Page 106 of The Girl in the Forest

Their survival became paramount.

Static charged the air. Several vampires milled around with excitement while others were stoic. The woman—Set. Her expression mixed fury with grief.

My sire is a woman… a handmaid to Cleopatra… it’s the wise son who does not question his sire in public…

I held her gaze, cried, understood her anguish. Looked back at Ago.

His anticipation was laughable and my thoughts spiraled. What would I lose if I did what they asked?

Even if Brin helped me read the book and we found something useful. Even if there was a way to defeat the queen, to protect Grayson and everything he battled so hard to preserve. A way to keep hope alive.

If the queen was also a vampire, who could stop her? She’d invaded a vampire dungeon with a sentient mist. She controlled creatures, using them to destroy Azul. Sutter. Other outposts and small settlements. No wards could keep her out.

She’d killed the Gemini Witches from a distance, and Barend’s argument was valid. It would take someone as powerful as a queen to defeat this queen.

Was that my vengeance—turning into someone like her?

For how many centuries had she been building her strength? Nurturing unimagined creatures who would do her bidding? Her goal was to rid the world of those who would not acknowledge her. I’d seen her open splits in the air and send a stampeding hoard through. I’d talked to the survivors of Sutter, listened to their terror. Fought the corrupted nymphs and the yellow-tusked pigs. Smelled their stench. Watched them disintegrate beneath my hands.

I knew of no greater power—not even the kings had triumphed over the queens without stripping them of their wolves first. But they’d taken away one half of the queen’s power and replaced the wolf with something much worse.

Barend understood my hesitation, and he murmured alluringly, darkly, “You could become more than what you are now. Glory in the power Amal has no intention of sharing. She has hunted failles as ruthlessly as any of us. Killed more than you can count. At least we hunted them for the right cause.”

The right cause?

I wanted to throw up. “You both want to use us. Destroy us. We still end up dead no matter what the motive.”

“Only mortals die for the right principle and think it makes a difference,” he said. “I’m offering immortality.”

“I’ll cooperate.”

CHAPTER 32

Noa

“Noa—no!” Laura’s face revealed her fury. “You can’t save us. Don’t sacrifice yourself when we’re all dead, anyway.”

“Fuck yeah,” Brin grunted. “Let her do it. Let them try to take that bitch down.”

When I looked at her, I realized the bolt was no longer pinning her hand, but she held it as if it was. I turned toward Barend.

“Release them. I won’t fight you.”

Delight lit his pale face. “Ago, don’t keep the lady waiting.”

The vampire released Laura with a final jerk. She dropped to her knees with her hands over her face. Brin leaned into her, offering comfort. I couldn’t let compassion show. I couldn’t go to them, or offer any words of solace.

I had to prepare myself for what was to come.

Two vampires stood ready beside Ago; I marked them, committed their faces to memory, then shifted my attention to the men and women standing on the dais. I marked the ones who moved closer to the doors. Studied the vampires gathered behind Set.

They were all pieces on the chessboard I was about to disrupt.

Ago circled around, preening. I circled with him. This dance was what I wanted. What I craved. The energy thrummed through me.

“You haven’t released Julien.”

“He’s the bonus,” Barend said. “After you’ve proven yourself.”

---