by Sarah Reeves
Alex held up the dress a little dubiously. She wasn’t a fan of them, but this one didn’t seem to be so bad. It was black, plain but for the lace that were the sleeves. Stripping down, she pulled the dress over her head after discovering there wasn’t a zipper. It fit very well, which was a surprise. Caia looked a lot slimmer than Alex. She shrugged and pulled the hem down. It fell to just above her knees, and Alex was suddenly very glad she’d decided to shave that morning. She emerged from the closet to Caia’s approving gaze.
“Here, wear these with it,” she said, holding out a simple strand of pearls. “And these.” Black pumps were also handed to Alex, who put them on dutifully. “Now stand still, I’ll put your hair up and then we’ll go meet Kieran and Titus.” Alex watched Caia disappear behind her, then felt hands in her hair, hefting and dividing it.
“What are the royal families from the other Realms like?” Alex asked after a moment. Her insides were squirming at the thought of meeting more monarchs.
“They’re good people, from what I can tell when they’re here. The king from the Water Realm can be temperamental sometimes, but his wife usually keeps him in check. The Dark Realm leaders tend to be quiet most of the time, but they’re very much the calculating shrews.” Alex’s head grew heavy with the weight of a bun, and the queen began to secure it. “The Earth Realm king and queen are the gentlest. Light Realm, well. They can be a little full of themselves from time to time. The Realm of Air are pretty… boring.” She gave a small laugh. “There is really no other way to describe it. Lofty, but that’s how the majority of the Undari are that are from there. And you know how we are. There we go, hun.” She released Alex and stepped around to the front, giving her a quick once over. “You look great. One more thing.” She turned, opening a small drawer and taking out a pair of pearl studs. “For the sake of completing the look,” she explained, and Alex took them from her, slipping them into the holes on her earlobes and fastening them. “Let’s go.” Caia led her from her room. They took turn after turn, Alex’s new heels clicking on the stone floor, until they reached the throne room.
The room had been rearranged, one long table dominating the floor space, lined on both sides with chairs. Thankfully, only Kieran and his father were there. Kieran had also changed, and the tidy gray suit he wore made Alex struggle to move her gaze elsewhere. She did feel better about where her thoughts were after Kieran turned, hearing heels tap against the throne room floor and catching sight of Alex and his mother. He nodded at Queen Caia and then his eyes honed in on his Companion. Alex swallowed hard at the look she saw there. His eyes traveled over her from head to toe, and back again, holding Alex’s gaze until she was sure her face would burst into flame. He excused himself from King Titus’s side and came over to where his Companion stood. Queen Caia went to her husband with a knowing look at Alex, whose face burned even more.
“You look nice,” said Kieran as a greeting. He gave her another once over. “Very nice. We should have more Council meetings.”
“Your mother was very kind in letting me borrow her dress.” Alex thanked the gods that her voice wasn’t shaking as much as her hands were. “And her shoes. And her jewelry. And for doing my hair.” She knew she was rambling, and shut up. She wondered if Kieran knew his tie was slightly crooked. Then she wondered how it would look if he didn’t have a tie on. Or…. Stop it, she chastised herself. Kieran was grinning as though he knew exactly where her thoughts were, because that’s where his were, too. She rolled her eyes to try to save some of her dignity, and lifted her hands to straighten the tie. Kieran looked down as she did so.
“I didn’t even realize that it was crooked,” he said. He raised his head. “Thanks, Companion.” He winked at her, and Alex realized suddenly how close they were standing. Her hands were small against his chest. Her hands smoothed his tie down for a second, making Kieran’s eyes heat, then stepped back, taking a careful breath.
“When are the other kings and queens supposed to arrive?” she asked, desperate to replace the tension with a lighter subject. “They aren’t portaling directly into the throne room, are they?” Before Kieran could respond, she shook her head. “No, that’s right. They enter through the same Portal we did this morning, just from a different spot.” She linked her fingers together. “I don’t know about meeting this many important people at once, Kieran. What if I do something unforgivably offensive?”
“I mean, you don’t seem like the type to strip and start dancing, so I think you’ll be okay.” Kieran’s grin widened when Alex rolled her eyes. “I would very much enjoy it if you did, but I’ll just content myself with looking at you in that dress and using my imagination.” He almost said more, but there was a knocking on the door. His head turned and he watched as several Undari entered the chamber. “Looks like we didn’t have to wait very long,” he commented, taking a step to put himself on Alex’s left side.
The aura of power nearly overwhelmed Alex as each group of monarchs from the other Realms strode toward her. The group sizes were no more than three or four, each impeccably dressed. It was almost too hard for her to tell who came from what Realm, until she saw bits and pieces of jewelry on each that was the telltale sign of their power.
First to enter the room was the King and Queen from the Realm of Light, dressed sharply in a light gray suit and a sleek white dress, respectively. Following them was a girl that was probably a little older than Alex, in a pale gold dress that brushed the bottoms of her knees. The Efarian monarchy all had pointed, angular features and eyes that shone gold from intense expressions.
Behind them was a woman and her son, both sporting the sapphire blue stones of the Water Realm. Black, windswept hair brushed the dark shoulders of the Zepherian son’s suit, and he held his mother’s hand in the crook of his elbow. She was beautiful, heavy lidded electric blue eyes and a solemn mouth. Alex wondered where her husband was. She was wearing a long navy dress that floated as if surrounded by water.
Next was very obviously the king and queen from the Realm of Darkness. Both were dressed in dark tones, her in deep purple and him in solid black that was so deep it was like a hole in the fabric of the room. They had a commanding presence that made Alex want to look away, but she didn’t. In contrast, the Onathe royalty had light brown hair and bottle green eyes. Onyx glittered at their wrists.
Alex’s eyes fell on the monarchs from the Earth Realm, and she was slightly taken aback. They were by far the most relaxed group of people to enter the throne room. The Akian king was smiling, nodding at King Titus and Queen Caia, dressed in a tailored brown suit. The queen wasn’t smiling, but neither did she look hostile. She simply observed the room and the people inside as she led her daughter and her son, who were twins roughly Teagan’s age, behind her. She was in a skirt and a gorgeous green and ivory blouse, and a necklace playfully accented with emeralds. The children were fascinated by everything around them, and adorable in the suspenders and collared shirt and matching dress. The boy looked nearly identical to his father, with flaming red hair and sparkling blue eyes, but the daughter was a mix of the two parents, with her mother’s soft rose-gold tresses. It made Alex’s heart ache for her own sister. She turned her attention to the last royal group to walk in.
The king of the Realm of Air led his wife and son through the massive double doors with a small sneer as he took in their surroundings. Alex instantly didn’t like him. His features were oddly hawkish, which made Alex’s lips twitch. Dark hair, dark eyes, and the navy suit he wore combined to create a look that Alex rarely saw at home except for entitled businessmen that would impatiently shove her out of the way and continue down the street. His wife, who was quite pretty, walked slightly behind him with her son, who was close to Alex’s age. The Nirayan prince, thankfully, had only inherited his father’s hair and eyes, and instead sporting his mother’s delicate features. His eyes met Alex’s, lingered, before the group passed her and her Companion.
“We should go sit down,” murmured Kieran, and he took her a
rm, steering her through the sudden crowd.
“Do none of the others here have Companions?” Alex asked as they reached Kieran’s parents.
“Not that I know of. It’s usually pretty rare for one of us to find ours, since we have so little contact with the rest of the Undari in our Realms. The only reason I encountered you is because I insisted on mingling instead of just staying with Soren all the time. It’s a security risk, but I didn’t care.” They took their seats, and the rest of the monarchs followed suit. Soon, the table was filled, and there was idle chatter amongst them as they waited to be addressed. Alex shifted slightly in her seat, feeling the curious gazes of the royalty around her. She wished it wasn’t a custom for her to be there. She tried her best to sit up straight and not look like a scared rabbit.
The king of the Air Realm was the first to make his voice heard over the quiet conversations. “What is going on here, Titus? Why have you called an emergency Council meeting?” His deep voice caused the rest of the Undari to fall silent, waiting for the reply.
King Titus stood. “My fellow Undari,” he began. “There is a danger that has been leveled against us, by the Unseen.” There was a small burst of muttering, and the two children from the Earth Realm were sent off to play in the halls, accompanied by the queen. “The place where the Portals enter the human realm has been infiltrated by another Portal. This one is to the Realm of Nightmares.”
“How do you know?” asked the queen of the Water Realm.
“How did you come by this Portal?” The next question was posed by the Onathean king.
“I have seen it for myself. My son and his Companion came across it after finishing a mission.” Attention turned to the pair mentioned, making Alex tuck a strand of hair behind burning ears. “As for what this means, Minerva, Thornin, I don’t quite know. There is a substance leaking from the entrance to the Portal that mutates creatures to the point of being unrecognizable, and destroys them. All it takes is contact with the host.”
“Is it a venom?” The queen of the Realm of Light wanted to know.
“I am not sure, Ciana. All I know is that it is lethal to small creatures, to the point of death within the minute. I do not know how it affects Undari, and I do not want to find out. If this happens, who knows if it will spread, and threaten our species.” More murmuring followed his words. The queen from the Realm of Darkness stood.
“We would like to see this Portal,” she said after exchanging a grim look with her husband. “Not that what you are saying isn’t believable, but we would like to gauge this danger for ourselves, before deciding that there is an emergency.”
King Titus nodded. “Certainly, Tamisra.” He turned to look at Kieran and Alex. “As the ones who found the Portal, you should lead us there.”
Kieran rose from his seat, taking Alex’s hand to pull her up with him. “Of course, Father.” He said. He inclined his head toward the guests that were all now focused on him and his Companion. “If you would follow me.”
The trip to the cavern was short, distance wise, but it took an eternity for Alex. Her and her Companion escorted the group of royals into the room of Portals. The walls loomed closer now that there were so many there with them. All of them were transfixed, looking at the wound in the stone. The puddle of venom had spread further, and Kieran held out an arm to stop Alex short before her shoes came in contact with it.
He glanced over at her, grim. “I don’t think it’ll affect you through clothing, but I don’t want to find out, either.”
Queen Ciana walked slowly around the side of the puddle, studying it. “Is this the venom you spoke of?” she asked, lifting her head to meet Kieran’s eyes. “The one that mutates small creatures and kills them?”
“Yes, ma’am.” Kieran dipped his head, and walked around the other side. The rest of the royals and Alex spread out along the edge of the oozing mass. “We found it along with the Portal. The pool has spread pretty quickly.”
“Is there a way to contain it?” Asked King Thornin. “To keep it from spreading more, or to clean it up?”
“We could try a barrier made of our power.” Minerva shifted her skirts to lower herself down next to the venom. “Or maybe we could use it to wash it away. Either way, something must be done, what if it can spread through Portals? We can’t let it get to any of our people.” She stood again, and held her hands out. Water began to coalesce, streaming from her long and delicate fingers to reach for the floor. Alex watched in awe. The water was like a living, breathing creature. Until it touched the venom.
The entire cavern echoed with cries of shock as the venom reared up, meeting the water with a hiss. The water turned black, monstrous, and it curved back toward Queen Minerva like a snake poised to strike. The queen was yanked backward by her son as the contaminated water struck, and it missed her by inches. Alex reacted without thinking, raising both her hands and shooting fire from them at the water. The hissing grew louder, then subsided as the water dissipated. The queen and the other royals stared at Alex as though only just realizing that she was there with them in the cavern. Queen Minerva inclined her head slightly. Despite being attacked, she was composed and calm. Alex, on the other hand, clenched her fingers to stop the trembling.
“Thank you.” The queen of the Realm of Water said. “What is your name?”
“Alexandra, Your Majesty.” Alex bowed, remembering what Kieran had told her earlier. “I’m Kieran’s Companion.”
“I see. Did you know that flame was going to counteract the venom?”
Alex shook her head. “No, Your Majesty. I only thought that fire, being the opposite of water, would destroy the mutated water before it had the chance to attack again.”
“Yes, yes, it’s wonderful to see someone with a little common sense,” said the Nirayan king, striding forward. “But the question remains, how do we stop this from spreading?” He looked down his beakish nose at Alex, who nearly bristled. “Have you any ideas, little girl?”
Kieran made to speak, but Alex touched his arm lightly. Unbeknownst to her, Queen Minerva tracked the movement, filing it away. “I wondered, Your Majesty, if combining the powers of Undari as powerful as those in here would do the trick. Either to contain or banish the venom, or even to seal the new Portal. We should also bring down the wall next to the entrance to this cavern to keep the venom from spreading to the humans.” The king stood for a moment, watching Alex with narrowed eyes before turning to the other monarchs for their opinion.
“It might work,” said King Thornin with a shrug. “There certainly isn’t much else that we can try short of completely shutting down access to the human realm here, and even then we would be leaving the humans at the Unseen’s mercy.” There were murmurs of assent from around the cavern, and Alex was gently drawn aside by Kieran as the adults formed a semi circle around the liquid still slowly spreading across the rocky floor. “We should try to clean up the venom first,” he added, glancing at each royal in turn. “If that fails, then we should attempt to contain it.” He held his hands out, palms facing one another, and conjured his power.
Shadows coalesced into a sphere much more frightening than Alex could have hoped to accomplish. Light erupted on the other side, potent enough to war with the darkness opposite. Water and earth manifested between them, with air beside the flame conjured by Kieran in the middle. Alex stood behind the group, but she wasn’t just watching the show of power. She believed she was not being paid any attention when she conjured the three elements that she could control between her palms, and at King Thornin’s command, she sent her power into the fray along with the others.
She was being watched, though. The Prince of Air’s eyes tracked the movements of the young Undari, widening at the sight of her abilities made manifest. She didn’t notice.
The venom reacted horribly to the onslaught of elements. It was like a living creature, and Alex was very nearly afraid that trying to destroy it wouldn’t work. There was a moment where the other monarchs were close to moving on
to Plan B, but the moment passed when the pool began to recede, revealing charred and blackened rock beneath. Finally, the only abnormal thing in the cavern was the Portal to the Realm of Nightmares. The next target was the mouth of the cavern, which was taken down much more easily than the venom. The cave fell silent as the rush of power receded, and in the silence Alex could almost swear that she heard a collective sigh of relief.
Alex had let her power go before anyone had the chance to glance at her, but still glanced around to see if she’d drawn any gazes. Nothing stood out to her; everyone’s attention was on the opening of the Portal.
“The question is now, how do we get rid of that thing?” Asked Queen Ciara. She took a few steps forward to get a closer look. “And how did it appear in the first place?”
“That is a very good question.” Tamisra was studying the Portal intently, but she didn’t move any closer to it like the other queen had. She turned to meet Kieran’s gaze. “You,” she said. “Have you any theories?”
“I don’t, ma’am,” Kieran answered. “I wish I did know, so that we could get rid of it. The Realms don’t need this kind of threat hanging over us.” There were murmurs of assent from others in the Council. Ciara was still examining the opening of the Portal. She made to step back from it and casually brushed the wall of the cave with her hand as she did so.
And all hell broke loose.
The Portal broke open, expelling venom in a ghastly waterfall. They were wrong, horribly so, to think they had gotten rid of it, because it was like the liquid was pushed behind the Portal opening and held under pressure. Ciara’s brush against the wall was like a needle in a full balloon, instantly relieving the pressure. It coated her as it came forth. For a second Alex had the grotesque image of an eighties horror flick, with the bad special effects. As the liquid filled the cave, all she could see was what was left of Queen Ciara as her features melted, distorted, and her screams turned into a ghastly howl that would haunt Alex’s dreams for years to come. As Kieran seized her around the waist and hauled her through the portal after the other monarchs, her last glimpse of the queen made her blood run cold.
