The Rose Revolution (working title)

Chapter Five - Rennard

The room is completely silent as we watch Mother, twitching and convulsing on the throne before going still, yet the steady rise and fall of her chest indicate she's still very much alive.

So many thoughts are swirling through my brain at all these events that I can't keep up with any of them. Clearly the Princesses did not kill my mother just now, but what did they do? Why did Calyx look so pleased with herself, so excited?

"Are you alright?" Ravina whispers beside me, just as shaken as I am by what has transpired. I squeeze her hand and nod in response, but our eyes quickly turn back to Mother as she rises, wobbling slightly.

She looks confused at first, holding her hands up in front of her face and studying them. "What the ... " Then, as she turns to look at the back of her hand, I see them on her palms.

Runes.

She tucks back the sleeves of her dress and I see that they extend down her arms, emitting a faint yet noticeable glow. She looks horrified at first, but then a look of understanding crosses her face.

"No ... " Ravina breathes beside me.

What happens next is quick.

My mother holds both her arms out to her sides, and the guards stationed on either side of the room stiffen, then rise from the floor, writhing in fear. Mother leaves them hanging there in mid-air for a moment, and then she curls her hands into fists.

The two guards crumple into dust, their armor becoming empty shells clanging to the floor.

A look of diabolical delight lights up Mother's eyes at her newfound power. Ravina immediately tugs at my sleeve. "We need to go. Now."

On instinct, Tylia holds her hands out to raise a magical barrier in front of the throne, barring Mother from crossing it. "I can't hold her for long, go!" she shouts at us.

I don't hesitate. Ravina gathers up her skirts and we both run as fast as we can out of the throne room, guards trailing behind us, overcome with terror.

"Need a little help?" an unfamiliar voice says, a deep timbre that makes my bones tremble. I look to my side as we run and see the boy from before, who I now know as Tylia's halfling son. He's grinning at us as he keeps the pace, and while we're already panting, physical exertion has absolutely no effect on him. He may as well be lounging lazily on a chaise.

"What do you mean? We have to keep running," Ravina pants on my other side, and I can tell she hates the fact that she had to wear her very inconvenient garment now of all times.

"I have a better idea," the boy says, then puts himself between the two of us and takes both of our hands. "Hold on tight."

He turns us to the side so that we're facing a window. He bends his knees just slightly, and while still keeping tight hold of our hands, he jumps.

Ravina and I can only scream as the window bursts open, broken glass flying all around us but miraculously don't even come close to making contact. We are suspended in the air for a split second before we start hurtling through the ground. I close my eyes and continue to scream, waiting for my inevitable end. In my panic, I still hear the boy let out a whistle, as if he's calling out to his mount.

The impact of the ground does not come, and instead we land on soft furs, in a sitting position. I feel the warmth of the boy in front of me, and Ravina clutching my shoulders tightly from behind. I dare to open my eyes, and the castle stretches out before me as we fly through the air. I see the giant whale-like creature from before, still floating beside the castle.

"Say hello to Safira," the boy says loudly to us with a grin.

The creature carrying us lets out a roar that spreads shivers through my body. I finally calm myself down enough to examine it. Its body is like that of a lion's, however its skin is a dark, midnight blue and covered in iridescent furs of a slightly lighter shade. I lean my head to the side slightly and see razor-sharp talons at the end of its legs, and the creature's head is similar to a panther, though I notice two horns protruding from the top of it. Its eyes are unnervingly humanoid, the colors shifting and glimmering in a manner not unlike the way the faeries' wings do. This creature also has dark wings of its own, large and powerful, beating at its sides.