Page 28 of Throne of the Wolf Queen

‘All right there, Villente?’ he asked as I stared at him, my mouth gaping. ‘Look like you’ve seen a ghost.’

A flicker of savage hope ignited in my chest. The world struggled on the precipice of war. With those gifts, he’d be able to help us defeat her. Guide me as I sought the elusive balance.

I’d get Matthias back.

I dragged in a huge breath, setting my shaky gaze on his, the rage building at the sight of his smug grin. We were both acutely aware of the depth of his lies. I crossed my arms, ignoring Pablo, nudging my hip.

‘You’re a Deviant.’

He shook his head before taking another swig of his damn bottle. Where had that come from?

I let out an exasperated breath. ‘Deny it all you want, but I know what I saw. What I heard⁠—’

‘Sure about that?’ He opened his arms wide, backing away to the open door. ‘From what I saw, he’d denied you oxygen. That can do a lot of damage to a person.’ He tapped the side of his head. ‘Up here. And please don’t take this the wrong way, but your sight can’t exactly be trusted, can it?’

Smug git. I wasn’t about to have him twist this back on me. I stormed forward, slamming my finger into his solid chest.

‘You’re a Deviant.’

He laughed, turning away from me.

‘Damn you, man, what are you? Who are you?’

He halted in the doorway. I couldn’t make out the message in his eyes.

‘I’m an old, drunk sailor, desperate to wash away the memory of a lost love.’ He lifted the half-empty bottle. ‘I avoid your sort like the plague you are. Now, sweetheart. I’m heading back to the palace for a sleep, after which I may or may not just get back on my boat and leave you all to your little squabbles. None of it means anything anyway.’

He was lying; he had to be. He staggered into the door frame, chuckling away to himself.

‘Please,’ I cried after him. ‘If you’re blessed, you can help. Help us, help me.’

I stormed forward, raising my hand to block the sharp light as the low sun assaulted my eyes. He turned back, his eyes a solid black. I gasped, fighting the urge to recoil from whatever the damned hell this man was.

‘Blessed? Don’t ever call me that again.’

I shuddered at the warning in Hawk’s low tone.

He was a Deviant, but he was also the biggest shithole I’d ever come across. A muscle ticked in his jaw as he stared at me, as though he dared me to speak again.

He snorted, moving aside to let me through the door. I closed my eyes for a second, relishing the chill breeze.

The gravel crunched as Hawk staggered away, heading away from the main palace. I cracked open one eye as he lurched perilously close to the brambles.

‘I’m a queen,’ my voice trembled. ‘I can order you to serve me.’

He barked out a laugh. ‘Only one woman ever won the right to command me, and it’s certainly not you, Villente.’

My fists clenched and unclenched at my sides. A Deviant with the power to kill the empress from a distance? Destroy her and set my husband free. Allow me to balance my gifts. Could I simply watch him walk away? Even if the man was the most insufferable creature I’d ever had the displeasure to meet, he could end all this. He was a path I hadn’t considered. Had Evella sent him to me as a blessing? An answer to all my problems?

I huffed a laugh. A test of my faith?

Striding back to the palace, I planned to unleash every creature within the keep on Danté and, after that, I’d try to persuade Hawk.

Again.

I’d face every God time and time again to get Matthias back. How hard could one damn Deviant be?

CHAPTER 13