by S. M. Boyce
The general jumped in surprise, apparently caught off-guard by Audrey’s presence. He simply stared at her for a moment, then his smile faded and he released his grip on Audrey’s friend. Victoria crumpled on the floor in a heap and held her throat, gasping for air.
Victoria might not have been Atlantean, but she was family. In Audrey's mind, that made her an honorary Atlantean, one she would protect with her life.
The general looked disappointed. “They confessed to stealing from our vaults, my lady. They must be punished.”
Audrey studied Victoria, who sat still on the floor and watched her, seemingly waiting for Audrey's next move.
Audrey smirked. “I'll take care of punishment. You need not concern yourself with my servants.”
Victoria scowled, and Audrey resisted a wicked chuckle at her friend's expense.
The general looked behind him and nodded to one of the soldiers, who disappeared into the bedroom. “Miss Audrey, by now you know you have been chosen to rule, and I promise you that these commoners are a chain around your ankle. They hold you back, my liege.”
To her credit Victoria didn't say anything aloud, but her face said it all. She scrunched her nose and grimaced a little, the confused look her equivalent of, “What the fuck is he talking about?”
Audrey again suppressed a smile. “I appreciate your input, general. Dismissed.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but Audrey waved her hand to emphasize the fact that she didn't want him to say a word. She nodded down the hall, hands on her hips, and waited in silence for him to obey.
He stood a little taller, frowning. “Should we be concerned about your loyalty, Audrey?”
“I prefer ‘Your Royal Highness.'“
In Audrey's peripheral vision, Victoria bit her lip to keep from snickering and dropped her head to hide her face.
The general closed the distance between himself and Audrey. He hesitated, letting the tension settle in the air as his eyes roamed her face. “Perhaps you did not hear me, Your Royal Highness, but these commoners snuck into our vaults and stole some of our most precious possessions—Atlantean Artifacts. Either they used their influence with you to steal from us, or you distracted us long enough to let them do so. Which is it?”
Audrey's lips parted. Honestly, she didn’t know what to do. “I’ll handle punishment. Thank you, General.”
He grabbed her hand, and though she expected it to be rough, his grip was gentle. His calloused finger rubbed the skin on her wrist and he didn't break eye contact. His expression softened from anger to concern, and a flicker of understanding crossed his face.
“It seems you've woken up,” he said so softly that only she could hear.
She tensed, and his grip on her wrist tightened until she couldn’t move. “Let go of me, Cato.”
He shook his head. “It won't take much to fix this, and I promise you’ll be happier for it. Come with me.”
He dragged her down the hall, and the small army of soldiers followed behind them.
Like hell.
Audrey twisted her wrist in his grip as she had learned in kickboxing and broke free. Without missing a beat, she lifted her skirt enough to kick out his knee. He fell to the ground and the soldiers behind her glanced at one another, apparently not entirely sure what they were supposed to do.
“Grab her!" the general shouted.
“Release them!” she commanded.
The soldiers focused on her, and several crept closer.
Oh, well. It had been worth a try.
Audrey tensed, settling into a defensive stance as she prepared to fight. She wished Victoria would stand up and Diesel would appear from wherever he was hiding, but it seemed like they had already been beaten. If the soldiers could take Victoria, Audrey didn't stand a chance.
Didn't mean she wouldn't try.
The first soldier reached her, and she landed a blow in his solar plexus. He gasped for breath, and she kicked him onto his back as the next soldier arrived. She repeated the blows, and that soldier fell too.
Beside her, Victoria lurched to her feet and summoned a sword. She could barely stand, and from the way she rocked as she swung it was obvious she’d hit her head pretty hard. She didn't have much balance, but she still took out two soldiers with a single swing. One of the men shot a bolt of white lightning at her, but she ducked out of the way with seconds to spare. The motion sent her to the floor, however, and she struggled to get to her feet again.
What had these fuckers done to her?
Time to bring out the big guns.
In one hand Audrey held the magnificent artifact given to her by the instructor in the gardens. She stretched the fingers of the other and released the white energy she had practiced with. While she wanted to use the ribbon dancers, as she called them, they would require too much focus at the moment. She needed something quick and effective. She loosed a massive bolt of white energy, hitting every standing soldier in the chest. They tipped over like pins in a bowling alley, crashing to the floor.
Score.
Of course, an attack that strong left her breathing heavily, and she didn't know when she would have enough moxie to attack again.
Time to bail.
“Victoria, let's go!”
“Audrey, look out!" Victoria screamed.
A bolt shot past Audrey, singeing the wall, and she spun on her heel. The general aimed for her head and she ducked just in time, rolling along the floor as the attack flew over her. Her legs caught in her dress, though, and she skidded the last half of the way. Another bolt headed toward her, and she barely pulled her shoulder out of its path. She aimed a bolt at his chest, the easiest target, but it came out as a thin line rather than the full attack she had hoped for. He flinched as though she had thrown a stone at him, nothing more.
Crap.
He chuckled darkly. “You need to build stamina, Audrey. No worries, I’ll train you.”
Nearby, some of the soldiers were trying to stand. Though the ones closest to her blast still lay steaming on the floor, those who had been behind the front lines were struggling to their feet. They would probably be back in action soon.
Victoria pushed herself to her feet and swung her sword at the nearest one, slitting his throat. He screamed and fell while Victoria aimed for the next soldier, and the next. Audrey knew she would keep going until she couldn't move anymore, but judging by the way she staggered between each blow it wouldn’t be much longer.
Audrey wanted to help her, or better yet tell her to go sit down, but her own hands were full. Two soldiers attacked her after the general’s bolt missed, one grabbing her shoulders and pulling her back as she kicked the other in the groin. The wounded one fell to his knees, clutching himself, but the other wove his arms through hers and locked them behind her head. She clawed for his hair, his eyes—anything to give her the upper hand—but he held her still.
Three of the guards with a clear shot aimed their white energy beams straight into Victoria’s chest. She grunted, jaw tight as though she were being electrocuted, and fell to the floor seconds later. Her sword clattered to the ground and disappeared in a puff of smoke.
“Victoria!” Audrey yelled, looking for a reaction. Victoria was so still she might have been dead.
But she couldn’t be dead. Victoria would never leave Audrey hanging like that.
The general watched Audrey struggle with the soldier, and he shook his head. “We can’t have this behavior from the princess.”
“I'm not your princess,” Audrey spat.
“You will be.” He put his hand flat against her abdomen and lifted a white crystal like the one she had been training with in the gardens.
Oh, Shit. This would hurt.
Electricity pummeled her, and her jaw tightened until it squeaked. Her fists clenched, and her body hummed. Worst of all was the pain. It was as though tiny creatures were slowly ripping apart every muscle in her body, but she could do nothing to stop them.
The general removed his ha
nd and Audrey crumpled in the soldier's grip. She tried to stand, but her shoe slid on her long skirts.
These assholes had even gotten her to wear skirts. She was the Jeans Queen. She hated dresses and anything with frills. If they had been able to make her wear gowns, she had been closer to losing herself than she had realized.
The general grabbed her arm and led her down the hallway, and her slippered feet shuffled to keep up.
“You know what to do,” the general said to one of the soldiers.
The solider lifted Victoria and the company marched down the hall, two more soldiers carrying an unconscious Diesel between them. Victoria blinked herself awake and caught Audrey's eye, and a surge of relief crashed through Audrey despite the terrible situation.
Victoria wasn’t dead. Yet.
Audrey did her best to hide her panic. She grimaced, using their unspoken gestures to ask for help. What I do?
Victoria slowly shook her head. No idea. I’m thinking.
The general tugged on Audrey’s arm, yanking her forward until she couldn't see Victoria anymore. Her mind raced to come up with a plan, but she had spent every waking moment since arriving in Atlantis in the castle. She didn't know the kingdom, or even how to leave except through the main entrance where they had come in, and it was unlikely the king and queen would just let her walk through the door.
“Unhand me!" she shouted, doing her best impersonation of a spoiled princess.
“I will, as soon as you remember who you really are,” the general said ominously.
Audrey peered over her shoulder one more time, but Victoria was gone. The last few soldiers in the column marched down an earlier hallway as the general led her down another.
“If you kill them I will make your life a living hell,” Audrey said, glaring at the general.
He spun her around and pressed her against the wall, scowling at her. “You don't threaten me, princess. Your life was planned the minute you walked into the kingdom. You will take the crown, you will transform into an Atlantean, you will rule, and you will marry me so that I can finally be king.”
“Jesus, could your plan be anymore cliché?”
His jaw tensed, and Audrey figured he was debating whether to hit her. Bring it. She could take it, and it would just make her hate him more. It would fuel her fire.
Instead, he released her and set a hand on the back of her neck. With his powerful thumb poking into her jaw, he guided her down the hallway. She tried to wriggle out of his grip, but his fingers pressed into her spine. She winced, walking forward to avoid the pain.
This wouldn’t last. She, Victoria, and Diesel would get out of here. And if the general hurt a hair on Victoria's head, Audrey would kill the motherfucker.
Chapter 25
The general pushed Audrey ahead of him as they walked through another dark tunnel. This was more like a cave than any part of the castle. Audrey didn't have a clue where they were anymore. This place seemed to be filled with secret doors and passageways, which would've been cool in any other circumstance.
“So what’s the plan, General?" she asked the Atlantean behind her.
He put his hand on the small of her back, but she pushed him off her. Her body still ached from his attacks, and she didn't have the strength to do anything more than bat his hand away. To his credit, he didn't try again. “You'll see.”
She rolled her eyes. “I assume you're taking me to the tiara.”
It was a solid assumption and the general's eyebrows shot to his forehead in surprise, confirming she was right. It made sense, after all. She assumed there was some kind of controlling aspect to the tiara, and he would want her to wear it sooner rather than later to keep her under his thumb.
That wouldn't happen.
General Cato led her into a massive underground cavern with stalactites covering the ceiling, reaching toward them like teeth. A platform had been carved into the floor, and on it was an ornate silver altar, long enough for a person to lie on.
Surprisingly, the king stood behind the altar with his arms behind his back and a disappointed expression on his face.
“After all we've done for you,” he said softly, shaking his head.
Audrey curtsied mockingly. “Thank you for your hospitality. I wasn't aware kidnapping your guests and forcing them to stay was customary.”
The king clicked his tongue. “You will not speak to me that way.”
“I just did.” Audrey quirked an eyebrow, daring him to do something about it.
Sure, Audrey might have been walking a line here, but she didn't have many cards to play. For whatever reason they still wanted her to be their little princess, and if she could distract them long enough Victoria might be able to escape and get them all out of here.
The king snapped his fingers, and the small army dragged in a struggling Victoria and an unconscious Diesel.
Audrey sighed and resisted the impulse to face-palm. So much for her plan.
She eyed the king. Usually he wore a long cloak which hid his shoulders and much of his body. Tonight, though, he'd gone without. His barrel chest and broad shoulders reminded her of an MMA fighter, and she wondered how strong an Atlantean had to be to be king. He could probably beat the general in a fistfight, and since she had just lost to Cato she doubted she could take them both.
Brute force wasn't going to win this war or get her and her friends out safely. She needed to be clever.
A realization hit Audrey. “I don’t remind you of your dead children, do I?”
The king shook his head. “The queen and I have never had children, nor will we. Everything we did was done to woo you.”
“How ethical.”
The king placed his hands behind his back again. “Enough of this, Audrey. You must choose to either be an Atlantean and live with us, or spend your final moments as a commoner and die with your servants.”
“Great choices,” she mumbled.
The king shook his head patronizingly. “Either way, they die tonight. You don’t have to. Only Atlanteans may know of our great city. Surely you understood that? This law keeps us safe. Your servants’ deaths were inevitable. You've had your fun, so choose!”
The soldiers dropped Victoria and Diesel at the foot of the platform, and Diesel’s eyes snapped open. He scanned the cave, his hand searching his chest for something, and he looked panicked. His mouth eventually settled into a fine, grim line, and he stared at Audrey as if waiting for her to act.
The king snapped his fingers, and a servant girl brought a pillow with the tiara on it. The king lifted the headpiece and walked toward her, every step slow and precise as he held her gaze. “This is an Atlantean Artifact, remember, one that will be your eternal tie to the city. To fuse with it, you must sacrifice something precious to you. I recommend you sacrifice them.” He gestured toward Victoria and Diesel.
Audrey needed a plan, but her mind kept drawing blanks. Perhaps she could pit the two Atlantean men against each other. “The general is playing you—”
“I know,” the king said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
“What?" The general and Audrey said in unison.
“You've wanted to rule for decades, Cato. I assumed you fabricated the story about Audrey's heritage, but it's of no matter to me. You'll rule if and when I let you. For now, I want my heir. Audrey, come.”
Shit. That plan hadn’t worked either.
Audrey’s curiosity got the better of her. “Why me? You have a kingdom full of full-blooded Atlanteans but you want some human hybrid?”
The king smirked, his eyes narrowing, and a chill shot clear to Audrey’s toes. “Yes, I want a hybrid. I can program you to do whatever I desire. Your blended nature is powerful and gives you better access to the Atlantean magic in your blood, but you’re emotionally weak, Audrey. That’s the human in you. You want to please, and your willpower will fail over time. You will obey me, and you won’t have a choice in the matter. You won’t remember this conversation. By the time I’m done with you,
you won’t even remember those commoners you came here with, much less your life before Atlantis. Now, girl, come here.”
Mind racing, Audrey hesitated. Her impulse was to punch him in the gut, but that would most likely backfire. To stall for time, she reached for the tiara. As her fingers touched the glistening metal, the Atlantean voice within her shrieked with joy. It wanted her to put it on, and she felt the familiar tingling numbness that had come every time she listened to it. This time she would not surrender to the voice.
But the king didn't know that.
“It is beautiful,” she said in her best imitation of a mindless drone. She tried to sound airy and dazed. Hopefully he would take the bait.
“It is,” the king said softly.
Her heart thumping, Audrey lifted the crown to examine it in the light, using the opportunity to cast a wary glance toward Victoria. As their eyes connected, Victoria smirked.
Good. She knew what Audrey was trying to do. Hopefully Victoria could get them out of here, because Audrey was plumb out of ideas.
***
Victoria knew that expression on Audrey's face. It was clear panic. Help me.
Victoria subtly pointed toward the king. Stall them.
Audrey nodded slowly, disguising the motion by tucking her hair behind her ear.
It was everything Victoria could do to not let out a sigh of relief. She had been so afraid she had lost her friend, but something had happened back in the hallway to wake Audrey up.
Thank God. Now, to get out of here…
The king paced around Audrey, his hands behind his back. “It may cause you pain to kill them, dear, but your rewards will be great. You will have a public that adores you. You will have a kingdom at your feet. You will have a home.”
At that Audrey froze, her eyes glazing over just a little as she stared at the tiara.
Shit, Victoria didn't have much time. Whatever they had done to brainwash her before, it looked like maybe it was working again.
The stubborn warrior in Victoria wanted to stay and run her sword through them all, but she couldn't. The frustration of not being strong enough to wield her sword and shield at the same time weighed on her. She had all this power available, but she didn't have the strength to use it.