Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den by Aimée Carter

Simon Thorn and the Wolf's Den by Aimée Carter

Author:Aimée Carter [Carter, Aimée]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing
Published: 2015-02-04T23:00:00+00:00


13

HEART OF THE PREDATOR

“That’s the Beast King’s scepter,” said Simon in disbelief, inching closer to Winter as they stood in the dusty library alcove. Beaming, Winter finally turned to him, hugging the scepter to her chest.

“The Alpha doesn’t have it. I thought for sure she did when I saw it in the case, but of course that wasn’t the real thing.” She must have seen the confusion on his face, because she added, “Before the Alpha ran Orion out of the Stronghold, he hid it from her so she wouldn’t be able to find it. He must have made a copy, too.”

Simon inspected it. Like the replica in the throne room, the real thing was still just a scepter. “I don’t see what Orion’s afraid of, unless he thinks the Alpha will throw it at him.”

“Why do you think she’s been taking over the kingdoms one by one?” said Winter. “It isn’t just to control them. She wants their pieces of the Predator, too.”

Simon blinked. “But—the only reason she would want the pieces is if she were trying to reassemble it.”

“Exactly,” said Winter. “She already has four. Orion’s piece is the only one she’s missing. That’s what he’s really trying to do—stop her from gaining the power to kill every last one of her enemies. Including us.”

A horrible sinking feeling came over Simon. It made sense. If the Beast King had been as powerful as everyone said thanks to the Predator, then reassembling it would mean the Alpha would gain instant control over the entire Animalgam world. “There’s no way the rulers would hand their pieces over.”

“I don’t think they did,” she said. “Orion said the Alpha sent a representative to negotiate an alliance and steal the pieces from right under their noses. They probably don’t even know they’re missing.”

As unsettled as Simon was by the idea of anyone hunting down the pieces of the Predator, an even more troubling thought dawned on him, and he stared at Winter. “This is why you agreed to help me find my mom. So you could come here and steal the scepter.”

Winter hesitated. “No. Of course not. I just thought that while we’re here . . .”

A bitter taste filled Simon’s mouth. “Put it back.”

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me. Put it back.”

“Don’t you get it?” she said. “If the Alpha finds all five pieces and the scepter—”

“But she won’t,” he said. “Orion isn’t going to hand his over.”

“He will if it means saving your life,” said Winter hotly. Simon faltered. The idea of his grandfather risking all five Animalgam kingdoms in order to protect him wasn’t something he’d been prepared for, and it hit him right over the knot in his chest. He knew Darryl and his mother loved him enough to do crazy things to keep him safe, but Orion . . .

“It won’t matter,” said Simon. “Not if she doesn’t know where the real scepter is. Put it back. Hide it. Make sure she can’t find it, and even if Orion hands over his piece or someone steals it, the Alpha will never be able to assemble the Predator.



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