by Sariah Skye
So, they did. Even me, I guessed.
Maxxus was less obliging, but he finally relented when Kiarra whined like a two-year old. He was very regal in his circlet and green robes. My heart fluttered at his attractiveness and in my mind, I reeled; feeling blessed that he was truly mine—in all ways.
My grandfather stayed behind to 'mind' the court, although there wasn't much to mind right now. Valessia and he were doing damage control now, and attempting to get everyone used to the idea Maxxus and I ruling. People still were not thrilled, but Grandfather's outburst the other day sort of rattled them; as well as me insulting Shazandre and Kreegan. I guess everyone was frightened by the idea of screwing a cactus. And, rightly so.
Finnian had two temporary portals that only he could summon set up in Anarach; one inside the palace, just outside the new official royal bedchambers, and the other in the courtyard of my family home. He claimed that being in such close proximity to me and my magic helped negate any Shadows that might try to hijack them.
We entered the sitting room together—Maxxus and I—and Kiarra was sitting on a random chair, hunched over her phone, thumbs flying a mile a minute. The door shut with a click behind us and Kiarra's gaze flew upwards from her phone.
She stood and bowed her head slightly.
“Ack, stop it, Kiarra!” I admonished.
She looked up at us and grinned widely. “Hey, I'd do it for any other king or queen. It's only fair I'd do it for you two as well.”
I exchanged an eye roll with Maxxus. “See what we got ourselves into?”
He nodded gruffly. “My first order as king is to declare that our friends do not bow before us, now or ever, because it is just too much to take.” He snapped his fingers and pointed directly at Kiarra with a smirk. “Understood?”
Kiarra giggled, waving him off. “Oh, stop.” She glanced between us and let out a little squeal into her palms, causing me to eyeroll yet again.
I crossed my arms over my chest and narrowed my eyes at her. “What?” I demanded.
She tittered again. “Oh, you just look so... official! So royal! I love it!”
Maxxus groaned as his left hand flew to the circlet on his forehead. He leaned over to me and whispered, “I don't think I'll ever get used to this.”
I snorted. “Hopefully, we won't be in this position long enough to get used to it.”
“Hear, hear.”
Kiarra's swooning over our new stature was interrupted by the crack of an opening portal. The air before us in the center of the room shimmered and split, and out stepped a rather un-composed Finnian.
His normally-carefully sculpted brown hair was disheveled, carelessly hanging in his eyes which were a dull gray today. His jovial expression was replaced with dark circles under his eyes and a frown that seemed to be chiseled permanently onto his face. We’d just seen him over a day ago, but after the reality of what had happened to his town had sunk in, the Loremaster was clearly distraught. I felt horrible for him.
“Leorah.” Was all he said. The former incubus' eyes showed all the emotion. His eyes flipped from the dull gray to an even deeper gray, indicating that he was deeply troubled.
“Finn.” A single tear pricked at my eye and I rubbed it away with the sleeve of my robe. Uncharacteristically, I ran to the Loremaster and gave him a light, comforting hug. You could feel the despair falling off him in waves, and it broke my heart. Finnian allowed himself a moment of weakness and sobbed ever so quietly into my shoulder; if you weren't a dragon with super-sensitive hearing, you probably would miss it.
I half expected to hear the possessive Maxxus growl behind me but, he stepped up to us and offered Finnian a gentle pat on the shoulder. “We’ll work it out, Finnian.” I glanced at my mate; he was clearly rattled, seeing the Loremaster in such a state of sadness. His mouth was set in a thin frown and the rest of his expression neutral.
Finnian sniffed slightly, before allowing himself to pull away. Though I had clearly heard him crying, his face didn't appear it at all. No tear stains, no flushed cheeks; he appeared composed as ever. I lifted a brow suspiciously at him and he chuckled. “Another incubus perk...a little glamour never hurt anyone I guess.” He held me at arm’s length, and a slight grin bent the corners of his mouth as his eyes flipped to a bright blue. He leaned in to me and whispered quietly. “That potion I gave Maxxus worked out well then, huh?”
A hand flew to my mouth and I began to gasp before I remembered who I was dealing with. I just chuckled at him, and blushed bashfully.
Maxxus caught wind of his words and instead of being shocked, he offered the Loremaster a wink.
“I don’t want to know,” I said, motioning between the two and Maxxus just smirked proudly, before composing himself to a serious state. I gave him a shove that wiped the smile off his face, momentarily.
“Are you bragging, ya douche?” I challenged with mock offense.
Maxxus pretended to gasp. “I’d never, your Highness.”
I groaned. “Ugh. Enough with that, King Pain-in-the-Butt. No bragging!” I scolded, glaring between the two of them and shaking an admonishing finger.
“Your secret is safe with me.” He smirked at Maxxus, one eyebrow raised playfully. “Did it work for the full eight hours?”
Maxxus’ mouth quirked into a grin. I glared at him severely and his smile promptly fell. I looked away and he said quickly, “Eight hours and then some.”
I looked up in shock at him, then at Finnian who grinned widely. I slapped my palm against my face. “Oh crap…”
“Oh Leo, stop. I’m an incubus. I can smell the pheromones from a mile away. I’m just glad it worked. And I won’t tell.” Finnian held up his hand in an oath of promise before his brief expression of joviality fell. “I am so very sorry I missed the ceremony and made you work that night.”
I reached out and clutched him comfortingly on the forearm. “It’s okay. You had other things to worry about.”
He nodded sullenly. “Still, you’re my friends and I regret not being there. But eventually I’ll make it up to you. Starting with that potion…”
I snorted and rolled my eyes. “I’m not going to ask any more about it. Let’s just get this over with,” I said, speaking more confidently then I felt. I was not looking forward to seeing Castle Danger in its Shadow state; not at all.
“Sona made it to you safely, I trust? Gabriel insisted on bringing her to you himself,” Finnian said. “Well, that and he was the only one she’d allow to touch her.”
I smirked. “Yes, she’s fine.”
“Right at home in the castle,” Maxxus finished with a laugh.
Finnian forced a smile. “I am glad to hear it.” He turned to me and spoke next with a serious expression. “I am insisting that you bring Kit back with you to Anarach. She’s doing well, but running herself ragged trying to help. I do fear that she risks relapse and no amount of coaxing by myself or Esmé is getting her to rest. Perhaps you will be more effective.”
I bit my lip worriedly. “Do you really think she’s that bad?”
Finnian sighed. “Daniel claims that her aura is still tinged with gray and black. Not much of it anymore, but it’s still there. It gets worse when she’s around the Shadowtouched though. She needs some time away and you’re her best bet.”
I nodded once. “Right.” I looked at Maxxus with a quizzical expression. “How do you think everyone will react to a human—a full human—over in Anarach?”
Maxxus stared stonily at me for a moment before reaching over and poking the tiara on my head. “Well, she’s not really human after all, is she? Everyone seems okay with Gabriel and Daniel. But as long as you don’t mind, I don’t really think it’s a problem.”
I let out a groan. “Right. Queen. I keep forgetting that.” I sighed and motioned to Finnian. “Well, let’s do this before I lose my nerve.”
Finnian pulled out a vial from the pocket of his worn blue jeans and screwed off the top. Before he tossed it to the ground he looked at both of u
s earnestly. “Brace yourselves. It’s pretty brutal in the daylight.” He didn’t give us time to react before he smashed it on the ground and the air around us fizzled and popped before it formed the portal before us.
Maxxus grabbed my hand and we stepped in cautiously behind Finnian. I was expecting the dizzying sensation of portal travel, but instead it felt like we simply stepped through a doorway. The scenery changed only slightly from dark to slightly darker as we stepped through.
“Um, I don’t think this worked,” I spoke out loud, as Maxxus and I gazed around with confusion. Aside from the lack of dizziness it appeared as if we were still in the portal.
Finnian’s silhouette outlined in front of us as he took a step back. “It worked all right. With help from one of the black dragons from your home and Esmé’s knowledge of potions we were able to create a more direct portal. It's quite efficient, don’t you think?”
I opened my mouth to speak, but just let out a confused noise.
“Finn, I don’t mean to be an ass but—” Maxxus threw up his hands and looked around us in the pitch-black darkness, “—it didn’t work. We’re still in the portal.”
Even in the dark, I swear I could hear Finnian frown. “Leo, shoot up a light ball, will ya?”
“Sure,” I said, not hiding my bewilderment at his request. The magic was second nature now and it required only a brief moment of tugging at the space inside before I opened my hand and a small orb of pure white light appeared, illuminating our surroundings.
Finnian stepped aside as my mouth fell open. I nearly dropped the orb when I cried out.
We weren’t in the portal at all; we were standing in the town square of Castle Danger. Only, there was hardly anything to see. The buildings and booths that once surrounded the open courtyard were either demolished or blanketed in the slimy shadow substance and entirely unrecognizable. Chairs and tables were tossed about; wood, and other building materials shifted slightly under the weight of the Shadow tendrils that remained. Even the atmosphere over us was completely opaque; effectively blocking out the sunlight overhead.
“Oh my…” I slowly stepped over to the overturned picnic table where Maxxus, Kiarra and I had eaten at not long ago. It remained the only item that was untouched by the Shadows.
A pair of strong hands squeezed my shoulders and the comforting presence of Maxxus anchored behind me. “Probably because you sat here with us for so long; you left your spirit imprint. They were unable to affect it.”
I wanted to reply to him, but couldn’t speak. Only a strangled squeak escaped my mouth; I was horrified by the outward destruction around me.
“I know… I know,” Maxxus leaned in and whispered faintly into my ear, his own voice quivering with emotion. He snaked his long arms around my upper body, resting his chin upon my shoulder. “It’s so much worse than the Court, somehow.”
“That’s because for all our magic, and resources, dragons still are inherently stronger both magically and physically.” Finnian spoke from nearby. “Humanoids are still very vulnerable to being Shadowtouched.”
I shook my head slowly. “I just…” Maxxus loosened his grip as I began to walk around slowly, trying to take in the massive destruction around us. I motioned to a wooden booth that was splintered in half scattered about. Raising my eyebrow, I noticed a handful of branches and silver chains flung about too. This was Esmè’s jewelry booth at the time of its demise.
“Kit had been helping her run the booth that day,” Finnian spoke with a resigned tone. “Esmé, being the resourceful alchemist she is, had a flask of fire with her and managed to toss it at—well whatever Shadow form was coming at them at that time. It set this entire section of booths on fire, but it did slow down the form enough for the dragons and sorcerers to kill it.”
“Good.” I gulped, pushing aside the thought in my mind of what it would have meant had Esmé not had the fire potion with her; Kit might have been killed or worse, succumbed to the Shadows once again. Yes, that would be a fate worse than death.
We walked a bit longer, taking it all in. The entire safe haven looked as if it had been burned to the ground by lightning; everything charred and broken in odd spots. It really struck me, though, when we hit one of the residential areas.
We stopped at a home, built entirely out of stone—not unlike the gray stone we used back in Anarach to build our homes. It was two stories and Maxxus with his earth magic assured me that it was buried well deep into the ground; a very deep, multi-tiered basement. It was probably the home of a family of dragons. I wondered if it belonged to that sweet dragon family we’d seen eating that one day at the market.
Maxxus hovered his palms over the side of the stone wall. This home had fared a bit better than the others. Stone was hard to crumble but it, too, like the castle was engulfed in the oily substance. It dripped off the overhangs slowly and formed snakelike tendrils before plummeting to the ground.
I flicked a handful of my light magic at it. The spot I hit hissed and fizzled before disappearing into thin air. I felt satisfied knowing that at least that bit of Shadow magic was no more.
“Do you know if they are okay?” I asked Finnian over my shoulder. I knelt beside a container garden of flowers that had wilted and browned; it was an elaborate set up of roses, ferns, and a bunch of others I didn’t recognize.
“Yes. They are okay, I believe; I haven’t seen them in a while, but I heard they escaped to one of the caves,” he replied tonelessly.
I let out a low breath. “Thank the gods.”
“Make sure they are evacuated to Anarach as soon as possible,” Maxxus commanded.
“I will.”
“Caves?” I gasped. “Prelate Yarrem! Is he—” I asked with concern.
Finnian shrugged. “No idea. But if anyone survived, it’s him. He’s resourceful.”
I nodded slowly. “Hope so.” I’d thought he was a little off at the time I met him but now? I wasn’t so sure.
Maxxus continued following Finnian around the small section of houses belonging to a fairy family, a mixed family of sorcerers and witches, and some gnomes. For some reason, I couldn’t help but dwell on the sad state of flowers. The pot was carefully painted with artful designs and everything was so purposely placed; you could tell these flowers were very much loved by whoever put them there. It pained me to see them drooping and in despair.
I didn’t realize what I was doing as I hovered my palms over the small garden and felt them warm comfortably. The heating sensation increased as I pulled my magic from deeper inside and the slick shadows dripped off and hissed away. The flowers began perking—I could recognize now some pink hydrangeas, some pink moss roses, a fern with pink points at the end of its greenery and some white lilies. The flowers stood tall once again, the paint on the pot bright and bold; a stark contrast against the blackened scenery around us.
“Leo,” Maxxus spoke quietly, and I turned to look at him.
“I probably shouldn't have, but…” I trailed off. It took virtually no energy to heal the flowers, and it gave me a little beacon of hope. It might take a month. A year, but I was going to heal and rid the entire town of Shadows even if it was the last thing I’d ever do.
Maxxus smiled. “Ah, I get that, but—” he pointed off in the short distance and I’d been concentrating so hard on the flowers, I didn’t hear Kit and her soft footsteps, walking very closely with a tall, broad shouldered, ebony skinned man with the most striking blue eyes I’d ever seen. They were speaking quietly but stopped when I stood.
Kit’s emotional face betrayed her and with only a brief glance at her companion—who I’d never seen before, but somehow looked extremely familiar anyway—and she ran quickly towards me closing the distance; her bright red robes swinging out behind her as she ran.
We hugged tightly. I know it’d been only a short time since I saw her last, and I knew she’d been fine, but it was surreal seeing her here, amongst the destruction, realizing just how close she’d come—again—to being very hu
rt.
She pulled back momentarily and poked at the tiara on my forehead. She grinned and winked. “Holy shit, you’re a dragon queen!”
I snickered giving her another quick hug. “Ugh, if only it was as glamorous as it seemed.”
“Oh, but it is. It can be, just you wait. Oh, I can’t wait to see this palace!”
Maxxus exchanged a hearty handshake with Kit’s companion. “I am Maxxus—”
“—King Maxxus!” Kit interrupted and corrected.
Maxxus chuffed. “Acting ruler for Anarach. This is my,” he paused briefly before speaking with a sort of awkward pride, “wife, Queen Leorah.”
Kit trilled with excitement. “Oh my god I wish I had been there!”
I chuckled and just elbowed her. “Stop. Hey, why are you acting ruler and I’m the full-fledged queen? What’s up with that?”
Maxxus grinned. “Because you’ve always been a queen to me.”
I exchanged a look of swooning with Kit. “Oh hell, right in the feels. Right here,” she said jokingly, pounding at the spot over her heart.
“You better stop, man, or you’ll make all the rest of us look bad,” spoke her companion. I eyed him cautiously.
“Have we met?” I asked.
He gave a small smile in reply. “Oh yes, I’m sorry. I forget, you’ve never seen me in human form. I’m Orion.”
I exchanged a shrug with Maxxus. The only Orion I had met was the—
“—You’re one of the goddamned unicorns!” I snapped my fingers and exclaimed. Then I slapped my own face and groaned. I just referred to him to his face as a goddamned unicorn.