She was beautiful.
By the time I jumped to my feet, recognizing the scent of our newly emerged Queen, the corridors had filled with ‘Mites streaming in from outside. I pushed and shoved but couldn’t get past them. We flowed down the long tunnels as one, with the humans bringing up the rear.
The pool chamber was filled with ‘Mites when I elbowed my way in. All our misfit fighters clustered around a vision of perfection, perched on the ground below her shattered cocoon.
She was no taller than my chest. Her eight legs were delicate, still damp and shining from the inside of her cocoon. They joined her body in a star shape at her thorax. Her small head glistened in the light of the torches, and her tail was longer than my whole body. She sat back on her hind six feet, waving the front two at us all. Her feelers tasted the air around her.
Other ‘Mites were emerging from their own shells, dropping to the floor behind her. They waved their legs around, drying off.
I pushed my way through the mass of adults to the front of the group surrounding her. As soon as she smelled me, she whipped her head around and stretched her front legs toward me.
“I’m here,” I murmured, and stepped toward her. Her scent was intoxicating, and I had a hard time keeping my footing.
When I reached her, she touched my shoulders with her forelegs. Her feelers tasted my face, tickling my skin. I reveled in her touch.
“You remember me?” Did I dare to hope?
Her forelegs wrapped around me and pulled me in. She dropped her head and I reached up to touch her shining skin. A pale yellow oil oozed out of the top of her head and I wiped it away.
The instant I touched the oil, my world went fuzzy. A shiver of pure joy rushed through me. It was like when she had been attached to me, but so much more. My lungs pumped, sucking in the scent of the sweet oil on my fingers.
“I’m yours forever,” I whispered.
It was all there. The Hive bond. I had been hers from the mingling of our blood back at the old Hive. I would have given her every drop I had. This was her response. I was hers, and she was mine. I felt it with every breath. I would die for her. And she would live for me.
She released her hold on me and I stepped back, lost in the awe of the moment. One of the adult ‘Mites gently pulled me back and took my place in front of the Queen.
She pulled the ‘Mite in and it rubbed its head against hers, tasting the sweet oil. When it stepped back, I wanted to embrace it.
I had no words for what I felt for that ‘Mite. Brother wasn’t strong enough. It shared the favor of my Queen. I should have been jealous, but her power was strong enough to surround us all. One by one the adult ‘Mites approached her and received the oil. When each one backed away, it joined the group of us all together, milling around the room, sharing the rapture of the moment. One Hive. One family. Glory to our Queen.
“What in all the hells is going on?”
Even Mo’s voice couldn’t disrupt my joy.
“We’re hers,” I tried to explain. “We’re a real Hive now. She’s our Queen, and we’re her ‘Mites.”
“You’re not a ‘Mite,” he pointed out, and I grinned.
“I am, though. I am now.”
The newly hatched came next, accepting her blessing. They shivered with the same obvious joy I felt.
“Go,” I urged Mo. “She’s Queen of us all. Go and touch her and you’ll see.”
He raised an eyebrow at me. The other men eyed me like I’d grown an extra head.
Mo frowned. “I’m not sure I want to. We’re free here.”
I knew what he meant. I remembered what it was like to be on the outside, seeing the bond of a Hive but not able to be part of it, or even to understand what that meant. As a kid I’d wanted nothing more than to serve my Masters. But this was different.
“It’s not like that,” I said. “I’m still free.” I glanced back at the Queen, giving her oil to all our ‘Mites. “I’m not her slave. I’m her family.”
Mo hesitated a moment, then his jaw clenched as he made up his mind.
He approached the Queen. She took a step back, tasting him with her feelers. After a long moment, she lowered her head and he rubbed his hands in the oil she secreted.
He waited.
He turned around to face me.
“So what’s supposed to happen? Shouldn’t I feel something?”
I was too blissed out to register more than a faint disappointment. “Maybe it’s only for me. Because she was attached to me. Maybe you can’t really be hers.”
A gargled scream echoed behind me. It cut through my hazy joy and sent a chill down my back.
Gil barreled through the ‘Mites that stood there enjoying the Queen’s blessing. He crossed the room at a dead run, arms raised.
He’s going to hurt her.
My feet felt like lead. Gil lunged at the Queen, who skittered back out of his reach. He stumbled over the edge of the pool, splashing into the water.
Go. Help her. Protect the Queen. The scent of it filled the room, the Queen’s blue tinged with silver, icy fear.
The nearest ‘Mites jumped on Gil, dragging him away from the Queen. I grabbed at his flailing arms, pulling him out of their grasp. Raw fury oozed out of them, and crawled through my veins. We wanted to tear him apart.
“No! Noah, don’t!” Mo pulled Gil from my grasp and shoved him away. The ‘Mites formed a protective circle around the Queen, every feeler aimed straight at Gil. The few Soldiers that had survived the battle raised their venomous tails toward him.
I saw the moment it happened.
His face was a mask of pure hatred, staring murderous rage at the small Queen behind her guards. But in seconds, his expression melted into confusion. He rubbed at his arm where I’d grabbed him. The slick of oil that had been on my hands glistened on his skin.
He brought his fingers to his face and inhaled deeply.
Gil crumbled in front of us all.
He collapsed, sobbing, rubbing his face with his hands.
I strode toward him and stood over his weeping form.
His voice was a harsh rasp, and when he looked up, I knew.
“My Queen,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry, my beautiful Queen.”