Page 80 of Queen Takes Triune

“No worries,” he said cheerfully, tilting his head toward the corner. “I’m prepared this time.”

The huge gun he’d been carrying was stashed against the wall.

Mehen was right—it was snowing again. Huge, wet flakes that had already covered the ground. Rik swept me up in his arms and strode toward the heart tree. He didn’t pause but ducked inside the black hole.

Trusting me to guide us straight to Rome.

24

Shara

Iclosed my eyes as Rik carried me to the biggest battle of my life. I didn’t think or worry or plot out an attack. It was too late to change anything now. My feet had been set on this path before my birth.

Great One, please guide me. Strengthen me. Shield me when needed, but let my spear fly true when it’s time.

All too quickly, I felt our destination nearby. I sensed an exit—though there wasn’t any light to indicate an opening. Was it dark in Rome? I had no idea of the time difference.

Xin slipped around us on silent wolf feet, even though he hadn’t shifted.:There’s a door. Press here, alpha.:

Rik lifted his foot and shoved the door so hard that it crashed against something and swung back toward us. Xin caught the door before it could slam into me. Rocks tumbled outside, as if we’d broken through a wall or foundation.

Sunlight flooded the chamber. Wincing, I covered my eyes. Xin exited the passageway, and we waited just inside the door as he made a quick investigation of the area.

I could hear cars and city noise all around us, but surely we weren’t going to step out into a busy, public place. Marne Ceresa didn’t strike me as the kind of queen who’d like everyday humans knowing about our kind and gossiping about her, though maybe she was already publicly known as the vampire queen of Rome.

:All clear, alpha. We’re inside a small walled park shielded by trees. There are humans nearby, but outside the walls.:

Still, Rik waited, allowing the rest of my Blood to squeeze past us and out the door.

His heart thudded beneath my ear, calm and steady.:Would you prefer to exit on your feet?:

:I wish I could listen to your heartbeat the entire time.:I blew out a sigh.:No, I don’t mind. Carry me as long as it makes sense.:

:To the moon and back, my queen.:

As he stepped outside, I stretched out my senses. I felt the ancient trees whispering with excitement. They recognized me, even here. Had my grove somehow talked to them? Across oceans and thousands of miles?

But I had my answer when a large crow swept down and landed on the ground before us. She bobbed her head and chirped rapidly, then leaped into the air and flew away.

:She said welcome to Rome, my queen,:Nevarre said.:She’s going to fetch the rest of her flock in case you need them. They’ve been watching all over the city, waiting to see where you arrived.:

:They don’t report to Marne?:

:Evidently not. She has her own spies,:Xin replied.:There are three cars waiting at the gate.:

Aloud, I said, “Does anyone know where we are?”

“Son of a bitch,” Guillaume said, shaking his head. “Look at the door. Well, what’s left of it.”

Rik turned around so I could see. We’d come out of an old rock wall with two weird white statues on either side of a now-empty doorway.

“Fucking garden gnomes?” Ezra muttered. “Gives me the fucking creeps.”

I couldn’t argue with that at all.

“Not gnomes,” Gina whispered hoarsely. “They represent Bes, an Egyptian god known as a protector of households.”

Now that was a coincidence that I found difficult to brush off.