In Malice (The Stolen Queen Book 1)

by A. M. Hodges

  Thanksgiving dinner. He looks shocked, but I guess he doesn't want to jinx it by asking questions, so he just nods his head in agreement and says that he can't wait to meet them. I don't even bother with my nightly routine or a shower. I walk straight into my room and face plant onto my bed, immediately falling asleep.

  The opportunity to sleep in was something that I was looking forward to on my first day of break. I should have known I wouldn't be that lucky. Lucah is currently standing above my bed with an air horn. And its seven a.m.

  "Lucah, I swear on all things holy if you don't get out of my room right now, I will fucking MURDER you."

  He laughs and blows the horn directly in my face again.

  "That's it. You're dead pussy cat," I scream as I launch myself out of bed and chase him down the hallway.

  He stops at the bottom of the stairs with me standing at the top, "Well, well. Looks like sleeping beauty isn't so beautiful first thing in the morning. Did you even shower last night? You stink." I respond with an aggravated scream and continue my pursuit of him, clearing the last three steps in one jump. He runs out of the house with me following closely on his heels. Before I even realize it, we were in front of the mansion. What the hell? How did we get here? We were only running for like two minutes.

  Jeb is standing on the front porch smiling, leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chest.

  "So," he inclines his head at Lucah, "How did she do?"

  "We made it in one minute and twenty seconds. She faster than I thought she would be."

  "Are you fucking kidding me," I seethe, "this was a part of your ridiculous training."

  "Yes, Reyna is was, but listen to what Lucah just said. The walk from your house is over three miles away. You just made it here in less than two minutes."

  My jaw drops nearly to the ground.

  "Speed is a part of your nature," Lucah explains, "I guess you can say it’s one of your many abilities, as well as strength.

  These abilities are shared throughout our world though, they aren't specific to any one race. We were just trying to trigger it to make you realize that it was there."

  "And now that you have," Jeb grins maliciously, "the real training can begin."

  The smile on his face is so sinister that it sends a shiver down my spine.

  They spend the day trying to get me to tap into my speed again. I can go a little faster than normal, but not nearly as fast as I did this morning which left me feeling immensely frustrated. I thought that since I tapped into it once that it would come naturally, but that was just a giant pile of bullshit that my mind concocted. I should have known better considering all the practice it took to use my wings. That was also supposed to be natural for me.

  Jeb insists that I will get it, that it’s just going to take more time for me because my speed has been dormant my entire life. He seems to think my speed plus my affinity for water is why I am so good at swimming, so I must have been tapping into it a little bit. Anger also seems to be the trigger. Just like it was with my wings in the beginning.

  I spend most of the day feeling like he is taking it easy on me. By dinner time I can see that I was completely wrong.

  Bamboozled. I’ve been bamboozled.

  There is no standing and holding my wings up today. Instead, Jeb goes straight to making me do laps, twenty-five of them to be exact, around the property. All while holding my wings up. I think it is a cruel way to get me to tap into my speed. Maybe he is thinking that I will use the pain to tap into it and get my laps over with faster.

  It doesn't work. Once again, I finish while unattractively crying and coloring the yard with my vomit. Lucah holds my hair away from my face and rubs my back while Jeb stands back and watches with his usual mask of stone on his face. Yeah, this tough love is getting a little extreme.

  Once the trembling and dry heaving subsides, and I am confident I won’t vomit on anyone, I right myself and limp over to Jeb with a lethal glare plastered on my face.

  "That was unusually cruel of you Jeb," I rasp, my throat hoarse from puking so much.

  He shrugs his shoulders and saunters towards the house, leaving me to glare daggers into his back while Lucah stands there awkwardly. Coming to a stop at the patio door, Jeb turns waves for us to join him. Since I’m still content with glaring him to death, Lucah gives me a friendly nudge before leaving me alone to calm down.

  Once we’re inside, Jeb silently hands me a double dose of my tonic and gestures for me to sit at the small kitchen table. Lucah plops down next to me, his gaze bouncing from me to Jeb as Jeb calmly sets the table before returning to the kitchen. He looks like he is about to question what’s going on just as Jeb comes back with a dish of tuna casserole that smells so delicious my mouth starts to water.

  As he places the dish in the middle of the table, Jeb cocks an eyebrow at me before standing back and crossing his arms over his chest. There is no hesitation as I reach for the spoon to load an unhealthy serving onto my plate. Just before my fingers graze the wooden handle, Jeb pops my hand like a petulant toddler before I can grab the spoon. A startled squeak escapes my lungs, my glare instantly resurfacing as my face heats with anger.

  Jeb leans forward, his hands resting on either side of the dish and a devious smirk on his face.

  "Come and get it," he taunts, his eyes dancing with challenge. With my next blink he disappears through the door, dish in hand. My nostrils flare with rage, my hands curling into fists on the tabletop. You do not mess with a woman and her food, especially not one that just ran twenty-five freaking laps and is extremely hangry.

  Lucah stifles a laugh behind his hand as I growl and take off after Jeb. He is standing at the edge of the patio when I exit the doors, grinning like the psychopath that I am now convinced he is. When he sees me, he takes a deep inhale of the dish and then holds in out and shakes it at me. I take one step towards him and he turns and bolts for the trees on the property line.

  "Oh, that asshole is going to get it," I growl, once again taking off after him.

  One blink. Two blinks. Three blinks. I come to a stop along the tree line and Jeb is nowhere to be found. Where is he? For fuck’s sake, I just want my food.

  Two more blinks and Jeb comes to a slow stop in front of me, his eyes wide with shock.

  “How did you do that?” he demands, his demeanor shifting towards confused and slightly enraged.

  “Do what?” I snap back, trying desperately not to murder him.

  "You beat me," his eyes narrow with accusation.

  "You obviously weren't trying," I argue, "Right? You were taking it easy on me."

  "No Reyna, I wasn't,” his irritation is blatant in his tone, “I was going at full speed, so I could calculate how long it took you to get here after me. There is a reason I am the leader of our armies

  Reyna; my speed is one of them. No one is faster than me, not even Rune."

  I stumble back a step and Jeb’s face morphs from irritation back to shock. My hands begin to shake, and I resist the strong urge to fidget as he stares at me like he is seeing me through new eyes. I feel another bout of nausea coming as my head swoons and dizziness takes over.

  How is this possible? My twin should share everything with me. He is almost a carbon copy. Why am I faster than Jeb and he isn't? Why am I faster than Jeb at all? I’ve been Fae for like, point five seconds. This should be impossible. There is no way I am faster than the leader of the entire Malatian armies.

  Panic starts to take over and bile rises in my throat as I bend over to rest my hands on my knees. It takes me a few minutes to reign in the mania of thoughts swarming my brain and breathe through the impending panic attack. Jeb continues to study me quietly as I work through my inner turmoil. When I feel in control again, I sit down and wrap my arms around my knees.

  "What does this mean?" my voice trembles.

  Jeb sits down next to me. I startle a little when he begins rubbing comforting circles on my lower back. This is the first time h
e has done anything like this, comforting me physically. Normally it’s Lucah that comes to my rescue while Jeb keeps his distance.

  A familiar tingle spreads through my body with his touch.

  "This just means you are more powerful than we realized, and we need to figure out how that power extends to your other abilities. We assumed that your power levels would mirror Rune’s and we shouldn’t have. Which means, we need to focus your training more. You need to gain complete control, as well as figure out what else is lying dormant inside of you."

  I don't like the sound of that.

  "This is all so overwhelming Jeb,” I inhale deeply, trying desperately to fight back tears, “I thought I was just a normal girl. I liked being a normal girl. Now, there is all this. I'm apparently royalty. There is a whole other realm that no one knows about. I'm just now coming to terms with the fact that I’m not even human! I feel like a freak. My entire life has been a lie," my voice breaks and the tears start to tumble down my face.

  He remains silent for a moment as I cry into my knees.

  "Look, I know this is hard. Probably harder than anything you have ever experienced. But we will get through it together. Lucah and I will be by your side no matter what. We will follow you,” he gives my shoulder a gentle squeeze, “Always remember that we go where you go, until the end of time. That is our vow to you, and it will never be broken."

  He speaks with such sincerity that more tears pour down my face. When he stands, he reaches down to grab my hands and pull me up. My palm connects with his and his eyes go wide as he inhales sharply before letting out a gut-wrenching cry. His entire body shudders as tears begin to fall down his beautiful face. He meets my gaze with panicked and confused eyes, continuing to cry uncontrollably.

  He searches my face, taking in my glassy eyes and tearstained cheeks. A moment of clarity sparks in his eyes and he immediately releases my hands. As our connection is severed, his crying stops.

  "Reyna," he chokes out, "I know what your other ability is."

  Startled by his proclamation and the sudden loss of contact,

  I jump up and step away from him. He doesn’t move to stop me, instead taking a few minutes to gain control of himself. When he finally turns to face me, he walks up and cautiously takes my hands.

  With one final deep breath, he answers my unspoken question.

  "You're an empath."

  Chapter 10

  "What do you mean I'm an empath?" I yank my hands from his grasp and cross my arms defensively over my stomach.

  He chuckles, "Come on, let's get back to the house and eat. Lucah will help me explain."

  I nod my head as he takes my hand and leads me back to the mansion. My mind is so distracted that it doesn’t register how unusual it is for him to be holding my hand. Or the fact that it feels as natural as breathing.

  I notice they never call their temporary home a mansion. It is always just a house. The thing is huge, a dream home for anyone in this town. But to them, it is simply just a house. It makes me wonder what is considered a mansion for them and what they live in back in Malatia. Is everyone there rich? Or is there poor considered what is rich to us? Do they even have class systems at all?

  The walk back to the house is considerably longer than I expected, solidifying the true extent of my speed. When we walk in from the patio Lucah remains in his spot by the table, legs kicked up and reading a book.

  "So, I see both of you are still alive. I assume it went well?" he snickers without even bothering to look up.

  "She beat me," Jeb shoves his feet off the chair resulting in a loud thud as they hit the floor.

  That seems to get Lucah’s attention. He snaps his book closed and looks between us in surprise.

  "That's impossible."

  "Oh, that's not all we have to tell you," Jeb takes his seat at the table, "we have also determined what her other ability is."

  Lucah’s eyebrows shoot up, "That must have been one hell of a lesson. So, what is it?"

  "Apparently," I sigh, taking a seat of my own, "I'm an empath."

  Lucah’s face lights up as I snatch the spoon out of Jeb’s hand.

  "Wow! An empath! That's amazing. You know, there is only one other empath in Malatia. She is a force to be reckoned with," he rubs his hands together in excitement.

  "Is she Valkyn?" I scoop some food onto my plate.

  "No," Jeb leans back in his chair, "she isn't. I didn't even think of that. There has never been a Valkyn empath before. Dahlia is Shvetlani."

  "A Valkyn empath would be extraordinary! Combining that skill with their natural born abilities. Adding all of that to that fact that you are also Pixie, you just might be the most powerful Fae in all Malatia. Even over Rune!"

  Lucah looks like he is going to burst with excitement. Jeb looks pensive. I probably look like I’m going to throw up again.

  "I don't understand. I thought empaths could just feel what others feel. How does that help me in battle?"

  "Empaths are so much more than that," Jeb's eyes light up a little as Lucah nods his head like a two-year-old, "not only do they feel the feelings of others, but they can also control them. That is how I knew. When I grabbed your hand, all your feelings came rushing into me. You can make people feel what you feel, but also what you want them to feel. In battle you can make them surrender or make them feel compliant. If you can make them feel compliant, you can make them follow commands. They basically become your puppets."

  "You can doubt someone into missing a shot, or trip them while they are running, even make them fall onto their own sword if you wanted to. Depending on how extreme you want to be, you can even make them feel suicidal and take them out of battle completely," Lucah squirms in his chair like he can’t sit still.

  Suicide. I could never do that to someone. How cold do you have to be to willingly make someone feel so distraught that they take their own life? That isn't good. That's evil.

  "No!" I snap at them, "NO, I won't do that. I can't. That isn't who I am. I'm not heartless I could never cause someone to take their own life. I refuse," I stand and step away from the table.

  "In battle," Jeb lowers his tone, "it doesn't matter how good your heart is. When it comes down to your life or the enemy’s, who would you choose? I know who they would choose. They aren't thinking of your life or your feelings or your family. They are only thinking of one thing, survival. You must survive, at all costs. Even if that cost is someone's life. That is war Reyna.”

  His stare is sincere and unrelenting.

  “It is ugly, bloody, and it will take away a piece of you with every death. You will lose people that you care about. There will be guilt and remorse. At times you will be disgusted with yourself, with the world, and the pain will be crippling. It will overpower you if you let it, but you must fight. You must always do what is necessary to survive."

  My chest tightens, and it feels like I can't breathe. In all my processing and mental debates, I never considered this part. I knew that the continent was in the middle of a war, but it never clicked that I would be a part of it. Their wars are different than ours. I'm not so naive as to think that people don't die in war. I've seen the news, the lives lost. It was just never personal for me. They weren't my family or my friends.

  Our wars are fought with guns and bombs. Almost like they are being fought from a distance. Thinking back to my training I realize that I’m not being trained in either. I am being trained in hand to hand combat, swords, daggers, axes. All the tools of close combat. That means I will have to watch the light leave my opponents’ eyes. I will know, without a doubt, that I was the one that brought their life to an end.

  The concept of war has never been real to me because I was never a part of it. Now I know in Malatia, I will very much be a part of it, and it will definitely be personal. The possibility of watching Jeb and Lucah die hits me like a punch to the gut and I suppress the sudden urge to gag and dry heave. With that feeling, I suddenly am all too aware that I will protect them, no
matter the cost. The thought terrifies me.

  As if he knows what I am thinking, Jeb's mouth lifts into a genuine smile, "Hey," his voice softens as he begins running circles on my back with his fingers again, "We aren't going anywhere. It takes a lot to take me down. Lucah not so much but that's what he has you for," he tries to lighten the mood.

  "Hey!" Lucah whines, "I'll have you know that I have my own forms of badassery thank you very much!"

  I huff out a laugh and look at the two warriors sitting at the table with me, "I honestly don't know what I would do if I lost either one of you. I know that is strange since we haven't known each other that long- "

  "Not that strange considering we are soul-bonded," Jeb smirks.

  "Hey, shut it Jeb let her finish," Lucah glares at him.

  "Hah right. Y'all have become my family. I love the two of you more than I can even begin to explain, and I will protect you at all costs. You have my word."

  Both of their smiles beam at me and they each take one of my hands.

  "With that said," I continue, "I need a break from training to come to terms with all of this. My brain has entered information overload and I just need a bit. So, this week there will be no training. Don't even try to make me because I will use my newfound ability to force you into compliance."

  "You sure put a lot of stock into an ability you didn't even know you had," Lucah mumbles.