by N. J. Cooper
“I caught him, Orion. Byron has been arrested and is secure in the dungeons. I’m sorry I risked so much to make that happen, but I am not sorry that it was worth it.” Kyla admitted. Orion’s breath came harshly through the speaker.
“Get here. Now. We’re leaving for the last inspections in two hours.” He said ignoring her statement. Kyla chewed her lip; she knew Orion wasn’t going to like the plan to teleport in.
“I’m going to teleport into the camper. Say I got too cold or something and went down there to sleep. They won’t sense me in there and if they do, they won’t find it suspicious that I teleported to the camper from the room.” Kyla said waiting for the inevitable scolding.
“Fine.” He snapped. Kyla raised her eyebrows having not expected his agreement. “And Kyla?” He continued with a resigned voice.
“Yeah?”
“I’m glad you caught him and that you’re not hurt.” He revealed in a quieter tone before clicking off, static replacing his voice. Kyla smiled, warmth breathing through her body at his compliment. She gave the walkie back to the centaur at his post then looked out onto the quiet street. The creatures obviously weren’t used to the rain since there was barely any of them loitering like usual. The gold and white stores and boutiques of all things supernatural and some resembling human, all closed away and somehow dull. Kyla turned back to the centaur.
“Is it always like this when it rains?” Kyla asked. The centaur looked down with a frown.
“It hasn’t rained in a long time, Miss Oracle. But I believe so, yes.” He admitted. Kyla looked back with a bite of her lip. She knew from her time at the academy that it barely rained, and that snow was a bad omen that usually predicted Onyx involvement, but rain seemed like a necessity for survival when looking from a human point of view. Why did the supernaturals hide from it?
“Why?” She asked the centaur, her eyes still on the deserted city, with only a few brave creatures darting between stores that hurriedly opened their doors, slamming them again quickly.
“Last time it rained, was before the war that hid our realm in darkness.” The centaur answered wistfully, his eyes far away. Kyla looked up at him again, remembering the war he talked about from the paper she was meant to have done on her first week at the academy but hadn’t finished.
“That was centuries ago, though.” Kyla recalled.
“And it hasn’t rained since, not until you got here.” he revealed. Kyla’s eyebrows shot up.
“How do you get water? How is the realm surviving without rain?” She questioned, not caring if it sounded like a dumb human question.
“Our realm is its own entity. It survives on power. The things in it survive on what they need by trade, nothing here actually needs water. We can’t die from dehydration. We also have streams, rivers, lakes-all enchanted to be a never-ending source anyway. Not to mention the water users whose blood has the ability to pull water from their bodies using magic. It all works without rain, which is why the rain isn’t necessary.” He explained. Kyla didn’t like it at all.
“So, what does the rain now, mean?” Kyla asked, slightly afraid of the answer. Her body was freezing but it was the look in his eyes as he answered her that had the hair on her arms and the back of her neck rising.
“It means the realm feels betrayed. The balance has been tipped, so it is lashing out. Punishing us.” He said quietly. Kyla trembled looking out on the street. She was failing; the creatures, Zarek and herself. She had caught Byron, but he wasn’t the one tipping the balance, Onyx was. And somewhere in her revenge stained mind she had forgotten her goal. Which was Onyx. It wasn’t about revenge on Byron, it was about saving the realm from his evil and so far, she wasn’t doing a great job. Evil was winning and the rain was proof of that, especially since there was only one other time she could remember it raining since she had arrived in the realm, and that had been when they had let Onyx through the portal in Kalani-a dead witch that was the Kings love. It had rained as she had stabbed the King and almost killed him. And now it was raining again as the King was dying. The saying ‘history repeats itself’ took on a new meaning as Kyla realized Onyx was making moves. He had to be and that’s why it was raining, just like last time. She was running out of time. She knew taking out Onyx was going to be the death of her, the prophecy had said as much, but she had to actually accomplish her goal first to make sure everyone else survived. Kyla set her resolve and walked forward to the edge of the footpath. They had to get her mom back to stop him making any more moves on his side, it was the last thing they had to do before he would have no connections to do his bidding in the human and supernatural realm. He’d have to make the moves himself and then she would catch him. With that in her mind, Kyla warmed her body with power and teleported herself back to the camper.
~ 19 ~
Kyla popped into the camper, drenched and in the dark. She shut the curtains across the windows then switched on the lights, the silence eerie after the heavy pounding of the rain. The cold was still just as brutal though. She went to the back of the camper looking for any spare clothes to put on since hers were in the hotel room. There was nothing. Sighing in frustration, Kyla looked everywhere for something that would offer more comfort than the wet clothes that clung to her skin. Finally, she found a shirt in the bathroom that Zarek had been wearing before changing into his prince clothes. It wasn’t the warming attire she had hoped for, but it was dry and that was still an improvement. She switched the shower on then went to the dining room, where she had left the falcon sword on the table. She was paranoid about it disappearing again. She checked it was still there then peeled her coat and shirt from her raised skin. Despite standing there in the cold in only her leggings, boots and a bra, Kyla couldn’t ignore the sword. The blood crusted on the end. She wasn’t sure if it was Tyrone’s or not but just the thought that it might be, had her desperate to get it off. She pulled the edge of her shirt over her finger, then scratched at the blade with the wet shirt trying to get rid of it. She had managed to get a decent amount off when the door to the camper swung open and Zarek strode in, with his formal pristine attire almost distracting from the fuming nature of his body. The door slammed behind him and the fury on his face dropped as he saw her. Kyla wrapped her arms around herself as she realized how exposed she was. He looked between her and the sword, the blood-stained wet shirt in her hand before he made up his mind on how to react. He came forward, pulling her shivering body into hers, his arms curling her into him. She clutched his jacket, pulling from his warmth as he kissed the top her head. Her eyes clenched, savouring the feeling.
“Don’t ever do that to me again. You have no idea how worried I was, Kyla.” He whispered, holding her tighter. Kyla looked up to his worried face.
“I didn’t mean to worry you Zarek. I just couldn’t let him get away again.” She answered, thankful that he didn’t let her go.
“I know. I just wish I could have come with you” he admitted then looked around the camper, quickly breaking away and smoothing down his uniform. Kyla frowned at his actions then realised what he was doing as she heard the shower still going. He thought Wyatt was still there. Kyla bit her lip guiltily. How much could she tell him? She wasn’t sure if Wyatt would get in trouble for his addiction or how much of an issue it was, but she did know it was a personal thing that Wyatt should be the one to tell if he wanted. Kyla skimmed down the details.
“Wyatt isn’t here. He’s with the healers at the mansion. He got drained when he was trying to distract the three guards so I could get into Byron’s room.” Kyla admitted sheepishly, guilt making her voice quiet. Zarek frowned but not for the reasons Kyla had thought.
“There were only three guards? How many were in the tunnels?” He asked.
“None, why?” Kyla answered. Zarek frowned harder.
“There should have been more. Go have you’re shower then I need every detail of what happened, okay?” He asked. Kyla nodded, his questions making her mind spin. She had asked herself the wh
ole time why it had been so easy to get through when they were hiding someone so wanted but had brushed it off or thought it was a trap, but now he made it sound worse.
“What are you thinking?” She asked, with the Oracle listening as well. Zarek shook his head, his eyes roaming obviously over her body in its lack of clothing.
“I can’t concentrate when you’re dressed like that, go put some clothes on and get warm, then we can talk.” He half smirked, looking over her again. Kyla blushed. Oh. She wrapped her arms back around her and went to the bathroom with a grin. She showered quickly, the heat in the water warming her. She jumped out, dried herself then slid Zarek’s white shirt on over her naked body. It was all she had and even though it was like a small dress on her, it was still technically less clothing than before. She smirked at the idea of distracting Zarek in that way. They had never officially decided to take things further than the heated kissing and light touches when they had been at the academy but when they had lost control, they had almost always been interrupted or found the will power to pull back. She wasn’t sure she wanted it to be that way anymore despite knowing they might not be able to be together afterwards; he was who she wanted. Who she trusted enough to be that close with. But he was the Prince and she was not allowed to have him, so when they got back to school, he was going to have his betrothed hanging off his arm, and if she gave him so much of herself would that fact hurt her more? She wasn’t sure. Kyla warred with herself as she dried her hair then brushed it through with her fingers. She hadn’t come to a decision and as she walked into the main part of the camper, her love life seemed so irrelevant in light of everything that was happening. She moved over to the couch where he sat, coffees waiting with his jacket hung over the back. His white t-shirt and slacks defined him well but the sadness in his face as he talked into his phone, was enough to break her. He was talking to his father-it was the same look he always got. Hopelessness. Kyla gave him a minute to compose himself and grabbed the blanket from the bed in the back. She brung it to the couch with her. He hung up his phone and looked up at her, his eyes scrutinizing.
“That shirt looks familiar.” he smirked half-heartedly. Kyla shrugged.
“There’s nothing else here. All my things are in the hotel room, I figured this was better than being naked.” She shrugged only registering her comment properly when she heard his sharp intake of breath. She looked over from where she was arranging the blanket on the couch to his eyes, piercing and hot.
“I think I disagree with you on that one.” he grinned before sipping his coffee. Kyla chuckled then grabbed her own coffee.
“So, why are you here? I thought you’d stay in the hotel until we leave?” Kyla asked.
“The goblins asked why they felt you use magic. I said you were cold and wanted to sleep in the camper. They didn’t trust you on your own so I said I would come down and supervise you for the next couple of hours until we go, our luggage will come down then, but I can get it bought down now if you want?” He offered. She shook her head, she was cosy now, his scent was still on the shirt and it warmed her even more than the blanket and coffee.
“No thanks.” She replied. He nodded then looked at her, his expression changing to a darker one that haunted his eyes.
“I need the details Kyla. Everything.” He prompted. Kyla gulped her coffee then nodded. She told him everything. How they got out, what the tunnels were like, the cemetery, the volunteers and then the castle. The only part she left out was Wyatt’s addiction and the fact that the receptionist at the bank knew who he was, only mentioning he flirted his way in. By the end, Kyla was shivering again, her hands clutching her coffee cup like a lifeline.
“So, there were no guards at the door in the tunnels, none at the cemetery and only three at his door? Did they check you off at the vans? Get a head count or anything that would have tipped them off to you guys being there?” He checked. Kyla shook her head which made him frown further. “It was too easy.” He whispered. Kyla’s own brows furrowed at his comment as the Oracle sat listening in their mind from her window. The door was open though so Kyla could refer back to her, but she was silent through the conversation which left Kyla to assume she thought the same thing.
“It didn’t feel easy. It was terrifying.” She bit back, taking it personally that he thought it hadn’t been that hard when she had been nervous the whole time.
“I don’t mean it like that Kyla. I mean we know there should have been a guard on the tunnels door, they normally do a head count by the vans which I know from doing the reports there and even the Elders rooms have more than three guards each. It should have been harder. Especially since the computers would have told that Delia vampire, that Sky couldn’t donate because of her ghost sight. She would have been turned away straight away.” Zarek mumbled putting pieces together.
“They knew who I was.” Kyla realized. Zarek nodded.
“I just don’t know why they didn’t stop you, why Byron let himself be captured.” Zarek wondered. Kyla went over everything in her mind again, asking herself the same question. He had put up a fight and she had thought it was genuine but maybe he had been stalling her? Or making her think he was trying?
“You think he wanted to be captured?” Kyla asked. Zarek shrugged.
“I don’t know but once we have finished these reports, we’ll go find out. He needs to be interrogated for the trial and as his captor you have that right.” Zarek revealed. It was news to Kyla.
“Is that another realm rule, or are you just letting me?” Kyla asked.
“Realm rule. But I would let you anyway.” he winked. Kyla smiled. He probably would too.
“Do you think we will be able to tell if he was the one controlling the Djinn?” Kyla asked thinking back to her vision with the three figures. The blurred one was still a question mark and the Djinn hadn’t been able to tell them who it was before dying, so they had no leads on who had the power to do such a thing but with Byron collecting power it seemed like he would be an obvious choice. But maybe he was too obvious.
“Unless he openly admits it, probably not. And even if he admits it, he might be doing it to cover for whatever actually did.” Zarek admitted. Kyla sighed, placing her cup on the coffee table in front of them.
“I just don’t understand why your father has so many enemies. He’s a good King, isn’t he? Most of the creatures seem happy and yet the races are turning against him.” Kyla questioned.
“My father has changed things. Things that have been in effect for a long time and he has gone against them, to make this place more peaceful but some don’t want it that way and like the old way better.” He explained.
“What’s the old way?” She asked.
“When we were all one area. There was no segregation of the species. We had one climate for all. The creatures claimed whatever territory they wanted, and it was a free for all. There wasn’t any kind of currency except take what you want. The hierarchy was there for show and only respected because of the power they had. They had just taken the most. Vampires fed on whatever they wanted-which is now illegal as it was violating too many auras and making creatures turn dark which fed the chaos. The werewolves were the only thing stopping the creatures from getting to the humans which is why they are now in the human realm guarding that side of the veil. Witches killed, used sacrifice. Sorceresses were targets for their souls and were mostly in hiding” Zarek explained but Kyla stopped him, getting the picture.
“Sounds like a blood bath.” Kyla cringed. He nodded.
“It was. Nothing was safe, everyone felt like they could be attacked at any moment, and it was hostile here. So, when my father came in-he made the borders. Segregated the creatures, gave them boundaries, rules, a consequence they had to answer to. He punished the bad deeds, rewarded the good. Unfortunately, it took a long time to get it done. Some didn’t agree, they liked having no rules, being able to do what they wanted. Then once everything was done, most realised how nice it was, they could have a habitat
that suited them perfectly and was safe. Things began to come back from chaos and the ones who didn’t want the rules were put in the underground area, Inferis. In there, they have no rules. It’s winner takes all and most stay hidden there doing what they want. But at least it’s contained.” He remembered. Kyla nodded along to his explanation.
“So now the ones who didn’t agree are siding with Onyx. Do they really think he will take them back to how it was, letting them run free? He wants slaves to do his bidding, not a whole bunch of creatures doing whatever they want.” Kyla grumbled. Zarek shrugged.
“He’s a master manipulator. He’ll make his way sound like paradise to those that don’t want peace. I can’t believe he got the Elders to be a part of this though. The fact that the High Council has been so compromised really gets to me. How did he manage to turn the goblins, giants and vampires against my father? The High Council is sacred, reps from each race are chosen so carefully.” He murmured, a sadness in his voice alerted her. She sat forward, wondering why in particular that got him.
“Did you choose them?” She wondered. He looked up, guilt burning through his eyes before he looked away.
“The vampires, I did. I had seen them in a photo with my grandfather and I thought they liked my dad because of it but obviously not. My father knew, that’s why he called before, to tell me not to feel guilty with that crap about ‘everything happening the way it is meant to’ and I’m meant to just accept it. But how? I chose the very vampires that are trying to have my father killed.” He winced, turning away with a clenched jaw. His sorrow pulled at her heart, his ache becoming hers. She shuffled across the couch, pulling the blanket over them as she curled into him, resting her head on his chest.