The three guards eyed one another, then looked back at him as if waiting for someone to give them guidance. Fools.
“Listen to him,” the queen said sternly. Her eyes darted to the side to glance at him. “Why don’t you tell us what you want?” She lowered her voice as she spoke to The Raven.
“What I want.” he chuckled. “Where do I even begin? I want the throne. Let’s leave it at that for simplicity’s sake.”
The guards collectively grumbled and moved a few steps toward him.
“I said stay back!” The Raven yelled. He knew what would happen if he did kill her now. They’d open fire on him and riddle his body with bullet holes. No, he had one more step to complete, and then he needed to get her out of here. Away with him until he could put the Kingmaker together. Then he would watch her die a slow death.
“Now. One at a time, I want you to turn and leave the room.” When they made no move to leave, he ran the blade across the queen’s delicate skin, slicing her. Blood trickled down her throat.
“Do as he commands,” she said. Her voice betrayed no fear. She spoke with ultimate authority, and part of The Raven respected her for that. ’Twas a pity she’d have to die.
The guards did as he said, turning and evacuating the room, one at a time. Until finally he was left alone with the monarch.
“I’ve waited for this moment for so long,” The Raven said.
CHAPTER 24
The guards scrambled, still trying to decide what to do next when Graeme and the others arrived. Graeme did not bother to explain anything and instead simply ran past them into the room where he knew The Raven held the queen. The bastard had a bloody blade against the queen’s neck, and a thin cut slashed down from her ear to her neck. Blood trickled from the wound.
Graeme saw no fear in Her Majesty’s eyes. This was not the first threat that she’d endured. But her pulse beat rapidly beneath her pale skin.
“Let her go. You know you can’t get out of here alive if you harm her,” Graeme said.
“The hell I can’t. When I leave this building, she will no longer be the ruler. I will. You know what I want,” The Raven said. “Give me the last stone and I’ll let her go.”
“That’s not a bargain I can make, and you know that,” Graeme said.
The men of Solomon’s stood behind him. Graeme could feel their presence and knew they would not only protect him, but protect his wife and brother as well. Currently, Max was searching Westminster to find them.
Graeme knew Vanessa had been with The Raven; he’d found her fossil at The Raven’s house. Now he desperately wanted to know that she was safe and unharmed, but he dared not ask. He couldn’t afford to show any weakness with The Raven when the queen’s life was in jeopardy.
“I see you brought your own army,” The Raven spat. “Where is Fielding, I wonder?”
“He’s recently returned from rescuing Niall’s family from your nasty little hiding place, in the same spot where you’d held Esme at one point. Clearly your creativity is waning,” Graeme said.
The Raven smiled, a deadly, chilling grin. “If anyone could have found them, he could. If Niall would have only asked, sought Solomon’s help, it would have saved him so much woe.” He clucked his tongue. “But Niall was too independent, too proud to ask for help. Pity.”
Graeme felt the emerald weighing heavy in his pocket. He could so easily toss it to the man and move the queen to safety. That was what truly mattered. But what would happen when The Raven put the Kingmaker together?
“Let her go,” Graeme said. “You can negotiate with me. And only me.”
The Raven shook his head. “No. Look.” He motioned with his head to his right. “It’s all there. All the pieces necessary, but the one you hold. Give it to me.”
“You lugged all that down here with you?” Graeme asked. The individual gems were not heavy. No bigger than small apples, they could easily fit in a man’s jacket. But the Stone of Destiny would have been demanding to carry down here with two hostages.
“You underestimate me. Suffice it to say I’m always prepared. I brought it here last night. The rest is courtesy of your wife. Now enough!” The Raven said. He tilted the blade until the tip pricked the queen’s skin. “I will kill her. Give me the stone. I know you have it.”
“What could possibly happen?” Victoria spoke up.
“Dreadful things,” Jenkins said from behind Graeme.
“We are unsure of the power of the Kingmaker.”
“I’m not,” Her Majesty said. “This man does not possess the requisite virtues of a monarch. I believe the stones are even representative of those very characteristics.” She met Graeme’s gaze. “Courage, wisdom, and authority. Give him the emerald.”
Graeme eyed her for a moment, wanting her to further explain. She nodded encouragingly.
