Here Lies the Queen

Chapter 15

Bella woke to the whisper of a night-kissed wind. She sat up. A warm liquid spilled into her lap. Soup.
Mel slept in a chair next to her. Her hair floated around her face like a silver waterfall. Bella looked around and was surprised to find herself in her bed. She had no memory of how she got there.
"Mel?" Bella said.
The girl's eyes flew open. "What? Who's there?" She noticed Bella and relaxed. "How are you feeling?"
Her head throbbed. "Like shit. What happened?"
"The doctor thinks you were poisoned. I don't know how. It's nothing we've ever seen."
A pit of dread formed. "What day is it?"
"Don't worry. You've only been sleeping for a few hours. If you had gotten help any later, you'd probably be dead."
Bella looked at her. Her face was haggard and dark circles hung under her eyes. Like she had stayed up to watch Bella.
"Where's Hunter?"
"Where do you think?" Mel smiled grimly. "He's hunting."
Bella matched her grin. Whoever had done this to her was about to have the worst day of their life. She leaned back into the pillows.
"Sorry I spilled the soup. I would've liked to have it."
"I'll get more." She strode out of the room. The door slammed shut behind her.
Bella gazed out the open window. The moon was still up and cast a silver light over her kingdom. A slice of moonlight spilled into her room, not enough to illuminate everything, but enough to see her way around. Without looking at the sky, she knew it would be cloudless and filled with stars.
The obsidian wall was a wall of nothing in the night. The only evidence of it was the light reflecting the gems at the top. A bell rang somewhere, followed by the distant sound of cheering.
Mel returned with a steaming bowl of stew. She set it on Bella's lap and returned to her chair.
"Are you ready?" she whispered.
"Are we ever?" Bella replied. The stew was full of meat and vegetables. She dipped her spoon in and took a sip. It was delicious. She thanked Mel and dug in.
When she was finished, she said, "What happens if we do lose?"
"You'll go somewhere else. I might join the Kingdom Guard like you said." Mel's gray eyes were liquid silver in the light. "Do you think you can ask your brother?"
"Yes." Bella stared out over her kingdom. "You're sure?"
"Don't tell me you want me to stay now." Mel looked over and nudged her. "I thought you were so eager for me to stay."
"You're a good fighter." She kept her eyes forward. "Anyone will be lucky to have you."
"You want me to stay." Not a question. "Why?"
Bella shrugged. "I don't know."
"Right." They sat in silence before she said, "I'll visit."
Bella reached over and grasped her hand. "You'll always be welcome here."
The two women watched the city come to life without another word. Only when a messenger came to tell them Hunter returned did they speak.
The messenger followed them to the Great Hall where he was waiting. A young man was in chains beside him. He looked vaguely familiar, and as she looked, she remembered.
"Samuel?" she said.
The man grinned. "No. But I'm glad you remember his name."
"Who are you?" Mel asked. Somehow, she had gotten a knife and was now aiming it at the man.
"I'm Kelsey. Samuel's brother." He bared his teeth. "You killed him."
"She did not," Hunter snarled. "He volunteered and he died because something tore him open. Not her."
"I don't believe you."
"What did you do to me?" Bella asked. Her hands twitched at her sides.
"Your name is Belladonna, right?" He grinned at her, a wicked light entering his green eyes. "I figured that's what I'd kill you with."
"I'd kill you slowly but I'm too tired," Bella said, a wicked grin of her own on her face. "I'll make it fast."
"You probably can't do anything. You're a weak, pathetic, little—"
His words cut off as Bella sighed. The chains on his arms went taut as he strained against them. His eyes were wild and he choked before melting to a pile of ash.
It took a moment for Hunter and Mel to realize what she did. When they did—
"You burned him inside out?" Hunter said. He gathered her in a hug. "That was amazing."
Mel looked a little green but she smiled. "That's new."
"I've been experimenting," Bella said sweetly.
"I'll say." Hunter gathered the chains and kicked the dust away. "I've never seen anything like that."
Of course, her mother chose that moment to breeze in. The hall went silent as she approached Bella.
"What did you do?" she snapped. Her face was pinched as she stared at the dust still settling. "Answer me."
"I killed the man who tried to poison m—"
"Who poisoned me," Mel said. "We were out and I had a drink and somehow he poisoned me."
"And you didn't ask how he got it, I presume," her mother said.
"No, I didn't. He tried to kill my friend. It's only fitting he should die, too." Bella's fire threatened to explode again.
Her mother slapped her. The sound echoed around the hall. Mel was fingering her knife and Hunter looked like he was getting ready to pounce. She caught their eyes and shook her head. They couldn't fight her mother. Even though she was small, she could still wipe them all out with half a thought.
"Don't you ever do anything like that without telling me again," she said. Bella nodded. "You are Queen. But I am still your mother."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Now, why did I come here." She tapped her fingers together. "Oh, yes. That girl's army is now only two days away. You better be ready."
"I will."
"Good." With that, she stalked back out of the hall.
Bella watched her go. When she was sure she was gone, she screamed. Fire wreathed her hands and she wanted to punch something. Badly. But she withheld it. No sense in bringing down the room.
When she stopped, the only sound was the fire around her fists. She slowly willed them to fade. Mel and Hunter approached her. The former hugged her while the latter held her gaze in understanding.
"We should prepare," Bella said. "Time to get ready for war."
As soon as the sun came up and the castle was full of life again, she called a war meeting. They all met in the room where she arrived: her family, Hunter, Mel, the Commanders, and the old men. The Council.
They discussed strategies and how they would be able to hold off the enemy long enough for Hell and the monsters to arrive. Even if they did, there was still no telling how many men and women would die.
Bella suggested recruiting the Maidens. The Council first rejected the idea but as it became more apparent they needed help, they agreed. But only if she was the one to recruit them.
After the meeting was over, she took Mel and went out to find the Maidens.
The Maidens were legendary warriors from when her grandparents ruled. They came from a rip in the world, from another place filled with oceans and sunny skies. Supposedly, they had been part of an experiment to find other worlds. Bella didn't know about that but somehow they aged slower than humans.
The sun was at midpoint and Bella and Mel had recruited five of the six when they received a message. They were needed immediately at the castle.
The people shrank back as Bella barged in the meeting room. "What is it?" she snapped.
Hunter approached her. "It's her."
"What? She wasn't supposed to come for another day."
"It's just a messenger. She wants to meet you," her brother said. She noticed he was unusually pale. "She had some... disturbing things to say."
"Like what?" Bella ground out. If that little bitch had done something—
"She said you killed her parents," her mother said. "You made them work like dogs then slaughtered them."
Her blood froze. Mel's face had gone ghostly white.
Never. She never had slaves. How could she say that?
"No. No, I didn't." Bella's heart threatened to beat out of her chest. "I didn't."
"She still wants to meet you," Hunter said. His face was pinched in concern. "I'll come, too."
Mel was looking at her like the world was collapsing. Bella stared at her. Never.
Her body was still frozen but she managed to snap, "Bring me my cloak and saddle my horse." She turned to Hunter. "You get in my way, I don't care who you are, I will burn you."
An hour later, they were off. Her people stared at her as she galloped through her city. Rain began to fall. Lightning spiderwebbed across the sky. Just before she went under the gate, she looked back at her castle. She could've sworn she saw Mel there, her face one of betrayal.
Night had fallen by the time they reached the meeting place. Hunter steered his horse first, checking for traps. She waited while rain poured down from the sky. Lightning flashed again, illuminating Hunter.
"It's clear," he yelled to her. "There's a tent set up ahead. I'll enter first, then you."
They approached the tent. It was blue with a golden sun drawn on the sides. The Southern Seas's coat of arms.
A fire flickered within. Their first mistake.
She realized that the rain was her mistake as she dismounted. Shayde would draw strength from it. Bella would draw strength from the fire. It would be down to whoever was stronger.
Hunter strode in and she was left alone again. Mud squelched beneath her boots as she paced back and forth. Lightning illuminated the field before thunder cracked. She thought she saw another tent in the distance but before she could look again, the flap opened.
She shoved her way in, flames already in her palm. Hunter sat beside a small pot over a fire in the middle. Shayde was pacing over to the side. Two guards stood beside the flap, their hands on their hilts. Shayde stopped paving when she saw Bella.
"Weapons on the ground," she said.
"If your guards remove their hands from their swords."
Hunter shook his head slightly. What did that mean?
"Now," Shayde snapped. "All of you, weapons down. We are here for peace."
Her guards relaxed. Bella couldn't see their faces beneath helmets shaped like a bull. Sharp horns protruded from the sides. Bella slid her dagger out of its death and dropped it on the floor.
"And the other," Shayde said. Bella drew another from her boot and let it clatter next to the first. "I said, all."
"Why? I can still kill you with my magic." Bella still removed two more. They fell to the ground. "That's all."
"Sit." Shayde motioned to a spot next to Hunter. "I want to talk."
Bella crossed to Hunter but remained standing. She towered over Shayde but the girl merely glared at her.
"You said I killed your parents," Bella hissed. "Everyone knows that's wrong."
"Do they?" Shayde chuckled. "I don't think, what's her name? Mel? I don't think Mel knows that."
"You shut your damn mouth." Bella stepped forward but she felt a hand on her leg. Hunter. She kicked him off. "You're going to build a kingdom built on lies?"
"Isn't that what you did? I mean, do your people even know what they're fighting for?"
Bella ground her teeth. "What do you want?" she snarled.
"I want to know what it's like to be able to kill everyone without sparing them a single though." Shayde frowned in mock sympathy. "It must be so damn hard."
"I'm leaving." Bella turned and made to storm out.
"I thought you came for a reason. I wanted peace. You came. Maybe you really do want peace."
"I want to burn your rutting army. But I am not going to do that now, because you obviously want to tell me something."
"I'm willing to spare you and anyone you want as long as you hand over your kingdom."
"And where would my people go?" Bella snapped.
"You would blend in with other kingdoms, of course. And you." She laughed, a light, airy sound that made Bella see red. "I hear Hell is nice this time of year."
"You bitch," Bella snarled and lunged for her. A wall of water appeared and she was thrown back into Hunter. They toppled back into the flame.
The fire wrapped around Bella like a second skin before she emerged. She shrieked and it exploded around her, melting the tent and everyone in it.
When the ash settled, she saw Hunter collapsed next to her. His body was a map of red welts. Water splashed behind her and she whirled. Shayde staggered up, her clothes shredded.
"This is war," she said. "You killed two of my men. I will march in two days. You will burn on the third."
She mounted a horse Bella hadn't noticed before and galloped away into the night.
Rain continued to pour down as Bella struggled to get Hunter up. His body was beginning to heal and she was able to get him onto his horse before he woke.
"That was a mess," he said.
"Why didn't you say anything?" she yelled. "I almost killed you!"
"She put a spell on me," Hunter said. His eyes burned in the rain. "I will kill her."
"Hunter, she said 'You will burn.' Just like Dominic."
"It doesn't matter. She'll die."
Bella swung up on her horse and snapped the reins. "I need to tell my people what's going to happen."
They galloped off into the night. Mud and rain splashed onto them. The storm began to let up at one point but didn't stop. It was as wild as Bella's rage. Nobody would hurt the things she loved. Especially not someone who had to lie her way into a meeting.
The guards almost didn't recognize her when she approached the gate. She had to snap at them a couple of times before they were convinced it was her.
They tracked mud into the castle as they stormed in. Servants and guards scattered out of their way. Bella didn't stop once before reaching the meeting room. She threw the doors open and said, "We fight."
The Council stared at her. She knew she was covered in mud and soaking wet but they could still say something. "What?"
"It was supposed to be to negotiate peace," her mother said. "Why didn't you ask for peace?"
"I did," Bella snapped. "Before you lecture me, I am Queen. I decide what is best for this kingdom. Not you, not the Council. Me."
"You had her parents as slaves?" Mel said. She stood on the other side of the room, not looking at Bella. Her rage grew as she stared at the girl.
"Of course not. But the fact is, you believed that I would do something like that without a doubt. What happened to, I'm your friend and I trust you. Why are you really here, Mel?"
"Because I have nowhere else to go. And of course I didn't believe her but you left without saying anything so I just assumed—"
"Get out."
"What?"
"Get out." Bella pointed to the door. "Now."
"Bella, I—"
She threw a wall of fire around the room. "NOW!"
Mel scurried out of the room. She looked back before the door slammed behind her.
"Now that I have your attention, let's begin."
She told them what happened. She told them what they were really marching into. She told them everything.
When she was done, she said, "Call a kingdom meeting. I need to inform my people. The rest of you, prepare. We have two days."
Her mother wisely didn't say anything as she strode out. Hunter followed behind her. Mel was waiting on the other side of the door when she emerged.
"Bella, please. I didn't mean it. I'm so sorry." Bella let the girl ramble. "Please forgive me."
"I'm sorry." Mel's mouth dropped open. "I didn't mean to make you feel like that. But I can't have you questioning me now."
"Of course. It won't happen again." A smile crept up her face. "I swear one of the old men pissed himself."
Despite everything that was happening, Bella chuckled. "I want both of you beside me when I tell my people."
"We will be there," Hunter said. He squeezed her hand. "Together."
"Together," Bella repeated.
"Let's get you cleaned up," Mel said.
Bella shrugged out of her grip. "No. Let them see me like this."
"Are you sure?" Hunter said.
"Positive." She started towards the doors. "Let's do this."
Her family joined her on her walk to the stage that had been erected outside the castle. Her people quieted as she approached.
Her family split off to stand at the edge of the crowd. The sun was beginning to rise, revealing streaks of pink and orange across the sky. The dark clouds hovering above were painted with the colors of the sky. Her people, humans and monsters alike, looked up at her. Her friends stood behind her and she drew strangely from their presence.
"People of Vearus," she began, magic amplifying her voice. "I called you here today to tell you what is happening in our world."