Queen & Commander (Book One of the Hive Queen Saga)

Chapter Twenty-Two: Make Anybody Like You in 50 Easy Lessons

Rhiannon woke to a dry mouth and a shouting match. Whatever she was lying on had an uncomfortable flimsiness, at odds with the warm blanket across her shoulders. The latter might have been made of the softest animal fur.

“Don’t you dare ignore me! Gesú give me strength.”

The argument petered out there momentarily since the second participant apparently refused to participate. That did not keep the first from resuming when silence reigned for too long.

“As God is my witness, if you don’t get up and get working, I’ll... I’ll... I’ll tell Commander Ceridwen.”

Well, that was worth opening her eyes for, even though she was pretty sure it was going to hurt. She pried open crusted lids, only to squint against the pervading light. More prepared, she tried again, this time achieving full—if washed-out—range of vision. She tried to say, “Hey, you two,” but the words caught on the sand drying out her tongue.

That just meant she’d have to try harder. A good Queen or Commander could lead her Hive regardless of physical ailments. Out of love. The university syllabus she’d read explained that Queens and Commanders were not allowed to take sick days. Sick Queens showed up or they lost their Devotees.

Right, then. She was an actual Queen and Commander, not just a student. She could do this. Steeling herself against the disorientation and headache she knew were coming, she tried to sit up. She didn’t get far. A few inches. She fell back into a supine position. Her unstable cot didn’t provide the necessary resistance for difficult actions like getting out of bed.

She could see the boys across the hall from her now through double bar obstructions. Alan and Luciano continued to argue. Well, Luciano cajoled and Alan ignored him. She’d have to do something about that. As soon as she could get their attention.

She levered up on a shaking elbow, but didn’t get the chance to talk with her Hive members. Stalking down the hallway in her direction was the man who’d met them at the airlock. Gravel Man. He’d seemed in charge so far. Maybe she could get a few answers out of him, even talk him into letting her Hive go. Really, this had all been a misunderstanding. She’d tell him about that mouse Llewellyn, and then he’d send her on her way. Right?

Gravel Man checked on her boys first, glaring at them as if they were escape risks. Then he turned his focus to her. “Tell me where she is.”

That sounded unfortunately like the questioning that had gotten her beaten and tossed in this jail cell. What were the next consequences of having no idea what he was talking about? Might as well ask.

“You know that I have no idea what you’re talking about, right? Some guy just told us to give you the case. Which we did. So you should let us go.” Oh great. Now she was babbling. Just what they needed.

Gravel Man growled, a sound also unfortunately familiar. “You were supposed to deliver my Queen. Where is she?”

Whoa. Why was she surprised that Llewellyn had screwed them over like this? The politician had blackmailed her Hive, given them illegal drugs, and sent them to a clandestine meeting. Yet, somehow, she had a hard time believing him party to Queen-napping. That was just... beyond the realm of possibility. Who would be monstrous enough to separate a Queen from her Hive?

Not the time to worry about this, Rhi.

Now was the time to remember everything she’d read about human interaction. She needed to get Gravel Man calm, to make him see her as an ally.Rhiannon and Gravel Man vs. the Universe. She’d prefer to research more, but she didn’t have the luxury. So, let’s start with sympathy.