Page 51 of The Magic of Eternity
“Can we get out there now?” I was antsy and I couldn’t stay in this room for another second. I needed eyes on them, needed to see what we were up against. Plus, I really wanted to hear what kind of bullshit Asrael was going to try and spew. Both of my mates nodded, just as ready as I was.
Kai opened the door and we found Joris, waiting eagerly for instructions. “You can come with us,” I told him. “Which way will lead us to the courtyard?”
“Follow me.” We followed Joris, taking a couple turns before we came to a large open archway that led directly to a small garden area in the corner of the courtyard. There were already so many demons here. There was an uneasy edge to the air. People were tense. Whether that was because of the heaviness of the situation, an execution of three men, or because they were on our side and were preparing for a battle that might kill them, I wasn’t sure.
Whatever the reason, the air was thick with it, and it was hard to take a full breath. I hadn’t had time to find a wig or something to disguise my hair, but luckily it did look different. It was a good deal shorter than it was before I cut it off to escape Asrael. Standing here in the back, I felt safer knowing there was a chance he might not recognize me from such a distance.
It was officially dawn now, and it was at that moment that the beating of the drums sped up. They were pounding so loudly now that I could feel the bass in my toes. The crowd shifted slightly, giving me a direct line of sight to the platform, and it felt like all of the air in my lungs rushed out of me.
Khol and Faris looked terrible. It was obvious that they hadn’t been held in the best of conditions. Bram, by far, looked the best, and I assumed that that was just because of his royal status. All three of them had scraggly beards and wild hair. Their hands were bound as they stood side by side. Khol’s expression was absolutely murderous—I’d never seen him look like that before. I bet that was what he’d looked like back when he was a warrior for King Thane.
Bram had a mask of indifference on, even his eyes looking void of feeling. Faris was fidgeting, shifting on his feet, twisting his fingers. And was he... I looked closer.Okay, yes. He’s snapping and snarling at people. Oh moon maidens, this is not good.I could see his fangs, which made me wonder if he had his super speed power. He must not though, because there’s no way he would just be standing there if he did.
Kai and Sloane stood on either side of me, and when I heard Sloane’s soft chuckle, I looked over to see a tiny flame on each of his fingertips on his left hand.
Suddenly, the drums cut off, the last powerful sounds echoing around the courtyard before they drifted off into nothingness. Silence fell across the crowd. There were two enormous doors in the back of the courtyard that were suddenly opening up, and a line of guards marched in. One of them called out, “King Asrael, King of Besmet.”
And then there he was, striding through those doors, the most narcissistic, posturing psycho that I’d ever met. He was dressed impeccably in his king’s regalia. Sharp, black pants with tall boots, all of which had gold trim. He wore a cape that was a deep blue with gold accents that flailed out behind him as he walked.
Everybody was starting to kneel for the king. I gritted my teeth together, realizing that I was going to have to comply. Otherwise, I would stand out and that was the last thing I needed. Kneeling as a pregnant woman should be banned.Forcing pregnant women to kneel should be an act that would earn you severe punishment. If I were truly a queen, that would be rule number one. Fuck the patriarchy and their ability to piss wherever, and never worrying about how they’ll get their big freaking asse—
My ragey thoughts were interrupted when thankfully, my mates each gripped my waist and helped me lower myself. I hadn’t had any time at all to adjust to this new body. My center of gravity was all fucked up, and I was really tired of peeing my pants a tiny bit every time I did anything physical—sneezing, coughing, laughing, walking, it didn’t matter. They were just gonna have to start calling me Saige, piss pants witch. I guess it came with the territory.
Everyone in attendance sank to their knees as Asrael waltzed up to the platform like the king he pretended he was. It was nauseating to have to be down here on my knees. I never thought I would be in this position, bowing down to this evil demon who had completely fucked up my simple, perfectly normal existence. Well, I guess it wasn’t actually all that simple or normal, not knowing what I knew now. That I’d been essentially tethered to Emerald Lakes by my evil ass mother.Gods, is this rage part of being pregnant? I’m not an angry person!
All too soon, Asrael was in front of the three men who meant so much to me. He held both hands in the air, looking every bit the pompous, narcissistic fuck that he was. He signaled, giving everybody permission to rise from their knees. Like he was a god. He was about to learn just how ungodly he was.
Sloane and Kai basically lifted me off the ground, and I didn’t have any objections to that. My right knee was already smarting from the stone ground that it’d been digging into.
I was glad I’d taken the vaccine because truly, there was no way that I could let them go into this fight alone, not when I had power that was arguably stronger than anybody else’s here. I wished I’d had more time to practice and fully gauge the limits of my magic. I made a promise to myself right then and there that when this was over, I wanted Khol and my mates to train me to be able to use my power to its full extent. What good was all of this magic if I didn’t know how to wield it properly?
“People of Besmet, I welcome you this morning. We are all here today to bear witness to justice being meted out against these three criminals. They are traitors to the crown, and traitors will not be tolerated within my kingdom.” There was a mixture of cheers and whispers that dispersed through the crowd. Asrael paused, giving the people a chance for his words to sink in. This was nothing but a production to him. He was manipulative enough to use every trick he had. “This is not the way I hoped I would begin my rule. My nephew and I could have made a great team. But he wants nothing to do with me. He would rather die than see our great realm enter its best years ever, thanks to me.” This time, the booing and the jeers took over the whispering and the cheering.
The booing quickly died down, but I scanned the crowd nervously because it seemed like nearly everyone had participated in it. Hopefully, that was just all for show and we weren’t really that outnumbered. Asrael began spewing more bullshit about how awesome he was, and how much of a dick Bram was. To be honest, I tuned it all out. I found I actually didn’t give a shit what he had to say after all. I’d wanted to get out here, and now his voice was making me nauseous.
Trying to refocus, I couldn’t help but search through the crowd, looking for Cam and Fischer, but I didn’t find them anywhere. That didn’t surprise me, because if I could find them, then I’m sure Asrael and his guards would be able to find them too.
The skin at the back of my neck prickled with awareness—somebody was watching me. Glancing to my right, I met a pair of cold blue eyes. His hair was light blond, and his appearance was striking, if not slightly intimidating. He was every bit as tall as Cam, but slightly leaner. His cheekbones were high on his face, leading to a prominent nose that I’m sure when he was younger, probably looked too large for his face.
Clapping broke out around us, and my eyes were still locked with this stranger. It was a strange connection. It was almost as though I knew him on some level. My eyes dropped to his hand at his hip. He was clutching something.Is that a mask?Before I got a chance to further evaluate that, I heard Kai mutter a curse under his breath. Just before I broke my stare with the blond demon, he winked at me, flashing a grin that was much too sinister to be confused with playful.
“What is it?” I said to Kai.
“Didn’t you hear what he just said?” Sloane whispered.
“Uhhhhh,” I stammered, “Um, well, no.” They both gaped at me, like‘how the hell are you not listening to what this man is saying when he holds our future in his hands?!’ “What did he say?”
“He said that he’s going to start with Bram. The punishment is beheading.”
I’d never know for sure if that was really the moment that the vaccine kicked in, or if it was simply my heart exploding within my chest, unable to take any more abuse from men who thought they could push me around and change my life without my consent. All I knew is that I was fucking done.
Instead of my knees going weak, I felt them stiffening. Instead of my hands shaking in fear at the thought of losing Bram, they clenched into fists. I wanted to scream. I wanted to fight. I didn’t respond to Sloane or Kai. Instead, I turned to look up at the platform.
Two of Asrael’s guards were carrying a large wooden stump. A third trailed behind them with a massive axe. The magic in my body started making its reappearance at a low simmer. The sight of that stump and that weapon quickly turned the simmer up to a slow boil. Khol and Faris were raging against their restraints, but couldn’t break free; they’d been secured too tightly. A group of guards was working on releasing Bram just enough for him to walk over to where they’d unceremoniously dropped the stump. Asrael was parading around on the platform, trying to hype up the crowd. It was sickening. I could feel tiny sparks of magic at my fingertips, like little jolts of electricity, as it begged to be unleashed.
Soon, but not yet.As Bram was brought over to where the execution was to happen, Asrael stepped up before him. “Do you have any last words, nephew?” he taunted. I could see Bram’s upper lip lifting at the blatant disrespect.
I knew that if he could, he would rip the other demon’s head off within seconds. His magic was still being contained, and he wouldn’t be free until either Asrael was dead, or one of us was able to get him a vaccine.
