The Blood Order

XLIII

I tap my pen annoyingly on the desk, Athena ready to strangle me from across the library, "Is there something else you would rather do than study? I wasn't told that dealing with you would be worse than dealing with a child." 

"I take that as a compliment." Sending her a big smile get another round of snarls working through her. For some reason, she really seems to hate me, but why wouldn't she? I do seem rather hate-able if we go off my personal track record. 

"I was told you're this weak, silent, little human that minds her own business." She pinches the bridge of her nose, "But you seem like a rather vibrant bitch in my side." 

"I believe the word is thorn." 

"I hope your throat closes." She retorts tossing her hands at me. I shift out of the way and walk towards the exit of the library. Athena follows closely keeping pace with me, her shoes making an awful noise as we walk. 

"Where's Raphael right now?" I whisper to myself tapping at my chin. I see another attendant walking down the hall with a bouquet in hands. When I send her a smile and waves she stops immediately giving over her full attention. That's weird. 

"Do you know where the King is?" 

She doesn't hesitate, "He's in his study, in the high tower. He made mention that he did not want to be disturbed because of the new Blood Order coming into affect." 

"And that includes me?" I point at myself, the woman raises a brow. 

"I wouldn't assume so, you are his queen." 

"Thank you, enjoy your day." I call out as I walk in the direction she had guided. Athena is coughing behind me trying to draw my attention, but I pay her no mind. If anything positive is to come out of this I have to get back into my old head, my old self. Maybe even a better version. Yes this crazy fuck killed everything I knew, however, he killed everything that hurt me. Can someone really be evil if they only hurt those who hurt others? Or break laws? 

Am I making up excuses for him?

"Sultana, stop walking." She huffs. I give her the smallest amount of attention, turning my body towards hers with a pause in my step, "Are you seriously going to him right now?" 

"He makes me feel safe, you don't." This time it's my turn to shrug my shoulders. 

"What? How can that blood thirsty demon make you feel safe?" 

I stop on my heels pulling a one eighty to meet her face to face. My pointer finger comes up shoving into her boney chest for enunciation, "And your people enslaved and killed millions in a thirst for power. How is that supposed to make me feel safe?" 

"I never said that was our purpose." 

"And how can you expect me, a human, to support the warriors that want to over throw us and use the humans as working stock for the gifted population? Explain that." I spit, she wipes her face off slowly taking a moment to think. 

"You're different." 

"Because I'm mated or whatever to the king? How does that truly make me any different? I am still human through and through, nothing about that has changed." 

"You speak insanity!" She calls out directing a clean palm towards me. 

"Do I, Athena, or are the the rose colored glasses finally falling from my eyes for the first time in fucking years. Myrina might have helped me, and I owe her that, however your people are just as fucking bad, maybe worse than the man up in that tower. He killed the demons that plagued my life, been nothing but a gentleman, and speaks of his care for me. You barrel in and demand, not even beginning to ask my feelings." I take a breath, "If you treat, and act, anything to your people like how I have been treated, then standing on the front lines for your cause is something I'm not willing to do." 

"A backbone then? Myrina will get to you, and she will hang you like bait for him to see. You won't be able to get far, she's deadly in a game of chase." 

I feel the warmth of the black before I see it, the tendrils curling around my arm almost walking down my skin to my hands. Athena see's it too, her feet catching under her while she tries to run. My body stays in one place, breathe catching as the black surround her neck going tight. A crack is heard, Athena's head lolling forward. The energy seeps back into me, my body puking up anything that was left over from breakfast into the nearby bush. 

Then I guess I have to catch her first.