Blood Queen

by David Horrocks

Holding a pale, blood splattered body out in front of her, Morgana whispered from beneath her cowl. "I have come bearing a gift. An offering of peace." There was an underlying sinister tone behind her words, making it unclear whether she had come to them as a friend or foe.

  "I should tear you apart for what you've done!" Vincent's growl turned into a roar that once again bellowed out into the night.

  Sam stopped just a few feet away, not sure what he should do as the showdown continued. The two wolves squared off against the interloper, neither of them showing any sign of backing down. If Rahna or any of the others came running, things would quickly escalate past the point of conversation.

  Glancing around to see if any other surprise visitors had tagged along with Morgana, Sam saw no sign of anyone else. He soon turned his focus back towards the red witch whose features were hidden behind jet black hair, her skeletal hands holding the motionless body of a woman whose clothes were drenched in fresh blood. The smell of it caused Sam's nostrils to flare, the enticing aroma difficult to resist and yet he somehow managed to keep his own beast at bay.

  Whoever the poor girl was, it looked as though she had been dragged through hell and back. Sam's attention was drawn to her face, up past her skinny legs and narrow shoulders. Her features were caked in gore, making it hard to identify her at first; her blonde hair so drenched in places that it almost looked brown. It took a second or two before he realised exactly who Morgana was carrying, and it was in that moment that his heart sank.

  "Alice!" Sam yelled at the top of his voice as he sprinted forwards, getting right into the thick of things. He paid no mind to the wolves who were ready to leap at the witch; remaining completely ignorant of the fact that he had run right into the line of fire.

  "Get out of the way, Sam!" Max called out, pleading with his friend to get to safety.

  "Step aside or be torn apart, fool!" Vincent growled, taking a large stride forward as he flexed his large clawed fingers. He was as menacing now as ever, his tall and hairy form hunched and ready to pounce.

  "Stop!" Sam screamed at the top of his voice, holding his hands out in front of him as if it would protect either him or his friend from their onslaught. He wasn't sure what happened next, whether it was his sheer desperation or a latent power within his voice that halted the escalating violence, but the next thing he knew everyone present was staring at him in silence. "Please stop…" he pleaded again weakly, the falling snow still swirling around him.

  "This better be important…" Vincent scowled, his gruff exterior still ready for a fight.

  Sam turned to face Alice's bloodied body and slowly approached, the worry he felt like a knot in his gut. Morgana held her withered looking form as if she weighed nothing at all, her face somehow paler than the world around them. Her eyes were open, the blue of her irises almost grey in colour as they blankly peered out without recognition. It was as if her mind had left her body an empty shell, devoid of any signs of life beyond anything purely physical.

  "What happened to her?" Sam asked softly, his gaze fixed upon his friend's delicate features as he carefully reached out to her. His concern for her increased by the second, even more so when he realised that someone else was missing entirely. "Wait… Where's Matty?"

  The reply came as an eerie whisper; Morgana's disembodied words projecting right into Sam's mind. "I was too late. Katherine had already found them and they stood little chance against her."

  Sam didn't need to be told the details, but he knew right then that Matty was gone. He knew now why Alice was so broken, the trauma of losing her companion pushing her over the edge into oblivion. She had already been through so much and was unable to cope with his loss, leaving her unresponsive and closed off from the world around her. Sam hoped that there was a way to help her, a way to snap her out of this catatonic state, but he also worried about any permanent damage that she would suffer in the process. Perhaps it was best to simply wait for her to recover on her own, giving her the time that she needed to heal, at least for the moment. For all intents and purposes, Alice Delaney was dead to the world.

  "That girl is one of Katherine's advisors... No better than the witch." Vincent growled his distrust.

  "And so were you not all that long ago." came Morgana's whispered reply as she stood there unflinching.

  The large wolf answered with a snarl, his eyes beginning to change into those closer akin to a beast than a man.

  "What should we do with her?" Max enquired with caution, unsure as to whether he should be ready for diplomacy or an all out fight.

  "I seek an audience with your queen." Morgana replied eerily, her hushed tones strangely clear in the raging storm.

  "You're not the only one…" Max muttered, his words seemingly ignored by all others present. "Two in one week. What are the chances?"

  "There's no chance in hell that I'll let you past!" Vincent barked, his voice sounding less and less like that of a human. He was slipping more and more into his bestial form, the facade of humanity slowly fading as his eyes turned red with bloodlust.

  "That is not up to you!" Sir Chevalier's voice boomed from somewhere nearby. His arrival had been unexpected, drawing everyone's immediate attention in his direction as he appeared between the trees from where Sam had approached. His clean cut suit was lightly dusted with snow, a gloved hand resting upon the golden hilt of his sword as he glared at his brother disapprovingly.

  Sam half expected Vincent to snap at the Lion Knight, but instead he retracted his claws and returned the angry gaze with one of his own. His eyes retained their red hue, but he took on a less aggressive stance as he reluctantly submitted.

  Gesturing back towards the cave, Sir Chevalier held his arm out straight as he looked at Morgana, extending a surprise invitation to someone who was supposed to be his enemy. "Queen Renita Marquette has agreed to speak with you, sorcière. If you would please follow me."

  Without another word, Morgana nodded her agreement and moved to follow the knight towards their camp, still carrying Alice's small and helpless frame within her robed arms. Sam hurried after them, refusing to let his friend out of his sight for even a second. It had already been too long since he had last seen her and he felt that he had a certain responsibility to keep her safe. Vincent and Max soon fell in with the procession, both of them clearly on edge and refusing to trust the enemy within their midst.

  Whatever was in store for them when they returned to the cave, Sam was prepared to step in to protect Alice if he had to. From what he could work out, Morgana had a great deal of history with Queen Marquette and her allies, and none of it was particularly pleasant. He hadn't known who she was the night that they had first met, but it seemed that the red witch played an important part in Katherine Louviere's royal court. That could mean that she was either a friend who had come to betray the Blood Queen for their benefit, or she was a foe who meant them harm. Her true intentions would likely be revealed in good time, but what he didn't want was for Alice to be caught in the crossfire. There was no way that he was losing someone else, especially someone who was so dear to him. As they wandered silently through the falling snow, an uneasy silence fell on the woods, with only the wailing of the bitter wind to keep it company.

  **********

  The cave seemed somewhat smaller when surrounded by such intimidating creatures, with Queen Marquette and her entourage standing over Sam as he knelt down and cradled Alice in his arms. Their contact from the club was nowhere to be seen and Rahna too had vanished along with Max, perhaps in an attempt to hide the turncoat who had already offered his services.

  Morgana was asked to wait outside, a request that she was given little choice but to follow, as Renita's inner circle discussed what to do next. It was better not to let the witch know that there were those who wished to change sides, especially when they were yet to discover her true intentions. After all, she may already know of the defection and it might just be the real reason behind her visit, a robed assassin sent to remove a traitor who thre
atened to betray the throne. There was no telling if she would kill the guard on sight and escape into the night, running back to the Blood Queen to report her findings. Therefore, it was better to keep him out of sight and out of danger altogether.

  Alice had been set down upon the cavern floor where Sam now tended to her, her body unresponsive to any outside stimuli. Her pale blue eyes silently stared at the ceiling, wide open as they searched the dark corners of the cave as if she didn't quite register what was going on around her. She was acting in a strikingly similar manner to Antoinette Dupont in her current state; the broken spymaster who now lay upon a pile of blankets against the back wall. The grey skinned wretch often babbled in tongues that none were able to comprehend, her tormented words echoing off the cold stone surfaces in a haunting and unintelligible chant.

  The queen had recognised Alice on sight, a fact that instantly put Sam in the spotlight as he knelt down next to her. He didn't like being the centre of attention, especially now that it felt as though he had done something wrong.

  "Samuel, do you know this girl?" Queen Marquette enquired as she turned her black eyes towards him, her porcelain mask seeming to float in the darkness that surrounded it.

  "Yes, I do." Sam nodded, his tone sincere. "She's my best friend."

  "Is that so?" The queen replied with curiosity. "Do you realise what she took from me? From all of us here?" There was a slight hint of anger in her voice, but she concealed it well, the main giveaway being how Sir Chevalier kept his hand by his weapon just to her right.

  "I'm sorry…" Sam uttered, not too sure as to why he felt the need to apologise for someone else's actions when they were out of his control.

  Renita clasped her hands together and took a minute to watch him squirm before she continued. "Without your friend, Katherine would never have been able to claim the throne. In a way, everything that's occurred since she first set foot in Calgary can be attributed to her somehow."

  Sam knew that Alice wasn't a bad person, he was just unsure as to how to convince anyone else of that, especially those who mistrusted her and believed her to be the enemy. "I know, she told me all about it…" He sighed and looked straight back at the queen with rigid determination. "But it wasn't her fault, she was misled. She never wanted to hurt anyone. You know what Katherine's like more than most, and you know how she manipulates and corrupts all those around her."

  There was a short pause before the queen responded; a few restless seconds that seemed far longer than they should. "You truly believe the girl is not to blame? How interesting…" There was a slight glimmer behind the black holes of her mask as she studied him for a few moments more. "Still… I would have her head were it not for the importance that she holds to the Blood Queen. For whatever reason, Katherine wants her in one piece, and that may prove to act in our favour."

  Sam wasn't sure whether or not this had been Renita's plan all along or whether he had managed to change her mind, but he accepted it for what it was; a chance for his oldest friend to survive. He listened carefully as the conversation continued without him, some of the others who were present now voicing their concerns.

  "She is broken, ma reine. How can she be of use to us now?" Sir Chevalier queried with the utmost respect, bowing his head as he stood tall by her side.

  "My brother has a point." Vincent gruffed from somewhere near the cave's entrance. He blocked the opening as he kept an eye on the witch outside, her red robes covered in ice and snow.

  "Perhaps." Renita added pointedly as she considered her options. "I've yet to decide her fate, and am still open to further suggestions."

  "Alice isn't an object to be thrown away, she's a person!" Sam snapped. He couldn't just sit by and let them discuss his friend's future without trying to defend her first.

  Sir Chevalier was apparently amused by the outburst, as he chuckled and flashed a quick smile before moving to chastise Sam. "She is nothing but a tool for the Blood Queen to use against us!"

  "You're wrong!" Sam cried out from where he was kneeling, holding Alice tightly as he embraced her. "She's all I have left!"

  "Silence, whelp!" The Lion Knight almost roared in a manner that was more suited to his sibling, an obvious display of his annoyance at the ongoing show of defiance. He took a step forward and raised a gloved hand ready to strike Sam across the face.

  "Wait!" The queen commanded, raising her own hand to halt his advance.

  Sir Chevalier stopped dead in his tracks, inclining his head with respect before he returned to his place by her side.

  Renita nodded her approval before addressing Sam directly, her voice now soft and reassuring as if she actually cared. "Fix her, Samuel. Bring your friend back to her senses and be sure that she earns her keep."

  Still unsure as to whether the events were turning in his favour or not, Sam looked back at the queen with an expression of gratitude as he clutched Alice close to his chest.

  Turning her attention away from Sam and back towards her council, Queen Marquette addressed her loyal knight. "Phillipe?"

  The tall man bowed from the waist, his full focus now upon his charge. "Oui, votre majesté. What is your command?"

  She gestured towards the cave entrance with a slight wave of her hand. "Bring the witch to me, I will speak with her now."

  Sir Chevalier carried out the command without a moment's hesitation, and with a few long strides he was gone from sight and out into the cold. Vincent followed his brother outside without making a sound, acting as an escort for a man who was more than capable of taking care of himself.

  Once the pair of them were gone, the queen glanced over at her precious Antoinette who continued to murmur in some unrecognisable language. Her gaze lingered for a few seconds before turning back to Sam who was still kneeling with Alice upon the hard packed floor.

  "Samuel?" Renita asked softly.

  "Yes, your highness?" he replied distractedly.

  "You are dismissed." The Queen's words made him suddenly and painfully aware that his welcome had been overstayed, and that he should seek different shelter for nursing Alice back to health.

  "Sorry…" Sam apologised as he slowly stood up and lifted Alice as gently as he could. He carefully made his way towards the opening that led back into the storm.

  As Sam was just about to leave, he came face to face with the red witch as she entered with Vincent and Sir Chevalier flanking her on both sides. Black eyes peered out from equally dark hair that allowed him to look upon her boney features for the first time. Her flesh was bleached white; her face gaunt and skeletal. Out of every vampire that Sam had met, she was the one who looked as though she had been touched by death itself. Morgana was what most would envision when they pictured an undead creature, little more than sinew and bone. Her skin was stretched so tight that her teeth were visible right past the gum line, her nose nothing more than two slits in the middle of her face. For all who laid eyes upon her, the red witch was a nightmarish sight to behold, and not one that could be forgotten any time soon.

  Stepping aside to let them past, Sam caught Morgana's gaze. Her mouth didn't move, but he could hear her whispering inside his head as no one else appeared to react. As strange as it sounded, she was somehow speaking to him and him alone. "Remember, young one… You are the key."

  A chill went up Sam's spine, causing him to freeze on the spot. It wasn't due to the cold, but because Morgana had touched his mind. He still didn't know what she meant by him being the key, but he began to wonder if there was some truth behind it. Was he really destined to be the one to defeat the Blood Queen? Samuel Isaac Mitchell, the thin-blooded Forsaken; the scruffy mess who got himself in trouble more often than not. He had his doubts, but if what the witch said was true, then perhaps he should act before anyone else got hurt. Too many had died already and even more wounded, with mental scars that would haunt them for many lifetimes to come.

  As Morgana was taken before Queen Marquette, Sam looked down upon Alice's face, her own features pale and lifeless. H
e hated seeing her this way, her mind broken as her fading blue eyes looked out upon a world that it couldn't seem to comprehend. As much as Sam had suffered, he knew that Alice had gone through worse. She was unresponsive; reduced to a catatonic state as her mind was afflicted by an overwhelming grief. It had trapped her in an eternal torment from which only she could escape, yet he would do everything that he could to help her along the way.

  Sam did his best to shelter his friend from the blizzard as he once again waded out into the deep snow. It was no calmer now that it had been an hour ago, the endless storm giving no sign of ceasing any time soon. Turning south to head along the rock face, he decided to make his way towards one of the other cave systems that Max had shown him nearby. It wasn't quite as well hidden as the main cavern, but it would be safe as long as it remained undiscovered. There he could work on bringing his friend back from the brink, hopefully helping her recover enough to save her mind from its own dark recesses.

  "I'm sorry, Alice." Sam whispered, his voice carried away on the wind. "I'm sorry that you lost him."

  Sam's sorrow was genuine. He had never gotten along with Matthew all that well, but that didn't mean that he wasn't saddened by the man's passing. If there was a way that he could help his friend deal with the loss of the one she loved, he would do it. If he had to protect her and take care of her until the end of time, he would. Sam would do everything within his power to keep Alice safe, even if it meant that he would have to suffer in the process. He would give everything that he had left to save her.

  Chapter Twenty-Two: The Sleeping Angel

  The unscrupulous merchant was the kind of man who locked his windows at night for fear of what lurked outside. Whether he knew what dangers really lurked in the night or whether he was merely protecting himself from treacherous business rivals, it mattered not. He was the worst that Port-Royal had to offer, a man who exploited others for his own personal gain. Katherine had known his sort before, the unsavoury types who frequented the brothel believing that they could throw money around and treat women like objects to do with as they will. However, this particularly overweight and filthy pig had done far worse than any before him; he had taken everything from her and she would do all that she could to get it back.