by Kanu Crystal
“This cannot stand Princess Himeko. We will have to call the Council.” She could not tell who the other voice was, but it sounded female.
“Tac, you are not supposed to be here.” Isia was tensing up now, her back muscles moving like they wanted to shift. Tac had stopped the group a few feet away. The other four members of the group were obviously of the White Mountain pack, with strong builds and white hair with blue eyes. They were outnumbered.
“What do we do?” As panicked as she knew Isia was, her calm words kept Himeko calm.
“I am an Alpha, it is my right to be here. And once the court hears of this, they will push for you to choose a mate. Of course, princess, if you pick me, I will see that my sister is not killed, just banished, for this…offense.” Himeko couldn’t see Tac’s face, but she could hear the hatred in his voice.
“He is blackmailing us.”
Alpha Emmanuel took a step back and started out the way he came. “Alpha Tac, the council needs to hear of this. This is not about you.” Alpha Emmanuel hit a hastily placed barrier. Wind wards were not Himeko’s best spells, but they would keep everyone inside and it quiet outside.
She thought no one would notice her hand movements, and since no one in the room was a mage, she knew none of them felt her mana move. Since only one wolf in the back was facing the doors, she thought it would fly past them. Yet her champion could plainly see the Alpha lynx testing the invisible barrier. “What are you doing?”
“What we must do. I won’t have your life in danger.” The two quickly looked at each other then back at the group threatening them.
“By fornicating with this girl, you threaten our whole way of life my princess, please, turn yourself in. We can help.” This declaration came from the unnamed female in the room.
The lynx must have figured out he wasn’t going anywhere and marched back towards the group. “Princess, this is unseemly. Lift this spell at once or I will call the guards.”
“Go ahead, I have cast a spell to block sound as well.” Her voice was so calm, so cold, that she didn’t even realize when she had done it. She was no longer fearful but standing strong and tall.
As the two golden eyed Alphas looked around, it was Tac that Himeko stared at. She couldn’t see most of his face but could see his white teeth as he smiled at her. “And what purpose does that serve? You belong to me, this was bound to happen. Just agree to mate with me, and this can all go away.”
“Tac, this is not how we do things!” At Alpha Emmanuel’s words, Tac snapped his fingers and the White Mountain wolves were grabbing both Emmanuel and the woman. They pulled daggers from belts and stood ready for orders.
“Guards!”
Tac turned towards the yelling female and backhanded her hard enough for the wolf holding her to stumble back with her body. “The princess has blocked the sound in this room. Calling out is useless or have you forgotten this already.” Tac wiped his hand off on his ram’s fur shirt before snarling at the two he held hostage. “Do as I say, and you both will live long enough to vote me as High General. Or, my Betas can cut your throats.”
“Himeko?” Isia never turned away from the group, but even Himeko could see that all eyes were now on Tac and the new hostages.
“Tac what is the meaning of this? You can’t think I will let you get away with this?”
“He never meant for them to leave this room,” Himeko spoke these words to make what she would have to order sound rational, at least to her. She touched Isia’s back and watched her visibly relax. “Are you my champion? My shield and my sword?”
“Everyone is going to say yes tonight! You two will promise to side with me against the council.” Tac barely turned enough for Himeko to see his white teeth to speak to her. “And you will say yes to me and I will even let your little pet here be free to run around pack-less throughout my land...”
“Your orders my princess?”
Himeko heard the calm words, looked at the hidden faces of the seven before her and was completely at peace with her next words. Because she meant it, she would open the gates of oblivion of for Isia.
“Kill them.”
“Do not make me…” Tac never got to finish his own threat. Isia had moved as soon as the order was spoken and ripped out her brother’s neck and lower jaw with her claws so fast it seemed supernatural. She never stopped moving, she was a black silhouette granting death with speed as she moved.
Himeko watched as the wolf closest to Tac’s still falling body jerked as Isia’s hands went through his chest and something rolled on the floor by her foot. When Himeko looked up and away from the rolling heart, Isia held the only other wolf without a hostage by a clearly broken neck. Or was most of his neck missing? Himeko could barely tell by the light from the moons.
The last two wolves tossed away their hostages to stand and face the alpha wolf slowly rolling her shoulder. The wolf that had been holding Emmanuel dropped his knife and began to shift. It took more time than an alpha would, and Himeko wouldn’t have even known if Isia had not shifted so often in a blink of an eye.
Yet Isia didn’t shift, instead, she rushed the other wolf that still had a knife. In one of the smoothest motions Himeko had ever seen, the wolf was disarmed and lying flat on the ground with his own knife in his skull.
By the time Isia stood away from his body, the last wolf had completed his shift and was shaking off his clothes. He braced his legs apart and growled low in his throat. Isia in turn, spread her stance a little wider and exhaled. On her exhale, the wolf charged and Himeko held her breath. When the white wolf leaped for Isia, she caught him by the neck with one hand and cracked his spine with one of the most dreadful sounds Himeko had ever heard.
The room grew quiet with that sound. As the limp body hit the floor, Isia was already turning back to Himeko and walking towards her. Blue eyes glowing as she approached. When she was close enough, Himeko reached out without hesitation to take Isia’s sticky wet hands. She rubbed her thumbs over the back of them and leaned down to kiss them when she was stopped by a clearing of someone’s throat.
“Princess Himeko, my thanks.” Emmanuel stepped into view, bowing at the waist. “I'm sure we can settle this matter with your... Champion, tomorrow. “
The voice of the female hostage piped in almost delighted as she rubbed her neck. “It should give you time to flee, Champion, in thanks for saving us.”
Isia tensed in her hands and Himeko waited for azure eyes to find her crimson ones. “All of them.”
With those words, Isia’s hand was on the back of Alpha Emmanuel’s throat and she jerked him forward hard. This time there was no sound of snapping, just a pop and a crunch when he hit the floor and Isia’s boot found his windpipe.
The last female in the room screamed and went to flee toward the glass doors of the balcony. She pulled and banged on them as Isia slowly walked over towards the body of the wolf with the knife in his skull. She pulled it out with a sucking pop sound as the female screamed and began to beg with her back against the glass. She held up her hands towards Isia.
“Please, my hatchlings need…” Isia thankfully silenced her by grabbing her lower jaw and sticking the knife into the back of her neck. When Isia released her, her body slid slowly down the window. Isia didn’t turn away from her last kill. Instead, she stared at the woman’s body for a few more moments before looking out at the moons.
Himeko approached as quietly as she could. She stood beside her in the moonlight and took her still bloody hands. They both looked out at the moons for a long minute in silence before Himeko spoke up. Her voice was no longer the cold voice she used when angry or scared, but the warm voice she used for her friends and family. Killing the other five was self-defense. These last two was murder. And she had ordered her wolf to do so. “I’m sorry you had to do this.”
“I am not.” Himeko looked at her wolf and was happy to see those eyes had not changed, they still needed her to be safe. And most importantly, Isia didn’t blame Himeko. Instead,
they seemed harder but also kinder, if possible. “I will call for the guards.”
Chapter 15
“Are you ok sister?” Siai’s hand pressed against Isia’s cheek gently and she leaned into it for comfort. The last 15 minutes had been a collection of chaos and questions. The guards where now sealing off the room as guest were escorted out with questioning looks. The Emperor had been sent for, but his cave was 30 minutes way by fastest horse and much too far for a cheetah to run.
She had found out that the lynx was Alpha Emmanuel of the Shifting River and the woman in the room was an Alpha Gina a hawk shifter. Both had mates and families. Both sat on the Ruling Council, the only group of beastkin that could veto the Emperor when the kingdom was not at war. They helped with running the country but mostly just represented their people in government.
Himeko was in the room across the hall, heavily guarded. With her was Princess Oasis and the mates of the two victims. She was telling them the story personally, as was their right, and doing her duty as their princess to comfort them. But now was not the time to think of the crying Isia could hear from the room. Or the look on their faces when they were called into that room. She already knew that the look on their faces would forever haunt her.
Right now, she had to deal with her sisters. Siai was looking at her with worry in her beautiful blue eyes, and Aisi stared at her with an all-knowing glance. “Yes, I am unharmed. All that training came in handy.”
“What happened here?”
It was Aisi that spoke to her, though their mind link, her tail flicking with irritation. But it was the accusation in that question that made Isia snarl. “They came to attack the princess, I did my job.”
Aisi looked taken aback by the snarl, stepping closer in challenge. Isia expected anger back, even a growl, but instead, she got gentleness. “Isia…. the Betas…had daggers, the male council member…that move?”
The three stood silently. Each seeming to try to look into each other’s minds for the answer to the question. If the attackers had knives, why did they not used them on the lynx? And though most shifters could not partial shift, stronger alphas could. The lynx and the hawk councilors, by their standings, should have been able to defend themselves against beta males.
Siai sighed and hugged Isia. When her arms wrapped around her, Isia so badly wanted to break down and let all the worries and strain out.
“Thank you.” She patted Siai on the back and let her go. Siai was back to her usual easy smile.
“Sister, we can help, so explain to us what really happened, before someone with skill sees the scene.” Siai was smiling as she patted both Isia and Aisi on the back. The hall was quickly emptying, the last of the alpha’s moving quickly out of the hallway.
She took a moment to stare at each of her sisters, comforted by Aisi’s stern look just as much as she was by Siai’s easy smile. Isia sighed and told them both the truth, about the way she had killed the Council members and why she did so.
It surprised her that she got more anger and grief from her reckless sister than her stern one. “Are you insane, the Princess?”
“I know, Siai, it just happened. She...it feels...right. I breath and she exhales. I could not help myself, and I don't think she can either. I know her duty, and I decided earlier that it must end.”
“I thought it was just some kind of one-sided adoration on your part. I never thought you would be stupid enough to do this. This cannot happen again. Ever.” Siai marched a few steps back and forth before running her hands through Aisi’s short locks. Aisi swatted her away cocking an eyebrow. “well I couldn’t run my fingers through my own, I have way too much, and it takes forever to comb.”
With that bit of insanity, the tension broke, but Isia wanted to reassure Siai “It won’t. Siai. If a kiss ends with people dying...I put her into a weak position. I know it has to end.”
Siai nodded, but Aisi grabbed her forearm and forced Isia to look at her. “You love her?”
Isia refused to answer a question she could not answer. She had refused to ask herself these things because it would only end in more of what happened tonight. She knew that Himeko loved her, and she knew that she should not love her back. “I am a tool, I will be a tool. I won’t let this happen again Aisi, Siai. I can’t let this happen again.”
“Love doesn’t give us choices. But this choice could lead to your death. And ours.”
Isia looked at them both with shock and fear. She ran her own hands through her own white locks and looked down at the floor, her eyes were tearing up. “You would stand with me?”
“Of course, we would! Just don’t make us have to.” Siai took Isia’s chin in her hand and lifted her head up, wiping away the only tear that fell.
“You gave up your whole life for us, how could we do less?” Aisi placed her big hand on top of Isia’s head.
Isia stood straight, taking one last look at the door her princess was behind. She was resolved. She didn’t have a pack, she would never have pups, and after tonight, she didn’t even have a clean soul. What she did have were sisters that would fight a whole kingdom for her. She could not let them die doing it. “It won’t happen again, I won’t risk you two. You have my word.”
“Champion? Are you ok?” Himeko was standing near the door, her red eyes full of concern. She took a step towards Isia, and Isia could already feel her heart breaking.
“I got to go. I will see you in the morning.” Isia squeezed both of her sister’s arms, kissing them on the cheek. She held out her hand for Himeko at the same time she walled up her heart. “Of course, my princess. Are you ready?”
***
Himeko ordered it. So, the fault was hers. She killed them.
Himeko had blood on her hands…. and Isia. Himeko was taking this hard. Ever since she walked out of the room with the mates of the two council members, it felt like her Isia was shielded from her and that made it even harder.
She asked her over and over if anything was the matter, but Isia just smiled politely and said she was fine. When they got to the baths, Isia opened the door to the room, looked inside, and then left her alone in the large room.
She had ordered it. So, it was her hands that had killed them.
She washed slowly, not intentionally, just because she would stop cleaning herself to repeat the words. She had given orders, not thinking about the mates or the families that would feel the loss of a loved one. She had to stand there and tell them that they would not be forgotten. To lie and say that the villains had been dealt with, she was, in fact, the villain in their story.
When she walked out the bathroom, Isia was not there. Two guards bowed to her. She looked down the hall both ways and found no one other than them. “My Champion?”
One smiled down at her and pointed to the bathroom across the hall in answer. Just as she was about to open the door, Isia stepped out, clean. The guards bowed to her again and saluted Isia with the salute of an honored warrior by slamming their hands on their hearts and lowering their eyes before walking away.
Isia rolled her eyes with a slight smile at their backs and Himeko believed that she had her Champion back. But Isia remained polite and simply walked her to her rooms. Once inside, she stood at attention near the doors.
Himeko stared at her for a long time, and Isia stared back. It didn’t feel like it always did when their eyes met. She didn’t even know what it was that she was feeling when they locked glances until it was gone. Until this moment, she didn’t realize that those blue eyes where her haven. That, in them, she could find peace and kindness. Like the weight of a kingdom did not matter. She needed those eyes to be that once more.
“Are you ok?” Himeko meant for it to be a demand, but it came out like a broken whisper.
“Yes.” Isia’s voice was strong, solid, a mountain in a storm.
“Do you hate me?’ Himeko’s voice broke and she didn’t even know why. So, she was even more confused when the tears started falling.
Isia took a step
forward, the ice in her blue eyes melting unto the ocean of strength and peace Himeko loved. Himeko was instantly wrapped in the scent of hazelnut and pine. She pressed her face into cocoa skin and inhaled deeply.
“I didn’t have to kill them, did I? I could have ordered them to silence. I don’t know, forced them into hiding?” Her words were muffled by the skin she cried into.
“They would have told. Nothing would have guaranteed their silence.”
“We could have tried something else.” Broken and not knowing why, she tried to push out of the arms holding her so tight. “I could have talked to them, I am their Princess…was their princess.”
When the arms around her wouldn’t let her go, she tried harder. Pushing with all her worth and twisting in them. “I made you kill people. I was... their blood is on my hands because…let go.”
Isia’s voice never changed, it was strong and firm. She held on tight and let Himeko twist and push, but never let go. “Himeko, we didn’t have a choice.”
“They were innocent!” She was out of breath. She panted in Isia’s arms, her tears coming out unchecked.
“Himeko.” At the sound of Isia’s voice, she began to struggle again, this time harder.
“The way she looked at me, she knew I betrayed her!” She fought for all she was worth, beating her fists into the strong shoulders holding her.
“Princess.”
Himeko bit deep into the skin before her. Isia grunted and pushed them both down to the sofa. Isia grabbed Himeko’s hands and pushed them above their head. Himeko fought harder, wiggling under her and biting down deeper. It wasn’t until she tasted the blood that she stopped. She looked at where her fangs had ripped open the skin of Isia’s chest. It was not deep, just a few drops of blood, drops she couldn’t apologize for. The bite looked right, if it was deeper, Isia would be hers. It was just above her heart, just where one would place a mate’s mark.
Panting she stared at it, then a flash of a woman’s face made her remember. “I was her ruler and I killed her to protect my secret.” It shouldn’t have to be a secret, what she felt for this woman before her.
