Crowned A Traitor: A Hellish Fairytale

by Kate Callaghan

  The King hesitated as raised voices in the hallway outside the throne room echoed.

  “Appoint Frendall as your Heir. Label me a traitor, and you will see Abadan for what she is. They took out the Lycaons. Packs, dad! Hundreds that helped you win the Forest, burnt to death,” Klara strained to get it all out. She prayed for him to hear her and take action. Klara couldn’t remember the last time she had called him dad.

  “Lycaons.” Mistrust was written all over his face as he looked at Klara over the rim of the glass. “Regardless of such rash action, Abadan has always supported me.”

  “Supported her son, raised in your image. Why are so blind to what’s right in front of you? Want me to rule? Then listen to me!”

  Lucifer raised a hand sealing her lips, “I trained Frendall for your leadership. When I left, there would be someone trustworthy at your side. He cares for you,” Lucifer’s eyes locked on her.

  “Whether you trained him for me or not doesn’t matter,” Klara said as the voices grew louder, and she couldn’t be sure who they were after. The sealed doors bulged from the hinges. They couldn’t kill Lucifer but caging him would be a fate worse than death and Abadan was the only one who knew how.

  “I don’t want to see you caged Father. The world needs balance, and Abadan will only bring carnage, as she has to Malum. Without you, there will be another war with the Fae Queen.”

  Lucifer dragged his foot through the blood circle. The candles surrounding her went out as his hand went to her cheek.

  “You are my greatest creation, worth every sacrifice,” her Father muttered, and she knew he wasn’t listening. His eyes glazed over as if he were already admitting defeat.

  “Come home, end this. Your place is here,” Lucifer ordered. For the first time, Klara saw tears in her Father’s eyes.

  “I can’t. Too many want me dead, those for and against you. I’m not the soldier you need. Trust Frendall alone and raise your armies!” Klara said before the doors burst open, and Demons surrounded them. “My eyes are everywhere, remember that,” Lucifer winked before she was ripped from the throne room.

  “Dad!” Klara shouted as her soul snapped back into her body. “What is it?” Arthur asked, crouching down beside her.

  Arthur held Klara still, afraid she might capsize them if she didn’t calm down. Her rage caused her to radiate power into Arthur. Arthur stared at her, and she saw her Father.

  “Are you his spy?” Klara asked, pushing Arthur away. “He knew Lilith helped me,” Klara snapped, and Arthur went silent. “Abadan’s army is paid too well to rat. Lilith is dead, and the Ogres are too stupid to be that smart.”

  “His eyes are everywhere,” Klara half laughed as Wolfgang and Lottie watched them.

  “Abadan’s army has reached Hell. The King didn’t see that coming, but he knew about Frendall’s feelings for me. You are the only person I told.” Arthur’s silence only enraged her.

  Wolfgang and Lottie stared at her over Arthur’s shoulder. Wolfgang’s expression hardened as Klara mentioned Lucifer. “Is it a spell?” Klara demanded of Arthur, and he shook his head.

  “Tell me! Or I swear I will hand you over to Kharon.”

  “Leave me out of your petty arguments,” Kharon interrupted.

  “Calm down,” Wolfgang said with Lottie hiding behind his legs.

  “The King’s eyes are mine. After I was sentenced to Malum, he needed eyes on the Queens, but he didn’t trust me to report everything, so he made a duplicate of his eyes and replaced mine.”

  Klara grimaced at the thought of Arthur having his eyes torn out. “He knew about the Ghoul incident before I even got to Hell?”

  “Everything,” Arthur said, and Klara went numb.

  “We need to leave him,” Wolfgang said not meeting Arthur’s eye.

  “My Father has enough on his plate, he won’t be coming after me.” Klara looked to Arthur, knowing he had no choice but to be her Father’s puppet.

  “There is nothing you can do for the King, he can handle himself,” Arthur said, Klara knew he was right. The King would escape to the Human World if he had too. It wasn’t the first rebellion Lucifer had suffered, and it wouldn’t be the last, but she was afraid. This time he had no Queens to rally his armies and supporters. The King is alone.

  “A part of him still wants to believe in Abadan. Through your eyes, we will show the King exactly what she is capable of,” Klara said, and Arthur bowed his head in shame. Of all those keeping secrets, she had never considered the person closest to her.

  Why should you feel anything for the King? Klara scolded herself. He put you in this position in the first place, but as she pictured the Demons that she had dined with around the banquet table rising against him, it awoke a protective instinct in her.

  “If you are quite done with your squabbling, we are almost there,” Kharon said. The sweaty stench of the Ogre swamps on the Malum side of the River surrounded them. Crossing at the Ogre swamps would only lead them to the Fae. Past the swamps, the Fae Guard’s presence would be lighter. They travelled further down River until the air became thick with fog. The scent of algae and decaying forestry replaced the smell of the Ogres’ Swamps. Klara could barely see five feet ahead of them only making out the algae that coated the black inked water.

  “If news of a rebellion has spread to the Fae, there will be extra patrols and more Creatures will try to cross,” Wolfgang warned looking a lot healthier although his hand still clutched his side.

  The increased presence of Creatures in the Neutral Lands would lessen their chances of being detected. Lucifer was her last hope against Abadan and Mila. If he could raise an army, they would be too wrapped up in fighting each other to stop her.

  “Why are we stopping here?” Klara asked as they sat where River began to narrow. “This is as close to the marsh as I can get you, any closer and it would alert the Fae.” Kharon was trying to test her and Klara certainly wasn’t in the mood.

  “The marshes are probably safer, no Creature would opt to use the marshes, and the Fae won’t want to risk Guards on the uneven terrain,” Wolfgang reasoned.

  Klara let out a deep breath as the foul smell clouded her senses. “Bring us a little closer,” Klara ordered. “Until the fog clears, I can’t see a damn thing.”

  Kharon wavered and moved the boat through the thick water.

  Trees grew from the soul ridden streams, and overhanging branches of decaying white willow trees drifted over them. “Least the fog will give us some cover, and we should reach the Fae border by nightfall,” Wolfgang said, and Klara wallowed in the trial of getting to land. The fog was merely a glamour from the Fae to throw off Malums’ undesirables.

  The longboat settled and Kharon’s long arms folded. “Unless you wish to visit the Underworld, I suggest you disembark,” Kharon said, and Klara stared over the edge of the boat.

  “We are to jump?” She asked, and Kharon smirked. Klara secured her axe and bag to her back, ready to jump when Kharon rose his hand. “I should probably warn you that the Goddess Styx cursed this water so that no male that enters may leave.”

  “Well that’s me screwed,” Wolfgang glared, and Lottie gripped him tighter. “I’m not going without you,” Lottie said, looking at Klara for help.

  “You didn’t want to share this truth earlier,” Wolfgang looked to the dark waters.

  “I could have remained silent and collected three souls. You are travelling with the Daughter of Hell and whatever else she is. Figure it out, Your Highness.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Klara stepped closer.

  “I’ve had many a soul in this boat but yours…” Kharon sniffed the air, “Has a sweetness like no other.”

  Klara thought of her concealed wings. “Not even an Angel smells this good,” Kharon’s eyes went wide as if he wanted to take a bite out of her.

  “We need to get moving,” Arthur interrupted getting between her and the Ferrier.

  Lottie stood at Klara’s back, maybe it was Lottie�
��s purity as an unchanged Lycaon Kharon was smelling. The waters were still, but the souls within wouldn’t be welcoming. Klara swished the thick inked water through her fingers and the fog lifted.

  “When you jump in, make sure you head in the right direction, if you cross the River back to Malum, you’re going to end up on the outskirts of some nasty Ogre’s hovel.” Kharon looked pleased with the thought.

  It was only a short distance to swim, but Klara doubted the souls would make it an easy distance.

  “Any other advice?” Wolfgang growled at Kharon, and Klara didn’t need the attitude.

  “The occupants in there,” Kharon extended a skeletal finger to the still, groaning waters, “Can get a little handsy so I’d swim fast.”

  Klara could see the souls floating in limbo.

  “Do you want me to take Lottie on my back?” Klara asked Wolfgang as Lottie gripped his leg. “I’m not leaving him,” Lottie hid her face. They didn’t have time to convince her.

  “Once I get to the bank, I’ll figure out a way to get you across.”

  Wolfgang studied the water, chewing his lips. “No matter what you see in the waters, resist them. Those souls can appear as perfect as they are repulsive,” Kharon said and spat into the waters pretending that he wasn’t the reason they were there in the first place.

  “I can manage,” Klara assured Wolfgang as he stared at her.

  “You die, we can’t get through the portal undetected.”

  “Glad to know you care,” Klara mocked and went feet first into the black waters. She wanted to put off submerging her nose and eyes for even a fraction of a second. Though the water had other ideas; the black ink came rushing up to meet her.

  The marshes grew closer with every stroke. It was only seconds before she felt Them, and hands of the dead began to grip her body.

  The souls pulled and tore at Klara as she tried to swim, stopping to push them off would only ensure her drowning. The piercing screams of the tormented, disorientated her while the grey arms grew heavier on her body. She pushed herself forward as distraught faces begged for her to stay with us.

  This is not how I die, Klara cursed as the water filled her mouth. A hand gripped her ankle and with sharp tug snatched her from the surface. Under the water, swarms of souls surrounded her. It was as if there was no water, only souls. The more that swarmed, the deeper Klara plunged. She let the bag be pulled from her shoulders, freeing her from those gripping it. The now exposed axe on her back protected her. The souls couldn’t touch her axe without hurting themselves.

  The taste of the thick, putrid waters made her gag. This is not how I die. Her eyes flashed white as she blasted through the souls. The souls recoiled from her body as her touch burnt through them. Others rushed at her, hungry to feed on her power.

  “Enough,” her command forced the waters away from her. For a moment, Klara’s magic revealed the clear blue water the River had once contained when it was free from the Goddess curse.

  Klara broke through the surface as the souls retreated.

  At the edge of the marshes, Klara clutched at the moss. It threatened to rip and send her back to the souls as she wrapped her arms around a planted rock and freed herself from the heavy water. On her back, Klara coughed the water from her lungs.

  Klara was slightly delirious from the force of magic she had used to escape. Some new lungs would be great about now. Klara could see the others white knuckling the edge of the longboat. Their faces riddled with worry, “Klara, you good?” Wolfgang shouted at her.

  “Am I good?” Klara asked, staring up through the decaying branches hanging over her. I cleared cursed waters of shrieking souls trying to kill me.

  “Yes, I’m fantastic.” Klara sat on her heels and slipped her arms back into the waters allowing the ink to travel up her arms. Klara’s eyes flashed white as she tapped into the depths of her power to clear a stretch of water, she was risking their discovery, but it was that or death. There was no way Lottie would survive the pull of the souls.

  “So much for your potion,” she said as if Lilith were beside her.

  “The path is clear,” Klara shouted, keeping her hands in the water. The Goddess Styx curse was powerful and ancient. The ink slipped into her pores as the curse fought to free itself from her. She felt the strain of every soul slamming against the walls she had created within the River. Kharon stood on the boat, clapping at her abilities. Klara looked toward Wolfgang with Lottie’s arms knotted around his neck.

  “Keep straight towards me. I can only hold a narrow lane,” Klara shouted.

  Klara watched the splash as Wolfgang and Lottie dove in. The curse fought against her trying to get to them. The ink snaked up her arms as the curse attempted to kill its jailer.

  Wolfgang’s head rose above the waters, and she could see the strain on his face as Lottie’s grip tightened around his neck.

  “Almost there,” Klara groaned as she felt a thousand ants were chewing at her skin.

  Wolfgang gripped the patch of moss beside her. Klara couldn’t remove her arms to help as Lottie slipped from Wolfgang’s back and into the water.

  “Lottie,” she called unable to move without killing Wolfgang. Wolfgang looked into the waters, panic creasing his features. He was about to dive under when Lottie appeared on the other side of Klara—surprising them both as she pulled herself out of the water with ease, her unicorn backpack intact.

  Once Wolfgang pulled himself out, Klara removed her arms from the water, and she felt like she could breathe again. The smell of the steaming, cursed water almost made Klara retch. The ink dripped from their skin and the stain of the ink evaporated from them in seconds.

  Klara squeezed out her clothes as Wolfgang helped Lottie, although the heat on this side of the River would do that for them.

  “Wait!” Klara said, looking through the fog. Kharon was long gone. “Where’s Arthur?” She asked, her eyes darting around the marshes.

  “Took you long enough to notice,” Arthur said behind her with a smile on his lips and her shoulders relaxed. She feared that Kharon had sent him to the depths. The thought of Arthur among the tortured souls deflated Klara’s already tired body, even if he had been spying on her since forever.

  Over her shoulder, Arthur stood dry as a bone. “Can’t touch the water if I plan on remaining somewhat alive,” Arthur said, placing a hand on Lottie’s head, and Wolfgang glared at him.

  “Couldn’t have offered to give us a lift over?” Wolfgang rounded on him, and Arthur held up his thin arms in defence. “I’m afraid it doesn’t work that way.”

  Wolfgang backed off as Lottie chattered beside Klara. Lottie’s fluffy unicorn backpack dripped in her small arms. Klara went to squeeze the water from the teddy-pack when Lottie scrunched her small features and clutched the unicorn closer to her chest.

  “Just leave it with her,” Wolfgang groaned as he shook out his mop of ashy blonde hair. Klara resisted the urge to make a wet dog comment. They weren’t exactly friends just yet. She still caught him glancing at her when he thought she wasn’t watching.

  “Everyone good?” Klara asked as she moved away from the deceptive edges of the marshes. There was a grumble from Wolfgang as he motioned for her to lead the way, and Klara rolled her eyes.

  Wolfgang was still trying to figure out whether he could trust her or not, and she was doing the same. Arthur watched them with a bemused expression.

  “Stick to the rocks, one wrong step, and you’ll be making friends with those souls,” Arthur warned as Klara went to place her foot down on a patch of flattened moss. But before she had a chance to self-adjust, Wolfgang grabbed her.

  As his hands gripped her, his eyes flashed a mix of yellow and amber. Klara hissed as his claws pierced her skin, and the sharp pain caused her to lose control of her power. Her new heart didn’t disguise her pain as much as her original.

  “You didn’t have to do that,” Klara said, and removed his hands from her skin before he turned completely. She expected his h
arsh response, but she could see he was struggling to control the change. Klara couldn’t understand how she could force him to shift but not be able to see into his mind. The souls had torn her sleeves and direct contact after using so much magic was a rookie mistake.

  Wolfgang crouched, clutching his chest, and Klara pulled Lottie out of the way to safety. Wolfgang put his fist through a boulder as he tried to calm himself.

  “Take her further away,” Klara ordered, and Arthur backed up.

  “Are you able to control it?” Klara asked. This much lack of control in a mature wolf could be from his wound.

  “Just Keep Lottie Back,” Wolfgang said. It was clear that he didn’t want Lottie to see him weakened. Wolfgang leaned over a moss-covered rock and his eyes trained toward the waters. Klara moved an inch to the side and caught a glimpse of his sharp fangs and a scar across his cheek. Klara helped him stand careful not to touch his skin, “Your scar?”

  “It’s an old lash wound.” The Lycaon features disappeared quickly. His rounded spine returned to normal, and his claws withdrew.

  Suddenly it dawned on Klara, the scar across the snout. Wolfgang was the Lycaon in the Forest. The one who had remained behind when the rest of the pack ran back to their homes.

  ~14~

  “Hold up for a second!” Wolfgang said helping Lottie over a fallen tree as Klara cleared it with a leap. Wolfgang was with the hunting pack! Maybe he’s a spy for Abadan. Klara looked over her shoulder, his eyes pleading with her as they struggled through the marshes at a grueling pace.

  “Abadan won’t be far behind, and she would have had to return to the Castle to build a portal. She can’t cross the River without Kharon,” Klara replied, dragging her feet through the sludge.

  “That amount of magic will take time to harness, but not much and the Hounds don’t need a portal with a bounty on my head.”

  Klara stopped to wipe the sweat from her cheeks, barely allowing Wolfgang and Lottie time to catch up. Klara figured Kharon would head for the Human plane until the battle for the crowns was over.