Page 20 of Throne of the Wolf Queen

‘Hawk?’ He set his gaze on me. Did he take me for a fool? I inhaled slowly, reminded myself I had to remain calm. ‘And if a duck was flying above us?’

He chuckled. ‘Drake, then.’

Rage spilled across my cheeks. ‘Your name, man.’

He laughed. ‘And who are you to demand that of me, Miss Villente? Hmm?’ He threw his arms out, a warning swirling in his eyes. Perhaps he needed to remember who he was talking to.

‘A queen. A queen who⁠—’

His laugh cut me off. ‘Oh, pardon me while I bow to the queen.’ He bent low at the waist, all the while his eyes burned into me. ‘You lot. Always thinking you’re better than each other simply down to which vagina you managed to slip out of.’

My brows flew up. ‘Sorry?’

‘So you should be.’ He crossed his arms, his jaw clenched. I exhaled sharply. Why had I bothered following this man? I should just leave and forget him. But I couldn’t. There were secrets thrumming through his veins, secrets that could help me balance my gifts. Help me win Matthias back.

‘Fine… Hawk.’ I steeled my spine, tried my hardest to put a winning smile on my face. ‘You’re an Anomaly then?’

His brows rose, a wry grin on his mouth. ‘No, my queen. I’m certainly not blessed by Evella.’

‘But you had a light, in the library? You⁠—’

‘Candle,’ he interrupted, digging the toe of his boot into the sodden grass. He turned as though he would go, and my heart jolted.

‘I haven’t thanked you. I apologise for that. Thank… you. For your help… Hawk.’

Gods, how I despised simpering at the creature. He merely chuckled, saluted the wolf and turned from me. I blinked and he’d vanished once more. I shook my head, clenched my fists. My sight may fail me, but men didn’t vanish from existence like that. There was no question of him being a mere Anomaly then.

I swore, staring around at the mist-covered lawns. I’d stumble if I followed now. But if I simply allowed him to leave? ‘Find him.’

The wolf turned his amber eyes on me, his head cocked. ‘Please. Just follow him. I’ll wait here.’

Pablo tilted his head even further, as though I’d lost whatever sliver of sanity remained in my head. ‘Go,’ I urged him. ‘There’s an extra steak or two in it for you.’

He snorted before racing after the man – Hawk – on silent paws.

Shivering, I rubbed the goosebumps on my arm before spotting a low wall and crossed over on tentative feet. It didn’t look particularly warm or comfortable, but it was somewhere to wait till Pablo came back.

Fidgeting against the sting of cold, I snorted. What would I do when Pablo returned? As close as we were, he wasn’t exactly equipped with the ability to talk.

A twig snapped and I spun around, peering into the near gloom.

‘Pab?’ Was the wolf back already? My heart stilled at the crunch of a boot. Not my wolf then.

I reached towards my magic, ready to call my gifts, when the world went dark. My fingers grasped rough material as I stood, trying to drag whatever had been placed over my head off, but a sharp force slammed into the side of my head with a dull thud. Pulse thundering, I sank to the frozen ground.

CHAPTER 9

MATTHIAS

With the loss of Evella, his hope dispersed, leaving his heart sharp and cold. He tore it from his chest, wincing as the Gods mocked the unbeating shard of bitterness. But when he held it to the light, it shone like the stars he’d placed in the heavens. Believing it still beautiful, Vyrus hunted down his lost love to offer his heart one final time.

​— ​THE HISTORIES AND PROPHECIES OF THE STAR-CROSSED GODS: CHRONICLES OF VYRUS

I sat cross-legged on the cell’s dusty floor. Musa mimicked my pose on the other side of the bars, a makeshift chivash board scratched into the filth between us. Narrowing my gaze, I rubbed the stubble on my chin, contemplating our improvised pieces. My hand hovered over one of my pebble saints as I studied the board. I hadn’t won a single game against the king of Yepana since we’d been imprisoned together, but a little spark ignited as I took in the precarious position of his Vyrus. My fingers hovered over the saint, one of the four I had remaining and, instead, swiftly grabbed my sister, swiping his stick abbot from the board. I glanced over at the once-imposing king, a smile tugging at the corner of my mouth as his brows furrowed.

Chivash was a game of kings and queens. One of strategy, rational thought, logic. My father had taught me to play and explained the need to plan ten moves ahead. It was a game I’d always dreamed of mastering since I’d first played against him as a small boy. Unfortunately, for me, I was still tragically shite at it, though it gave Musa a chance to fill the silences with tales from his homeland.

‘And the ruined temples to the lost Gods hidden under the jungles of the east,’ Musa’s voice had a lilting tone as he described Yepana to me. My heart skipped a beat as he moved his castle exactly where I’d hoped he would. ‘The lost temple of Ades is a wonderful playground for a child.’ He pointed to a scar bisecting his left eyebrow. ‘Though not a safe one.’