Psychic Prison

by Veronica Agnus

  I’d donned a beautiful black dress, one that clung to my body and had a lovely train of fabric that drug behind me with every step I took. As I reached the flowing fountain of sparkling waters, my dress shifted from black to an immaculate white with tiny purple and magenta sparkles.

  My black to purple strands fell from their high ponytail, their usual slightly wavy texture returning at full force.

  I peered down to the calm waters of the fountain’s core, viewing my reflection against the calm waters that twinkled with grace.

  My appearance was outstanding, my face flawless and my piercing magenta-purple eyes staring back into mine. I wore a crown, but it didn't sit upon my head.

  It hovered just above it, the electric sparks of blue and purple melding into the symbolic piece of jewelry that emphasized the status of royalty.

  The single section of blue strands was what helped give me a bit of individuality, igniting a rebellious feeling.

  I took pride in the color, the strand that represented the rebellion against all those standards set to supernaturals from the day of their birth. I now made sense of its important meaning when paired with magenta-purple and black roots.

  The blue was my rebellion to the world that begged to keep me shackled. A world that wanted to wrap those handcuffs around me, containing me in a common princess role. It wanted me to be the quiet, perfect, rule-following monarch who would follow in the footsteps of those before her and marry the man of the dragon court’s choice.

  Not one of my destined mates, but a man who cared solely about acquiring a weapon.

  Two sets of heels headed my way, but I remained in my spot as my eyes lingered on my reflection, ripples suddenly interrupting my gaze.

  Lifting my gaze, I finally turned around. Two women of gravitational magnitude stood there with pride-filled expressions.

  The first woman was magnificently beautiful. Her long, curly strands shifted from sapphire blue to a lovely mix of ocean blue with hints of white at the tips.

  Her skin was extremely tanned but impeccable. Her stunning complexion only helped to project those sapphire jewels with fragments of silver.

  Her dress was silver, with embedded tiny blue rhinestones that twinkled as brightly as the flowing water from the fountain. Her crown that hovered above her head was silver and trickled with sparking energy.

  She could have represented the god of water if it wasn't for her massive dragon wings that stretched out of her back.

  A dragon.

  My eyes moved over to the second woman. Her fierce energy was matched with a level of destructive pride.

  She was just as extravagant, her vibrant dress shifting from red to orange. Her hair was tightly curled, her locks a rich orange color with tiny stands of gold, reminding me of tinsel.

  Her eyes were striking red, but fragments of dancing flames quietly lingered within their radiant rose-colored surface.

  The crown that hovered over her head was made of fire, matching her appearance.

  I expected her wings to be similar to the woman on my left, but instead they were surging flames that arched into the shape of wings. It took intense precision to pick up on the lines of her fiery feathers, and I finally cued in to what kind of supernatural she was.

  A phoenix.

  My recognition clued me in on who these two women were. A smile of gratitude formed on my face while tears formed in my eyes at finally having an image to the voices within my mind.

  "Saphire. Freya."

  Their nods of acknowledgment prompted their own smiles. The three of us shared a common look of gratitude.

  No other words were needed to express the emotions of belonging and security their reveal had brought me, and the last scene was of their outstretched hands, waiting for mine to lay rightfully within theirs.

  * * *

  The memory faded, and I returned into unconsciousness until I woke to an odd man's voice and the joined bickering of Kai, Blaze, Atticus, and Lyla.

  I'd yet to hear Titus's input, but I somehow resonated with his essence.

  "My repetitive choice of words has nothing to do with any of you. Threaten me all you want, but in the end, here I am, ensuring your precious monarch makes a full recovery from her state of royal chrysalis."

  "Chry what?" Kai questioned. "What language is that?"

  "We're still speaking English, Kai," Blaze responded. "Chrysalis is like a cocoon for caterpillars as they enter a state of hibernation and break free from their sheltered frame as they transition into a butterfly."

  "Then what's a royal chrysalis?" Kai questioned. "Is it just a fancy term used for monarchs specifically?"

  "The royal chrysalis represents the transition of a monarch who goes from a novice state of immense authority to a higher force of superiority."

  The new voice that explained the definition triggered a tense silence until the odd man's voice declared, "Omarion! About time. I need you to submit these prescriptions for a final check and have them make them immediately. From my detailed observation, its best this marked monarch begins with these pills. Oh, I'll also need you to cover up the whole death situation going on in Level Four."

  "Death situation?" the man named Omarion questioned.

  "Who's he?" Titus finally confirmed his quiet company, though I'm sure if I could have opened my eyes, I would rather have let my vision answer that question than my ears.

  "Hey, Doc," Omarion greeted before continuing, "And I'm Omarion, a part of the Secret Ops."

  "You're the double agent," Lyla spoke up.

  "Depends on whether you're trustworthy enough to know of such details," Omarion tossed back at her. His words weren't as threatening as the tone of his voice.

  It only made Lyla laugh. "If you expect me to tremble in fear due to your 'not so scary' dragon voice, please take a back seat and wait in line. I've lived with two of the most powerful dragon supernaturals in this generation. Your mysterious but verbally aggressive tone isn't giving you 'cool' vibes, so fuck off."

  Her statement made Atticus sigh.

  "Well...is it hot in here or is it just me?"

  "You did this to yourself!" Kai accused. "And brought all of us for the ride."

  "We know he did, silly," Blaze reminded. "Can you blame him when his mate almost died? It's like…imagine if you found your little sister in the middle of a black lagoon of water and she's not breathing. Aren't you going to freeze over everything and release that nine-tail fox within you and trigger havoc all over the place until you're given a proper diagnosis for her prompt recovery?"

  "When you say it like that, it actually makes sense. That annoys me!" Kai emphasized.

  "As it always does when Blaze reminds you to think for once," Titus muttered under his breath.

  "Hey! Hold on." Kai paused. "Did you say novice?"

  "Are you talking to me or Doc?" Omarion questioned.

  "The doctor in the lab coat, and why would your name be Doc? That wasn't actually written on your birth certificate, was it? Jeez, America is far different from our traditions and rules." He sighed. "We're not here for those answers anyways. Novice. That's another word for the basic noob on the block in Japanese videogames, correct?" Blaze proposed.

  "Yes." Titus was the one to answer, followed with Blaze, "And this sudden new info only leaves us to wonder how dangerous it is to keep her here."

  "You guys have the wrong idea here," Doc emphasized. "She's far safer in these walls than out among the chaotic world of frantic supernaturals."

  "Frantic supernaturals?" Omarion inquired.

  "You of all people know what's going on," Doc dismissed the comment. "As for the rest of you, I may not be on top of all that transpires outside of my research, but it's rather obvious who’s after your little princess."

  The silence that lingered left me in a fluff of confusion.

  "So...am I missing the elephant in the room?" Kai inquired. "Hanging out with you guys only makes me feel stupid."

  Atticus sighed. "You’re well aw
are that Alisha and I are married."

  "So you've firmly emphasized," Titus muttered. "Nothing new."

  "Alisha and I weren't supposed to marry," Atticus revealed, ignoring Titus’s blunt commentary.

  "What do you mean you weren't supposed to marry?" Kai inquired. "Was it against your culture or something? That wouldn't make much sense seeing as you're both dragons."

  "Hold on," Blaze interrupted. "Don't dragon shifters either go with an arranged marriage blessed by their elder council or if they discover their marked mate, they marry that individual?"

  "Those are old traditions," Titus huffed. "Dragons are now given the choice of marrying one of a similar trait or one with whom they share a mark of unity.”

  "Sad to say," Lyla began, "older dragon tribes only recently changed to the new rules. Alisha’s and Atticus's family dragon clan weren't so approving until their parents found out."

  Something brushed my cheek, followed by my arm. A pinch of heat crept down my arm, igniting gasps from the others.

  "I'm not going to go into details of what this mark means, but what I can say is that Alisha wasn't originally my destined mate."

  "She wasn't?" Kai gasped. "How is that possible? You can't just change born mates."

  "You can," Titus calmly replied. "When you mate dies, you're able to do just that."

  "Dies," Blaze emphasized. "Are you trying to say that Alisha's previous mate died, and she was then matched with Atticus?"

  "No," Lyla answered. "It's the opposite."

  "Hold on, I'm confused," Kai interrupted. "If it's opposite, doesn't that mean Alisha would have had to die for this man to be given a new mate?"

  "That's exactly what happened," Atticus declared, the room growing silent at his revelation. "When Alisha was thirteen, it was obvious that she'd be one of the strongest monarchs in history. Her 'mate' didn't like that and decided it would be best to get rid of the competition."

  "Get rid of her mate?" Kai growled. "That's bullshit. Why wouldn't he think that loving her and them building an empire of power together would have been the smarter move?"

  "You three haven't experienced many interactions with Alisha, but it's rather obvious that she's an independent badass who wouldn't take orders lightly, correct?" Lyla reasoned.

  "Oh ya, that's obvious," Kai replied. "Unless they had a death wish. I don't, and I’m trying to get over my new phobia of daggers."

  "You're basically saying that due to her strong personality, he wouldn't be able to control her," Blaze concluded.

  "It's bigger than that," Titus whispered. "Dragons follow whoever projects a higher level of dominance. In a relationship, especially one as high as a royal couple, if the clan notices the woman is far more commanding than the man in strength, magic, and general combat, the woman would earn their respect and fellowship versus the king."

  "Correct." Omarion was the one who spoke up. "The importance of gender in the dragon clans plays a huge role in this. In the past, women were deemed as weak baggage and would only be good for mating and raising a line of strong males. Female dragons were usually discarded for death or killed before their birth once the gender was revealed to the family. As generations have grown, it's obvious that some female dragons hold extreme power, but monarch females are extremely rare in their kind."

  "Which leads to another problem," Atticus announced. "Alisha isn't just a dragon. She's a hybrid."

  "With what?" Blaze, Titus, and Kai questioned in unison.

  "Phoenix traits." Lyla was the one to speak. "This is the main problem, and it only became an issue after she died."

  "Let me get this straight so far." Kai needed a moment. "You're trying to say that Alisha was born as a dragon shifter and had a douche of a mate that was essentially jealous of her. However, Atticus also had a mate bond with her, didn't you?"

  "I did," he noted.

  "That alone doesn't make sense." Kai seemed to be struggling. "I'm trying, but how can she have two mates?"

  "You men really have to do some more research." Doc was the one to speak up. "Alisha Butterfly is a dragon shifter born of monarchy. Monarchs, especially as those born as sole children, come down with two souls, one of wisdom, one of pure power. That means there is a potential for a monarch of two souls to have two mates."

  "Oh shit," Blaze cursed. "So you're saying Atticus had a bond with Alisha, but so did this other douche!"

  "Correct," Lyla answered.

  "But which was marked to Alisha's dragon?" Titus questioned.

  "Atticus," Lyla replied. "This leads to the thickening problem that leads to Alisha's initial death at thirteen."

  "The douche of a mate wasn't a dragon, but a phoenix shifter. He was trying to locate his mate, and when he felt the bond with Alisha when she was young, he decided to take a different route of confronting our family. He went to a fae and signed a contract that would grant him a glamour strong enough to give the illusion that he was a dragon shifter and not a phoenix."

  "Holy shit. You can do that?!" Kai snapped. "That's should be against the law."

  "It is." Blaze's voice was filled with disgust. "Manipulating a supernatural’s trait with glamor is forbidden. It's similar to how witches are banned from using black magic. This phoenix must have a fortune, or his family must have been supportive of his conquest for this to happen. Also, those types of glamors take months to instill and require hours of experimentation so it's believable. That would have to be an investment."

  "That means this douche knew Alisha was his phoenix mate, did a glamor to appear as a dragon shifter, and then decided to introduce himself as Alisha's dragon mate."

  "And that's when the friction between two clans began," Atticus declared.

  "You can imagine the sudden introduction of an extremely rich family declaring their only son as Alisha's mate was a little shocking, but even more so when they decided to confront the dragon clan in private and not inform Alisha, her family, or the dragon's clan," Lyla explained. "When Alisha found out, it was an order from the clan while her parents were in the fae realm dealing with an assignment."

  "Fuck, I'd be pissed," Blaze noted.

  "Was the council that old to be so easily fooled by such sly tactics?" Omarion questioned. "I have a strong hunch we're under similar clans."

  "You're a dragon?" Kai questioned.

  "He's a dragon god," Titus announced. There was a long silence.

  "Uh...was he supposed to say that?" Kai questioned.

  "No, but does Titus care? No." Blaze concluded.

  There was a sigh. "It's not like it's a huge secret," Omarion grumbled. "However, share it with the wrong people and I'll ensure you stop breathing."

  "Yes, Sir," Kai replied, his voice a little shaky. "Don't go killing us."

  "Back to the point." Lyla reeled the conversation back to the past. "It was a long battle, but Alisha refused to accept this man as her mate. The conflict ended with the man and his wealthy family being kicked out of the clan and banned from being near Alisha. That obviously happened after her parents discovered what was going on and left their assignment to put them in their place. You can guess that this individual wasn't pleased."

  "Certainly not. Female dragons are usually okay with having a second mate, but Alisha's defiance must have made his years of sacrifice worthless," Omarion admitted.

  "Did he go all psychotic on you?" Doc questioned.

  "Oh no," Lyla replied. "He simply decided to kidnap Alisha and threaten to kill her."

  No one said a word until Atticus continued, "It took days before the night a massive storm broke out in the middle of the ocean. We'd been searching in different realms, trying to find her, but this sudden storm had to have been triggered, and that's when we found Alisha."

  "Dead," Lyla added.

  I wasn't sure how long I'd be able to stay awake. The revelation of this part of my past was suddenly making my head hurt.

  "How did you save her then?" Titus's question was full of interest. "You had to have found her w
hen she'd just died to bring her back, correct?"

  "Yes. We'd arrived only a few minutes after she'd stopped breathing. As to how, our bond had helped a little bit, but I can't explain the other part," Atticus admitted. "It's not my place to reveal that part, but another individual helped with her resurrection. We were forced to bring her to the hospital, and thus the reason why the records show she was admitted with broken bones and other injuries. Alisha had minor memory loss, and any mention of this person seemed to been wiped from her memory. It's the very reason why none of us bring it up, and why I'll never reveal his name unless necessary."

  "Alright." Kai sounded serious. "So he left Alisha to perish, hoping he'd be given a new mate. However, she lived."

  "Exactly," Lyla replied. "But her death was a blessing in disguise for her because her bond with this man was severed and replaced."

  "That means she has a second mate, but it's not this douche," Blaze said in astonishment. "But if it's a blessing in disguise for her, are you saying this douche never got his new mate?"

  "Bingo," Lyla confirmed. "When the issue was first brought up to our attention, we immediately went researching, and it was soon after Alisha was revived and in recovery that we found out that it would take up to ten years for her new mate to reveal himself. The same would apply to this douche."

  "Ten years. You said Alisha's first interaction with death was when she was thirteen. She's twenty-two now," Blaze reasoned.

  "Her birthday is close, is it not?" Titus inquired.

  "May 13th. Coming up in a few weeks," Atticus confirmed.

  "Ten-year anniversary that reveals her new mate," Kai noted. "However, I'm not understanding the significance of this. You said the douche wouldn't get his mate, but now you're saying that it would ten years for Alisha's new mate to be revealed. Wouldn't the same apply to the douche?"

  "No," Titus interjected. "I think what's trying to be emphasized is that Alisha's string of fate that is attached to Atticus as her dragon mate, had another string that was connected to this douche. So here she is, two strings attached to two different men, and their string are attached to her. However, due to Alisha's death that was initiated by the douche, the string connecting her to him was sliced."