by Willow Hayes
“You don’t have to tell me Rya, it’s okay.” I squeeze her hand again, trying to show her the truth of my words with my eyes.
“No, I want to, well I need to, tell you.” Her face hardens with resolve, and she goes on, “The first day wasn’t so bad. It was normal blood tests and physical exams. Later they asked about my magic and did some kind of test to measure it. I tried to find out what they were going to do, but they refused to answer my questions. After they hit me the first couple of times, I stopped asking. It wasn’t until later, maybe two days, it was hard to keep track, they showed me to a shower, gave me something to change into, and told me to clean up.”
Tears streaming down her face she wipes them away as she works to get her emotions under control. “They took me to a news station, and told me I’d be going on air as a guest volunteer patient. A new doctor, the one you saw in the clinic,” my jaw clenches and stomach turns at the mention of the bastard, “told me they knew where you were, and if I made a scene they would punish you. I didn’t know Kenna. I swear I didn’t know.” Her body starts to shake with the force of her sobs, and I hold her once more.
I croon softly in her ear while I rub her back. As she calms I ask, “What didn’t you know, Rya?”
Sitting up and wiping at her face with the edge of her sleeve she looks at me, her eyes full of guilt she did nothing to deserve. “I didn’t know they were planning the ambush. Your men almost died, you almost died, because of my actions.”
“Oh, Rya.” I lift a strand of her jade green hair and tuck it behind her ear. “What happened had nothing to do with your actions. It should be me apologizing to you. The Queen was punishing me because of something I did, and she used you to do that. I am so sorry you got caught up in all of this.” I wipe away the tears that fall down my face at the thought of my actions causing her so much pain. “What happened after the news program?”
She shudders at the memory. “That doctor came back with us to the clinic. He was a horrible man, Kenna. Horrible. I heard the sounds coming from other rooms at night. He talked about you a lot, and he said some truly terrible things.” I work to suppress my flinch because I can imagine all too well the types of things he would have said. She clenches her jaw and shakes her head, as if to dislodge the memory. “He told me he was waiting for you, and when you came he would teach you a lesson. Kenna, it sounded like he knew you. Did he?”
I look away because I can’t meet her eyes when I tell her, “He was the foster dad at my last house. He was a sick psycho who beat me, among other things, for almost two years.” I promise myself to tell her the entire story later, just not while everything is still so fresh. I fear what I’ll see in her eyes now that she knows, but when she squeezes my hand I relent, turning back to see nothing but the love and compassion I have always seen shining in her eyes.
“I’m sorry, Sparkles.” Her laugh weak and watery at the use of my nickname. I wipe away my tears, give her a watery smile of my own, and shrug a shoulder because what can I say?
She takes a shuddering breath and blows it out slowly. “Yesterday the doctor got angry about something the Queen said, and I became the outlet for his anger.” Her voice waivers, “He beat me over and over and kept shouting that you were his, not hers. I don’t know how they knew you were coming yesterday, but they did because there were never that many guards at the clinic.”
“Apparently, the queen bitch is a dream walker,” I tell her. At her confused look I continue, “She can visit and change people’s dreams. She’s been manipulating my nightmares and gleaning information from my dreams. She told them to be ready, I guess.”
“That is frightening. Holy shit, Kenna. Can you stop it?” she asks, her eyes wide with horror. I tell her that sleeping with one of my guys will do the trick. “At least there’s that.” The Rya I know surfaces with that statement, and she gives me a small wink. I laugh at that, and give her a genuine smile. “What happened after you guys stormed in? The last thing I remember was seeing you, and then I think I blacked out.”
“I cooked the fucker.”
“You did what?” Her look a cross between amusement and disbelief.
“I used my fire to turn him to ash.” I shrug as though it was no big thing, but my blood sings with the knowledge that the bastard is well and truly gone.
She laughs in earnest at that, but sobers as she remembers something else, “He said something about you failing to protect Callie. Who’s Callie?”
I take a shuddering breath and say, “Can we talk about Callie another day? I don’t think I can handle it today.”
“Sure thing, Sparkles. I love you, and am so glad you’re safe, and that the bastard didn’t hurt you.” She reaches out, pulling me to her in a hug. I’ll tell her all the details later, just not now.
“I love you too, Sunshine, and I am so glad you’re safe.” I hug her one more time, tell her I will send Callum to see her, and that I’ll come back soon.
As I leave the clinic my Chosen surround me. Teo throws an arm over my shoulders and pulls me close with a kiss to my temple. They say nothing of my visit with Rya, but their silent support is everything. Together we walk to meet with rebel leadership. In the light, the rebel base shows its age with weather beaten siding, and metal roofs dusted with the warm reddish-brown of rust. Last night the base seemed to serve a military purpose alone, but today there are smiling families and individuals walking between buildings in addition to the guards I noticed last night.
Khalid, casually dressed in khaki cargo pants and a hunter green sweater, is talking with a small group of rebel members and turns at our entrance. “Your Highness,” he bows slightly in my direction and turns to my men, “Chosen. We have a more private place we can talk if you’d like to follow me?” He starts down a short hallway followed by Kade who looks sinful in dark jeans, ripped from use, scuffed black boots, and a charcoal gray t-shirt hugging his large frame, showing off the tattoos running up the length of his arms. Blue Eyes, whose name I still haven’t gotten, takes up the rear, in a gray t-shirt and loose fitted linen coral pants with a grey swirling pattern reminiscent of the sea. I shake off my errant thoughts of Kade because seriously, libido?
We enter a room dominated by a large scarred rectangular table surrounded by an assortment of twenty battered and mis-matched chairs. The walls are a light gray, at least the parts that aren’t covered in maps, lists, blue prints, and other random papers. Khalid indicates the chairs running the length of one side of the large table then sits opposite us. “I believe I’ve been remiss in not making proper introductions to the team.” He gestures to Kade, who gives a smile that lights up his whole face, and he nods his head in greeting. “You met Kade last night, and this is Soren.” He gestures to Blue Eyes.
“Your Highness,” Soren gives a small, kind smile. I introduce each of my Chosen before turning my attention back to Khalid.
Khalid’s smile is genuine and full of warmth. “I hope your rooms were to your liking and your sleep dreamless, Your Highness.”
“It was, thanks,” my tone brisk but not rude. “Right, so tell me about this rebellion.” I’ve never been one for small talk, and with stakes being what they are, now is not the time to start. I hear chuckles from my men, but keep my attention on Khalid.
Khalid rests his forearms on the surface of the table, lightly clasps his hands, and leans forward, as if preparing to tell a long story. “The rebellion began just two years after your mother was murdered. The official facts of that night and subsequent take-over didn’t add up, least of which was that the body of the princess was never accounted for. Most speculated you had died, but we believed you had, in fact, survived. Of course, we know Queen Isadora refused having had any knowledge of the attack, and insisted you had tragically died alongside your mother. We believed the Queen orchestrated the murder of your mother and her Chosen, and a rescued mage from your mother’s staff confirmed your escape, and the Queen’s involvement in the attack.”
Calling on my magic to he
lp me read the three rebel members I see that each is surrounded by blue and green, though Kade has a splash of red as well. They are being truthful. With the knowledge of their honesty I am left reeling with the truth of what the Queen has done. “Holy shit. She killed my family. She killed all of those people.” I feel hands touching my back and arms, but I am too shell shocked to take any of it in. I hated her before, but now this bitch is a traitor, a murderer, and the one responsible for the death of my family. She deserves a fate far worse than simply losing the throne. My anger flares red hot at the realization of all that this woman has taken from me and from others.
The room waits as I recover from the shock. As my breathing evens and the ringing in my ears fades Kade leans forward, his eyes blazing, and says, “We believe she has assassinated many who have opposed her. Worse yet, we have reason to believe she has found a way to drain magical beings of their power and is harnessing the magic for her own use.”
“What the actual fuck? How?” Every member of my Chosen leans forward, their bodies coiled and ready for attack.
“We don’t know how yet, but we have raided a few facilities like the one we rescued you from, and each body recovered showed no traces of magic, despite being of magical heritage. A magical being will retain enough of their power after death that residual traces can be detected for days after, but those we found had been dead for less than a day and had retained absolutely no magic.” Kade’s face burns with anger, and his voice rings with the need for vengeance.
The silence is deafening after Kade’s impassioned speech. As a thought occurs to me my stomach clenches in knots, and I turn to Nakoa, “By the gods, Rya. They could’ve…” I can’t even finish the thought.
He cups my face, and I look into his beautiful chocolate brown eyes so full of tenderness that I struggle to hold back the tears that swim to the surface. “I know Firefly, but they didn’t. We got to her in time. You got to her in time.” He kisses my forehead and releases my face. I don’t want to look away from the safety promised in his eyes, to turn back to the new reality where people are being murdered just so some psycho queen can have more power.
I take a deep breath and turn from the safe harbor of his eyes and manage to say, “That’s some messed up shit.” I clear my throat and ask, “Any more bad news to share?” Kade gives me a sad smile and shakes his head.
Knowing there was more to be said I struggle to find those thoughts behind the grief, but Nakoa saves me and speaks up, “What do you know of our past few months ?”
“We know that you only recently appeared on the Queen’s radar, we know there was a kidnapping attempt, and we also know you have completed the Trial of Three. Is there anymore you can tell us?” Khalid lists the facts.
I turn my attention away from Kade and back to Khalid. Ignoring his question, I pose one of my own. My voice hard, shaking with anger and confusion, “Why the fuck haven’t you come to us before last night? If you knew all these things why wait until we were screwed?”
“Honestly, we needed to confirm that you were not like her. We didn’t want to trade one evil for another,” he gives no excuses and says this with no fuss.
“I assume that we are here because I’ve proven that I’m not like the queen bitch, but why am I here?” I refuse to be a puppet for their game and will not be some trophy or pawn they have acquired. Then he says something that changes everything.
“We’re going to help you take back your throne.”
Index of Magical Terms
Aether: is a powerful celestial element said to be what the gods breathe, and is also believed to be the power of life itself. Aether is thought to be everywhere, but only those who have an Aether affinity can see it. Those whose magic is connected to the Aether are considered very powerful magical beings. The only two known to be in existence are Aether Mages and Sentinels. Aether can be used to cast spells and to create magical objects.
Affinity: is elemental magic where a caster can control the element with which they are connected. i.e. a Fire caster will be able to manipulate and produce fire to weave various spells.
Apparate: the ability to transport oneself from one place to another without having to physically move locations. Only those with Shadow and Light affinities have the ability to apparate. These affinities are most closely associated with the powers of the gods.
Caster: a being who has the ability to cast spells.
Demon: a being who is descended from either Hades or Thanatos. Those with demon blood are usually viewed as evil or bad due to their association with the gods of death and the Underworld. They are often ostracized from society due to this association. Those with demon blood are also referred to as underworlders.
Dhampir: is a being who is half vampire and half human. Half of a dhampir’s blood is demon blood which comes from their vampire parent. They are considered Possessors as they cannot cast magic. Magical traits often attributed to dhampirs are strength, speed, and heightened senses.
Dream Walker: one who can visit the dreams of those they are connected to. Dream walkers can learn about the dreamer from their dreams and can influence the dream to torment or comfort the dreamer. Dream walkers cannot enter the dreams of beings they have never met.
Dryad: a tree nymph whose affinity is Earth, and whose powers include plant manipulation and harnessing of the power within plants. Dryads are most commonly found to have brown skin of various shades, markings similar to the tree they are most closely aligned with, and hair similar to foliage. They are known to have a happy and playful temperament.
Fae: are magical beings divided into two courts, Light Fae and Dark Fae. Dark Fae are known for being more hedonistic, and Light Fae are known for having a cold demeanor. They are typically fair skinned with pointed ears. Most Fae have markings on their face and arms that denote the element with which they are aligned.
Gaia: is the Greek goddess of Earth, and is called the mother of all gods. She is considered the birthplace of the affinity Earth, and is therefore extremely powerful in the element. Powers include manipulation of the soil, plants, and other non-sentient things on earth. She also controls the seasons and has the ability to read the essence of a being.
Goblin: a being of small stature, with pointed ears, and skin of various shades of green. Goblins are shrewd, fast, and strong. They are most often aligned with the element of Air and are adept at illusions.
Hades: is the Greek god of the Underworld, and although he is associated with death, he is also known to be fair, but rules with an iron fist. With the Helm of Darkness (his helmet) he has the ability to become invisible. He can also control and manipulate fire and shadows.
Hemera: the Greek goddess of day and light. Her powers include light and fire manipulation, light travel (the ability to apparate), and communication with animals.
Kitsune: shapeshifting intelligent beings who are often seen as mischievous. Shifting does not take place until after their 100th birthday. They are very particular about the companions they keep, and often choose not to have a companion at all. The number of tails they have is indicative of their age and magical abilities. Kitsunes are connected to an affinity, evidence of which is found in the runes on their tails. In addition to their affinity magic, most also possess strong powers of illusion.
Possessor: a being who possess magic but is unable to cast spells. Possessors include various, but not all, shifters and underworlders.
Sea Angel: a small magical creature who lives in the sea. Their appearance is similar to an angel, but their venom is deadly in high doses and creates temporary paralysis in smaller doses.
Sentinel: a magical being whose purpose is to protect others. They receive runes on their bodies when they come of age at sixteen. The runes enhance speed and strength. They are one of two beings who have a direct affinity with Aether, but their magic is limited to weapon production and storage.
Shifter: a magical being who can take the form of an animal. They will often begin shifting into their animal alt
er at puberty. Others however, will not shift until well into adulthood. Most shifters do not have the ability to cast, but there are those that can (i.e. kitsunes).
Shifter-Caster War: A war that took place over the span of 200 years, and cost many magical and non-magical lives. It was born out of mistrust and dislike between casters and shifters, and escalated to war when casters attacked three villages of shifters, murdering everyone. Queen Rayna was able to broker a treaty between the races shortly before her death, but prejudices and hostilities remain high.
Supernatural (or Supe): any being who has magic and abilities outside that of human range. Abilities may include casting, shifting, speed, and strength.
Thanatos: Greek god who personifies death. Powers include the ability to ease a beings passage to the underworld.
Underworlder: any magical being that is descended from Hades or Thanatos and therefore has demon blood. The term underworlder is often seen as derogatory and originated from the connection to death and the underworld.
Vampire: an underworlder who feeds on blood. They are born of a union between vampires. The only other race Vampires can mate with are humans, and their union produces dhampirs.
About the Author
Willow Hayes is a native to Washington State where she lives with her kiddo, surrounded by all that is green. When she is not writing she is working on her green thumb, traveling to the beach, or taking pictures. Willow is a bibliophile and can debate nerdy trivia with the best of them.