Read The Ice Queen (Dark Queens Book 3) for Free Online

Why do you ask me this?”
    Sighing, Luminesa stared up at the heavens. So it was likely a centaur male, and two human children. She hated the Under Goblin, loathed the male with every fiber of her being.
    One of the many reasons why Luminesa had rarely had issue with the centaurs was their own disdain for the human race. Though half-human themselves, they had a tendency to view their kind as a superior breed that was set apart.
    The male, whoever he was, would likely only tend to those children a while longer before he decided they served no purpose other than to fill the ache in his belly.
    She wasn’t sure whether centaur’s viewed humans as food, but without a doubt they ate meat, unlike their gentler, more docile cousins.
    “Because I believe I know what has happened to your brother.”
    “Alador,” she snapped.
    Luminesa shrugged. “Alador then.”
    “And that is?” The female barked, clearly growing frustrated by Luminesa’s continued lack of sharing.
    “Tell me, centauress”—Luminesa ignored her—“why come to me and not your Queen?”
    Those unearthly malachite colored eyes flared, and for a brief moment Luminesa caught a spark of fire dancing within them.
    “I did.”
    There was a finality to her tone that Luminesa picked up on quite clearly. “Ah. I see. The Queen does not care about the fate of one lone centaur male? Not as valuable as a female. Why would you think I would feel any differently then?”
    That same quicksilver spark of fire continued to dance through the woman’s eyes.
    “Because...because Alador isn’t like the rest of us. He’s different.”
    “How so?”
    Centaurs were a matriarchal species. The consequence of losing a lone male was tolerable in the grand scheme of things. Especially if it meant preventing war and the deaths of the more valuable females of the herd.
    “He has a peculiar type of kindness to him, one little understood by my kind. But he is my brother and I would do anything to see him safe.”
    Kindness to him. Luminesa almost scoffed at that.
    Fiery. Intelligent. Brave...all adjectives she’d use to describe the centaurs. But kind wasn’t generally a word she thought of when she thought of them.
    They were hard, antisocial, and standoffish when it came to dealing with anyone outside of the herd.
    “I’m sure you’re aware that coming to me as you are wouldn’t be looked upon favorably by your peers. Seeking outside help such as mine.”
    Her jaw thrust out. “Only you control the ice, mistress. Believe me, if I could bring him back on my own, I would. But that land is sealed off to me.”
    “All for one brother?”
    This centauress might not own to it, but her coming to Luminesa was also very different. Just what kind of creature was this centaur male that his sister would brave the wrath of her own kind this way?
    Clenching her teeth, she glanced down at her hooves but gave one hard shake of her head.
    “You would risk your standing within your herd for him?”
    Nostrils flaring, she glared up at Luminesa. “I would do anything for him, even walk through a bed of burning coals and glass. He is my brother, can you not understand that?”
    The passion in her voice and the barely checked tears had Luminesa trembling. It’d been so long since she’d felt much emotion, but she felt it burning off this centauress in great waves.
    Baatha cried his terrible cry, the one that shriveled up human souls to hear it. It was a cry to battle, a cry of war. His talons dug into Luminesa’s flesh, gouging and ripping through, causing her blood to well. But she did not flinch back from him. She felt his nerves, his fear for her.
    The centauress glanced at him, smiling almost softly at her snow falcon.
    “I mean your mistress no harm, falcon,” the female said.
    And though Luminesa knew the creature was still furious over her perceived wrong, her words for Baatha were sincere. The falcon heard it too and tipped his head in acknowledgement.
    The lashing winds