Empire of Kingdoms Awakening

Chapter 26

Water splashed around her as she crashed. It dragged her underneath the surface as she fought to reach air. Nothing she did brought her back up. Scream muffled by water. It filled her lungs as the bottom looked to be never ending.

Her ears popped as she sunk farther, causing them to feel on fire. She tried to use her hands to try grasping anything other than water.

Chest burning, it demanded her to take a deep breath. Giving up belief that she would reach something, she grabbed at her throat.

Spots appeared in her vision as her body became weak as she began to close her eyes. Drowning her biggest fear. It swallowed her whole, consumed her. Strength gone, but calm.

Light shined in from above her, but she was sure it was a hallucination when she looked to her side and saw someone underneath with her.

A tight grip on her waist pulled her to the surface, but she couldn't seem to take a breath. Her face drained of color by the time her body rested on the beach. She fought to open her eyes. A weight pressed on her breast.

She heard others who panicked. A man screaming for her. The sound of crunching pebbles surrounded her. Water bubbled from her mouth as she was rolling onto her side.

Her chest and throat burned as she cried. As she opened her eyes, she could not see. Everything was out of focus. Arms swung around her. A familiar embrace.

"Celeste," he whispered. Hands resting against her shook. She tore from him as her hand grazed his face. Her sight had become clear as she admired her broad jaw line, grazing her finger across it. Blonde hair dripping water.

Her throat ached, too rough to speak. She yanked him back into her arms. The king had saved her life.

The others that joined him aided Celeste to her feet. Charles took her hand and eased her onto the rear of his white horse. "I received word from Ryella you refused to return. She stayed behind with the hope you would change your mind. She told me what happened." Celeste looked away from him, staring out to the bay.

If he hadn't saved her, she could have lived a thousand deaths before anyone found her. "I will keep you safe." She started to cough aggressively with bloodshot eyes.

The castle seemed larger than she remembered. Towers being hugged by the clouds. He helped her dismount as someone approached them.

They looked Celeste up and down before facing the king. "I will take her for an examination."

"I'll be fine." Celeste glanced at the king. "We need to go." Her voice was raspy and scratched her throat.

He hesitated before nodding. He rested his arm on her shoulders as they walked around the castle. She noticed guards coming in through the back gate, covered in blood. He turned her head to face him, offering a loving smile.

Celeste didn't realize how much she had missed his affection. In the end, he was all she had. Her mother was wrong to stand against him. Rightfully so, Charles had her mom and family removed long ago.

His hazel eyes made her forget every mistake he had made. He had a way of making her heart melt.

The cave where they had many secret meetings came closer to them. Nothing had changed over the decades. They noticed a cloaked figure facing away.

Celeste's gut told her to stop walking. The king, being the kind to stand his ground, pulled her forward anyway as he squinted at the person.

Her body tingled as they turned to face them. Hood falling to his shoulders, Celeste gasped. She suspected the guardian would find her, but she didn't think it would be so soon.

She was mistaken when she thought he had not overheard her and Ryella speaking. He realized where she would run.

"It's time for you to return home, Celeste." Charles stood between the two of them. "She's going back to her true home."

Charles flexed as he tried to protect her. "She isn't leaving!" His voice was more of a plea than a demand.

The guardian rolled his eyes as he forced the king to his knees with his mind. Charles did his best to fight against it, but he was not strong enough to overpower the guardian.

He stared at Charles in disgust as he walked past. Turning his attention to Celeste, he grinned.

Her body continued to tingle, and the sensation was too familiar to her. She had no energy to run. "Don't, please!" She cried.

The guardian laughed at her as he blocked her. She watched Charles with weary eyes. There was nothing more she could do.

Everything faded into nothing before she was gone.

The king's body collapsed onto the ground. "Where is she?"

"Hollowbane. Where she belongs and where she will stay. You will not free her this time. You will stand before the kings and queens if you do." The guardian said queens like a weapon, reminding Charles that he could bring Breannelyse back just as easy as he got rid of her.

"I am the one true king!" His voice roared over the field. Guards poured out of the castle gates to find what caused the commotion. "They answer to me. Not," he paused "the other way around. None of you will come near her. Us."

A chuckle broke out. "You are what I allowed you to be. Do we need to reestablish the original structure?" The guardian turned a blind eye to the uprising, believing that the people would stand by the best option. However, he would not tolerate the king to abuse his kindness.

The guardian didn't require a title or position to have power. He had it on his own. He would not allow chaos to ensue over petty family quarrels.

Charles bit his lip as the guardian walked away. He thought he won, but Charles would make him pay. Even though he couldn't take action instantly, he would get his revenge in due time. The king would destroy everything the guardian had built before he let it go.