The Luna Sage

Chapter Thirteen: The Royals

The sound of music and chattering erupted through the tunnel as I entered, Shadowwalker slowing at the door that had been closed over the tunnel.
Adam stood with his arms crossed and staring at me with a hard expression.
He looked between me and the unicorn I mounted, his eyes flashing with silver.
He met Shadowwalkers eye and let his arms drop to his side.
"You have my Luna." He said through gritted teeth.
Shadowwalker huffed at him, taking a step back and shaking his head. Adam stepped forward and grabbed the metal reins, pulling the mighty beast down so they were looking eye to eye.
"Listen here, Horse Prince." He said in a deadly, steady tone. "Give me my Luna, or I'll end your line."
"Adam!" I gasped, Adam ignored me, glaring only at the Unicorn.
Shadowwalker huffed again, but he turned his side to Adam, letting the Alpha King reach up and pull me down gently.
He looked at me, taking a moment to run his hands across my head and body, checking for injuries.
I let him, relishing in the feeling of his touch and how it soothed the ache of my body.
"I couldn't find you, I was worried." He grunted, setting me with his silver eyes.
"I had a bit of an experience in the Witches home." I said quietly, feeling his anger and worry through our bond.
He looked at Shadowwalker.
"I see that." He looked back at me. "Do you understand what he is?"
"He's a Unicorn."
"He's the Unicorn Prince." Adam cut me off. "It had been rumoured he'd arrived a few weeks ago."
"So?" I asked, unsure what he was saying.
"He's trying to tell you," a voice suddenly said behind us from the Witches domain.
I turned seeing a figure I recognised.
"Black Unicorns are only designed for Mother's children." The Ethereal said, stepping closer and the tunnel lighting up by the glow that emanated from under the thick cloak.
Adam bowed his head, making me follow suit as the Ethereal Heigel stepped forward, stopping a few feet away.
"It's nice to meet you, little sister." Heigel smiled at me, reaching out a glowing hand to lift my chin to meet her shimmering green eyes.
"Little sister?" I whispered, confused.
Heigel rolled her eyes, chuckling.
"All will be revealed, soon." She tapped her finger on my nose, sending a blast of magic through my body.
The shorts and shirt I wore vanished, being replaced by a flowing opalescent gown, my hair flushed once against with the stain of magic and silver.
She looked over my appearance and nodded before waving her hand over Adam and I.
I felt the pulse of magic and found myself standing in front of the Witch throne, Adam and Heigel either side of me.
Shadowwalker joined us from the tunnel, climbing the stairs easily and I heard the door below close with magic.
The Kioren dancers and flute players who occupied the floor ran through their tunnel, one of them squeaking in fear.
I took a shaky breath looking across the faces of the Royals who had gathered.
One of them stood, seeming frozen in place and setting me with a gaze of hatred.
It was the Gorgon King, Borzet. A large green man with hulking features and a prominent underbite that showcased two large tusk like teeth that reached over his top lip.
His large, flat nose expanded with air and he opened his mouth to let out an angry yell.
I saw the Stain around him then, my magic doing its best to keep him frozen in place, flowing over the sea of ogres that stood below him on the stairs.
Their essences slowly dwindled until the Stain took hold, causing them all to start growling and acting wildly. Some banged their fists against the arena wall, others threw violent hand gestures towards me.
I sent a wave of controlling magic, trying to halt any movement, but I felt the Stain fight back with unknown magic.
Adam stepped forward, his throat shifting to send out a mighty, silencing roar. The Stain pulled back for a moment when King Borzet recoiled slightly.
Heigel stepped forward, pulling her hood off to show her Elven ears and large Pixie eyes, defining factors of the Fae Clan.
King Peter of the Fae sucked in an audible breath of surprise at her sight before he and his men bowed.
She looked across the other faces, receiving varied expressions but they all bowed their heads at the Ethereal.
She smiled sweetly.
"I am here, to oversee Witch Miranda's claim to the throne." Her voice echoed, drawing everyone's eyes to her. "Does anyone dispute this claim?"
Borzet snarled.
"Young meat doesn't look strong enough to be Queen." He sneered at me.
I felt anger flare and my magic responded, forcing the ogre of a King to drop to one knee.
"Coming from someone who carries the Stain like a badge of honour." I spat back.
His eyes widened in surprise.
"What is the Stain?" King Bryon called, I met his eye.
He was a large man with long brown hair tied back, he wore animal furs and thick winter boots, Helena sat beside him, smiling at me when I met her eye.
Bev stood up from her spot beside Adam's chair.
"It is a human infection designed for Clan. Using magic and our DNA to control us."
A few eyes flashed to me, King Peter and Queen Aramella of the Vians, watched me with a glaze of hatred.
"The Gorgon King saw fit to take advantage of such a disease. He and his men reek of the Stain." I said through gritted teeth, hatred and anger filling me painfully. Before I could stop my own magic, it pulsed violently and the King exploded.
His remains and blood raining down on his men before him.
They all remained silent, some looking back in horror at the blood and body parts that fell into the chair.
Some of the Royals looked at the empty throne in surprise, the Kioren King broke out into a sudden fit of laughter.
His feet and hands flailed excitedly and he clapped at me.
"I like the new Queen! I will support her." He stated with a large smile.
"The Western Tribe of Partos supports the new Witch Queen." King Byron announced, smiling at me. Helena wiggled her fingers in a wave.
I stifled a giggle, Adam watching me for a moment.
"The Northern Pack supports our Luna Queen." He gave me a small smile and I reached out to squeeze his hand.
"Of course you'll align yourself with her! You're bedding her!" The Vian Queen hissed as she rose in her seat.
Her large serpent body was wrapped around her throne, her rattlesnake tail vibrated loudly.
Adam replied with a vicious snarl and a silver glare at her.
She recoiled for a moment, her red and black diamond belly showing.
She crossed her arms and looked away annoyed.
I finally looked to the left of me, almost gasping in surprise at the Drakkon King, Viktor and his company.
Unlike the rest of the Royals with their Warriors filling the seats below, the stairs were taken over by a large blood-red dragon with obsidian eyes that watched me as it snoozed on the stone, its head just near its humans feet.
I felt an odd pulse of magic I knew from the Gorgon King's Stain.
I found myself stepping towards the dragon, wanting to get closer to its essence.
Seeming to understand my expression, the dragon rose its head to look at me, tilting it slightly to give me a curious look, its essence puffing up around it excitedly.
I stared wide-eyed at the beast, unsure how to react when he leant his enormous head down and pressed his cold-scaled cheek against my own.
I felt a mind-link form at the touch.
Hello, little Witch.
I smiled, realisation setting in as I looked at the human on the throne, his essence non-existant and his expression blank and bored.
Like a Doppelganger spell.
Hello, King Viktor. I replied, feeling the flow of shared magic between us. It made sense to me now why there wasn't much documented about the Drakkon, they were said to be dragon-riders.
I chuckled slightly, wondering if the rest of the Royals knew.
We broke our link and bowed at each other, the human turning to me and showing a smile and nodding at me before I returned to Adam.
He shook his head, rolling his eyes playfully and pulling me to sit on the throne, Heigel and him taking their place either side of me with Shadowwalker behind me.
"How does this Queen suggest we deal with the Stain?" King Peter asked in an annoyed tone that made me want to slap him.
I bit back my hatred and anger, forcing it to calm and pulled all my magic back until I saw some of the Royals relax.
The Xenian Queen looked at me and smiled.
"I think she has already shown how she will deal with it." She gestured lightly to the empty Gorgon throne. "I am not opposed to such methods. If the Drakkons are in, the Xenians will support you." She titled her head to share a look with King Viktor, the human nodding stiffly without a word. She smiled at me again and nodded.
We spent the next hour with Adam leading the conversation, discussing the need for all Clans to give their aid, finally King Peter and Queen Aramella agreed to help, even if it was in a small number of people.
We had an agreement they all signed, Ethereal Heigel summoning a parchment, placing it before every ruler to sign, including the Gorgon Kings second-in-command.
Adam and I signed it last, the paper pricking our skin to draw blood as we wrote.
She absorbed the paper in a blast of magic, smiling slightly before she looked at the Kioren King.
"I believe we interrupted your performance." She said, the small King chuckled and clapped his hands, the dancers and flute players running out of the tunnel to fill the arena with cheerful dancing and music.
Adam crouched beside me, capturing my lips when I turned to look at him.
I gasped a little in surprise, inhaling his intoxicating scent and returned the kiss.
He pulled back before we could get caught up, stroking my cheek with his thumb.
"I had a feeling you weren't a normal Witch." He smiled, making me blush and look away slightly.
"I didn't." I grumbled, casting a glance behind me to see Ethereal Heigel stroking Shadowwalker tenderly on the nose, whispering something to him with a smile.
Adam's chuckle drew my attention back to him, my brows pulling together.
"Why are you laughing?" I muttered, frowning.
He peppered the corner of my lips with kisses until I smiled.
"Because, I love you." He smiled at me, making my heart skip a beat.
I returned his smile, unable to stop myself.
"I love you, too." I said, rubbing my thumb against his cheek before I lightly tapped it, making his eyes widen and shake his head slightly.
"What was that for?" He asked, a smile fighting.
"You disrespect a Queen, it's a punishable offence." I shrugged, smiling at him playfully.
His eyes blazed with mischief that smelt like Alpha, making me take a hard swallow.
"Oh, well if that's the case," he stood suddenly, pulling me off the chair and throwing me over his shoulder making me squeak.
The music halted for a second before everyone registered what was happening, they returned to what they were doing as Adam walked down the stairs and turned into the Witches domain, opening the door just enough to slip us in and closed it.
"What're we doing?" I finally asked as we crossed the stone bridge towards the manor.
"You said punishment is permitted. You made the King worry all day, so I'm punishing you." He said simply, opening the door and heading for the library, probably following my scent.
He pulled the door open and placed me on the closest sofa, caging me with his strong arms and kissing me so passionately I knew the Alpha was here to punish.
I let him, twice.
Until we finally moved upstairs, finding the master bedroom and curling up to sleep for the night, naked and exhausted.