Star Cursed (Madeira Citrine Book 1)

by C. Swallow

  "Naked," Celeste checks off points on her fingers, "We sneak into the indoor pool in Traegr's room before they finish dinner. They walk in, momentarily shocked. I distract my poor small minded King, who won't see your attack coming. Sabir will be hopefully focused on me – just to make you jealous."

  "Assuming it all goes to plan, hopefully we can get some answers of our own," I reach into the hair I've piled up on top of my head in a bun, and I fiddle with the small powerful Gem stones I have hiding within the mess.

  Diamonds. Two of them.

  When Seraphine had helped co-ordinate placing diamonds around the Palace before her infiltration, we had helped in depositing them around the place. Now, Celeste and I had made a discovery.

  A 'slightly' frightening discovery.

  The diamonds were all in the same locations we had left them since leaving the Golden Palace.

  The Dark Gems had been exposed to the diamonds for a thousand years.

  Gem diamonds were a girl's best friend – except perhaps... now.

  "You say assuming," Celeste catches my eye and fear is evident within her gaze, "You and I both know achieving what we set out to do is our only option. If they choose to drain us..."

  "...they might kill us," I whisper, "Do you think that is why they haven't attempted to drain us yet?"

  "Traegr drained Kaelyn's fire –"

  "Her fire is Seraphine's fire," I add, "That is bountiful beyond measure and he drained her within seconds."

  "Wait, what we're saying doesn't make sense. Seraphine is dead," Celeste snaps, "Kaelyn accesses that same Obsidian fire. If Kaelyn was the first girl they attempted to drain, how come she is still alive? Seraphine was brutally murdered because of the diamonds we put in this place to weaken the men's abilities with the horrible consequence of increasing their need to drain and –"

  A slight shadow falls over us. Celeste and I both snap our heads to the intruder that silently snuck up on us.

  It's a slave girl, looking very confused by our conversation.

  "Excuse me," she says, "You need to go up to the King's quarters now, his orders."

  "Are they already there?" I ask, hoping the answer is not so.

  "They will join you after they've eaten," the girl turns to leave, her eyebrows furrowed.

  "She heard us talk about Seraphine," I say quietly to Celeste as she gets to her feet, exhaling loudly.

  "She doesn't remember, if anything it probably rang a bell, but it doesn't matter," Celeste turns to me and lends me a hand. She pulls me to my feet and then grabs the bottom of my midriff top, "No more talking," she says quietly, "Lift your arms, focus."

  "Docile and willing," I whisper, trying to get into the mindset so it will be more believable once they followed us in. I lift my arms, Celeste helps take off the top before folding it neatly on top of the bay window.

  I try not to smile as I see Celeste suddenly relax her stance, playfulness finding it's way into her gaze as she reaches for her own top. It was funny seeing her completely fall into her old job of Maid to the King, and to the Princess.

  We finish taking off all our clothes and leave them on the bay window seat.

  I was already feeling chilled.

  "Let's go," I grab her hand and pull her with me. We were both completely comfortable being naked around each other.

  Certain memories were more... prominent than others.

  As we scamper up the stairs, Dark Gems start to filter out of the Dining Den.

  I look over my shoulder, expecting to catch the eyes of Sabir or Traegr.

  Instead my eyes widen as I spot Hraken at the front of the pack, who freezes as he witnesses two naked slaves running up the stairs. And he knows exactly who we are.

  Trying not to gasp from a little bit of unwanted anxiety, I turn and continue on my way with Celeste.

  We go straight to Traegr's empty but spotless bedroom and we literally fall into his mini heated pool with a sigh of relief.

  "Oh boy, my tits were going to freeze off," I laugh with Celeste as we stay neck deep, on our knees in the water.

  "Have you still got the kryptonite?" she asks and I grin. It was the best code word for diamonds.

  I check my hair and bring out the diamonds in either hand, they were tiny but they fit in each palm nice and snug. I was lucky they were still there when I find them both near the end of my bun, about to topple out unnoticed.

  "Kryptonite? Check," I place my clasped hands with the diamonds, down into the water. Celeste nods, happy that step one is complete.

  "You ready to distract them?" I ask, wading deeper into my territory; my magical realm, soft and soothing warm water. I used to be restricted from baths and showers without the company of Sabir or another Dark Gem. Restriction to power sources was often excessively enforced for those who needed punishing.

  Of course, I always required it.

  "Distraction? Check," Celeste slowly stands, the water dripping off down her curves. I see that while in the water, she had sneakily made beautiful full white flowers and dark green vines grow around her waist and chest, barely covering her intimate areas.

  "You do your thing, I'll do mine," she sounds very pleased as she turns to get out of the water to lounge on the side of the pool. However, she does a quick double take. She turns and watches me try to undo my bun, which I had originally tied up with bits of my hair.

  "Don't even comment," I giggle at the judgement in her gaze. She valued taking care of ones appearance more so than I. It often had her constantly trying to fix my mess of a state.

  "You should have kept it in the braid," she narrows her eyes and floats back down into the water, coming towards me, "Turn around, I'll untangle it."

  I do so while rolling my eyes and she runs her hands through my messy hair, slowly detangling the strands.

  "Oh boy, were you a masseur on Earth?" I murmur, closing my eyes as she massages my skull. It was heaven and great for relieving any anxiety I had about our plan about to take action.

  "No, I was a high school recluse at a super rich private all girls school," she mutters back, sounding annoyed, "No one liked me because I was too quiet and was more interested in drawing the gardens, than talking to girls in my year level. Believe it or not I had no friends on Earth. My memories kept me from wanting to form friendships anyway. The girls in my school were all snobs –"

  "They were all jealous of your beauty, more likely," I grin at the thought of everyone being intimidated by her otherworldly beauty, literally otherworldly. I wasn't as tall or skinny, or as well groomed. A lesser off family adopted me. I missed my sister from Earth, Sage. But I was thankful she wasn't going to receive the same treatment I was.

  She would be better grieving my loss on Earth, than being taken to Kiyr. I often wondered where all the other abductees had been taken, and I wondered who they were. The men had kidnapped many more beings than just us fifty girls. Including that hybrid Gem, Pharis.

  I get lost in my thoughts of the other humans and end up snuggling back into Celeste. She lets me and ends up running her hands along my arms instead while laughing.

  "Or we can distract them a different way," she sounds highly amused as she suggests this.

  It brings me back to the present.

  "Now you're going to distract me," I mutter, annoyed, "You're meant to distract them, not us – " I let out a frustrated sigh, as I remember Sabir and Traegr rewarding us for... pleasing each other.

  They loved watching us. I grudgingly hated to admit that I loved those memories. Pleasing Celeste teased them, and often that made Sabir and Traegr very amused.

  We didn't even have to do much, but the whole atmosphere intensified when they played with us.

  Games of sex were Traegr and Sabir's speciality.

  The door suddenly slams open, making both Celeste and I jump and float away from each other – real quickly.

  "I knew it," Traegr growls out, chuckling as he walks in, Sabir right beside him, "Look, those two are at it again."

>   "Do you have a problem with me wanting to please my friend?" Celeste asks, sultry – quickly falling back into character. She slowly stands up out of the water, her grown vines and flowers still adorning her body.

  She even flicks her eyes down, not meeting her Master's gaze, respectfully – as a proper slave should.

  "As long as you don't tire yourself out for me, I have no issue, sweet Celeste," Traegr takes a few steps towards Celeste, while I wade back into the water. I clench the diamonds, ready to use them at the right moment.

  Traegr looks to Sabir for his reaction, but he has simply waltzed over to the large window. Sabir leans against it, while the moonlight floods over his bare torso and his midnight eyes flash a shade darker.

  "If being naked is their attempt at trying to lessen their punishment," Sabir states, dryly, "Perhaps they should try harder."

  "Sapphire and I decided it was pointless to resist the inevitable. If you fall into the cup of defeat, get drunk on pleasure, right?" Celeste smiles, happy with her wit. My eyes widen, oh no. Didn't she realise?

  Traegr and Sabir pause and a tense silence suddenly fills the room.

  We shouldn't know that phrase.

  Celeste quickly spins towards me, her eyes full of guilt.

  "Quickly, Sapphire," she voices, panicked.

  I swiftly stand up out of the water and throw the diamonds in the air. With a simple pull on my magic, a stream of water glides through the air and guides the diamonds with ridiculous speed – straight towards Sabir and Traegr.

  Not to directly touch them – because that would knock them out, perhaps even stop their heart. So I keep the diamonds swirling in a bubble of water, just before them at eye level.

  They haven't even had time to react.

  After Celeste let the well known, 1000 year old saying slip, now I was letting another little fact slip.

  We knew diamonds were their weakness.

  Traegr, gritting his teeth, slowly falls to his knees. Sabir also drops down, sweat trickling down his forehead as he fights the pull of the diamonds.

  I focus my power on the magic of the water and step out of the pool, giving a bow and a sly wink towards Sabir's strained eyes.

  "Sorry, sweethearts," I try my best condescending tone, "Too slow."

  I knew, back in the past, their reflexes would have been more on point at the first glimpse of a diamond. Instead, the initial shock at the diamond's presence – and the implication of my possession of them – halts them a second too long.

  Now we had the advantage.

  I turn to Celeste to see her slyly look at me, before we both high-five.

  "I don't suppose you could cover me with some flowers, please, Celeste?" I ask politely and she nods. In moments magic flows around me, and vines and flowers twine around my breasts, down my stomach and through and around my legs, "Hear that boys?" I turn to Sabir and walk forward, "That's how you talk to a lady. Celeste?" I turn to her briefly, "You look after the King. I'll look after my punisher."

  "They knew... all... along. We... were... correct," Traegr stammers out the words, trying to glance over at Sabir. I watch Sabir's eyes bore into mine, but I can't resist to break his contact to watch Celeste celebrate our first victory.

  She drops to her knees before Traegr, leans in and tilts her head to the side, admiring his submission.

  "I like you on your knees," she says, truthfully, "It's a nice sight after 1000 years."

  "I knew it!" he manages to snarl it out, and I quickly tut-tut both Traegr and Sabir. I bring the diamonds in closer and they both close their eyes in pain.

  "We'll have none of that now," I scold, before taking the diamonds back an inch or two to bring only a little relief. I sit down on the ground, cross legged, before Sabir, "Hi!"

  He manages to smile.

  "Well isn't that a morbid smile," I joke, while clasping my hands under my chin, "Now, darling, I'm going to ask you some questions."

  "Fire... away... cheeky whore," Sabir answers and I smile back at the knowledge in his eyes.

  It was all confirmed.

  "Why weren't you draining our magic from the beginning?" I ask straight out.

  "Sapphire and I are highly curious for the answer to that question," Celeste adds in, a cheeky note shining through.

  "Touch me... and... I'll show... you both," Sabir growls it out, slowly.

  "Is it because you would completely deplete us so uncontrollably that it could... hypothetically, kill us?" I ask.

  "Smart girl," Traegr answers, sarcastically. I glare over my shoulder at him and then decide to focus more on the king. I stand up and join Celeste, kneeling by her side. I ignore Sabir – which I know he will hate – while I talk to Traegr.

  "What was Seraphine searching for?" I snap, "Answer this one question and I'll drop the diamonds."

  "Sorry... princess... I will never... answer that," Traegr, "But I'll give... you... a hint. My office."

  I give him a funny look for a moment before jumping to my feet.

  "You hold the diamonds with your magic, Celeste," I let out a frustrated sigh, "I'll go through his office a second time."

  Traegr raises an eyebrow at me, passing me a very dangerous look.

  I don't bother to look at Sabir, knowing he will hate it. Loving that he'll hate it.

  Revenge was so sweet.

  "I've got this, Sapphire. You go check it out," Celeste breaks opens some windows to let the forest grow inside, branches of thick leaves taking hold of the diamonds before our 'Masters'.

  Once she has control of the diamonds, and our Dark Gems – I leave to explore one more time.

  I could almost swear, as I opened the bedroom door – that Traegr muttered a common phrase on Kiyr. Similar to 'check mate' on Earth.

  It's only when I register this that I hesitate right before I walk into the surprise.

  As the door is half way open, I quickly try to slam it shut.

  However, I'm pushed back as the door is forced open from the other side.

  Hraken, of all the bloody Dark Gems, comes through.

  I try to turn and run, but an arm slips around my waist, and a hand flys over my mouth.

  "Duck, sweetheart," Hraken warns Celeste, dryly and slightly amused as candle sticks from the halters on the walls around the room – come flying towards the leaves encircling the diamonds. They shoot over Celeste's head as she drops to her knees, hands over her head.

  I try to bite into Hraken's hand to get some slack, but he doesn't even budge.

  The diamonds literally fly out the windows when the candlesticks, like arrows, hit them out of range from Traegr and Sabir.

  Celeste is suddenly frozen with fear as Traegr jumps to his feet and grabs a fistful of her hair, keeping her on her knees. Sabir also jumps up and stalks his way towards me, but stops metres from us as Hraken slowly releases me from his hold.

  "No," Sabir refuses to meet my gaze as he locks eyes with Hraken, "You have her."

  "She is yours," Hraken pushes me towards Sabir. Sabir briefly meets my eyes and I see the intense fury held in his angry almost black gaze. He grabs my shoulders, turns me around and shoves me back into Hraken.

  "You will take her," Sabir growls, "Before I break her myself."

  "You can help me with Celeste," Traegr happily chuckles to Sabir, even looking slightly curious himself at Sabir's outburst, "We'll ease your burden, Sapphrie is far too... you know. Celeste has enough power to share. Hraken, you will take care of Sapphire tonight," Traegr nods at him.

  My heart, weirdly aches as I see Sabir look so distant while rejecting me. I narrow my eyes at him, assessing him.

  "Let's go," Hraken opens the door wider and waits for me to walk out.

  I look over my shoulder at Hraken for a moment and then I see Sabir turn to Celeste and Traegr.

  I finally spin around and walk out feeling numb and defeated.

  And confused.

  It was... It was all apart of the game wasn't it?

  I guess we had alm
ost won that round... But...

  Sabir had never palmed me off to Hraken before.

  Now Hraken was taking me to his bed.

  S~26~C

  Hraken's chamber is at the end of the hall and as he opens the door I'm surprised to see how simply laid out the room is. It doesn't even look medieval like the rest of the palace, it looks modern. Plain walls, a large bed opposite a bookcase and a large leather love seat to recline on.

  There was a fluffy white mat on the floor, and the only old feature seemed to be the fire place near the bed.

  "I remember pictures of your room advertised in the news from a thousand years ago," I mutter under my breath as I stand just inside his room, and he shuts the door behind me.

  "What about it?" he asks, nonchalant. Completely relaxed and seemingly uninterested as he waltzes around me and heads for his leather love seat.

  I watch him sit down and clasp his hands, elbows on his knees as he watches me stand near the closed and presumably locked, door.

  "You had a bedroom that was far more lavish and full of prizes and gold things. Your bed looked like it was inside a golden cage – I always thought it looked ridiculous," I admit, suddenly smiling.

  Hraken manages to smirk.

  "That was a part of the show for the Scouting Stadium's TV show. I had it specially designed for my toughest components, the ones I defeated," he explains, "How hungry are you?"

  The question throws me off guard and I shift from foot to foot.

  "Very but I'm getting used to the feeling of constant starvation," I answer as truthfully as possible, "So... I guess... whatever?" I shrug my shoulders and he rolls his eyes and tries not to smile back.

  "I saw you and Celeste sneak into the kitchens again today, I know you've been snacking," his accusation catches me off guard a second time.

  "Oh, um – not at all. I don't know what you're talking about," I walk forward, eyes trained on the bed, "But I am tired so goodnight, I need some shut-eye."

  Hraken goes silent as he watches me prance my way over to his bed. I pull back the covers and rip off the leaves and vines covering me so I'm comfortably free of clothes. I jump into the blankets and snuggle up.