Crimson Mist

by Rachel Jonas

  Forever.

  “No time,” Julian reminded him with a faint smile, causing me to breathe a sigh of relief. “Felix is waiting, I’m sure.”

  Silas seemed to suddenly remember the tight timeline we were facing. Tonight, although we’d only just completed the task, he’d be heading off to work on the final phase of the serum he and Fe had been so dedicated to perfecting.

  “Right,” Silas sighed. “Do you mind if I draw your blood now?”

  I didn’t hesitate to offer him my arm. He’d come prepared, removing a capped syringe from the back pocket of his jeans. Using his teeth, he unsheathed the needle and I watched him puncture the vein and remove blood that seemed a shade or two darker than before.

  He repeated the process, filling a second vial.

  “That should do it.” He offered a smile after finishing, and there was no need to cover the small spot he pricked. It had already stopped bleeding.

  “You’re sure that’s enough?” I asked, gazing up at his starkly handsome face.

  He offered a nod. “Probably more than enough, actually.”

  An unexpected sense of pride filled me, being able to contribute to his and Felix’s contribution in some way. Even if there was a truckload of science behind their project I would never understand.

  He pressed a soft kiss to my forehead and my lids lowered with the feeling of contentment that spread through me. Silas pulled away and I wanted to bring him close again.

  “I’ll stop in when I return,” he promised. “Hopefully, I’ll have good news for everyone.”

  Silas never aimed to be a hero, but on more than one occasion, he’d somehow managed to fit that description, as defined by me.

  “There will be good news,” I assured him, making my confidence in his and Felix’s expertise known.

  He offered another of his warm smiles, and I would hold on to it until he came back to me.

  My guy was off to change the world.

  And if by some small miracle everything worked out perfectly … he stood a pretty good chance of saving it.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  Corina

  “This is so wild! Don’t you agree?”

  Smiling, I cut a look toward Elle when she spoke. She behaved more and more like a free-thinker with each passing day.

  “Wild? How so?” I popped a grape into my mouth after asking.

  She paused to search for the right words. “Just … everything.”

  It was impossible to miss the elation in her tone, which was likely based on the fact that we’d miraculously escaped death up to this point.

  “Well, for starters, the princes have bonded with your team, which is more than enough proof, but there’s more,” she gushed. “Like, Empress Westower secretly being a key player in the resistance. Then there’s the fact that you lucked out with Aaric.” When she added that item to her list, a cheeky grin came with it. “It’s kind of awesome that we don’t even need Roman to complete the bond. You know, with him and Aaric being from the same bloodline.”

  Chuckling, I peeked around the dim corner in the recording studio where we managed to stay to ourselves and out of the way of the film crew. The sunglasses and hooded shawl I wore helped to conceal my transition, but many recognized me anyway.

  The alternating glares of hatred and excited handwaves told me so.

  “Elle, shhh!” I covered my mouth when a laugh slipped out.

  She mouthed the word, “Sorry,” shrinking her posture like she suddenly wished to be invisible.

  “Don’t apologize. That’s just not the kind of thing you can say out loud in mixed company.”

  Especially in a building swirling with reporters who would die for a scoop like that. I could see the headlines now.

  ‘Scandal in the Dynasty: Bastard Son of a Monarch Resurfaces to be Seated on the Throne.”

  While they would certainly put that spin on it to sensationalize the circumstances, Aaric wanted no parts of his royal heritage. However, if it came down to presenting the truth or boosting ratings, ratings would definitely be priority.

  I pondered Elle’s point. Especially the part where she referred to my first meeting with Aaric as “lucky”. Once upon a time, I would have argued someone down for making such a statement, but I felt so differently now.

  Yes, ironically, luck did seem like a fitting word.

  My gaze shifted up to the digital numbers that wound down in ominous fashion. Like some sort of doom’s day clock.

  The princes’ interview was scheduled to begin soon. Coming to support them was the only reason I dared to venture out into public. No, they didn’t need my help, but being here felt like the right thing to do.

  Before agreeing to do this—per Empress Westower’s suggestion—we’d collectively been on the media’s and authority’s crap list. There were dozens of rumors circulating about where the princes had run off to, whether we had even gone through with the ceremony at all, and of course the million-dollar question:

  “Is Mistress Corina Blackbird?”

  As those words flitted through my thoughts, an assistant rushed past with a portable steamer in hand. He cast a weary side-eye my way and there was no doubt about it. The Ianite community had no idea what to make of me; therefore, they didn’t trust me.

  I ignored the stare-down and adjusted the sunglasses that hid my eyes from the world, reminding myself that I had Julian’s word we’d leave the moment this was over.

  You got this, Cori. Just chill.

  Having transitioned, it was like walking around in costume. Even after two weeks, I still felt like a stranger in my own body. Completely out of place. This feeling of being disconnected accounted for why I’d barely “eaten” anything more than a few sips of blood. And even then, it was simply to for the sake of survival. Not enjoyment. The only sense of comfort I had consuming it was that it had been given willingly, by members of the resistance who donated what was needed for their Ianite counterparts to thrive.

  But … still.

  “We go live in sixty seconds,” someone on set announced to lingering crew members.

  With the update, Elle and I both turned toward the monitor mounted nearby.

  I wished I could have been by the guys’ side, the three of my four mates who would soon brave the relentless interviewer. I imagined the woman chomping at the bit, waiting to flay them before the public eye. I feared this would be more of an interrogation than anything.

  We had seen a few big wins lately, which made me wonder if today would be the day the other shoe would finally drop. However, I couldn’t think about that right then. So, instead, I chose to focus on the flood of good fortune that seemed to surround us.

  To start, I’d waited for Silas to come to my room the night of the final claiming. He promised he would when he and Felix finished their work. Only, he never showed. In fact, no one heard a single word from him for two days. Then, when he finally returned, it was with the best news possible.

  He and Felix had worked tirelessly to perfect the serum, and after a few rounds of tests, they were fully confident their formula was a success. There was no time for lengthy trials, but with a few volunteers—human and Ianite who had been under close watch the past two weeks—the formula had done what they hoped every round, without fail.

  The first week, we played the waiting game, being that it takes a full seven days for any effect of the serum to be felt or noticed. Then, week two the group was monitored for any unwanted side-effects. To everyone’s relief, there were none, deeming the entire trial a success.

  We were so close to saving the world I could practically smell victory.

  “Quiet on the set,” someone announced. Elle reached for my hand.

  I hadn’t known I needed the extra support until she did that, but the contact and comfort were greatly appreciated

  A faint buzz in the purse hanging at my side prompted me to scramble for the phone with my free hand.

  “Hello?” I answered, speaking just above a whisp
er.

  “Hey,” Aaric said through the earpiece. “I know it isn’t possible to physically be there with you, but I thought this might be the next best thing.”

  There was no fighting the smile that broke free when his deep rasp touched my ears. He was right; calling to show support was the next best thing.

  In a perfect world, he wouldn’t have to lay low at his compound while the rest of us faced this difficult task—covering our tracks, trying to beat Roman and the magistrates to breaking any critical news ahead of us.

  However, this was not a perfect world, so I settled for the phone call.

  My teeth sank into my bottom lip, fighting to contain the girlish grin that threatened to break free.

  “I’m glad you called.” It felt strange admitting that so freely, but it was true. I was glad to hear from him, glad he was in my life now. I’d known this even before our kiss.

  The sound of his quiet laughter brought an even bigger smile out of me.

  “We’re about to watch our shared destiny unfold before our eyes,” he chimed in, “Figured we ought to witness it together.”

  Together. I liked the sound of that.

  Onscreen, the network’s logo glowed in the center while a short theme song played. Then, after a moment, the camera zoomed in on the guys.

  I must have been shaking because Elle gave my hand a gentle squeeze, prompting me to clutch my phone—my link to Aaric—even tighter.

  “Good afternoon, gentlemen,” the reporter greeted them, flashing a smile too big for my liking. It left me wondering what hid behind it.

  What, exactly, was written on those notecards she held?

  Each prince responded to her niceties, ones that only served as a buffer for the meat of the interview. She simply hadn’t gotten to that part yet. With each empty, superficial question that followed, my stomach twisted into knots, fearing that the very next inquiry would hammer the final nail into their coffins.

  Our coffins.

  “Well, gentlemen, as I’m sure you already know, your recent actions have been heavily scrutinized by the law and the public,” the reporter—who the banner onscreen identified as Gloria—pointed out. “Tell me a little about that if you don’t mind. People are dying to know what’s taking place in your world.”

  When Levi propped his foot on the bar beneath his stool, and then adjusted the knot of his red tie, I knew he’d be the one to speak first.

  “Good move, guys. Lead with the charmer,” I said mostly to myself, but Elle and Aaric both heard.

  “Very good move,” Elle agreed.

  “First of all, Gloria, allow me to congratulate you and your husband on the newest addition to your household,” Levi crooned, in that way only Levi could do.

  It worked like a charm. Gloria grinned right back at him, seeming to forget all about this husband Levi spoke of.

  “Thank you so much for that. The little one keeps us pretty busy, but we’re so elated to be starting our family,” she shared.

  Levi offered a gracious nod. “It’s always a pleasure to hear of a family growing, putting down roots here in the Dynasty.”

  The statement was a direct contradiction to what their government actually supported. New births equaled more mouths to feed. This seemed to go completely over Gloria’s head. Because if it hadn’t, she might have accused him of deflecting. Instead, she stared, watching Levi’s expression shift. It took on a more serious quality, but remained pleasant.

  Gloria crossed her legs at the knee and gave him her undivided attention.

  “Now, to answer your question,” he started again, “my brothers and I are aware of the false information being circulated by the media. However, we’ve chosen not to lash out or address these accusations verbally. Instead, we’re focused on changing the hearts and minds of our people by making good on the promises that brought us into the public eye recently.”

  Seeming to love the flow and direction of the interview so far, Gloria’s smile brightened. “You’re referring to the blood bond?”

  The relaxed smirk that barely curved Levi’s lips could have melted a glacier. “Of course,” he answered. “It is our pleasure to announce to the world that … the blood bond has been sealed. Mistress Corina’s transition is, in fact, complete.”

  I didn’t miss the shocked look Gloria flashed when that information was brought to light.

  “Well!” she practically sang. “This is excellent news!”

  “We couldn’t agree with you more,” Levi replied, speaking for himself and the others.

  “You can imagine my surprise, especially considering that one of your Dynasty Brothers—as you call yourselves—is absent today,” she observed. “Do any of you care to explain why Roman has decided not to join us?”

  “Absolutely,” Julian chimed in.

  There was a plan for how to handle this particular question, and there was none among us more diplomatic than Julian. They were sticking to the strategy.

  “While we’re very open about the fact that Roman has recently chosen to go his own way, before parting to pursue other endeavors, he kept his word. To us. To the Dynasty,” Julian added, feigning sincerity. “Roman, noble as he is, fulfilled his role.”

  This lie was a particularly dangerous one to tell, but it was the only way to explain how I had transitioned. Without mentioning Aaric, that is.

  “That was noble indeed,” Gloria eventually replied, pressing a hand to her chest as she seemed suddenly overcome with emotion. “That brings us to the next question I’m sure rests on the lips of the millions tuning in this afternoon.”

  I released air from my lungs, hearing Aaric do the same as each question had the potential to poke giant holes in this story.

  “When will trials begin to formulate and test the cure?”

  Silas offered a smile when Gloria finished speaking. A shift from casual conversation to science was his cue.

  “You’ll be happy to hear laboratory tests have already begun,” he informed her, “but the location of the facility is being kept under wraps. For obvious reasons.”

  Gloria nodded profusely, eager to seem on-the-level. “Oh, absolutely!” was her vibrant contribution. “In light of recent break-ins and a rise in theft, that was a wise decision your advisors made.”

  I smiled to myself at her choice of words—advisors. If only the world knew the group of rebels calling the shots from behind the scenes was composed of myself, the guys, Elle, Glenn, and the rogue Empress herself.

  “Well, since we’re on the subject of theft and break-ins,” Gloria segued, “Julian, as the next presiding Emperor, how has your team been handling rumors that your mistress is none other than the infamous Blackbird herself.”

  The poised and unwavering smile of a politician brightened Julian’s face, successfully masking all his secrets. He was a natural. Too bad for Ianites worldwide, but he was no longer on their side of things.

  “I’m actually glad you brought that up,” he said with a chuckle. “While I’m sure you can guess it was alarming to hear there’s actually some small subset of citizens who believe this fable, it’s become somewhat of a running joke among the three of us.”

  Gloria’s brow quirked. “You’ve … found humor in this? I mean, these are some pretty serious allegations.”

  “I won’t disagree with that,” Silas interjected. “However, those allegations would seem absolutely preposterous to anyone as closely acquainted with Mistress Corina as we are. To understand why we’d find humor in such a grave accusation, you’d have to know the woman behind the proverbial veil.”

  Gloria settled into her chair a bit, relaxing. “Is that an invitation to pry? Because I’m certain the rest of the world is just as curious about what goes on behind palace walls as I am.”

  Yes, she was teasing, but she was also one-hundred-percent serious.

  “Levi, would you like to take this one?” Silas asked in such a suave tone the sound of it dragged a grin out of me.

  “Certainly,” Lev
i crooned. “I never miss an opportunity to rave about a beautiful woman,” he added with that deadly charm of his. “Mistress Corina is all the things any man could ever hope to wake up to every morning. No one would dispute that she’s beautiful, but on top of that, she’s intelligent, incredibly kind, and if ever a more loyal creature existed, it has yet to be discovered.”

  He flashed a glance toward the camera. One I knew was meant for me.

  “And to prove she has no time for whatever fires Blackbird has started in recent months, I can vouch that the Mistress has spent a majority of her time gardening and going on shopping adventures with Julian’s house manager, Ellenore. And when those two aren’t burning a hole through our credit cards, she’s recently taken to baking.”

  Oh … come … on!

  I nearly choked on my saliva with the bold-faced lie he just spewed. Not once in my natural life had I ever baked anything.

  The wink he aimed at the teleprompter this time was also meant for me. My smile grew, despite wanting to deck him.

  “So, is it safe to assume you three are getting along quite swimmingly with the new lady in your lives?” There was no missing the hidden meaning buried within Gloria’s question.

  Levi didn’t hesitate to answer. “It would be … very safe to assume that, Gloria. Thanks for asking.”

  The smirk he offered right after seemed to trigger Gloria in ways not quite appropriate for live television. I got the distinct impression that, had she been human, her cheeks would have been bright red. One touch of her forehead would prove he’d made her temperature soar.

  “Your candor is deeply appreciated,” she added after a few seconds of reflective silence. She glanced down to view her notes again. “I have here that a handful of high-ranking officials stormed your palace recently? And, if I’m reading this correctly, they arrived to find Mistress Corina had mysteriously vanished from her quarters?”