Chapter 6
CHAPTER SIX
Kane
“Save her!” Anna and Ella screamed at the same time.
The human dipped below the surface, disappearing from sight, the bogey most likely dragging her down to the bottom.
“I’m sure she'll be fine,” I said, even though I knew the chances of that were unlikely. “A little drowning might quiet her.”
Anna flew over and tugged hard on my ear.
“Hey!” I yelled, ready to swat the pixie away, but she dashed out of my hand’s reach.
“Why did you even bring her here if you were going to kill her?” Anna scolded.
“Firstly, I’m not killing her.” I waved my hand at the creature. “He is. Secondly, she’s still very much alive. This could help her appreciate that a bit more.”
“You can’t be serious.” Anna’s face scrunched with fury. “She's supposed to be our future queen!”
Olivia smirked. “I say we see how long she can hold her breath.” She kicked the rest of the wooded cage that had fallen on the ground, climbing out. After smoothing out her little black dress, she fluttered up near her sister. “We don't need a human queen.”
It would be bothersome having to deal with the backlash of killing the child of prophecy.
Though my alliance with the humans was unstable at best, I found their king tolerable and he would not be too happy with this outcome, nor would the magi…
and Anna was right about one thing: letting the human die now would be a waste, not when she could bring so much more entertainment.
“Fine. I'll save the little thorn.”
Walking toward the pond, I looked at the bogey’s home. Though I didn't need to worry about drowning, dying and coming back was never pleasant. Rumors had all of Saol believing I’d died multiple times, but it had only happened once, and that was enough for me.
Shivers ran through me when I thought back to the sickness that took my life. If it wasn’t for my pixies demanding I be left in my chambers, my court might have burned me on the altar, and I would never have returned.
I was fully healed the next day, the torment of the previous night a hazy nightmare, one that seemed to haunt me whenever I felt ill or became wounded.
Peaceful sleep was a distant memory. A painful curse of my immortality.
I didn't want to relive being reborn this afternoon. Taking a deep breath, I dove into the water.
The murky pond made it nearly impossible to see, but thanks to the draconic bloodline rumbling through my veins, my sight was keener than most, allowing me to see heat pulses.
Reddish-amber hues moved around toward the bottom of the pond which was not too deep, ten feet, twelve feet at best.
The bogey’s gas wouldn't work underwater, but it had quite a nasty poisonous bite. They captured their victims on land, paralyzing them first before dragging their intended meal into the water to feast.
It sat on the human who lay still, most likely paralyzed.
The bogey took her arm, bringing it to its mouth, ready to chomp into her pale flesh.
I swam to her, and the bogey stopped, holding her arm close to its razor-sharp teeth. Golden eyes peered at me.
We held a long gaze. It blinked first, head tilting to the side, assessing me.
When I called the shadows to my head, they twisted into a crown then curled around my arms to end in blades.
The creature dropped her arm, receding back into the depths of the pond.
I had never bothered the bogey in this area, and it understood not to harm any of the royal court, but humans and other creatures stumbling by its home were free for the tasting.
Deirdre floated in the water, and I reached out, looping my arm under her shoulders. Kicking my feet, I pushed to the surface, my chest burning from the lack of air.
Immortal, and yet habits like breathing still mattered.
Breaching the water, I gasped for air, letting the thick humid heat fill my lungs. “She doesn't look like she's breathing!” Anna fluttered over by us.
“Hard to tell when I'm in the pond.” With the human wrapped under my arm, I swam over to the edge and hauled her out, rolling her on the grass before I kneeled beside her.
Anna flew and landed on the ground in front of the human, putting her ear to her mouth. “I don't hear any breath. Kane, do something!”
“All right. All right,” I said, getting annoyed. I rolled the human on her side and hit the back of her body hard three times. “Anything?”
Anna shook her head no. “Wait. There’s something in her mouth!”
“Well, get it out.”
“My hands aren't big enough!”
Shaking my head, I pulled the human onto my lap, holding her upright.
Her eyes were closed, her skin paler than I remembered.
Taking two of my fingers, I opened her mouth to find a wad of slimy algae.
I grabbed the piece of vegetation, sticking my hand farther in, grabbing it all and yanking it out.
When I did, water dribbled out of her open mouth.
Adjusting her in my arms, I whacked her back a few more times, releasing more water.
Anna leaned over, listening for breath. “She's breathing now.”
“Why does she look half-dead?” Olivia asked as she plopped on my shoulder.
“The bogey’s gas paralyzed her. She won't be able to move any muscles, but she’ll live.”
Brushing the swamp water off her face, I grazed the star-shaped birthmark over her right eye. The light strawberry coloring contrasted against her pale skin.
This symbol designated her as mine.
My chest tightened at the thought.
It didn’t matter. Prophecy or not, a human and I could never be together. “We must take her inside and have her handmaiden examine her.” Anna gazed at me with those big, sad eyes.
“Fine.” Lifting the human who felt strangely light in my arms, I began walking back toward the castle.
Her long ebony hair fell across her face, covering the birthmark, and the tiny hairs around her forehead plastered to her skin.
“Poor thing,” Ella said as she fluttered just above the unconscious human. “This must be so terrifying for her.”
I admit it had been a strenuous day. “She'll be fine.”
“What's wrong with her face?” Olivia stuck her nose up in disgust. “It looks like the mark humans do to their cattle.”
“That is the mark of prophecy, and it is strangely endearing.”
The three pixies gaped at me, and Anna gasped, like they thought I was unable to give a compliment.
“What? I can admit when something’s… unique.”
Beautiful had wanted to slip out of my mouth, but I would not give my pixies any reason to tease me.
As we neared the castle entrance, whispers from my court surrounded us, but my people found I didn't do well with questioning and there would be a lot of questions.
And so they would whisper and gossip until I made an official announcement about why I was bringing a human into the palace when humans had been exiled for the past two hundred years.
My bothersome cousin, Gideon, leaned against the stone wall, eating an apple. “Interesting afternoon, Your Majesty.”
“Not now.” I ignored him as I walked past.
He pushed back his silver hair, almost the same color as my mother's, though where hers had hints of blue, Gideon’s had golden highlights. A moon fae from my mother's side. Their characteristics were clearly visible, with their matching skin, silvery hair, and light eyes.
Gideon had the eyes of his father, dark and full of trouble.
He glanced at the human in my arms, raising a brow. “I see you've brought our future queen home. Congratulations on your engagement.”
I glared at him. “Go away. That is an order.”
“Of course. Your Majesty has had a difficult day.” He bowed, slipping into the shadows where he belonged.
The moon fae had always ruled this castle until my father, the dragon usurper, changed all the rules. Though I had moon blood running in my veins, my dragon side was much stronger.
“I've already had her chambers prepared,” Ella said quietly as she twirled the ends of her brown hair.
“No,” I said. “She's going in the spire.”
Anna flew in front of me, trying to stop me. “Why would you send her there?”
“She cannot be near anything of nature, especially the royal courtyard, until I find her worthy of being the queen. She will be in a place where I can control her.” Before Anna could open her mouth and argue, I continued. “This is my command, and it shall not be broken.”
The pixie nodded, her bottom lip trembling.
It wasn't as if the spire was a horrible place. It was the tallest tower in the castle. But the important thing was that because of its location, it was on the right side of the cliffs where only stone surrounded it. The human would not have any access to her elemental power.
There were thirteen elemental powers: earth, water, wind, fire, lightning, ice, force, plant, light, shadow, moon, aura, and one that hadn’t been seen in anyone in ages—time.
If my sources had been wrong about Deirdre’s power, she could very well have a mutation—plant and another element, and that would be troublesome.
Her power level seemed higher than an average plant mage. I’d never heard of nature reacting to a mage’s power in that way. From her display, she could do more than help plants grow, she could control them, manipulate them, bend all of nature to her will, and that was a dangerous ability.
Walking through the foyer, I headed toward the right wing.
“Call the medic,” I said to Anna, “and her handmaiden.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” she said, flying off.
“She must be hungry. I’ll have food brought to her chambers.” I nodded as Ella left, leaving me and Olivia to deal with the human.
Olivia frowned, strangely quiet.
“What is it?” I said, taking the stone steps that traveled up to the spire.
“Nothing,” Olivia grumbled.
“I don't have time for your games today, Olivia. Speak your mind or be gone from my side.”
“Just remember why we brought her here.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” I said as we continued to walk.
Olivia glared at the sleeping human in my arms. “She will never truly be our queen. A human isn't fit for the throne.”
“Course not,” I said. “We'll have our fun with her and then…” I shrugged.