by Terri Lane
“Where are we going?” she asked him.
“You must meet Mother,” he replied. Nessa’s heart beat quickly, like a caged bird. The queen was notorious for being the country’s iron maiden. She had been ruling since the death of her husband, almost a decade before. When Ra came of age at twenty-five, then he would take over. That time was coming soon. She was a strong leader, someone not to be trifled with, and Nessa instantly felt cowed at the thought of meeting her.
The crowd parted, and Nessa could see the queen in her massive throne before them. The chair was made of iron, and crafted with intricate design. It was a work of art, and looked incredibly uncomfortable. But the queen sat on it, back straight, face impassive. Charlie stood beside it, looking exhausted.
Nessa looked at the queen. The woman’s deep blue eyes stared back at her, sizing her up. While her eyes were the same color as her sons’, they lacked the joyful sparkle that Ra and Charlie possessed. The queen wore an elaborate gown. On any other woman, that dress would have worn her. It had a tight bodice, and long, elegant sleeves of structured fabric. The design on the fabric was elaborate—a gold design on a blue background. The skirt was full, covering her legs and her feet. The crown on her head was a massive concoction of golden spires and blood-red rubies. Nessa could tell that the woman was a dragon from the way that she held herself, as though at any moment, she would erupt into flame and gold scales.
“Mother,” Ra said, clearly comfortable in this situation. “I would like to introduce Nessa Kant, the daughter of Elias and Libba Kant, the Necromancers who were taken with father.”
“I am sorry for your loss,” the queen said. “Your parents were quite an asset.” Nessa arched an eyebrow. An asset?
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” she said.
“Have you been working much in spirit magic?” the queen asked. Nessa recognized the trap.
“No, Your Majesty. I was completely unaware that I was a Necromancer.” The queen nodded.
“For the best,” she said. “Are you as strong as your parents were?”
“I hope so,” Nessa said. “For the sake of the country.” The queen liked this very much. She cracked the smallest of smiles and nodded.
“As do I,” she replied. She stood up from her throne. “Imrahil, you and your brother should mingle with the court. I would like to speak to Miss Kant privately.” The queen stepped down from her chair and began to walk in the direction of the set of French doors, which were open to the terrace. Nessa glanced at Ra and Charlie. They both smiled at her, but remained where they were. Nessa sighed and followed the queen, who was walking out through a set of French doors to the side of the throne.
The terrace was empty of people. It was paved with deep red brick. In the center, there was a grand marble fountain, with the sculptures of running horses set in the center, the water bubbling about their hooves. The terrace was filled with well-cared-for rosebushes, which bloomed luxuriously. The queen reached out toward one pensively.
“You know, the king was killed when your parents were taken,” she said.
“I didn’t know they were taken,” Nessa replied. “I was told that it was an accident. That their bodies were unrecoverable.”
“They were all fighting together,” the queen explained. “The Necromancer took them all. She killed the king, and she took your parents for their powers. This battle is as much yours as it is my sons’.”
“Is there any chance that my parents are alive?” Nessa asked.
“If they are, then they are going to be a shade of what they once were,” the queen said, looking over at Nessa. Her face was heart-shaped, her cheekbones high. Her skin was perfect, young for her age. Her hair, beneath the crown was elaborately done. She wore crimson lipstick, which made her mouth look bloody, her teeth perfect and white. “You must free them, let them go into the afterlife.”
“But you must also stop the Necromancer,” she went on. “Neither one of my sons will be able to do it. Imrahil is strong as a dragon, but flame is no match for spirit magic. Charlie is a seer. The Necromancer will target him first. He has the power that she wants.” The queen looked directly at Nessa.
“Ms. Kant, you must protect Charlie,” she said. “I’m saying this not as a mother, but a queen. Charlie’s powers are great. If he chooses, he could do terrible things. You are the only one going into this battle on even footing with the Necromancer.” Nessa nodded. She felt cold all over.
“The only thing that truly concerns me,” the queen began.
“My inexperience,” Nessa said. The queen laughed.
“No,” she said, surprising Nessa. “I’ve seen the way that both of my sons look at you, Ms. Kant. It should come as no surprise to you. You’re a beautiful woman. An absolutely stunning creature.” She placed her hand beneath Nessa’s chin, gripping it between two fingers. She looked Nessa in the eyes.
“Don’t get caught between princes,” the queen said. “Especially twins. You will never come first. They already have each other. They require no one else, but a fight between them could spell disaster. Understood?”
“Yes,” Nessa replied. The queen let go of Nessa’s chin. She smiled coldly. Nessa felt the utter difference between the queen and her sons. This woman was dangerous.
“I’m glad that we can see eye-to-eye,” she said. “After all, you are common. What good would it do for you to fall in love with a prince?” She turned away, walking back inside. Nessa watched her go, having the distinct feeling that the queen reminded her of a snake—ready to strike at any moment. Nessa stayed out on the terrace, listening to the sounds of the orchestra inside.
“Nessa?” She turned to find Charlie standing at the door. He looked handsome in his tux, even if he did look a tad bit awkward. He pulled at the gloves that covered his hands.
“Hey,” she said.
“What did she tell you?” He asked.
“Nothing you don’t already know,” she replied vaguely. He walked over to her, grabbing her by the hand. He led her over to the fountain, where they sat down on the marble lip.
“Are you nervous?” He asked her.
“Terrified,” she admitted. “But if my parents are still alive in some manner, I have to go and free them.” Charlie nodded and said nothing.
“Have you seen them?” She asked him. He nodded, but he didn’t respond. “Tell me, Charlie.” He looked sad.
“They’re in a lot of pain,” he said. Nessa felt like crying—all these years, she could have been searching for them. Instead, she had chased a position on the faculty of the university. How pointless that seemed now.
“Why did we have to wait for so long?” She asked. He looked at her.
“We weren’t strong enough,” he said. “We both needed time to grow into our gifts.” Nessa nodded as she thought.
“Will you show me your visions?” She asked.
“In order to get to the spirit plane, we have to go through my visions,” he explained. “Since you’ve never gone on your own, I will have to bring you through my pathway. It is the only way to get to the Necromancer. She has ascended to another plane of existence.”
“She’s not here?” Nessa frowned.
“Not in the material plane,” he said. “That’s why they can’t find her. But she’s been trying to contact me. She wants me on her side. She wants you, too.”
“Why?” Nessa asked. She hadn’t realized it, but she had taken Charlie’s gloved hand in her own. Recalling the queen’s warning, she dropped it. Charlie noticed. He smiled, then took her hand in his.
“It’s okay,” he said. “I can hold them with the gloves on.”
“No, it’s not that,” Nessa said. “I don’t fear your powers. But your mother will have my head on a spike.”
“You’re safe,” he replied. “She wouldn’t dare kill off the one person who has the power to save the country. It’s the only thing that she cares about.” Nessa’s heart pounded at the thought that so much was riding on her. She also had the strange desir
e to feel Charlie’s hand. She wanted to feel his skin—to get lost in whatever it was that he saw. She didn’t know how to tell him. She bit her lip, then looked up. Charlie smiled at her and pressed her hand within his gloved one.
“Ness,” he said, reaching up, and running his hand along her neck. Even with the glove on, Nessa felt electricity in his touch.
“Can you take it off?” She whispered. He looked surprised.
“You’ll see my visions,” he said.
“I…I want to,” she replied. He looked away sadly.
“I don’t want you to get hurt. When I was younger, just a child, I had a friend, here at the palace,” he said. “Her name was Lili. She talked me into taking off my gloves… she insisted that she wanted to feel my magic…”
“What happened?”
“She was never the same again,” he said. He looked at her, and his eyes were full of fear. “She’s in the city asylum. What she saw…it destroyed her.”
“That wasn’t your fault,” Nessa said.
“It was. I destroyed her with my touch,” he said. Nessa reached up, placing her hand on Charlie’s face. His cheek was smooth, clean-shaven.
“We’re going to have to go into your visions in order to do this,” she said. “I want to know what it’s going to be like.”
“Right now?” he asked.
“Right now,” Nessa insisted. He nodded, slowly.
“Can we… can we go to my tower?” He asked. “If something bad happens…”
“Nothing bad will happen,” she replied.
*
They sat across from each other in the darkness of Charlie’s tower. Her voluminous skirt was spread out around her. Her heart was hammering in her chest. This was both sensual and terrifying at the same time. Charlie looked terrified as he pulled his gloves off.
Nessa held up her hands, palms out to him. He held up his hands. They were shaking.
“I’m an experienced practitioner, Charlie,” she said. “I’ll be fine.” He nodded, then placed his hands against hers.
The world seemed to expand. They were running down a darkened hallway. They were out on a terrace on the top of a very high tower. They were in the middle of a very large room, where the dead were all around them. The dead were in pain—Nessa felt it. They all reached out for her. She was the only one with the power to make the pain stop. She was the only one who could help them cross over. She felt their hands, fleshless, grab at her. She felt a hand, pulling her out. It was Charlie.
“Where are we?” she asked him.
“A place between places.” He pointed. “She hides here.” She looked up to see the Necromancer. She sat on a large chair. It was plain, black wood. She had long, flowing black hair. Her face was covered by a pale mask—a skull, which grinned back at them. Her mouth beneath it was a grimace. She looked upon them, saying nothing. Nessa could feel her malice. Nessa gripped Charlie’s hand.
“Let’s go,” he said. Nessa opened her eyes. She was sitting across from Charlie. The warmth of his palms was against hers. She could feel the electricity coursing through them. She could feel the queen’s warning. She reached forward, grabbing Charlie’s cheek, pulling him toward her. She pressed her lips to his. He froze for a moment, then returned her kiss.
Although her eyes were closed, she could feel that they were somewhere between worlds again, this time, somewhere good. The sun was shining on them, and she could hear birds singing. She opened her eyes to find that they were in a garden. It was lush, verdant, pink cabbage roses blooming around them. Charlie grinned at her.
“Where are we?” She asked him. He shrugged.
“It’s another place between places,” he said simply.
“You’re amazing,” she said, leaning in and kissing him again. She could feel her own powers mingling with his as they kissed. When she pulled away, she looked at him. He was studying her, as if she might run away at any moment. She had never been so drawn to a person so immediately before. Their surroundings began to fade away, and they were sitting in the darkness of the tower room again.
“Charlie, put your hands on me,” she said. He frowned.
“I don’t want to hurt you.”
“Don’t you see? You can’t,” she said. “We’re evenly matched.” Charlie sighed sadly. He began to pull his gloves back on, one at a time. He kept his gaze on the floor in between them.
“I can’t risk it, Nessa,” he said. “Not when so much is at stake.”
“Charlie, look at me,” she said. He raised his eyes to her. “It’s okay. I understand.” He nodded. Nessa reached forward, kissing him again. That same spark of electricity was there. She pulled away.
“Were we really there, Charlie?” She asked him. He nodded.
“Yes.”
“Did she see us?”
“Yes.”
“Good. She needs to know that we’re coming.”
***
The next day, one of the palace servants drove Nessa back to the university to pick up her things. Her friend, Glo, met her in her tiny student apartment. Nessa loved her apartment. It was super tiny, but it held all of her books, her teacups, and her papers. She began to pack things as she split a bottle of wine with Glo.
“So, you can take over my Intro classes?” Nessa asked.
“Oh, yeah, no problem,” Glo replied, taking a sip of wine. They were drinking out of thick ceramic coffee mugs.
“Thanks,” Nessa said. “You want my bamboo plant? I won’t be around to water it once every three months. I don’t know how long this is going to take.”
“Sure thing,” Glo said, waving it off. “So, tell me about the princes! Are they super cute?” Nessa smiled, placing a hand on her hip.
“Yeah,” she said. “They’re not exactly identical, I mean, there are definite differences. But yeah, cute for sure.”
“Which one do you like the best?” Glo asked, giving her a knowing look. “Can I have the other one?” Nessa laughed.
“I can’t like either of them,” she said, not telling Glo about the kiss with Charlie. “The queen has personally threatened me against it.”
“Ah,” Glo said. “That sucks.”
“Not really,” Nessa replied. “We have to work together. I have to save my parents’ souls, and we all need to save the country from attack from this Necromancer.”
“Who is she?”
“No idea. I mean, I saw her in one of Charlie’s visions,” Nessa said, throwing a couple of her books into a bag. “Her face is covered by a skull mask.”
“That’s super helpful,” Glo said.
“Exactly,” Nessa replied, placing some of her clothes into the bag with her books.
“Well,” Glo said, hugging Nessa. “Good luck. If you need anything, let me know.”
“Of course,” Nessa said.
“And whichever prince you don’t fall for,” Glo said, looking Nessa in the eyes. “Give him my number.” Nessa laughed and shook her head.
“You’re incorrigible, my dear.”
“If I don’t, then who will be?” Glo gave her a grin. Nessa paused, smiling at her friend. She thought about both princes—the way that Ra looked at her while they danced, the way that the world literally fell away when she kissed Charlie. She realized—I like both of them. At the same time, she recalled their mother’s stern face and dire warning—Don’t get caught in between two princes. They already have each other. You’ll never come first. Nessa’s blood ran cold.
***
“Are you ready?” Charlie was standing at the door to her room. Nessa had left it open when she had returned. She was folding her clothes and placing them within the massive mahogany chest of drawers. She smiled.
“Yes. For what?” She asked.
“Well,” he said, glancing around at her bags of books and clothing. “I was thinking that we could look into the past. If we see how she killed my father, and took your parents, then we could figure out a way to trap her.”
“We could even see what demon sh
e has allowed to possess her,” Nessa said. Charlie nodded. They stood there, grinning at each other.
“Are you nervous?” Charlie asked, clearly nervous himself.
“Not at all,” Nessa replied. “Let’s do it.” She followed him up to his tower room. On the wooden table in the center of it, there was a potion cooling. It was a strange purplish-blue color, and it seemed iridescent.
“It will help to focus the vision,” Charlie explained. “It is set to bring us into the past.” Nessa nodded.
“Will you be able to control it?” She asked.
“Of course,” he replied. “I have long practiced control. When I was younger, I would have no choice as to what I would see. The other night, I was able to take you to them. And to… to the garden.” He flushed red. Nessa smiled. She loved how sweet Charlie was. She walked over to him. She placed her hand on his cheek. She brushed her lips against his, feeling the strength of his power. It was over the surface of his skin, as though it were oozing from his pores. When she pulled away, he was smiling.
“Let’s do this,” she said. Charlie nodded, then split the potion in half into a set of clear glasses. He handed one to her.
“At the same time?” He asked. Nessa nodded. They clinked their glasses together, then downed the liquid. It was sweet and acrid at the same time. Nessa coughed. Charlie removed his gloves, reaching out for Nessa’s hands. She could feel herself being pulled away. It was like a wave hit her when she touched Charlie’s hands. She could feel the shock of it—he had clearly been holding it back before. With the potion, he had no control. The force of it was concussive.
They were back in the awful throne room. Nessa could see her parents, standing beside a golden dragon. They faced off with the Necromancer. She was already bearing the Death’s Head mask that marked her as taken by the demon. The dragon reared back, opening his bright golden wings and his great fanged maw, letting out great gouts of fire. The Necromancer held up her hand, and it formed an invisible shield against the fire. Nessa’s parents were both weaving spells, sending legions of the Dead at the Necromancer, but she raised her hand, and the Dead turned, taking her parents. The Necromancer pulled out a flaming sword. She held it above her head, plunging it into the dragon’s heart. A humanoid figure stepped out from behind the Necromancer.
