The Gift

Chapter Twelve

Hurried feet were shuffling on the ground, the medics were carrying the wounded to the infirmary. A small crowd had gathered all around, Jackson could feel the panic spreading through the werewolves that were present.

"I guess bad news do travel fast." He mumbled under his breath.

"We need to talk." Luc whispered in Jackson's ear and moved along following the path to his room.

"Maila honey, you must be exhausted," he said as he rubbed her back with his right hand. "Let's go to get you a shower and a good meal."

She did not respond, he took her silence as consent and gave her a gentle push at the small of her back. Maila obliged him.

As soon as they were behind closed doors all the frustration, anger and pinned down emotions Jackson had, started to take over.

"What the heck were you thinking?" He barked at her.

"You need to calm down." She said flatly.

"I will not calm down. Do not tell me to calm down," he shouted at her as he paced back and forth in their private chambers.

"I refuse to talk to you when you are this upset." She stated.

"Is that so? Don't get all Queenie on me now. You are my wife and I want, no I'm demanding that you answer me." Jackson now stood in front of her, "You and your little adventure has cost us. Three of our people are dead Maila. Dead."

"Do not speak to me as if am daft, I was there, I know what happened," she replied.

"What happened Maila? Why did you put our people at risk?" He asked with his palm rubbing the back of his neck.

"I-I thought it was the only way," she said slurring her words.

"Are you feeling ok?" He asked, concern taking over his body.

"N-no," she said and fainted to the floor.

Jackson rushed to her side. With practised movements he checked her vitals and carried her over to the bed. He called the royal doctor to their quarters immediately.

As soon as he was assured that Maila just needed rest and it was merely the shock of what had transpired in the woods Jackson left their quarters in search for Luc. Guilt was starting to take over him for being so hard on her but he quickly pushed it aside. She was the Queen, she knew better than this, she should have been more careful, she needed someone to keep her in line.

Luc was not in his room or in the infirmary. Jackson made his way towards the music room, that was Luc's sanctuary since they were children. He found him there, he was on the piano playing 'Chasing Cars' by Snow Patrol. He silently poured himself a drink and sat on an armchair letting the music sooth his anger.

When Luc finished he joined him.

"I could really use one of those." Luc said as he pointed to Jackson's drink.

"That bad?" Jackson said with one eyebrow raised.

"It's bad." Luc voiced. Jackson poured him a drink, sat back down on the armchair and silently waited for Luc to continue.

"She bound herself to the Crown."

"She did what?" Jackson's voice echoed off the emptiness of the room.

"Mmm, you felt her dying...the Crown healed her."

"Why, why would she even put herself in danger?" Jackson asked.

"She had to. You know that she wouldn't risk the fate of the Kingdom on a whim," Luc said.

"I know, I felt the shift in her but I would never think, are you sure? I still can't wrap it around my head that she would do this," he said in disbelieve.

"She wanted to handle things on her own, as always, she just didn't count on being ambushed by the undead. The Crown must have been really taking a toll on her."

"It had started to get worse the last week, she would barely control it," Jackson informed him.

"We need to keep a close eye on her," Luc said as he was reaching for his drink.

"That we do," he agreed.

"Do we inform the generals?" Luc asked.

"Who knows about the Crown?"

"Yana and four of her soldiers." Luc replied.

"Call Yana and her soldiers here. We will not inform the remaining generals, we don't want to have a power struggle in our hands, the Crown will react. We need to contain this. We will have the soldiers be her shadow and report back to us," Jackson instructed.

Luc unlocked his phone and send the messages to Yana and her troops. "Do you think there is a way to reverse what she has done?" Luc enquired.

"I don't know. Let's talk to Tobias, he should know."

Yana was the first to arrive in the music room, "Is this about the Queen?" She asked without missing a beat.

"Yes." Luc replied, "let's wait for everyone to get here."

"I already ordered them not to breathe a word to anyone about what happened until I figured out what is going on." She informed them.

"Good," Jackson told her.

"Are you informing the generals?" She pressed.

"No, not at this moment. Let's wait for the rest to get here," Jackson hissed at her.

"Does he know that she threw fire at the undead and killed them all?" She directed her question at Luc.

"Umm, no I didn't get to that part yet. I was going to after...," he said looking at his feet.

"She threw fire? Did she do anything else?"

"Well, no. Not yet." Luc replied.

"We really need to talk to Tobias. Yana go bring him until the others get here," Jackson ordered her.

"Yes my King." She said and bowed to him before exiting the room to do his bidding.