Nightshade

by Jennifer Pierce-Gaeta

  It was always someone else’s mess or someone else’s problem to clean up once she was done. Pure destruction stuffed into the body of a doll-like princess with a satin smile for a lure. Deadly like the shark from the deepest pits of the sea. Queen Elise watched the two young women who were supposed to be her daughters walk away from her. One child gentle and kind, the other a monster. How had it come to this? She had never anticipated the prophecy would be brought to life, but before her eyes, she could see it alive and in the flesh.

  What had she and Royal done when they made their child? They knew the rules, but both had declined the wisdom of the prophecy for the lust in their loins. Queen Elise had to fix this before all of Astra was at the mercy of the whims of a madwoman. She needed help and someone who understood the old ways.

  “Clean this mess up and let no one see you move the bodies. I don’t care if you burn them in the crypt but keep this quiet. You there,” Queen Elsie said.

  Pointing to a waifish child-like servant, “Find me the court magician Malenhiem. I have need of his counsel.” She requested, before storming off back to her chambers. The banquet was set to start in forty-five minutes, her counsel must be finished before then. She had choices to make, or all of Astra would suffer. How could she had been so stupid?

  Chapter 21

  Malenhiem’s Counsel

  Malenhiem paced his small tower, It would not be long until the Queen summoned him. By setting free the beast, he had exposed his love to eyes who knew what to look for. He had been playing the long game for decades, and a few more would be worth the power he gained. He was tired of being split in two. He had been looking for a way to sunder his connection to the female part of himself since they had chosen their aspects. Using the prophetic curse had been a wonderful idea. The playing and disguises he had worn to breed his female counterpart’s downfall were phenomenal.

  He had taken the place of the old Queen and put the story into Royal’s head, he had stepped into every roll needed to orchestrate all of his pieces into place. All that remained was the making of a hero he could later devour when she failed to see his part in the equation. He would be powerful enough to have his revenge on the wizard that started his journey of pain and torture. Then he would take Astra for his own world.

  He would create a dark world full of demons at his beck and call. All the children of light just toys to be moved and destroyed at his whims. He would become a god capable of being more without his female counterpart. She had become soft, stupid, and not fit to rule beside him anymore. Her transgressions numbered so many in his mind he wasn't sure if all of them were real or he was making them up. It mattered not to him. She was guilty and tainted in his eyes. She only wanted her whims and ignored his; in his rage, he would be ignored no more.

  She would perish, and he would watch her blood spill upon the ground, never to be reborn again. This was her last chance, her last hurrah; she would not get another. He would finally be free to become what he had once been, a titan, a sexless minion, and eater of worlds. He would be a god once more, one of death with no compassion. Ah, it felt good to dream of such things. Especially when he had longed for them in his dreams. He had been mortal, died, been reborn, and had the need to become once again.

  The attendant’s knocking at his door startled him from his fantasies, he had been stroking himself and hadn’t even noticed his own climax. Naughty, naughty, to let his dreams bring him such pleasure. He gave one more hard stroke to keep his member ready before hiding himself in his robes.

  “You may enter,” Malenhiem called out softly.

  “I bring a request from the Queen, she requires your counsel posthaste.” The servant said without meeting Malenhiem’s eyes.

  “What tincture does she need now?” Malenhiem asked his voice gruff as he thought about taking the young girl in front of him. Malenhiem had many children among the staff. They all feared him, and his plans had left him wanting. If he could not have the Queen at his pleasure, then he would take it when he felt like it.

  “I know not, Master Lich, she requests you in person and would have you come now.” The servant said as she ran from his rooms.

  Malenhiem grinned, maybe he could put his cock to use after all. Queen Elise wanted something important, and he wanted her. There was no better way to enslave his next victim than to fuck them literally. Using a bit of magic, he scrubbed the dirt from his body and gave it a fresh living look. He would play his cards yet again and see if his game could be taken further.

  Hurrying from his tower, Malenhiem took the old fashion way and walked to the queen’s quarters. It gave him time to think and plan. By hook or crook, he would have what he wanted, and no one would stop his deus ex machina. Having a piece of the queen he had lusted after for these last few decades was a sweet reward. Making sure Sasha fell at the hands of Zoey would be even better. He would make sure Zoey had all she needed as long as she gave him all the power back once she was done with it.

  It was brilliant if you really stopped to think about it. Destroy the female incarnation of his own persona in exchange for the power the incarnation held. He knew he would have to make sure that he went about this carefully. Now of his pawns could know of his plans. He came upon the doors to Queen Elise’s chambers far sooner than he had imagined. It was as if his excitement had led him here far faster than his mind could have envisioned. Knocking lightly, he waited. You never knew what one could learn if they listened before they entered.

  “Come in, Malenhiem, I can smell you from the hallway,” Queen Elise purred. Her tone seemed seductive and low. Not something Malenhiem was used to hearing in the voice of his conquest. He preferred her snobby and put off by his presence. That she welcomed him gave him pause.

  “You summoned me, your majesty,” Malenhiem said, his body bristling with a warning. There was another game afoot in the castle, for he smelt the presence of a god. Things were getting interesting. This looked to be fun.

  “What do you know of the old prophecies surrounding the Nightshade bloodline?”Queen Elise asked. Her tone welcome and inviting but holding just a hint of malice. For her, this wasn’t a game. She knew exactly what her daughter had become and Malenhiem would have to see what game she was playing and who’s side she was on.

  “I know a lot about them. What knowledge are you looking for?” Malenhiem said, speaking softly. Very few knew that the beast and himself were the very same thing, and he aimed to keep it that way.

  “I seek the traits and whims of the beast. What does it want? Can it be controlled? If not controlled, can it be destroyed?” Queen Elise said quietly. Her breath hitching in her throat as she spoke the last part aloud. Judging by her reaction, the queen had yet to say that thought aloud, for her mind to really ask that question and make it real changed something for her. Malenhiem watched her misery bloom across her features like a fine wine poured into a crystal and mixed with the fountain of eternal youth. It was a glorious sight and prayed he would have more opportunities to watch her misery. It was fascinating how living creatures suffered.

  They suffered for life, happiness, love, and greed. Those were always the top ones on the list, but it was so much more than that. Suffering always brought change and made them into something new. Like the butterfly's cocoon, it was truly a remarkable sight to see. Most had to go through it alone and be changed; other’s had help and would not change, and then there were those who needed the variety, or they would fail miserably. He wondered which one Queen Elise would be? Either way, he was going to make her pay dearly for the information she should have studied from youth as a lioness.

  “I can give you the answers to all those questions and more, but what are you offering in exchange. As I have said before, I have given much to this court and family; my services are to be paid for not demanded. I do not rely on your grace for shelter or any trappings you may think to offer. They are mine and will remain mine as long as I live.

  “I will give you gold, women, drink! Whatever your heart d
esires if you help me find these answers,” Queen Elise says, her eyes lighting up with true hope since Malenhiem had walked in the room.

  “How wonderful,” Malenhime thought to himself. She had chosen his side. It made the next words he planned to say all the sweeter. “I request your body and a place at your side in exchange for the knowledge you seek. That is if you are willing to give it?” Malenhiem questioned.

  “I will grant this request because Astra requires it. But heed my words, upon my death, all I have given will be rescinded should the next ruler choose. You are not a burden; I would pass down to this kingdom on a permanent basis. Do we have a deal?” Queen Elise asked her eyes, holding a dangerous glint. Sasha had always held this spark, and he had wondered where it came from? He could see it had been bred into the Hemlock clan by greed, and this pleased him very much. It made his next steps that much easier.

  “I agree, your majesty,” Malenhiem said with a smile, already envisioning the fun he would have with her body later this night. For now, he would lecture and make sure this uneducated queen learned a few things, but not too much. He wanted to remain valuable in Queen Elise’s eyes. He had his own version of greed and a craving for her flesh, and her body was one version.

  “The beast is a violent creature by nature, or so the stories say. Its only purpose is to fill its maw with unending power. The pursuit of power is all it knows or cares for. Scholars have written that it is prone to fits of rage and has an uncontrollable temper.” Malenhiem began. He watched the queen lean forward in fascination. Her full attention on his list of traits while making comparisons in her head to her own daughter.

  This was a woman who paid attention, who had learned her lore well enough to take heed of the important aspects of the story, and she was the perfect tool. All the traits he had given were traits Sasha possessed. It would not be hard for Queen Elise to draw her own conclusions.

  “Does the beast always take the form of a woman?” Queen Elise asked her eyes narrowed as she gazed at Malenhiem. Her look was appraising and filled with spite.

  “The beast is always a woman for it was the sex she has chosen,” Malenhiem said, not elaborating.

  “What do you mean that this was the form the beast chose?”

  “I mean what I said your grace, it was merely the form it chose. New life was always the target, a vulnerability, and a way to gain more power through creation.”

  “Speak plainly wizard, for I grow impatient. Are you telling me that the beast takes the body over? That the beast starts out as another soul?” Queen Elise asked. Petty hope laced her words, and Malenhiem wanted her miserable.

  “It is always the beast; it just takes time for it to recover all its memories. What it stole belongs to its spirit, and the original is discarded or eaten. The beast holds a hunger for life and power like no other being in the land of Astra. However, there is a way to stop it, a way to destroy it permanently.” Malenhiem wanted the queen’s questions to stop, there was only so much he could hide from her gaze.

  “Your surety seems absolute, even if my heart hoped to hear different. The beast was born of the forbidden union, I can tell by your demeanor that Sasha never existed.” Queen Elise’s eyes filled with tears, but even those froze upon her cheeks and were wiped away. Her steel taking the place of her heart.

  “We can kill it, and I want to know how?” Her body held a viciousness he had not seen before in Queen Elise. It was almost enough to impress Malenhiem, but he chose to ignore it. Though the slightly humanoid form he wore demanded love, touch, and sexual gratification, it did not need it. It was merely a pastime that his many years alive had taught him to enjoy. He still missed being a god. He missed no caring and meddling where he chose. How he ever came to this was beyond his understanding still; however, he knew how to get what he wanted even if he had to kill part of himself.

  “Quid Pro Quo, your grace. As I said before, I do not work for free, and I have given you enough of my knowledge. It is time for our first session together,” Malenhiem said as he extended his hand. Queen Elise’s eyes burned with a fury she could never let slip from her tongue. To end the evil in Astra, she would endure the Lich’s touch. She would keep her word even if his advice cost her the one thing she loved the most, her daughter. If only her clan had believed in the old myths, she would have wed a prince from any other animal kingdom.

  Her child would be one of true breeding instead of a monster. She wouldn’t be forced to live this nightmare. As she grasped the Lich’s hand, she could feel a piece of herself die. She had to hope even as the Lich began to use her body that there would be enough left of her mind to find happiness again once this ordeal was over. As she shuddered, part of her mind screamed in horror. Hadn’t she been through enough? Was power really this important? As the Lich entered her, she knew it was not.

  Chapter 22

  The Banquet

  Sasha had waited all her life for this moment, the banquet would begin in thirty minutes. Her place in the history as the destroyer would begin its reign. She could see to the dear queen mother herself. Her foolish mother still thought her to be the cowed little daughter she had spoiled from birth. No, the beast had a few things to show Queen Elsie before she put her out of her misery. As for Zoey. She would keep her enemy close and look for betrayal often. Eventually, Zoey would make a mistake, and Sasha would eat her soul.

  For now, she could live and even have a life of her own, as long as she did not cross the beast. Princess Sasha would be a persona worn like a fine gown to the ball. Sasha planned to be the beauty at the celebration, adored and loved by all. Transformed from lowly princess to Queen of this world. It was gratifying and made the beast want to purr with the power she would hold.

  Dressed like the sun burning with red fire, Sasha twirled around the room as Zoey watched from her designated corner. The beast was a curious creature in Zoey’s opinion. If you watched Sasha’s mannerisms closely, all signs that she was actual Werekin seemed to fall away. Her movements seemed alien and practiced. At times they even seemed forced. There was nothing familiar in her actions. The spoiled brat Zoey had known was nonexistent.

  As Zoey watched Sasha’s every movement and feigned bit of temperament, her well-trained eyes caught glimpses of the monster that dwelled within the shell that had once been Sasha. At sixteen, Sasha should have that coyish teenage awkwardness that comes with any passage to adulthood. Yet she carried herself like a full-grown predator, ready to strike at any moment. Her cat-like responses seemed like a learned defense that the instinct they should have sprung from. Zoey could not help watching in fascination as the beast paraded itself around the room.

  Sasha no longer seemed upset and had all but pushed aside the death of Prince Royal faster than anyone would have given the circumstances. Her tantrum and the dead bodies she had left in her wake a testament to the insanity that ruled the beast’s heart. Sasha fawned over herself in the mirror, dancing across the room while humming a funeral dirge like it was a waltz. It was disturbing, to say the least.

  From the shadows, Zoey watched as the beast lured a serving girl into her quarters and tore her apart, all while feeding on her magic. Sasha covered herself in gore in her frenzy and used magic to wipe it away. It made Zoey sick to watch her, but she marked every last bit of her character in her memory. She would use the beast’s own traits against her when the time came until then she would remain unnoticed like a good bodyguard and assassin would do. In Zoey’s mind, Sasha had become a parasite, cruel, and unpracticed in the ways of the world. Her whims were like that of a child who rips the wings off a butterfly before they learn respect for other living creatures around them.

  “Zoey, you are so quiet. Do you mourn our Uncle Royal in your corner of shadows?” Sasha asked, tearing Zoey’s focus to bits.

  “I will mourn him When I have a moment to myself sister. Right now, my only focus is your safety and protection. You cannot be harmed,” Zoey replied, her tone fawning to cater to the beast’s whims and ego.
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br />   “I think you will need more training to hone your skills, little sister. After all, another assassin managed to kill our Uncle Royal, and you were not aware of their presence,” Sasha said as her eyes flashed with a quiet menace. It made chills crawl up Zoey’s spine. Here was the warning she was looking for, the fight was already beginning. The beast was just biding her time, looking for an opening, and for a reason to strike. Zoey would make sure that she never got the chance.

  That Sasha thought another assassin had gotten the best of her was laughable, but Zoey would play along for the time being. There was no need to show her cards before the dealer asked for them.

  “Your banquet is about to start, dear sister. Shall we make our way to the crier’s doors?” Zoey asked, changing the subject. She watched as the menace slipped from Sasha’s eyes, and glee filled the normally vacant stare.

  “Indeed, we must, I will become the next queen of all Astra this night, and I can think of no one more deserving than I,” Sasha purred. Zoey gave a feigned smile. She was seriously contemplating cutting Sasha’s throat and hiding the body. She shook off this idea like the wind in her hair, now was not the right moment. Her chance would come soon.

  Sasha led the way as they both traveled the quiet hallways to the crier’s doors. She seemed excited, and her body hummed with the magic she had stolen. Zoey watched as the magic pulsed and spun around her form like a whirlwind. Many times on their short walk Zoey wondered if she should end the beast now before she could gain further power, but instinct screamed in her mind and heart against such action. Her confusion grew when Sasha turned her glaring eyes in Zoey’s direction. The hunger on her face was as plain as the noonday sun.