by Larisa Long
He shakes his head. “You’re just a few seconds away from going in my glass.”
I shiver like I’m terrified. “Scary. So, I’m guessing since four powerful immortals wouldn’t normally hang together the humans have taken over your world and have done what humans do to everything.”
“Which is?” Risq can barely spit out.
“Muck everything up.”
Risq relaxes a bit.
“So, I fall in love with you, and what do you get?”
They look at Arc. He looks down at the ground and then back at each of them. “Freedom.”
“How long have you been enslaved?”
Arc looks down. “Centuries.”
“And how do humans control you?”
Again everyone looks to Arc to explain. He takes a deep breath. “They have powerful witches on their side.”
“More powerful than you?”
Arc nods. “Much more powerful than me. Lethal spells which prevent our escape, ensure our compliance and prevent us from harming humans unless ordered.”
I wait. “But that’s not all, is it?”
“If you fall in love with us, we can choose a dozen of our own kind to release,” Zash says.
Arc lets out a breath. “They are being held in a specially spelled prison that our kind haven’t been able to find.”
I nod. “And what happens if you fail?”
Blu sighs. “This is our last chance.”
“We’ll be put up for auction,” Arc says. “Any of the reigns can buy us and do whatever they want to us for however long they want.”
I take a deep breath. “So, how do we change that?”
Arc narrows his eyes. “That’s it? You’ll help us? You haven’t asked us what happens to you.”
I look to Risq. “You tell me. You won’t be shy or spare my feelings.”
Risq maliciously grins like he’s been waiting all his life to break my heart. “If you fall in love with all of us, one of us keeps you.”
“Like a pet?”
“Like a slave,” Risq says matter of factly. He leans very close to me so our eyes are only inches apart. “Trust me, human, no matter what you do to help us, I will make you suffer for everything. We all would.”
Zash shakes his head. “I wouldn’t. Nor will I allow that to happen.”
“Neither would I,” Blu says.
“And if I don’t fall in love with you?”
Risq taps his glass.
I smirk. “Your dream come true.”
“Impossible,” Blu quickly says. “You’ll fall for us.”
I notice they haven’t moved away from me. “Do you think I’m going to run?”
Arc sighs. “It has been the normal reaction for anyone to try to flee if they learn the truth.”
I glance back at the forest. “And what happens to them?”
Risq grins. “They wish I’d bled them dry. That’s after we get to know them in more intimate ways.”
Zash sighs. “Not all of us did that, thank you.”
Blu shakes his head. “You’re the only one who participated in that particular degradation.”
I watch Risq without fear which I think he admires.
“That he does,” Zash agrees.
Risq looks at the reaper. “What am I missing?”
Blu chuckles. “So many things.”
“So, what makes you think they’ll let you go?”
Arc’s eyes express worry. “Those are the rules.”
“Do you know of any who have left?” I wait as each of them glances to the others. “Any that rescued dozens of their own kind? From a prison no one has ever been able to find or even knows exists?”
Risq looks at Arc. “Tell me you’ve heard of that.”
Arc shakes his head.
I frown. “So you follow their sadistic whims on the hope they’ll actually be true to their word? Humans? The same ones who have enslaved you? Tortured you? And killed many of you?”
Arc shrugs. “We don’t have a choice.”
“We won’t take a chance they have others we could help.” Zash steps back. “We’ve played their game for so long. We won’t endanger lives.”
Blu puts his shake down. “What if she’s right?”
Chapter 6
“Of course, she’s right,” King Pole says, as he stomps into the castle. “Oh, I forgot to mention. I’m back.”
I sigh. “Hasn’t it only been like ten minutes?”
Arc clears his throat. “Actually, my Queen, it’s been thirteen days since the auction. What do you mean she’s right?”
Thirteen days? That’s thirteen years in my world. Every minute here makes my world drift further away.
The King smirks. “You actually think we’d let you go? Each of you is broken and knows how to please us.” He laughs longer than any human could or should. “My gods you are naive.”
The King looks at the four and snaps his fingers. They start to bow, but I jump up. “Don’t you dare bow to him.”
The King glares at me. “You do not give me orders, little girl.”
“Sh …” I hold my hand up to silence him. “Risq.” I wait until he looks at me. “Is this world like chess?”
He shakes his head. “I do not know what you are asking.”
“Yes,” Arc says quickly. “The Queen has all the power. The King is virtually powerless.”
I smile. “Awe. Sucks to be you, King.”
“What does that mean?” King Pole steps back from me. “Tell me Queen, which is your favorite?”
“Who says I have a favorite?”
He laughs. “Oh, they all have one.” He looks at Blu who tries to hide behind me. “It’s usually the faerie with all the chocolate. Plus he tastes like sugar. And the things he can do with his tongue.”
I cringe. “Can you go five seconds without saying something douchebag creepy?”
The King moves towards Blu.
“The vampire,” I say quickly. “He’s my favorite.”
Risq looks at me with the most bizarre expression.
The King studies Risq. “He’s handsome and all. Fantastic in bed.”
I roll my eyes. “Wish I had a watch to time you in between douche comments.”
“But why in the worlds would he be your favorite?”
I grin. “He’s the most violent.”
Risq widens his eyes. “I did not see this coming.” His grin becomes sadistic. “Is that an order my Queen?”
I tap my chin as if I’m thinking. “Should it be?” I look at Arc who motions that it’s up to me. Zash stares at me without expression. And Blu looks longingly at his abandoned cupcakes.
“Will there be repercussions?” I ask Arc.
He thinks. “No, he threatened you, and he threatened us who belong to you. You have every right to retaliate. And you’re right, Risq, I hadn’t intended for this.”
The King guffaws. “Are you seriously going to take orders from this new reign? What is she fifteen?”
“Hello,” I stomp my foot. “I just turned eighteen.” I glance at Arc. “I still need that party.”
The King grins at me again. “I don’t believe you’ll order them to harm me, and I’m going to break you in ways you couldn’t comprehend in your worst nightmares.” His gaze starts at my eyes and slowly travels down to my boots. “You look very breakable.”
“I’m in a foul mood.” I nod to Risq. “Sure, let’s make that an order.”
Risq grabs the King before the disgusting man can blink. “This is for all the degrading things you made us do.” He sinks his teeth into the King’s throat and bleeds him.
After a few seconds, Risq steps back, wipes his mouth and nods to Zash.
The King falls to the floor in a heap. The reaper’s eyes turn silver as he chants something I can’t understand. Zash breathes in a dark cloud that leaves the King.
As soon as he’s finished, Zash leans back and sighs. “That wasn’t unpleasant.”
I step back.
&nb
sp; Arc helps me sit down. “Are you alright, my Queen?”
I can’t stop shaking. “What just happened? I felt this power surge, and I just wanted him to suffer.” I look at the King’s body. “Did I do that?”
Risq wipes blood from his hands. “You ordered it, but I killed him.”
Arc grabs my hands. “I allowed it.”
Zash sits down next to me. “And I took his soul.”
“He had one?”
Zash winces. “It was dark, but it was there.”
Blu sits down on the other side of me. “And you saved me from …” he shudders. “The last time he looked at me like that … I couldn’t do that again. Not now. I am yours, Mera.” He looks into my eyes. “I do not want anyone else touching me.”
Arc kneels in front of me. “You’re one of us now, Mera. You’ve made it through the trials and temptations without a hint that you’d betray us or run. You stood up to Risq which no one does. Zash was right. You are the one. You truly are the Queen.” He smiles.
He jumps up and starts to pace. “But I never in my calculations ever dreamed you’d claim us or order that …” Arc motions towards the King’s body. “This changes everything. You’re truly our Queen. Congratulations, Mera. We belong to you now. Officially.”
“So what does that mean? I fall in love with you and become a slave?”
Arc shakes his head. “No, I think everything’s changed now.”
Zash smiles. “Told you I’d never let anything happen to you.”
“So, why do I still have to fall in love with all of you?”
Blu grabs his heart. “That hurts.” He winks. “I’m a sugar faerie who will keep you always supplied in chocolate.”
I ponder that. Things could be worse.
Chapter 7
Arc clears his throat. “Perhaps I should be first.” He puts his hand out to me.
“First for what?” I’m afraid to ask. “Nothing creepy, is it? Nothing weird? Nothing freaky?”
He almost blushes. “To get to know me since you have reservations about me.”
I nervously take his hand. He tries anything, and I’ll use my cool gothy boots.
He grins. “There will be no need for the boot protection. Should we proceed outside?”
“Not back to town again?” Those creatures could still be under Blu’s spell and be writhing around with each other. I grimace. “That would be too stressful.”
“No.” Arc slowly grins. “Close your eyes.”
I hesitantly close my eyes and tense my body waiting for something.
Arc leans close to my ear. “Okay, my Queen,” he whispers. “Open your eyes.”
I slowly open my eyes waiting for something to growl or lunge. I can’t believe what I’m seeing.
“Isn’t this like your grandparent’s farm?”
I spin around. “How did you?” Pigs. Goats. Cows. Chickens. Guinea hens. Barn Cats lounging on the roof of the red barn. A collapsing, fading yellow picket fence with several pieces missing or bent. The old oak tree. The swing set. Even the smell of apple pies grandma used to make direct from the apple orchard grandpa planted.
Arc smiles. “A good memory? I’m hoping.”
I brush tears from my face. I can’t say anything, but I nod.
Blu spots the swing set. “Cool!” He runs over like a five year old and starts swinging higher and higher.
Zash touches my shoulder as he passes by me to head to the animals. Risq lounges under the old oak and watches me.
I look at Arc. “You’ve got mad skills, witch.” I take another whiff of the apple pie aroma. “Grandpa planted a different orchard for each of us when we were born. I got apples. For my brother, peaches. For my sister, lemons. Totally matches her personality. A sour soul.” I stop to look at Arc. “How many days has it been now?”
“Twenty-two.”
I cringe. “Does that mean it’s really been twenty-two years back …” I want to say home, but I know I don’t belong there anymore. “Back where I came from?”
Arc nods. “I’m sorry, Mera. But, yes. Their lives have proceeded without you.”
I close my eyes. “My sister would be thirty-seven now.”
Arc shifts positions. “She became a lawyer like you were going to be. She is married with three children.”
I gasp. “Sour soul with children.” I shudder. “And my brother?”
Arc hesitates. “He was a decorated soldier. He died a hero saving others.”
In an instant, Zash is beside me with his arm around me. “It’s okay, Mera.”
“My parents?”
Arc closes his eyes like he’s seeing something. “Retired. Enjoying their grandchildren. They are adjusting to your brother’s death. They are as happy as they can be.”
I open my eyes to look at Zash, but he’s back with the animals.
Arc studies me. “Why do you not trust me?”
I look into his tossed hair and deep brown eyes. He’s gorgeous. But there’s something in his eyes. I want to trust him, but he’s hiding something. “Were you born a witch?”
He sighs. “Possibly but with very little actual powers.” He motions for us to walk. We pass Blu who is devouring an apple pie.
Blu smiles and motions to the pie. “This one is my favorite. The first was a bit tart. The second had too much cinnamon. The third was like the forth and sixth. The fifth was just …” He squishes his face. “Not good, but this one is perfection.”
Arc whisks me further away from the others. “I was born a long time ago in either France or England. I’m not sure which.”
I gape at him. “You weren’t born in this world? You were human?”
He puts his finger over my lips. “Not quite so loud. Blu and Zash know, but others don’t.”
“Then how did you get here? Kidnapped like you did to me?”
His eyes sadden. I hadn’t meant it so matter of factly, but the words spilled out.
“There was a powerful witch from here who found those of us in our world who had certain gifts.” His eyes find the ground, and I’m not sure if he’s sad from the memory or what I asked him.
He looks at me and attempts to smile. “Her own children had died, and she wanted to give her gifts to those who had some powers.”
I nod. “So, she kidnapped human children.”
“Yes.”
“Can you just spell me to fall for you if that’s what you need?”
He frowns at me. “I wouldn’t force you to feel anything you didn’t. And things have changed.”
“But you still need me to fall in love with all of you?”
Arc nods. “I think so. We’ll be more powerful together. Bonded to face what’s coming.”
With movement so quick I couldn’t even see, he kisses me. The kiss lasts only a few seconds, and there is little feeling behind it. Like I’m kissing a tree or a statue. Even Arc feels that. “Sorry.”
Awkward. I look around at the farm. I don’t know if the weirdness is because of him or me or—
“It’s not you,” Arc admits. He hesitates like he is desperate to tell me something.
Say something. Do something. Get out of the awkward. “Are they real? The animals?”
Arc nods.
I glance at Blu who is probably on his eighteenth pie.
“Twentieth,” Blu shouts out. “Definitely my favorite so far. The sixteenth and eighteenth were too much like the fifth.”
I turn my back to the others and gesture at Arc to write something.
Arc immediately produces a pen and paper.
I ask him: will the others know what I write here?
Arc shakes his head.
Are you hiding something just from me or from them too?
Arc takes the pen and paper and begins to write. What I’m hiding … I promise, I will not allow it to harm you. For now, that is all I can admit.
I read his words and nod. “Then that will have to be enough.”
The paper and pen disappear as quickly as they appe
ar.
Blu and Zash are in front of us in a second.
“Someone’s here,” Zash says, as he looks at me with worry.
Arc grabs my hands. “Close your eyes.”
Chapter 8
Back inside the castle, two men in all black uniforms wait. One’s short and one’s tall. That’s about their only distinction. Arc steps in front of me to greet the men.
The men grunt, and one of them shoves Arc out of the way. “Queen Mera?”
I nod.
“The same Queen Mera who ordered your lowborns to murder King Pole?”
Yikes.
Zash grabs my arm. It’s okay. Just answer honestly.
Remember, be a Queen. No asking. No hesitation, Blu reminds.
I stand up as straight as I can. “Yes. I’m Queen Mera …” I flinch when I hear myself say those words. Queen? Still sounds weird. “And that King threatened me.”
I wait, but the officials stare at me with the blankest and blandest expressions. I didn’t know anyone could look so blah.
Blu shakes as he tries to suppress a giggle fit.
“He disrespected me.”
Still no response.
“And threatened …” What do I call them? I’d rather yank out my own spleen and chow down before I use that horrific ‘lowborn’ word.
Zash grins at me.
Still can’t get used to the mind reading.
Zash shrugs his shoulders.
Blu’s wing corrals some loose hairs back behind my ear.
“He threatened my immortals.” How’s that?
Blu and Zash both nod.
The officials don’t register anything. There’s no emotion. No blinking. I wonder if they need batteries or something.
Blu chokes and clears his throat.
I try one more time. “He was a straight up one note full on asshole who needed to be put down. It was only a matter of time.”
The tall official snickers. “Well said.”
“He was hideous.” The smaller one takes out a piece of paper. “Please sign this.” He hands me something with official seals, markings, symbols, and a language I’ve never seen before.
Arc grabs the paper before I can take it and reads it.
The official men clear their throats.