Read Online The Queen's Flight (Emerging Queens) by Jamie K. Schmidt - Free Book Online

said.
    “Every Queen she recruits is one less stud she has to lay eggs for,” Carolyn said.
    “Fuck,” he said and dented the table with his fist. Beating up on inanimate objects wasn’t doing anything to quell the helplessness.
    He hated that feeling.
    The scene on the television changed and they were staring into the face of another Queen. Hui Zhong was another lethal-looking Chinese dragon, with bronze and gold scales that shimmered in the camera. Unlike Cassandra, she didn’t deign to change into human form. Sergei had never been in her court and was glad for it. As vicious and sadistic as Cassandra was, she had a method to her madness.
    “We will aggressively defend our territory from all encroachers. Any Queens found on our land will be free for the taking of any dragon that captures her,” said a human male dressed in a traditional white robe that fell to his ankles translated. Hui Zhong stared into the camera with her fathomless black eyes.
    “And of course, Choyo wouldn’t be left out.” Reed stopped the video when a cobalt blue dragon flew across the Taj Mahal and wound her snakelike body around the dome. Choyo spoke for herself. She made the guttural dragon language sound almost perky.
    Subtitles scrolled across the bottom of the screen.
    “I have need for handmaidens to service my studs. I will welcome my sister dragons with fine food, clothing, and wealth beyond imagining. They will want for nothing.”
    “Except for freedom.” Carolyn scowled.
    “At least she’s honest.” Arianna blew in like a thunderstorm.
    Sergei did not shy away from her presence, but he tensed and set himself up for battle. Too many Queens in too little space. Carolyn was all right—she was almost human. But this one smelled like one of those bitch Queens. She had lizard in her blood.
    There wasn’t a drop of human in her.
    Her hair was as a black sheet cascading down past her shoulders. She was exotic and graceful, and he hated her on the spot. She bore a slight resemblance to Reed and that’s what stopped him from launching a preemptive strike on her exposed back.
    Jack came in behind her and not so subtly put himself between them. He stared down Sergei with death in his eyes. Sergei took a few steps back. Enough to acknowledge Jack’s claim, but not enough to be seen as a retreat or a submission.
    “I’m going to take Australia,” Arianna cooed, oblivious to how close she was to being attacked. “G’day, mate! And of course any refugees will be welcome in my kingdom. It will be one big party.”
    “Well, if Arianna gets an island, I should get one, too. How about Madagascar?” Carolyn typed on her computer. “Oooh, did you know that Madagascar is the primary exporter of ylang-ylang and has the largest titanium mine?”
    “How are their libraries?” Arianna said with an affectionate smile.
    “I’m going to build one. The largest library in the world! It will make the Library of Congress look like a bookmobile.” Carolyn’s eyes shone with a zealotry reserved for the truly insane.
    “A good place for your hoard, but are you sure it can house all your books?” Arianna asked her.
    “The decision is not up to me,” Reed said. “Or you. No territories will be finalized until next year at the conclave.”
    “It’s in those crones’ best interests that none of the new Queens ever get to that conclave,” Arianna said darkly.
    “Cassandra is the most dangerous,” Sergei said, walking around the table so he was far away from Arianna and the temptation to snap her slim neck. “She will train the Queens that come to her to be a Queen. They will see her as a mother figure and an ally. Cassandra could very well be ruling all of us through her proxy Queens.”
    “Esmeralda will take Queens, also. It’s in her best interest to treat them like the precious commodities that they are,” Reed said.
    “I am not a commodity.” The pencil in Carolyn’s hand snapped.
    “And neither is Viola,” Sergei said