At least the reptilian aspects she had maintained helped track her target. Forked tongue flicking, Zeena sorted through the cacophony of scents. The Dire Wolf stood out, bold and earthy amid the cacophony of perfumes and pheromones. She need only be patient and he would come to her.
Zeena gravitated toward the high-stakes tables, keeping her eyes lowered demurely. Wealth hung heavy in the air here, the press of bodies laden with jewels and entitlement. She resisted the urge to bare her fangs at their careless excess. As if she had the right to judge their actions.
The click of chips and mindless chatter washed over Zeena. She lifted her glass in the pretense of drinking, eyes scanning the crowds reflected in the mirrored pillars. There was no sign of the Wolf or his mate. He’d been here, though. Zeena smelled him loud and clear, as well as faint traces of his mate. If she didn’t see them soon, she’d retire for the evening and come back again tomorrow.
The queen froze as the unmistakable scent of wolf reached her. Turning slowly, she beheld the King of Chaos, Wolfgang, looming tall through the crowd. He appeared mostly human at first glance, but a sharp fang protruded over his lip and one amber eye held the elongated pupil of a beast. Streaks of steel gray marked the dark mane of hair falling across his shoulders. He moved with a predatory grace, belying his imposing frame, clearly more than mortal to anyone with an eye to see it.
At the king’s side strode his mate, Queen Tallula. Zeena was momentarily taken aback at how small and delicate she appeared next to her giant consort. But then Talulla’s piercing gaze landed on Zeena, and she glimpsed the iron will which had earned this diminutive female her crown.
Though tiny in build, with angular fae-like features, lethal chaos power emanated from Talulla’s taut frame. Downy feathers dotted the pale skin of her face and neck, making her seem part avian. Her large sea-green eyes missed nothing as she scanned the crowds imperiously. Those who dared meet her stare quickly glanced away, unnerved by the swirling chaos within.
A crest of chestnut hair cascaded down Talulla’s back, accentuating the ethereal paleness of her flawless complexion. Plumage sprouted between her shoulder blades, hinting at stunted wings beneath the elegant gown. Despite her fragile appearance, Zeena sensed the female was more beast than mortal. This queen matched her mate in primal ferocity when roused.
Her eyes landed on Zeena, and the Venom Queen immediately knew Talulla had seen right through her glamour. “Zeena! What a surprise.”
Cursing internally, Zeena turned slowly. “Queen Talulla, King Wolfgang.” She lifted her chin slightly, reminding herself that she needed to be the queen they remembered knowing, not the one who had now chosen a different path.
Talulla inclined her head. “Please, join us for refreshment.” Her smile held no warmth. Despite the “please,” Talulla’s request was not an invitation. Yet, because they were equals, rules of formality required Talulla to at least pretend that Zeena had a choice to refuse and that she could walk out of their territory unmolested. But there were two of them and only one of her, and the Chaos royals had the home field advantage. Zeena was surrounded by their subjects. A million things could happen in the next moment, and none of them were good. Zeena had no choice but to play their game.
“Of course.” Squaring her shoulders, Zeena followed the royals from the chaotic floor to a secluded lounge area. Wolfgangsprawled on a leather sofa, regarding Zeena with unveiled curiosity. She stood stiffly until Talulla pointed toward a chair. Hands clasped tightly in her lap, Zeena waited for them to speak first. She had no clue why they’d want to talk to her. There was no friendship between Venom and Chaos.
Finally, Wolfgang broke the tense silence. “I must admit, I would never have expected to see the queen of Venom among the dregs and tourists.” His stare bored into her. “To what do we owe the … pleasure?”
Zeena’s nails bit into her palms, but she kept her tone light and shrugged. “You know how taxing the stresses of running a kingdom can be. I simply needed a change of scenery for a bit, a little distraction from all responsibilities. My mate indulged me, though he was too busy to come himself. I merely hoped to enjoy some of the legendary Chaos entertainment tonight.”
Talulla gave a brittle laugh. “Too busy to come with his mate? It’s quite rare for a male of our species to let their mate wander so far from home. Let us not be coy. He either sent you to spy on us, which I highly doubt given our new relationship, or he sent you here to speak with us. So, let us speak plainly.” Her eyes hardened. “We want to know Azure’s plans regarding our arrangement.”
Alarm raced through Zeena.Arrangement?She schooled her features quickly, hoping they hadn’t noticed her widened eyes. How much did they know of her mate’s activities? And what didtheyknow that she did not? Cautiously, she said, “The King has many affairs of state currently occupying him. To which one are you referring?”
Wolfgang snorted. “Come now, Zeena. Don’t be obtuse.” He leaned forward intently.
Panic threatened to choke Zeena. She could not reveal that she and her mate were no longer together. It was unheard of for a mated pair to break apart. Neither could she risk losingChaos’s allegiance by admitting ignorance. If she did, they might capture her or banish her from their kingdom. And she had to stay close by because she knew in her gut that this was where she would find Gage.
She chose her words delicately. “My mate leads Venom ably despite unrest from factions who resist necessary change.” She met their stares. “We know progress requires sacrifice. Trust that Azure acts for the good of all who work with him.”
Talulla’s finely scaled brow drew low. “Quit with the politics. ‘Progress’ better include bindinganimimagic and forcing the bestial change upon human females.” She pointed a slender finger at Zeena. “We were promised a number of those females for our males. I can only assume you’re here to tell us that everything has gone according to plan, and we will have our product soon,verysoon. Otherwise, why are you here?”
Zeena paled, her blood running cold. By the Creator, how had she not known of her mate’s depraved scheme? He wasn’t just kidnappinganimiand selling them to the highest bidder. He was forcing the change on human females—females that had not been chosen by Visata?How had he kept it a secret fromher?
The deposed Queen of Venom nodded and tried her best to project an air of haughtiness, despite the panic rolling inside. “The King works ever to expand our powers. And those of our allies, of course. But the …procedureis taking more time than he expected.” She dropped the haughty air and looked them both in the eyes, switching to a diplomatic tone, one she was well versed in from years serving at Azure’s side. “Please be patient. Azure will provide all he has promised. We understand that anything less would be an affront to your kingdom. The last thing we want is a strained relationship with Chaos.” She looked directly at Talulla. “You are correct, Queen. Azure did send me to speak with you because he was disappointed the product has been delayed, and he didn’t want the delay to jeopardize therelationship he has built with the noble Kingdom of Chaos.” Zeena took a long breath and exhaled before continuing. She levelled them both with a piercing gaze. “Venom understands the increased pressures under which you all as—and forgive my use of the word—outcasts operate. The distrust, the disdain. We in Venom must contend with similar contempt. None of the other kingdoms respect Venom as they should. That will soon change.”
Wolfgang studied her for a long, uncomfortable moment before sighing. “You always were dutifully loyal. Perhaps to a fault.” He waved a dismissive hand. “We shall await further word from Azure. For now. Although…” He paused and tilted his head, a movement that seemed more animal than man. “We’ve heard whispers…” He studied her intently. “Disturbing whispers that KOV was attacked by the Dire Wolf. Is this true?” He didn’t give her time to answer. “And there’s been talk of anewking taking the throne. This is concerning. A change in leadership in your territory could be detrimental to what Azure was trying to accomplish.”
Zeena’s stomach twisted. Of course, the shaman would move quickly to get the next king in place. She knew that, but she hadn’t expected to have to explain it. Her mind moved a mile a minute as she tried to decide what she needed to do. Finally, she settled upon the truth, or at least some version of it. Enough to quell their worry. “The Dire Wolf is a hothead. Everyone knows that. He’d been doing some work for Azure and desired a raise that my mate did not feel he deserved. He retaliated by attempting to burn down our nest. Thankfully, the destruction was contained. But we have had to move until the damage can be repaired. I assure you it has nothing to do with your arrangement. As for the new king…” She paused and allowed herself a minute to collect her emotions, hoping to earn a few sympathy points, though her pain was real. “Azure has had toremove himself from the limelight, so to speak. He is still hard at work, but for the sake of his endeavor, he is on hiatus. And the move was made quietly so as not to invite dissension.”
“We heard the news from Nico, our shaman,” Wolfgang offered, his eyes watching her carefully. “He delivered the new king’sanimus. What was the new king’s name, Sazzi?”
“Talbot,” Talulla said. “The female is Rose.”
Zeena wasn’t surprised it was Talbot. He was next in line. But she was surprised to hear he’d found his animus. “Handpicked by Azure, of course. Talbot will make a …suitableking, for the moment.”
Wolfgang narrowed his eyes. “Will he make trouble for us?”
“No,” she quickly answered. “He won’t. Talbot understands his job fully.”Talbot understands nothing of the sort.
Talulla reached over and patted Zeena’s hand. “This must be hard for you. You could have just been honest with us and told us you were dealing with losing your title, your home, your kingdom. That’s a lot for anyone to deal with. We’re glad you’ve come here to relax. And the fact that Azure is continuing to work instead of here with you shows us that he is as dedicated as you say.”
Zeena swallowed hard, biting the inside of her cheek as the Chaos queen’s words hit too close to home. But she would not cry in front of these people. She knew they didn’t truly care for her. Zeena stood, making it clear to them that she was done with the conversation. “It has been hard, and I thank you for your kind words. I’ve had a busy day exploring your beautiful and busy kingdom. I’m going to retire for the evening.”
