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“What’s happening? Why are we being attacked by gorillas?” Isa’s frightened voice was muffled with Phara protectively wrapped around her.

After everything they’d been through, their queen didn’t deserve any more stress.

“There has been a misunderstanding. It will be all right,” Phara reassured her then looked worriedly at him.

Artifex surveyed his hive and the Nemus troop. The way everyone was bristling, a fight could break out at any moment. Isa would surely be injured if that happened.

“Stand down!” Artifex bellowed. “You don’t understand how delicate our queen is. She cannot flux.”

“I know how delicate the queens are. We found one of their damaged eggs. The precious queen was—was all broken up inside,” Soleno countered with a tremor, his face twisted with anger and sadness.

The rest of the Nemus legionnaires looked equally traumatized. Sorrow filled Artifex at the news, and he shuddered, recalling Isa unconscious and bloody. This was a terrible tragedy, but at least the Nemus understood the queens were delicate.

“So, you know why we had to urgently help our queen,” Bellator replied.

“We demand you returnourqueen or we fight,” Soleno growled.

“Oh god!” Isa cried in dismay.

The scent of her fear suddenly filled the air, threatening to make him insane. Artifex’s patience was wearing very thin.

“We have already bonded with our queen,” Phara snapped, not appreciating the Nemus’ threat of violence or the way they were frightening Isa.

“Then it is theConlatusto prove which is the better hive,” Soleno insisted.

“What is that?” Isa worriedly asked.

Phara and Bellator questioningly looked at him. Artifex scoured his mind. He’d read the term somewhere in the archives. It was something from the old days, before the Blight, but he couldn’t recall what.

“It is a series of competitions to solve disagreements,” Operar told the queen.

That’s it.It was a good thing his beta was able to recall the things he couldn’t.

“Okay,” Isa hesitantly replied.

“Then it is agreed!” Soleno shouted. “We meet at dawn at the neutral zone.”

The Nemus abruptly turned to leave.

“Wait,” Bellator called to them. “Did you receive the message about the Blight weapons? You need to search your territory for them.”

Bellator was right. Instead of this competition they should be making sure no other deadly weapons were in either of their territories.

Soleno paused, glancing back at them. “And spread ourselves thin so you can attack our hive?! No. Show yourselves at dawn or we will war.” The male spun and disappeared into the forest.

Artifex snarled in anger and disgust.

“Do not insult our honor. The warning about the weapons comes from our queen. Don’t impugn her, and do not risk another Blight!” Phara bellowed, but the Nemus had already fled.

They could only pray the Nemus took this threat seriously, despite the conflict between their hives.

Phara

Phara shifted their quiet queen in his arms as they approached the hive.

“What else do you know about theConlatus? What kind of competitions?” Artifex asked Operar as the pair walked up ahead.

“I remember that it’s several rounds, but I don’t know what contests or the rules. You might recall, we’ve not had a reason to hold theConlatusin our lifetime,” Operar huffed in frustration.