Chapter 13
THIRTEEN
LEAH
“A bit overdramatic, don’t you think? I mean, the whole ‘spooky witch’ thing, really?”
Leah allowed the purple magic swirling around her to fade as she left her magically projected form and returned to the balcony with Queen Eckert. She rolled her eyes at her older sister.
“Kids these days expect everything to be a bit dramatic. It’s how they see the world.
Besides, I think I did a great job.” Leah flipped her long, dark hair behind her head.
“They were second-guessing themselves on the stairs. I guess I did make it a bit too easy for them to escape. I’ll have to remember that for next time.
But look at them run! It’s a bit amusing, you have to admit. ”
Leah looked out over the balcony attached to the rest of the palace.
The secret stairwell she had encouraged Jack and Abigail to escape through let out into the palace’s back garden.
Both witch and queen were given the perfect view of a bleeding Jack and Abigail making their way through the garden and to the rear gate.
The soldiers who were normally on duty were still there.
It would give the two a better sense of satisfaction that they had actually evaded capture if they were chased a few blocks into the city.
“And you’re sure they’ll lead us to Sloan?” The queen followed her sister’s gaze to the retreating figures. “Remember?—”
“I know, I know.” Leah took her eyes off Jack and Abigail’s backs.
“Captain Charlotte Sloan is to be captured alive. What you see in that girl is beyond me, but I must admit, if the reports on her escape are true and she is as strong and as fast as they say she is, then she’ll make a great test subject. ”
“No, Sloan is not to become one of your pets.” The queen motioned for her younger sister to follow as she made her way into the palace. “You have enough anyway. Reassure me that we didn’t just let those two escape.”
“Don’t worry.” Leah followed her sister through the palace halls and to one of the many other outside balconies.
“I have them being tracked now and they’ll lead us to the others.
In fact, we might have already found them.
There are reports coming in from a small city called Term that might prove to be your rogue captain and her pet wolf. ”
“Good. Continue to monitor the situation and let me know if you find anything worthwhile.” Queen Eckert stopped in front of another pair of double doors that would lead out to a balcony that faced the front of the palace. “I have a little surprise for you, dear sister.”
Leah Noble rubbed her hands together in glee. She tried to get a peek through the windows in the door, but all she could see was the rising sun on the horizon. She looked at her sister up and down for an explanation.
The queen wore clothing as different from her own as the darkness was to the day. Leah Noble was dressed in a long, black dress with a low-cut top void of sleeves. Her sister wore a pure white dress with diamonds set in the sewing and a diamond crown to match.
“Don’t keep us in suspense.” Leah grinned. “Besides, I have a training appointment to keep with Elizabeth. She’s progressing through her exercises quite well.”
“Oh, yes the little Ahab.” The queen smiled. “Moving forward on all fronts. I like that. Well, while you’ve been training your apprentice and staging the escape, I’ve been busy, myself.”
The queen threw open the doors, revealing a side courtyard lined with rows and rows of soldiers standing at attention.
There had to be at least a hundred present, all in their uniforms, all carrying weapons and ready to be deployed on a whim.
Leah looked over the gathered show of force, feeling let down.
“Uh, I’ve seen our military strength before.” Leah raised an eyebrow in her sister’s direction. “Is there more, or should I get back to work?”
“Look closer.” The queen smiled. “Do you notice anything different about these soldiers?”
Leah walked to the edge of the balcony, intrigued once again. She crossed the stone ground, coming to rest against the stone railing. Her hands made contact with the cold surface as she leaned out to try to get a glimpse at what her sister saw.
The soldiers did look different somehow, maybe a bit bigger. Then, like a cold bucket of water, the real difference slapped Leah in the face. She turned to look at her sister, not believing her own eyes.
“I thought you said Edison Reeves destroyed the vampire elixir when he escaped the palace?”
“He did, and he even took the plans with him on how to make more. Likewise, Doctor Livingston destroyed his own storehouse of the elixir, but in his haste to escape New Hope, it seems he was a bit eager and forgot to also destroy his copy of the blueprints.”
“You were able to make more.” Leah tore her eyes from her sister to admire the ranks and rows of the vampire super soldiers. “How many? How many have you managed to turn?”
“We have a hundred that have completed the transition, with another thousand to be given the elixir by the end of the week.” The queen joined her sister at the very edge of the balcony. “But once again, I need your help.”
“What is it?”
“We need them to be stronger and faster, as strong and as fast as Sloan. When she escaped, she dispatched our vampire soldiers like normal humans. We need to figure out how she was altered.”
“I’ll do it.” Leah let her long fingers drum on the railing as her mind already went to work on the problem. “Jack and Abigail are being tracked. I can use half my days to train Elizabeth and the other half on our new problem. I’ll need more test subjects.”
“Whatever you need, dear sister.” Queen Eckert placed her hand on her sister’s shoulder. “Nothing can come between us and our plan to unite the Outland. The faster we can make these super soldiers and the stronger we can make them, the faster we can begin our invasion.”