“I know.” Annika stood and paced with unusual agitation. She ignored, too, the whining pup who stuck to her side. “And he knows that I will be making this journey.”
The news surprised him. He stood as well and waited for her to stop and face him again. “He can’t be pleased with your plan.”
“No. He trusts me, though, to know what I’m doing. I thought you did, too. Remember our conversation minutes ago about how well I can work out future events?”
“You said you can see pieces and put together logical conclusions. You specifically also said that you can’t predict the future. That means you don’t know for certain that you’ll survive this assault. What do you expect your hive to do if you die?”
“Make another Queen, of course.”
Alun openly scoffed, his fear for the girl making him bold. “How long did that take the first time? Do you truly believe your father would survive your loss that easily? ‘Oh well, that daughter’s dead, best get started on making another one’.” The sarcasm came easily, because he could imagine how Will would feel to lose her. It was the same wrenching feeling he had churning his gut at the very moment.
“I understand it wouldn’t happen right away and it could prove difficult, but that is the nature of our species. Making a Queen when only males survive is what we’ve done for many millennia. It’s not like I want to die, either,” she added in a soft voice and with a teary expression. It reminded Alun that he was dealing with a child.
So, he changed tactics. “Tell me why it’s necessary for you to go. I know that I want to help Merlin, even though I also know that I’m not really going to be the one to rescue him. Whom do you think your presence benefits?”
She hesitated long enough that he thought she wasn’t going to answer at all. “My own. Or, rather, my plans for the hive. I’m really not at liberty to do what pleases me. If that were so, I’d lie around eating ice cream and watching movies.” She gave him a watery smile that demonstrated clearly how much of a burden she was living under.
“I’m not very smart. You’re going to have to explain in more detail, I’m afraid.”
“Who says you’re not smart? Dracul?”
Alun almost smiled. “No, I doubt he even noticed me at all. It was his warrior, the one that enslaved me, who always said I was a slow learner.” He didn’t add that the message had usually been delivered during a brutal beating. Queen she may be, but Annika was still young and, in some ways, innocent of many things.
“You believed him?”
Alun shrugged. This was really a pointless distraction from the conversation. “I suppose. It’s not as if I’ve had any kind of education. If I hadn’t been captured, I would have spent my life in the coal pits. There’s not much call for thinking down there.”
“That shows how much he knew and that you sell yourself short. Everyone here assumed you were broken and in need of caring for. You’re hardly acting like a cowering idiot at the moment.”
Alun wasn’t sure how to respond. “Thank you?” He huffed. “We’re getting off track, like. I need an answer, please, if you’re going to convince me to help.”
Annika stared at the toes of her pretty shoes for a few seconds before sighing. “That’s fair. I started forming my plan after talking to Petru.”
“What?” Alun couldn’t repress his surprise or disapproval. “You’ve spoken to that murderous bastard? How did your father allow such a thing?”
“He didn’t.” The little miss dared to smirk. “I saw him in secret…with Merlin’s help.”
Alun clutched his crucifix. “Dear God… What was he thinking?” At that news, Alun had another reason to want Merlin back—to tan his hide.
“He was only obeying his Queen, of course—as was Petru. I was in no danger. That drone knows his place. He gave me critical information about what Dracul has that I need.”
“And what is that, then?”
Licking her lips, Annika crept closer. “I need your promise that you won’t tell anyone else.”
Alun wanted to give her that assurance, but the symbol of his religion pressing against his palm made him balk. “I can’t do that. If you tell me something I think your father should know about, I will relay the information.”
Annika expression turned stormy. “That’s not your place to do so! If you won’t help me, I can speak to Alex about keeping you behind.”
Alun gasped with outrage. “Oh, you chopsy little…girl,” he amended before his tongue got away from him. “You’re trying to blackmail me, are you? Well, I won’t have it.” He folded his arms and glared at her.
She returned the look. “I’m not as fond of your new-found strength of character as I was a few minutes ago.”
“Oh, yes? Well, that’s too bad, like. I’m serious here, Annika. I don’t want to go against you, but I’m not going to be forced into some mad scheme that will gut this family with your death. Alex and his men have been more than fair to me and Merlin. Do you have any idea,” he added with a wellspring of emotion that bubbled up, “how grateful I was that they didn’t kill Merlin?”
He had to look away and swipe at the tears that leaked out. “I was that glad when the bastard who’d tortured me was turned to dust. But as they rounded us up and took us out, I thought they’d kill the hybrids. Why not, heh? They couldn’t be trusted, after all. And Merlin, older than the others, wouldn’t stop mouthing off. He was practically begging for a bullet to his brain… I guess that’s when I realized that I did love him. He’s my son.” He let Annika see his tears. “Alex let him live, didn’t even raise a hand to him when Merlin sorely asked for it. I won’t betray Alex’s mercy.”
“Oh, Mr. Alun, I’m sorry. It was horrid of me to threaten reprisals. I didn’t mean it.” She scuffed at the carpet, and while her words were sincere, he wasn’t quite sure he believed them.
“That’s all right, then. Tell me what Dracul has that you need.”
She hesitated so long that he didn’t think she ever would. Then she started speaking and he wished he’d never asked.
Chapter Five
The house was eerily quiet as Alun made his way down to the kitchen. His mind still reeled from his talk with Annika. Not even a hot shower had soothed his nerves as he considered his dilemma. The girl had put him in a quandary over what to do. On the one hand, he thought her scheme utterly mad and contrary to what Alex and his men believed. On the other, she was the Queen, so who was he or anyone else to gainsay her? She might be entirely correct about what the future should look like. If he refused to help her, he had no doubt she’d try on her own. That could prove disastrous. And yet he wasn’t sure he could tell tales on her, either. It was so hard to see what the right path was.
So, he stopped trying and decided some food wouldn’t hurt. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast and his stomach was no longer accommodating about being empty. He’d expected to run into Emil or Damien, at the least, yet no one was about. Except…
“Sergeant Jefferson?” He stopped at the bottom of the stairs while his brain worked to keep up with what he saw. The man was standing on the kitchen side of the dining counter, all manner of things spread out in front of him.