Savage Reign

by Melody Locklear

  “But I specifically said no party.” I press on, though I do have sympathy for her plight.

  Suddenly Aaric is at my side, patting me on the shoulder. “Well it’s not just your birthday little sis.”

  I roll my eyes and storm out of another room for the second time today.

  “Don’t you have something to say to me, Mar?” Aaric calls after me, making the others laugh. They laugh harder when I flip him my middle finger instead of wishing him happy birthday.

  I go see Kara. She’s been on bedrest for the past two weeks so she is barricaded in her chambers. I unload my current frustrations on Kara as only a best friend can. She doesn’t comment on my Keenan hold-up, but she’s good enough to listen and let me vent.

  “Well I’m glad you know about the party.” she says from her spot on the bed, propped up by pillows. “Now I can apologize in person for not being able to be there for you.”

  I plop down on the bed beside her. “I don’t even want to go. Don’t feel bad.”

  She reaches for my hand and squeezes it gently. “You know I’d go in your place if I could.”

  “Just go into labor already so I don’t have to go to this thing.” I beg her, but bringing up her severe lack of babies yet makes us both frown.

  “It’s the seventeenth.” she says quietly. “The cusp. The last day for me to have Serpentarians. One more day and I could give birth to two Sagittarians.”

  “You could.” I try to sound positive, but I’m not foolish enough to believe it’s as simple as holding out one more day. Serpentarian or not, one of these babies is going to be born with deadly Mage magic.

  “Amara—”

  “My parents took my magic, Kara.” I remind her before she can say anything. “After I—after I hurt you.” My voice breaks at the thought, though I’m grateful not to have the memory of taking my best friend’s life as a child. “Because they thought, or my dad thought I was dangerous. He wasn’t wrong, Kar. I am dangerous. But I’m also good and with some guidance your boy can be too.”

  Kara absorbs my words in silence. Then she smiles. “That’s why you’re going to make a great godmother to my babies.”

  I shriek excitedly and throw my arms around her neck. We linger in the hug for a time. “I won’t let you down.” I whisper.

  “Not a thought in my mind.”

  In the days after the battle with the Hunters I was overrun with exhaustion. All I wanted to do was sleep. Instead we spent nearly a week burning the corpses of our enemy and holding funerals for our soldiers. The grounds around the palace smelt like burnt flesh for days.

  After that we slept. For three days I did nothing, but sleep. We’ve been cleaning up the inside of the palace ever since. It’s just starting to look like a palace again, as opposed to a battleground.

  But if the battle taught me anything it’s that I need to learn better ways to fight with both magic and my fists. My broken arm could have cost me my life if we’d had to fight, if our blast hadn’t worked, if Malia hadn’t been there.

  Roman finds me before I can find him, in the hallway on my way to the training room. “If you say happy birthday I’ll punch you.” I warn him.

  Roman just grins. “Fine.”

  “Can we train? I need to blow off some steam.”

  “Sure. If you tell me why you’re having such an aversion to your birthday this year.”

  “Maybe when we’re done.”

  Once in the training room, Roman makes us both do some warm-up stretches. Luckily I’m already dressed for the occasion in stretchy black pants and a black long-sleeved top. We exercise our magic for a while too, magical warm-up.

  Finally we get down to the physical and I prepare for Roman’s first strike. It’s a kick, which I thwart with a small blast of nether, sending him sprawling.

  Roman laughs to cover a cough. “Good, but we’re supposed to be exercising your physical battle skills. Not just your magical ones. That’s what you asked to focus on.”

  “Fine. Go again.”

  Roman gets to his feet surprisingly fast. “I think what you really want is to learn how to defend yourself, right?” He is right, but I can’t bring myself to say it. “One of the Hunters broke your arm. You were hurt, vulnerable. We all know you don’t like being vulnerable.”

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” I snap defensively.

  “Nothing. Turn around.” He doesn’t wait for me to obey. He grabs my shoulders and spins me around.

  Across the room the doors open and Keenan waltzes in. “What are you doing here?” I call over to him. He doesn’t actually think he’s going to train with a stitched up hole in his gut?

  He throws his hands up in surrender, smiling. “Relax, Mara. I’m just here to observe.” He goes and has a seat in one of the chairs against the wall.

  “Amara, focus.” Roman snaps. He stands directly behind me, hands still on my shoulders. “You’re a Serpentarian, sign of the serpent. They’re natural liars, but they’re also strong, and graceful movers. If you release the tension, relax your muscles and your mind you’ll be able to predict my movements, my next form of attack. I’m a Libra, known for fighting skills and the ability to read auras easily. But we can’t move as gracefully as you can. Concentrate and you’ll sense me.”

  I close my eyes to try and get a better sense of his movements. He’s right. I can feel him move toward my left side. His hands are gone from my shoulders, preparing for his attack. It only takes a second or two to determine he’s going for my left arm, the sensitive one, the one I’d broken. It’s all psychological. The memory of the break sends a phantom ache through the limb. Maybe he thinks the reminder will distract me.

  It doesn’t.

  I take hold of the hand hovering near my previously broken arm. I grip it tight and yank him forward in a familiar body slam.

  From the wall Keenan stands, applauding. “Bravo.”

  “I wouldn’t speak too soon.” Roman croaks from the mat.

  “Oh, come on!” I exclaim. “You’re not even a little proud of me? That was kind of incredible.”

  “I’m proud of you. Now help me up.”

  I don’t see the trick until it’s too late. The moment his skin touches mine I feel him draining my body of its magic. “Ah,” I whimper, wrenching away from him. Roman stands to face me. “Did you just bleed me?” Roman had told me about his secret ability to bleed people of their magic months ago, but I’ve never felt it firsthand until now. It feels as though I just spent hours doing nether blasts. It’s magically draining, but it’s only a taste of what I felt after we blasted all those Hunters to death.

  “I did.” Roman says without remorse. “You asked me to focus on the physical. Now you have no choice.”

  “You’re fighting dirty, Roman.” I scold him.

  “And so will they.” He comes at me and I dodge each attack as it comes. “Hunters and the people who kill your kind for sport. The people who’d sooner see you die than start your reign. They will all fight dirty so you have to learn what you are and what you aren’t willing to do to keep your head.” When he’s finished he’s got me pinned between himself and the wall behind me.

  My breath catches, making me feel self-conscious, especially because Keenan is watching this. Roman’s close proximity leaves me breathless anyway. It always does.

  But I recover quickly and snatch his wrist and send a jolt of nether into him, shocking him just enough to send a message. He flinches and backs away from me. “I’ll keep my head, thanks.”

  Roman laughs, bowing away gracefully. “Alright. It’s getting to be that time. Come find me before you head to the party.”

  “Fine.” I grumble. He just laughs as he exits. I turn my frustrations with Roman’s shadiness on Keenan. “You! I don’t care what Taya says. You’re not going anywhere until you’re fully healed.”

  Keenan’s amused grins returns. I want to slap it off of him. “While I do love your concern for me, I do have to go home.”

  Home. The
word stings. Home for him used to be wherever I was. I suppose that’s selfish though. If the ship has sailed on us I have to stop trying to stop it at every port it glides by.

  “Why?” I complain still.

  “Why?” He laughs. “Because I have spent half the time since I was coronated here, with you, instead of home, where I now belong. I have to go. I have a country to run.”

  I visibly pout, searching for another argument so he’ll stay. “What’ll happen to Limacore’s alliance with Vakrov now that Bastian is gone and there is no marriage to unify you both?”

  “That’s something I’ll have to discuss with Theron Novak. I just don’t know yet.”

  That ought to go well. “Are you gonna try to talk to Kara again before you leave?”

  “I’m gonna try, but I think we both know Theon Beleros isn’t going to let me anywhere near her if she says no.”

  “I’ll talk to her after the party.” I don’t know what good it’ll do, but I’m the reason Keenan did what he did so I have to try.

  “Thanks, Mara.”

  When I leave Keenan I go get ready for this damn party. It doesn’t really hit me that I’m actually eighteen until I’m admiring the burgundy fabric that makes up my birthday dress in the vanity mirror.

  If I was back in Baal my father would start introducing me to potential suitors he saw fit to marry me. That might actually happen at seventeen, but by eighteen I would have had to start to narrow it down before my father narrowed it down for me. At least that’s how it works. My father has always been a different story, more concerned with our happiness than tradition. That’s one thing I won’t have to worry about. At least I chose this fate for me and Kol.

  “Ooh, you look pretty.” Haven says, emerging from our bathroom in a pretty dark gold dress that makes her amber-gold eyes pop.

  “Thanks, Hav.” I adjust the straps of my dress self-consciously. “So this party, is it a fun, village girl Amara party or a stone-faced potential queen Amara party?”

  “You’ll see.” Haven smiles teasingly.

  “I hate you.” I grumble.

  There’s a tap at the door, a pause, and then Daxon enters. “Roman Novak is here to see you, Your Highness.”

  My gaze moves to Haven. “I’ll handle it.” she assures me. Then she rushes out of the room.

  I return to fussing over my dress until I see Roman’s reflection in my mirror. “Thanks, Haven.” I mutter to myself. I brush a hand down my torso, facing Roman.

  “You look beautiful.” Roman says breathlessly.

  I smile. “What are you doing in here, Roman?” I ask, playfully accusing. “A foreign prince in the princess’ chambers feels a little inappropriate.”

  He smiles because he knows I don’t care about that. “You never told me why you are anti-birthday this year. According to everyone else your birthday is your favorite day of the year.”

  “What’s in the box?” I ask, deflecting.

  Roman looks like he wants to press the issue, but decides against it. “I had hoped to give you your birthday present before we go to the party.”

  “I do like presents.” I concede.

  Roman barks out a laugh, approaching me. He holds the small box out to me. “Happy birthday, Amara.”

  I take the box into my hands and pop the top. Inside there’s a little platinum ring in the shape of the symbol for House Libra. A dome-like figure with two spaced out lines underneath, one attached closely to the bottom of the dome. Inside the dome on the ring is an opal, the Libran stone. “Roman, it’s beautiful.”

  “I just wanted you to have something to remember me in case this doesn’t go the way I want it.” I know he means the Monarch Trials. It chases away my smile. Instead of saying more of his feelings he takes the ring out and slips it onto my pointer finger, narrowly avoiding my ring finger.

  “Thank you.” I whisper to him. “I love it.” I drag my smile back, taking his hand into mine. “Be my date tonight?”

  Roman’s smile returns immediately. “I’d be honored, Your Highness.” Roman loops his arm around mine and leads me out of my chambers.

  I’m confused when Roman guides me right past the ballroom. I breathe a sigh of relief when we get to the royal dining room and everyone jumps out, screaming Happy birthday. “Ah, village girl Amara.”

  “What?’ Roman asks, confused.

  “Oh nothing.” I pat his hand. “This is great.” Just my family, my friends. Oh, and Daxon. The people I love most in the world. I pull from Roman to go greet the others. When I get to Aaric he tugs me into his arms.

  “Happy birthday, sis.”

  “Happy birthday, brother.” I repeat back, kissing his cheek before he pulls away.

  Our birthday meal is my favorite. Noodles stuffed with cheese and red sauce, paired with a salad and some kind of strawberry dessert. Afterward Aaric and I make the rounds with everyone, letting them shower us with gifts and birthday wishes. Mom is all smiles the whole night. I think she needed this more than we did, to see smiles on our faces and know that, even if she was gone most of our lives, we’re okay. For now we’re okay.

  Clea’s sitting at the bar when I approach her from behind. I nudge her playfully and laugh when she gasps. “Hey, troublemaker.”

  “Hey, happy birthday.”

  “Do you remember my sixteenth birthday?”

  Clea smiles. “Of course. It was a school night so we snuck down to the lake.”

  “It only took my dad an hour to figure out I was gone, but when he came down to the lake to bust us he didn’t have the heart to break up our fun.”

  “He stayed until we were ready to go home.” She smiles.

  “We had fun, you and I, before all of this.”

  “We did.” Her smile slowly fades.

  “I want you to know that I forgive you, for Tristan. I know it wasn’t you. Not the girl that was my best friend. She never would have hurt me that way. I know that.”

  “I’m so sorry, Amara.” she says, sounding miserable.

  “I know. You’re still my friend, Clea. I love you.”

  She smiles, tears moistening her pretty blue eyes. “I love you too.” She reaches over and hugs me tight, sniffing quietly. “Thank you, Amara.”

  “You’re welcome.”

  I wander over to Kol where he stands leaning against a wall with a drink in his hand, observing the party from afar. I nudge him delicately with my shoulder. “Hey,” he says gently. “Happy birthday, beautiful.”

  “You’ve been quiet tonight.” I observe.

  “Funny. I was gonna say the same to you.” Midnight blue eyes narrow down at me, expecting an answer.

  “Roman keeps asking me why I don’t feel like celebrating my birthday this year. I couldn’t tell him that it was because of Tristan. He blames himself for his death, even if he won’t admit it.”

  Kol adjusts his stance against the wall to face me. “What about Tristan?”

  I hesitate before answering. “Tristan and I got together when we were fifteen, a little before you showed up in Baal. You remember my sixteenth birthday. Clea threw that party down by the lake to celebrate. Tristan and I were dancing together, tripping all over each other in the sand.”

  Kol smiles as I do at the memory. “I remember.”

  “He looked down at me and said, Amara Boudelaire, I’m gonna marry you someday. We’d only been together for a few months. He was probably just buzzed on his first make out session with a girl, but I’m just finding it hard to celebrate when Tristan will never get married or have a baby or a life.”

  Kol’s eyes darken and he shifts uncomfortably. “I’m sorry, Amara. What Theon did to him was wrong and I should have fought harder to stop him.”

  “Kara told me that he asked you to do it and you refused.”

  “I did. Then he tasked Clea with it and I knew she could never do it. She could never hurt you like that. I figured he’d be safe. That was before I knew I’d resurrected her without a soul. It happens sometimes. It’s rare,
but it happens. I never wanted to hurt you like that, Amara. Or Kara.”

  I take hold of his empty hand. “I know.”

  “I have something for you.” He sets his glass down on a nearby table and fishes a similar black box like Roman’s from his pocket. It’s long and slender, for a necklace. “Happy birthday.”

  I laugh when I pop it open to see a necklace with a pendant in the shape of his sign, Scorpio. It’s an M with a tiny arrow kicking off the tail of the M. Inside the M are little topaz gemstones, Scorpio’s stone. “Did you and your brother coordinate or something?”

  He frowns at the mention of his brother. “No. Why?” I raise my finger to show him the ring Roman gave me. “Mine’s prettier.” he says stubbornly, removing the necklace around my neck, replacing it with his. He drops it into my hand and smirks. “Beautiful.”

  I touch the pendant and smile. “Thank you, Kol.”

  “You’re welcome.” he says softly. The box in my hands clatters to the floor when I rocket forward suddenly, a searing pain shooting through the lower part of my stomach. “Amara,” Kol catches me in his arms. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

  “It’s Kara. I—I think she’s in labor.” I blink, seeing her in her chambers, crying out in pain, clutching her stomach. When I blink again I’m back in the dining room. “I think her water broke. We gotta go.” I rush across the room to Theon who is talking with Keenan, my mother, and brothers. “Theon, it’s time.”

  “What’s time?”

  “It’s time.” I say, my voice heavy with meaning.

  “It’s time!” he cries, looking paralyzed for a moment. “We’re having a baby?”

  “Babies.” I correct. “But yes. We have to get to Kara, now.”

  —CHAPTER FIFTY—

  AMARA

  ELIAN

  We go by Kara’s chambers first, but one of the guards informs me Meg and Ari already rushed her to the infirmary. Everyone gathers outside the doors to Kara’s private infirmary room when we get there, but only Theon and I go in. Inside she’s propped up on her bed, face red, knuckles white as she grips Ari’s hand beside her. Ari cringes as Kara squeezes tight, barking orders at her.