The Queen of Jade

by L J Andrews

  “He, uh, he went back to the reform house. Said he had to get something or whatever,” Mitch grumbled before resting his head back on the plush pillow.

  I wasted no time and took to the sky.

  It was only a matter of moments before I arrived at the white house. The lights were off and it was quiet since no students or staff remained at the house. The holiday was fast approaching, but there would be no celebrating in my world. Pressing my palms against the wooden beams on the wrap around porch I blocked the house. No one would want to enter until morning. Stepping inside, I instantly felt his energy.

  Teagan was leaning over the small desk, scribbling something on a lined piece of paper when I peered into his room.

  “What are you doing?” I asked, desperately trying to keep my voice steady.

  Teagan startled, but chuckled when he saw me. “You scared me, I didn’t even hear you. I’m, uh, writing to Aunt Liz to wish her a Merry Christmas,” he said with a level of sadness in his tone.

  “Oh, I see. You could still go home, you know,” I offered.

  Teagan scoffed. “No, I don’t think that’s the safest decision. Besides, Aunt Liz loves letters. She’ll think it’s awesome I hand wrote something. Hey what’s wrong?” he asked when I wrapped my arms around his waist from behind and kissed the seal hidden beneath his shirt.

  “Nothing,” I whispered, allowing him to take me tight in his arms. “I just wanted to be with you tonight.”

  He watched me with a furrowed brow, peering into my troubled energy. I focused more on calming my soul. “I feel like you’re not telling me something,” he whispered close to my ear.

  I closed my eyes, and tightened my hold around his waist. “Nothing,” I said. “I just want…I need to be with you tonight.”

  Teagan placed a gentle hand on the side of my face, studying my eyes and nodded as though a piece of him understood my hidden desperation. I didn’t wait for an invitation, I simply pressed my lips against his. There was a feral passion filtering between the two of us. Teagan, tugged on my hair, and kissed me harder. I traced my fingers along the seal beneath his shirt. My touch unlocked a surge of energy between us. As Teagan scooped me in his arms and walked across the room to his bed, I felt that it might be possible to forget what the morning would bring. For one final night I planned to stay close to Teagan Ward. I planned to give him my whole heart.

  When morning was still cold and gray, I placed the note alongside the pillow. Teagan smiled in his sleep a lot, and the way his lips tugged at the corners left an open wound in my heart. Careful not to wake him, I kissed his cheek, brushing my fingers against his profile as if stamping it to memory. He sighed, but didn’t wake.

  I unlatched the window, sliding the glides with enough care they wouldn’t make a sound. With a final glance at him sleeping peacefully I bid my farewell through steaming tears dripping down my cheeks. “You will always be the master of my heart. Nothing will ever change that. Please, forgive me.”

  Part Three

  The Mage

  Chapter 15

  The feeling of falling, and then striking the ground sent my heart plummeting into the bottom of my stomach. I startled awake, feeling a heavy weight on my chest as though I knew something was wrong. After the new morning light gave me time to adjust, I realized I was in my room. I remembered the night with a smile. Jade and I were alone, nothing was wrong.

  I glanced down at the empty side of my bed, and then that feeling rushed through me once more, only this time I felt the pain of striking the ground. Jade was gone.

  When I saw the piece of paper in her place something whispered, like a sixth sense, that something was terribly wrong.

  The note ended in three sentences.

  This is the right thing. Don’t come after me. Keep them safe.

  You’re my heart,

  Jade

  Flinging the sheets off my legs, I checked once to make sure I was dressed and rushed across the room. Grabbing the two blades, I didn’t bother adding a coat, by the way my heart was pounding I had a feeling I wouldn’t need one.

  I burst through the front door, and immediately slammed into a hard chest.

  “Teagan,” Sapphire hissed, his eyes desperate, and only fueled my need to rush to find Jade.

  “I have to go. Jade’s in trouble,” I snapped, shoving away from me.

  “I know,” he growled. “I can feel something happening, but I don’t know where she is.”

  I’d gotten fast at wrapping the sheath around my shoulders, and soon both blades were tucked along my back, crossed, and ready to use. Closing my eyes for half a breath, I clenched my fist tight.

  “Take me to the mountains—tell the others,” I said after a short pause.

  “What are you feeling?” Sapphire grumbled.

  “That we don’t have a lot of time, and there’s a fight waiting,” I snapped.

  Sapphire nodded once, his strong body shifted before I had time to turn around. His blue scales drifted between rich cerulean and dark indigo in the sunlight. I didn’t even take the steps off the porch, I just leapt onto his ridged back and took to the bright sky. The markings along my arms burned across the surface of my skin. Sapphire released a long stream of hot fire and from where I sat on his back I could feel his anger the closer to the ledge we came.

  Raffi and Dash swooped from the clouds, followed by Eisha’s magnificent form. In the same moment we were joined by three more. Ruby gleamed like crimson fire, Athika rode along her back. The two dark dragons, I knew were Onyx and Peran. Each wyvern breathed a long colorful tirade of fire in response to Sapphire’s frustration. Everyone knew something had happened to their queen.

  I didn’t wait for Sapphire to land, before leaping off his back and landing in a puff of snow and dirt along the ledge where Jade and I had spent many hours alone. I ripped one blade from my sheath and glanced about. The ledge seemed empty. The others landed behind me, and Athika rushed to my side, jeweled knives in each hand. I was grateful Mitch wasn’t there, though I was positive he probably had some protests at being left behind.

  “What do you feel?” Athika whispered, her eyes wide and taking in the ledge with me.

  My eyes drifted toward a cluster of trees. Angry hisses echoed in my ears. The entire forest was in an uproar to something just beyond the trees. I pointed my blade, my jaw clenching tight. “In there,” I snarled.

  I could feel Jade, though she wasn’t calling to me—it seemed the opposite, she was trying to hide from me. Carefully, I slipped into the thick of the maple and spruce trees. Snow brushed along my forearms, only to melt on impact at my boiling blood. Athika remained at my side, and from behind, the dragons stomped in search of their queen. I held a large branch out of the way, but soon crumbled to the ground when a blast of power assaulted my body.

  The trees bent from the surge, I was struck as though a pile of bricks had crashed over my body. I fell to the ground, Athika moved in with a counter attack. Her hands dug into the soil, and the side of the cliff rolled. Sapphire and Eisha shrieked angrily, their fiery breath scorching along the needles of the boughs, and still I hadn’t seen who’d attacked me. Forcing myself to my feet I rushed toward Athika, where she was holding her palms up to defend against a new surge of dark energy.

  My throat tightened, and it seemed as though my insides were being carved through a hole in my chest when Jade’s eyes locked with mine across the space of trees. She wasn’t alone, she wasn’t resisting.

  “Stop!” I recognized Aldwin, his wild tufts of gray ashen hair wild about his ancient face. I removed the second blade and gripped them firmly in my hands, taking the lead of the attack. “We will leave peacefully, as it is the desire of the queen.”

  “Let her go,” I bellowed, pointing one of the swords at Aldwin. “Now!”

  The old man only chuckled. “Do you see me forcing her to come. She comes freely, now step down, mage or I will not be gracious with sparing your life.”

  I glanced at Jade, my shoul
ders rising and falling rapidly. She met my eye, and I saw the agony—such a contrast from our time only hours ago. “Jade, what are you doing?”

  Before she could answer I saw. From the folds of shadows in the trees massive, thick, black lindworms standing like dark angels in the forest. The elemental dragons at my back roared angrily and Raffi shot a stream of fire toward serpents, but the flames dissolved as though the dark creatures were protected by an invisible shield.

  One lindworm stepped forward. I had the blinding urge to slice one of my blades through the center of his head. With easy movements the beast shifted, his black scales morphing into pale skin. His yellow eyes brightening until they were an amber gold. His black hair was neat about his shoulders. He was young, and looked to be my age though I was certain he was at least a century. With a swift glance at Jade he moved to the forefront. I imagined lindworms in human form would always be as intimidating, and ugly as the ones I’d seen before, but this one—he almost had a kind face. It was sickening and unnerving.

  “I am Prince Ced.” He spoke in a voice that shook me to my core, and stabbed a flaming blade through my heart the same time.

  “Jade, don’t do this,” I begged, my voice coming out pathetic and desperate when I realized what was happening. She averted my gaze and drifted further away.

  “We were promised a peaceful departure,” the prince said, his gaze only finding me. I wanted to slaughter him, there was no other way to say it. “The queen will remain unharmed, you have my assurance.”

  He must have said the wrong thing because Raffi and Dash shot forward. I followed right behind, the burn from the two blades roaring along my arms when the markings hardened and shifted to the armor. I heard Jade scream for us to stop, but every elemental lunged forward. Athika was at my side. I watched Raffi lunge forward at Aldwin. The old traitor shifted and sliced his jagged wing against the warrior, drawing Raffi’s attack away for a moment. The lindworms from the shadows stomped forward, blocking Jade and Prince Ced from our view. I crossed the two blades and stabbed them into the ground, sending a powerful shield around Sapphire and Eisha as they moved into a pit of slashing serpents.

  Then my body trembled. As though a scorching bolt of lightning burst along the surface of my skin, I crumbled away from my swords, the shield ceasing as all my attention focused on staying alive against the burning fury that rolled through my veins. I heard Athika shrieking at my side. Clutching my middle I curled forward over my knees. I saw his dark boots before his face.

  He grabbed the top of my hair, wrenching my eyes up so I was forced to meet his eye. I felt my face wince, as though the sight of Bron brought me physical pain.

  “You’re stronger than before, Teagan, but I will always be more powerful. I have centuries on you, and the power of the night on my side,” Bron glanced at Athika who was in painful turmoil in the snow. The elemental dragons seemed frozen in place. If Bron wasn’t trying to kill me, I might marvel at his ability to hold all of us at bay. Athika stopped shrieking when Bron closed his fists. I shoved at him, trying to reach the blades when silence enveloped around the two of us.

  “She isn’t dead,” he chuckled. “I could kill her though, with a single thought I could tear the air from her lungs.”

  “You’d better kill me,” I snarled. “I’ll never stop.”

  Bron sneered, his silver eyes inching closer so I could practically see the power radiating in his skin. “I would, but what a waste that would be,” he said. “You know what I am to you, so you know I would much rather you join with us.”

  “You are not my father,” I hissed, though I believed otherwise.

  “Are you so sure?” He chuckled. “We have the same drive, the same power, Teagan. Think on that for a moment. Stand down, or I’ll kill your mage friend, and I’ll make the queen’s life pure torture. A piece of advice,” Bron whispered. “Keep your emotions in check. I know with a sickening amount of surety how much the Queen of Jade means to you. You’ve given me complete power. I can hurt her—she may be a powerful royal—but I am stronger.

  “I can kill her, I’ve killed the jade bloodline before. How you chose to act from this moment will determine her fate. Not even the lindworm prince could stop me.” Bron lowered to one knee, dipping his head right next to my face. His hand gripped my hair tighter, and I felt the dizzying wrench of his power wrap tighter around my gut. “And to think if you would have just joined me at our first meeting, you wouldn’t be separated from the queen today.”

  Bron shoved me back and all the chaos around me bombarded my ears.

  “You promised you wouldn’t harm him!” Jade was screaming at Aldwin when Bron stepped back. I rushed toward Athika. She was breathing, but her body was limp and cold.

  “He is unharmed,” Bron snapped with bitter resentment as he stomped back toward the dark wyverns.

  “Jade,” I roared, my anger clashing with my crushing love for her. “What have you done?”

  She looked pained. Prince Ced touched her arm, but she waved him away and stepped to the edge of the trees speaking more to the dragons who watched helplessly as their queen joined with their enemies. “Have it be known I make this decision willingly. Our people should be united, the entire wyvern race.” I kept my narrowed gaze, as I lifted Athika into my arms, trying to warm her frigid body against my raging heat. Jade’s eyes drifted to me. “I told you I would protect my people. I promised you I would do anything to keep those I loved most, those who have sealed upon my heart, safe. Anything. Now let us go in peace.”

  I coughed when the physical reaction of her words rammed through my body like Bron’s electrifying power. I shook my head, gently placing Athika on the ground once more. Prince Ced, shifted back into his dark shape. Bron glanced at me, a twisted smile passing his face and soon the lindworms took flight—Bron seemed to just disappear—Jade still met my eye as I darted through the trees.

  “Don’t do it,” I shouted. “Jade, this isn’t the right choice.”

  But I couldn’t reach her in time. Along with Aldwin, Jade took to the cheery, morning sky though on the ground the aura was anything but cheery. She left me alone on the cold ledge. I’d never actually wondered what it might feel like to have my heart carved out of my chest, but in that moment I didn’t have to wonder.

  I sat in front of the hearth back at Eisha’s mansion. No one said anything. Most of us sipped mugs of Sapphire’s spicy drink, some startling when Dash burst into the room and growled as he kicked a small chair out his way.

  “Frenrir is dead. I found his scent in a room above—I saw blood. It seems Aldwin has been planning this for some time.”

  I shook my head and leaned forward on my knees, my body still plagued by whatever power Bron had used against me. That and it seemed my heart was shriveled and weak knowing Jade had willingly gone with the lindworms.

  “Why would she betray us. It seems that was why she wanted to rise to the throne, to unite in this…disgusting treaty,” Athika snarled from beneath the heavy wool blanket around her shoulders.

  I looked to the rug when Raffi retorted. “Are you thick in your head?” he snarled. “She was forced.”

  “I didn’t see any force,” Peran snapped.

  “You don’t honestly think our queen would join with the lindworms?” Sapphire grumbled.

  Peran and Onyx shrugged together, but it was Onyx who spoke. “Konrad, Jade went willingly. It seems strange the day after she ascends she makes it known the elementals are to join with the lindworms. It was an order. She must know there will be a civil war. No one will join with King Nag.”

  “Exactly, there has to be another explanation,” Sapphire said.

  “I mean, it is possible, Onyx. We don’t know what was used against Jade,” Ruby offered.

  Onyx scoffed and shook his head, but didn’t disagree.

  “Well, I for one would fight to my last breath before joining with an enemy. No matter the cost,” Athika muttered. The words stabbed along my spine.

  “T
eagan, what do you feel?” Eisha’s soft hand found my shoulder.

  Gently, I placed my mug on the ground and trudged across the room where my two blades rested. “Jade sacrificed herself because of us. They must have threatened us, I know they used me against her.”

  “How are you so sure?” Mitch asked. He’d stayed silent most of the discussion. He’d been just as upset as any of the dragons to learn Jade was gone.

  “Because of what she said at the end.”

  “She just made it clear she would join her people together,” Athika said snidely.

  I shook my head, ignoring her bitterness. “No. It wasn’t that. A few weeks ago, Jade told me she would do anything to keep me safe. She said the same thing today. She reminded me that she would do anything to keep those sealed on her heart safe. Look, be angry, think she betrayed you or whatever. She may have seemed like she went willingly, but I know it was only to keep us protected. You saw Bron—he could have killed me, or Athika, but he didn’t. Do what you will, start a civil war, but I’m going to get her back.”

  “I’m going with you,” Raffi declared without a moment’s hesitation. “And I know where we must go to get the help we need.”

  I drew in a rapid breath when he held up the warrior sword. The dragon head on the pommel gleamed as though the idea was destined.

  Sapphire’s strong voice broke through the pregnant pause. “You want to find the warriors?” he whispered.

  Raffi nodded, a wild expression on his face. “I want to find Thane.”

  “I’m coming with you, Teagan,” Mitch said.

  “Mitch, I don’t know if—”

  “Just shut up. Look, if I’m going to die, then I’ll die. But you bet I’d rather die trying to free Jade from some snake-prince then just sitting around waiting for those things to find me and eat me. I’m coming.”

  “I will go,” Athika said with a sharp glance at me. “I can help win over any mage support that remains with the warriors. They will know me, they don’t know you.”