Wicked Prince Charmings: Blue Saffire & Co. Fairy Tales

by Blue Saffire

  “You won’t be able to break it.”

  I swing around and come face to face with… me. He’s me, but his eyes aren’t the Varjit purple. They are the black that radiates both anger and hate.

  “You are too weak to break it. Just like you were too weak to protect your father.”

  His flame licks across his skin in a glowing white, until it reaches his hand where a sword flashes into existence. He wields it easily. Lifting the weapon, he points the tip at me.

  A sneer forms on his lips. “You’re not worthy of being a Ratnik. Nor are you worthy of being her savior.” He draws his sword to the side and shifts his position, braced for attack. “Now, learn your place.”

  I spin away from the wall right as he brings his sword down where my head had once been. His speed will be a trial, but I take my stance. I crack my neck and roll my wrist, while tightening my hold on the sword.

  “Indeed, I am weak,” I admit, while I reach deep for the thread of determination ingrained within. “But I will not fail in saving the one woman I love. I will not rest nor will I lose to my own fears. So come and show me the end of my potential.”

  With a cry of anger he attacks.

  Deci

  Someone is yelling at me. I try to move, but can’t. I open my eyes and find myself staring into black water that reveals my reflection. The image tells me something went very, very wrong.

  Suddenly, I’m able to move. I lift a hand to brush the surface, causing the water to flow like a waterfall, rushing around me. I release a gasp, rising up. I’m at a loss for words as I stand in the black space.

  Someone screams once more. I turn to my right to see a smaller, younger version of myself crying as she holds her wrist. She stares in horror as vines climb from the cut in her hand. Blood slides down her arms and her screams increase as she calls for her mother and father.

  “It hurt so much, you tried never to get cut again.” A soft hand brushes my cheek, forcing me to look away from the image of my past. “You were always in so much fear,” the person’s voice rings in my ears, but her face is shrouded in shadow.

  “Dec, you can’t keep doing this,” a familiar voice chides me.

  I gasp. Dad? I turn away from the shadow as little me melts into the ground and my father takes her place. His large figure as tall and comforting as I remember. The sleeves to his checkered button-down shirt are rolled up as always. His eyes are a soft deep brown as he smiles down at me.

  “Pa?” My voice cracks as tears well. I take a hesitant step toward him. “Daddy, is that you?”

  He gives me that soft smile that always made me feel warm inside when I was a child. “Of course, Dec, who else would it be?”

  Running, I launch myself at him. He catches me, immediately wrapping his arms around me. The familiar smell of wood and ink fills my nose.

  “I missed you so much,” I push myself closer to him. However, as my memories surface I become angry. “Why did you do that? Why did you have to play hero?” I demand pulling away from him.

  “No one would have blamed you for such a faulty structure. No one would have said anything if you hadn’t been a hero. You had a wife and family, how could you so easily let the curse get you?” I say, feeling the warm slide of tears on my cheeks.

  He had sacrificed himself to save a young novice designer when a sinkhole opened under the house they’d been building. A sinkhole, that hadn’t been found by the engineer.

  His eyes soften. “Because, if I didn’t push him out of the way he would’ve died.”

  “But instead you did,” I cry. “If you had just… you would be here.”

  “No matter how much I love you all, it wouldn’t have been right to abandon him. I wanted to be there for your mother, and you girls but… I would have had the guilt of letting an innocent die.” My father’s voice grows somber. “I made the choice. I took control of my destiny.”

  I can’t believe what I’m hearing. He took hold of his destiny? “Come here,” he says, placing both hands on my shoulders and speaking to me eye to eye like he did when I was a child. “I know it was hard, but nothing worth doing is easy. You have fought all your life to be nothing like your curse. Your mother accepted her curse as her fate, I couldn’t. Like me, you refused to be ruled by it. You have fought to be an independent woman, fought against the curse. Has that been easy?”

  I shake my head and wipe at my tears as they fall. “No.”

  “See, you have the power and you’re not alone.” He straightens, withdrawing his hands. He turns his head away from me, looking at something behind me. “Can’t you see him? He’s fighting for you. Now it’s time for you to decide. Are you going to run from your destiny or claim it?”

  I follow his line of sight and my mind jolts with a sudden awareness. The sound of swords clashing fills my ears. The darkness lifts as light encompasses the room and illuminates Radu to me.

  His body is battered, he’s covered in cuts and bruises. His right-hand presses against his side as he faces off with his enemy. His eyes fiery with determination as he holds his sword tightly.

  “Radu,” I whisper.

  “That’s my girl,” my father says.

  I step forward as the black world falls away, stopping as I become aware of the barrier keeping us apart. I look from left to right and reach out, pressing my hand to the cool surface. My breath fogs the boundary before my face.

  “Radu.” He doesn’t look at me. “Radu.”

  He doesn’t hear me as he dodges another blow from his enemy. An enemy who I realize wears the same face. He isn’t nearly as battered and broken as my Radu.

  I slap the flat of my hand against the glass separating us. “Radu.”

  “You must wait.” I whip around. The shadow woman is back. Her voice holds no emotion as she says, “Your prince must overcome his demons to win.”

  “Radu isn’t my prince,” I snap angrily taking a step away from the glass. “And I don’t need him to win me.”

  “The rules are the rules.”

  “The rules are stupid, let me go,” I demand, giving her my back and punching the glass this time. I bite my lip against the pain that erupts and pound again and again. “Let me out.”

  “Calm yourself,” she says, moving to my side. “A princess must calmly await her rescue.”

  “I’m not a princess,” I yell at the faceless creature. “Radu.” I scream when his body flies back hitting the glass. “No!”

  His blood coats the glass as he slides down. Desperate, I search the room for something, anything to help him. The shadow floats away from me, her weightless body moving aside to give view to the large wheel that spins slowly, turning unseen wool into string. The needle on the spindle is so sharp, my eyes zero in on it. My chest squeezes as I mutely shake my head in denial.

  Spotting what looks like a stone vase filled with roses, sitting near the platform I’d been lying on. I run for it and grab the vase. I lift it above my head and throw it at the spindle. The wood shatters, water and roses cover the ground. Bending down, I grab up the large spindle needle. Fighting my fear, I run for the barrier turning toward the shadow.

  I hold it tighter despite the pieces of wood piercing my hand from the spindle’s handle. I bring the sharp edge of the needle up to my throat. I draw the makeshift weapon closer. “Let me go.”

  She begins to flicker as she moves back and forth. “What are you doing? You mustn’t.”

  “Let me out of this fucking box or I will.” My breathing is rough and fast. I have to be freed. Radu needs me.

  “You are breaking the rules.” For the first time, anger shows in this thing’s voice.

  “My life isn’t some fairy tale, there are no rules except my own. And I’m telling you to release me,” I shout.

  Instead of following my command, she draws back. “I must return you to sleep, if you are unwilling to—”

  “Fuck it.”

  I don’t need to demand my freedom from some shadow. I’ll take it. Turning to the wall
of glass, I draw my hand back.

  “Stop!” Her protest falls on deaf ears. I slam the makeshift weapon against the barrier as it cuts into my hand. My blood splatters on the glass wall. A resounding explosion of light causes me to lift my hands up to block my face. “No!”

  A whooshing sound fills my ears as the false world explodes. My eyes pop open and for a moment, I’m confused as to where I am. The tight hold of vines that lay across my body as I lie on some type of platform registers in my brain.

  Panicking, I wiggle free, fighting against their hold. Once I break through, I quickly force myself to sit up. My skin drips with drops of blood as cuts open from the vines that surround me. Breathing heavily, I look to my right in time to see the clone of Radu lift his sword for a last blow.

  “Radu,” I cry out as loud as I can.

  Hearing my voice, he snaps his head my way. Something flashes in his eyes, causing my chest to swell. I don’t notice I’m holding my breath until, with a shout, he gathers his strength and transforms before my eyes.

  The clone stiffens. His eyes widen as he watches Radu change from a man to a black scaled dragon who’s open maw reveals rows of sharp teeth and an earth shattering roar. The very air ripples from the force of magic he releases. His reptilian eyes zero in on the clone. He launches himself into the air. Drawing back his paw, he slashes the clone down the middle.

  Landing behind the stunned clone, he stands human once more. The clone releases an eerie shriek as he explodes into ash. At the same time, the glass barrier shatters, raining down to the ground.

  Not caring that my skin tears against the vines, I get off the platform. I can’t run fast enough. “Radu.”

  My heart is in my throat as I throw myself at him. He places his arms around me, pulling me in. I breathe in his brimstone scent. His hold feels so much like home. “I thought… I thought…”

  “Shh, I’m here, I’m here.”

  Pulling back, I can’t stint my words. “I love you. I love you so much.” I shake my head. “but I… but I…”

  “No, Decima, this… everything that has happened,” he looks at me with so much love, my guilt grows. “It was meant to happen, because it was you and it was me. We overcame this.”

  “Radu, I couldn’t believe that our life… that my life is predestined.”

  “I didn’t either.”

  I look up at him through my lashes, my brows creasing. “You didn’t?”

  “No,” he says smiling. “I believe in you, you are my faith. In you, I have found not only my destiny, but the meaning to my existence. That is why to me, we are predestined.”

  He brushes my hair from my cheek so gently that I find myself in tears. “Shh, my love, everything will be fine.”

  “Yes, it will,” I say as I look up at him. “Because, I think I believe in you too and that means I exist because you do. I have faith because I have faith in you. My destiny is you. So, if believing in destiny means believing in you, then, I believe.”

  He pulls me in and claims my lips with a ferocity that takes my breath away. My arms wrap around his waist. We’re both unphased by the rumbling of the castle as it falls apart around us. Pieces falling away like the wall that used to surround my heart.

  I move my lips against his, taking and giving. Our hearts beating as one. Before I know it, we’re all that remains in the sky.

  The castle is gone and the vines have vanished. Radu’s wings are the only things keeping us above. Slowly, he brings us down, gently setting me on my feet. I can finally see the destruction that encompasses Radu’s home.

  “Deci.”

  I turn away from the shocking sight in time to see my sister rushing toward me. “Astro?”

  She throws herself at me, pulling me into a tight hug. “I didn’t think you’d make it,” she sobs, taking me completely by surprise. I pat her on the back as I take in the elders who follow her and stand watching her teary-eyed welcome. “Don’t you ever do that again. I swear to God, if you ever do something like this again, I’ll kill you myself.”

  I laugh humorlessly. “Yeah, absolutely, sis. I’ll be sure not to get kidnapped and have my blood used to trigger the curse again.”

  She slaps my arm. “Shut up.” Wiping her tears away she finally takes a step back.

  “Your brother still fights above.” I turn my attention to Lerian, who’s speaking to Radu. They lift their heads to the two figures fighting overhead. Instantly, my own issues fall away.

  “Radu. There’s something you need to know about Kraken. He’s being controlled by that guy.” I point at the cloaked man who’s dodging the attacks of three Drakin who I assume to be Ratnik guards.

  “What?” Radu and Lerian both share a look.

  “Yeah, it’s that stick in that asshole’s hand. He’s been using it to keep Kraken under his control. I think once it’s broken Kraken will no longer fight.” Hearing this Radu takes a step forward. “Wait, you’re not going back out there. Not in your condition.”

  He meets my worried gaze steadily. “I am Ratnik. It is what I was born to do.”

  Knowing I can’t stop him and it is useless to beg, I sigh. “Make sure you come back to me.”

  He gives a quick nod before he takes off into the sky. Astro comes to my side and lays an arm over my shoulder. “Don’t worry, if he can break your curse, he can surely defeat that monster with his brother.”

  I stare at Astro for a long moment. “What?”

  She quirks a brow at me. “Seriously? The whole making it out of the castle kind of means you’ve beaten your curse.”

  My knees go weak at the knowledge that my curse is finally broken.

  “Deci,” Astro shouts in alarm, but I wave her off.

  I’m stunned. Disbelief grips me. My curse… it’s really over.

  Radu

  Leaving Decima, I focus on my brother’s form as he avoids another strike from Kraken. He lifts his knee and slams it into Kraken’s stomach. Calmly reaching down, he grabs Kraken by the collar and balls his other hand into a fist, plowing it into Kraken’s neck.

  I wince knowing it is fatal blow. “Anaes.”

  He tenses but doesn’t stop his attack even as Kraken buckles in his hold. “What?”

  I pant through the pain from my broken rib or two. “Kraken is being controlled by the Magik User.”

  He pauses in his next strike. He releases Kraken and flips backward, coming to my side. He wipes the blood from the side of his mouth. His arms flex. “You don’t say. I wondered why he wasn’t giving himself time to breath.” He looks at me with darkened eyes. “So, what do we do?”

  I point at Cernlock. “I’ll go after him, keep Kraken busy for me.”’

  He quirks his brow, “Like I was already doing?” he grumbles. “I guess your plan sounds okay.”

  I bare teeth. “I’m tired and ready to spend the rest of this day in my home with my mate. Do you wish this over now or later?”

  He shrugs, rolling his shoulders. “I have to admit I miss this part of life.” Before he can finish his thought, Kraken attacks him. He grabs Anaes by the shoulders and lifts him up as he swoops away.

  I turn midair and fly toward Cernlock. I watch as Branem brings his large fist against the Magik Users shield. Branem catches my eye, I give a small signal with my chin. Seeing this, Branem begins to rain blows down on the shield.

  At the portal itself, Civic and Ghin ruthlessly attack. Their blades are invisible as they sing through the air, filling the sky with the irony scent of blood. The spill of life’s essence at their feet, tells me how they’re doing. Their grins are bright as they cut down the enemies who attempt to cast spells. Mercilessly they’re given little time before their hands fall from their bodies, followed by their heads.

  Cernlock lifts his staff. His eyes are wild as he looks down at the action below. “It is futile, rats. I am victorious,” he bellows his false sense of victory.

  As Branem drops out of the way, I rise up behind him. I lift my sword, my flame licking alon
g the edge. Cernlock cackles. “Your weapons do not work on me.”

  “This is my father’s sword.” His eyes widen. “Erono can cut through your weak barrier.”

  With a roar, I bring my sword down, feeling as it slices cleanly, not only through the barrier, but his body. A bright fire comes to life as the blade slashes through him. His body splits down the center. Eyes bulging and mouth gaping, his right side falls before his left.

  The short staff falls from his hand, the stone on top loses color. The terrible noise of the portal abruptly stops as it snaps shut. The gray sky is burned away by the sun. The land below is washed in its orange light. The silence is thick as I realize we have achieved victory.

  The sound of a yell has me looking over my shoulder as Anaes comes barreling down through the sky. He has his hands around Kraken’s throat. His aim clear as he picks up speed, in no time Kraken’s body is slammed into the earth below. The ground becomes a punctured quilt from the view above.

  “It’s over?” Branem asks, coming to my side.

  “Yes, and it would appear that we’ve only destroyed half of our home.”

  Branem shrugs and grins. “Better that than another boring mission protecting humans.”

  I grin and clap a hand on his shoulder in comradeship. “My friend, you do have a point there.” He laughs, the deep sound filling the silence. “Let us come to the ground, the others need to be told they can return to the surface.”

  “Yes, Ratnik.”

  We fly down to join Civic and Ghin. Neither seem fazed one bit by the wounds they own. Grinning, they push each other back and forth as they joke. Oblivious to the limbs of their foes that circle their feet.

  I land in front of my love. She throws herself at me. I allow my sword to shrink and return to my neck as I wrap my arms around her. Inhaling her scent, I take comfort in her soft arms.

  “You came back.”

  I rub my cheek against the top of her head. “Of course, I am Ratnik.”