The Queen's Court WATTPAD VERSION [Inter-Universal Protectors: Prelude 2]

12

"When was the last time we saw each other?"

Amneris shrugged. "Two or so hundred years ago, I think."

"Right," Kek agreed. "We had dinner."

"You poisoned me."

"Among other things." He winked. "Is that why you've been avoiding me?"

She glanced down to the dagger in her hand. "Pretty much. I'm still pissed."

"A pity," he sighed. "You were gorgeous that night."

She gagged. 

"I'm not just talking about the dress."

Amneris cocked her head. "Were you dropped on your head as a baby?"

Festus laughed, only to be silenced by Kek. 

"The lightning is a cool trick," Amneris said, her gaze drifting to the sky again. "I've always found blue to be a nicer colour, though." In answer, her own power flared around them. Blue strikes danced with the red, some overtaking them entirely. She felt a smile tug at her lips.

Kek was beside her in an instant, taking her hand and kissing her palm. "Now, there's a sight I haven't seen in years," he murmured. "Such a cute smile. You should use it more often."

She ripped her hand from the man's grip and punched him square in the jaw. He spun to the ground, landing on his hands and knees, attempting to shake the pain from his face. Festus whistled his appreciation for her strike. Amneris didn't know what to make of that man. He seemed to be on no one's side than his own. 

Kek clambered to his feet. "Well, now that we have that sorted -" He drew his sword. "- Shall we become serious?" 

Amneris spread her arms with a sigh. "Go on. I'll give you a free shot."

Surprise crossed his features and he begun to lower his weapon. Festus, on the other hand, had no such trouble. He tore the sword from Kek's hand and plunged the blade through her heart. 

* * * * * * * * 

The woman was too fast! He could not catch her like this. He needed . . . He needed . . . He needed that horse!

Leonidas dashed toward a wooden fenced off area where several horses were grazing. One - a black stallion - looked up at him, ears faced forward. The horse was giving Leonidas his full attention as he ran towards him. Leonidas jumped the wooden fence and went to the horse. It begun sniffing him. Assessing him. 

The stallion deemed him worthy.

Leonidas clambered onto the horse, suddenly glad for the many lessons done bare-back. He grasped the stallions midnight mane. It reared, trotting once around the fence-line once before breaking into a gallop. Leonidas held tighter as the horse jumped the fence. He thought he would fly over its head but, somehow, he held on. It took off faster than before, now free of the cage it had been held in. The stallion moved faster with each second that passed.

"Come on, boy!" he urged it. "Come on!"

The stallion listened, moving as fast as its four legs would take it. Leonidas had never moved so fast in his life. It was exhilarating. 

Three figures up ahead caught his attention. Two men and a woman, by the look of their shapes. As he got closer, he recognized the woman as Amneris. This was where she ended up. What caught him off guard was the sight of Festus before her. He was alongside another man, one Leonidas did not recognize.

The man pulled a sword from his spine, holding it towards the woman. Strangely, Amneris spread her arms and he begun to lower the blade.

Leonidas pulled the horse to a stop and slide to the ground from its back . . .

At the exact same moment Festus thrust the blade through Amneris. 

Leonidas stopped in his tracks. He could see the end of the blade from where he was standing behind the woman. It had gone straight through her! There was no way she would have survived that. He found himself frozen in place as she swayed, gold spilling down the back of her stola. Then something very unexpected happened.

The woman pulled the sword from herself and held it before her, the gold-covered blade pointed towards the two men as she said, "Is that really the best you can do?"