“Masa, I need you to do something.”
“Of course, Za Za. Whatever you need,” they linked back.
“You need to transform and write a letter to Helora, the Princess of Qaria.”
“Why wouldn’t I just fly there and take your form and speak directly with them?”
“A letter would be better. I don’t want you to be captured, and given the time we’re in, I think they would capture to kill and ask questions later.”
“Fair point,” they conceded. “What would you like me to tell them?”
“Everything. Tell them Wecica is using Draelan captives to supplement their armies. Explain where we are currently and how many soldiers there are. If you can draw the layout, do that as well. Put emphasis on the location of where we are kept so when they attack hopefully they can avoid us.”
“Is that all?” They asked dryly.
I snorted, “Did I miss anything?”
(to be added to)
Ninou’s grip tightened on my arm as another lash of the whip sounded as it came down again on Tinis, a Draelean teenager. Tremors erupted through their body as they cried. I tried to pull away from Ninou, but his grip tightened to the point I knew I would have bruises in the morning. “Cad wouldn’t want you to interfere and put yourself at risk.”
I growled quietly, “Well he’s not here and I can’t continue to watch this.” Pain erupted from my arm as I ripped it from his grasp just as the Prince of Wecica, Rogeg, started to bring it down again. My arm reached out, effectively stopping the whip from hitting Tinis and wrapping around my forearm. I used all of my strength to forcefully pull the whip from the Prince’s hand. “That’s enough,” I yelled with every bit of dominance I could muster with Rukiya suppressed by the thin iron bracelets that adorned my wrists. The Wecican and Xidorian soldiers that were laughing as Tinis cried went stock still and silence fell that was only broken by the birds around us.
“Or what ‘Princess’?” Rogeg sneered after a moment.
Instead of answering, I kicked him hard in the chest, sending him stumbling backwards wildly flailing his arms. Two Wecican soldiers, acting fast on their feet, caught the Prince. “You fucking bitch you’ll pay for that.”
Iron cuffs came flying out of the crowd of soldiers. Before I could react, my body was thrown toward the pole Tinis was still chained to with the cuffs wrapped tightly around my wrists. The Prince ripped the whip from my hand. I fliched slightly as a knife sliced through my shirt, cutting me in the process. “Don’t hold back. I love it when you people scream,” he whispered into my ear before he bit my ear.
I growled but didn’t respond. I flinched as the whip tore into my back. My forehead rested against the pole and I closed my eyes, forcing my mind somewhere else, as the Prince continued.
I didn’t know how long he had gone before a growl behind me ripped me back to the present. “Scream, bitch!” He yelled as the whip came down on me again. “Scream!”
I began laughing, “Look how desperate you are little prince.” I turned my face slightly to look behind me at the enraged prince, “You’ll never hear my screams.” He brought the whip down, striking my face. I continued to laugh as blood dripped onto my shoulder from where he struck me. “Pathetic.”
He roared in anger, his dragon close to the surface. As he began to lose control, he fell to the ground earth pinning him where he stood, iron wrapping around his wrists. “What the f-“ He was cut short as Qarian warriors descended from the sky through the cloud bank.
I rubbed my wrists, free from the shackles and thin iron bracelets, Rukiya roared to life in my head. “Rukiya, can we safely take out all of the Wecican and Xidorian warriors?”
“Are we sparing the Prince?”
“Tinis and the young women he raped should be the ones to end him.”
A grunt was her only response. Lightning flowed from my arms and connected with the first warrior and then traveled to the next and the next. Rukiya came as close to the surface as she could without shifting as I called lightning down from the sky as well. In an instant, both battalions were dead.
(to be added to)
“Hello, my queen,” Cadalan said with a smug smirk on his face.
I growled loudly and pulled the sword from my belt, holding it to his throat. “You’ve been here, laughing and sharing wine with your people’s captor, and all you have to say is ‘hello, my queen’?” I push the sword against his skin, causing a prick of blood to wet the blade. “I’m not your queen. You’ll be lucky if I don’t kill you here with your buddy Maelour and take both of your kingdoms as my own.”
Cadalan had the audacity to grin at me. “What’s mine is yours, so by all means take it.”
“Who the fuck is this?” Maelour asked, looking at Cadalan.
“My betrothed, the former crowned princess of Qealan, as of three weeks ago.” He looked over at Maelour, giving him a smile but had murder in his eyes, “The same day humans from your kingdom kidnapped her.”
“Now you care?” I said to him in disbelief.
He looked back at me, all humor gone from his face, “My army is on the border, waiting for my order. I was hoping to get what I needed without using that force, however, had you not shown up, they were ready to attack.” Cadalan turned me to him as he stood over me. “You have no idea who or what I care about. Never mistake the facade I show the continent outside of Draeles for the truth.” I dropped the sword from his throat. “What the fuck happened to your face? I assume that wasn’t there before.”
He scowled at Ninou over my head. I sheathed my sword and pulled his face down so he was looking at me instead. “Don’t blame Ninou. Rogeg was going to kill Tinis if someone didn’t step in.”
Ninou and one other Draelean warrior threw Rogeg’s mutilated corpse at Cadalan and Maelour’s feet. “Ah, former Prince Rogeg. Looking a bit worse for wear,” Cadalan said.
“No!” Maelour roared, shifting before anyone could move. I screamed as his huge jaws latched onto my arm.
Author: Kailan Counahan 