The hivemind is conquering for me? Chapter 934: Finding Apollo... Again

Elaine smirked at me. "Don’t tell me you are on the straight and narrow now, Apollo? I remember at my party you drank a lot of Psionic beer. This doesn’t bother you, does it?"

I shook my head. "No, not really. Though I don’t like having my brain chemistry altered. With the way my body is now thanks to my science, I can actively feel the change."

"Will you do it with me anyway? I really don’t do it often, but like I said. You have made me want to let loose and take away all my stress. And as a token of my gratitude I will owe you one?" Elaine asked.

I let out a long drawn breath. "You don’t need to owe me anything. I’ll partake with you as your friend."

"Great!" Elaine stood up and began rummaging through the box. "So what do you want to do first?"

...

Hailey was lying on her bed, even after her meditation she was still upset and annoyed. She still couldn’t believe her... Dickon said that about her boyfriend. Honestly, she literally almost murdered him with that throw... Not like he didn’t deserve it.

But she needed to cool down, however justified in her mind it might be, killing Dickon would not go well for her. She just needed some alone time with her man and everything would be better.

Opening her eyes, she checked the time. "Where is he? The Praetorian said it wouldn’t be long."

It had been nearly three hours.

Hailey frowned. Something must have side-tracked him. She knew Apollo well enough now that if something had taken his interest, he would have fully tunnel visioned in on it.

Hailey sighed and got up. She might as well begin her search. Making her way through the palace she arrived back at the dining room. It was empty now. No surprise there Elaine had everyone evacuate the premises after her Psionic flareup.

She decided to leave the room before she got annoyed and began walking towards the courtyard. Once more there was no luck and she suddenly had a sense of deja-vu after last night.

Just to be certain he had not left, she swiftly pulled out her communicator and contacted ’old hag.’

After thirty seconds the connection activated and all Hailey could here was violent breathing.

"Valerica?"

"Busy. Hah-Hah- what do you want?"

Valerica sounded like she was training so she just got to the point. "Just curious, is Apollo with you?"

The line went silent for a moment before Valerica coldly asked. "Are you telling me you lost my son? Just you wait till- Aagghhh! Cunt! I’ll kill you!"

Hailey suddenly heard the sound of an altercation as the communicator was dropped. A violent altercation. She could hear things breaking on the other side. She hung up.

If Valerica was dealing with an assassin, best she leave her to it.

Hailey resumed her search for a while longer before coming across a Praetorian. Apollo left with the Praetorian head, so she approached the Praetorian.

"Excuse me?"

The Praetorian stopped its patrol and turned to her. "Princess Hailey? What can I do for you?"

"I am looking for my boyfriend, Sentinel Lambdason, I was wondering if you knew his whereabouts? The last time I knew where he was, he had gone away with Praetorian Thespius." Hailey stated.

The Praetorian paused for a moment as internal communications went underway. A few seconds later he replied. "Wait here. Someone will be coming to see you shortly. I must resume my patrol."

"Alright. Thank you." Hailey said with a nod and waited in place.

After five minutes Hailey heard footsteps coming from the hall behind her. Turning around she spotted the familiar armours of Nerissa and Rhapso.

Hailey approached them as they approached her and once they were all together it was Rhapso who spoke first.

"So Apollo has gone on another walkabout? This is why you can’t let him out of your sight... Stupid Thespius."

"Rhapso..." Nerissa spoke, her tone saying ’Not now.’ She then turned to Hailey and spoke,

"Last he heard of Apollo, Thespius had asked him to come reclaim his armour that he left before you had your meal. He said that he returned and the room was empty except for the queen. I suggest we start with the queen."

...

It didn’t take long to track down the queen’s whereabouts. Some servants had mentioned she spotted her walking with a tall man several hours ago towards the royal lodgings.

As they walked towards the queen’s room, Nerissa and Rhapso noticed that Hailey’s shoulders were tense.

"Is something wrong, Hailey?" Nerissa asked.

Hailey jolted slightly before turning back, her face void of emotion. "What makes you ask that?"

"You are tense. Very tense. Are you perhaps worried Apollo is doing something ’pleasurable’ with the queen?" Rhapso asked and that broke Hailey’s stoic appearance as shock hit her.

"W-What? No? Wait... Do you think?"

"Rhapso, that was too far. You shouldn’t say such things about the royalty. That’s how scandals start."

Rhapso rolled her eyes behind her helmet. "Fine. Sorry. That was too far... Though if you think about it. Apollo is a very handsome man and has shown to be able to attract people rather trivially. Is it so farfetched that perhaps after a few hours alone with the queen, she might have succumbed to some temptation?"

Rhapso then smirked wickedly as Hailey and Nerissa seemed to come to a realisation at the same time.

Apollo might be dense, but it worked in his favour. It was his charm and then the next thing you know bing-bang boom! Naughty stuff!

Rhapso watched as the duo hastened their steps.

’Though if anyone deserves the queen of Spartari. It is my god. If I had my way, he would be King within the next decade.. But that would require a lot of treason and I would only do that if Apollo asked me directly...’

Rhapso had to pull herself out of that thought desperately, it was getting her excited and until she found that blasted scroll with the ritual on it, she couldn’t afford to be. Her first act of pleasure had to come from her god...

She gulped. The thought was so heretical. To covet her god in such a way... But she knew that if she offered herself up as an offering, Apollo would partake of her flesh...

"Hah~"

The duo in front suddenly stopped and turned back to look at her and the noise she just made.

"I... Don’t have an excuse, that was just a weird sound. Sorry."

...

Arriving at Queen Elaine’s door, Hailey knocked loudly.

There was no answer.

So she knocked louder and this time didn’t stop for two minutes straight until the door opened ajar and Elaine pressed her head through.

"Oh... It’s Hailey... Lucky you aren’t a servant;I was about to commit murder. What do you want? I’m busy?"

Hailey wanted to ask right away about Apollo, but Elaine looked... Sad? Her eyes were red and moist and her mascara was slightly running. Her hair was dishevelled and her clothing was a mess.

"Elaine? Are you alright?" Hailey asked, concerned slightly that she was the cause of this state.

Elaine let out a big sigh. "I will be... I just want to be left on my own if that is ok? Oh there are two Praetorians? What is going on?"

"We are Looking for Sentinel Lambdason, your grace. Have you seen him?"

Elaine put on a pondering face. "I haven’t, sorry. Maybe he left?"

Rhapso frowned. She could smell the scent of something actively being burnt in the queen’s room. Reaching to her side, she pulled out a crystal and activated it.

"I see... Well, I hope you feel better, your grace. And if you do find out where the Sentinel is please-"

The sound of chiming coming from the queen’s room.

"*Ahem*"

Rhapso cleared her throat. She had given Apollo the Redoxuite communicator back to him before they left earlier and made him promise not to take it out of his armour... Just in case.

Elaine looked at the crystal in the Praetorians’ hands and put two and two together. "Oh! Did you mean Apollo Lambdason? I thought you meant someone else... Sure, he is in here. Ok, goodbye."

Elaine went to close the door, but it wouldn’t budge. Turning towards the owner of the hand keeping it open, Hailey spoke menacingly, "Why is my boyfriend in there with you? And why did you lie to me just now?"

"Oaths! I need oaths!" Elaine ignored Hailey and turned to the Praetorians. "Swear to me you will not tell a soul aside from those present what you are about to see in this room... Or- Oh fuck it I’m already caught anyway and too baked to care, come in... Just shut the door behind you."

As Elaine ran back into the room, she suddenly spoke in a tone Hailey had never heard the woman speak in before. "Apollo~ We have company! Quick, get dressed!"

Hailey sprinted into the room only to see Elaine already giggling as she walked over to the couch where Apollo was fully clothed, looking at Elaine confused.

He then turned towards the trio as they entered the room and the very earthy scent that was held within.

"Oh Hehe- Hey! It Is my favourite girls! How are you doing? Are you joining me and Elaine? There is still more than enough."

Hailey, Rhapso and Nerissa looked at the table next to Apollo and saw a large heap of green plant buds alongside a large glass tube and an assortment of brownies and cookies.

Hailey had expected something completely different when she entered the room, but this?

"Apollo... Are you high?" She couldn’t help asking, even though she knew the answer.

Apollo just stared at her for a few seconds before replying,

"Wadiyatalkinabeet?"