Page 60 of Queen of the Crimson Throne (Queen of Blood and Stardust #2)

60

LUCIANA

I was never certain Lennox would get married. She was so independent. She loved being wild and free as she flitted from one partner to the next, never getting too attached.

But in the last twenty-four hours, I’d watched her get married not once, but twice, to the same male.

And she looked happy after all of it.

I was happy for her. Lennox deserved happiness after everything she’d been through.

I hoped it would continue.

“What are you thinking about, Lucy girl?” I rolled my eyes at the ridiculous nickname as Nico held out a glass of sparkling wine. I took the glass, taking a large sip before responding.

“I was thinking about how happy I am for Lennox. And Luka.”

“I’m happy for them too, I never thought it would all end up like this.”

Neither did I, but for much different reasons than Nico. In reality, this should have been Nol’s wedding. The thought was like a dagger to the heart.

Fuck, I missed him.

“Fuck.” Nico shifted, moving behind me like he was trying to hide. Only it failed because even if I was tall, I wasn’t taller than the wolf and I couldn’t hide his massive frame.

“What are you doing?”

“Hiding,” he hissed, turning away from me as he pretended to look around the room.

“Nico?” A female voice said tentatively from behind me.

Nico and I turned toward the female in unison, I was immediately taken aback by her striking features.

Her eyes lit up at the sight of Nico, a large smile forming across her face. “Nico.” She sighed. “It’s so good to see you.” She reached out to hug him, but he took two steps back.

“What are you doing here?” I had never heard Nico talk with such venom. Who was this female?

Her smile faltered. “I was invited.”

“You didn’t have to come.”

“Luka is my friend too, or did you forget that when you wrote all of us off?”

There was a dangerous gleam in Nico’s eye. “You want to do this here, Zienna?”

Zienna… witches tits, Zienna . I looked between the two. “This is your sister?”

“You told her about me?” There was a hopeful lilt to Zienna’s voice.

“Yes,” Nico ground out. “I told her about you in name only.”

Zienna opened her mouth and closed it, saying nothing as Nico glared at her.

“Nico,” she said quietly. “Can we talk? Please?”

“Is that why you came? Did they send you here to try and talk to me?” He shook his head, his silver hair swinging with the movement. “Pathetic.”

“You know they wouldn’t.” There was a desperation in her voice now. “I came here to support Luka, and I wanted to talk to you, yes, but no one else knew I was coming. Nico, I want to talk. I’m your sister. ”

Nico growled, his nostrils flaring as his hands fisted at his sides.

“We both know that’s not true now, don’t we.”

“Nico.” Zienna’s voice wavered.

“I’m not talking about this at my best friend’s wedding.” He drained the rest of his glass. “Get the fuck out of here Zienna.”

Nico stormed off and I followed after him. I had no idea what was going on with his family, but he needed someone right now, that was clear. I guess that person had to be me.

“Wait.” Zienna grabbed my arm before I could get too far.

Tears glistened in her eyes. “Will you please tell him I’m sorry? And that I miss him. We all miss him. And—and if he’s ever ready to come home, we will be waiting for him. No matter what, he’s still a part of our pack.”

“I’ll tell him.” She smiled softly, blinking back tears. “Now, if you’ll excuse me.”

I turned from Zienna, trying to see where Nico had taken off to. He hadn’t made it too far. His hulking frame was over by the table hosting alcohol; I found him fixing himself a drink.

“Care to tell me what that was all about?”

“Nope.” He drained his glass and moved to fix another drink.

“Whatever happened?—”

“I said I’m not fucking talking about this right now so I’m not fucking talking about it. Alright?”

I reared back at his tone. “Alright,” I said tentatively.

I looked around the room, looking for something to write on, but coming up short.

I reached for a bottle of wine on the table, peeling off the label.

“What are you doing?” Nico asked.

“Do you have something to write with?” His brows furrowed, but he reached into his jacket pocket and produced a pen .

I took it and scribbled what his sister had said to me on the label, when I was finished I folded it into a tiny square.

“Here.” I handed the folded label to Nico. “Your sister told me to tell you this and since you don’t want to hear it, I wrote it here.” He opened his mouth to protest, but I stopped him. “You need to promise me you won’t destroy it because I know you might not want to read it now, but someday you will.” He sighed and reached for the label, but before he could put it in his pocket I stopped him, closing my hand over his.

“You have a family that cares about you, Nico. They are waiting for you to come back to them. Don’t you dare take that for granted.”

His expression softened as he searched my face, I looked away before he could look too long and made my way back into the crowd, leaving him behind.