“I don’t think I can stand,” he winced, holding his side blocking Klara’s view of the wound.
“You want to leave your sister with the Heir to Hell?” Klara half-laughed, feeling the heat of his fevered body emanating around her.
“Least I know you won’t eat her.” His body isn’t pushing out the bullet fast enough.
“If you’re strong enough to joke, you are strong enough to move!” Klara pulled him to a seated position against a rock.
“Woofgang!”
The cry from Lottie opened Wolfgang’s eyes. Klara heard her Father’s voice telling her to leave him.
“Remember this, the next time you’re tempted to mock a half-breed,” Klara grumbled as she wrapped his arm around her shoulder and Wolfgang groaned in protest. “Move, or I will leave you,” Klara threatened, and he pulled himself onto the rock and used her body to support himself. They followed the Rivers rocky bank, and Klara thought she would cry tears of joy as she saw the small dock.
“We are almost there,” she grunted, and Wolfgang growled in response as they both saw the longboat sat rocking at the end of the dock.
“Klara,” Arthur called with Lottie in his arms at the end of the dock. “What?” She panted following his line of sight. Behind them in the tree line, Abadan stood with her Hounds. They were so close she could smell the hint of Abadan’s perfume on the wind.
“Kharon better not desert us,” Klara cursed, helping Wolfgang as he struggled over a boulder.
“Abadan?” Wolfgang whispered, his eyes red with fever. “Kharon won’t leave until the sun is at its highest,” Wolfgang coughed as they stumbled up the dock.
The longboat was empty, no sign of Kharon and no oars. This is impossible, Klara stared at the bare longboat. Lottie stared over Arthur’s shoulder, and Klara saw the panic in her young eyes.
The sky darkened with storm clouds blocking out what little sun there was. Klara went to step onto the longboat, hoping to provoke Kharon’s appearance.
“No passage without payment,” Kharon appeared in front of them with a skeletal hand outstretched awaiting payment.
Klara admired the tailored black suit. Gone was the long grey robes that were customary for the role. “We need to leave now,” Klara demanded her eyes flashing black, exposing who she was to force his hand, but the Ferrier of Souls shook his head.
“You hold no power over me, Traitor,” Kharon laughed at her pathetic show of strength. Klara released Wolfgang, and he slipped from her shoulder to the dock.
The howl of the Hounds travelled in the air as she looked at the tree line. The Hounds waited impatiently for the signal to attack. Abadan was playing with her.
Klara reached into her bag to find a large gold coin. She tossed the coin into the longboat already full of glimmering gems and coins. The thick gold coin was enough to pay for an army’s passage. Kharon moved aside, allowing Arthur and Lottie access.
“The Underworld? Hell?” Kharon raised an eyebrow. “As far south of the Neutral Lands you can get us,” Klara corrected, and Kharon eyed the payment considering the risks.
“I look forward to collecting your precious soul once the Fae cut you down.” Kharon leaned forward exposing his skull face and hollow eye sockets.
“Your support is encouraging,” Klara glared trying to help Wolfgang up from the dock as he slipped in and out of consciousness. The Ferrier raised a hand stopping them from boarding once again as the Hounds descended.
“He has silver,” Kharon licked his lips looking at Wolfgang’s abdomen, and she saw the fear in Wolfgang’s eyes.
“Selfish monster,” Klara snapped, and Kharon shrugged. “Every bit helps.”
There was no time to argue as the howl of the Hounds grew closer.
Klara pushed Wolfgang down on the dock, and shock filled his pale features. Klara ripped off her belt in haste. “Bite down on this!” She ordered, and Wolfgang shook his head. Klara stuffed the belt, in-between his teeth and lifted his shirt.
“I’m sorry,” Klara said coldly, and she looked to Arthur, “Lottie, you need to turn around.” When Lottie didn’t listen, Arthur faced her in the opposite direction.
Digging her fingers into Wolfgang’s side, his eyes flashed amber, and Klara could feel his pain. She prayed he would pass out as she felt the silver bullet.
“Got it!’ Klara said, gripping the bullet as sweat poured down his features. His eyes rolled back, and Klara let out a sigh of relief. Least he will find some peace in sleep.
Klara placed the silver bullet in Kharon’s hand as the Hounds reached the end of the dock.
“If you insist,” Kharon said, wrapping a skeletal hand around the bullet. Klara pushed Wolfgang into the longboat and Arthur pulled her on as it rocked in the waters.
“Get this boat moving, or it will be you in the River,” Klara warned Kharon as Abadan and Mila walked side by side up the long dock.
“Don’t run away from your mother, dearest!” Abadan said, her shrill laughter cutting through the howling Hounds. It was as if the High Queen was doing nothing more than taking a stroll. However, Mila’s eyes burnt with determination. Her half-sister’s armour glistened as the storm clouds opened and it poured down on top of them. Klara watched as Mila reached for an arrow at her back and laced it into her crossbow.
“Kharon, I swear if,” before Klara could finish her threat, the longboat moved down River as Mila’s arrow flew. Watching millisecond by millisecond, the arrow was about to strike her new heart when Kharon clapped his hands, creating a bang so loud it deafened her. When Klara’s senses readjusted, they were further downstream. Klara placed a hand on her chest relieved that no arrow pierced her heart. There was also no Hounds, Abadan or half-sister insight.
“Trouble with the family,” Kharon mocked. “Something like that.”
Klara watched as Lottie cradled Wolfgang’s head as he slept. “Why help if you crave my soul?” Klara asked.
“No one takes life on my River,” Kharon frowned steering the boat with magic.
Klara sat at the edge of the longboat as the ink-black water gently rocked them side to side. She could still see the arrow coming directly at her, and the relief made her dizzy.
Soft sobs brought Klara back to the present as Lottie gripped her hand. “Please help him, he won’t look at me,” Lottie begged as she tried to control her tears. “Let’s take a look,” and Klara wiped Lottie’s tears away.
Wolfgang mumbled in a distressed sleep. Klara examined the wound, the veins had shrunk closer to where the bullet had entered, but the infection was still rife in his body.
We need medicine. Klara thought once she removed the bullet, it would have healed. The bullet must be laced with poison, she kept the thought to herself to shield Lottie from further pain. Klara reached for her bag, hoping for medicine. Arthur stayed with Kharon surrounded by heaps of silver and gold. Lottie kept close to Klara to avoid the littering of silver that were sure to burn her Lycaon skin.
Lilith, please tell me you packed medicine. Klara rummaged under the spare clothes and then she felt it, a small spider’s jar. Praise Lucifer, this will seal the wound, and the thread will remove any impurities.
“Will he be ok?” Lottie choked out. Klara removed the cork and allowed the spider to crawl on to her fingers.
“This should help him feel much better,” she said, and Lottie wrapped her arms around her small frame.
“What about the Bright Lady?” Lottie mumbled through tears, and Klara looked on in confusion. “What Lady?”
“The Lady that helped us in the Forest, she came through the flames…” Lottie’s words were broken as she cried. Klara looked to Wolfgang whose eyes were suddenly alert.
“Was it Lilith?” Klara asked Wolfgang, who shook his head slowly. “There wasn’t any Lady, she was in shock,” Wolfgang said, gritting his teeth in agony.
Lilith was dead, she couldn’t have helped them. Lottie pouted at her brother’s harsh tone.
“I’m not lying!” Lottie pan
ted through her tears.
“Be quiet Lottie,” Wolfgang muttered.
“Enough, let’s get you patched up and then we can all argue about who saw what.”
Lottie pouted as the spider dangled from Klara’s fingers and onto Wolfgang’s abdomen. Klara needed him to relax and for Lottie to stop crying. “See this,” she said to Lottie. Curiosity stopped her sobs and Lottie scooted closer. Back and forth, the spider wove its web, “this will help more than any Bright Lady.” Lottie nodded slowly, her blonde fringe dangling over her reddened eyes.
The red veins began to constrict, “Lilith must have laced the spider with an advanced healing spell.” Wolfgang’s hand clutched Klara’s painfully. He had passed out again and was clearly in the fits of a nightmare.
“Lottie is safe,” Klara said, trying to soften her tone. She had never cared for someone before, healed them. He loosened his grip on her hand and moved them to his chest. Klara couldn’t move, she was too afraid of disturbing him. Moving will slow the healing process, at least that’s what Klara told herself.
The night wore on, and their clothes became damp from the splashing River. Klara took her bag from her side and placed it under Wolfgang’s head, offering him little comfort.
“Is that good? Lottie asked, watching her brother’s complexion brighten once again. Spiders’ thread is good but not this good even with an advanced spell. “He is healing, but we should let him get some rest.”
Lottie slumped into Klara’s side, surprising her. Klara wasn’t used to all this touching, why were Lycaons so intent on contact?
Klara didn’t know what Lottie needed, so she wrapped her arm around Lottie’s small frame and allowed her to sleep against her.
“Family looks good on you,” Arthur whispered, sitting on the edge of the longboat. “Shut it, or you’ll be in the drink,” Klara hissed, and yet she didn’t move Lottie from her side or Wolfgang’s hand from hers.
◆◆◆
“I suppose I owe you now,” Wolfgang said his eyes masked by his fallen hair. “You look better,” Klara said, and Wolfgang pulled himself slowly upright. “I mean, you look less dead.”
“I’ll take it,” Wolfgang said.
Klara noticed that Arthur remained close to Kharon. Death’s Deliverer and a soul, will Kharon let Arthur off the boat? The thought had only dawned on her. Arthur didn’t belong on this plane anymore; only his sentence kept him here. Would he want to pass over? Klara didn’t know where he would end up. To have your soul destroyed meant an endless sleep. After years of servitude, maybe Arthur would want that. Klara pushed the thought aside.
“Where are we?” Wolfgang asked, pulling his hair back away from his face, and they came to a fork in the River created by a magnificent cliff chasm. Klara pointed to the right side, “See that reflection, like a sheet of glass. It’s where the Humans pass from their world to ours.”
“And them?” His voice dropped, looking at the distorted souls in the water, unable to enter the pass, Doomed to circulate. Distorted faces and sleeping souls floated in the black ink.
“Those who couldn’t pay the price of passage to the next life,” Kharon interrupted, and Wolfgang paled again.
“What happens to them?” Lottie asked as she squeezed between Klara and Wolfgang. Lottie leant over the edge for a closer look.
Both Wolfgang and Klara reached for Lottie to stop her from falling in. “The souls are plucked,” Klara started but Wolfgang interrupted.
“When you’re older, I’ll tell you more,” Wolfgang said. Klara hadn’t considered Lottie was too young to learn about souls forced into servitude.
“I’m not little anymore, I want to know where they go,” Lottie’s brow creased.
“They will work in Malum until they can pay the toll,” Klara simplified, and Lottie rolled her eyes. A trait she shared with her brother before she got up to sit with her unicorn bag.
“She is only seven, she still thinks we all go to Heaven,” Wolfgang said, and Klara looked at the chasm separating the River. “When I was her age, I thought we all went to Hell.” Klara was surprised by Wolfgang’s laughter, and she couldn’t help joining in.
It was a devastating omission, and yet she told him. Trusting him is a risk, Klara thought, looking at his improving complexion. It would have been much easier to hate him if he had the face of an Ogre. Would Frendall look at someone the way he had once looked at her? No.
Klara stopped herself from thinking of the Commander.
“You should get some sleep, it shouldn’t be long now,” Klara told him, and his eyes lingered on her. “I think you need it more than I do,” Wolfgang said before going to lay beside his sister.
~13~
“Klara.” The sound of her name caused her to reach out but instead of the wooden rim of the boat she found cold marble. Klara flexed her jaw as the sudden rise in heat prickled her skin. “Arthur? Lottie?” She called, trying to stand as her vision blurred, “Wolfgang?”
Her name echoed around her once again. Gone was the rocking of the longboat. The darkness surrounding her was only interrupted by a rush of flames in the corner of her Father’s throne room. Panic ripped through her. Klara didn’t know if it was the stifling heat or her racing heart, making her sweat.
“Listen to me! We don’t have long.” The whisper floated around her as the chandeliers lit and Klara stood on shaky legs. This isn’t possible, Klara looked at her translucent hands and sighed in relief. She was a projection. Her Father had summoned her soul. Klara’s body was still on the longboat with the others at least she hoped it was.
“Father?” Klara called as a circle of candles caged her. Looking for the King, she saw the maroon liquid pooled at the steps to the King’s throne. Her stomach dropped, knowing what her Father had done. The only way to summon a soul was to sacrifice another. Another life lost because of me. Klara suppressed the rage coiling inside her.
“You have betrayed me daughter.” Klara’s eyes followed the voice to the lifeless body lying at the base of the King’s throne. “Betray you? I’m hunted by the very Queens’ you sent to protect me.”
Lucifer leant his elbows on his knees, his face drawn, and his eyes rimmed with dark circles.
“They told me about your plan to leave.” The King banged his fist against the throne, and the room shook, but Klara felt a sense of ease knowing he couldn’t harm her in a projection.
“My own flesh wants to leave for Kalos. Those filthy Faes, you think them better than us!” His voice dripped with contempt for those on the other side of the River.
“Yes, I do. I never asked to rule Malum or Hell. All it means is waiting for Abadan to take my head. I would rather be in exile.” The King’s eyes flashed red. “You have responsibilities!”
“What of your responsibilities? Abadan is tearing Malum apart as we speak. And yet you sit here wailing about me.” A long silence fell between them.
Klara bowed her head, trying to extinguish his rage. “Eve and Abadan are vying for your throne. They wish to put their children in your place. Maybe Eve wants the Forest, but I can be damn sure Abadan wants Hell. You damned me the moment you said you wished to retire to play with Humans.”
“I’m the King. How dare you dictate to me!”
“Then act like the King!” Her roar tore through her throat.
“Nonsense...” Lucifer scoffed flaring his nostrils. “Those children are mere soldiers. I would never allow their ascension.” The King paced in front of his throne, “You are of me,” Lucifer pointed at her.
“Think, you have been distracted by your desire to leave. Abadan has gained traction with the Demons, has her own private army at the ready. The Lycaons are eradicated and Eve is but a puppet.”
“Abadan warned me about your venomous words.” Klara had to break his heart to get him to see the truth. “Lilith is dead. Ripped apart on Abadan’s orders. Your General got me out before Abadan could take my head for having a simple Human possession.”
“Why would you hold such
an object?”
“Like Father, like daughter,” Klara scoffed, and he straightened his stance.
Lucifer disappeared from her vision in a flash.
“Did you kill Lilith? I saw how she helped you escape,” His voice echoed off the high ceiling.
How would he know Lilith had aided me? A spy in Abadan’s army must be feeding him information.
Klara’s eyes darted around the room, trying to find him. She watched the candles flicker as a hand wrapped around her throat. His fingers tightened just enough to scare her into answering him.
“I know how much Lilith meant to you, I would never hurt you, but Abadan will never let me rule. You wish Mila and Frendall to be my advisors. I wouldn’t last a century with the High Queen in Malum and her puppets in Hell.” Her Father’s eyes returned to normal, and he dropped his hand, knowing it was useless.
“I can’t agree with you, it was discussed at length. You were to take the throne from Abadan, and she was to return to Hell.”
Klara’s hand went to her throat, she wished he had tried to harm her because it would have snapped her soul back into her body.
“Abadan would never give up her position to return to an advisory role.”
“I can’t believe it, where are Lilith’s remains?” Lucifer’s hand went to the table in front of the fire, and he lifted the whiskey decanter. Klara knew precisely where Lilith was, torn apart and rotting in the tunnels beneath the Castle. “The escape tunnel in the Castle, that’s where they took her down.”
Lucifer shook his head in disbelief, bringing his glass to his lips. “Have you heard from Lilith? Or just Abadan?” Klara knew Abadan wouldn’t trust Eve not to tell the King everything. Eve was the only queen who had ever been in love with the King.
The corner of the King’s mouth shook, “Lilith is dead,” Lucifer said softly, and she could see the pain in his eyes. “Lilith protected me then ran straight into a hoard of Hounds so I could escape. I was dead whether I had stayed or left.”
Pity filled his eyes, “You could have come to me.”
“And would you have believed me?”
Crowned A Traitor: A Hellish Fairytale Page 17
