Coldbloods (Hotbloods #2)

Navan grimaced. “That would be good,” he said, his palm not quite stemming the flow of blood.

Turning, we followed Pandora into the tunnel, where darkness enveloped us. Flashlights lit up the shadows, casting terrifying figures on the walls as we walked. I shuddered, feeling the cold of the atmosphere clinging to my bones. In our panic to leave, I’d forgotten to pick up my fur coat, and now I was facing the full effects of the Vysanthean weather.

As if reading my mind, Pandora came toward me, brandishing a coat one of the guards had been carrying. It was made of a leathery material, the inside lined with thick, dense fur.

“You’ll need this,” she said, draping it around my shoulders.

“Thank you,” I replied gratefully, wrapping it around myself to keep out the bitter chill.

Five minutes later, the tunnel gave way to a stone walkway that looked out on a glistening city. I gasped in awe at the array of exquisite sandstone buildings that shone with golden tiles. Crystal-encrusted towers glittered in the sunshine, and coldbloods were smiling out in the open piazzas.

The most striking building of all, however, was Queen Brisha’s palace—not quite as striking as Queen Gianne’s fairytale-like home, I had to admit, but still stunning. It rose up like a trident, three minarets forming the prongs. Each one was dusted in crystals and rubies, and the whole structure sparkled like a Christmas ornament. Statues of sculpted coldblood males and females adorned the fortifications, their bodies twisted like dancers, wielding shining weapons and holding various objects in their hands. One held a scale. Another, a book. A third, a flaming torch, the flames real.

Descending a flight of steps, we were led through a series of gardens, with trees and bushes bearing more fruit and flowers than Queen Gianne’s. Here, there were water fountains and ponds with meandering fish, though the fountains had frozen mid-pour, the effect stunning.

After leading us through a grand entrance around the back of the palace, Pandora and her guards walked us the length of an exquisite hallway, the tapestries showing images of Queen Brisha’s people, in various scenes. Some were picking fruit, while others were dancing in one of those beautiful piazzas. Nowhere was Queen Brisha present in the pictures—a stark contrast to the hallways of Queen Gianne’s palace, where her face was everywhere.

Here, I felt like a guest instead of a prisoner, which was a welcome change. Even so, I couldn’t help feeling uneasy. Even if Queen Brisha seemed amiable enough, she was still a ruling coldblood—not a woman to be trifled with—and I didn't trust her motives for treating us like this. Something was definitely amiss, reminding me of one of Roger’s favorite phrases: “If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.” I felt sad, thinking about my adopted dad, but I pushed it away—now wasn’t the time for such worries.

I dared a glance at Navan to try to gauge how he was feeling, but the look on his face only escalated my fears. There was worry and regret in his expression, too. I desperately wanted to speak with him, to find out what was on his mind, but with the guards around, I didn’t have a chance. Maybe we would have been better off getting shot down by Queen Gianne after all, instead of entering this strange, unknown territory. A place that was not only new to me, but to Navan too. Even before the planet had been divvied up between the sisters, I got the feeling he hadn’t spent much time in the north.

We paused beside a tall set of golden doors, but were ushered quickly inside. My heart was racing, my nerves on edge—we were about to meet Queen Brisha.

For a moment, however, I forgot my fears, as we found ourselves entering a giant library. It was not what I had expected, having become accustomed to being shoved into throne rooms and dank cells. A soft gasp escaped my throat as I took in the endless stacks of leather-bound books, standing row upon row. In the center of the room was a roaring firepit, with high-backed chairs arranged all around it. There, Queen Brisha was sitting, her nose buried in one of her tomes.

She got up as we neared. Even in this small movement, I was taken aback. Where Queen Gianne wore opulent dresses with expensive adornments, Queen Brisha’s tastes were far less lavish. She wore elegantly tailored black pants, with a silver stripe running down the leg, and a loose-flowing blouse of the same silver shade. A choker adorned her neck, a small cluster of opaleine in the center, but that was the extent of her finery. Even her feet were bare as she walked over the carpet toward us.

“Welcome, honored guests,” she said, holding out her arms. “Pandora, please fetch a medic to see to Navan,” she added, though Pandora was already on her way out the door to do just that.

“Absolutely, Your Highness,” she replied, before disappearing from sight.

“Now, make yourselves comfortable. We have much to discuss,” Queen Brisha said, gesturing to a trio of high-backed chairs by the open firepit. “I thought your friend could use somewhere warm for our meeting. This Vysanthean climate doesn’t agree with her.”

Navan frowned. “No, indeed, Your Highness… though your guard was kind enough to give her a coat to wear,” he said, his tone tense. I figured he shared my sudden fear—does she know what I am?

“Even so, a coat is no match for a good fire—come, warm yourself. Get the Vysanthean chill out of your bones. If you don’t, it’ll stay there for good,” she joked, sitting down in one of the chairs, a look of expectation on her face.

“Thank you, Your Highness,” I replied, taking a seat. She was right: the roaring flames’ warmth was a welcome feeling after the bitter cold of the outside world.

“Such a pretty voice!” Queen Brisha remarked. “What are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”

“Riley is an unknown species—we’re still figuring out what she is,” Navan cut in, before I could say a word.

The queen smiled. “You might not know, but she surely does?”

I had to think fast. “Kryptonian,” I said, picking the first planet that came to mind. Thankfully, Earth franchises didn’t reach these parts of the universe.

“Not familiar with it myself. Whereabouts is it?”

“At the far edge of the Drax Sector, Your Highness,” Navan answered, a tiny flicker of amusement in his eyes.

Again, the queen smiled. “Does he always answer for you?” she teased.

“I didn’t know there was a world beyond mine, Your Highness,” I replied anxiously. “So it means very little to me—Navan is better equipped to tell you where I’m from. We are not as advanced as you are. Indeed, it has not been long since we first discovered how to forge metal,” I lied, trying to come up with something convincing.

“Well, this place must be quite the culture shock!” she said.

I nodded. “It does take some getting used to.”