by Jaymin Eve
“What happened, Arianna?”
Calista looked pale. She was clutching her tablet hard enough to crack the screen. She must have made one of the guards carry it in case she ended up needing it.
“Finn and I saw something odd in the park … it kind of looked like Ragnar, the queen’s lynx.”
A multitude of expressions crossed the faces around me and I knew they were wondering if I’d suffered some sort of brain damage as well as blood loss.
“We followed it for a bit, just to see if we could figure out what animal it was. Only it disappeared … or was never there … I don’t know. Then Finn scented an old magic and was following the trail. Led us right to a small lake off to that side.”
I pointed back the way we’d come.
No one spoke as I finished the story. More than one looked confused at my mention of an ercho. That name was not familiar to most, like it hadn’t been to me.
Calista was smashing her finger into her tablet, bringing up one page after another at a rapid speed. She finally said: “Looks like Finn was right. The creature you describe, which goes by many names, including ercho, Hellion, guardian of the deep, and a few others, is said to be the creation of the dark lord. Originally from the Otherworld, his master was exiled, and in his exile built a land of darkness.”
I shook my head. “How is this even possible? Dark fae …”
Calista pursed her lips, tilting her head a little. “We shouldn’t jump to any conclusions yet. This is a very old story – legend, myth. It is said that the fae exiled him before the mecca was even formed on Earth.”
So well before shifters and the like even existed. Calista didn’t know the information Gerald had told us at the dinner that night, no one did, which was probably why she was even more skeptical than me about the possibilities of a fae attack. I was starting to worry though. Was this some sort of weird coincidence? Or the beginnings of a larger scale attack?
“I will send guards to the lake,” Ben said, signaling to the shifters around us.
I nodded, not worried for their immediate safety. That thing was long gone, but maybe there was some other evidence there we had missed. “Do not go with less than a group of ten. It is strong. I would never have survived without Finn.”
If my familiar had been any other wolf, they would have crowded into him and given pats and hugs. But he was not a normal wolf. He was so much more, to be respected and feared. No one touched him but me and Violet.
Calista started to usher me out of the park then. “We will continue to investigate this, Arianna, but if we don’t head back you’re going to be late for your own coronation.”
I sucked in deeply. With all the drama I’d pretty much forgotten I was supposed to become queen of all the wolf shifters today. Who would have thought there would have been anything else that could have taken my mind off that. Guess a demon bat would do it. Just another thing to add to the list of strange goings-on in my city. The mecca energy was shifting in our world, dark forces emerging, and for once it was not anything to do with us wolves. It was so much bigger than us. Big enough to destroy everything.
Chapter Nine
The crown of mecca.
Despite the craziness of the last few hours, I was still nervous as I stood in the large hallway that led to the grand ballroom, waiting to be crowned queen. The coronation was about to commence, and I was more than dressed for the occasion. My dress was a mix of different materials, mainly silk. Hundreds of layers of tulle pushed the dress out in a bell shape, blood-red at the corset, before fading to black at the hem. New black titanium arm guards, inlaid with rubies, had been made for the occasion.
Although I wasn’t one for dressing up in ball gowns, I really loved this dress. Calista had chosen well – a combination of styles which actually represented who I was as a person: modern and edgy but with tradition bleeding through. The new queen always wore a mixture of her house color and black. The black was to signify the mourning of the old queen. It was respectful and I felt pride at being able to reign and keep the red house alive.
A noise at my back had me spinning to find my advisor there. Calista wore a tailored black pantsuit with red silk blouse underneath. Her tablet was clutched tightly in her hands and her eyes were leaking tears.
“Don’t cry,” I told her. She’d been a mess from the first moment she saw me in my dress. Everything seemed more potent too after the park. I could have died today. Any of us could have if that creature had attacked them, but I had no doubt it had been lying in wait for me. I wasn’t directly linked to the mecca yet, but I was the rightful queen, and if it had taken me out the loss would have been great – though not as devastating now that Selene was the spare heir. Still, the attack had been direct and targeted. Someone was targeting royalty, trying to wipe out the power structure here, and I intended to find out who and stop them.
Calista cleared her throat and wiped the tears. “I’m just proud of you, that’s all.”
My heart pinched. When my mother died five years ago, Calista had picked up the slack and attempted to fill the empty place in my heart. I reached out and squeezed her hand. No words were needed.
At that she went into business mode. “I meant to tell you this morning, but then Violet had her brilliant idea and the park thing happened, but the palace craftsman have been working all night with Sabina and Violet to fashion you a new crown and throne.”
I frowned. “Oh, I had assumed I would wear the same crown as the Red Queen.” I don’t know why I thought it was inherited, but had figured it was simply passed to the next queen.
Calista looked aghast. “Never! Each crown and throne is magically made for the queen. It is special, a place of power for her.”
Okay then. I nodded. I loved the ruby-inlaid crown the late queen wore. It was stunning. But I’m sure mine would be just as nice.
A throat cleared in the doorway and I looked up to see Derek and Torine.
“Your Majesty, the ceremony awaits,” Torine said with a deep bow.
Torine … bowing to me. Crazy.
Derek, who was looking extra refined in the black royal guard uniform, let his eyes roam over my dress. His cheeks reddened when I caught him.
“Let’s go,” I said, my voice lowering as nerves got me.
The large great hall would be packed with wolves from all over New York City, and the ceremony would be televised to the shifter world. I was still most nervous for the part where I linked up with the mecca and harnessed the energy to my people. The queen’s death had shaken the power structure and my coronation would fix it. I knew it needed to be done, but I could trust nothing was going to go as planned with the mecca. Too much strangeness was afoot.
Before I knew it we had reached the large double doors. Two guards stood to each side. They bowed deeply before swinging the doors open, and all of a sudden hundreds of eyes were on me.
“Good luck, Your Majesty,” Calista whispered, and then she was gone. So were Torine and Derek. I was just standing there with all of these people looking at me. I had always been nervous in large crowds, and hated public speaking. Becoming queen was probably not the best choice for all of that. Oh well.
A booming voice resonated around the hall: “Her Majesty, Queen of Wolf Shifters. Long may she reign!”
“Long may she reign,” hundreds of voices echoed back.
Shoving my anxiety down, I held my head high as a violin began to play. Walking slowly down the red velvet aisle, I nodded and smiled to the wolves in attendance. As I got closer to the front I realized with everything that had happened I had completely forgotten about the bear king. Only when I saw two rows full of hulking figures, and caught the unfamiliar earthy scent, did I remember. The king and his royal guard were here. I scanned those two rows, prepared to meet the king’s eyes and offer the first smile – make sure we started our new relationship off right.
I spotted Gerald first and gave him a smile. I was relieved by his head bow and genuine grin. I moved to the male nex
t to him, expecting it would be the king. This male had his huge back turned, speaking to one of his guards, but I could see that his black jacket bore the royal crest, and perched in his dark hair was a golden crown with green jewels. The energy of the mecca was clearly pouring off him, strong enough that I half expected to see waves of power threading through his hair.
As I was nearing the front where Sabina and the council were waiting, the king turned from speaking to his guard and his attention zeroed in on me. The moment our eyes locked all air was knocked out of me.
No. No. No. That wasn’t the king! It couldn’t be.
He gave me a lopsided grin and a wink. I nearly stumbled over my dress but caught myself at the last second. That damn bear gardener wasn’t a gardener at all! My jaw clenched as the realization hit me. The bear king had kissed me. Oh crap … if anyone found out, my people would revolt. I could lose the crown, or my life. That damn bear.
Did his people have the same rule as us? Would he use this in an attempt to blackmail me into an agreement? I had a feeling our first meeting after the coronation was going to be interesting. I just had to hope he kept his big mouth shut, otherwise things were going to get very rough for me. I had reached the front now, and stood before Sabina and Violet. They both clasped a large wooden box, which pulsed with mecca energy. Shaking off my thoughts of the bear king, I forced myself to focus on the task at hand.
I turned to my people and raised my arms high. They burst into cheers and clapping. I decided to ignore the king for the rest of the ceremony and just focus. This was my day. My eyes scanned my people, and when they fell on Selene in the front row they sharpened a bit. I was pleased to see she hadn’t brought Larak. My email had been understood, loud and clear.
The side door to the hall opened and Calista walked in with a regal-looking Finn. He was dressed in his finest battle armor, the metal clinking as he walked. Pride surged within me as the crowd gasped. There was an old saying: “A queen is only as strong as her familiar.” Finn made me proud, he always would. Not only was he the largest familiar on record, he was fierce, proud, and kind. He had a heart twice the size of any other, literally and figuratively. I was beyond blessed.
As he took his place beside me I found myself wondering what the king’s familiar was, and why wasn’t it present today? Or that day in the garden? And why the hell was I still wondering anything about that lying, kissing bastard? He had pretended he was the damn gardener. He caught me trying to break into his own house and never even said a word about being the king. And how the hell had he managed to hide his mecca energy from me? I quelled my urge to stride across the space and slam my fist into his throat.
His grin widened then as if he’d heard my thoughts. I breathed deeply, trying to convince myself war just wasn’t worth it, no matter how satisfying.
“Greetings, everyone!” Torine’s voice shook me from my thoughts and I stood at attention. “At the fall of one day, we have the dawn of another. Arianna of the red lineage will be stepping in as our new dawn. Long live the queen. Long may she rule.”
The crowd roared their approval and I couldn’t help but smile. Not only was this a truly historic moment – many shifters had never seen a coronation – the dynamism in the room was beyond anything I’d expected. I could feel the energy of my people. More than just when I was alpha of the Bronx – so much more.
Torine walked over to me, holding a worn book. The Covenants, the Bible of our people.
I placed my right hand on it and my left hand over my heart.
“Your Majesty, do you take a lifelong oath to lead our people, to protect them and keep them strong by funneling the mecca magic to them?” His voice was strong as he said the words with conviction.
“I do!” I said loud and strong. I wanted every single person here to hear my voice.
Torine nodded. “And do you swear to keep our race pure by breeding only with wolf shifters and produce an heir in the future?”
I gulped, faltering for a moment. I didn’t remember that covenant. “I do!”
“And lastly do you swear to put your life before those of your people, no matter what?”
I nodded. That was an easy one. “I do.”
Torine smiled. “Then please take a knee and be crowned queen of the wolf shifters.”
My heart was hammering in my throat as I knelt, and Violet and Sabina moved forward; my friend lifted the lid of the box. The second the contents were visible, I gasped. A beautiful silver crown was nestled inside. It was simpler than the Red Queen’s, but to me far more beautiful. Instead of rubies, the swirls and arcs of the silver were inlaid with purple mecca crystal. Most of the shifters wouldn’t know what gem the purple stone was, but after the second task I would recognize mecca stone anywhere. Had any queen ever had a mecca crown? Was it Violet or Calista who had made this happen for me?
Sabina and Violet lifted the crown from its box and I wondered if it pained them to do so. Maybe that’s why Torine didn’t crown me – he couldn’t.
The moment it touched on my head I felt a wave of dizziness before power surged through me.
“I now pronounce you queen.”
Torine’s voice carried, and in unison the entire crowd replied: “Long live the queen!”
I didn’t think I would ever get used to that. My eyes flicked to the bear king. He had his eyes locked on me. The mirth he’d displayed earlier and during our meeting in the garden was now nowhere to be seen. His huge body was tense, and something strong was rolling across the metallic bronze of his eyes.
I was distracted by Torine crossing to my side holding a small dagger and the magical golden cup. Here came the truly scary part. I would now be linked to the mecca, to part from it only in death. I had to remind myself that I was born for this. Whatever it took to harness the mecca was flowing through my veins. I just needed to relax and let it flow.
I unhooked one of my titanium cuffs and displayed my wrist. Torine gestured to Finn. “I need him to do it first.”
Finn needed no encouragement; he would always be the braver of us. He lifted one paw to Torine. The council member knelt and took a substantial blood sample from Finn before then moving to me. The blade slicing my arm barely hurt; it was when the blood dripped into the cup that I began to feel a tingle, a burning throughout my body. I hadn’t been alive long enough to have ever seen a queen crowned, but I did know from rumors that linking to the mecca was tiresome and a bit painful. The attack in the park today had already left my body and energy strained, but I would not fail. I would be strong enough.
Once the cup was full and magically drained, Torine stepped aside and I was hit with a magical force so strong it knocked me backward. I crashed onto the ground panting as a visible purple haze ascended up through the stone floor I was lying upon and wrapped itself around me so tightly I couldn’t breathe. Finn was panting beside me and nuzzling me with his head. I couldn’t think … couldn’t communicate with him.
“Something is wrong! It’s too much,” Violet cried out. Her voice was muffled through the haze choking me.
My brain began to hammer with sharp pains; my eyes watered and I sensed the distress of the crowd. This wasn’t normal, this was going to kill me. I was sure of it now. I felt a wetness fall from my nose and reached up to find it was blood. Barely conscious, I somehow noticed that damn bear as he took three long strides toward me. Derek got between me and the king, the tip of his sword resting against the king’s neck.
Gerald stepped in beside his king. “He can help her. It’s his gift,” he said fiercely.
Derek seemed to consider it. That’s when I whimpered like a puppy, because my insides were boiling hot. Derek took one look at me and dropped his sword. No point protecting me from the king, if the mecca was only going to kill me anyway.
The bear’s handsome face swam into view. Somehow he was able to brush aside the purple haze and reach me. He gently removed my crown and almost immediately some of the pain eased. Then he placed a big meaty hand on my ba
re chest and the crowd gasped at the inappropriate gesture. But the second his warm skin touched mine, the burning stopped, the heat lessened, the feeling that I was near death fled. With his eyes closed he took in deep breaths, letting them out slowly. The surge of energy slowed and started to move more rhythmically, almost like the king was filtering the mecca to me, acting as a shield. Instead of pain I only felt power. The purple haze that had settled over me had initially been so thick I could barely see through it, but now it was a thin, smoky sheen, which continued lessening.
The mecca was settling into my bones, my blood, and for the first time the true strength of it crashed through my mind. In that moment I wasn’t alone though, and the overwhelming power was shared between me and the bear, who still had his hands on me. It allowed me to adjust, and soon enough strength rocked my core.
After a few more deep breaths, the king opened those amber eyes and they were blazing, locked directly on me. My lips tingled as I remembered our kiss in his garden. He removed his hand and placed the crown back on my head. Then he helped me stand and gave me a slight bow.
“Your Majesty.” His gruff voice tickled my ears, sending shivers down my spine.
As he walked back over to take his seat, I was sure of one thing. The bear king had just saved my life.
Violet got to me first, and she barely even flinched as her arms wrapped around me. “The mecca is unstable. I’ve never seen it like this before.”
“We need to get her out of here,” Calista said. She was steps behind the magic born.
Torine hurried across. “Yes, the queen needs to be examined, to make sure she sustained no injuries.”
Everyone was talking over the top of me, like I wasn’t even there.