by Winter, Eden
“Who is queen here, Aje? Me or you?”
Aje didn’t move from her spot. Under other circumstances, Dende would understand where Aje was coming from. One didn’t become a warrior to be a mindless member of an army. You had to put yourself in the place of your enemies and potential allies. No other creatures in this realm had shown much support for witches. There was always talk, but it was only the cave trolls who stayed to protect them. The witches were a clan that had to fend for themselves. Now two creatures from different factions had come out of nowhere, killed their most powerful ally, and were now demanding things of them for their own personal gain. Neither Dende nor Siluman had even offered anything in exchange for a cure. There had been no negotiation, only death and begging.
Dende couldn’t be upset at Aje. She could only be impatient, and she was growing more and more so as the moments pressed on. If the witches were unable to help, then maybe they knew of someone who could. That potion could not have been the only option.
“Surely, something can be done,” Dende said. Despite herself, she found herself crying again. She didn’t allow herself to sob, but tears glistened around her glassy blue eyes and rolled down her brown face. She made no attempts to wipe them away; she knew that more would come.
Some of the witches began to whisper among themselves. The only other blue witch didn’t speak but stared directly at Dende with her black orb eyes. She appeared to be the oldest of the witches, and she was a darker blue than Maaya was.
“The incantation is something we are readily able to give, Dende. But I’m afraid we cannot help you further,” Queen Ragana said. “We will let you know our spell, and then you must be on your way. We hope you have a safe return to your kingdom.”
Dende broke down. She was defeated, exhausted, and weak, and now she was without hope. What good would the spell be without the potion to accompany it? How could she have been so foolish? She could have captured the forest siren, but instead Dende’s instinct as a warrior was to behead her.
Dende covered her face with both of her hands and stood still. She was afraid even now to be vulnerable around anyone. She bit down on her tongue to prevent herself from sobbing. She allowed the tears to flow, but she was still a warrior of her king. She ran her hands down her face and wiped the tears with them. Her cheeks were wet, but she managed to get hold of herself. She had been so overcome with her emotions that she didn’t notice that Siluman had wrapped his large arms around her. He held her in a warm embrace and said nothing. He didn’t need words to help her to feel better. All she needed was to remember that she was not alone on this quest, and he was there to help in any way that he was able to.
“Dende,” Maaya started.
“Quiet, Maaya,” Aje said. Her voice cut the air like a blade. Queen Ragana was silent, and then she became motionless. She had a blank expression on her face and she was looking at Maaya. The council was hushed now. The older blue witch stepped forward.
“There may be a way in which we can help y—” she said.
“Don’t!” Aje shouted.
Maaya looked at the older blue witch and nodded. There was a silent communication between the two witches, but Aje would have none of it. Every word spoken meant that there would be a protest from her.
“Please Aje, let Hexe and me speak,” Maaya said. Her voice was soft. She was one of the kindest creatures Dende had the pleasure of meeting. In any other circumstance, Dende would have wanted to have been her friend.
“Thank you,” Siluman said to Maaya. He had not yet let go of Dende, and she was silently grateful for that. She adored the way Siluman held her in his arms. He was a ray of light in what was a cloud of darkness in her mind.
“Maaya and I have siren blood coursing through our veins,” Hexe said. There was something inviting about the blue of her skin. She shimmered with a light that they had briefly seen in Maaya. “I am not sure if what you seek is within us, but if it is, then it is something we must do.”
“What do you mean?” Dende sniffled.
“It means that we want to help you. Our blood may not be as powerful as Pyll’s, but we believe that it may have the same effect,” Hexe said.
Dende had been resting her head on Siluman’s chest, but upon hearing that, she raised it slowly and stared at Hexe.
“You can still save him?” Dende asked.
“We are not sure. It will take a lot of our blood, but there will be consequences,” said Hexe.
“What consequences? If it is that we need to protect you, then we will do all that we can,” Siluman said.
“No, nothing like that. But it will cost both of us our abilities to perform magick,” Maaya said. She lowered her head, the smoke within her black orbs now billowing more and more with her sadness.
Dende couldn’t allow such a thing to happen. What would Maaya and Hexe be reduced to if they were no longer witches? They would certainly no longer be on the witches’ council. Where would they go? Who would protect them? Dende wanted to save the life of her king, but not at such an expense to those who were so willing to be of service to them.
“There must be another way,” Dende whispered.
“Yes,” Hexe nodded. “You could only take blood from one of us, but that would mean death.”
“No!” Dende and Siluman shouted together.
“There is no point to end a life only to save another life,” Siluman said.
“Ah, but I am no ruler. I understand that the greater good is at stake,” Hexe said.
“You can’t,” Aje cried. “Ragana, tell her that she can’t.”
The queen finally shifted her gaze. She turned her head to each witch on the council and then to Siluman and Dende.
“I cannot make anyone’s decision for them.”
“But you are the queen.” Aje sounded as if she had just been mortally wounded. She did not want to have her friend die in order to save a complete stranger. She had already lost her friend Pyll. As a member of the council, these witches all felt like family to her.
“I rule my people, but I do not take ownership of their lives,” Ragana said.
“I am old, Aje. My time will come soon whether I choose to do this or not. I believe my life will mean something more knowing that I have had a chance to save someone else. We witches have been hidden away in these woods for far too long. I want my time on this earth to have meaning,” Hexe said. Aje said nothing. She sat on the root of the tree and stared off into the distance. There was nothing she could do, and she knew that there wasn’t much time left before the elf and the werewolf had to return to the kingdom in the mountains.
Dende and Siluman were still rendered speechless. They were not sure if they were doing the right thing by having a witch sacrifice herself. Did they really have a choice now? Hexe had made it clear that this was how she wanted her life to end.
“I will help you as you transition into the other plane, Mother,” Maaya said. Hexe nodded as the corner of her mouth curled up. She took both of Maaya’s hands, and they pressed their foreheads against one another.
The wind around them blew more wildly now. There were leaves and flowers and dust particles dancing in the air.
“We must be quick,” Hexe said. The witches had already begun to walk. They didn’t need to beckon for Dende and Siluman to follow; they understood. Aje had been sitting, but she stood and walked behind the elf and the werewolf. She did not speak, and her head was lowered.
“You will learn the spell, Dende. We will make the potion,” Hexe turned her head to look at Dende as she spoke. “Do not worry. We will save your king.”
“I cannot thank you enough. You have made a new ally and certainly a new friend,” Dende replied.
“Yes, here will do. I am ready now,” Hexe stopped walking. She raised her head toward the top of the trees and she closed her eyes. A soft light hit her blue face.
“Oh, and Dende,” Hexe said when she opened her eyes. She spoke like she had forgotten to say something.
“Ye
s?” Dende asked. She was somber now, respecting Hexe’s decision to sacrifice herself but also grieving because this could have been avoided if Pyll was alive and able to give her full siren blood to them.
“Please tell your father, Guiden, that I say hello.”
*****
There was something amiss. Upír could feel it. When last she had seen her sister, the queen was nothing but skin and bones. She was huddled up amongst books in her library and crying at the thought of being unloved. Upír did not want her sister to endure so much pain. There was a reason for the tears, the lack of feeding, the heartache, and the blinding headaches that Veri felt. Upír was perpetually acrimonious and knew that there was only one solution to Veri’s problems.
Veri needed to do away with the human boy.
It was Upír who had suggested it. Upír had told her sister to ride off into the forest and kill the human. It was the first solution to a series of problems that Veri had been facing. Murder was better than having the queen of a kingdom wasting away and leaving the rest of her subjects in a state of entropy. That is what Upír believed when she saw her sister in the state she had been in.
But now she was no longer sure. Her sister had not been gone from the kingdom for a day before Upír became suspicious. She could feel that something was missing. Upír herself was not made to rule. She could be by her sister’s side as a guide and an aide, but there was too much dishonesty and disloyalty in this realm. Veri was much stronger than she was. Upír needed her sister now more than ever. Within the kingdom, she could sense the unease in the court. The people were on edge, either on the brink of war or the brink of madness. Everyone wanted to rule, and if that meant disposing of the queen and her younger sister, then so be it.
It was even more difficult because Upír felt completely alone here. She was unsure of any allies within this very kingdom. She could not do this without Veri.
“Your grace,” a voice from across the hall said. It was her cousin, Fampir. He was the only member of their family to have dark hair. It was black and long enough to be tucked behind his ears. His eyes were the same red as Upír’s. His skin was white and flawless, and his prominent jaw and cheekbones meant one could not mistake him for anyone other than a member of the Blood Moon royal family.
“You must leave now,” he said. His voice was unusually calm and steady. He was not rushing Upír. He walked slowly across the marble floor, his emerald robes dragging behind him.
Upír sat upright in her chair. She had been contemplating whether to leave the kingdom in search of her sister.
“Why are you telling me this?” Upír asked. There was suspicion in every word that she spoke.
“There are whispers, Upír. There is plan for an uprising. Without the queen, some members of the court want to overthrow her. They know she is not here, and the bloodbath will start with you.”
“How can I be sure that I can trust you?”
“Your sister murdered my father in cold blood,” Fampir gritted his teeth.
“He inserted himself into a throne that did not belong to him.” Upír shot up from her chair and glared down at Fampir. He did not flinch. He continued to walk until they were facing each other.
“I have no doubt my father deserved his demise, but he was still my father. I am only here because there does not need to be any more bloodshed from the members of our clan. I believe Veri will restore order if given the right opportunity. But she is weakened, and the members of the court have sensed this. They want to do away with her and rule this kingdom as a united government. None are aware that the other means to betray him in the end. Even the two of us conversing this way is done in secret. They do not know that I have come to warn you.”
Upír considered the words of her cousin for a moment. If what he was saying was true, there could have been a plan to kill her even before the queen returned. It would be chaos among the ruling class. Upír wasn’t sure how the rest of the kingdom would respond if there was so much happening within the main hall itself. Veri was the only one who could control the court. Even though she was a woman, the court feared her. She had killed the former king when they had all been too afraid to. She was clearly more powerful and a much better ruler than her uncle, but she was still a young vampire. She was a woman, and that meant the court felt that it would be easier to overpower her.
It was wrong for them to ever underestimate someone as brilliant as Queen Veri.
“Are you helping us to help yourself?” Upír asked.
“I am helping you so that we do not break out into a civil war. The government they hope to build will implode. There is no loyalty there. Veri would do much better without the likes of them, but we haven’t much time. Whatever they are planning for you, they plan to act soon. You must hide,” Fampir said.
“I may not be my sister, but I am no coward. I will not hide,” she said. Upír moved quickly past her cousin and toward the main hall to the entrance of the castle. Her shoes made faint clicks as she walked. She was moving so fast that she was almost jogging. She too was in a long robe. It was like the color of the marble around them. It was not a distinct white or grey or cream color but a union of all three. The fabric made the colors dance and change in the light when she walked.
“Where will you go?”
“I won’t say, but I also won’t be long. Do not let any of those snakes near the throne. Let them know that their queen will return.”
Upír did not speak again. She opened the door of the castle and stepped out into the day. The moons would be rising soon. She did not have much daylight left. She didn’t have much time.
She wasn’t sure where her sister was, but she needed to go to the one person who might—the one person who could possibly put a stop to the madness happening in the court of the vampires.
Upír had to meet with the elf king.
*****
Dende and Siluman were riding side by side in silence. It was impossible for them to speak about what it was they had just witnessed and what it was that they had just learned. Hexe’s death did not come quickly, but there was still some peace to it. There were lights coming from her veins as the other witches spoke the spell to capture Hexe’s magic in a bottle. Maaya had taken it especially hard. She had been willing to sacrifice her own magic powers in order to save her mother, but Hexe would hear none of it.
Now her blood was shining with flecks of gold and turquoise. As their horses galloped beneath them, Dende thought the words of the incantation to herself. She could not forget even a single word.
“With the purest blood,
As a generous token,
We sacrifice self,
With these words spoken.
A soul to keep,
A soul to return,
Remove this curse,
Let wickedness burn.
Restore this life
These words well versed,
Dispel this evil
Remove this curse.”
Dende memorized the incantation in the witches’ tongue. It was its most poignant when spoken in the language of the creature who had created the spell.
To Dende, she could not ride fast enough. She had only a few days to return to the kingdom in the mountain. It was getting up the mountain that would be the trickiest part. There were places where a horse would be unable to tread. There was no time to waste.
Siluman appeared calmer after the ritual. He asked her on multiple occasions if she was all right or if there was anything that she needed him to do. He had already done so much. All she needed was to know that he was by her side. And he had been. Every step of the way.
They had gotten on their horses the moment the forest was no longer too thick for them to be able to ride. Dende promised the witches she would return and promised that she would provide help or guidance whenever they needed it. Maaya had given Dende a bag full of mushrooms. It was a way for them to communicate with one another. Once planted, they allowed the witches to call on Dende if there was anything
that they would need. Dende would be able to do the same, though she remarked that there was nothing more she could possibly want from them after they had gone to such lengths to save her king.
But the elves now had allies—powerful allies. It was possible that the witches would even speak to the cave trolls. If there was a battle coming, there was a possibility that the witches and trolls would not be complacent. That fueled Dende to ride faster. She lowered the upper half of her body and shouted out for her horse to ride. He lurched forward, floating above the grass as fast as his lungs would allow. Siluman and his horse followed close behind.
“Up ahead… I see the peak of Kulmahamma,” Dende turned her head and shouted behind her. Sure enough, the mountain could be seen in the distance. The peak bent in a curve to resemble an upside-down fang. Nearing Kulmahamma meant that they would be at the foot of the mountain leading up to Dende’s kingdom within two days.
As they had done on their journey to the wood, they would sleep at the base of Kulmahamma and then continue on their way until they neared their destination.
“We are coming, Kainen,” Dende whispered as she rode. “Hold on. We are coming to save you.”
*****
When one disappears in the middle of the night in search of something, it is usually best that one has a plan. Upír had no such thing. She had no idea where her sister might have gone or what she was going to say if she found her. If she was unable to locate her sister on her way to where the mountain elves lived, then she would need to find the words to speak to Kainen. She hoped that he was as kind as Veri had described him. A potential war could soon be sparked and felt throughout all of the kingdoms, in part because of him. But without him, many of her own people would suffer because of an uprising. She could not take that chance. Veri told her to lead in her stead, and Upír was going to do just that.
But she was becoming weak as she went on her journey. She had packed nothing with her. Upír had fled. The members of the court were probably saying that she ran off like a coward when this was truly one of the bravest things that she could do. She hoped that Fampir was keeping the castle safe as she went away. If the court knew that he had warned her or that he was disloyal in any way, there was a chance that they could kill him and take control while both she and Veri were away.