by Nikki Hunter
Truly an odd feeling, he thought, it was almost like he was wearing someone else’s pants and they just didn’t fit right. He also had to walk twice as fast to keep up with the others, and his new legs were tired.
He left the group that had managed the tear and Camila, the genie, who was somehow his mate. He had never heard it before. Didn’t really believe her until she shed her human form and took on the fae skin. Then he felt it. It took all of him not to rip the other men to shreds for even looking at her.
The bond was something aggressive and primal woven into his very being. Yet it was also sensitive. Sensitive to the fact that she was tied to these other men and harming them would ultimately harm her.
Well, that and he needed some allies.
Bekket casually walked through the servants’ entrance of the castle carrying a basket of vegetables. To the guards, he was just another faceless servant back from the queen’s gardens. Not one of them cared to notice it was Bekket’s scent that trailed the foreign body. He knew his scent would already be all over every part of the castle, enough so it wouldn’t be too out of place for someone to notice it. But if they gave it too much attention they would know the trail was fresh. Then they would wonder why this small plain man dressed in servant’s rags was carrying that scent.
He tried not to think on it too hard. He didn’t want to work himself up over something that could be nothing. Bekket gave a passing maid a small nod before he stopped in the kitchen and dropped the basket of vegetables. With his now free hands he grabbed a plate made up with lunch.
Bekket didn’t speak to anyone since his voice hadn’t changed. One step. Two step. Three steps and he was already on his way to the part of the castle he seemed to know the most. To the labs where people would be in chains. Cages.
Guards wouldn’t notice a servant bringing lunch in to the poor fae the queen had found to replace him. Bekket didn’t doubt that she had already found someone else to do her dirty work. When he reached the door he held up the plate to the guards. They grunted and let him pass.
The lab was quiet. Unusual.
The queen liked her lab to be filled with torture and pain. Bekket looked around and didn’t see anyone working. But in the back, confined like animals in small iron cages were men and women alike.
It pained him to see them like this. But that’s why he was here, to free the trapped.
He set the plate down on the counter and made to go toward the first cage when a small voice stopped him.
“That’s for me.”
Bekket turned back noticing a small fragile looking girl held to the wall by a shackle firmly clamped around her neck. He sucked in a shallow breath.
“You’re her new pawn?” he asked softly, astounded by how low his aunt was willing to go. A girl. She was a little girl.
“Yes,” was all she said looking hungrily at the plate.
Bekket picked it up and came closer to her passing her the plate. “What’s your name?” he asked looking over his shoulder, nervous.
“Jasmine.”
“Jasmine, where are the keys to your shackles?”
She swallowed a large piece of bread she had eagerly torn into, glancing back toward the door he had come from. The guards.
“I, uh, came here to do something,” Bekket continued.
Jasmine’s chewing became slower as she eyed him curiously. “To bring me food?”
He shook his head and tilted it over to all the fae that were unconscious within the cages. Jasmine’s eyes widened and she mouthed the word ‘no’ to him. She was scared, rightfully so. However, this was the first step to their plan. The first step to over turning the queen and taking back their kingdom. He still wasn’t sure about it. Still nervous even though he knew it was what needed to be done.
The door opened and closed behind him and Bekket followed Jasmine's gaze as she looked behind him.
Three guards stood with their hands on the hilt of their swords. The first guard let a slow sneer spread across his face. “Hello, Duke Bekket.”
His heart skipped a beat in his chest. Someone had paid attention. Was it the guards? The cook? The maid he passed in the hall? It wasn’t important now. Not when he could feel the magic one guard was already pushing on him, suffocating his own magic till it had no room to move, no room to work.
Bekket knew his luck had run out, but maybe it hadn’t for someone else. With a speed that surprised him, considering these tiny legs didn’t take him far, he lunged forward swiping the sheathed sword from the unexpecting guard to his left.
The others pulled at their own weapons, pointing them directly at him. He was a decent swordsman, practiced often before the queen had ruined him. But he wasn’t here for a fight; he knew he wasn’t going to last with his powers stifled. Bekket made a swipe at the guards who immediately met the blade's edge with their own. He pulled away twisting toward the other guard his sword meeting his target.
The guard’s belt tumbled from his hips. A small dagger and his keys clashed to the ground. Bekket twisted batting away the quick jab that came at him. But he was fast. At least fast enough to send the other guard’s belt also rattling to the floor before he made a show of accidentally losing his weapon.
He raised his hands as they charged at him, holding him hostage by the tip of the blade. “What a shame.” Bekket smiled. “I wanted to burn this place to the ground.”
His quick reaction had left the men flustered. An emotion he took advantage of as he stepped on the closest key ring before they led him away and kicked it back toward the child in chains.
Chapter Seventeen
King and Queen
Camila was lead in by Kade and Yehven to the throne room. The queen had been summoned and was on her way to meet them according to the guards that had let them in. The two demons nowhere to be found. Camila was made to look like a prisoner, though Kade was affectionately rubbing his thumb over her arm as they waited.
He still hadn’t given Yehven his attention. The others who trailed closely behind them were also weary of the lies Yehven had told for so long yet none was as stubborn as Kade.
Eerie silence and thick tension left everyone uneasy, though they tried to act nonchalant. They had a plan in place, a way to rid this kingdom of the terrible things still to come. Camila bawled her hands into fists around her sweaty palms.
The door was flung open, the queen tossing the long tails of her embroidered coat behind her as she made her entrance. With her chin held high Katrice walked closer to them her eyes lighting up with excitement as she passed the group without word. Only the sound of her black heels clicking against the floor interrupted the calm before the storm. She stopped to stand a few feet in front of them. She narrowed her eyes slightly at Zayn and Lance before speaking.
“What brings you here?” Her voice was cheerful as she watched Camila curiously. Camila could feel Katrice’s magic filling the air around her as if she was trying to get a taste of what Camila could offer.
“Your Majesty, it seems we have a genie on our hands. Someone we thought might be of more interest to you.” Yehven’s voice was stiff.
Katrice clicked her tongue. Her hand rising to her face to balance her chin on top of her fist in thought.
“And she came here… willingly?”
Camila fought to keep from rolling her eyes. No, they just decided to put me in chains because I’m just so kinky like that.
It was Kade’s turn to speak. “She put up a small fight but ultimately we were able to get her under control.”
The queen stepped up to Camila and bent low to brush her fingers along Camila’s jaw line. “You’re so plain,” she mumbled. “No one would ever think about all that magic bottled up inside there.”
With her gaze fixed on Queen Katrice, Camila pursed her lips. She wanted to spit in her face. She wanted to do so much more to her, to ruin the queen’s life like she had done to hers. Rage had a way of changing women from servants to warriors.
But they couldn’t make any
detours from the plan.
Katrice stood up. “Boys,” she began. “Can you tell me how you could be so stupid?”
They held their breath. This was not what they planned.
Magic thrummed through the room. Lance calmly set his palm against the sword on his hip while Zayn dove into his powers but didn’t let a spark fly from his fingertips yet. Camila could feel their energy shift. They were scared shitless.
“Who of you would like to tell me where my nephew is? Hmmm?”
Lance cleared his throat to speak. Katrice, however, was quick to hold her hand up to silence him.
“Guards,” she called.
The door behind them opened again. None of them willing to turn and see who was coming in. They knew what was happening. They knew they had made a mistake.
This was not the plan. This was not the goddamn plan. Camila couldn’t help but feel that nauseous wave of fury and fear rise up within her.
Held upright by two guards, the dark haired smaller version of Bekket was drug to the front of the room. His brow was dripping blood as proof of where the blow that had rendered him unconscious fell.
“You little shits didn’t do your job.” The queen sneered pointing a long deadly finger at the group. “I should render you all lifeless right now.” A wave of her hand washed Camila’s magic away from the form she had Bekket in.
Katrice reached over pulling the sword from her guard’s belt. “Your blood on this sword will be more satisfying than giving you the quick end you wish for from my magic.”
A swift swing of the sword and the weapon split the air in a direct path for Bekket’s neck.
Camila snapped her finger. The sword disappeared from the queen’s hands and the momentum caused her to stumble.
“I’m afraid I can’t let you do that.” Camila stood up, her magic taking the chains against her skin and turning them to dust.
Katrice calmly straightened her jacket, anger visible on her twisted features. Katrice stalked forward her hand shooting out in front of her, the air that filled Camila’s lungs quickly being squeezed out.
Camila gasped but managed to stay calm enough to roll both wrists, sending Katrice flying backwards into her throne. The stone cracked as she hit it.
Zayn was already glowing with electricity when the queen was upright again.
“I will deal with you later.” She snapped at the men. Katrice didn’t even make a move as they all fell with heavy thuds to the ground.
Camila felt frantic. She couldn’t lose again. She had put all her eggs in this basket.
“Katrice.” A commanding voice echoed through the room.
The doors remained open as King Reynold wheeled himself into the room. His breath was heavy with effort but he held his perfect posture.
“Katrice that’s enough!” he boomed.
She gave him a small laugh. “You can’t be serious. They are traitors.”
“They came to help. They came to stop this outrageous game you are playing with magic and the pain that you are putting this very land through.”
Katrice cringed. Something like sorrow flashed through her eyes. The queen walked closer to her king, falling on her knees before him.
“I only do this for you.”
“There is nothing all that magic can do for me. Katrice, I will die when it is my time and though that time may be coming quicker than one would hope, it will come nonetheless.”
Camila reached down during their exchange her hand placed against Kade’s chest. It rose and fell beneath her touch. Knowing they were merely unconscious, Camila stood up.
From behind her a flurry of footsteps began to echo through the room and a blur of someone running passed Camila streaked through her vision.
A battle cry tore from Jasmine’s throat, a sharp blade pointed at the queen.
Katrice looked up. Her hand shakily rose from her side and she flicked her wrist.
The sound. The bone shattering, wild, crack of Jasmine’s neck breaking before her body fell slack against the floor made Camila flinch. Her weapon clattered to the ground next to her.
“The killing has to come to an end,” the king said sadly.
“You’re too sick, my love. The illness has fogged your judgment, this is what’s best. I will fix this for you.” Katrice stroked the king’s hand.
Camila stood unsure of what to do now. The plans they had made were ruined, her mates were unconscious, and now she had to awkwardly watch this exchange between this kingdom’s current rulers.
Part of her felt sorry for Katrice. Part of her wanted to pick up the blade by Jasmine’s body and run it through her back.
Camila chose the latter. She made a move to edge toward Jasmine. But the action caught Katrice’s attention. Whipping back to face Camila the queen was already flinging a tendril of stolen power and letting a cold ice settle over Camila’s skin. Pain became a forceful wave of tingles over every inch of her. Unable to move Camila whimpered.
The rollercoaster of events that had lead her to this moment replayed in Camila’s mind.
Meeting her mates.
Falling in love with them.
Starting a war.
Being taken captive.
Bekket’s death.
All of it up until now. A small kernel of warmth lit a fire deep within her stomach. Through all of it. She knew.
Lance, Zayn, Bekket, Yehven, and Kade were worth it. If that was all the time she was truly destined to have with them it would all be worth it.
Inside her that feeling morphed into something that buzzed and became a hurricane inside of her, a constant static in her brain.
The cold that had fallen over her skin slowly released.
Katrice gaped. Her magic reeled around her as she tried to suck the air away from Camila again. As she sent daggers made from thin air hurtling toward Camila. As she let flame mixed with electricity spark at her fingertips.
Nothing touched Camila. Nothing came within an inch of her. Magic began ebbing and flowing in her and around her. The power surged from a place she didn't know she could unlock, a place she didn’t think she would be able to reach. It became a shield that protected her, lifting her up off the ground in an unearthly purple glow.
This was what Layla had told her about. Octavia had told the truth.
Through all the comotion guards had begun swarming the room. All watching in awe with their swords poised for Camila.
Camila’s power surged forward grabbing Katrice and lifting her up on her toes. The queen’s voice became deep and demonic. “You can’t kill me little genie. I have more power than you could ever know.”
With one hand firmly funneling her powers over the queen she used the other to push the guards against the wall. They struggled to fight back. Some of them with magic began to push back against her. Yet, Camila remained focused on the queen.
The magic that surrounded them burst with bright flashes of blue as the queen’s power branched out on their own pulling them together. Painful lashings bounced off of the wall she had built around herself.
As the queen neared she felt her magic stutter. Felt the draining need of someone else’s will that turned the queen’s face ashy.
Camila took a deep breath and saw where Bekket had woken up and found a way to get his hands on his aunt. She screamed out as he drained magic from her, his hair blowing back away from his face from the urgent steady stream of magic that escaped her.
Over the forceful noise of the wild wind that had taken over the throne room Camila could make out shouts here and there. Everything was hard to hear over the rushing current of new untapped potential that ran through her veins.
“Stop it!” someone yelled.
Other voices frantic and nervous peeped through the roar.
“I won’t let go. I won’t let go unless you end it now.” Bekket’s voice lifted up to the queen.
Katrice, stronger than Camila even realized, fought through the fire of pain that Bekket was sending through her, swiftly kicki
ng him away. “I won’t give up on this. I’m saving him. Even if I have to end you all myself.”
Blood dripped down from Katrice’s nose as she fought to grow closer to Camila, and remain out of reach from Bekket.
The purple hue of Camila’s powers around her dimmed as the queen broke through the wall by sheer force of will. Camila saw there, as they stood so close, the love for her husband that had driven her to her own end. The love that had made her toxic to the world and herself.
Camila batted away the queen’s hands as she reached for her throat, the two tumbling through the air together.
Soft hands attempted to clamp around Camila’s neck just out of her reach. Until Camila’s power met the queen at the same time as another.
The castle shook around them. Small clouds of dust and debris falling around them.
King Reynold stood from the wheelchair that held him. His legs wobbling underneath him threatening to send him toppling backwards. With a shout, he thrust his magic from him, the deep darkness of it meeting his wife’s.
“Reynold, no,” the queen cried out.
But it was too late. The blow from both blasts of their magic met and her body dropped from the air, into a heap on the floor.
King Reynold met the ground with a loud crack of his knees against the tile. Steady tears leaking down his face.
“Uncle, what have you done?” Bekket whispered.
Camila breathed heavy trying to bottle up the fizzing fountain of magic she had unleashed from within her and lowering herself to the ground. The purple around her dulled to a small pinkish glow against her skin.
Bekket knelt over the queen his face full of horror. “You killed her. You killed yourself.”
Bekket never wanted to kill his aunt, had been adamant that the plan included keeping her alive. The plan had failed them.
King Reynold wheezed against the floor, pulling himself up next to his queen. “I’m sorry, Katrice. I’m so sorry it had to end like this.”