The Queen's Conquer

Chapter 24 : Skin Deep

Dolent • [doe-len]
Full of sorrow.

🖤

~+~

Sterling unwillingly witnesses just how depleted of life I am once I enter the backseat of her red Jeep outside of the packhouse. All it takes is one long look over me before she's provoked to say, "Maybe we should ask Lilith to cut back your training."

Liam sits beside her in the passenger's seat, a gentle smile on his face directed at me. Sterling sent a brief text informing me that he would be accompanying us due to a request of Samuel's. Apparently, this meeting isn't going to be as private as I initially thought. "It's only her first week, Sterling."

"But she shouldn't—"

"I'm fine," I butt in, buckling up and slipping my ring over my finger before slumping against the car door. I always take the piece of jewelry off before me and Lilith's sessions just to preserve the delicate gems, but whenever I don't have it on, it usually feels like a missing piece of my body. "Just drive. Please."

Neither of them utters another word, providing the silence I need with my thoughts. I don't take the remainder of the car ride for granted, finding myself dozing off every once in a while as the scenery shifts from buildings to endless trees and winding roads. A lot of which is not new to me, allowing me to pay little attention to which streets we take.

When the Jeep's tires hit a dirt road do I finally sit up a bit straighter, becoming more alert as my pulse picks up. Nearing the end of the drive, a simple one-story home appears through the pines, seeming more like a safehouse than anything with its lack of livelihood. Several other cars are parked outside of the house accompanied by about a dozen or so people, some heads turning at the sound of the Jeep.

Sterling pulls up beside the vehicles, shutting off her engine before we all hop out and join the group conversing near the house. Amongst the small crowd, I easily pick out my mate's infatuating scent, weaving through the bodies as I follow it, not caring much for anyone who attempts to grab my attention.

Samuel's icy eyes snap to find me, as if my smell has finally hit him, too. He inhales and exhales deeply, relishing my presence. Once within arm's reach, he pulls me into his embrace, missing these long hours where we're forced to split from one another due to our separate obligations.

"Hey," he says, placing a kiss against my ponytailed hair before pulling my face back from muzzling into his long sleeve so he can get a better look at me. He chuckles at the sight of my exhausted features. "You look battered."

I roll my eyes. "Tell me something I don't know."

My gaze shifts to the people around us—the people Samuel was mid-conversation with that I accidentally interrupted. A few faces I recognize: Xander, Killian, Isaac, and others who I met at my marking ceremony. The rest I assume are just here for safety precautions. I'm sure they keep warriors on grounds at all times to make sure Max doesn't pull something idiotic.

My attention returns to my mate, remembering what Lilith and I had discussed earlier as I pull him aside. "When were you going to tell me you assigned Eira with hunting down my father?" I begin.

Samuel's face contorts, realizing who must've told me this news. "Anastasia, I just delivered the order a couple of days ago."

"And you didn't think to at least discuss it with me first?"

"There was no room for a discussion," he counters. "I have warriors dying on the frontlines every day because of Maddox's bullshit."

"And I don't want my people hunting down a power-hungry general," I seethe. "Samuel, if he gets his hands on one of our own, he'll use them for information."