Chapter Thirty-one
I was about to take the mother apart when I saw the father stab Regina. At that moment, I knew what I had to do. I pulled out the small knife I kept attached to my thigh and flung it as hard as I could into Lynda. Her screams tore into the air. The knife went into her kneecap and out the other side, cutting off her leg in the process. I smiled as she got confused from all the blood loss and tried to put her leg back on. Her ruby red eyes jumped with confusion and no longer burned as bright as before. I turned my back on the mother to take care of the father. I jumped with accuracy and landed right on his back. He spun around in confusion and tried to fling me off his back. In his right hand, he still carried the Kareithian Dagger. It sparkled with red rubies and yellow sapphires. Regina’s blood dripped from the dagger. Jack Roth reached with his right hand to stab me, but I jumped off his back at the right moment.
His screams erupted from his throat. He stabbed himself in the back with the dagger instead of me. It was firmly stuck in the top half of his left shoulder.
“Idiot.” I muttered at him.
He looked at me with rage and tried to pull the knife out, but I jumped and kicked it further into his back. My strength pushed the knife fully into his backside. Shock filled his face and he fell hard on the floor. He didn’t move after that.
I ran over to Regina and gently picked her up in my arms. Thank goodness she put her hands in front of her heart! I scrambled to get Regina safely over my shoulder. She was light and I was to carry her to the balcony without help. Mylow assisted me with getting Regina off the third story balcony. I couldn’t stop the tears as we escaped the Law. I wanted to go back for Claude, but he wouldn’t want us to jeopardize our mission for his dead body. It was with reluctance that I gave the order to retreat. My group ran as fast as they could to the tree line. I saw many of my teammates and felt happy to see so many of us on the way back. We moved fast because the Law would regroup quickly and be ready for vengeance. I knew getting out of the town as planned was out of the question and I had to execute Plan B.
We met in our safe circle in the woods, a couple of yards from Regina’s house. The Law would regroup in minutes to pursue us. Claude, Attien, Syler, and Beau were visibly absent. I had to hold back my emotions as I surveyed the group. We knew not to ask about them for we took an oath before the mission to get Regina out at all costs, even if it meant leaving some behind. Though my feet wanted to go back for them, especially Syler, I forced the team to turn the other way. We were fifty feet into the woods when I pulled out a small glass vial with a cork stopper. It was the last of Kaylee’s powers and I saved it for this moment. One last time, we turned to see if any of our friends would come through the trees, but no one did.
With heavy hearts and bloody feet, we turned our backs on our comrades and I opened the vial. A bright blue light came out of it and it took us from Lee with our savior on my shoulder.
-----
The council of Whispering Woods sat at the long, gray stone table, ready for another update. The room was dark from the lack of windows in the underground kingdom. Long torches burned brightly on the walls as the council took their seats made of old cherry wood. The wood was no longer luscious and shining, like the chair, time had taken its toll on the council and the citizens cursed to the ground. The underground fortress was dark, musty, and the absence of sunlight hurt the people. Though they knew nothing had changed about Anna’s condition, the council was required to meet every month now for an update in their private chamber.
Six months passed since Sarah retrieved Anna/Regina from the house in Lee. The wound in her chest was deep and she lost of a lot of blood. When they brought her to ground, Anna was in a coma and hanging on to life. Everyone was upset. It took centuries to find Anna and here she was, about to slip away before they could look into her eyes. Her beautiful hair was no longer blonde but red from the blood. Her face was dirty and cut. And her hands! A large hole could not be missed in the center of each hand. They were a bloody mess and after Kaylee cleaned them, it looked as if she was missing half her hands.
“Has she woken yet?” Councilman Crown asked, though he already knew the answer. A long, silver beard hung from the elderly man’s face and moved delicately as he spoke.
“No sir, not yet,” The Pirate responded. “But she will. It’s been six months and her body has physically recovered from the injuries she sustained.”
“Yes, but will she know who she really is? This is the first time we have reclaimed the girl before Slider and his men could kill her. This is unknown for us.” Councilman Titus shook his head and jammed his finger into the center of the table.
The Pirate spoke out. “Kaylee said he can’t be sure if her memory will be intact. He doesn’t know if Anna’s spirit reunited with Regina’s body.”
“And what about the men we lost? Any confirmation of their deaths or capture?” A frail voice cracked across the table.
The Pirate looked at the man concerned about their army. Councilman Cassius Mile had been a part of this council for hundreds of years. He was worried about his son, Attien, who was still missing.
The captain of the guards, Via Corso, silently stood in a corner when she said, “Unless you give me permission to find them, they are still lost to us.”
“Gentlemen,” The Pirate said firmly. “Anna will wake. Her body didn’t reject Kaylee’s treatment and she still breathes. We don’t know who she will be. She could be Regina when she wakes or Anna. However, that is not the point. Regina breathes! Once she wakes, and she will, you will be restored to your power. The new Delengrad and Whispering Woods will be free from the curse. We’ll be free to join her in killing Judge Slider.”
“I want to believe that, but it’s been so long.” Councilman Crown said. “Slider and Borlock could be up there right now plotting to storm our lair and kill the girl, thus keeping us hidden the ground forever!”
“Calbus, please. Let’s not think that way. The boy is right, Anna breathes. Once she wakes, there is nothing stopping us from gaining our power.” Councilman Titus said reassuringly.
“What about Slider and his men invading our underground? Hmmm? They could be out there right now,”
“They would’ve come by now, Marcus. Besides, he stabbed Anna in the chest with the Kareithian Dagger, I’m sure they think she’s dead.”
“He’s right.” The Pirate interjected. “Slider would’ve come by now. The fact that we’ve been in hiding for half a year probably reassures him the belief Anna died. After all, she would restore us to the sunlight if she were alive, right?”
“Absolutely.” The council nodded in agreement.
“Then I think this matter is settled. We shall meet again about this matter in another thirty nights.”
The council agreed and moved on to other business
Chapter Thirty-two
In a room on the east side of the kingdom, Anna was tucked in a soft bed. Kaylee watched over her for signs of wake. He was exhausted and frail from healing Anna with his powers. The pale pink sheets were made of silk, Anna’s favorite. They were pulled up to her neck to keep her warm and cozy. Her delicate, tiny face peeked out of the fluffy pink pillows. There were candles lighting the room, giving it a velvety orange glow. The room was warm and comfortable.
A wind started to blow softly through the east side of the underground fortress. It started at the end of the empty, windowless tunnel. It came from an unknown source and moved through the tunnel to Anna’s room. When it came into the room, Kaylee sat up in alarm. He felt the breeze caress his face. He stayed still in his chair and didn’t move because he didn’t want to disturb it. Something stared at his face with such intensity, Kaylee had to look away.
The air moved from Kaylee to Anna’s bed and hovered over her for the longest time. He knew what was happening. Amazement nailed his feet to the floor and astonishment raced his heart to the point of an attack. The cursed elder began to cry.
It was
happening! It was happening!
The air stalled above the girl and swirled gently. It turned gray in the candlelight.
The elder dropped on his knees and cried uncontrollably as the gray matter poured itself into the princess below.
Chapter Thirty-three
It came at me like a bullet.
I woke up.
And I remembered.
To Be Continued…
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The Delengrad Trilogy Book Two
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Mary Ann Moody is the author to three books and many short stories. Her genre of writing includes young adult horror such as The Delengrad Trilogy. Moody’s first completed novel, Beautiful Blonde, is a non-fiction memoir. A writer since childhood, she creates many short thrillers and novels. She loves to read, play video games with her kids, and make fun of terrible horror movies late at night with the Pirate. She happily lives in Austin, Texas with the Pirate and their four wild children.
Connect with Mary Ann:
maryannmoody.yolasite.com
Twitter: @marygirlmoody
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LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/marygirlmoody
Crystal Maloney is a freelance graphic designer who lives in Charlotte, NC with her beautiful family.
Connect with Crystal:
www.crystalmaloney.com
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