Hidden Runes

by G. Bailey

  “I'm okay, honestly,” I tell her, but I know that she probably won’t believe me, and she pulls away to look me in the eye.

  “They told me you had died, and I don't really understand how you’re back,” she mumbles, wiping her eyes.

  “It's a little complicated, and you would probably laugh if I told you,” I say, and she gives me a confused look. I step back and call on my wings, watching Hali’s very shocked reaction as she stares at me. Hali walks to my side and gently touches the wings.

  “You are an angel?” she asks.

  “I didn't think I'd ever say yes to the question before,” I reply and go to explain more when the door bangs open behind us. I turn just in time to see a gigantic tiger jump on top of me, knocking me to the floor. I am just about to defend myself when the tiger licks my face, and I realise who it is. Star is huge, her head is the size of a small child and she weighs a tonne. I push her head away to get her to stop licking my cheek. So gross.

  “Star?” I ask in shock, because this is not the baby tiger I feel like I only left a while ago. Star climbs off me but still stays close as I manage to pull myself up.

  “Evie?” a shocked voice asks as I place a hand on Star’s head. I look towards the door, seeing Connor and Trex stood there like statues. They both have snow-covered cloaks on and look so different from when I last saw them. Connor’s hair has grown out, and he now has a beard which really suits him. When his gold eyes meet mine, I can do nothing but stare for a moment as the tension flitters between us.

  “Blue?” Connor asks, his voice like someone who's just seen a ghost. Which I kinda am.

  “Hey, Connor,” I reply, wondering why I can’t stop smiling at seeing him. I missed him, which is crazy when we didn’t have that long together. He falls to his one knee, bowing his head, and I don’t understand why he would do that. I look at Trex, who slowly does the same thing but keeps his dark green eyes locked on mine.

  “We made a mistake, and you died because of it. If you give us another chance, we will protect you because you are a royal and we owe you,” he says and lowers his head, bowing like Connor.

  “Will you idiots get up off the floor? We have stuff to do, and if you really want to say sorry for letting me try and rescue my crazy-ass sister, a plate full of bacon will do nicely,” I say, making everyone chuckle and killing the tension in the room.

  “I saved a load of bacon in the fridge for you,” Connor says standing up and coming over. He pulls me into a tight hug, and his lips graze the top of my ear. “I’m so fucking happy you’re here.” His words are a whisper, but so full of emotion that it gives me goose bumps.

  “Can I help you cook?” Hali asks as Connor pulls away, and he grins at her.

  “Sure, kid,” he replies, knocking his head to the side. Hali smiles at me once before running after him to the kitchen. Trex walks over to me but goes around me to the sofa as I watch him. He moves the red blanket away, revealing my purple sword.

  “You have it!” I say happily, walking over as Trex hands me it.

  “Even when we thought you were dead, I wasn’t letting anyone touch what is yours.”

  “Is that why you went after Hali?”

  “No. I did that for you,” he tells me, his fingers grazing mine on the sword. I give him a slightly confused look, because I swear this man hated me not so long ago.

  “Where is the other one?” Azi asks, breaking up the tense moment.

  “We don’t know, and we were just looking for him,” Trex explains.

  “Why would Nix leave?” I ask.

  “He is likely drunk somewhere. When we told him you were coming back, he didn’t believe us and stormed out of here,” Trex tells me, not looking happy about it.

  “I will go and find him. Evie needs us all if she is going to do what I think she is,” Azi says. I mouth ‘thank you’ to him, knowing I don’t need to say much more as he calls a portal and disappears, leaving only burn marks on the floor.

  “What do you plan to do?” Trex asks.

  “Kill Erica and take the throne. What else?”

  Forty-Three

  Nix

  “Shit, I thought you were a wall and you appeared out of fucking nowhere,” I mutter, staring at the back of the huge blue demon I have just bumped into and smashed my drink against. The beer drips down his back as he turns, looking down at me like I’m a bug or something he wants squished under his giant feet. I don’t have a clue what kind of demon he is, but by the sound of the humans running out of the bar, screaming at his growl, it isn’t good.

  “You are going to pay for that, stupid, drunk human,” the demon growls and grabs me by the front of my shirt, lifting me in the air as I laugh.

  “You know, it’s been a boring day. Thank fuck I can finally have some fun,” I manage to laugh out, and the demon’s blue eyes glow as he lifts a beefy hand, slamming it into my face and sending me flying across the bar. I smash into a water fountain, wheezing from the force of that hit as I open my eyes to see everything is blurry. When things come into focus, the blue demon is reaching for me in the fountain, so I call my fire rune, making a shield of fire in front of my hand. I slam the shield into his hand, and he screams, stepping back as his hand burns. I know it was a cheap shot to use my powers, but I don’t really care.

  “Protector,” the demon spits out as I stand up in the fountain, water dripping off my clothes, and my phone most likely destroyed in my pocket.

  “Yeah, that’s me,” I sigh, holding my other hand out and calling a ball of fire this time.

  “I’m leaving,” the demon shakily gets out, and I swear under my breath as he runs away. That ruins all the fun.

  “If you want someone on your playing field to take your shit out on, I’m right here, Protector,” Azi drawls, walking around the fountain and pausing, picking up a bottle of whiskey that someone must have left. He opens the lid before taking a long drink.

  “Pass it here,” I tell the asshole as I make the holy fire disappear and jump out of the fountain, ignoring my dripping wet clothes as I walk to Azi. He passes me the whiskey and pulls out a chair, sitting down and waiting as I drink. He waves a hand at another seat and raises an eyebrow.

  “You can sit your ass in it, or I can make you. Your choice,” he says, his voice impassive, but I know he means what he says. Fuck’s sake. I turn the chair around to face him before sitting in it and slamming the whiskey on the table between us. I know what the idiot is going to say, and I don’t believe him. People don’t just come back from the dead. I’ve spent enough time praying and pleading that my sister and mother would come back. But dead people don’t just pop up alive. I have no fucking clue how he convinced my brother and Connor that Evie is alive, but I won’t believe it.

  “Evie is back and wants you with her. Not this drunk, lost-in-misery you, though. No, she needs the Nix who fought by her side in Hell. The Nix that makes her laugh and isn’t a complete tosser most of the time,” Azi tells me, then picks up the whiskey and takes a deep drink.

  “You expect me to believe that shit?”

  “Yes,” he answers as I lean back in my chair, watching him.

  “If Evie was really back, you wouldn’t come to get me for her. She liked me, and I fucking liked her, which means I’m a threat to your chances of getting her back.” His eyes glow a darker red, the only reaction he has to my words.

  “You’re right, but I know Evie needs you. She is going to go after her sister and take the throne. She will be the queen of a race that has hunted her, that are scared of her. Every day she will be at risk,” he informs me and slides the bottle across the table. I catch it before it falls off and take a long drink as I think over his words.

  “None of this matters anyway, she is dead,” I shake my head, throwing the bottle across the room and standing up. I’m not sitting here listening to this bullshit any longer.

  “Portal to the house and see for yourself,” he says, and I chuckle.

  “I’m going to find another ba
r,” I laugh, calling a portal. I’m about to walk through it when Azi grabs me by the back of my jacket and throws me in the air. I see the fire portal seconds before I go flying through it and everything goes black. When I finally open my eyes and shake my head, I sit up and look around for that fucker Azi.

  “Nix?” Evie’s soft yet somehow strong voice calls from behind me. I stand up, knowing I’m not sure if I can turn around and see if she is real. Maybe I died in that portal and I’m with her?

  “Nix? Look at me,” Evie gently commands, and then a warm hand lightly rests on my arm. I look at the hand and turn slightly, my eyes widening when I see Evie standing next to me. She looks just like I remember her, if not even more stunning. When I see the black wings on her back, I nearly step backwards, but instead I reach a hand out to them. Her eyes close as I stroke a hand down her right wing, loving how soft the feathers feel.

  “Evie?” I whisper, placing my hand on her cheek. “How?”

  “It’s a long story,” she says with a light chuckle.

  “I’m sorry I failed you. I’m so sorry,” I whisper, and she shakes her head, stepping closer and putting both her hands on my cheeks to make me look down into her crystal blue eyes.

  “You did not fail me, you couldn’t have known. Now I’m back, and I want my revenge. Will you be at my side?” she asks, and there is silence between us as I remove her hands from my face and step back. She looks heartbroken, misinterpreting my move until I go down on one knee and bow my head.

  “Yes. I will fight for you. I will protect you. You have my respect and my life, Evie,” I say, and I look up when I see her hand outstretched for me. I slide my hand into hers and get up off the floor.

  “No one in this room needs to bow for me. I’m a thief, assassin, and the very last thing I am is a damn princess. Now have a shower, and we can tune you in to our plan,” she says, holding her hands on her hips, and I nod.

  “She means the bat-shit crazy plan that is going to get us all killed,” Trex mutters as he walks to my side and pats my shoulder.

  “You know the craziest plans usually work out the best. Or not. Who knows?” Evie says with a shrug. She walks away from us both towards Hali, Connor and Azi in the kitchen. I missed my crazy girl.

  “It’s good to have you back, brother,” Trex says, and pats my back a few times before following Evie. I look over at everyone in the kitchen and know this is the family I’ve always wanted. I finally have a chance to save someone, rather than watch them die. I finally have a chance at a life.

  Forty-Four

  Evie

  “What is the plan then?” Nix asks as he sits down next to me on the sofa, freshly showered and shaved. His long black hair is pushed out of his face, so I can see his light green eyes more clearly. He still looks and feels tired, with massive bags under his eyes, but I know he won’t rest until we tell him the whole plan. We haven’t actually discussed all the plan yet because Trex keeps saying it’s “crazy”.

  “I kill Erica and take the throne. Nice and simple,” I reply and Trex groans. I glance over at Hali, who is playing on an iPad and lying on top of Star in the corner. She won’t leave my sight for a while, but she doesn’t need to be involved in this kind of conversation.

  “Nothing about that is simple. You can’t just take the throne,” Trex replies as Nix slides his hand into mine, linking our fingers. I don’t pull away from him, which even surprises me. I kinda like his hand in mine, and I know he needs to be close.

  “But I can kill Erica?” I ask. Trex looks towards Connor, who sighs and leans forward off the sofa to keep eye contact with me.

  “So basically, I trained for a bit to be a keeper. I decided it wasn’t for me, but I know some things that most Protectors don’t. Like the fact a keeper has to acknowledge your birth as a royal before you can claim the throne.”

  “So, we kidnap a keeper? I don’t see a problem,” I say, raising an eyebrow, daring them to tell me no. I like kidnapping, it can be super fun. Though I don’t tell them that, I have a feeling they won’t agree. It’s okay, I can train them. I catch Azi’s eye, and I know he is remembering that one time we kidnapped a powerful demon that was killing other demons and draining their magic for fun. We had to take him to another demon who wanted revenge, and we got paid very well for it. It was a fun day. Like a couple’s day or something that humans do.

  “Keepers are powerful, extremely so. The only person who can beat them is the queen or king. Or their knights. You get a power boost when you are chosen. The keepers are given extra power when they are chosen,” Connor explains, and I lean back, thinking it over. What the hell are knights? I choose to address the bigger problem first.

  “I bet I could still catch one of them,” I muse, and the guys give me a worried look. “I’m good at hunting Protectors, remember? Now let’s say we have a keeper and he acknowledges me, can I then kill Erica and take the throne?”

  “You have a one-track mind, Vi,” Azi points out with a long sigh from the other end of the sofa where he is seated on the arm. “Can’t we all find a beach and live out a nice life? Fuck other people.”

  “Nope. That bitch stabbed me, not once, but three times. I am going to make her pay for it,” I warn, my voice threatening enough to cause an awkward silence.

  “Well if that is how it has to be, then we move onto the next problem…” Connor says and looks uncomfortable.

  “Connor means the problem that all the Protectors are fucking batshit scared of you,” Trex points out. I remember how the Protectors ran away into the elevator when they saw me the last time I was there, or the ones that fell on the floor when I said ‘boo’. Oh yeah, I forgot about that.

  “How do I change that?” I ask, because making friends isn’t a thing I’m good at. I really have no idea why these fuckers seem to like me.

  “I have an idea. Rather than just killing Erica, you go against her in the test for the throne in a month?”

  “Wait, she isn’t queen yet? What test?” I ask, totally confused.

  “The test she killed your other sisters for, to make sure they couldn’t enter,” Nix says gently, carefully almost because he hates to say it out loud. I didn’t know my sisters, but it hurts in my chest when he mentions them and how they died for something so pathetic.

  “Explain it?” I ask, clearing my throat.

  “There is a test that is offered to all heirs to the throne. It is done over three days, and no one but keepers and royals knows what goes on in it. It can only be done when the power is gathered up or it drains away. The test couldn’t happen last time the power was gathered, therefore she can’t be queen yet and will be waiting. The test itself is a secret, one your mother should have told you,” Trex explains, and I ignore the sharp, raw pain I still feel over knowing who my mother is and how she died. Keeper Cadean’s face flashes into my mind, and I tighten my grip on Nix’s hand in anger. Nix only closes his other hand over ours, offering me more comfort.

  “The only good thing is that your mother wouldn’t have had time to tell Erica before she died either,” Connor says, shrugging. “It’s likely why she made sure to kill any other heirs, so that the test isn’t needed, and she would be crowned without it.”

  “So, you think I need to hold off on killing her and do it the right way?” I sum up the whole conversation.

  “Yes. The Protectors need to learn who you are, not just the rumours and the fear. A little fear is needed to rule, but without the love of the people, you will fail.”

  “Remember, they love Erica. They have lost two beloved princesses and do not know what Erica did. No one would believe us if we told them, so instead, we need to make them see you. You are brave, strong, stunning, and every bit of you is the queen we all need. Let them see that as you complete the tests and take your throne,” Trex says, his voice commanding and his words echoing around my mind.

  “We do this your way, but when this is over, and I have the crown, Erica is going to die,” I warn them. It isn’t going t
o be a quick death either. My sister and I need a family chat.

  “Agreed. Trust me, I want to help you with that,” Trex growls and looks between the other Protectors. “Now we need a keeper.”

  “What about keeper Grey? He came to us and clearly knew shit about Evie’s past,” Nix suggests and looks at me. “He claimed to know who your father was too.”

  “I met my father already,” I wave my other hand dismissively, really wanting to avoid this talk.

  “How? What did you do when you found out who he was to you?” Nix asks, and all the guys lean in to listen.

  “I punched the idiot. Now, I don’t want to talk about it. Where can we find this keeper?” I ask, changing the subject and smiling at the grin on Connor’s face.

  “Meeting your father for the first time and you punch him. God, you’re amazing,” he chuckles and so do the other guys as my cheeks go a little red.

  “Back to the keeper…” I say, wanting the subject changed as soon as possible.

  “We need to break into the Protectors’ city and kidnap him. I have a good idea of a secret way in, but it’s going to be pure luck if we don’t find trouble. I suggest we go tomorrow night as Sunday is their day off to worship in private. Most stay to their rooms, and it is our best chance,” Connor says and we all agree.

  “I will go and get the things we need for a kidnap. And some new clothes that are more suitable,” Azi stands up off the sofa and calls a portal. I look down at Connor’s massive shirt and shorts I have changed into. At least it’s a step up from the white dress from Hell.

  “I’m coming with you,” Trex states, and no one disagrees with his tone.

  “Don’t forget some stuff for me! And some pork steaks for Star, they are her favourite!” Hali shouts over, and Azi laughs as he steps through the portal.