Queens of Wings & Storms

by Angela Sanders et al.

  “At least no witch’s magic.”

  Regardless of what this was, it didn’t affect Edrick’s dragon form, and it didn’t force him to shift into a dragon. At least that was something positive.

  Edrick unsheathed his sword, and together, we inched up the steps toward the open door, and into the open gallery. We followed the sounds, finding more of these soldiers-in-motion scarecrows down the corridors until we entered the throne room, where everyone sat eerily still.

  We moved behind a large pillar to catch our bearings.

  “Take her to the killing stones,” King Artuis ordered with an arrogant flip of his meaty hand from his gaudy throne, his voice like that of an oaf. If he hadn’t been the king, one would never have taken him as sincere. His skin was marred from too many drinks. And even from this distance, the room stunk of an unkept barn. He had never been a pleasant or honorable king, from as far back as I could remember. His thin lips, thinning hairline, and sagging jowls made it impossible to feel empathy for him, but I did, of course, for his wife. Just as he was unattractive in all ways except for power, she was beautiful but held glazed-over eyes. Her stare, unfortunately, I’d seen often enough: poppy addiction.

  There weren’t many a thing in this realm that was quite as unfortunate as when reality made one wish to escape to another world. And that of a queen, no less. It was a sad state of affairs. A life truly wasted with the man who called himself King at her side.

  Again, Sadie screamed. She struggled against the two guards. The king, in turn, waved his hand once more, and they dragged her away kicking and screaming.

  I pointed at Sadie, and together, Edrick and I retreated and hurried the way we had come. The killing stones were located in the inner sanctum of the castle, what used to be the place where sacrifices were made, both human and animal. According to my mother, the king’s father had gone insane with mysticism and desire for magic, opening the dark well to practice such evils long forgotten in the kingdom—he’d drawn from the blood of the despised, the criminals, which he had harvested. But when the coven had come to him, they had struck a deal, an agreement of which should never have occurred, and, instead, light should have flowed. But that was never to be.

  The deal they had agreed upon had been practically shat on. Or spat. Or squashed. In any case, it was not honored in the slightest. The previous king was a piece of shit, and his son wasn’t far removed from his father it appeared. He was no leader of men. He served his own selfish wants and needs. And he had my dearest Sadie!

  We pushed the glass doors open, and found Sadie strapped to a large, circular-and-carved basalt sacrificial stone in the middle of a garden oasis. The stone’s carving would allow the blood to run and pool down its side. A tall, redheaded male mage with glowing red eyes held a ceremonial blade in his hand, readying the first cut, and suddenly, a golden chalice appeared just beneath it to catch Sadie’s blood. Dear goddess! The golden chalice from the divination pool. Was he involved in Mother’s death, too? Was it his magic I’d seen? I didn’t have time to ponder it now, I needed to save my sister in magic…

  Goddess, be with me.

  I didn’t have the magic I could generate with my body, but every witch carried an emergency supply of mana—magical energy—that provided a fix during times of danger. Reaching into my satchel, I snatched out the glowing green vial, uncorked it, and guzzled it down quickly. The liquid coursed through me, tingling.

  Anger hummed within me and feeling the elemental power, I raised my hands, capturing the air, calling forth water, air, wind, and energy, then forced it from my fingertips with every bit of strength I had within me.

  He must have been prepared for me, because as quickly as the magic had flown from my hands to strike him, he raised a shield of protection, blocking my attack, refracting the propelled energy straight back into me.

  It knocked me off of my feet, and I crashed to the ground.

  Edrick quickly downed the guards and turned to help me. I shook off his assistance. This was now my fight.

  “Get her out of here,” I screamed to Edrick, and pulled myself up. I could taste blood in my mouth. I wiped it away with the back of my hand and eyed the mage before me.

  The mage sneered, revealing his filed-off teeth. He raised his hand, lifting me off of my feet and hurled me through the glass door, shattering it to pieces.

  An invisible hand wrapped around my throat. “The first witch was a nice thought, but you are even more powerful. Your death will fuel the darkness in which we seek.”

  The hand tightened further, the room began to swim, and my vision blurred.

  “Nova.” I heard my mother’s near-frantic voice pushing through my mind. “You were born to be the high priestess, and the powers of the coven rest within you. Call upon the land wights.”

  “Your magic is nothing against me, girl, and neither is your goddess. Your dead mother could not stand in the way of progress, and neither will you.”

  Gasping, I pursed my lips together and whispered, “Marigold.” And suddenly, the room filled with glorious light. But Marigold didn’t arrive alone. I couldn’t believe my eyes, as I also saw my mother, with what appeared to be a halo crowning her head. The land wights took to the trees, the flowers, the cascading waterfall, and everything within the enchanted oasis came to life.

  He released me, and I ran toward Marigold.

  My hands directed the land wights, as though there was now a connection to them, an extension of me that I knew nothing of. I ordered their steps and they acted.

  The mage raised his hands, a bolt of lightning shot forth, and when it should have struck me, it didn’t. I was left untouched.

  Now was my chance to reverse everything, right all the wrongs that had been done, and prove I was indeed strong enough to do more than even I knew. That I was as gifted as my mother. Thank the goddess above.

  Digging my feet into the ground, I called out to the goddess. The trees moved in response. Their branches acting as arms, their vines shooting forward to trap the mage. They wrapped around his legs and arms and traveled upward, to then bound his head and neck. He could no longer move.

  He opened his mouth wide, and with a nod, Marigold and others flew into it.

  Light as bright as the second sun beamed out of his eyes, ears, and mouth.

  Tears of blinding light flowed down his cheeks.

  He dropped dead to the floor, and the land wights moved forward.

  Glass crunched behind me, and turning on my heel, I watched the king’s men with swords in hand, advance toward me.

  “The witch,” one yelled. “She is possessed.”

  I looked to my hand, and again, the four moons had appeared (I assumed because of the goddess), but they were waning. The constant draining was proving to be trying. If I had to use another emergency potion again, I would do so, goddess willing. Whatever it took to free myself and escape this damn wretched place, then find Edrick and Sadie. Our mission here was far from over. We’d yet to find Edrick’s brother.

  It was me against a contubernium, eight of the best soldiers in the realm, and each one of them had their weapons trained on me—six with swords and two with bows and arrows.

  “She has committed treason.”

  I could feel the energy soar throughout the room, and my hand began to tingle. I noticed that the moons were now recharged. How could that be? I’d only just looked a mere moment ago. The goddess…

  Words I didn’t understand poured from my lips, as if moved by the spirit of the goddess Selenaia herself. The higher I raised my hands, the more everything in the room reacted.

  With a simple snap of my fingers, the king’s men fell dead, and I crumbled to the ground as if I’d sipped a sleeping potion.

  Chapter 16

  “Nova, you must awaken.” I heard Sadie’s voice pulling me away from the darkness, calling me back from a deep sleep. I opened my eyes to find her kneeling over me, her face tear-stained, fear palpable in the air around us.

  “What,
why—what’s going on?” My head was pounding. It must have been an overuse of magic, not to mention the use of elemental magic from the emergency potions, as well. It wasn’t something I practiced often. But I thanked the goddess for coming to my aid.

  “We must leave,” she said and glanced over her shoulder. “There will be more of the king’s men arriving at any moment.”

  “Where is Edrick?” I squinted and pushed myself up.

  “He’s guarding the door. We will need to make our way and escape from this place, as we are all in danger. I must tell you—”

  “Not here. Once we have made it to safety.”

  “All right.” Sadie helped me to my feet, and we moved toward the door and down the corridor, when the purple robes of the high priestess caught my attention.

  I stopped walking and followed the procession back into the throne room, and again, hid behind the large pillar.

  Aurora, dressed in the purple, gold-lined robes of the high priestess stalked down the aisle, a long, twisted black wooden staff with auburn leaves wrapped around its length in her hand—one I’d never seen.

  The elders trailed behind her toward the king. I noticed Sister Cloris was missing from her usual place at the head of the elders.

  Aurora commanded the room.

  All present stared at her, and I wondered what she was up to. The coven had always been peaceful as far as I knew. Ducking low, I watched the scene unfold.

  “What brings you here, witch?” The king looked down from his perch on the throne.

  “I’ve come for the grand payment. Isn’t it so that the price of a witch’s head provides great wealth?” Aurora fingered the stalk of her staff. “I’d hate for anything to go wrong.”

  “Have you forgotten your place?” The king slammed his fist against the armrest of his throne. “I am the ruler of this here mighty land, and all that you do is in service to me. You and your kind have been too long in the grove if you think to command my ways.”

  Aurora buffed her nails on her robe without looking up. “Hmm, the anger of a madman, dare I say? You are unfit to rule, and I shall take it!” She gripped the magic staff tightly in her right hand, and its crystal tip turned obsidian in color.

  I felt as my eyes widened, and I gaped in shock. How could this be? My head shaking in disbelief, I could feel the magic draw, as the staff pulled at the magic from all of those present. She whirled the staff around and circled her head, only to then pound it against the marble floor.

  Sable-colored waves of magic spread about the throne room.

  The elders backed away, and those crowded in the chamber attempted to move away from the waves, but again, they appeared rooted to the spot. Their silver capes billowed around them as if rattled by the winter’s stormy winds. And within seconds, they crumbled into a pile of ash. The elders, all of them, gone!

  Screams echoed off the rafters as the smoke blanketed those present.

  But for the king and queen, she must have had something else in mind. “Canis.” She directed the staff toward them, and I watched the two monarchs painfully shift, heard the breaking of bones, as they popped, cracked, and folded into the form of two puppies.

  “Now, my king, you shall be my lapdog.” She picked him up and petted his black-and-white fur.

  A round of audible gasps rent the room as the rest of the aristocracy both seated and standing—the rulers of the kingdom were all in one place—and Aurora had just perfected the greatest coup d'état in the history of the Kingdom of Adrastea. All who could have stood in her way were now either in a pile of ashes or a scared whimpering canine.

  Aurora then turned and gazed upon the room of people with a maniacal grin. “Does anyone here object to my rule?” She raised a quizzical brow. “If so, I take no issue with a litter of puppies.” She threw her head back and cackled.

  I’d been played a damn fool. My entire life…

  And poor Sadie.

  I quickly escaped the throne room. In all the chaos, smoke wafting, and people screaming, it was easy enough to get away. My breathing came in short bursts, and I could hardly grasp what had undeniably transpired.

  Aurora?

  I gazed at the now-half-moons once more. What the hell? All of my magic was gone. All of my innate powers sucked into the stone Aurora carried in her staff. Dammit!

  I found Sadie waiting outside staring at the guards-turned-scarecrows. We needed to get far away from this place, and as quickly as possible.

  “We must leave this place now,” I whispered through clenched teeth.

  “What is it?” Sadie seemed to marvel at the men, poking them with her finger and hearing a moan in return.

  So, they weren’t dead, but bespelled. Well, that certainly didn’t seem like anything good.

  I, too, wished I could again be this innocent, to not understand the maneuverings of the evil that caused what she was seeing only a few feet away.

  I stared at her and had no idea what to say. How could I tell her that all she’d been through was because of her mother’s betrayal?

  I took her hands in my own. “Know that I love you, dear sister, but everything that has happened”—I took a deep breath and closed my eyes for a moment— “It’s your mother. She’s the one who planned this entire thing. All of it, Sadie.”

  “My mother? You cannot be serious, Nova?”

  “Yes, I saw it with my own eyes. She just changed the king and queen into puppies and killed the entire elder council.” I glanced away, searching for Edrick. “But Sadie, come, we must hurry now.” I tugged at her hands.

  “Where shall we go? If what you say is true, then…” She trailed off and tears streamed down her lovely face, and my heart broke for her. “Where shall we go? We are witches without a coven.”

  Someone clearing their throat behind me interrupted, and I found Sister Cloris standing there. “I am sorry to interrupt, but your heart-to-heart chat is ill-timed. The high priestess has indeed gone mad. But we have allies in the mountains: the dragons.”

  Now this was something I didn’t see coming. Sister Cloris wanting help from the beasts she’d condemned?

  I raised a brow and decided to keep my temper in check. I’d had enough of fighting her, fighting everyone. But I did have one thing to say. “The same dragons you accused of killing my mother?”

  Sister Cloris shook her head. “I apologize for my wrongdoing, Nova. My trust was misguided. I assumed you were ill fit to lead, too young, even. But I see that you were correct about Sadie.”

  It was nice of her to apologize, something I never thought I’d hear come from her mouth, but I didn’t have time for pleasantries. “Where is Edrick?” I broke away from them and looked around.

  “He went in search of someone,” Sadie said. “His brother.”

  “I will not leave him here.” I wrung my hands together nervously. He was the only bit of remaining stability I had left, with the exception of Sadie (but she’d just learned her mother was insane), and I had no intention of losing him this day, too.

  “Why not use a spell to find him?” Sadie suggested.

  “Because your mother drained all of the magic in the room, including my own.” I raised my hand, showing her the four half-moons near my thumb.

  I caught sight of Edrick out of the corner of my eye, and raced to him, tugging on his arm. “We must leave now.”

  “I can’t leave my brother.” He pulled away.

  “The brother you seek is not here.” Sister Cloris inclined her head toward Edrick. “He was taken to Gabelle.”

  “The salt district?” My mouth nearly fell open at this revelation.

  I’d heard stories of the salt district, where prisoners were sent to work off their debts, and where it was rumored the king found prey to sacrifice for his dark causes.

  “The mines,” Edrick said. “I must save him.” His voice was hoarse and filled with emotion, just as he pulled his shoulders back. Heat radiated from his body, but when I looked into his eyes, I saw the weariness there.


  “And you will not do it alone.” I took his hand in my own and gave it a squeeze. “Can you travel?”

  He shook his head. I wasn’t certain where he’d been for the magic pull to have drained him, too, but it must have been the case. He appeared pale, just as he did when I’d found him in the woods, which now seemed like ages ago.

  “I don’t understand,” Sadie cried. “What does all of this mean?”

  “It means that the traitor among us was your mother, child,” Sister Cloris said, “and she has now caused the coming blight.”

  As if on cue, the blue sky darkened, and black clouds moved in. Thunder clapped loudly and shook the ground, and lightning blazed across the ever-darkening sky. If the clouds were called in, would they also block the moon’s rays tonight?

  Aurora was ensuring that no one would be able to retaliate against her.

  We were stuck here on the castle grounds. Clearly, only moments from being wiped out. Those doors would open, and then all hope would be annihilated. I heard the soldiers approaching, their metal-covered boots thudding against the ground.

  I’d stand until my last breath, if that was what it would cost.

  I raised my hand and peered into the sky, and, above us, I watched the eagles circle. The bloody breeze must have captured their attention. Although they were not scavengers, I wondered as to why, or what other purpose would cause them to be so close. The eagles usually stuck to their own agenda, and that didn’t include the exploits of men. The incoming storm must have disrupted them.

  The prophesied blight had indeed arrived.

  A loud horn blew, and I turned to find that it was Sister Cloris.

  As if beckoned, two large eagles swooped down, appearing to weigh at least five hundred pounds, and the wingspan of somewhere near fifty feet.

  “Come, children. If we plan on being able to fight back and save this gallant man’s brother, we must regroup.” She climbed on the back of the first to land, and pulled Sadie up behind her, while the other waited. “And Nova,” she bowed her head toward me, “what is left of our coven will need their rightful High Priestess when it is time to return.”