Page 74 of Queen Takes Rook
“Who… or what… is that?” Vega asked hesitantly.
I debated how much to tell her. Keisha was dead. The child she’d been so obsessed to save, also dead. Tanza had truly died a long time ago, because the demon who’d tortured alphas all these years had not been an innocent child.
Concentrating a moment, I lit my blood on fire. Flames roared higher, quickly consuming the body. Flesh cracked, blackened, and crumbled to ash.
Turning away, I said, “It was a demon. It twisted your former queen into torturing her alphas.”
Vega nodded, and relief eased the harsh lines of her face. “She wasn’t always like that.Weweren’t always like that.”
I stared back at her until she dropped her gaze and stepped aside. “Let’s hope the fuck not, because things will sure be different now. This is my fucking house, and nobody suffers in House Isador for another’s whim.”
31
Shara
In the end, I had Keisha’s throne removed from the dais and stashed in the basement. Mehen had gleefully blasted the ashes of Tanza’s body to make absolutely sure we’d destroyed the demon’s shell completely. Though I was going to have to spend a small fortune to fix the roof he’d also blasted through.
The gathered members of House Skye were quite depleted in number. Gina and Madeline had been working together to come up with a list of all the names of people who remained, their former house ties, and how they’d come to be a part of Skye. I had a feeling that Leviathan and Llewellyn had both snacked their way through the ranks. Many others had fled. I wouldn’t begrudge any of them the chance for freedom after Keisha’s reign.
Six-hundred-and-eight siblings stood before me. Looking at me. Waiting for me to make an announcement, or at least tell them what to do.
But first, I sat down between Rik’s thighs and sighed as his arms came around me. Someone had found a comfortable chair big enough for us both to sit in. I was exhausted. Bloody. Another dress ruined beyond repair. My feet ached and fucking miserable cramps tore through my abdomen.
I wanted to curl up in a ball in the center of my bed with a cup of hot tea while Mehen read to me in French and my Blood pressed around me.
Instead, I sat looking out at a sea of strangers’ faces wondering what the hell I’d gotten myself into.
Luckily, I had a most excellent consiliarius who gladly and skillfully took over everything to the smallest detail.
Gina raised her voice so everyone could hear. “House Isador now holds all Skye territories, including Skye Tower. If you were forced to swear an oath to House Skye, your new queen releases you from your oath. You’re free to return to your families and home nests without fear of retribution later. If you’re willing to swear to House Isador and stay on here, Shara Isador will take your oath of fealty now.”
She paused a moment, letting people think about what they wanted to do. Several people did quietly head for the doors. I let them go. Gladly.
There were still way too many people staring at me, eager to swear their lives to me.
Gina smiled at me over her shoulder. “Our queen is weary, so we’ll make this quick. Rather than swearing an oath of fealty one by one, we’re going to do this en mass. Some of you may also be chosen to become full sibs at a future date. For now, she’ll accept your oath. Please repeat after me.
“My old queen, Keisha Skye, is dead. Her bond is null and void. I now swear my blood and my life to Shara Isador, last daughter of Isis, the Great One, She who was, and is, and all that will be.”
Their voices thundered through the room. These people were fuckinggladto have a new queen. They didn’t hate me, even though they’d seen me kill Keisha not even an hour before. If they knew what I’d done in the basement…
:They’d fucking kiss your feet and the ground you walk upon,:Rik said in my head, tightening his arms around me.:Long live the fucking queen.Myqueen. I love you.
Daire rubbed against my legs and worked his tongue a bit higher above my knee, eagerly cleaning up the blood that had stained my skin.:Long live Shara fucking Isador.:
The End