The Gift

Chapter Sixteen

Maila was almost finished contacting their allies to warn them about the upcoming rebellion they had in their hands. So far everyone had minor attacks in their territories.

A beep from the intercom pulled her out of her thoughts.

"My Queen, Jioni the Elf King is on the line." Mane informed her.

She pressed the button on the intercom, "Thank you Mane."

Maila took a deep breath and picked up the phone ready to have the same conversation for what seemed like the hundredth time this morning. "Greetings King Jioni."

"Greetings my Queen. We have been attacked this morning."

Maila stared at the phone receiver, this was bad news indeed. "The undead?"

"Yes, Queen Maila."

"How many casualties?"

"A lot less than what it would have been had Vladimir and Rose not have gotten here when they did," he informed her.

"Vladimir and Rose?" She enquired.

"The Vampire twin king and Rose, his..his friend I presume," Jioni said hesitantly.

She did a double take on the phone, was she hearing this right? "Vladimir the twin vampire king?" She asked.

"Yes."

"Rose, his friend?" She insisted.

"Apparently, a unique inhuman, a Godshee as they call it. The offspring of Mars and a banshee."

"I see, and they warned you about the threat?"

"Not exactly. They killed, well to be more precise she killed them all," he informed her.

"How?"

"She has the Gift."

Maila was taken aback by his statement, she thought the Crown was the only one with the gift; at least that's what the Crown led her to believe.

'The Crown had tricked her. What was the Crown after. Was this young lady the beast from the prophecy?' she wondered.

"Vladimir and Rose are heading your way. They have valuable information for your ears only," Jioni spat with discontent.

"Thanks for the heads up. I already sent two squads of my soldiers to your territory to reinforce your army."

"Good. May the gods be with you my Queen."

"May they be with all of us Jioni," she said as she hang up the phone.

Mane entered Maila's office, her hands straightening her wrinkle free blouse. She coughed twice to clear her throat and get the Queen's attention.

"My Queen, it's about Luc", Mane felt the nervous energy emanating from Maila, "there has been an incident with one of the units on patrol and he was injured. He is at the infirmary.." she was not able to finish as Maila left the room in lightning speed.

"Jackson has sent me here," she trailed off to herself.

It took Maila five minutes to reach the infirmary, Jackson was standing outside in the hallway.

"How is he?" She asked.

"Looks like he won't make it," his voice barely audible.

"No, No, No," she said as Jackson pulled her closer to his embrace. "No, let me see him. No, he will NOT die," she tried to push away but Jackson held her tight. " Jackson let go of me."

"No Maila, you need to get a grip of yourself and then see him."

"I will do as I please", she said forcefully releasing herself from his vice like hold. 'Crown are you in there?'

'Right here my Queen,' it whispered slowly.

'Luc is dying. The undead got him. I need you to heal him like you healed me,' Maila demanded.

'So sorry my Queen. I cannot do that,' the Crown dryly replied.

'You can't or you won't?' She asked.

The Crown did not answer, 'I will take your silence for consent. So, what do you want?'

'You know the answer to that question my dearest,' the Crown informed her.

Maila watched the medics trying to tend to her brother. His body was submerged in a tub filled with ice. Luc was rasping for air, sweat covered his body, his temperature would not drop.

She could not just sit there and watch him as he plunged to his death, he was her brother, the only family she had left in this world.

'Say it, what do you want?' Maila asked the Crown defeated.

'I want to be released from this corner you have me locked in. You let me take over and I will take care of Luc.'

Maila wanted to trust the crown, but the wolf inside was shifting restless telling her not to relinquish control over. She watched as Luc's breathing became more shallow. She had to help Luc, she was the only one who could.

Maila reached in the depths of her mind and unlocked the crown from the make shift prison she had it locked up in the corner of her mind.

'So happy to be out and about!' the crown mocked her.

Maila watched her body move having no control over it as the crown commanded her brain to walk into the emergency room Luc was placed. Her right hand picked up a knife and hid it up her sleeve. Her left arm on Luc's forehead as if caressing his pain.

"Nothing I can do for you my dear," her voice said and she turned to leave.

'Nooooo, you promised to heal him' Maila shouted at the crown.

'I did? I don't seem to remember..' the crown replied.

Jackson came to her and held her tight. Maila wished this was a nightmare, a bad dream that she would wake up from soon. Cold sweat took over her as she watched the crown skilfully reach for the knife up its sleeve and stab it forcefully into Jackson's heart. His eyes filled with shock were bulging out.

'Nooo' she cried out sobbing, 'what have you done?'

'I haven't done anything. You on the other hand my Queen, have just killed your mate' the crown taunted her as it drew the knife out of Jackson's warm body. 'And since you love him so much I will not keep you here...prepare to join him' the crown said and stabbed Maila's body in the heart.