Titled and Untitled | completed

Chapter Eight: So Much for Safe

"Excuse me?" Serriel asked, raising his eyebrows. "I think you misspoke. You said Jenica was the princess?"

Matre sighed and replied, "I know what I said, Serriel. Jenica, you are the princess of Nareth and my sister. Zarafine is your and my cousin."

"Well," was all he could say. "That's great. Now my father is going to think we all made this up so I could marry her, and he'll have us charged with even more treachery than he is already going to!"

"You are in my home castle with my parents, Zarafine, the royal guard, and me to protect you! Why are you so worried about your father?" Matre asked.

"My father knows my past, and he could ruin my reputation in one sentence!"

"Serriel, you also know Zikylo's past and what he did to Yasmenne's sisters! He would never threaten you because he has full knowledge that you could crush him!"

Serriel contemplated this, and as he was opening his mouth to reply, a piercing shriek came from the throne room. With their heads snapping to attention, the six of them dashed down the hallway and into the room.

Zikylo was here.

Standing over Uriana's dead body with a bloodied sword in his hand, Zikylo appeared as if he were a serial killer. As Thave drew his sword to face Zikylo, Yasmenne and Mansie screamed at the tops of their lungs, providing a fatal distraction for Thave. "Matre, Stefan, Serriel!" Thave commanded. "Get out of here!"

With no hesitation, Zikylo buried his knife, hilt deep, into Thave's chest. Since Matre was frozen in anger, terror, and sadness, Stefan snatched the prince's sword off his belt, and Serriel brandished his own sword as well. "Come and get me, Serriel!" Zikylo cackled, dashing off down the other hallway.

Immediately, Serriel sprinted over to the door, but Stefan caught his arm before he could exit the room. "Stefan! What are you doing? Let me go!" he yelled, twisting in his grip.

"Serriel, if you go alone, he will kill you," Stefan said stonily. "I'm going with you."

"You'll just get yourself killed! This is my fight! Stay here, and take care of Jenica for me."

"I'm sorry, but I can't do that. Matre's here; he can take care of the girls for us, but I'm not going to let you die."

Serriel icily stared Stefan down, but Stefan's gaze didn't falter either. "Okay, my bodyguard," Serriel said mockingly, "you can help me."

"Don't call me your bodyguard; call me your brother. I'll be just that in a few weeks," Stefan replied with optimism. Serriel huffed, turned on his heel, and raced down the hallway, Stefan on his heels.

********

Go get him, Mansie thought, as Serriel and Stefan sprinted out of the throne room after the insane king.

There was nothing that Mansie or even Yasmenne could do to soothe Matre. He was crouched over his father's and mother's dead bodies that were in a heap on the floor, sobbing uncontrollably. In an effort to get him to calm down, Mansie held him the best she could, stroking his hair and murmuring sweet words in his ear, while Yasmenne rubbed his back. "Matre, you're going to be okay," Mansie whispered, hating Zikylo even more than she though she already did for causing her fiancé this much pain.

She felt him nod his head against her shoulder and reply, "I know." Matre lifted his head off her shoulder and sucked in a deep breath, attempting to compose himself. He opened his mouth to tell Mansie something, and then Tyaaren royal guards burst into the room.

"Royal guards of Tyaaren, what is your business in Nareth?" Yasmenne asked.

"We were ordered by King Zikylo and Queen Rayena Tirakini to arrest Serriel Tirakini, Natai Datrise, and the four of you for treason against the royal family. I am deeply sorry, Princess," the guard replied.