Here Lies the Queen

Chapter 14

Men scurried back as their feet slammed onto the table. The wind blew papers into a twister around them as they landed. The wind disappeared and the papers floated back down to the ground.
Bella looked at the men. They were all old men she had never seen before. She climbed down from the table and handed her clothes to a servant before saying, "Who are you?"
"We're your war council, Majesty." The youngest stood and bowed. The rest followed his lead.
"And who, exactly, called you here?"
"I did."
Bella froze as her mother walked in the door. Her father and brother followed close behind. She felt Hunter shift behind her, then a warm hand was steadying her. Mel looked back and forth before scooping up the papers.
"I wasn't sure when you would be back, so I took it upon myself to prepare your kingdom." Her dark hair was piled in a severe bun atop her head. Despite being over fifty, her mother still retained the beauty she had as a young woman. Full lips that entranced men and dark eyes that were made for the bedroom. Her black skin shone, skin that every man and woman was jealous of. Bella had the unfortunate luck of getting her father's looks. Alabaster skin, a small height, and arms that wouldn't show muscle, no matter how hard she tried. She did get her mother's hair, though. Her brother got her father's wild curls.
Bella's father nodded at her as he passed. Her brother didn't acknowledge her.
"What did you do?" Bella's voice had gone soft. "What did you do to my kingdom?"
"I didn't do anything. You don't have any allies and that girl will be here in two days." Her mother walked around the table and seated herself at the head. "You need help."
"I have allies." She slammed her hands on the table and the war council shrank back even more. "I have Hell." Her brother didn't meet her eyes as she glared at him. "Do I have the Kingdom Guard?
"Yes. We fully support you." He walked over to behind their mother. "It's not enough."
"What do you mean, it's not enough?" The words were cut glass in her throat.
"That girl has Zosea and her scattered people," her mother said. "We need to have more than her."
"Where is she now?"
"Our spies say she is in the Southern Seas," her father said. "She's preparing to sail to Eudor, then march to No-Man's Land. That's where the fight will be."
"Why don't we let her come to us?" Bella's hands trembled and she clenched them into fists. "She's the one who wants my kingdom."
"Because it will be too late." The chair scraped back as her mother stood. "Talk to the war council. Maybe then you'll get it."
Her family was almost to the door when Bella snapped, "Get what?"
"Your kingdom will fall." Her mother turned to her. A cruel smile graced her lips. "And so will you."
Bella's fire threatened to spill out as she walked away. Of course she would say that then walk away. Leaving Bella to defend for herself.
"We'll find a way," Mel said from the floor. She had been so quiet Bella had forgotten she was there. "We will."
"No, we won't." She turned to the council. "There's no way?"
"No, Majesty," one said. "We can fight but..." He didn't need to finish the sentence.
Bella stormed out of the room before she could burn everyone to ash. She heard someone behind her and broke into a run. Her skirts rustled as she flew through the hallways.
The stairs creaked as she barreled up to the room above. She threw open the trapdoor and emerged in the Oracle's den.
"Come to pray?" she said. The woman was sitting in the middle of the room. Several candles burned around her as she chanted. "Or come to say goodbye?"
"Tell me there's something that can help. Tell me that I will keep my kingdom!"
The woman cracked her eyes open. "You have the Pearl and Sword? And you saw Dominic?" Bella nodded. "Then you will win."
"At the cost of what? Hunter? My people?" The Oracle stayed quiet as Bella shouted at her. "When will it end?"
"It will never end, dear." The Oracle finished her chant and rose. Her bones popped. "This will happen again and again."
"Can't you slow her down? The desert will only do so much. And Luca has probably provided resources for them to survive."
"Have you tried the monsters of the woods?"
"The trees are gone."
"Not those."
An idea formed in Bella's head. "Will I have control of them?"
"If you use this spell." The Oracle hobbled over to her and gave her a piece of paper. "You must do everything exactly."
Bella took it. It was old and had barely legible scribbled on it. A drawing of a flower decorated the bottom.
"Is that—"
"The Devil's Flame?" She nodded. "It is. Research it. Maybe there will be something there to help you."
Bella opened her mouth to yell that she already did everything, but decided against it. Instead, she took a deep breath. "Okay. Is there any chance that you can fight with us?"
The ghost of a smile appeared on the woman's face. "We'll see."
"So we shall." Bella shimmied down the trapdoor and retreated downstairs. It wasn't an exact answer, but she would take anything she had.
Hunter was waiting for her at the bottom. "What were you doing?"
"Seeing if there is anything to be done." She broke into a brisk walk. "I need to go to the Cave of Souls."
Hunter wisely didn't ask questions. "I'm coming too."
"You need to stay here and make arrangements. Find out everything you can about how the Kingdom Guard fights. Teach them to cover their weak spots." She reached the end of the hall and turned to him. He grasped her hand as she raised it to his face. "Tell Mel she needs to prepare the weapons."
"As you wish." He leaned down and kissed her. "You're scary when you're giving orders."
"Maybe." Bella pushes him down another hall. "Go."
She watched him walk away before heading to the stables. The stable boy saddled a horse and she was off.
The horse's hooves thundered on the cobblestone. Several people emerged from their homes to watch her run past. She would need to fill them in as soon as possible if they haven't already.
The guards began raising the gate when they saw her. She didn't hesitate before galloping underneath. The metal grazed her head as she rode outside the walls.
Her horse didn't hesitate once, even when they barreled through the remains of the trees. Sticks stuck up like claws from the ground. Only once they reached the cave did she stop.
Her horse reared as the voices reached her. "It's okay," she murmured. To the voices, she yelled, "I'm here to see Stirin!"
They vanished as quickly as they had come. She slid from her horse and vanished into the dark.
Wind tore at her as she ran through the tunnels. She had to backtrack a few times, but she finally found the cavern Stirin was in.
"Hello?" she called as she emerged. "Stirin?"
"Have you come to give me company?" The creature descended and Bella involuntarily took a step back. It seemed bigger than before, with several more limbs.
"No." Stirin hissed at her answer. "I've come to ask you to fight for me."
"Fight?" It laughed and chills raced up her back. "Fight what?"
"Not what. Who," Bella corrected. "There's a girl trying to take my kingdom. We don't have enough forces to defeat them, so I came to ask you to join us."
Movement drew her eyes to the ceiling. The creatures above began to descend. They were of all different shapes and sizes. Some had fewer arms, and some had arms that stuck out everywhere.
"What will you give us in return?" it asked. Stirin clapped its hands and the creatures froze. One continued to descend and hovered next to Stirin.
"Tell us your story," it rasped. "Tell us why."
"My story?" The creatures nodded. She settled on the floor and lit a small flame. "Let's start at the beginning."
She told them about how she was born, how she was honed for the battlefield since birth. She told them about her family and how they treated her. She told them how she met Hunter and became the ruler of the Dark Kingdom.
They listened while she talked. When she laughed, they laughed. When she whispered, they went silent.
When she was finished, the only sound was the crackling of the fire in her hands. She gazed up at them and found them staring at her.
"My hands are soaked in blood," she whispered. "I understand why you wouldn't want to fight with me."
"You will be on the battlefield?" one of the creatures asked. Bella nodded. "I will fight."
Another creature descended. "Will your prince be there?"
"I will try to stop him from fighting, but if he is there, I won't stop him." Bella's hands shook as she waited for their answer.
"I will fight," Stirin said. "My family will, too."
A murmur of agreements swept through the cavern. She couldn't stop the tears from spilling over her cheeks.
Stirin floated down to her and reached out a hand. It brushed over her face. "We are the creatures of the night. We do not cry."
She nodded and attempted to stem the flow. "Thank you."
"It is our honor."
"Will you come back to my kingdom?"
Stirin looked back at its companions. They seemed to have a silent conversation. "Yes. We will camp outside your walls."
"Again, thank you."
Stirin emitted a series of clicks and hisses and several creatures floated away into the tunnels. It noticed her staring and said, "They are going to find other creatures who will fight."
A smile bloomed across her lips. "You are amazing."
"If that girl does win, what will happen to us?"
"I don't know. She'll probably kill you."
Stirin nodded. "That's why we fight for you."
She bid them farewell and exited the cavern. The creatures hissed their goodbyes and good lucks to her as she strode away.
The ride back was different. There was no longer a pit of unease in her stomach. Her horse flew across the dirt and she felt as though she was flying.
The sun was shining when she reached the gate. She waved to the guards as they pulled it up. Although their faces were one of confusion, they waved back.
The castle was near silent as she walked through the hallways. Laughter erupted from the dining hall and she opened the doors. The people within went quiet at the sight of her.
Mel and Hunter were pouring over a pile of books while her generals bickered in the corner. She saw her mother polishing some armor in the shadows. Ash and her father were sparing with wooden poles in the back. They all looked at her as she strode in.
She didn't make it very far before a wall of fur slammed into her. Laughter broke out as she was crushed by the giant dog.
"Harbinger!" She reached up to let his ears. He locked her face and left her covered in drool as he bounded back to Hunter. "He's grown so much."
He was the size of a horse now. When she had last seen him, he was no bigger than a regular puppy. Dark eyes burned underneath shaggy black fur. His mouth was full of deadly sharp teeth but as he rolled over to let Hunter scratch him, she'd never seen something so adorable.
Mel sneezed as fur floated down around them. "Why do you have a hellhound?"
"Hunter got it for me." She beamed as she sat down next to her. "His name is Harbinger and he's the cutest little dog. Aren't you, boy?" His tongue lolled as she rubbed his chin. "Aren't you?"
Hunter cleared his throat. "Where were you?"
Her brother and father began to spar again. She watched them for a bit before saying, "To gather another army."
"What army?" Bella jumped as her mother appeared at her shoulder. "Nobody will help us."
"The forest creatures will." She smirked as her mother's face turned pale. Her mouth opened and closed before snapping shut. Without a word, she stormed back to her pile of armor. "That was satisfying."
"The forest creatures?" Mel pulled a book towards them and flipped to a page. "Like these?"
Pictures of monsters colored the page. She scanned it for Stirin but didn't find any. "No. I found a different creature. Its friends are out spreading the word right now."
"How will they know not to kill us?" Hunter asked.
Bella unfolded the piece of paper the Oracle has given her. "I have a spell. Once all the monsters are here, I will cast it."
"Let's just hope it works," Mel mumbled. "We couldn't find anything else."
"Your army is extraordinary. Their ability is..." Hunter gestured, at a loss for words. "It's amazing."
Bella glanced at her mother. She still sat in the corner, humming as she rubbed the armor clean. She had done so much for the kingdom, yet Bella had brushed it all off as soon as she left. Whether she liked it or not, she had to say her mother had made their kingdom stronger.
"Well." Bella cleared her throat. "Who wants to go get drunk as hell?"
Mel's hand flew up, followed by Hunter's. She grinned at them before exiting the room. They went back to their respective rooms to get dressed.
Bella chose a short, simple black dress with sheer sleeves. Similar to the one she had worn before she left for her quest. She pulled on velvet boots that hugged her legs all the way to her thighs. Before leaving, she slipped a knife into her boot. Just in case.
Mel met her at the bottom of the main staircase. She was dressed in a lace-up shirt with tight pants.
"You don't look like you're going to have fun," Bella said. "You look like you're going to fight someone."
"I liked this outfit. Besides, the pants do wonders for my ass." Mel turned and Bella had to agree. "Maybe I'll pick someone up."
"Hello, ladies," Hunter drawled. They turned to him and Bella's stomach flipped. His white shirt was pulled open to reveal his chest and part of his stomach. Muscles jumped out at her and she had to look away to gather her thoughts. He was grinning at her when she looked back. "Something wrong?"
"Not at all." She linked her arm through his, then Mel's. "Let's go."
The sun was setting as she steered them through the city. They paused often to look at a fountain or an animal. She guided them to her favorite tavern, The Nightmare once the sun hit the horizon.
It was off the main streets and they had to walk down an alley to get to the main door. A sign hung over the door that said:
Enter at your own risk
We do not pay for injuries
"This is the place?" Mel looked up at the sign. "Why would we get injuries?"
"Just go in." Bella opened the door and a flood of sound filled the alley. Mel looked inclined to head back, but Bella shoved her in. Hunter winked at her before following.
The inside of the tavern was nothing like the outside. People and monsters alike rushed around, yelling at each other and calling for more alcohol. A person with four arms sped past them with a cup in each hand.
Bella tugged her friends to a table in the back, away from most of the commotion. A handsome man set a couple of jugs down in front of them before diving back into the fray.
Conversations swirled like smoke into the air, overpowering the sound of the band in the corner. The smell of cigarettes and alcohol wafted over the crowd.
A young man tried to bring them food but Bella pushed it away. Rats and who knows what else built their homes in the kitchen.
Mel grabbed her arm. "What is this place?"
"It's the nest for sex workers, assassins, and people looking for a job. In short, the best place to party!" Hunter bellowed, already done with his jug. "If you need company, this is the place to get it."
Sure enough, Bella spotted a raven-haired girl making her way over to them. She wore a loose dress with a corset wrapped around her waist that did wonders for her chest. Sure enough, Hunter was eying her as she approached.
"Hey, handsome," she drawled, leaning on the table. "Care to have a turn?"
He winked at her. "Not with you, darling." She rolled her eyes and vanished again.
"Why'd you turn her away?" Bella asked. "You could've said yes."
"I'm going to have you all to myself tonight." He watched a man stroll past. "Unless you want someone to join us." Her toes curled as he raised a brow. "I think you would like two men worshiping you."
Mel groaned. "Get a room, please."
"I'm here to drink and nothing more," Bella said with a pointed glare at Hunter. He smiled into his cup. "Here's to a well-earned victory tomorrow."
They clinked cups and Bella downed hers. Someone appeared immediately to refill it. A man approached and asked Mel if she was looking for company. Bella intervened before she could slice his throat open.
"Is it going to be like that all night?" Mel asked.
"More or less." Bella studied her. "If you want to leave, you can."
"I'm not leaving." Mel turned to a barmaid and motioned her over. "I'm making this the best night ever."
Three more jugs thumped onto the table and Hunter lunged for his. A couple of drops spilled onto the wood. Mel grabbed hers and took a long drink.
"So, what are we going to do about Shayde?" Mel asked. "What armies do we have to fight?"
"We have Hell and Vearus. Hopefully, the monsters will come through." Bella took a sip. The alcohol burned her throat. It was a burn that she recoiled from when she was a girl but now one that she longed for. "Shayde won't stand a chance."
Hunter burped. "I don't know about you but this place is too quiet." He slipped out of the booth and into the crowd. Bella watched his blond head before it vanished.
"Have you decided what you're going to do about him?" Mel said. She was beginning to slur her words and Bella placed her hand over the girl's jug. Mel glared at her but didn't say anything.
"Yes but I'm not going to stop trying." Bella tipped back her cup. She found Mel looking at her with a frown. "What? You need to be sober so you can take me and Hunter back."
"Right." She scanned the crowd. "Where is Hunter?"
Bella was about to tell her she didn't know when someone started shouting. People began circling around two men inside the middle of the tavern, chanting Fight! Fight! Fight!
Bella stood up to see and was promptly shoved down again. Mel had her hand on her shoulder and was peering over the crowd.
"There's a fight," she said.
"No shit." Bella shrugged her hand off and rose. The men had started shoving each other. One was almost shoved out but the crowd pushed him back in. She spotted Hunter hovering on the outside, watching what he probably created.
A thud, and blood sprayed across the floor. One had punched the other and by the looks of it, had given him a broken nose.
The man with the bloody face lunged at the other and they were on the ground. Two men sprinted forward, trying to get them to stop. Bella watched with a grin on her face. People were such primal creatures.
The men were shoved apart and thrown out of the tavern. Mel just rolled her eyes and sat back down. Bella waited for Hunter to come back before joining her.
"Please tell me you didn't do that," Mel snapped.
"No." He threw an arm around Bella. "I just gave them the incentive. They didn't need to take it. They were angry."
Bella took another sip and the room began to blur. "That was very fun."
Mel slapped her cup away. "That's enough."
"But I'm thirsty." She pouted and grabbed her cup again. The alcohol stung a little less as she knocked it back.
"I'm not responsible for you."
"That's not nice." Her lip quivered. "I'm sorry, Hunter."
"For what, darling?"
"For everything." She snuggled deeper into his embrace. "I love you."
"I know. I love you, too." He pressed a kiss to her forehead.
"I'm getting water for you both." Mel slid out of the booth and was gone. Bella didn't bother trying to find her again.
When she returned, Bella and Hunter were already in varying degrees of undress. Hunter's top was off and his pants were unbuckled. Bella had kicked her shoes off and her dress was beginning to slip off.
Mel grabbed them and shoved them out the door. Once outside, she dumped the water on them.
"What was that for?" Hunter said.
"You." She grabbed their arms and started to tug them back to the castle. Bella's feet had begun to blister by the time they got back.
"That was mean," she said. "My feet hurt."
Mel pinched her and she shrank back. "You're lucky if we don't run into your mother."
Bella squinted at her. Her legs felt like they would collapse at any moment. Maybe they would. Then she would be able to sleep.
"Come on." Mel pulled her coward and she almost toppled into Hunter.
"Ow," he said.
Mel let go of Bella and stared at them both. Bella's body was beginning to heat. She clawed at her clothes, trying to get them off. Hunter watched her.
"Hunter, how drunk are you?" Mel snapped.
"Not much. The alcohol leaves my system a lot faster than most. It should be gone within an hour."
"And Bella? How drunk are you?"
"I'm not drunk." Her body was on fire. She had to get her clothes off.
Mel grabbed her arms and yanked them down. "You're burning up." She felt her forehead and her eyes went wide. "What did you drink?"
"Nothing!" Bella wailed. Her dress was almost off. If the silver-haired girl would only let go of her. "It's so hot."
"Hunter, go get someone."
Bella heard someone run away and the hands around her wrist relaxed. She drew back and ripped off her dress. The girl in front of her only stared. Her body was on fire. She had to do something.
Her hands clawed at her skin. "Get it off," she moaned. Her head began to swim and her legs gave out. The girl caught her before her head hit the floor. "Get it off."
The girl said something but it was too fuzzy. Someone else appeared and propped her up. She felt a cold liquid being poured into her mouth and she tried to spit it out. Her nose was pinched shut.
"No," Bella tried to move her body but she didn't feel anything. "Where's my body?"
Her vision faded to black as she was lifted off the floor. The last thing she saw was the pretty girl crouched on the ground beside a handsome young man with hair like straw.