CHAPTER TWENTY-SIXJourney's End
I slept, curled as though safe in a queen cup. The underground sounds brought a womb-like comfort and my dreams projected images of the hive in happier times. I relaxed and let my body heal as though Sonora attended to my wounds personally again.
I woke to the soft sensation of stroking against my cheek and fancied the fine hairs of her thorax brushing my skin.
“Are you awake, Lady? Can you tell me stories?” Groaning, I rolled onto my back and felt the bruises protest. The illusion of the hive abandoned me.
“What tales do you want?” I asked, running a hand across my nose and mouth. “I know nothing about the world.”
“Tell me about the island,” Lily demanded. She clambered onto my cot and the wood creaked beneath her fragile weight. “Describe its beaches
