Page 21 of Queen Takes Triune

“Have you met her? Any of you?” I asked aloud, though I knew each of my Blood could hear the thought in our bonds.

:No,:they each replied.

A queen no one had ever met. And the enigmatic Triune queen was in New Orleans. “Could she actuallybethe Dauphine? G, would you recognize her if Gina can get us a picture of her?”

:It wouldn’t do any good,:Guillaume responded.:The Dauphine was rumored to be able to easily change her appearance. That’s how she’s been able to live undiscovered for so long.:

The more I heard about this queen, the more I was kicking myself that I hadn’t been digging for information about her before now. I touched Gina’s bond.:I need all the information you can find about the Dauphine and Leonie Delafosse.:

Focusing on the crow queen, I inclined my head to her. “Thank you, Nightwing Starlight. Your family has been most helpful to me.”

She chirped softly and rustled her wings, settling deeper on her eggs. An image of war filled my mind. Clanging swords, exploding guns, flash and fire and death. Carnage.

Clearly a warning that the Dauphine was not a queen to fuck with.

Steel hardened my tone.:Neither am I.:

7

Shara

As soon as she stepped outside my heart tree, the rat leaped off my shoulder and lightly raced along the prickly limb, looking for the perfect thorn.

She was so small, and most of the thorns on the heart tree were at least as thick as my thumb. A massive spike had stabbed through my back, impaled my heart, and protruded from my chest. I didn’t want my little friend to hurt herself that badly.

I lost sight of her, but I felt the moment she picked her thorn. Her blood sank into the heart tree.

Into me.

Soft fur brushed my face, her tiny paws pressed to my neck, even though she wasn’t on my shoulder any longer. Curiosity had always burned inside her, driving her to explore. Flashes filled my mind of endless pathways. Narrow, tiny holes where she’d barely been able to squeeze through. Subway tunnels. Sewage. Plumbing. She’d explored—and mapped—them all.

She scampered back down to the limb just above my head. Whiskers twitching, she squeaked.

:Penelope.:

I heard her name as clear as a bell in my head. Nodding, I smiled up at her.:Thank you, Penelope. I’m so glad you decided to leave your home behind and come live with me instead.:

Blood dotted her chest. I reached up, both hands cupped to catch her, but she squeaked rapidly, backing away.:Queen. Servant.:

Sighing, I lowered my arms.:I would gladly heal you.:

Her whiskers twitched and she dropped down to the ground.

I gasped. It had to be at least a six-foot drop. Her legs were like little sticks.

A sound echoed in her bond, suspiciously like laughter.

“I think she’s laughing at me,” I said aloud. Clearly, she’d felt a demonstration of her resiliency had been in order.

Her tail flicked up in agreement, and then she darted away.

:Wait! Where are you going?:

Images snapped through my mind quickly. Night. Day. Night. Day. Night. Day.

Okay. She intended to be gone for at least several days. Determined not to worry about her, I turned back to my waiting Blood. “I wonder where she’s off to in such a hurry.”

Daire snorted. “She’s off to get laid.”