The Demon Queen (Otherworld Series #5)

Chapter 37- Wings of Freedom

We reached the courtyard just in time for her to scream again.

And there she was.

Callimera, held between two stoic men. She wore the same white dress from before, it was now stained with red.

Behind her stood a short woman in a bronze battle armour. A blue plumed helmet covered her head and her face.

She held a whip in her hand.

She flicked it and struck Callimera.

She screamed again, I saw blood spreading quickly around the back of her white dress and I surged ahead.

"Hey!" I shouted. The General tried to stop me but I shook her off.

"Cut it out! Stop hitting her!" Surprisingly, she listened.

The warrior threw the whip away just as the King and Paris rounded the corner.

Paris cried out in alarm at the sight of his sister. The men left her arms free and she fell foreward into her brothers arms.

The King caught a hold of the warriors arm. "What is wrong with you, Seraphone? Callimera is you're sister!"

The warrior- The Queen- jerked her hand away from King Pallas.

"Yes, she is my sister. And she has shamed me. She will be punished, accordingly."

Pallas sliced his hand through the air. "Callimera is delicate. If you wish to punish her then do not beat her. And her actions do not deserve such a harsh punishment. All she did was fall in love. "

"With the wrong man. With an older man. Scandalous! My standing among the royal ladies with be shamed. And worse! We have outsiders among us! Everyone will know her whoring ways now!"

Her attention came onto me. I could only see icey blue eyes through the slits in her helmet.

"Lunia Vel Miorisi. You had no right to stop me."

My anger rose. "You treat your guest this well, huh? Call them misfits and put on shows for them?". I motioned towards the sobbing Callimera.

She scoffed. "Drama seems to follow you, Demon Queen. I used Callimera as an example that we don't forgive and don't forget. That we are not to be taken lightly. "

"I have come in peace. I have come to offer an alliance. Not for you to give me misplaced examples of power or might. I see now, the way you treat you're own siblings...."

My anger rode me. The smell of Callimera's blood fuelling it. I turned towards the King.

"You have accepted the alliance. I see that the werewolves on this island are too savage and hard hearted for us to be allies. We don't need ghouls on our side. You are enough."

And with that, I turned around and left the courtyard. Shouts and curses followed me. The hostility of the werewolves around me was palpitable. I had insulted their queen and I had insulted them, I wouldn't be surprised to find myself assassinated by night.

But suddenly, there was a blast of fire in front of me.

I fell back on my ass with a start.

From the fire, emerged a holographic image of an Elvish creature. But I knew that this was no elf.

"Lunia Vel Miorisi. I am King Terihokos of the Fey Islands. We have received a message from Nikolai Shizkov. A message for help. Come to our islands to know more." That was all he said and the holograph went dark.

Then there was another blast and the holograph showed me cryptic coordinates.

The General and Darivarr ran in from behind me and helped me stand up.

"What is this? What happened?" Darivarr asked.

I looked him in the eye. "I have to go. They've found Nikolai."

His eyes widened. " We have no way of knowing that for sure. It could be a ploy to lure you in. "

I looked away, at the charred remains of the grass. "I have to find out." I jerked my arms away from them.

"No, Lunia!"

I transformed myself into a crow and cawed at them. Darivarr looked fearful. I could almost hear him calling me an idiot.

The General was astonished. She had no idea of my abilities. I memorized their faces. Maybe I was going into my death, but I would always regret not going if I didn't.

I just had to. I knew I was being impulsive but this was a message from the universe. I could feel it in my bones.

And so I turned away and flapped my black wings of freedom towards Nikolai.

Towards the Fey Islands.

I know it's small but I feel it's enough.