The Wolf Queen (The Queen's Slave, Book 2)

Nineteen: Surrender

"...a chasm opened in the earth and out of it coal-black horses sprang, drawing a chariot and driven by one who had a look of dark splendor, majestic and beautiful and terrible. He caught her to him and held her close. The next moment she was being borne away from the radiance of earth in springtime to the world of the dead by the king who rules it."

-Edith Hamilton (Hades & Persephone)

Anchor By: Skillet

"What?" I squeaked, feeling like my eyes were going to pop out of my head as she calmly strode away, her hips swaying seductively. "Where are you going? Y-you can't just drop something like that on me and then walk away!" I called, cursing the pain in my back and glowering at the chuckle she sent over her shoulder, her long hair swaying as she leaned out the doorway. Less than a moment later Camille strode in after her, a shit eating grin tugging at the corners of her mouth. I groaned, shoving the incident out of my mind for the moment as I had absolutely no idea what to say or do to even approach the subject.

Against my better judgement I sat up, hugging the tattered remains of my shirt to my chest with my legs crisscrossing underneath me. The pain felt good now that she had pulled the arrow out, my wounds just needing a little bit more cleaning before they could seal over. Fur prickled along my arms as Camille neared and my vision tunneled when she knelt down in front of me, searching my face with her serious gaze. I flinched back as her hand raised, a low warning growl hissing between my teeth. At the look of soft compassion on her face I felt ashamed. Yes there could've been a different way for them to handle the situation, but I was hysterical and thrashing everywhere. They did what they thought was right in order to protect me and I couldn't fault them for that.

Except Elijah, he can go to hell.

Elizabeth's voice flowed through my mind. "As much as it enrages me to have her in the same room as you right now, let alone touch you....you need her help. There are tiny pieces of arrowhead stuck in your back and because your skin continues to heal over before I can get them out, I can't get to them." A memory suddenly flashed behind my eyes of my face pressed into the dirt and Jacob's weight on top of me, his hands roaming over my scarred skin, traveling lower with each movement. My stomach cramped in warning as my wolf rose and flooded my body with strength, tightening my skin in the process. I clenched my jaw so hard that tears pooled in my eyes, willing the vision to go away but it was all I could see. The all consuming fear I had felt in that moment, coupled with the triggering visions of my almost-rape, were staggering.

Camille's fingers caught my chin in a gentle grip and turned my face so that I had to meet her eyes. I swallowed as the tears spilled over. I knew she knew what I had seen, what I had felt when their hands were on my body but in my mind it was Raror's weight pushing me into the ground, a mocking laugh tipping his head back as he pinned me down, my shirt ripping like wet paper in his hands. I could see the anger swirling in her gaze and swallowed around the knot in my throat. I wasn't sure if Elizabeth had told her, or if Camille simply saw in me what lived in her. For once I was grateful that I wasn't expected to explain, that a few simple words were enough.

"Forgive me." She pleaded in a whisper. "I would've never allowed them bring you down here at all had I known about your mother and.....Raror." Murder raged in her eyes.

My emotions swirled confusingly a I struggled with a response. I owed her a favor and I hardly knew the woman, but in this moment I wanted my family to wrap me up and never let me go. Camille and Elizabeth were the closest thing to that feeling right now. It was a painfully raw moment and not to mention rather vulnerable for a future queen, but she saw me all the same. Her fingers were like ice where they gripped my skin, a harsh shiver fleeing down my back as my stomach cramped once more, rebelling against her touch. I could feel Elizabeth's tension at the back of my mind but it eased as Camille brushed the hair back from my face and wiped my tears away.