Page 150 of Trials of Dusk and Dreams
“Got them,” I say, smiling fondly, jogging to him.
He grabs me, pushes me against the wall, and steals my breath with a crushing kiss. His taste is heady and oh-so-good. It’s over too fast, and I’m left dizzy and hot. So, I almost miss his whispered words against my lips. “One will betray you. One will try to kill you.”
Chapter 61
Willow
Varen stares at me, unblinking. Our lips still almost touch, but his words have already fled my mind.
“Did you say something, Varen?” I ask, my voice barely above a whisper.
His eyes seem blank as if no one’s home. Fear wraps itself around my heart and squeezes. I don’t like this look.
“Varen, honey?” I gently touch his face. In an instant, the madness flashes in his eyes like a festering wound.
I try to keep my expression passive despite the urge to scream at the injustice of this affliction torturing him. His hands, which moments ago touched me lovingly, now grip my shoulders painfully.
“False queen,” he snarls in my face.
Tears sting my eyes. “Do you mean me?”
He shakes his head, frustrated—at him or me, I’m not sure.
“The honeycombs are still broken,” he says. “They need to be fixed.”
“But you all have your memories.”
“They’re broken!”
“I know,” I tell him softly. “We’ll fix them, don’t worry.”
“No, you don’t understand!” His voice rises in pitch as he shoves me, eyes wild with panic. “If we don’t fix them, there is no honey!” His voice takes on an eerie quality. “Without honey, the colony starves. Worker bees die within weeks, and the entire hive collapses. It’s a slow, agonizing death for all.”
“But I thought Styx gave you bee bread.”
His hands claw at me, but he’s not listening.
“Yellow-jackets.” He’s rambling again, the monotone persisting. “They invade weakened hives. They slip in unnoticed, mimicking the scent of the colony. When the bees realize the intruders’ true nature, it’s too late. The yellow jackets slaughter them, steal their honey, and leave nothing but destruction in their wake.”
I don’t know what to do. My feet are frozen to the floor, my mind a blank canvas.
“I have to go,” I mumble stupidly.
Something snaps inside him, and he shouts, “The queen’s scent attracts drones for mating, but it can also lure in predators. Wasps, hornets, even rival colonies.” His tone grows almost angry and accusing, making my emotions well up until I’m sobbing. “The yellow jacket sting is more potent, their hunger insatiable. They will consume everything in their path, leaving nothing but hollow shells behind.”
“Varen, you’re hurting me.”
“First, they send scouts,” he barks in my face. “Then they attack in force, overwhelming the guards at the hive’s entrance.”
“Ren, hush.” Bodin is there, gently prying Varen’s clawed fingers from my bruised shoulders. But Varen won’t let go.
He growls and snarls at Bodin, then comes back to me. “Theydecapitatethe bees with their powerful mandibles.”
I can’t see through my tears now.
He gives my face a withering look and snipes, “A strong queen’s scent might repel invaders, but a weak or corrupted?—”
Emrys arrives and covers Varen’s mouth, muffling his words. “Enough with your incessant ramblings. Can’t you see you’re frightening her?”
