FightingSanity by Viola Grace Read Free Book Online Page A

her.
    “Identify yourself, creature.”
    A woman came out of the green fog and raised her hands in a defensive manner. Two men were behind her and there was a manic gleam to her eyes.
    “I am Erinii Zakkata. Who are you?”
    The woman blinked frantically, her blue eyes confused. “I am the Thorn Queen. These are my servants, Fire and Ice.”
    In reflex, Erinii’s body executed a deep curtsy, sweeping her robes to the side while shifting the canister to her left arm. “I am pleased to meet you, Your Majesty.”
    The Thorn Queen smiled and inclined her head. “I have been waiting for you, Erinii Zakkata. The Muse of Forethought told me you were coming.”
    They knew I was coming.
    How?
    My guess is a precognitive talent. Did Bassinor give any records of those stolen from the facility?
    Relay is trying to get them as we speak.
    “You are talking to someone. That is rude.” The Thorn Queen raised her spikes.
    “I was speaking to my…mate. He is in constant contact with me and was checking on my status.”
    The Thorn Queen sniffed the air and smiled. “You must be worried sick to be parted from him. Why did he not come with you?”
    “He is not of our people. The mist would kill him.”
    “Unfortunate. Please, come with me. The others are eager to meet you.”
    Fire and Ice flanked her and she had no choice but to follow the Thorn Queen down the halls, past more dead folk, until they were in a wide promenade that was cleared of bodies and was filled with the stolen talents.
    They milled around, eating, drinking and talking softly as they adopted the personas that their minds had created. Every now and then, someone shrieked and let off a burst of power, but those outbursts were few and far between.
    An elderly woman approached and gave her a worried frown. “You are the reason we are here.”
    Erinii reared back in shock. “Pardon?”
    “They came for you and took us instead. We are the second choice and they thought they could use us.” The woman cackled. “They were wrong.”

    Chapter Ten
    Taking tea with the Thorn Queen and the Muse of Forethought was nerve wracking. There was no choice but to lower her shielding to sip at her tea, but when she did so, her alter ego surged to the fore.
    The Muse smiled. “The Swan Queen has joined us.”
    Erinii felt a touch on her mind and she knew Dravi was concerned, but the Swan Queen was interested in only one thing. “I have indeed joined you.”
    The Thorn Queen cocked her head. “Why have you come?”
    “I seek to free my people. The gas keeps the true talents at bay. I need to purge the gas and create a better atmosphere.”
    The Thorn Queen lifted one hand and a male with eyes of crystalline grey came to her side. “Is she telling the truth?”
    The man with the freaky eyes stared at her and nodded. “Both of them are speaking the truth.”
    The Thorn Queen gave her a piercing look. “Both of them?”
    “She is not alone within her mind. There is a male with her. Neither of them means us harm.”
    The Thorn Queen waved him back and smiled. “Now that we are no longer under the thumb of the masked ones, I am eager to see my people flourish. What can you do to help, Your Majesty?”
    “The gasses here are keeping those who would help you at bay. I need to purge them and replace them with the contents of this canister. Only then will those standing by to assist us be able to come to our aid.” The Swan Queen sat with her head high and waited for her host to answer.
    “I will allow it, but there are some who are enjoying their new freedoms a little too vigorously. They may attempt to halt you. Neither me nor mine will be able to assist you.”
    The Swan Queen bowed her head, “I understand. I take my leave of you then, Your Majesty.”
    The Thorn Queen smiled softly. “Reefa. My name was Reefa.”
    The Swan Queen touched the other woman’s needle-tipped fingers. “It will be again.”
    Erinii, inside her own hallucination, saw the slight tremble in the