Shadow Queen (22 page)

After getting back to business, we set up a meeting of including the newest and soon to be reinstated Elf faction.  Cas met with Lord Jetten one-on-one before we set the whole thing in motion.  We wanted the ground rules in place before all were present for the official addition to the world we live in.  Lord Jetten shared with us the amount of time spent in the human cities and how in recent decades more humans seem receptive to other races and species.  The Americas alone were one of the most diverse areas in the world, though it was patchy with places that were highly religious or highly open minded to other possibilities.  There didn’t seem to be a middle ground.  Jetten had already made contact with various state representatives and government branches who were aware of his
differences
.  The next step was telling the same people who else was out there.  In time, maybe things could change.

              The meeting was at the Valkyrie court and included Lord Cassius Cross of the Vampire faction, the now Lord Szar Hathown of the Valkyrie faction soon to be instated, Lord Green of the Hunter faction, Lord Cord Ryan of the Were faction, and Lord Jetten of the Elf Faction.  Of course, a few others were present.  Myself included, as well as my father.  Calum, Dr. Quinn, and the everywhere man, Dyer Lee.

              All were in agreement with the newly developed faction and ready for proceeding.  The next part was where we hit a time-stopper.

              “What do you mean you aren’t with us?” I screeched like a mad hyena. 

              “I can’t help you on this,” Dr. Green stood and made for the door.

              My father offered no help.

              “Lord Green.  If we leave it the way it is, Borgon will continue to move against us, reveal the Godslayer however he wishes, and eventually take everything you have because it is his aim.”  I wagered how extreme I should go and decided I had to go for over the top.  Lord Green needed to get a good dose of reality. 

              “Hear me out before you live out this parallel universe you’ve started creating fate for.  My son will follow you anywhere Anastacia Anat, so don’t think this is off the whim.  I have to think about it daily knowing my son’s safety comes second to you in the eyes of most.  I don’t have to agree to anything that puts you or my son in danger.  Your father says nothing, but have you asked him?  I think you are all going about this wrong.  We’ve made progress with the Elves, but have you thought about the consequences of taking out the remaining opposition’s leader when they outnumber the majority?”

              I hadn’t thought that far ahead.  I just assumed the tables would turn if I kept searching for more Elves.  After all we’d been through, how often had my wrong decisions worked out anyway?  Mostly, they did.  And repercussions were futile when there was always a villain who got the most press.  My mistakes were never challenged.

              “Alright.  Let’s say you are right?”

              The room seemed to jerk upward in one forward motion. 

              “I never pretended to have the right answers.  You all were the ones so adamant on me being this great warrior princess who would save us all.  Every time I screwed up, you still praised me.  I am just glad someone finally admits this isn’t just my call.  If you have a better idea, let’s hear it.”

              The room ping-ponged back to Lord Green.  “And that my dear, shows why you were chosen.  I fully believe that Borgon is not the bigger picture here, but the line that divided us from unity.”

              “Isn’t that one in the same?”

              “He screwed up but ultimately, the man just wants his family back,” Lord Green said looking to Calum. 

              “But that’s impossible.”

              “Then what do you propose?”

              I already knew the answer.  It’s what I intended in the first place.  “If we move without factions in place like they are appearing to be moving on without Borgon’s plans coming to fruition, then he sees it as a setback.  He has lost numbers by the hundreds as they are turning back to Lord Jetten.  It is only a matter of time before he is weeded out of the underground areas he hides in.  If we get the Godslayer back to it’s true owner, then Lord Jetten will restore it to the born location far away from any human or supernatural factions can recover.  My mother assured me this was the catalyst to ending it.”

              Dr. Green held his head to his side.  “If I agree to it, then I have one more condition.”

              All ears were attentive.

              “My son takes the lordship in my stead as of today.  I want the authority shifted before the Elves end this.”

              Puzzled, I asked why.

              Dr. Green’s eyes shifted to my father’s.  Haunted by the future, I understood. 

              “Never mind.  It will be done.”

All that was discussed came to pass.  Borgon was seen and heard in various places as getting angrier and angrier that he’d not won his faction war and was still left without “ruling them all”.  He’d lost so many of his front men, gophers doing his dirty work, and was now left with Nara as his only ally.  I truly did pity the man.

That is, until he tried to hurt another one of my own.

I went to see Szar the next night after the public announcement of his taking over.  I wanted him to have me there for support, to not be alone.  He may act like he doesn’t care, but I know better.

Cas said he’d check on a few things in his court and meet me back at the Cross Manor when I finished.  To go alone was saying something.  He was trusting me like he hadn’t before I knew he was a nervous wreck about it.

When I arrived several guards stopped me at the gate with shouts to go back.  They tried holding me there next saying the court is under attack.  Guards were swooping in.  Seconds later they changed course saying Lord Hathown, my brother, was kidnapped and now found. They refused open the door until they told me where he was.  With their words, I was hot and speeding off to the culprits. 

I called the only Were leader I know, Cord Ryan.

“Where the hell is my brother?”

“Well hello honey.  It’s good to talk to you too,” he chuckled into the phone. 

I screamed something ruder and saw that my speedometer was over ninety.  I couldn’t afford a ticket. 

“He is here and he is fine.  Just get here and see for yourself.”

Cas met my car, his Hummer, at the cabin house Cord preferred over his manor.  He pulled me to him, but I pushed away and shoved myself inside the closed door that no one greeted me at.

“Where is he?” I demanded.

A rather beat up version of my brother stood half clothed in the doorway, with a gash the length of a spatula on his abdomen.  His mark was distorted in the process.  His body was folded over in the chair leaning by the door and his eye was swollen shut.

“Cord, give me your hand.”

His eyebrow went up and his hand shot out.  “Any other body parts?”

“Shut up.”  I slit his wrist with the end of my dagger as I did mine.  Cas yanked mine away asking me not to do this.  I looked at him, looked at my brother whose smile was crooked from the busted lip he adorned.  I remember how he looked for weeks after rescuing him.  I was responsible for that too.

I ignored Cas and thanked the gods there was no Calum here.  He would have protested too.

I walked Cord over to Szar and I pressed my hand into Cord’s and both of us fell to the ground.  I assumed Szar went with us.  His wounds healed without a hitch.  The vision was a new one, but nothing new to my psyche.  Lee was cold and dead in the vision.  He was
dead
.

“See, I told you.  He is set to die and now I have to alter it too.  I will change this whatever it is,” I vowed to Cord the instant my eyes focused and my head returned to the scene.  Cas was holding me up in the air away from all of them. 

"It showed Lee dead," Cas wiped his hand on his pants telling held known my visions with Cord all along.

No one spoke until Cord answered my biting look.

“Borgon took him, Stace.  I dragged his butt across three car lengths and out of Nara’s friggin’ hands.  Be thankful it was just what it was.”

In the air, Cas held an iron grip around the front of me.  My arms flailed to release and it baffled me how I could be stronger than him at times and not others. The nighttime feasts, as Cas called them, made his body solid Oak and something to be reckoned with.

              “Thankful! 
Thankful!
  He won’t stop Cord.  He will take each of you one by one until there isn’t any of you left.  I can’t let him do that.  I can’t be responsible for each of your deaths.”

              The tone of the room changed.  I could feel the emotions settle into
pity
.

“Don’t you dare show pity.  You all are being ridiculous.”

Kissa.  Calm down and hear yourself.

“No.  I can hear myself just fine.”

If you did, you’d know that every single one of us feel the same about you.

“It shouldn’t be that way.”

My brother didn’t stumble to stand thanks to the healing.  At least I know it works.  “Don’t worry folks, she talks to herself on a regular basis,” he coughed not entirely feeling like perfection.  “I spent a many a nights watching her sleepwalk into the boy’s dormitories telling them to fight her in her sleep.”

“I did not!”

“Did so!  Ask Cas.”

I broke free of his loosed grasp and landed on the ground.  “That is just wrong.”

“It is what it is, sis.  Just like Borgon and his ways.”  He walked up to me, placing a warm hand on my shoulder.  “And for what it’s worth, I am thankful for what you just did.  And the way you arrived.  I would do the same if it were you.”

With that, I lost my will to fight.  My brother was acting…sweet.  Caring.  Thoughtful.

“O.kay,” I stuttered.

Cord finally stood.  He held his temple as I already held my own.  It was evening back out again to the slow hum in my head that stayed there. 

“Why don’t you guys stay since you’re here?  We can play cards or something,” Cord offered.

Cards?
  “Um, no.  I’d rather leave.  I want Szar back home though.”

He grunted at me, “I don’t think charging in here and saving my ass constitutes you as my momma now.  You can take your scrawny butt there yourself.”

He was right.  “Fine.  I need some air.”

Cas followed me as I knew he would.  He didn’t say anything thankfully like he probably should and normally would.  He kissed away the pain and told the guys we’d seen them tomorrow.

I asked him how he beat me there if he was “checking on his court”.  After ignoring the questions with more kisses, he finally relented and told me he found me by my scent. The scent of my blood. 

A cloaked figure was just a little too woodsy and archaic.  I couldn’t be sure who was under it, but I didn’t think it was a friend by which side they chose to stand on.   He came in an odd way for visiting the the Valkyrie court.  Szar was instated yesterday and the entire court was still in celebration.  The same procedures were done as with Dr. Green and tomorrow we inaugurate Calum into the Hunter court.  Oddly enough, it will be the first time I’ve been to the actual manor that happens to be five miles over from the school.   I was sent there once to check on a mission status of a wayward Hunter who turned out just to be a teenager sneaking out of the manor.  I never made it inside because the young girl was easily persuaded to enter her court again after I described the Big Bad World a little to her.  Little did I know, I had no clue the world was this screwed over.

Wearing jeans and heels, I scaled the wall rather quickly and followed him into the trees.  I told the guys I needed the ladies room and saw the shadows out the window while washing my hands.  I had my knives, but not back up.  I knew it not to be Borgon, the shoulder span was considerably larger than him.  In fact, he was Calum Conan large in every way. 

The hood shielded from giving me a clue, but his gaze was familiar.  It was burning a hole into my eyes from across the courtyard.  His hands were fisted and powerful like a Hunter.  His posture rigid and forced telling me he was trying to gain my attention. 

When he stopped, looked back at the balcony I dropped from, I was certain he thought me to still be there.  In all my stealthy abilities, I didn’t foresee he lead me to right where he wanted.

“If it is your intention to sneak up on the enemy in such a visible fashion you are going to make my job that much harder,” the cloaked figure said in the dark.  Before he turned, he brandished a long, broad sword and a box. 

“And if I’d been anymore fearful of my life, I’d have a weapon drawn.  Perhaps you can just tell me what you want to say Lee, and then be back on your merry way.”

His slow turn didn’t garnish a smile for me, but rather bad news.  I pictured him dead like the vision.  “Does it matter that I can lead you out here so easily at all?”

“I knew you were a Hunter.  I knew you weren’t Borgon or Nara.  I knew you were sneaking on my brother’s court grounds.  Besides, you know very well that I have two more pairs of eyes watching even now.”

“Szar is waiting for your reply to my request.”

Figures.  “On with it.”

“Borgon intends to attack the Hunter court tomorrow.  I need for you to stay away.”

“You know I can’t do that.”

“You did for Thorn when Dr. Green was instated.”

This was childish.  “Why are you so adamant on me staying out?”

“His plan is too well thought out.  I fear he is misleading me,” Lee breathed out under the hood.  He still hadn’t shown his face.

“You get lied too?  Astonishing!”

“Anastacia.  I need you to do this.”

“Can’t.  If he has plans, I wouldn’t want to miss them.  Thank you for the warning.”

I started across the field when he asked me to stop.  I waited with my back turned offering a thumbs down in Szar’s direction. 

“Lee, don’t ask me to do what you know I can’t do,” I warned him.

He chuckled low, but it wasn’t heartfelt.  “Yeah, that’s about what I expected.”

When I turned back to hear or see his answer, he was gone. 

Szar met me at the bottom of the outside terrace stairs. 

“I told him you’d say no.” My brother’s regal way of dressing didn’t change one bit.  Jeans and a t-shirt with combat boots and special attention to all his many tattoos on his arms.  I valued his opinion even more after he commented once on how he trusted Cas so much to be the only man he’d allow me to marry.  It was arrogant and brotherly, but it was from his heart.  Szar’s friendship with my husband hasn’t changed in all the years they went through hell to get to where we are now.  I truly hope Borgon attacks tomorrow.  It will put an end to it once and for all.

The next day arrived after much deliberation the night before on security and whatnots.  Cas wanted the whole thing cancelled.  Calum was a nervous wreck.  Cord was battle ready and swords a blazing. 

Szar agreed with me.  Lee was out of sorts, especially coming to me all hooded and sneaky like.  It wasn’t his usual style.

I personally think they all disagreed only because they were not asked and Szar was.  He followed me to the balcony with his newest personal bodyguard.

The cars lined up and headed towards the Hunter court, now the Green Manor once again, without a hitch.  All went according to plan.  Lee remained by my side the length of the parade down the streets, and all was well with Calum as the new Hunter lord.  We left Calum there and headed back to the Valkyrie court for the celebration knowing he and several of the other Hunters would join us in an hour or so.  It was Szar’s idea to change up the pace with letting another court celebrate the neighboring factions new leadership.  With the two of them instated only two days apart, they were on equal ground in the “new at this” phase. 

Cas was jovial enough if you could say that about a Vampire lord.  He smiles more since our wedding night, keeping an ease about him I’d never seen.  He rarely jumps headfirst into an argument like he used too, but hasn’t let up on how he “teaches me a lesson” about my smart mouth.  Let’s just say it’s…entertaining. 

The terrace was open and music was playing across the court.  Everyone was in good spirits.  I changed out of heels and into boots before we arrived back here wanting to be able to run around the court seeing everyone with their happy faces.  I had just left Szar at the food table sharing our insights on the happiness of Borgon not attacking the Hunter court when a scream let out from across the courtyard.  Standing near a few Valkyrie guards, my feet started for the direction of the wail when another let out near the entrance where all the cars were being parked.  Simultaneously, two more let out in two opposite directions.  Not sure what direction to turn, I flipped back in the entrance to Szar.  He was packing on swords from the wall into his side as I grabbled one of the short blades for good measure.  His bodyguard, a man I didn't remember but is named Greg, did the same.

I heard a recognizable laugh that I would file later as evil personified.  Nara walked with an eased grace between two limos and right up to where I stood.  Meeting with a pissed off “wanna be” ex of my husband was just not that fun to me.  Fun was somewhere else entirely.  In fact, fun ran away.

My radar went immediately out to find Cas. 

Where are you?

Above you.  Keep your eyes forward.

I closed my fists once and spoke to Szar, “Brother.  Who all did you invite?”

Nara cackled loud, “My invite will be here shortly.  He’s all tied up at the Hunter court.”

Calum!

Liam is already on the way.

“Where is your trusty sword?  I thought you never left home without it?” I taunted her.  I didn’t see Elves.  Or Borgon.  They had to be here somewhere.  And he only had a few hundred followers left.

“Oh, it’s here.  You will see it soon.”  She seemed to be stalling as much as I was.  Deciding it would be better to move up their plans to thwart off some of it maybe, I plunged in with, “You know.  I never repayed you the favor for your compliments of last.  You were right about something though it was only a guess on your part.  I learned since meeting you just how nice the Vampire lord tastes.  I wager you haven’t a clue, but I assure you, it’s mouthwatering.” 

She was closing in.  Anger radiated around the grounds like a fire out of control and much of it was from her.  Sadly, I noticed she hadn't changed her outfit and wondered if she ever changed them or only had one outfit or owned a closet of all the same clothes.

“Any minute now you’re going to watch this whole place go up in flames and all of you with it.  Your
lord
is right here.  The others are not far. They are all going to die,” her teeth bared like an animal.

“Ahh, that’s where your mistaken
lass
.  I know this palace like a comb.  I know every inch of it.  Been there, done that,” I goaded her with the words she spit on me on the weapons room floor of the Cross Manor where she’d intended to kill me another night too.

Her hands lifted with two double-edged swords curved backwards and ready for aim.  At that very second, Cas came down from the sky, Cord came from the back of me, and Szar yelled out all descending on her like a wall crumbling down.   Her scream was quick, her mercy absent, her death…fast. 

Szar surfaced with her head.  Her
head
! 

Cord emerged with a face full of scratches.  His arms bleeding down in drips.  He didn’t look the part of Ken Barbie at the moment all covered in blood.

It was the most brutal death I’d ever witnessed.

I quickly sliced my hand and slapped it to Cord.  His wounds healed as quickly as mine.  The same dizzying mind control hit me and I blanked out long enough to see the same vision of Lord Jetten standing over us.  The second my mind cleared I searched the grounds for him, but he wasn’t there.  Cord was doing the same.

Cas was beside me a heartbeat later wrapping his arm around my neck and out of his usual. 

Lean into me more, Kissa.

As odd as the request, I did what he asked.

To your left is an army of thirty or so Elves with primitive weapons and what appears to be no leader.  To your right, behind the wall to your garden is a group of ten or so.

I
shifted my weight to look around.  Leaning in was only a safety precaution, but treated it like I was whispering to him.

No sign of Borgon?

Not yet.

Szar yelled out to the guards to get the still unfinished camera room switched to his phone.  One of the guards said it already armed over to it.  He checked it and had an answer to Cas’ unspoken information before I could ask.  Cas eyed my movements intently refusing to look away.

Borgon was on the back of the building according to the camera.

“I’m going to knock his block off,” Cord yelled to the phone.  Borgon was in plain view of the front gate to our court.  The guards watched him enter.  He came right in with the rest and was routing Elves on the backside.

“Dude, what era do you live in?” Szar threw out humor at the most unneeded time. 

Szar shouted to the guards now encircling the courtyard.  Cas interrupted him to say they should face the outer wall.  Szar didn’t question it and a second later had ten more lining the row of cars.  All the people left in the open were being shoved back into the court while the four of us stood over one dead Vampire girl’s body plotting how to take out the rest. One lone Elf stood by the front entrance.  He was too far to see up close, but in his hand was a palaceous weapon that he nailed the Valkyrie guard standing beside him with. It was over quick and there was nothing I could do.   Sure enough, he vanished behind the cars but as he neared I noticed a little black box under his arm.

Feeling reassured by Nara’s death, we didn’t feel the warning call come from Szar’s phone until after the blast hit. 

Cas covered my body, but not before the sound waves of the booming shards of wall and whatnot came whizzing through air.  Like a moment in slow motion, the bodies around me jerked forward a touch and then backward.  In a daze from plummeting towards the ground, I couldn’t stop the arms being torn off me.  No, away from me.  Someone was dragging me in the grass away from Cas.  Blurred by the sharp light of the blast, it took another good second before my eyes caught up to my senses.  When it finally hit me that the dragging sensation wasn't a feel good kind of pull, I seized the only material I could reach to stop the perpetrator. 

“I don’t think so, goddess girl.  This Shadow Queen business has come to an end.  In a few moments, I will end this.”

“Why?  You can’t have the factions.  We are too strong.  There is no point in continuing on this road.  Besides, Nara is dead and you’re next.”

The jerk of his head to where he knew Nara to stand last told me he didn’t know she was gone.  It was my chance.

“You have no one left.”

His maniacal laugh sounded above me hinting he’d found a new twist and his sidekick was all but forgotten.

“Seems you left one out.”

I looked up to find the same cloaked figure I’d spoken to in this very courtyard standing above me, with the saddest expression of remorse I’d ever seen on his handsome face. 

“Lee.”

“Oh, is that what she calls you nowadays?”  He pulled my hair up a touch to make me stand.  “This Hunter by day, thief by night is the best of his kind.  Bought and paid off for the love of a girl he will never have.”

Borgon’s other hand reached around like he might attack me with the famous Godslayer and I instantly doubted my invincibility.  Calculating the distance to lift and fall backwards, I didn’t doubt my strength.  I only worried that I would feel the sword hit me before I could save Lee and myself at the same time.