The Mad Queen

Chapter Ninety-Four: The Capital

I have translated another page of the book. It has taken a while, especially as I have to be very careful. I am worried about what I read. The chapter tells of Visara and her Lupine army, tearing through human villages and slaughtering everyone in their way. Burning them to the ground. All to send a message to the human king. This is not something we have been taught. How can monstrosities like that go unforgotten? How can she have been so worshipped if that is how she won her throne? There was more to Visara, I think. She must have had some power before she was given The Gift. One that could rewrite her own history. Or scare people into making it so. I know I must translate more of this book, but my mind is not as it used to be. Soon, I shall know the secrets.

~The Gift. Written by Master Audwin. Master Scholar during the reign of King Orion and the King Chosen Matthais.

The knights hand the girls a set of clothes to change into. Black trousers and leather jackets with large hoods. Then scarfs to cover their mouths and noses and weapons.

"Are you sure you three are up to this?" Ren asks. Shae narrows her eyes at him.

"They're mine," she growls and spins her blade in her hand. "Let's go," she snaps and rushes off toward the castle. When she gets there, she takes off the glove of her good hand and crouches, running her hands along the cobblestone path. An image appears in her mind of people walking around. She frowns, feeling her head start to pound. Then, the image she wants appears. The Fae. All on horseback. Looking as pure and magical as ever. Looking at the regal race, no one would realise their cruelty. The image is still clear, which means it is fresh. It had only just passed midday after all. The Fae would have only just started their journey back.

Shae takes off running, following the direction the Fae were heading. The knights and her sisters follow behind her. Darting secretly around corners and along the top of buildings. Every few minutes, Shae will touch a floor or wall and follow the visions. After a mile or so, she comes to a stop and pins herself to the wall. Her breathing is heavy as she peeks around the corner. The street opens up and walking down the middle on horseback are six Fae. Surrounding them on foot, are at least twenty warriors. A mixture of Fae and her father's men. She looks back at the knights and nods her head.

Ren nods back and begins to gesture to his crew. They all at once begin to climb up the walls of the stone houses. Like ants.

"You should follow them, princess," Ren says. Shae watches Fallon and Rayana dart up with ease.

"No," she replies. "I have another part to play," she tells him. She takes off down another street, rushing through the narrow allies and paths whilst the crew jump between the buildings above her. She is faster on the ground though and it isn't long before she is ahead of the Fae. She peaks around another corner.

"What are you doing?" Ren asks in her ear. She turns to glare at him.

"Why have you followed me?" she asks.

"So you don't get yourself killed," he snaps.

"I can look after myself," she snarls back.

"Don't be so stubborn," he growls and she shrugs him off.

"Someone has to go and make sure they don't look up," she tells him as her eyes watch the Knights and her sisters darting along the rooftops to get into position around the Fae. They are silent and graceful as they flip and jump across obstacles. Stopping at certain points to draw their bows and arrows before waiting for the signal.

"It doesn't have to be you," he tells her and grabs her arm. She shakes him off.

"Why, I thought you'd be happy that I am risking my life instead of one of your soldiers. I am just a spoiled princess after all," she snaps as she pulls off her hood and scarf. She looks into Ren's brown eyes which are narrowed in a frown. Though that is all she can see of his face. The rest is covered. "You have made your feelings very clear, Ren," she snaps. "Don't pretend to care when you don't," she tells him before darting out of the ally.