Queen of Darkness WATTPAD VERSION [Inter-Universal Protectors: Book 3]

39

Hathor and her friends stood in a line in the Headmaster's office. Orion was seated behind his large desk, head resting on his hands. Jay leaned against one corner of the desk, arms crossed across his chest. Amneris was pacing in front of the line of students, hands behind her back as she moved. Normally, Academy affairs were handed by Orion, but this time was different.

"You know I have grounds to expel all of you," Amneris said as she paced.

"What?" Maddie yelped.

"You think we murdered Ella?" Imogene cried in outrage.

Amneris stopped, turning to the group. "No, but you were found with a dead body in the restricted section of the Library after hacking into the camera feed and using a secret passage to get in."

"Yeah!" Sky exclaimed. "After we saw the dead body."

"It's not the murder I can expel all of you for. It's the breaking into an area you know full well not to go into after hacking the system thing that I can expel you for."

Troy visibly flinched. "Well, at least you don't think we are murders."

Amneris gave them all a look that made even Isaiah shiver. "Go wait outside." They did so.

Jay watched Amneris pacing, his head following her movements across the room. "Keep that up and you'll make it to the level below."

She waved a hand. "Not now. I need to think."

It was obvious an enemy had infiltrated the Academy. The question now was who. Amneris suspected it was someone connected to the Rebellion but that felt too obvious. Too simple. Even the Rebels wouldn't dare murder someone in the Academy without leaving anything else behind. There had to be more to it.

Amneris stopped pacing. Someone was trying to prove a point. That they could get into her school and kill right under her nose. Hathor had been their first target; a way for them to say "I'm here" but they clearly didn't know she was immortal. The second murder, the Human girl found in the Library, was a message. "I can go anywhere" or something along those lines. This was someone who knew her school. Someone who had been there for a while now.

The students and staff were in danger but she couldn't send them home on a theory. A lot of them, mostly students, didn't even have home to go to so lived at the Academy year round. What was supposed to happen to them? On top of that, sending everyone home would in no way help her catch the culprit because they, too, would no longer be on campus. Amneris tugged at her hair. What to do . . .

"Are the students safe?" Orion asked.

"Of course not. A Human girl was just murdered to prove a point. Who knows what they'll do next." She looked at the Headmaster. "And there was absolutely nothing on the cameras?"

Jay snorted. "If Sky can hack into the system, it's safe to assume that's what the murder did." As Amneris started pacing again, he asked, "You don't really think it was those kids, do you?"

"It wasn't them," she said. "None of them have the mindset or the motive. They were just in the wrong place at the right time." She ran her hands through her hair, letting out a frustrated cry. "Why? Why why why why why? Why now? What's changed?"

The two men exchanged glances. "Changed?" Orion asked.

"Something has to have changed," Amneris said. "Something that's made them step up their game, but what?" When no answer came, she turned on the men. "I'm throwing this wide open to the group, guys."

Jay turned to Orion. "You have a list of students and where they're from. Can you print out a copy for us?" The Headmaster nodded, disappearing into one of the rooms connecting to his office. "It might help us," he told Amneris.

"Good idea," she agreed.

"You still want me to stay here and keep an eye on things?"

"If that's not too much to ask."

* * * * * * * *

A large group of students were waiting outside the Towers, making Amneris spark and curse under her breath when she eventually left. Hathor and her friends were only a few at the front. They were the ones she went to first.

Hathor all but jumped into her arms. "What's going on, mum?"

Amneris kissed her brow. "I wish I knew, baby. I wish I knew. But someone clearly wants my attention for some reason."

"And?" Troy asked.

"And they've got it."

Isaiah spoke next. "What do you do now."

Amneris shrugged. "You focus on your studies and let me and my people take care of this."

"But we cannot-"

"You can and you will." Amneris eyed her daughter's friends. "If you really want to help, you'll look after each other and stay out of this. Should someone come after you, which is very possible," she added at their surprised expressions, "then you can fight. Are we clear?"

"We're clear, You Majesty," Imogene said before anyone else could object.

"Good," Amneris smiled. "Now go to class." She addressed the rest of the students. "That goes for all of you. Go learn shit."

The group broke up.

"Wait. You." Amneris pointed at a man at the front of the group. A snake Shifter, by his scent and the information she'd been given. He pointed at himself, confused. "Yes, you. Stay here. The rest of you can go."

The man remained in place as everyone left the area. Amneris brought up a tablet, scrolling through the information. "Your name is Asher, correct? Asher Carson?"

He nodded. "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Walk with me." When he didn't follow, she glanced at him over her shoulder. "That was an order from your Queen, not a request."

He blanched, running to catch up and muttering an apology.

After walking for a few minutes, Amneris spoke. "I've been hearing some interesting things about you."

Asher laughed nervously. "I hope they're good."

Amneris held the tablet in front of her again, scrolling through the list of grievances. "Racial discrimination against Humans, Human hate crimes, abuse against Humans at the Academy, both physical and verbal, and protests against having Human students at the Academy. And that's just the basics of the first page. Of twenty."

He blanched again, not meeting her gaze.

"Now," she continued with a smirk, "I hate Humans as much as the next person, possibly more so. Hell, given half a chance, I'd blow up their planets if I were having a bad enough day."

"Wouldn't we all?" Asher said with a small laugh.

"However," Amneris said, becoming serious, "the Humans on this world are under my protection as I was the one to bring them here. Most of them were to be sacrificed to me but I stopped that from happening and brought them somewhere they would be safe." Her eyes narrowed. "It is against the law to harm them in any way."

Asher's eyes widened. "W-wait. I didn't kill that girl!"

"And I never said you did." She clasped her hands behind her back. "You have done other things. The Academy has its own rules. Had you done your hate crimes anywhere else, you would be jailed. However, being the Queen does have its perks." Before he could protest, Amneris continued. "I'm giving you a choice, Asher, and I hope you will make the right decision."

"Choice."

"You can either go to jail . . . Or you can go to your room and pack your things. I've already notified your family who are coming here to get you either way."

"You're expelling me?" he cried.

"Expulsion or jail," she shrugged. "Your choice."

Asher stopped, standing dumbstruck in the streets as Amneris tossed her hair over a shoulder, continuing to the docks without looking back.