by Olivia Ash
“So nefarious was her plan, she was corrupted with dark magic and held the power of the Nameless Master.
“The duchess was also behind the ultimate downfall of the royal family in an effort to take over and rule. Though we don’t yet know why she had done such things, trust that as your rightful queen, I will do what I must to return this kingdom not only to its original glory but the peaceful times I was ever fond of as a child.”
A guard stepped forward and said, “You say you are the queen? Prove it.”
Sophia shifted her gaze to Edric who held the hilt of his sword with a frown. She knew it pained him to see his old comrades in arms acting in such a way. But no one could really blame them. They followed orders and were blindly loyal to the duchess. So much so, that they couldn’t see the truth if it had bitten them in the ass.
Madison nodded. “Of course.” She pulled on the sword at her side and held it up for all to see. “This is the sword of the kings, and only those who share of the same blood can safely wield it.”
“That is just some hunk of metal,” another guard said as he too stepped forward. “Anyone could find a fancy blade and claim it to be the sword of the kings.”
Sophia frowned. They still weren’t convinced.
The crowd grew even more unsettled.
“You prove you are the queen, or you will be killed for treason,” another guard said.
Sophia’s shoulders tightened with tension. Arrows and spears were aimed at her, her men, and Madison. The crowd erupted in boo’s and shouts of disapproval.
Sophia dragged her gaze along the rows of guards, ready to take their heads at any moment. An arrow was loosed. She jumped in front of her cousin with her dagger drawn and magic sparking along her body.
A guard was reprimanded for releasing an arrow outside of command. He was a nervous sort. Which meant he was also dangerous. Sophia narrowed her eyes on the boy. If he was so inexperienced, he should’ve been given another duty. Thank the gods the arrow was poorly shot as well. Despite the arrow having been aimed at the queen, it hit only dirt and rock.
Andreas, Edric, and Ezekiel jumped in front of Sophia for her defense, and Haris jumped out from within the shadows in front of them.
Silence fell along the crowd as the people stared at the beast.
From behind them, a bright light burst forth.
Sophia faced Madison, who held the sword high, spreading its light all around them. Wind swirled around her body, billowing through her skirt and hair. Sophia smiled and stood in awe of her cousin. She stood so proud and strong. Humming sang from the blade, silencing only when she started to lower the sword.
A burst of energy thundered through the air, vibrating the buildings surrounding everyone and a bolt of lightning stuck the ground behind the group. In its place stood a man. The same man Sophia saw in the painting.
King Duncan.
Reverent awes whispered through the crowd, and the guard replaced their weapons and bowed.
Madison rushed to her father and wrapped her arms tightly around the man.
He said, “I knew you would be the one to release me.” He pulled away from his daughter to focus on Sophia. “Thank you for protecting the sword and bringing my daughter home.”
Sophia nodded. As the king walked toward the crowd, she glanced at her cousin as she wiped away a tear from her cheek. Their gazes met, and Sophia smiled gently.
The king said, “My soul was trapped in the sword by a spell when I learned of the traitors and their intent to kill me and my family. Unfortunately, I learned too late how deep that treachery went.”
Sophia took in a shuddering breath. She couldn’t recall any memories of the man, but she knew him. His kind and gentle way. This was her uncle. Her lost family.
“I’m sorry for not being able to save my children and Sophia, but I rested peacefully knowing that my daughter would someday reclaim the throne and help set right what was wronged.” He held his hand behind him. Madison rushed to take his hand and his side.
“I can now peacefully leave this realm and join the rest of my family in eternal slumber.” Facing Madison once more, he said, “I am proud of you, and always will be. I know you will rule rightly and justly and bring prosperity to the kingdom once more.”
Sophia swallowed the lump in her throat as she was once again reminded of the temptation the nymphs had offered. She hoped she could continue standing strong, in her uncle’s name, and for the sake of her men.
King Duncan faced Sophia. “I’m proud of you as well Sophia and love you as much as I do Madison. You had to overcome so much to get here. You are strong and powerful. Your parents would be proud.”
Sophia nodded as she blinked away tears, heart hammering in her chest. The validation she always craved and never once thought she would ever get just got delivered in the most spectacular way. And she was floored, awed by the presence of her uncle, and grateful for the kind words she never thought she would hear.
“You have amazed me with your undying loyalty and duty to the city. The test the nymphs gave you proved that you are selfless and courageous. I’m proud of you. You will need that strength and courage in the days to come.”
“Thank you, Uncle.”
He cupped his daughter’s cheek and smiled before taking a few steps away from both Madison and Sophia. As he moved, his form started to fade, losing physical opacity and becoming more ethereal until only an echo of his voice remained…
“Good bye, my children.”
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Edric
Edric stared in awe. His king, the man he looked up to all his life, stood right in front of him. In the flesh. Well, sort of. He took a knee with the rest of the city. The man was, after all, still Edric’s King and Commander. Seeing him was a surreal experience.
When the king spoke, Edric listened to every syllable, every word, and even the inflection of his voice, as he spoke with pride and love toward not only his daughter, but Sophia as well. That man cared for his family like none other.
Edric held so much love and respect for his king that it tore at his heart to listen to the plot that led to his ultimate demise.
But even as the king spoke of such terrible things, the tension between the citizens and the guard was no longer. And now, even the guard couldn’t argue Madison’s claim.
Sophia would soon complete her destiny in restoring the heir to the throne. Even though he knew there was more to do. There was still more to set right, but he could rest easier knowing that, for now, things were going smoothly.
As the king disappeared, his heart panged for his loss. He admired that man and seeing him say goodbye was hard to endure.
Alarm settled in his nerves just as the king’s final words faded. This was an all too familiar sensation. One that spoke of danger. Standing straight, Edric’s eyes scanned the crowed and the shadows surrounding the buildings.
There.
Barely noticeable, but there was a figure in the shadows. Stealthy and dangerous. Had the person not moved just a fraction, he probably would’ve overlooked him.
Edric pulled on his sword and readied himself for whatever trouble there was to come.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Sophia
Sophia petted Haris’s side and softly said, “Relax, boy.”
But something told her it wasn’t just the crowd and guard that had his hackles up. There was something she couldn’t see. Sure, Haris had never truly revealed himself in front of such a large group before. That didn’t excuse the immense sensation of danger lurking just out of sight.
Sophia could sense it.
Haris sensed it.
As her eyes shifted toward her men, she learned Edric sensed it too. His focus was on the crowd. He frowned, and his hand gripped the hilt of his sword.
Ezekiel’s hands had a glow to them as he seemed focused on the same area as Edric.
An explosion of fire came from deep within the crowd, aimed directly at her and Madison. The people
rushed around, seeking cover and safety. Screams filled the air.
As she dodged the burning ball of flames, she knocked her cousin out of the way, taking the sword from her. Haris and her men leapt into action. She caught sight of a figure dressed in dark clothing, sticking to the shadows. It seemed humanoid in form, but she knew this was what the oracles had warned her of.
Another figure jumped in front of her, making a strike toward her. She dodged the blow of his sword by thrusting out her hand, pushing her own magic outward. He stumbled a few steps back, but quickly recovered. The buzzing sensation coursed through her and she felt the powerful sting of a blast pulsing through her.
No. I will not lose control.
The sword of the kings glowed and pulsed with radiant energy as she thrust the weapon into her attacker’s stomach. She turned, ready for the next attack. This one held a double-bladed dagger in each hand. He swiped, cutting Sophia’s forearm. She blocked the next attack, kicked him in the gut, and plunged her sword into his chest.
Sophia recognized the uniform from the assassins that attacked them in the mountain and in Witch Woods at the wraith village.
After taking out several more assassins, she faced the last with her men. Magic rippled over him, and he was readying for a spell that was sure to destroy this section of Nighthelm. Andreas, in wraith form, joined his side.
Haris growled as he inched closer to the assassin, head low as though he was getting ready to pounce on prey.
“Haris, Andreas, don’t,” Sophia said.
But all that did was bring the assassin’s attention to her. He flung out his hand and a ball of lightning shot toward her. She instinctively held the sword in front of her, pushing her magic into it, creating a shield of light and warmth.
The ball hit, and the shield absorbed the power and force.
The assassin growled and said, “Why won’t you die?”
Haris pounced, knocking the man to the ground.
“Don’t kill him,” Sophia said as she ran toward the attacker. Edric joined her at her side and held his sword pointed at the assassin’s throat.
His hood fell back and revealed he was a lynx.
That’s it. There was definitely more behind those attacks than just common assassins from the mountain. And right now, the throne still sat empty. But Sophia had a feeling the attack was much more than a poor attempt at preventing Madison from becoming queen.
There was something so much deeper than that. Darker.
Edric asked, “Who sent you?” The tone of his voice made it sound more like a demand than a request.
The creature narrowed his gaze on Edric and said, “My queen will have her revenge!”
“Who is your queen?” Sophia asked.
He settled his steely eyes on her and moved to attack.
Edric shoved his sword into the creature’s neck.
As the lynx choked and gargled blood that spewed from his mouth, he kept his glare focused on Sophia.
She wondered what had happened that caused such hate and eagerness to kill her. But now, she knew that it wasn’t about the throne at all. It was about her.
Chapter Thirty
Edric
Edric’s blood boiled with the idea of someone trying to take his woman from him. Andreas, having shifted back to his human form, approached the body.
“He had been tortured to the point of being ugly,” Andreas said and shook his head.
Edric didn’t care what had happened to the creature during his life. He still tried to hurt Sophia. And that was something he wouldn’t stand for.
Ezekiel looked down at the creature, standing near his head. “Why would creatures from the mountain want our Sophia dead?” He seemed genuinely puzzled.
“I’m afraid that would have to wait,” an elder from the academy said. “The more pressing issue is getting the crown on the princess’s head. Then we can worry about the attack.”
Edric turned on the old man, point his sword at him. “How in the fuck is Madison getting crowned more important than someone trying to kill Sophia?”
The old man held up his hands in defense, “Because the throne is empty. Many more will try to come and claim the seat until, and even after the queen is officially crowned.”
If Edric could breathe steam, he would certainly be close to that point right then and there. Madison being queen was important, yes. He wasn’t doubting that. But someone literally tried to kill his woman.
Andreas calmly gripped his shoulder. “Easy, brother. I want to find out why as much as you do. But the old man has a point. We need to get that seat filled.”
Edric settled his gaze on Andreas and his eyes widened and he backed away as well, also holding up his hands to ward off an attack.
He shook his head.
Two steps forward.
One step back.
Chapter Thirty-One
Sophia
Sophia stood by, listening as the men bickered back and forth with the old man. Finally, she had enough.
“That’s enough!” Her voice carried through the air.
All of the men, including the elder, settled their attentions on her.
“I should have a say in what happens next.”
Edric opened his mouth to say something, but she snapped her hand up to stop him. He clamped his mouth shut.
“I adore that each of you are protective over me,” she said, addressing her men, “but the elder is right. We set out to restore the heir to the throne. And seeing as how we are moments away from such a thing, I’m not stopping. Not even to solve the mystery of who wants me dead.”
She looked toward Madison who stood by, watching the scene unfold. Her cousin nodded once. She took that as a sign to continue.
“Right now, the throne is empty. That essentially makes it up for grabs for anyone with the ambition to take it. The longer everyone stands around bickering only allows more of a chance for someone else to show up and create more problems.”
She gave each of the men a pointed gaze, daring any of them to say otherwise. Satisfied that they were considering her words, she continued. “I have a feeling the attacks go much deeper than just an attempt at the throne. Someone in the mountain is after us, and we need to get Madison crowned so that the throne is secured. Then we can discuss the mountain assassins.”
The men all nodded. She turned to the old man and said, “I’m Sophia Delmonte, Madison’s cousin.”
“I am Elder Pyre Velderdash. Very pleased to meet you, my lady.” He bowed slightly at the waist.
Sophia felt awkward having someone not only call her lady, but bow to her when, most of the time, people would usually want to kill her first. But she was the cousin to the heir to Nighthelm’s throne. She had better get used to it.
“What needs to be done?”
“Well…” his voice was aged, and his eyes were cloudy. “With Her Majesty’s permission, I will take over the arrangements. In the following day, she is to be cleaned up, dress the part, and prepare for her new role as queen. Meanwhile, you will guard her and make sure no harm comes to her.”
Sophia looked to Madison. “Well, Your Majesty, do we have your permission?”
She smiled. “Permission granted.”
Sophia nodded and let out a deep breath as nervous energy pulsed through her. She had finally come to the point she had fought for. She will soon complete this stage of her destiny. She will finally restore the Nighthelm throne.
SOPHIA
Walking through the halls, Madison pointed out all their favorite hiding spots as children as they made their way toward the bedrooms. Sophia loved that she was learning more about her past, though it broke her heart that she couldn’t remember on her own. Because her soul was purposefully broken. She tried to shake that feeling, though it always stayed just below the surface.
“Oh, so many fun memories,” Madison said. “One day, we snuck into the kitchen and stole sweet cakes from the cook.” She laughed. “He caught us, and chased us into the hal
lway, holding his spatula in the air. He was playing along, of course. But we hid right about…”
They took several steps as Madison held her finger out toward the wall to the left of the group. Sophia kept her eyes where the finger was pointing, wishing with everything in her that more than just familiarity would come to her.
“There!” Madison said.
It was an empty spot along the wall. Above it was a huge canvas with the image of the duchess painted on it. Sophia frowned. That painting would be the first to go.
“A small cabinet used to stand there. It was a family heirloom. We hid inside it, eating the sweets as the cook, who obviously had seen us, slowly walked by us saying, ‘where’d those girls run off to?’ We giggled and he would then say, ‘just as well. The king would be very upset if the girls spoiled their dinner.’ And he walked away.”
Sophia laughed along with her cousin and her men.
“Can’t imagine Sophia sneaking anything and laughing about it,” Andreas said.
“How fun to learn of you as a little girl,” Ezekiel said, earning a playful glare from Sophia.
Edric looked on, bemused. He seemed curious to know more, from the way he looked at Sophia. She couldn’t blame him. She wanted to know more as well. She lived it. That much she knew deep inside her. But she couldn’t pull the memory from her mind.
One of the housekeepers of the castle headed the group, leading them down the series of vast halls. She kept to herself as she ambled toward each individual room. She seemed rather solemn. Sophia stepped closer to her cousin. “That woman seems afraid. It would do your people good to talk to them. Address them as people and not powerless servants. They had been under duress for too long.”
