She almost welcomed the chance to meet the arrogant Breed male in person. He wouldn’t be so quick to challenge or denigrate her if she gave him a taste of her Atlantean light.
“Stand up, Seb,” she told her adviser irritably. “Why were you looking for me?”
He straightened, looking every bit the diplomat she knew him to be. “Taebris came to see me at the temple this morning.”
“My legion general?” She scoffed lightly. “Was he lost? He’s hardly the type to seek out soft things like prayers or absolution.”
Seb gave her an acknowledging look. “Perhaps not, but today he leads the search party into the Deadlands to look for the crystals. Taebris and the soldiers currently en route with him all came to the temple requesting blessings before they departed for their mission.”
“Did they?” The news took Selene aback. “Does Taebris have reservations about the mission? If so, he didn’t voice them to me.”
“Nor would he voice them, Your Grace. The general is committed to his duty, to the realm, and to you.”
This wasn’t the first expedition she’d sent into that forbidden swath of mortal land, but it was the most important one by far. Every Atlantean had felt the disturbance that had originated in the Siberian taiga a few nights ago. What had merely been suspicion for some long centuries, that the Ancients who used the stolen pair of crystals to destroy Atlantis had secured them somewhere in that frozen, uninhabited region was no longer in question.
Only the crystals could have created the kind of power recently unleashed in that remote area. What had yet to be answered waswhohad wielded them?
Had the Order somehow uncovered the crystals? Selene shuddered to consider it.
If the Order had managed to sway Zael and Jordana to their side, how many other Atlantean defectors might be persuaded to join their ranks in a quest to bolster their defenses against her--or worse, to join forces and go on the offense?
The Order already had one crystal in their possession. Two would be deadly enough, but the combined power of three?
If that were the case, it was a miracle they hadn’t already made their strike against her.
Seb held her in an intense stare. “We need those crystals, Selene. What’s more, we need them before they’re allowed to fall into the hands of anyone who might turn them against us.”
“Do you think I don’t know that? Do you imagine for even one second of my waking hours that I’m not wholly aware of what those crystals mean to my people--to our very existence?”
He gave her a sober nod. “Of course not, Your Grace.”
“If I want your opinions, Seb, I’ll ask for them,” she bit off sharply. “Last I checked, the crown you seem so concerned about sits on my head, not yours.”
“Yes, Your Grace,” he murmured.
Her fury was uncalled for, but Selene couldn’t stop it. Nor could she curb the dread that lurked in her heart when she thought of how vulnerable the Atlantean realm remained for as long as they only had a single crystal to protect them.
How long would she be able to bear the racking guilt she felt in knowing she alone was to blame for that loss?
Her foolishness and naivety had cost so much.
Never again.
Whether the stolen crystals were in the Order’s possession or not, Selene would not go down without a fight.
She had promised war against the Order for defying her demands for their crystal and Jordana’s return. It was time she started making good on that vow.
Stepping past Sebathiel, she headed for the palace at a brisk march.
CHAPTER 5
Lucan stalked out of the GNC meeting following his televised speech, tugging at the collar of his buttoned black shirt. The damn collar felt like a shackle around his neck.
He was more accustomed to wearing his patrol gear and combat boots. Unfortunately, Gabrielle had been adamant that he couldn’t deliver his public address garbed like he had walked into the meeting straight from battle. She had also insisted that he leave the bulk of his weapons stowed in his vehicle for the duration of the gathering. No baring of his fangs on camera, either.
Lucan had conceded to her better judgment on all counts, if only barely.
He didn’t want to add to the escalating panic among the human public by showing up looking like the battle-hardened Gen One Breed warrior he was, no more than he could go on air and pretend everything was going to return to normal for the civilian populations anytime soon.
