The Queen's Flight (Emerging Queens)

by Jamie K. Schmidt

  “We think he gave himself up,” Reed said.

  “What did he ever do to Mei Hua?” Viola wracked her brains, but she couldn’t recall that he ever mentioned her.

  “Nothing that I know of, but she’s calling him a Queen Killer.”

  Ichiru and Jiro stepped closer to her.

  “Can she prove it?” Viola asked, a little creeped out by her Protectors.

  “That’s what we’re going there to find out. We wanted to take you with us—”

  “Let’s go.” Viola dusted her hands off.

  “But your condition complicates things,” Reed continued as if she hadn’t spoken.

  “Why?” The wind picked up on the boardwalk, blowing trash end over end across the pier.

  “Mei Hua has standing orders to shoot any dragon who tries to enter Greenland. But she owes Reed, so we were hoping that would stop her from shooting us down,” Carolyn said.

  “But it is a risk that we can’t subject a breeding Queen to,” Reed said.

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll subject myself. You can’t stop me,” Viola spoke over any protests. “I find out that the father of my children might have left me because he was being noble and not being a dickhead, and you think I’m going to sit on my thumb and spin while you go see if you can talk a Queen out of her favorite sport?” Viola ranted.

  “Favorite sport?” Reed asked tentatively.

  “Torturing studs. I’m coming with you, buster. And if Mei Hua thinks she’s going to keep Sergei and me apart, she’s going to have a bitter disappointment coming to her. I will mess her shit up.” Viola punched her palm.

  “You can take the girl out of Jersey, but you can’t take the Jersey out of the girl,” Carolyn said.

  “Damn straight. Now are we going to stand around here all day holding our dicks or are we going to fly?” Viola challenged.

  “The latter,” Reed said. “You four get a head start.”

  “Do you think just the two of them are enough?” Carolyn asked.

  Reed smirked. “These two are my best. They can handle anything that comes up. I would send more dragons if I wanted to make a statement. But for right now, we all need to keep a low profile. I’ll finish up here and catch up with you. I know I don’t have to explain to you two”—he addressed Ichiru and Jiro—“how precious the cargo is?”

  “No sir,” Ichiro twanged in his drawl.

  Jiro bowed.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Joachim came to the ice prison and stared through the bars. He tossed in a human sized, Egyptian-style gold collar attached to a chain.

  “Put that on. You’ve got visitors.”

  Sergei regarded the leader of the Order of Dragon Slayers. He stifled a yawn and turned away. “I’m not interested in your visitors.”

  “Very well, I’ll tell them you are refusing to see them. I hope the Queen doesn’t continue to confront Mei Hua. I would hate to have to restrain her.”

  “Which Queen?” Sergei sat up, but Joachim was already walking away.

  Hurrying to the bars, Sergei pressed his face to them and breathed in. Was he imagining the scent of orange pomander and autumn leaves? “Joachim. Get back here.” The only other Queen that would have an interest in his whereabouts was Cassandra, and she would have flown in here with a fanfare that he would have heard.

  Joachim sauntered back to the bars and pointed to the collar on the floor. “Put it on. You will walk ahead of me. If you attempt to shift, the collar will not break and you’ll snap your own neck.

  Once Sergei put it on, Joachim opened up the prison door. As Sergei stalked out, dragging the chain behind him, Joachim readied his trident. But when all Sergei did was wait, Joachim shifted to hold the trident in one hand. Clipping the end of the chain to the harness on his armor, Joachim tugged on it to make sure the connection was secure.

  “You’re lucky I can’t shift. I’d fly away with you until I found a mountain to bash you against,” Sergei said pleasantly.

  “Or until I climbed up the chain and disemboweled you,” Joachim returned with equal politeness.

  Sergei snorted. “You Dragon Slayers slay me.”

  “Maybe someday,” Joachim said.

  They walked in the freezing wind, neither of them flinching from the cold, toward the long halls of the ice palace where there was at least some respite from the bitter chill. He smelled her as soon as his nostrils thawed out, but her scent had changed—ripened somehow. The back of his brain registered Carolyn, too, but he was too eager to see Viola to spare any thoughts for the other Queens. He had been stupid to let their fight be the last thing they ever said to each other. There could be compromise. If Mei Hua released him into Viola’s custody they would have until the conclave to be together.

  Joachim jerked on the chain, snapping Sergei’s head back. A slow, burning rage filled him, but he refused to be cowed.

  “Slow down and kneel to the Queen when we’re in her presence.”

  Controlling his breathing, Sergei forced his fingers to uncoil and continued to the throne room, past the icy decapitated heads of the unlucky studs who’d come before him.

  “The prisoner approaches,” the guards up ahead shouted.

  “Sergei,” Viola said, and rushed toward him, only to be stopped by the Dragon Slayers crossing their pikes in front of her.

  His low grumbling snarl had everyone’s attention. Viola was wearing a bright pink fleece jacket and matching boots over jeans and a cream-colored turtleneck. Her blonde hair spilled over her shoulders, and he wanted to bury his face in the silky curtain. Her brown eyes shimmered with unshed tears, and splotches of red dusted her cheeks and nose.

  “It’s all right,” he told her in a low voice.

  “It is not. This cow wants to execute you.” Viola pointed at Mei Hua, who sat primly on her ice throne, playing with her three children who darted around her.

  The Order tensed at the slur to their Queen, but when Mei Hua didn’t raise her head the tension slowly bled out of the room.

  “I am guilty as charged. I killed Kira. The crime for murdering a Queen is death.” Sergei bowed his head. He wasn’t ashamed of what he did, but he was sorry for bringing Viola into this mess.

  “That was four hundred years ago,” Viola said. “And she probably deserved it.”

  She had, but it didn’t matter.

  “There isn’t a statute of limitations on murder,” Reed said. “And the penalty for killing a Queen is death.”

  Carolyn punched him in the arm. “You’re not helping.”

  “Why did you kill her?” Viola pushed past the pike holders, but they shuffled with her. She glared at them.

  “Where are your guards?” Sergei said, straining the length of the chain. “Is Reed your only Protector?”

  “You are my only Protector. Jiro and Ichiru are hanging out of range, but they can be here if necessary.” Viola directed that last bit toward Mei Hua.

  “No studs are allowed in Greenland,” the Chinese Queen said, staring at her nails.

  Sergei raised his eyebrow at her. Was she Mei Hua today or Kira?

  “Except for the condemned and Reed,” Mei Hua acknowledged.

  “Why is Reed so special?” Carolyn asked, crossing her arms.

  “Because he will be my consort.” Mei Hua was all sweetness and matter of factness.

  “The hell he will,” Carolyn responded.

  Joachim cleared his throat. “Normally, I would say that the Queen’s word is law.”

  “Thank you, Joachim,” Mei Hua said.

  “But, Reed is already a consort.”

  “If he’s not my consort, he’s condemned. Guards, seize him.” Mei Hua stood up, her seal fur robes drooping off her shoulders. She pointed with regal authority at Reed. Sergei recognized Kira in every gesture.

  “What?” Joachim’s shock rang out in the icy stillness.

  “Wait!” Carolyn said, throwing herself in front of Reed.

  “This is going to get ugly, Mei Hua. Is that wh
at you want?” Joachim asked, holding up his hands to pause the guards’ forward motion.

  “Why are they disobeying me? To disobey a Queen is death!” She wheeled on him, scales flaking off as she exploded into her dragon form.

  “We are human,” Joachim said. “We are not subject to your rules.”

  Mei Hua’s snarl was wild and feral.

  “What happened to you?” Reed breathed.

  “It’s the land,” Carolyn said, still clutching him. “It’s like breathing poison.”

  “The weave,” Viola nodded. “It’s damaged here.”

  “Damaged how?” Reed asked. “Are you two in danger?”

  “Of course not,” Carolyn said.

  Viola looked down and away.

  “Get out of here,” Sergei ordered.

  “Not until she frees you,” Viola said.

  “I will not free my prisoners,” Mei Hua said. “Bring Reed to my bedchamber. He will serve one way or another. Take the Queen Killer back to his cell.”

  It was interesting, Sergei thought. Because the Order of the Dragon Slayers were human, they didn’t have to follow her orders, but she had Joachim wrapped around her finger. If they were in Cassandra’s court, he’d be worried about Carolyn and Viola. But the Order wouldn’t harm a Queen without good reason. However, if Mei Hua didn’t watch out, she’d give the Order reason to look her way as a dragon who needed their special brand of justice.

  “Hold,” Joachim said. “Mei Hua, you know this is wrong.”

  “It’s not Mei Hua,” Viola said. Her eyes unfocused as she saw something none of them could. “Not entirely. Kira is speaking through her. Kira, can you hear me?”

  “Of course I can hear you. I’m sitting right here,” Mei Hua spat.

  “You need to go into the weave. It will heal the breach and restore some of Mei Hua,” Viola’s voice was soothing and rational. Sergei could have told her that Kira didn’t do rational.

  “Oh, that poor girl,” Joachim said. “She’s been through so much.”

  Joachim had it bad. It was possible that Mei Hua cared for him, too. Kira, however, would eat him as soon as look at him. He almost felt sorry for the Dragon Slayer.

  Mei Hua pushed up, scattering her children to the far corners. At a nod from Joachim, three of his men collected them and carried them out of the room.

  “I want a dragon lover.” She pointed at Reed. “And I want my vengeance.” She pointed at Sergei.

  Sergei judged the distance. He could stab Joachim and be on the two pikemen closest to Viola. But it would leave him vulnerable to Mei Hua. Viola’s eyes had rolled back, showing whites. She was shaking and puffs of air came out of her mouth as her breathing became harsher. Sergei ground his teeth in frustration. There was literally nothing he could do. Carolyn was standing protectively in front of Reed, her eyes darting around to see what Viola saw.

  “I am Queen here,” Mei Hua said. “I do not come into your domains and tell you how to run your territories.”

  “We will fight you,” Carolyn said.

  “Don’t,” Reed said, placing his hand on her shoulder.

  “Queens don’t fight. We have studs.” Mei Hua shook her coils.

  “You have no studs.”

  Mei Hua screamed then, a harsh irate sound. “I have thousands of studs.”

  A thin trail of blood seeped out of Viola’s nose. “No,” she whispered. “You do not. You are dead. There are no unclaimed studs here.”

  “Reed,” Carolyn said, her eyes also closed. “There’s a spell here. I can barely make it out. It’s like the one that was holding Arianna. Only this one is holding Kira and an older Queen.”

  “Yes,” Viola hissed. “The blue wave that crested in Cassandra’s court. The one that hurt us. It was her. A Queen named Amaranthe.”

  “I’ve never heard of Amaranthe,” Reed said. “And I know all the Queens.”

  Sergei racked his brain. No. There hadn’t been a Queen by that name that he was aware of.

  “She was pushing through at Cassandra’s palace,” Carolyn confirmed. “She’s so powerful she knocked all of us on our asses.”

  “Amaranthe needed more Queens in the weave in order to speak.”

  Sergei was damned glad he was a stud if a crazed Queen with enough juice to fuck up Cassandra’s palace was waiting in the weave for a tea party. He remembered seeing all the young Queens drop like marionettes with their strings cut. It had been chilling and he didn’t especially like Queens. Cassandra, though, was rocked by this Amaranthe’s power. If Amaranthe could topple Cassandra, then she would eat Viola and Carolyn for dinner.

  “Reed, get them the fuck out of here,” he snarled.

  “Let’s go.” Reed grabbed Carolyn by the upper arm. But when he put a hand on Viola’s shoulder, blue lightning stung him and threw both Reed and Carolyn across the palace floor.

  “I see you now, Amaranthe,” Viola said, “Come forward.”

  The floors in the ice palace cracked as Mei Hua slammed her fists down. Writhing, her long coils abused the walls and floor. The humans ran for cover, except for Joachim, who ran toward Mei Hua. Power spurted out from the ground, slicing the chain linking Joachim and Sergei together.

  Free.

  Sergei dove for Viola. He hoisted her over his shoulder and carried her down the ice corridor, the remains of his chains trailing behind him, smoking. Carolyn and Reed followed next.

  “Viola, snap out of it,” Carolyn said.

  “Is she bleeding?” Sergei asked, running full out until they were free of the palace and the echoing, painful roars.

  “Over here,” Reed said, leading them to one of the guard houses.

  It was human sized, built for efficiency rather than luxury. But the sturdy wooden building was protection from the elements and a quick place to hide until he made sure Viola was strong enough to travel. There was a roaring fire in the fireplace, but the ten bunks that lined the walls were empty.

  “Warmth,” Viola said, shivering. He held her tighter, moved closer to the fire.

  “We can’t stay here,” Carolyn said. “It’s only a matter of time before the guards come back. I don’t want to kill any of the Order of Dragon Slayers. They’re good people. But they’re going to follow Joachim’s lead, and right now he’s firmly in mad Queen Mei Hua’s corner.”

  “So what’s driving her mad? Kira’s ghost?”

  “Either that or Amaranthe, who has more power in her claw that all the Queens combined,” Carolyn said, rubbing her eyes. “And boy is she pissed about being trapped in the Cult’s spell.”

  “We can talk once we’re safe,” Reed said. “You can check Niall’s old files for any reference on her. We don’t know if it’s the Cult of Humanity behind this.”

  “Yeah,” Carolyn countered. “We do. I recognize the magic. It’s definitely the Cult of Humanity that put the spell in the throne room. I wouldn’t have seen it if Viola hadn’t poked at it in the weave.”

  “You need to fly out of here,” Sergei said, rubbing Viola’s arms to get her warmer. He didn’t like the idea of a strange Queen no one ever heard of preying on weaker Queens.

  “I’m not leaving without you.” Viola’s teeth chattered.

  Pleasure warred with exasperation. So stubborn. If she felt well enough to argue with him, she was going to be all right.

  He pointed to the collar. “I can’t shift with this on.”

  “We’ll carry you.” She scrubbed the blood off her face with the cuff of her jacket.

  Reed endeavored to pull it apart, but a red bolt of magic encircled his hands. “Damn it,” he said, shaking them until the red faded. “It’s warded. None of us will be able to shift while we’re near it.”

  “Who put it on you?” Viola said.

  “Joachim has the key.”

  “I’ll go and get it,” Reed said. “He owes me.”

  Carolyn grabbed his arm. “You’re not going without me. I’m not letting you out of my sight until that little hussy realizes you aren
’t available.”

  Sergei was glad to see them go. He wanted a second chance to say good-bye to Viola. One that didn’t have him acting like an asshole. When they left, Sergei turned to Viola. “Why did you come here?”

  “You are my consort and my Protector. She doesn’t get to cut your head off because you killed an insane, baby-eating Queen.” Viola hugged him, buried her face in his chest.

  He breathed her in, the orange spice and autumn leaves scent that smelled like home. If he could freeze time, he would live in this moment forever. Well actually, if he could freeze time, he’d get them the hell out of here and then start time back up again. “That’s not how our laws work,” he said.

  If Kira could be reasoned with or if they could fight their way out, Viola could petition to keep him with her until the Conclave next year. It would only delay the inevitable, but it beat waiting it out in a prison made of ice.

  “Tough,” she mumbled against his shirt. “You’re getting rescued, and then you can bugger off to whatever lair you want, if you don’t want me.”

  “I want you,” Sergei said in a low voice.

  “You have a funny way of showing it.”

  “I knew it was a matter of time before they came for me.” He didn’t know how to explain it so it didn’t sound ridiculous, but he owed it to her to try. “I wanted you and me to have our time together without any baggage looming over us. I didn’t want you to be hurt if they tried to take me by force, so I went to them.”

  “Isn’t there a poem about not going gently into that good night?”

  “Kipling wasn’t a dragon.”

  “No, he was only human.” She stuck her tongue out at him and wiggled out of his arms.

  “My fate still hasn’t changed, but we have a few stolen minutes right now.” He moved the chains so they hung in back of him. Not wanting the collar or any of the Dragon Slayers’ magic to touch her, Sergei used what little magic he could summon to cover them up with a nearby blanket.

  Viola walked toward the window and looked out. “Do you think they’ll capture Reed and Carolyn?”

  “I don’t know, but Reed doesn’t take chances with his mate.” It was also a possibility that this was the last moment they would ever have alone together. There were several things he wanted to do and none of them revolved around talking about Amaranthe or Kira and her madness.