Journey

Chapter Thirty-Four~ Should be Queen

I sat on my knees in the middle of the floor. I watched as the gargoyle guards cleaned up the body of their fallen King. They looked almost joyous. Was I the only one who knew? Soren may have been a cruel king, but Damion would be worse. I couldn't bear the thought.

Someone touched my shoulder. I jumped away from the hand and pulled my gun out of its holster. Pointing it at them. My hands shook so bad I didn't think I could pull the trigger if I needed too. The person held her hands up, "Hey now. I was just going to take you to your room and clean you up." She gestured to my bloodied and burned dress. She was not a gargoyle but she had horns protruding from her skull and wings folded on her back.

"I'm sorry."

"Oh it's alright, Dear." The way she used her words jolted me. She almost reminded me of Samantha. "Now let's get you all cleaned up. I can heal some of those wounds."

"Samantha?"

Her eyes grew big and she nodded. I clamped a hand over my mouth to stop the sobs. she pulled me towards her. And hugged me tightly. She leaned back and looked at me. "You poor thing."

"Samantha what are you doing here?" I said between sobs racking my chest.

"Shhhh! Don't let them hear you. Call me Bee while I'm in this form."

I nodded and let her lead me down the hall. "What do you call this "form"?"

"Hmm? Oh! I'm a demon. Not sure what kind though. I saw a picture of it in a book and thought, 'oh, that's cool!' and poof now I'm cool, sexy, and you could say badass."

We rounded the corner to a hall of three doors. "Which one is mine?"

"All of them Dear. This is the queens quarters. The kings is just down the hallway. Damion must be there already trying on the crowns. Now here, this the bathroom." The door on the left was the bathroom. It was elaborate. It held a shower and a bath. There was a wardrobe full of towels and the like. Samantha pulled me back into the hallway and into the room across the hall. "This is the closet." The closet held rows upon rows of dresses, tunics, pants, shoes, and jewelry. "It will be stocked with the latest practice and battle outfits soon." She pulled me back out into the hall and into the last door. "This is the bedchamber."

"Oh," I gasped and took it in as the door swung open, "Its beautiful." The room was filled with shades of white.

Samantha hung back at the entrance, "This was your mothers room."

"How do you know all this?"

"I used to work here."

"I didn't know that." She hummed as a response. I looked back towards her. "Do I really look like her?"

"Oh! You look exactly like her." She ran up and held my hands in hers. "You have the same hair, cheek bones, and nose."

"What about my eyes?"

Samantha eyes glazed over with sadness, "Your father's."

My breath hitched in my chest. "Why did he get rid of me?"

"Dear! He did not want to get rid of you! He had t- to protect you!" She shook me as if trying to get me to understand. "He was not a bad man. He did what he had to to be a good leader."

"He told me something."

"Who?"

"Soren. I mean my father." I looked into her eyes with steel. "He told me to not let Damion take the throne. Will you help me make that a reality?"

Samantha perked up instantly. "Oh! Yes! Yes, my dear I will help you anyway I can."

"I knew I could count on you! Go to the human realm and tell Reth what has happened. Tell him to get the crew together. Go to my parents and tell them Damion has gotten me. Tell them all we will give Damion a war at his doorstep."

Samantha's smile radiated. A laugh burst from her as she jumped up and down. "I will. I will not let Damion take all that I have cherished my entire life. He took the life of my real Master. I will not let him win."

"You can find Reth on my ship. Her name is Celestial. I will give you this so he knows that you are not lying." I unclasped the necklace from around my neck. The one Reth gave me the day of the ball more than three years ago. I gave her a hug and sent her away.

With no one to distract me, images instantly invade my mind from earlier. Damion on his knees with a sword to his throat. Soren's green eyes blazing as he extinguished the fire ball after fire ball. Soren's eyes losing life as the sword in Damion's hand tore through his chest. I clenched my teeth at the images. Red hot rage filled my chest as a last image bloomed before my eyes. Damions satisfied look as he stood above Sorens lifeless body. I will make him pay! with his own pain and blood!