The Forgiven

by Nikki Hunter

  Edward looked toward the other guard. Both nodded and opened the door allowing her to pass.

  Layla stepped in finding both Camila and Lance curled together on the bed. Camila leaned back against the headboard staring blankly ahead, her eyes red rimmed. Lance was curled in her lap where she continuously ran her fingers through his hair. He was fast asleep.

  “Camila,” Layla said quietly.

  Neither of them moved. The floor creaked under her feet just slightly as she walked closer to them. Nothing. Camila barely blinked and her hand didn’t stop the mindless petting as Lance breathed slowly.

  Standing next to her, Layla snapped her fingers loudly next to Camila’s ear. “Camila.” She tried again.

  With a gasp, Camila turned and finally recognized who was next to her. Camila gently slid out from under Lance and wrapped Layla up in her arms. “Oh, thank you. Layla!” she exclaimed. “Did you get it? Did you get what I need?”

  Layla noticed long crusted scabs running the length of Camila’s arms. Slowly, she unraveled herself from the hug. “Yes.” Layla paused. “What happened to you?”

  Camila straightened herself, clearing her throat. “I, uh...” Tears started to well in her eyes.

  Layla looked around. She had thought this scene was mildly odd.

  “Where is Bekket?”

  “The queen,” she stuttered. “The queen made them fight.”

  “No.” Layla shook her head. She knew where this was going. It was only a matter of time. She knew it was what the queen wanted. A show. More reason to hate the corrupt bitch. However, her heart panged with some form of happiness that it was Lance that survived.

  Camila nodded. “You should stay with him. He isn’t taking it well.”

  “I wouldn’t expect him to.”

  Layla reached into her pocket, glancing behind her to make sure the door had been firmly shut behind her. The watch, cut along the band, was heavy in her hand. She displayed for Camila to see. A long breathe was shared between them.

  Camila reached out and gently took it in her hand, holding it as if it might break while it was craddled in her palm. Her tongue ran over her lips, giving moisture where they were dry and brittle. Layla watched her carefully.

  “Can I have your weapons?” Camila whispered.

  Layla’s lips thinned in worry but she removed her belt, buckling it against Camila’s waist. Her daggers she pulled from her boots and handed over without another word. Camila turned back, looking at Lance with an intensity Layla had never seen before.

  “Stay with him. I’m going to fix this.” Camila’s voice didn’t waver. She didn’t whisper. She wasn’t scared.

  Layla believed everything she was saying. She wasn’t going to stop her. She merely climbed in the large bed next to her brother and began stroking his hair just has Camila had. Let him sleep, for reality was far worse.

  Camila began walking away toward the door, testing the knives in her hands. They were not trained hands, Layla could tell. Her faith in Camila never faltered. She would save them all.

  “Camila,” Layla said loudly. “I have something I need to tell you.”

  Camila turned back to face her.

  “I met a fate,” she continued. “She told me she had gifted you some of her power when you were created, so one day you could fight the fates. She said you have the power within you now to defeat the queen.”

  Layla watched her carefully. Camila didn’t look surprised considering the news must have come as some sort of a shock.

  “I think,” Camila whispered. “I think, I knew that after the queen could not reach the end of my powers. Could not drain from me everything that she wished. But I… I don’t know how to access that power. How to control that power, that part of me.”

  “Well, now it’s confirmed for you at least.”

  The two woman held each other’s gazes until Camila tore herself away and swung open the door.

  “Oh, boys.” She sang before taking a large step out and running either dagger through the throat of the fae guards at the door.

  Camila’s steps echoed down the hall back to Layla and Lance waiting for her to save the day. It was her turn to be a superhero.

  She sprinted down the maze of halls that she had slowly come to know between bouts at the queen dining table. Camila took the next corner sharply, abruptly running head on into Vargan. She held out the bloodied daggers in her hands, ready to take him down with her.

  Vargan held up his hands. “Where are you going, Camila?”

  That was a good question. One she couldn’t share with anyone else. She knew once she went through with her plan the people she knew here, the version of them she knew, would no longer exist. Vargan would no longer know her as Camila, just as the Realm Renegade.

  “I’m running away to save the day.”

  “How poetic,” Vargan said plainly. Faster than Camila could reach he pulled his sword from his belt. “You couldn’t last a minute against me and you know it.”

  He wasn’t wrong. Camila wouldn’t stand a chance.

  She swallowed down the lump of fear in her throat and lowered the dagger. Maybe she could bargain. Camila gave him a steady hard look. Taking in every inch of his features. She doubted she would ever see him again. At least not till after she had taken down the reigning queen. And when she did he wouldn’t know who she was, so it would never be the same anyway.

  “Just let me through and I’ll make sure you’re spared should that be an issue.” Camila would probably spare his life no matter what. She was just fond of this ridiculous bastard.

  “Eh, love. I’m not sure I can do that. What makes you so sure you’re gonna win anyway?” Vargan smirked.

  “Because I expect to win and nothing else will be tolerated.”

  “You’re a fool.”

  “I may be a fool but I’m a brave one at that,” Camila agreed. “And a beautiful one too,” she added.

  His brown eyes regarded her with suspicion, the look so intense Camila began to ponder if he was trying to read her mind to figure out what her plan was.

  He coughed, looking away and down the hall. “You get a five minute head start before I call the guard and tell them you’ve fled your room.”

  “Thank you.”

  Vargan stepped forward and grabbed her wrist before she could run away. His voice was hoarse. “What do I tell her, what do I tell my queen?”

  Camila leaned forward. “Tell her, you were kissed by the Realm Renegade.” Gently, she placed a kiss against the scruff of his beard that lined his cheek. “Sometimes you’re an ass. But you’re not a bad person, Vargan. You’re just on the wrong side,” she whispered into his ear before pulling away.

  Then she left him alone waiting for her to change all of their fates.

  Chapter Nine

  Hold Onto Your Dicks

  With the watch firmly on her wrist Camila twisted the dial. Her magic could do a lot but time travel was so tricky most jin made use of these awful contraptions. She prayed, not to the fates, but to any gods who may be listening that she wouldn’t get trapped this time. Prayed that the fates had taken their eyes off of her long enough she could fix this mess.

  Standing out in the courtyard, she knew time was ticking. Behind her guards were screaming. Their wails fighting against her concentration. Yet, she pushed herself, pulling the magic from deep within her as she thought back to that moment. Back to the pressure of the walls that had trapped her in the clock for far to long. She thought back to the looks on their faces, the way they smelled, acted, all of it. She needed to remember all of it for it to work.

  Footsteps neared, each step grew louder and sent a jolt of fear through her. This had to work. There was no other way. She tried to push away the image of Bekket’s face relaxed in death as he was taken away. She was going to do this for him. She was going to save him, save them all.

  Her eyes closed painfully tight and magic swelled within her. The warmth of the four suns shining down on her face faded away unti
l it was no more.

  “You went back for it?” Even with the small tremor that seemed to make his voice waver, she knew instantly who it was. Kade. Camila smiled to herself, she had done it. The wooden home that she didn’t miss was delicately placed on the wall of their long lost home. It wasn’t lost yet though, not at this point in time. The time she had successfully returned to.

  Lance’s dark brown eyes stared back at her pleasantly. The sadness and confusion that seemed to haunt them from the future she had just left was thankfully gone.

  “Yeah,” Lance smiled admiring the beautiful clock he had just purchased, “you rushed me out too fast before I could make a real choice.”

  Here we go. Camila’s whole being buzzed, excitement and nerves running their course. I’ve missed these men. I’ve missed this whole situation being uncomplicated.

  “Dude, you don’t get it. Something is off with that clock. I can feel it.” Kade wasn’t kidding and he wasn’t wrong as Camila’s magic pushed against the binds that held her in place. The clock was suffocating.

  Kade can feel me. She wanted him to feel her, more than she did before and somehow even more than that she wanted to be able to feel him.

  Lance rubbed his hand over the stubble on his jaw before hollering out. “Zayn! Zayn, come here!”

  Yes, yes yes. She chanted to herself. Bring me my men. Bring me my men. She wanted them. She needed them to release her. Camila needed them to see the scars their queen had left on her skin.

  Zayn appeared in Lance’s room, those brilliant eyes shining under his dark hair. “Yeah?” he said.

  “Zap this thing would ya? Try and get that to swing.” Lance pointed up at the clock, still not knowing Camila waited inside. Not knowing she was about to change their lives, her life, again.

  Camila had forgotten about the pain of Zayn’s magic but she didn’t care about how much it would hurt because nothing could be as bad as her time with Queen Katrice. This wouldn’t hurt near as bad as being away from them had.

  With both hands against the clock, electricity began rolling through it. Camila arched and screamed with the current inside it. She let her magic respond to his, let her power show itself.

  Zayn looked just as stunned as he did the first time. His magic was just as surprised as before.

  “What the hell?” His mouth opened in surprise.

  “See, it’s upset now. It’s sad, in pain.” Kade stumbled over his words. Confusion danced over his features before he put on the stern face he always wore.

  “It’s a fucking clock. It doesn’t have feelings.” Lance gave Kade an annoyed look, squinting back at his teammate as if what he suggested was the most outrageous thing he could have said.

  It’s me in here. It’s me. She wanted to scream out to them, she wanted to cry and let them catch her. She was tired. Yet she knew when she arrived they would know who she was. They wouldn’t know the terrible news she was about to bring them.

  Zayn twisted toward Lance moving farther away from the clock. “No, there is definitely something happening here. It has magic. It… caressed my magic.”

  “Caressed?” Lance frowned.

  “Yeah, it totally didn’t want my magic in there but it didn’t hurt me in return… just like gently nudged me?”

  Kade and Lance exchanged comical looks of confusion. Camila could feel her soul frantically wanting to escape, her magic wanting to give her form outside of this dingy hell. This is taking longer than she remembered.

  “Yehven,” Zayn yelled loudly. “Yehven, get your ass up here.”

  It took time, time Camila wasn’t wanting to waste, but Yehven appeared annoyed at being beckoned. Camila examined his exposed chest, the water droplets reminding her of the first time they had been together. The thought didn’t linger long though as she eyed the leather necklace with the fake orange jewel bound around his neck.

  Demon. She couldn’t forget. The lies still stung.

  “Uh,” Lance drawled, clearly apologetic for Zayn calling him from the shower. “Sorry, there is something in this clock. We need to get it out, apparently.”

  Yehven’s scowl deepended. “Like a rat?” He made sure the towel was snug on his waist before he pushed forward and came up to the clock. Again, he peered heavily into the clock as if he could see her. And maybe, Camila thought, in some way he could. Maybe his magic, though old and rusty from lack of use, had recognized something in there. He just didn’t know it at the time.

  His hand rose up, tracing the gold trim on the antique.

  This is it. This is it. Camila found herself reciting over and over.

  “I don’t think anything could fit in there.” Yehven yanked open the door covering the gold pendulum that had never swung and never would.

  Hope you boys are ready for what I have in store for you, now. Hang on to your dicks, this is going to be a rough ride.

  With that thought, Camila leapt from the clock.

  This time she didn’t need the dramatics. Didn’t dare put on a show to entertain herself or the people she should be “serving”. The fae the fates wanted her to serve.

  Smoke still filled the room, an unfortunate side effect of a genie being released from the object they were bound too. Yehven coughed loudly.

  “Zayn, you fried the thing,” he exclaimed.

  “I didn’t fucking do it,” Zayn said, waving his hand in front of his face to clear the smoke.

  As the smoke cleared, they saw her and she saw them. She wanted to fall to her knees, she wanted to run to each of them and expect every inch of their bodies till she knew everything was as it should be.

  Weapons sung as they were pulled from their sheaths. Each man confused, and ready to defend themselves. Camila put her hands up in surrender. This time she didn’t bother with the red hair, she didn’t bother to dress herself in anything other than the same uniform the boys all wore to fight in.

  Where would she begin? How could she convince them?

  “Who the hell are you?” Yehven started.

  “What the hell are you?” Kade finished for him not bothering to stop his friend as he stepped closer to Camila his weapon poised toward her.

  Wearily, Camila snapped her fingers, his knife suddenly disappearing from his hands, now balanced perfectly in her grasp.

  He bellowed out in rage. Camila forced herself to stand still even as her body begged her to go to him, to calm him. To hold him close to her until he understood, or until she could understand why he hid what he was from her and his closest allies.

  Camila turned her wrist over at the now, no longer broken piece of jin machinery and cut the bracelet from her wrist. With another snap all the weapons were gone. Just the fierce look of trained warriors left in their wake.

  “I need your help.” She didn’t know where else to begin. “Your kingdom needs your help.” Her words were soft, careful.

  “Who are you?” Lance said, stepping closer to her.

  They don’t know you. They don’t know what we have. The version of each of them that she had come to know and love was left behind, it no longer existed.

  She licked her lips, trying to decide how to approach this. “My name is Camila,” she paused, “and I already know you.” And love you.

  “Lance,” Camila said, reaching out to touch his arm. Lance’s eyes widened and he moved quickly to avoid her touch. She continued on, nonetheless.

  “Zayn.” She smiled, pointing his direction. He cocked his head at her curiously, a small smile growing on his lips.

  “Yehven.” She nodded his direction, his anger still falling off of him in waves.

  “And, Kade.” Camila held his steady gaze. Begging for him to feel the truth in her words, the affection in her tone.

  They had to listen to her. They had to believe her.

  Their fates depended on it.

  Chapter Ten

  Mates

  Camila pressed her lips together, trying to hold in her heavy sigh and annoyance. She hated this. Starting all over, expla
ining it all. She didn’t have time for it, didn’t want to make the time. Everytime she went to speak, her hands drifted off on their own towards one of the men, trying to touch them, make sure this was real and not a very convincing dream. But she forced them back to her side each time, balling her hands into fists.

  “Alright, listen closely. We don’t have time to waste.” Her fists found their way to her hips and she balanced her hands there in an impatient stance.

  “Why would we listen to you?” Yehven growled, holding his towel tightly around his waist.

  Camila smiled slightly. She already knew what kind of gem he had hiding under that towel, though, he didn’t know he didn’t have to be so shy. Camila swallowed and ignored his question.

  “My name is Camila. I am a genie.” She snapped her fingers changing them all instantly into uniforms. “This realm was created for humans, angels, and the jin. I was a part of the jin alliance. We were created to serve.”

  “Like a magical prostitute?” Zayn cut in, wiggling his eyebrows.

  Camila laughed. Some things never change.

  “No, but we can talk about sex later.” She gave him a playfully sad look. She wished she had time to let them all ravish her body the way she needed them to, but now was not the time for such things. Damn it.

  “The fates assigned me to you. Each of you. I thought I was here to meet some need of yours that was essential to your own destiny, to help you in some way. But, I was wrong. The fates used me.” Disgust rolled through her just saying it out loud. “There is a war here on my lands. One that you do not see, yet. One that has spilled into your own lands.”

  Camila locked eyes with Yehven, something like panic behind his eyes. She continued anyway. “The fates assigned me to you so that I may be an ‘in’ so to speak to the war on your land. I refused. I revolted. I am no longer bound by the rules of the jin alliance.”