REDEMPTION: Queen of Souls (TORMENTED ROYALS Book 1)

by L. N. MALONE

  I am extremely delighted with her acceptance. It will take a huge load off Nadia’s plate and that will allow to her take on her new role with some ease. “Wonderful!! I am incredibly happy you will be working with me! With that I have been thinking, I really do not need a sitting room however this room has easy and fast access to me. Therefore, I think it would be best if you moved in here. You can decorate it however you like and all things that are currently in this room including the stereo will stay unless you choose to move them out. Will this be acceptable to you?”

  Her face says it all. She is glowing with excitement and her happiness was pouring all over the room. The warm it provided is soothing to my soul. “It is more than acceptable my Queen. Thank you so very much for this opportunity. I will not let you down.”

  “I know you won’t Lily.” I say with a genuine smile.

  “Bassel, we shall make the announcement of your position when the King has returned.” I say as I stand to make my leave.

  “Yes, your majesty.” He says also rising along with Lily.

  Looking between both I couldn’t help but say, “Good luck to the both of you and congratulations on not only your new positions here but also in finding each other. I know you will have a lot to discuss, and I look forward to seeing you both grow together. Now, we have a huge day tomorrow. I will address everyone that has come to help tomorrow at dusk. I expect you both to be there and Lily I will see you two hours before dusk. You both have a good night.” With that I make my leave and headed to my room for a strong drink and much needed sleep.

  Eighteen

  Chapter Eighteen

  Armand POV:

  “You can torture me all you like Jayson, it will not make her come any faster. She is smarter than you believe.” They have left candles flickering ever since those first few days. Jayson had said it was so it was so he can see the torture he was administering on me. I would have to agree with his words as he seems to genuinely enjoy inflicting pain on me. I am now standing with my back flat against the wall. My arms and legs are spread out on either side of me chained to the flat bricks. I have tried everything to get out of my restraints however my body is weak because of the loss of blood.

  “Maybe I should just let Lissett have you now. She is annoying with her constant whining of her need to get you in bed. Maybe then my sister will make her presence.” Jayson says with is annoying evil tone.

  “Do what you must however Lissett knows she may be able to take my body, my heart will never be hers and no matter what she tries she cannot have it.”

  “Yes, yes, I know. Akasha is your chosen, which may be a thorn in poor Lissett’s side it is a benefit for me. The pull to get you back to her will be hard to ignore. She won’t be able to handle much more.”

  “You think you know her so well because you grew up with her, however the girl you knew has turned into a strong woman. You will be surprised when she outsmarts you.” I seem to have struck a chord because at that moment he turns and leaves the area. How long have I been here I wonder to myself? The lack of blood is making it hard for me to focus however I will myself to stay in control. Although my words contradicted him, I know he is correct. She will come for me soon and I am trying my best to keep my energy up as much as possible. Lissett has been coming in every few days to give me small amounts of blood. She is still extremely unhappy that she smells Akasha every time she is comes near me. I can only hope that she has given up this crazy idea she has in her head and can be saved. The thought of anyone from my kingdom cannot be saved hearts my soul. As if my thoughts summoned her, I hear Lissett enter the room. “I have wonderful news Armand. Jayson has found a way for you and me to be together.” She says as she sashays over toward me. I swear she is going to throw out a hip one of these days I say to myself as I inwardly roll my eyes.

  “You know that will never happen. I am sorry Lissett. Truly, but Akasha is my chosen. You can find yours as well you just have to give it time.” I try to get her to understand it simply will not be.

  “Oh Armand, I will not need a chosen when I have you. You and I will rule the vampire kingdom together after Jayson takes care of Akasha.”

  “What do you mean takes care of Akasha?”

  “Well, you see lover plans have changed a bit,” she chuckles before continuing. “Jayson is still obsessed with marrying Akasha. Originally, he was just going to marry her and use her as a play toy. However, a witch has advised him that after they have consummated their marriage. Her powers can be transferred to him upon her death with something as small as a ritual.”

  “So, he plans on killing her? How will that help his plans with her brother?”

  “Ahh, yes Dargon. Well, you see, after her death her power and her throne will be turned over to him. With Dargon’s current relationship with his kingdom the Soul Realm will open their arms to Jayson.”

  “If all of that is true, then what is in it for you? How would any of that help you?” I ask trying to ignore the anger that is seeping in my soul threating the bloodlust.

  “Don’t you see lover, with Akasha dead your connection will be broken. I will not have to worry about that horrible human again.” She talks about Akasha with such disdain. Her information about the connection is incorrect. Jayson is playing on her weakness and I just hope I can make her see that before things go terribly wrong for her.

  “Lissett, please listen to me. Even if Jayson does kill Akasha it will not break my connection. You still have time to end this. Jayson is using you Lisset, you must see that. You are smarter than this.” The next moment the door busts open and a small army of men and women came start piling up along the walls of the dungeon. Jayson enters behind them with a smirk on his face.

  “Lissett, fancy meeting you here. Felt like visiting our prisoner, huh? Is he warming up to you any better?”

  Lissett gave him a look of distaste before saying “Well it would be hard for anyone to be nice when they are being tortured. Don’t you think? I mean look at him, he is withering away. Must you hurt him so? Will that make her come after him any faster? You have been beating him for weeks now and she has not come.”

  “Lissett, your emotions for him are making you ignorant. The King and I have some things we need to discuss now, so leave.” I can tell his words make her angry by the tightening of her fists and the roll of her eyes however she says nothing she just walks out.

  “King Armand, I have someone I would like you to meet.” A man looking very much like my beloved Akasha came walking into the room. He has the same long red hair he had tied back in an intricate braid with black rope of some sort. His eyes are green like hers, only not nearly as bright and he holds himself with confidence. The clothes he is wearing is not what I was expecting at all. He is dressed impeccably in an expensive black three-piece suit. If I was honest it looks like something out of my own closet. At least he has good taste. I think to myself.

  “Good evening King Armand. I have heard a lot about you.” I am surprised that his voice is remarkably like hers and it makes me long for her more than I did before.

  “You must be Dargon.” I say with a calm and to be honest a bit of amusement in my voice. “Well, this is not one would normally like to meet his future brother-in-law however I suppose it will do.” I say as I bow my head the best I could with the injuries I have sustained so far.

  “Jayson, why is the King being held like this? This is not what we discussed.” Dargon says narrowing his eyes at Jayson.

  Within seconds Dargon was surrounded by the large army of men. In a flash of hands and Dargon is being detained, surprise is written all over his face. Anyone could tell that this was a man who was not used to being betrayed.

  “WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS JAYSON!” he shouts as he is being chained up right next to me. I can feel the pressure of his power as he releases what he can.

  “Dargon, I think it is safe to say you have been fooled. I would suggest just wait it out. That is what I am doing.” I look to Jayson and laugh a
humorous laugh when I say “I mean he is not the sharpest crayon in the crayon box is he? He is so weak on his own he must depend on others for power. This will soon be over, for that, I am certain.” Just after the words left my mouth Jayson backhands my face. Blood pools in my mouth before I spit and stare back up at him. He will not get the better of me.

  “Dargon, I can see you are confused about what is going on so please allow me to enlighten you. For some unreciprocated desire to reunite as a family, you were going to stand in my way to achieve my goal. Well, Dargon, I plan to marry your sister Akasha. Of course, I do not plan to keep her, I just want her power and after I consummate the marriage it can be transferred to me.” He looks at us both with an evil grin that makes the little amount of blood I have left in my system boil. He chuckles before finishing his thought, “Honestly it is a win - win for me. I get the pleasure of feeling her tight body around me and then I get her power.”

  Anger and frustration take over and it seems Dargon is feeling the same. The moment the last words left Jayson’s mouth we start struggling to get out of our chains. “I WILL KILL YOU.” I promise him. “I will help him,” my future brother-in-law says next to me. Jayson is unaffected by our threats and he just laughs as he turns away and walks out of the room.

  I look over at Dargon and wonder if I should say anything. I do not know him and from what I have heard about him I should not trust him either. However, the phrase enemy of my enemy is my friend, runs through my head. Unable to shake the feeling that he and I should work together I say, “She is coming soon. I feel her.”

  Dargon looks up at me and with sorrow in his eyes he acknowledged my words with a shake of his head. “I know. I can feel her now. She is close.”

  “She will be happy to know you. I hope you are a friend and not a foe. She has the same hair and eyes as you, however hers are prettier and brighter.” I tell him with a chuckle.

  “I bet she is,” he sighs before continuing. “I would like to say I am a friend; however only time will tell if you agree, I have made poor choices in my past.”

  “We all have Dargon, however, Akasha is a forgiving person and will be a fair Queen. The only advise I can give you is be honest. Own whatever you have done and do not be deceitful. She will respect that.”

  He looks over at me with sorrow and regret covering his face like a wet blanket. “Whatever you do, please do not let her die. She is the salvation of our land. I have made horrible mistakes only she can fix. Please, if I die, make sure she knows she holds the key to everyone’s future.” He was not able elaborate because just then a large crash vibrates the walls surrounding us. Dust and pebbles start falling all around us. Dargon and I looked at each other and say in unison “She is here!” This is what I have been waiting for and the look on Dargon’s face says the same, so without any more words exchanged we start working on escaping our chains.

  Nineteen

  Chapter Nineteen

  Akasha POV: The day before the rescue.

  “Your Majesty, everyone is here and gathered in the meeting room.” Bassel inform me just as Lily gets done with my hair. I have given Bassel, Mirella and Luke full access to me until Armand has returned so I did not miss any important information. “Thank you Bassel, I will be there momentarily.” I have a decision to make and one only I can make. After having many trainings and meetings with Iris, I know there are only two ways to remove the souls from Jayson. One is to kill him the other to suck the souls out and release them into the soul plane. The vampire kingdom has been through so much with the loss of Julianna and the kidnapping of their king, they want justice and I tend to agree. However, I cannot help but think that killing Jayson may not be the justice that is needed or appropriate. I sigh in exasperation with choices running through my head and coming up undecided.

  I walk into the meeting room followed by Lily and Bassel. I make my way to the seat and each of them stand on either side of me. Bassel puts a hand on my shoulder for comfort as I sit. A beautiful lady stands up and makes her way and stops just a few feet away. She walks with grace and confidence her deep sapphire dress swishing with every step she takes. She is breathtaking anyone would admire her beauty with her pure white hair that flows down her back. Her eyes are dark sapphire blue that make you feel as if you were falling into a pit of the ocean. She bows deep before me when she comes back up, she smiles a smile that could warm anyone’s soul. “Queen Akasha, my name is Tei, and I was a good friend of your mothers. It is a blessing to the Gods to see you again. You have grown to be a beautiful woman just as your mother was.”

  My breath caught when I hear her voice. I have heard her voice in my visions with Iris, I would know it anywhere. It is a unique husky voice with a bit of a whisper undertone. “I know your voice.” I whisper with emotions in my voice I wish I could have hidden.

  “Yes, I have followed you in your dreams and visions since you were a child. You are my god-daughter after all.” Her smile is genuine, and I cannot help but want to know more about her and bombarded her with questions of my mother and father. However, now is not the time. We have more important matters at hand. I need my chosen back and I need him now; my soul feels as if it is being torn in half.

  “I have heard many great things about you Tei and I do truly look forward to getting to know you more in the future.” I say sending compassion to her, so she knows I am not just pushing her aside. Her eyes widen a bit in surprise when she feels my power seep into her. She then smiles in acknowledgment before bowing and takes her seat once again.

  I take a breath to ready myself to give a brief introduction to the people who have gathered to help us as well as tell them my decision on Jayson. I look around and see my father who nods to send me the gift of encouragement. I stand and school my emotions then address my audience. “Good evening. I am Princess Akasha, future Queen of not only the House of Obscurite, but also the Soul Realm. My beloved chosen has been taken which is an act of war. However, only a few individuals are truly responsible for this. The two individuals mainly responsible for this is Jayson, son of King Darin, and a vampire in love named Lissett.” I pause to prepare myself for what I am about to say next because I know many will not agree with me, however in my heart and soul I believe my decision is the best one at this time. So, with a firm and confident voice adding a very small amount of power behind my words I continue. “Neither Jayson nor Lisset are to be harmed. They are under my protection just as any of you would be.” Gasps and sounds of appall and frustration filled the room however no one spoke up against me. “I know this is not what you were expecting to hear, and I know that their acts against us holds the penalty of death. I will not be extending that penalty to them. There are extenuating circumstances that have not yet been made available. I honestly believe a stay of execution is required now.”

  Jade stands when she asks, “what do we do with them when we find them?”

  “If anyone in this room finds them take them to either, Bassel, Mirella, or Luke. They will be told where to hold them at until Armand and I can see to them.”

  “Yes, your majesty.” she says before taking her seat again.

  “If you have any other issues or questions regarding my decision feel free to write them down and leave them with Lily. She will see I get them.” My next words had to hold power, so I let my power seep out of me as I said. “No one and I mean no one will lay a hand on either of them unless in self-defense. I will take all your feelings into consideration and I will also converse with Armand when he returns before handing out our official ruling. Now, Luke and Jarvis, if you would, please go over the strategies we must follow tomorrow. We have little time and I do not want any mistakes. I want my beloved back as soon as possible. Everything else including the judgment of those involved should be placed on the back burner until our King is home.”

  As Luke and Jarvis start going over the plan, I leave the room with Iris and Lily trailing behind me. Lily was stopping Iris when I waved my hand to let her know that it was o
k. Iris and I had our own planning to do regarding the souls within Jayson.

  “Akasha, I would like to speak with you about a vision I foresaw.” She says as we continued to walk just a few steps behind me.

  “Of course, Iris, I also have a few things to go over with you as well.” I say as we enter my room. Lily takes a seat on the small sofa in front of my window, and I direct Iris to do the same. “Iris why don’t we start with your visions first.” I advise as I take my seat on the chair across from them.

  “The visions were a bit jumbled however, I know it is in regard to Jayson and the souls that need to be released. A woman who has your eyes has been reaching out in warning. I assume she is your mother because of the close resemblance. She seems to want to send a warning, however it seems that her connection to the soul realm is fading. The trapped souls are creating a huge imbalance not just on earth but in the other realms as well. If they do not get released soon, the leaders of the other realms will get involved and no one will want that.” The look of fear crossed her face and then worry.

  “Is there something else Iris?”

  She hesitates a bit before continuing, the worry in her voice is apparent. “Yes, killing Jayson will release the souls however, something is nagging me in the spirit world. I do not think that the evil that is within Jayson is truly him. I know that seems strange considering all he has done. However, between the random visions and the feelings I am getting I just cannot shake that feeling. I am sorry your majesty.”

  “Oh, Iris, please do not worry yourself, for I am having the same feeling. Every time I consider the judgement for Jayson as well as Lissett, I get this horrible feeling in the pit of my soul. However, I also worry that I alone will not be able to pull the souls otherwise. I am still training, and I do not have access to my full power yet.” At that, she looks up and a smile slowly crosses her face as if she had the answer all along.