The Lost Queen -Book 1- Alden

19. The Kings Advisors

Victor kicks on the door of the queens room at 1:45. I open it and he's standing there with his hands full. "Thanks man, it really was a lot." 2 of the guards follow him in with their hands full too.

The guards leave the room and I help Victor set up his taco bar.

Jenny and the servant come in next. Jenny is carrying a bunch of papers. They both sit down without saying anything.

Clark comes in right at 2. "Look who I found."

"Bryan." I shake his hand again. "Haven't seen you since 2 breaks ago. What you been up to? Where Clark find you at?"

"I was in the mine." He sits in the chair beside Clark.

"What? Why? For how long?" The questions come pouring out of me.

Bryans eyes fill up with tears and he stares at his hands in his lap. "Not long. Few days maybe. Seemed like years though. I went to the market and I was walking back to my house. A Kings Police came out of no where and said I was stealing. I tried to say I didn't steal anything but he started hitting me with his stick. Next thing I knew I was being taken away."

Clark pats Bryan on the shoulder. "Everything's okay now."

"Was Michael there as well?" I ask making Bryan a couple tacos. "Everyone dig in. Victor got us a taco bar."

Clark pours a glass of blood for everyone. "No, but I called him and he's on his way here now. I guess he was close anyways. Said he was going to break Bryan out the mine himself."

Bryan kind of chuckles. "He would have wound up in there himself."

"At least you're safe now and he's on his way." Jenny takes a bite out of her taco.

"I was so scared when I seen Clark. I thought he was being thrown in the mine too. But he was with royal guards. He seen me and scooped me up and took me out with them. I was so happy and I got to talk to Michael on the phone. It was wonderful. Thank you so much Clark. I owe you my life."

"No problem. That's what friends are for. I'm glad I went over to check it out with my own eyes. I would have never known you were there if I didn't."

Bryan nods.

"So, what else did you see? Did you find anything else out about the mine?" I change the subject, Bryan is getting teary eyes again. It must have been traumatic.

"243 prisoners. A few seem like they were in there for horrible crimes. The rest are there because we need people to mine. Some of the 243 are children. The Kings Police stand guard at the place. No one is given food or blood. They use rats or other rodents. And the vampires that are locked up, seem feral. I swear when I walked in, a squirrely guy jumped out of the shadows and tried to bite me. The ones that still function mentally are forced to mine gems constantly, no breaks."

"The kings police were on good behavior while the Royal Guard was there. They beat and torture everyone constantly. I seen a child get her arm ripped off. While she was screaming and crying the police said I have something for babies to suck on. He then forced her to... to.." I put my hand on Bryan's shoulder while he sobs. "He made her father watch."

Victor put his taco down. "Lets set up an actual prison. Put the people in the prison. If the people can be rehabilitated or they are innocent we can let them out. If they are actually criminals, they stay in. They can be transported to the mine to work for 8-10 hours a day. Then be transported back. Give them 3 meals a day and some blood."

"We can't let anyone out of there. Like I said, some are feral. But that's a really good idea. At least they would get food and drink and a place to sleep that's not in the mud."