A Luna's Curse

by Kassie Cox

  “Will you two follow me willing or should I have the beef sticks drag you to the room?” I give a mocking smile to the prisoners, only receiving harsh glares in response. Neither move from their places on the hard floor. Scraggily hair hanging from each, dirty skin and hungry eyes wait for my next move.

  With a flick of my wrist they are being dragged from their holes. I wonder what has these men being so quiet, and yet calm. They aren’t going crazy, cursing and threatening us like so many before them. Instead they fall limb, becoming dead weight for my men to carry into the secluded room. I wanted them together, although the smarter option would be to separate them.

  Valor is nowhere to be seen, and I suspect he got held up somewhere in the castle. Perhaps this would be easier without his hovering over my shoulder, inspecting my every move.

  “Tell Our Majesty to knock before entering, and you may both go watch the other prisoners.” I don’t look at my men when I instruct them on what to do. My eyes go over the restraints that hold the scraggily men down, making sure everything is correct and that neither will be escaping. I don’t enjoy the thought of a fight today, or any day soon. I want to rest. Lay in bed and think about all the things that could’ve been, but I should be working. Keeping my mind busy, not thinking about the man that’s driving me insane each moment that I’m not with him.

  “You seem distracted.” One of them grunts at me, as if they knew anything of me other than rumors that’ve been told over a million times. I glare at the one with few teeth and pick a dagger from my boot. Should I slit their throats now? Ask them their motives?

  “Perhaps she is thinking about that little pack she just came from. We heard you were getting down and dirty with the werewolf-“ My dagger meets his neck, drawing a thin line of blood as I rage above him. My breathing is heavy, pushing against him with my weapon as I sneer.

  The man doesn’t look surprised by my reaction, or the quickness in which I reacted. He seems pleased to have pissed me off. I should not have shown them how much the words bothered me. Perhaps I was so irritated because they were right, I had been fraternizing with the beasts when I should’ve been getting back to my Kingdom. My return to the castle should’ve been with the King. Everyone would know of my actions, if they did not already.

  “Who sent you to kill our King?” I whisper in the man’s ear, trying not to gag at the smell of filth covering his being. Wearing a gas mask to interrogations should now be a rule set in stone if men like this keep showing up.

  Neither of them speak, a clear defiance in both pair of eyes as I pull the knife away from the neck of the one with the smartest mouth.

  “The Queen told me her own version of the story you know,” Now the men are listening, “meaning I already know the answer. But you two must know how curious I am, and how far I go to get every little detail.” I put my dagger against the arm of the one I’d hurt, putting enough pressure to break skin as I drag it along. He hisses, blood running over his dirt covered arm as I wait for an answer.

  “You should leave well enough alone girl, before you put yourself in a situation that isn’t meant for you?” I cock my head at the almost toothless man across from me.

  He seems unfazed by my approach, but I see him eyeing the dagger that I twirl in my hand. In a sick way this brings me a twinge of the excitement I’d felt while being chased through the woods by the beast. This was something that got my blood pumping, gave me a challenge. It gives me the chance to witness something I myself will never again experience, an emotion that I won’t feel again. Without Elias projecting those things upon me I’d be the shell forever.

  “Tell me what she had you do, and why you were brave enough to try on the King’s life. You may just escape with your life if your answers satisfy me.” A croaked laugh leaves the men, as if I was telling jokes.

  “You’ve always been blind to the havoc that man wreaks havoc on this Kingdom. Going along with anything he says, killing the innocent and ruining the lives of anyone outside this Kingdom.” I move away from both criminals, unimpressed by their accusations.

  “The woman you follow has given me just as many lives to take. You speak of a man who does what he must to keep this Kingdom running and makes sure we remain successful. I do what I have to do.”

  “He’s a murderer, with a very aggressive little lap dog.” One of them bites at me, throwing their anger fully in my direction. “You should’ve seen what he was doing while you were gone. Out of control, killing anyone who stepped out of line. Mirela was never the best person to help run the castle, but she isn’t a cold-blooded killer. She doesn’t get off on watching those around her run like ants when their worlds are torn apart.”

  I stare at the man who speaks with such conviction, he’s full of rage at a man he truly believes has done wrong. Before I went to the pack, I would’ve already killed one of these men, beaten the other one until I received every bit of information I wanted. That’s not what I was doing right now. I was allowing another side of the story to be told, something I’d never done.

  Something in me doesn’t want to hurt the men who are doing what they believe will help this Kingdom. They listened to a mother who wants to kill her own son, the one she’d practically worshipped since birth and now Mirela is ready to end him. There’s a pull in my chest, keeping me from hurting these men and calling them treasonous bastards. A feeling that is holding my hands back from ridding us of a Queen.

  “He hasn’t always been like this.” I murmur, not wanting to believe would’ve followed the orders of a tyrant.

  Surely, I would’ve have noticed if he was out of control, never had I felt I was doing anything that wrong. Killing the occasional citizen that didn’t pay their dues, making sure the enemies of the King never got to him. The worst, most malicious things I’d done had been at the words of Mirela. Murdering that girl, those women—I’d done that for the woman they followed.

  “We hold loyalty for neither of those royals, but if we had to try to take out the King first. The Queen would’ve come shortly after.”

  If Valor walked in this room right now, they would squeal like pigs. They’d lay their truths on the table and let Mirela be killed for a crime they agreed to commit. The thoughts are pouring through me when the knock on the door comes and I only have seconds to decide what to do.

  Time seems to slow down as I choose. I surge forwards, neither man prepared for my action as the door begins opening. I hear Valor calling out, asking how everything is going as I shove the dagger into the first man’s neck. The next one begins screaming, but before Valor can understand his pleas, I’ve moved the dagger to hover over his heart.

  I’m quick with the motion, using my weight to almost hide the action. The dirtied man flinches, a soundless cry leaving his lips as he looks up at me with shock.

  “They didn’t have much to say, Your Highness.”

  Chapter 27

  I don’t think I’ve ever been this desperate to see the Queen in my life. After years of having her treat me like an out of place beast, never had I seen myself pushing people from my path to speak with her. Valor had told me his mother was in her chambers, where he believed she’d been all morning. I know he is false, but I don’t lead him to believe his assumptions to be wrong.

  I need more information. Everything under the moon need to be answered, sooner rather than later. What would I do if I find the King to be a murderous dictator, and how have I ignored it for so long? Have I been so blinded by my idea of loyalty that I never noticed a man making decisions that none other would?

  Elias could probably feel my anxiety from here, as I was sure that’s the emotion laying beneath my barriers. The image of the male I left behind flutters through my head, a burn in my chest reminds me of the pain I’ve caused him. I can’t feel them, but I remember those emotions he’d pushed through me. The aching in my chest and the suffocation that went with it, endless tears as my body begged for its mate. The one I was supposed to be happy with. The one person I hated
letting down but had no other choice.

  “Where are you headed?” An enthusiastic Draven has me jumping back, grabbing my chest as I try to recover from the fright he just caused. The look of humor quickly disappears at my demeanor, the man could tell something was up.

  “Can you not do that again?” I snap at him, unimpressed by his little scare. Had I been paying attention properly I would’ve noticed him before he’d snuck up on me. He didn’t need to know I was lost in a little world of wolves and regret as I’d been stalking down the hallway full speed.

  “Someone seems a little on edge today. Did the interrogations go poorly?”

  It takes everything in me to remain passive at his mention of the scene I’d just left. I didn’t want him to know what I’d done, or for him to know anything about the situation. After to many questions from Valor, the bathing of blood from my body, and the amount of questions I’ve been racking up I am tired. Not even noon and I need a nap, or a drink.

  “They didn’t speak much, and you know I’m impatient, so I rid the Kingdom of another pair of criminals.” The words are not the ones Draven was hoping for, as he becomes the same man I’d seen at the pack. Unimpressed by the tasks I perform. He believed I would change after what I’d went through and what I head learned.

  I did change, more than he could imagine. Maybe one day I’d have a chance to show that to him. Make him see that I no longer wanted the blood of these people on my hands, and that sitting behind a King who’d turned me into a killer isn’t what fulfills my life anymore. Not if the King is who everyone is making him out to be.

  My boots click of the floor as I begin making my way to Mirela once more, wanting to get everything over as quickly as possible. I needed a vacation. Away from the Kingdom, away from those damn wolves—alone. Isolated from everyone else’s bullshit so that I could have minutes to breath without drama occurring.

  “Was the King still down there when you left?” His short and sweet question draws me back, I shake my head as I watch him try to keep up with my pace.

  “Valor was going to the soldier’s quarters before I left him, he’d had a few guys to speak to about the attacks as we didn’t get any information from the criminals. Maybe check there-“ His hand on my shoulder stops me, pulling me close as he stares into my eyes.

  I’ve never seen the man this serious in my life. His gaze darts around, making sure no one is around before he leans towards my ear. Draven is shakier than I’d ever seen, almost nervous if I had to guess. He’d seemed fine before this.

  “Keep your eyes open, Keres. Valor has something up his sleeve, and I don’t think it’s good for either of us. I don’t think I’ll be sticking around much longer.”

  With that he’s gone, his long strides taking him away as quickly as he’d come. One more thing to add to my pile of confusion, what a fantastic day is turning out to be.

  Mirela is standing at her window when I walk in, not noticing my quiet opening of her door. She only turns around when I pull the lock into place to make sure we have privacy. The Queen is surprised by my return, or perhaps she had expected someone else. Had the woman believed I’d question the men, get the information and hang her this evening in front of the Kingdom? Brand her a treasonous witch and burn her at the stake?

  There is something in her gaze that unnerves me. A hardness behind her gaze that gives me the impression killing her only son would be easy for her, but I know better. The woman has made atrocious choices in her life, but as Queen she’s tried to save more lives than take. I’ve witnessed her begging on her knees to save a life or two, giving other options that the King and myself never took.

  With every step I take closer to her, the mask she wears slowly dissolves. Tears slowly but surely falling down those wrinkled cheeks as she tries to keep her head held high. I wonder if the Queen thinks I am about to kill her, give a quick death that we would lie to the Kingdom about.

  “He’s sent you to do it yourself, I see?” Mirela doesn’t let her voice crack with the words, and that makes me smile. Which probably scared her more, as I never do anything of that sort. We were both known for being angry or stoic, there was never really an alternative.

  “I don’t know what you want me to do about him if he has lost control. I’m his Guard, the one who protects him from others. I’ve never had to keep him from hurting others.”

  Her demeanor changes entirely, shoulders dropping as she leans her body against the window for support. Relief comes in the sound of the long sigh that she releases, as if I’d just assured her that today would not be her last day on this earth. The way things were turning out I’d probably hold onto that hope and keep saying a few prayers because anything’s bound to happen.

  “They didn’t speak, did they?” Mirela questions, I find my way over to the small sofa she has in the room and get comfortable. She follows, getting close so that we can talk quietly without worrying of someone hearing.

  I imagine this woman sitting before me would’ve had her head on a stake soon enough had I not returned. The King would’ve learned of her plans eventually, and before attacking the pack he could have rid himself of an enemy he probably never suspected. The woman had turned so quickly that I wonder if she’d always felt a certain way for her son. For the man who’d taken the spot of her husband, who’d died far too early.

  “Those men would’ve had you hanging by the end of a rope next to them, had I given them the chance. You should be thanking your lucky star that the King was late getting there.” Mirela blinks at me, seemingly confused by my words as she clenches her fists at her sides.

  “They told you the truth, though? About what he’s done?” All I give is a nod before slapping my hands onto my knees and leaning back. I close my eyes for a moment, not wanting to live in the world for a moment. Craving peace and quiet but receiving none of it.

  “You seem to think I have any say in what the man does, as if he’d listen to me when I tell him to stop killing people. I didn’t even realize something was off about Valor until I came back from that damn pack and everyone started throwing their cryptic words around in my face.”

  Mentioning the pack is a mistake. I run over the course of those events in my head. Leena and her pup, the kindness she had shown by offering me food inside of her home—against her mate’s better judgement. The man whose face haunts me, wrapped around me like a dying breath he just wanted to hold forever. A breath I’d stolen away from him, because I myself would never get the same kind of air. I wanted him to keep breathing, even if it wasn’t with me.

  “You’ve followed that man’s words blindly your entire life, and my son is very good at hiding himself for you. I never gave you a chance, and I will be guilty for that until the day I die.” She stares at me intently, as if she expects a reaction from me. Perhaps she craves a forgiveness that I never felt was needed, as she saw her course of actions to be right at the time. “I want you to go back to that pack and never let him near you again, but I know we need you here. Every day he’s getting worse.”

  It’s hard to take in the information that I have never seen with my own eyes. The problem also lay in my hands being the ones to carry out the horrific things Valor has done to others, and I was stupid not to think of it. Always so caught up in my own head that I never felt the need to question anything, because my King wanted what was best for everything. That’s what I had believed.

  I’d beheaded people because I truly never thought there was another option, it had to be done. My thoughts had never travelled beyond his opinions. My father, and so many others burned by my orders. An action I hadn’t even thought twice of, whether there were children or not I’d not felt bad. Never saw it as wrong.

  I’m sitting her ready to ruin a King who has nothing but hurt others, use them for his own personal gain. But I am worse than him. A follower of his army. The shepherd leading his visions into existence with actions that only bring pain for others to be felt, because I myself can never understand it. Would I have been
able to do those things if I was different? Would the Queen still want my help in taking down her son if I had been more conscious about the horrors, I had been carrying out my entire life?

  Everyone wants to take down the treacherous King, but I am the true monster.

  “If you want to take the King down, you will have to do it without me. You will have to create a rebellion large enough to fight the army, make enough doubt his ability to lead—that’s the only way you’ll make this Kingdom safe. The people need to fight, but I can’t be the one to inspire them. I’ve been the beast killing them since I was young.”

  Mirela has a spark in her eyes, a look of defiance and pride as she claps her hands together and grins at me. Jumping to her feet and bouncing as I watch the woman go mad before my eyes. We are planning to kill her son, and yet she is practically giddy with ideas.

  “Crazy girl, when we rid the throne of my son you will be the one to step up to lead. You and that little mate of yours.”

  Chapter 28

  Mirela seems unaffected by my reaction of horror. As if she’d just suggested we go out for coffee and ride horses, rather than declaring that a wolf and myself would someday be the leaders Kingdom. I wanted to laugh in her face, ask her what kind of drugs she’d been taking to give her such insane ideas. The Queen is serious however, no trace of amusement on her face as she sits there with a determined look. The woman truly believes this to be the best course of action, and I don’t think there’s a way to convince her otherwise.

  “Close that mouth, you look like a fish.” She snaps at me. I get to my feet, making my way to her so that I can get a closer inspection on her insanity.

  “You think this Kingdoms people want to be led by a murderer and a furry beast? That’s the best idea you have?” A shrug is the response I receive, and I’m filled with the urge to slap some sense into the woman.