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“After seeing that sharing her visions wasn’t enough to stop them, she then told the Trajan tribal leaders. Still the visions came, now growing stronger. Finally, she left the tribe, traveling all over Titus to share with anyone with ears. These visions became known as the Prophecy of Delphos.”
A chill passed over me, and I cupped my mug, seeking warmth. Her eyes became too intent, and I looked around the once-cozy space. The kitchen’s lighting, its absence of everyday society and use, now gave the area an ominous quality.
Now it wasn’t just my dreams that were haunting me, but reality as well.
“The prophecy says,” she continued, now growing animated, “that a winter unlike any other will fill the land, causing mayhem and death, starvation and war. And only with the appearance of the White Queen will there be hope. You, child, are the White Queen.”
I blinked, and the tea I had just swallowed threatened to choke me. “I’m sorry, what?”
“You are the foretold White Queen, the Heart of the Ongahri.”
“But I’m not of the Ongahri!”
The look she gave me, and this whole conversation, had laughter welling up inside me. The woman was mad!
Laughing in earnest now, I set down the tea. Just to indulge her, I pocketed the sachet into my robe as I stood, tucking the chair into the table. “It’s been a long night. Bad dreams—”
“Bad dreams…” Somehow, her hand was on my wrist, faster than I could blink. “What did you dream?”
“How dare you lay hands on my wife,” Lucius said vehemently, entering the kitchen like a storm. “I told you not to speak with her, woman. How did you get in here?” He marched up to me, eyeing the room as if searching for a battalion of assassins, and grabbed me around the waist.
The Sapera released her hold and stood, smiling at the two of us as if amused. “My apologies, Chieftain. I mean no harm.”
“You are not to go near her,” he spat. “I don’t care if it’s some secret woman ritual or not. Do you understand?”
“Your dreams will get worse before it’s time, Sierra,” she said, ignoring Lucius completely.
The woman had gall, that was for sure.
“I have always had strange dreams, ever since—” I stopped when I felt a horrible panic come through the bond. Lucius was losing control. The woman needed to leave. My hand covered his, at my waist, hopefully assuring him I was all right.
“I see.” Apparently whatever she saw made her relax. “Well then. I can’t blame you for thinking all of this sounds—”
“Fantastical? Something worthy of tales told around a fire?” I offered dryly, growing irritated once more.
But her smile was kind, her blue eyes soft. “Time will tell all,” she said. “Again, I mean your mate no harm, Chieftain. On the contrary, I was trying to advise her.”
“She needs no advisement, woman.”
With hesitancy, Lucius let me go. The tension in the room was too much, so I smiled and took the woman’s hand. “Let me show you to one of the guest rooms, grandmother. It’s too late and cold to be walking outside in this weather.”
She eyed Lucius, who looked like he was ready to throw her out with his bare hands. “I think I’ll take you up on that.”
After seeing she was settled on the second floor, Lucius and I went back to his bedroom. He had calmed considerably now that we were alone. I took off my robe, shaking with cold, and considered adding more wood to the dying fire. But I was too chilled even for that. I quickly got into bed and snuggled close to my mate, who had joined me without a word. When my cold hands and legs found his heat, he pulled me in close, murmuring my name, and promptly fell to sleep.
I, however, wasn’t the least bit sleepy as I thought over the conversation I’d had with the Sapera in the kitchens. The White Queen. How ridiculous. The only thing that I had in common with that title was my white skin and hair.
Thinking of queens made me think of Goth Mor Helle and the throne room I’d seen in my dream. When I had gotten a tour of the manse with the headmistress, the throne room had been off limits to me at the time, as it was in court that day. So the dream version of that room had been strictly conjured from my imagination, which meant the rest was as well. That fact comforted me, as I surely didn’t want to start thinking it was a vision.
It made sense, what I had dreamed about. I had been thinking of Fadon before bed, had been intimate with Lucius, who also happened to be a king in his own right. I wasn’t foolish enough to believe the animosity between the two strong alphas was imaginary. Indeed, their hot-headed natures grew exponentially whenever they were together.
Sighing, now feeling warm, I shut my eyes and wondered where Fadon was right now. Had Mari dealt with the Owl by now? Was the prisoner, Servant Sarbo, still alive? Did they even arrive at Goth Mor Hell yet?
And why hadn’t Demos returned to Ordelpho? Was he all right?
As my mind threw unanswered questions at me, I finally drifted off to a blessedly dreamless sleep.
When I awoke, the sun was shining. I smiled and rolled onto my side, snuggling in deeper into the warm blankets.
