Chapter 23
As soon as I was outside, I opened my wings and leaped into air. I soared over the city looking down at the twinkling lights that lit the streets. The wind washed over me, it was so exhilarating that I could not help but giggle. I looked around and spotted a few guards posted around the perimeter but they never bothered to look up to notice me.
I brought myself down at the opening to the tunnel that led to the surface. I remembered that it had taking Brokk hours to bring me through it when I first came to Petrona, so the queen could not have gotten far.
I started running through the tunnel as fast as I could but I feared that I would not have the endurance to keep up such a pace for very long. I tried to extend my wings, they were able to open fully but there was not a lot of room for error. If I was not careful, I would damage them on the sharp rocky walls. I tried pushing them straight out and that helped a little.
I carefully picked myself up and flew. I bobbed around a little at first and that made me a bit nervous, but soon I had gotten the hang of it. I pointed my body like an arrow. I felt like superman as I held out my arms, willing myself to go faster.
The slick inky floor of the tunnel soared past me in a blur. The smell of the damp stale air filled my nose. My sinuses burned from it, but I pressed on.
I slowed myself after traveling for at least twenty minutes. Surely, I was getting close by now. I listened carefully for the sounds of footsteps or whispers. I thought that I heard the sound of something moving up ahead, so I landed onto my feet. I walked at a quick pace, trying as hard as possible not to make too much noise and draw attention to myself just yet.
I peered ahead and could just make out the silhouettes of the guard. I froze and moved against the wall. I took a moment to pull myself together. Now that I had found them, what was I going to do?
I stepped out from the wall and closed my eyes. I called to Demi, the earth spirit and soon felt the ground under my feet begin to rumble. I heard screaming from up ahead as a large mound of earth and rock rose up from the floor, blocking their escape.
I stood in the center of the tunnel as Lilith and her guardsman began to run back towards me. They stopped when they finally noticed me standing there.
“You insolent child!” Lilith screamed as she moved to close the gap between us. “How dare you show your face here! I should have finished you when I had the chance!”
“That is quite enough.” I said in the most stern voice that I could muster. “Your time here is over. You may have been able to manipulate my parents into giving up their kingdom, but I am not as easily fooled.”
She stared at me for a moment and then let out a loud booming laugh that echoed throughout the tunnel. “Guards! Get her!” She called.
Several of the guards rushed toward me. I help my palm out to them and called Erion to push them back. They were frozen in their tracks as they fought against the wind to carry themselves forward.
“Give it up Lilith!” I yelled. “You are no queen! Nor have you ever been! You are barely even Fae. You have even lost your fairy magic. You are pathetic and your tyranny ends today!”
She moved toward me and I pulled out my sword. Her eyes grew large in surprise. “Faylinn’s sword! Where did you get that?” She cried.
I took my stance, holding the sword up and ready to strike. She reached her arm out and one of the guards handed her a sword of her own. I stepped out before she had time to strike and swung, but she was fast. She deflected my blow with ease. I came right back at her with another.
I spun around hard and swung my sword out in front of me. She was able to block my sword with hers but my force sent her stumbling backwards. It only took a moment for her to regain her balance and she came at me again with a vengeance.
We fought until I felt like I would not be able to raise the sword again. My arms burned from fatigue and I was panting for breath. Each swing of my blade was met blow for blow. I had to end this.
I raised my sword, swung with all of my might, and came down hard across her blade slicing it in half. The sound of metal clanking across the floor echoed all around us. I looked up to see a large pool of blood spreading across her chest.
Lilith looked down at her cut, and raised her hand to cover her chest. Her eyes were frantic and she yelled for one of her guards. I asked Erion to release the wind and allowed them to come to her. The others just stood their ground watching the scene.
I called to Demi and opened the exit to the surface.
“Take her now and do not return.” I said to the guard kneeling at Lilith’s side. He lifted her up and carried her into the darkness. I watched them until they were completely out of site.
I turned to the remaining soldiers. “If you choose to continue to follow Lilith then you may go, but if you wish to serve me you are welcome to stay.”
They all stared at me for a few seconds and slowly, one by one they stepped in the direction of Petrona.
I called to the sprits one last time and closed the exit once again with large boulders. If Lilith survived, I did not want her to return.
I followed the soldiers back to Petrona.
I stepped into a city that was just beginning to stir with life. The merchants were preparing to open their shops, and I could smell the scent of delicious bacon and biscuits cooking.
The citizens stopped to stare as I was escorted to the palace. I nodded my head at each of them as I passed.
In the palace, I found Jenna and Tuck lounging on the sofas in the living area.
“What is this all about?” I asked in shock.
“Brokk has everything under control.” Tuck answered, nodding toward the back of the house.
“I hope so.” I said as I rushed to find him.
Brokk was standing outside in the garden behind the huge glass windows of the dining room. He had the guardsman all line up in neat little rows and he paced back and forth in front of them. I watched as the guards who escorted me back joined the ranks. One of them spoke and then Brokk turned to look at me.
Comprehension showed briefly on his face as he realized that I was back and what that could have meant. I instantly ran for the door and before I knew it, he was inside the hall and wrapping his arms around me. He lifted me up by my waist and slowly spun me around.
“Callie, you are okay.”
“I am.” I said quietly and he bent his head forward and kissed me deeply. My reactions to his kisses began to get more and more intense. When his lips met mine, I felt my entire body shudder from my head down to my toes. I deepened the kiss and pulled him closer.
I am not sure who pulled away first, but we both stood staring breathless into each other’s eyes.
“Is it over?” He asked.
“I doubt that it will ever be over, but she is gone.”
“You didn’t kill her?” He asked in astonishment.
“No, I only wounded her. Then I banished her to the surface and sealed the tunnel. Hopefully, that will be enough.”
“I hope so too.”
That evening we held a small celebration in the palace. We ate heartily and laughed until our sides ached. The housekeepers prepared a room for each of us to sleep, I refused to sleep in the queen’s chambers until it had been completely stripped of any trace of Lilith. That goes for the rest of the house as well. No more stark, white everything.
Bree volunteered to take on the task of redecorating. After Brokk had gotten things under control, he had released her from my room. It turned out that she was his little sister and that the queen demoted her to servant after my parents left. No wonder she was so bitter.
The commander of the Guard called the citizens together and introduced me as their new queen. Most seemed to cheer, but not all. I would have to prove myself in the future to them. In addition, I would have to be careful with who to trust.
The next day was filled with the task of creating a council and reorganizing the political side of the monarchy. I insisted that elections be held so that the people could appoint those that they trusted to the various positions.
Brokk stayed on in the palace but he chose a room on a different wing than mine to give me some space. We ate every meal together and spent most evenings in each other’s company either reading or walking in the garden.
It’s funny that my parents had chosen him for me when I was just a baby, but somehow it felt as if he was made for me and I was made for him. I easily forgave him for the past few weeks, admitting that I had over reacted. In addition, I began to trust him again.
He took over as the head of the guard and handled himself quite well. He would make a great King someday.
Tuck and Jenna stayed on as my assistants. They found a small house in the city and were quite content.
I had not heard anymore from Lilith, but I knew that it was only a matter of time until she resurfaced. There is no way that she would give up that easily.
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