here it’s medieval by comparison.

Rough stone and a dry heat whirring through the passageways, torches lit with fire illuminate the dark space.

With every step we take it becomes clearer that this is no ordinary basement — it’s a dungeon, through and through.

Cells with iron bars, shackles on the walls, steel doors that likely lead to more torture chambers. I knew the council was made up of quite literally ancient dragons but I guess some habits never die. They may have modernized the outside but deep down where the only light to be seen is hellfire they keep to their wilder ways.

Prisoners claw at us through the bars of their cells with skeletal fingers. Their fingertips rubbed raw and bleeding from trying to claw at the unrelenting stone.

When we approach a guard Griffin teleports on the other side of them to draw their attention while I throw a knife into the backs of their skulls. It’s a gentle death. They never even see it coming.

Deeper and deeper we press when I catch the sound of chains rattling and muffled voices. We move swiftly towards the source, passing by several rooms with steel doors and two way glass windows. Most rooms are empty, a few have a single prisoner hunched down in a corner.

But the last room has my worst fear. Sol is chained to a chair on the far end of the room. Elena faces Sol and slits the throat of a man I can’t yet identify.

I found Sol. I link Ace like I said I would.

“Griffin get me in there,” I growl at him.

“You don’t think I haven’t already tried? It’s protected by powerful spells. No magic in or out.”

“Damnit!” I punch the glass but the only thing that breaks is my hand. I slam my fist against the glass again and again screaming for Sol but neither she nor Elena flinch. They can’t hear me.

I summon weapon after weapon — hammers, crowbars, spiked axes, pick axes, maces, clubs. Metal, diamond, or stone, it doesn’t matter. None of them even make a scratch on the glass.

All I can do is watch. Watch as Sol goes up against Elena. Every hit Sol gets on her, Elena gets one in return. Sol’s shoulder and chest are wounded and bleeding, her throat is swollen and I watch her struggle for breath.

My heart bleeds with every new bruise and every new cut that she receives. I just need to get in there... if I could only get in there I could kill Elena and Griffin could heal Sol and she would finally be safe.

If only.

Sol pins Elena against the wall in the corner of the room with her forearm. I see the glint of her knife before she buries it inside Elena’s stomach. Then she pulls it back and shoves it in again, over and over.

And then everything stops. She stops stabbing her, Elena’s body falls to the ground...in two pieces, and then Sol turns around and faces the window. Her arm is holding on tightly to her stomach which is bleeding very badly. She sways unsteadily on her feet and then she, too, falls to the ground.

— — —

Ace

~ten minutes earlier~

I’m relieved when we land that I’m still able to sense Hunter. He’s kept his bond open to us so my wolf can take comfort in at least knowing how he’s feeling, that he’s alive and getting closer to Solana.

“Stay close,” I tell my guys and Sol’s brothers. “Kill anyone who gets in our way.”

The five of them follow me down to the main gates, weapons at the ready. We walk right through the front doors. The first thing we notice upon entering is the opulence of everything. Marble columns several stories high, trim on the walls and ceilings made of gold, crystal counters, and diamond door handles.

Tate scowls at the overindulgence. “So this is what they spend their blood money on.”

“It wasn’t always like this,” Rhys says as we continue to walk further into the building. “Queen Mother Ianthe brought us here at the invitation of Elder Rimori when we were hatchlings. It used to be vibrant and lush like the grove. Never...this,” he gestures vaguely to our surroundings.

“Why would they change things so drastically?” Cole asks with wolfish ignorance. He may have lived and been raised with dragons but he will never understand what drives one’s soul.

“Because their priorities changed. A dragon will surround itself and protect what it values above all else. For your mother and Rimori that was life and family. For Elena and the current Council that’s wealth and finery.” I explain as patiently as I can while I hand Tate the coordinates so he can begin tracking the quickest route through the building to where my father is.

“What do you value above all else, then?” Cole continues to probe me.

My eyes remain focused straight ahead. “If you need to ask that question then either you haven’t been paying enough attention or I’m failing.”

Because what’s most important to me is my pack, their safety and their comfort. I don’t care if we’re in our little shack in the center of a shit neighborhood or in one of our luxury safe houses in the city or on a beach. If they’re safe, if they’re happy, that’s what I’m concerned about.

Tate takes the lead, following the digital rendering of the building’s blueprints like a GPS. They keep a sparse number of guards here, most of whom hit the floor dead before they even realize we’re there.

Every step I take deeper into this place strengthens my ability to sense Hunter and Sol in that I know they’re in the building and I know they’re alive. Sol is still blocking her mind from us, but Hunter’s is open and he’s linked me that he’s found her.

We drop a few more guards before Tate comes to a halt in front of a set of floor to ceiling double doors with ornate gold handles.

This is it.He links me, stepping aside to let me be the one to open the door.

I push the heavy doors wide open, bracing for a counter attack that never comes. Seven empty chairs encrusted with precious gems sit around a large conference table made of crystal.

At the head of the table my father stands alone. There’s no sign of Bunny or Elena.

“Where is she?” I growl at him, wanting to get straight to the point of why I’m here.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to be more specific,” he wheezes, giving me a flash of a yellowed smile of what remains of his teeth.

“Cut the crap, Alec. Where’s Bunny?” I spit.

“You should be more concerned about your whore than my mate.”

Several attacks strike him at the same time. Eli’s ice, Dean’s fire, Tate’s knife. Even Cole and Rhys can’t stop their hackles from rising.

He laughs to cover up the pain. “She said you’d come. Elena did. And she was right. She’s always right. Which means that she’s killing your mate right about now.” He presses a button on a remote he had hidden in his sleeve and the wall behind him flips into dozens of small tv screens connected to display one image.

It’s footage from a security camera showing Sol having it out with Elena. They’re both bleeding, both struggling, but Sol launches herself at Elena. Amongst other thoughts, one of the most prominent is where the fuck is Hunter? Why isn’t he in there with Sol?

“Once she’s done with your mate, Elena will move onto Hunter. And then, if you’re dumb enough to stick around, she’ll have the entire council move on to you.”

Tate takes a single step towards him and he flinches backwards. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you.”

“Why? Why should we allow you to breathe for even a moment more?” I ask him.

“Because your mate is locked in a magic proof room fighting a losing battle with Elena and I know how you can get in.”

As soon as the words reach my ears I see movement on the screen. Elena is lying motionless on the floor, while Solana stumbles a short distance as her intestines spill out of her like noodles before she, too, collapses on the ground motionless.