“Solomon, you must keep her safe. Her future depends on it,” the lady begged as she took the huntsman’s callused hands in hers. “If my enemies knew of her existence, her life would be in grave danger. She will be safe with you. I will return for her when the time is right, but for now she must remain hidden from the creatures of the night.”
“I will keep her safe, my Queen.” The huntsman gazed down into the baby’s face. “No harm will come to her as long as I draw breath. You have my word.” Then, he looked back up at the queen. “But what has you so scared that you’re willing to leave your sweet baby girl? I don’t understand, please don’t shut me out.” Solomon exclaimed as he held the sweet baby girl quiet as she slept in his arms. Rocking her back and forth like he had when Wyatt was younger he knew it would ease the little one. Looking deeply in her eyes she drifted off to sleep while he and the queen talked.
The lady instead of replying kept quiet as she bent down to kiss the little child and ran into the night.
Chapter Two
Mayze stood as the beast slowly released her, though he stayed close to her, guiding her to sit on a sun and pine vintage chair that was beside a long cherrywood dining table. Shaking her head, she grabbed the temples on either side of her face. Was any of what she saw possible?
“See, my dear daughter, I am your father. My name is Verrill. This castle is my home and your birthright. I come in peace, and want only to get to know you. I apologize for biting you, but you left me no other choice.”
Mayze didn’t reply. Instead, consumed by rage at the loss of her friend and fueled by a strange, enhanced strength, she bolted for the doors. She ran faster than she ever had before, branches scratching at her face and limbs as she tore through the trees. But she did not tire, and instead ran for hours as the sun made its way across the sky, following her progress through the forest.
Finally, she came to the edge of a nearby village and stopped, leaning against a tree. She took deep breaths to slow down her heart rate as she hunched over, her hands on her thighs. When her body calmed, she stood again, bracing herself with her arm on the tree. For the first time, she allowed herself to replay what just happened with the monster—her father. She closed her eyes to clear her thoughts and gain control. She was unsure whether or not to trust any of what she just saw, but she also felt that she was something more than she’d been that morning when she woke.
A man yelling at the top of his lungs yelled at a poor lady nearby, it drew Mayze from her thoughts and out of the shadows of the trees. In a clearing just beyond the treeline, a young lady knelt at the feet of a tall, slender man. He had her by her hair as he whipped her back and arms with a thin twig. The woman was kicking and screaming, pleading with him to stop.
The angered man instead just ignored her and continued to drag her across the terrain.
“Stop, I beg of you,” the poor helpless lady wailed. But no one came to her aid. Others in the field only dropped their faces to the ground and didn’t look up.
“Why should I let you go? Clearly you cannot do the job I specifically asked you to this morning. Now the sun is about to go down and still nothing has been done. What have you been doing all day?” the man roared, still dragging the innocent lady while beating her with the switch he held tightly in his left hand. “You had one simple task. All of you maidens are the same. It takes a man to do this job. Why do I waste my time? Why?”
Mayze’s blood boiled and she could not wait a single moment longer. She rushed over to the pair and, grabbing the man by the collar of his suit, threw him high in the air. He hit the ground a few yards away.
She helped the injured woman to her feet. “Go home now. He will not hurt you. Be gone.”
The woman did not hesitate. She turned and ran to a cluster of homes on the edge of the field and disappeared inside.
Mayze slowly walked over to the man and bent down, wrapping a hand around his neck. She squeezed a little tighter until she could see the vein pulsing in the side of his neck.
“As for you, you worthless excuse of a man,” Mayze began, her vision swimming. “It must take a big man to whale on a fragile woman, doesn’t it? You will not place another finger on her or any lady for that matter.“ With her free hand, Mayze wiped her mouth, fighting the urge to give in to a temptation she didn’t entirely understand.
With anger and aggression consuming her she was now passed the point of controlling her emotions as the red river began to overflow she fell herself sinking deeply until she lingered inching her way closer to the man’s throat.
The man clawed at her hand and she released him enough so that he could speak. “All you women need to kiss my boots and cherish the ground I walk on. If it wasn’t for me, all of you would in the dungeons being treated as slaves. Being treated worse than dirt.”
Mayze gripped the man’s neck even tighter than before. She expanded her mouth, exposing her new fangs. She rubbed her tongue over her new, sharpened teeth as she let out an evil growl. Before he could scream, she bit down on his neck, ripping his throat to shreds, giving in to her desire she couldn’t fight any longer.
Smearing the blood from her mouth, she took a deep breath and shoved his ghastly carcass away from her until it met the soft dirt beneath her feet. “That was delicious. You bastard, you had it coming. You won’t be saying that to another, now will you?”
From somewhere behind her, a man shouted, “She killed the general!”
Before Mayze could turn toward the sound, pain ricocheted up her leg as she fell, her body slamming into the ground as the black void of unconsciousness swallowed her.
Chapter Three
Mayze began to regain consciousness, rubbing her eyes. There was pain in her leg and she reached for it to try to soothe it. Looking around, she realized she was not in the field anymore, but rather a brick chamber accessible only by a locked door. She stood, favoring her injured leg, and hobbled to it.. Gripping the bars within the door, she screamed and shook the bars with all her might.
“I demand to be let out of this despicable place. I've done nothing wrong,” Mayze screamed at the top of her lungs as far as her voice would travel. When no one came, she rammed the door with her shoulder. But the door didn’t budge, and Mayze was knocked on her butt, her leg throbbing she brushed off the pain that was pulsating up and down her leg like rapid ammo being shot through a gun simotiousley.
From her spot on the floor, she heard the clanking of keys against the iron lock. A man in a champagne blazer and white trousers with a tall black hat hollered, “Stand back. The queen requests your presence. Play nice or you will be down here for days with no blood to drink.”
She stepped back, allowing him to open the door. Then, gathering all her strength, she bolted to the next door she could see. She crashed into a force field just a couple of feet away from freedom and slammed to the ground.
On the other side of the force field stood a gorgeous woman with hair like satin and skin as white as ivory, but a cruel, cold face.
“I know you.” Mayze pointed at her. “I saw you in his visions. How is this possible? You can’t be my mother. My mother is kind and righteous, it can’t be you.” Mayze backed away from the clear shield that lay between her and the face on the other side.
“If you calm down, I’ll explain everything thing. I’ll show you that you have nothing to fear,” the queen replied as she came face to face with the creature in front of her. Dropping her hand the queen cautiously back away while keeping her eye on Mayze never letting her guard down.
Mayze inhaled slowly and dropped her arms, stepping back to let the man walk through. The guard opened her cell and placed cuffs on her.
Before removing the force field, the queen added, “Play nice with my guard. He is here to bring you to my chambers where we can talk like civilized human beings.” The queen glared at Mayze as she let out an evil laugh. “Wait a minute, you’re not among the living anymore, are you, my sweet child? No matter. I still owe you some answers.”
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Mayze squinted her eyes but remained calm, allowing the man to escort her to the queen’s throne room, where the queen took her seat on the throne and ordered the guard to leave. He obeyed at once.
“It’s about time I get to meet you.” The queen stood and walked closer to Mayze.
Mayze, still standing in the middle of the queen’s suite, asked, “Can you take these cuffs off? I mean you no harm, I only want answers.”
“Certainly, my dear child!” The queen made a hand movement in the air and the cuffs disappeared.
Mayze rubbed her wrists and studied the queen. “I’ve always been told that my mother died in childbirth and that Solomon was the only living relative I’ve had. Verrill cannot be my father.”
The queen waited for her to finish, but kept a safe distance away from her daughter. “You’ve been lied to your entire life. Unfortunately for us both, Verrill is your father.”
Mayze choked on her next words. “Why . . . Why did you leave me?”
The queen smiled cruelly. “You’re an abomination. I will not have anything to do with you now that the evil side of you has awakened. I should have listened to my council when they told me never to get mixed up with a forsaken, when they told me to terminate the pregnancy. But I followed my heart.”
Mayze sensed her rage surfacing again. She took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, but it didn’t help. She opened her mouth and flashed her fangs at the queen. “Watch what you say. For if I’m an abomination, you are my maker. The apple never falls far from the tree, Mother.” Mayze growled as she dropped into a crouch.
The queen sneered, taking a step back. “Solomon had one job: to keep you away from Verrill. But he failed, and now you are a monster just like your father. It just goes to show that if I want anything done, it must be done myself.”
Mayze clenched her fists and replied, “Everything you touch turns to ash. I am happy you never returned for me. I’m only sad I did not succumb to my nature sooner and take you out! I’m glad I was able to kill one of your minions. You missed your chance to see me grow into the strong independent woman I’m today. I’m not the only person that feels this way. Many of the villagers feel the same. You cannot treat all your people worse than dirt and expect no repercussion. Because you have another thing coming lady.”
She glared at Mayze. “But I can right my wrong. In the morning, you will meet your maker.”
Enraged, Mayze darted toward the queen. The woman did not even blink as she raised her hand and turned it to the right. Mayze slammed against the stone wall and slid to the floor, stunned.
“Guard!”
The guard appeared, glancing from his queen to Mayze. She tried to push herself up, but was too dizzy to stand.
“Take her back to the vault until daylight. She is to be executed in the morning for her crimes against the crown and the kingdom.”
Chapter Four
Mayze hung suspended in chains, barely able to stand, trying her best to block out the pain of the twenty lashes the queen’s men had given her. She tried to focus on something other than the pain. She remembered an earlier time with her brother and father back in their cabin.
Running footsteps sounded down the hall. Unable to raise her head, she could only wait for whatever was coming.
“Monkey, are you okay?”
The voice of her father wrapped around her like a soft blanket. “Daddy, please help me,” Mayze wept, clinching the chains as she tried to break them loose.
“Stay still while we try and break you out. I swear to you, this won't be the day you die. None of us will let that happen, sweetheart.” Solomon was working at the door, hammering at the hinges on the outside.
“Us? Who’s here with you?”
“Wyatt is guarding the door, and your . . . Well, Verrill is here. He’s searching for a weak spot in the wall.”
Though she couldn’t see him, she heard Wyatt’s frantic whisper then. “Someone is coming down the corridor. We must hurry! We don’t have much time.”
Then there was something else, a flash of darkness and a gust of wind. Verrill slammed against the wall, breaking through and sending bricks tumbling to the floor. He snapped the chains and caught Mayze as she fell to the ground. Verrill carried her out of the vault and hurried down the hall, Solomon close behind them.
Running quickly Verrill carried Mayze till they reach where Wyatt was holding the line and keeping watch.
“They’re coming,” Wyatt called out.
Before Verrill could put Mayze down she leapt out of his arms, barreling into a guard with her left shoulder and slamming him into the wall. Verrill tried to tug at her torn blouse to direct her to leave she narrowed her stare and told him that she had to stay and fight for her family who risked everything to save her.
“I’m the reason they knew where to look for you,” Verrill said. “I reached out for their help. Your life is more important than fighting these poor excuse for humans.”
“They are my family too. Stay and fight with us. No more running. I was not raised that way, I’m not going to start now.”
Verrill nodded back as they prepared to attack, swords, axes, and staff drawn, Mayze and Verrill assumed a fighting stance, ready for what they knew was a tough battle ahead.
But Solomon was surveying the dungeon hall, and as the shadows of the guards appeared ahead, he turned to his children and Verrill. “You three go. On the backside, deep in the caves, there is an opening all of you can get through. I'll be behind you shortly. Now go!”
Mayze lunged for Solomon, but Wyatt pulled her away. They ran, her brother half-dragging her, and found the opening. It was narrow and dark, and as Wyatt released Mayze to crawl inside, she knew what she had to do.
She turned and ran back the way they’d come, knowing it would take Wyatt a few seconds to realize she was gone. But she was faster, and stronger, and she could save Solomon. It didn’t matter that he wasn’t her father by birth. He had raised her and loved her when no one else had. She couldn’t let him die for her.
The sounds of battle reached her, echoing through the tunnel and confusing her sense of direction.
"Dad, where are you?” Mayze screamed for him, racing through the maze of dark hallways.
Finally, she came around a corner just in time to see a guard drive a sword through his heart. Badly-beaten, with blood gushing out of his body uncontrollably, he was only inches away from fading off into the afterworld. But Solomon hung on long enough mummer her name, and it was enough to tear her from her stubbornness.
She raced over to the guard who still stood over him and gathered his shirt in one hand. The man’s screams were cut short when her teeth found his throat. Moments later, his body dropped lifelessly beside Solomon’s. The other men who were with him scattered, footsteps receding down the hall. She would deal with them later.
Mayze knelt and pulled Solomon into her lap. “Daddy, don’t go. I’m here. Don’t die on me. I came back. I’ll never leave you again.”
Solomon’s mouth barely moved as he whispered, “I love you.” Mayze stared down at at Solomon and witnessed him take his last breath next; his chest stopped moving as his heart and lungs failed his fragile, mortal body. Clenching his corpse, she didn't want to accept her new reality, that her father she knew since she was born, now laid amongst the blooded fingers that cradled him.
Tears spilled out from Mayze’s eyes, but she went from being heartbroken to furious in a split second when the scent of the guard’s fear reached her nose.
She tracked the guards down near the center of the castle. Before they could report back to the queen, she leapt into the air, landing on the first guy’s back and ripping his jugular from his throat. Then she was on the next guard, using her razor sharp nails to tear out his heart. Over and over she slashed and bit until she and the castle floor were coated in the blood of the men who had killed her father. There were no survivors.
Chapter Five
She met Verrill and Wyatt at the cave’s ex
it and they quickly ran from the queen’s castle. They were nearly beyond the grounds when Mayze heard a thud. She turned back and saw Wyatt lying limp on the ground.
She rushed over to his body. “Wyatt? No!” Mayze screamed in anguish.
Verrill was there, turning Wyatt over. “I’ve seen this before, my child. He has been hexed by your mother, it’s the only explanation.”
Verrill recalled a earlier time when one of his staff members witnessed something similar. As a result that person had fallen under a spell and the only way to break the curse was to kill the original source or turn that human. He figured they couldn’t get any better than the original source than the daughter and sister of them both.
There was a soft, familiar cackle. Mayze’s head jerked up. In the shadows, the queen appeared as a clump of mist, shimmering and ethereal.
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