Here Lies the Queen

Chapter 13

"No way," Hunter said. "Not a chance."
"She's the best chance we've got," Mel argued. "How long until he realizes Bella has no interest in him? Delilah has already been with him for ages. And she's pregnant. He would never suspect her."
"She's his whore," Hunter spat. "She'll probably go running back to him as soon as we tell her our plans."
"No, I won't." Delilah lifted her head and gazed at all of them. She couldn't be more than twenty. "I want to see him fall."
"We're not killing him," Bella said. "Just stealing his sword."
"Without his sword, he is nothing."
"If he finds out you helped us—"
"He won't." Delilah took a deep breath. "I will make a replica. When it's done, I'll slide it in and replace it. You just need to get him out of his room when it's done."
Hunter looked at Bella helplessly. "Bella, tell them they're being idiots."
"What do you think, Sanriel?" They all turned to her. She had been trying to shrink out of the argument to no avail.
She tapped her fingers against each other. "I think we should try it. If you get caught, you deny it was us."
Delilah bounced up and down. "I won't. Thank you." She rushed from the room.
Hunter groaned and leaned back on the bed. "I still think it's a mistake."
"It's not," Bella said, staring at the hallway. "She'll come through."
They spent the rest of the night going over their plans for the battle. The enemy was strong. The combined force of the Ice Kingdom and the scattered people of the Southern Seas would rain destruction on Vearus unless they got the allies they needed.
They debated asking Zenagon or Eudor for help. Bella convinced them Eudor was run by a child who preferred wrestling matches to ruling. Zenagon would rather start a war than help end it. However useful their soldiers and assassins would be, they wouldn't fight with them.
That left the Kingdom Guard and Hell. Renada was briefly considered, but at the sight of Mel's face, they dropped it. Cordelia would not survive around Mel. Bella said her family was currently persuading the Kingdom Guard to fight for them. But unless they came through, Vearus would fall.
They ended the planning when Sanriel fell asleep on the maps. The sun was beginning to filter through the windows, washing them in red. Mel escaped back to her room before anyone would notice her missing. Hunter decided to keep planning with Bella.
She didn't dare mention the sacrifice that had to be made. They poured over every book they could get their hands on. Some of the ones they found dated back to when the kingdoms first formed. Nothing from that helped, other than how to keep the peace. A little late for that.
Hunter stuffed the plans under her bed before they left to get breakfast. Sanriel was still snoring in bed when they left. Bella stopped a servant and told him under no circumstance was anyone allowed in. Sanriel was very sick with a very contagious illness. He turned green and said he would spread the word.
The king was waiting for them when they arrived. Delilah was standing beside him, wearing only a shawl wrapped around her. She kept her head lowered but winked at Bella.
"How'd you sleep?" he asked them as they sat. The other chairs were empty. Hunter's siblings were probably already at work.
Bella loaded her plate with eggs and sausages. "Very well, thank you."
"I'm going to a pit fight at the end. I would like you to accompany me."
"Of course, sir." Bella smiled at the man even as the words crashed through her. A week? She forced the emotion down and said, "I would enjoy that very much."
"Hunter, you're expected to work. Go do whatever it is you do after you eat."
"Yes, Father." Hunter kept his eyes averted as he ate.
They finished their meal in silence, only broken by a joke from the king. Bella knew she should help Delilah, but couldn't think of anything to say. Or anything that wouldn't upset the king.
Over the course of the mean, the king kept tugging the woman closer and closer. By the end, he was moving in her. Bella tried to block out the sounds. Hunter shoved his food away and hurried out when Delilah wailed. Bella downed her food as fast as she could, then bolted out.
Mel met her halfway across the palace. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing." Bella forced a smile. "I just need some air."
"The gardens are this way."
They chatted as they walked. About Shayde, about the king, and about their homes. Bella told her about how, when the sun hit right, her kingdom seemed to shine. Mel told her about how she grew up, training to defeat even the deadliest person. She had  almost moved to the Ice Kingdom. She was that good.
"Why don't you join the Kingdom Guard?" Bella asked when they reached the garden. "I think that would be perfect for you."
"And be surrounded by sweaty boys all the time?" She huffed a laugh. "No, thanks."
"Think about it. You'll be the first girl to join. How many little girls will join just so they can be like you?"
"If anyone is like me, I'd run the other way."
"You know what I mean." Bella plucked a rose from a bush. It was yellow with orange spots. Thorns decorated the stem. She placed it in a basket and took it with her. "At least consider it after this is all over."
"I will." Mel picked up her own basket and moved over a row. Berries of all kinds hung from the bushes. She popped one in her mouth and purple juice ran down her chin. "These are really good."
Bella studied her. She was shielding herself. A branch snapped as she picked another rose. What was wrong? The memory swam up into her head. When Dominic told her she had to choose Hunter or her kingdom. Bella hadn't told Mel yet. And the day before Mel had trusted her enough to tell her about her mother... Bella scolded herself. She was so stupid.
"We need to talk," she announced.
Mel's eyes flicked to her before she turned away. "No, we don't."
"We do." Bella ran over to Mel's row and faced her. "Look at me." She did. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you that I had to choose between Hunter and my kingdom. You trusted me. I should've trusted you."
"It's fine." She twisted away. "Stop talking about it."
"I'm sorry about your father, too." It was the wrong thing to say. Mel whirled on her. Bella suddenly had a knife at her throat.
"He wasn't my father," Mel hissed. "I hate him."
"I know." She pushed the knife away. "What you did was right."
"It wasn't, but if that's what you think, go ahead."
Bella flicked her knife into her hand and jumped on Mel. The girl didn't have time to spin as the dagger dug into her neck.
"Fight with me. You'll feel better. Get all the anger out."
"If you insist." Mel forced Bella's arm away and landed a punch to her gut. Her air left her body and she couldn't draw a breath before Mel kneed her.
"Ow," Bella groaned. "That hurt."
"You weren't prepared." Mel let her rest. "Let's go again. You'll never defeat Shayde if I can beat you."
The girls fought in the garden. Sometimes with blades, sometimes with their bare hands. The sun beat down on their backs. The sound of punching and blades scraping across each other drifted into the air.
The king looked down at them and smiled.
Bella looked up at the sky after Mel had thrown her down for the umpteenth time. She rolled over and struggled to her feet. Mel was waiting for her. Bella was about to launch at her when she felt a tap at her shoulder.
"Sandstorm coming," a boy said. "You should get inside."
He led them to a small structure made of glass. Stairs spiraled down into darkness. Bella sent fire down and down and down, but couldn't see anything. The boy nodded at them and they followed him into the gloom.
"How long do they last?" Mel asked as they walked.
"Usually four days, but this is a large one. Maybe a week." The boy's voice was thick with an accent. Bella studied him from the light of the fire in her hand. He couldn't be more than ten. Hair that was so dark it was almost blue gleamed in the light. Pale skin shone between his collar and his hair. He wore leather gloves on his hands, like all the other boys in the palace. To ensure the king did not have any spoiled goods.
They reached the bottom as a boom echoed above them. Small candles lit the way to a large room. Lanterns hung from the ceiling, casting light on golden cracks running in the stone walls. Black paintings covered the walls. Several people moved within the room. She spotted Hunter and ran over to him.
"What's going on?" he asked. She filled him in as he led them to a spot near a sign saying Exit 13. They sat down on a mattress covered in... she didn't even want to think about it.
Dinner was served a few hours later. A soggy mess of green beans and corn was slapped onto her plate. Mel took one look and opted for not eating. Hunter gladly took her portion.
The lanterns were turned off for sleep. However, it was impossible to do so. It was Hell. The sounds of people fighting and gossiping would've been fine, if not for the moans and screams of pleasure joining them. Hunter and Mel were out as soon as their heads hit the mattress.
Bella stared up at the ceiling as she tried to sleep. She blocked out the noises of the people and listened above. The sound of whispering sand was faint, but it was there.
Several days passed and they were still locked inside. Hunter started countless fights, but he was never involved. Mel and Bella trained in the corner as much as they could, and when they weren't, they were planning. Mel had found a book on magic dating back to when the first magic users had walked the earth. Bella didn't ask how she got it. Frankly, she didn't want to know.
Mel told her about a transformation that could happen if her emotions were high enough, and she could still control them. Bella dismissed the idea, but Mel still told her how to do it. She said it would help Bella in the final fight. Hunter had strode over at that time and they ceased talking of the idea.
They were finally let go after a week. Bella prayed to whatever gods were listening that Delilah somehow had gotten the King's sword. She hadn't seen either of them in the room, so she assumed they were in the castle.
Bella blinked as she stepped through the glass. Sunlight filtered through the red clouds and blinded her. After a few days without seeing red everywhere she looked, this was nauseating.
She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to snap at whoever did it, but a small face greeted her.
"For you," the boy said. He handed her a letter and scurried away.
"What's it say?" Mel asked, peering over her. "Who's it from?"
"The king. I forgot about the pit fight." Bella shoved her blades back where they belong and turned away. "I need to get ready."
"I'll help."
Sand flew into the air as the women headed back to their rooms. Bella threw open her closets and shifted through her clothes. She withdrew a dress made of dark leather.
Mel's mouth popped open. "You have to wear that."
The dress had a bodice made of gray and purple leather that trailed into folds of soft blue fabric. Several extra layers of leather covered her stomach and a belt of it wrapped around her waist. Simple yet effective for what she was about to face.
Mel helped her into the gown, then swept her part of her hair into a braid. A dab of kohl around her eyes and she was ready. She slipped into a pair of sandals as someone knocked on her door.
Mel answered it while she pinched her cheeks for some color. She smiled at herself in the mirror.
Soft voices reached her ears, followed by Mel calling her. The king was here.
She floated into the room, her shoulders thrown back and chin high. Every inch the queen she was. The king looked her up and down as she approached and bent her waist.
"My king," she crooned. "How gracious of you to invite me."
"It is my honor." He took her hand and kissed it. She glanced at him and found him staring at her chest. Disgust twisted around her spine. "I can't wait for this evening."
She let the king lead her out. He tried to make small talk, but she did her best to not continue the conversation. There was a chariot waiting for them. It was much more elaborate than the one that brought them here. A small cloth was set up in the front to block the winds and sand from getting inside. He helped her up and settled around her.
"Let's have some fun tonight." He wrapped his arms around her body and snapped the reins. The horses broke into a trot and they were off.
The city sparkled as they grew nearer. The sounds of fighting and pleasure hung in the air. She wondered how many people here were the king's children. Probably most of them.
They rode through the streets. Small restaurants and shops lined the brick roads. Apartments above soared into the sky. The smell of the city wafted up to her nose and she tried not to gag. Garbage and alcohol were better smells.
The king pulled the horses to a stop outside a large building. Graffiti covered the outside. A sign on the door said:
The Black Bird Arena
Enter to fight in the back
Number one pit fighting arena
The king grinned at her as he walked up. Three slow knocks and the door creaked open. A man with hair that covered his face peered out. He recognized the king and opened it further. The man's gaze skimmed over her, probably thinking she's just another one of the king's whores. Her knife pressed against her back as she strode last and into the room.
A small arena was erected in the middle of the room. Only a small rope held the crowd back. The odor of bodies, alcohol, and pleasure mixed together into a horrible smell. People pushed around her, trying to get a good vantage point. Coins clinked as they bet on who would win.
The king escorted her to a chair raised above everyone else. She settled on the arm to watch the fight.
The rope holding the people back threatened to snap as they roared at the men. If you were unlucky enough to be pushed in, you were fair game. No rules applied in the pit, except no blades. Everything else was fair game.
The men in the ring were so bloodied up she couldn't see their faces. One spat on the ground and a tooth flew out. They lunged at each other and the ground trembled from the viewers.
A thud and one of the men's heads snapped back. Bella knew he was dead before he hit the ground. The crowd roared their approval and placed bets on the next round. The surviving man spat onto the other's body as he was dragged away. He was escorted from the ring and disappeared.
Several boys were shoved into the ring. Compared to the man who had just won, they looked like sticks. She studied them. They both had black hair, green eyes, and the same pointed chin. Her eyes widened before the announcer yelled, "Introducing the brothers Enrik and Torben Seward. Place your bets, gentlemen!"
The king turned to Bella. "Who do you think will win, dear?"
"I think Enrik will beat Torben, but he has a hidden blade." She gestured to the boy gripping his side. "He's going to kill himself afterward."
She'd seen enough of these fights to know how it would end. They happened in her dungeons. This wasn't so different.
The king tutted. "If that is true, I'll quit my job."
"Really?" She batted her eyelashes. Honestly, how did men fall for that?
"No, of course not. It's a joke." He coughed and turned to a man. "My money is on Enrik." The man shook his hand and sidled away.
"Let the match... BEGIN!" The crowd cheered as the bell rang.
The two boys circled each other. Neither one of them looked inclined to kill the other. They just circled and circled.
"Fight, damn you!" the king roared.
Torben looked at him and at that moment, he was distracted. Enrik charged. They hit the ground in a tangle of limbs.
It was nothing like the deadly dance Bella had perfected. These boys fought tooth and tail for any leverage. Dust swirled around them as they scuffled.
Enrik flipped on top of Torben and drove his fist into his face. Blood spurted onto the ground, mixing with the older bloodstains. Torben tried to lift his hands to block Enrik, but it was useless. Again and again, he pounded Torben. He began yelling something as he beat him.
A whistle blew and a couple of men rushed forward to yank Enrik from his brother's body. Tears streamed down his face as he lifted his head to look at the king.
"And the winner is...." The announcer took a deep breath and yelled, "ENRIK SEWARD!"
The audience pumped their fists in the air and began collecting their money. Nobody cared as Enrik reached for his knife.
Bella met his gaze as he drew it. Pain and agony swirled around, mixed with anger. She saw fear there, too. His eyes never left her face as he pulled the knife across his neck.
She looked away as he fell to the ground, gasping. Blood sprayed out onto the floor, drenching the closest viewers. They surged back as one.
"For... freedom," he choked. The light left his eyes. A hush fell over the room as they stared at the fallen boy. Blood pooled around him. How often did this happen? Bella risked a glance at the king. His face was the picture of calm before a storm.
"Well?" he snapped. "Clean it up and bring more out." His finger tapping his chair was the only indication of his anger.
Murmurs rose from the crowd as people dragged his body away, leaving a bloody stain behind. Bella excused herself. She felt the king's eyes on her as she pushed through the bodies, keeping her sight on Enrik.
She reached him as the man was preparing to dump his body into the ally. "Wait."
The man turned and sneered, "What? You want it to eat later? Be my guest."
"Get out." The man beheld her gown and the way she held herself and vanished back into the arena. She was left with the body.
The only sound was the rats running in the shadows as she approached him. In the arena, he looked older. Now, he couldn't be more than fifteen. His eyes were glassy as they looked skyward. She reached over and slid them shut.
"May your soul grace the eternal waters of death," she whispered. The words brushed against her and soared into the night sky.
The rest of the night was uneventful. Men fought and died. The arena's investors earned and lost coin. The king was so engaged in the fights he seemed like he forgot Bella was there. A small mercy, she supposed, from what she was there for.
The last fight ended and the arena began to clear out. The king grabbed some ale and chugged it before sliding an arm around her. His hand brushed her backside and she shivered.
"Did you enjoy it, my love?" he slurred. His entire body reeked of alcohol.
"Immensely," she said. "I do wish you would take me back."
"Perhaps another time." He kissed her neck. "You'll visit again when you get your kingdom back?"
"Certainly." She sidled out of his grasp and into the chariot. "Let's go home, my king."
His face lit up when he heard her say home. "I must see you tonight."
"Oh, no, my king." She had to get away from him. "Delilah is eager to see you."
"Delilah." She watched him think. "Oh. Right."
He wasn't going to take them back to the palace anytime soon, she realized. So she grabbed the reins and flicked them. The horses began to pick up speed. The king hung on as they flew through the streets.
She left him in the care of the servants when they returned to the palace. The night was approaching quickly and she needed to know if Delilah had gotten the sword.
Her question was answered once she reached her room. Delilah sat on the floor with Mel brushing her hair. Sanriel watched them from the shadows and Hunter flipped through a book on the bed. They looked up as she strode in.
"Did you get it?"
Delilah reached under the bed and pulled out a long piece of metal. She passed it to Bella and she studied it.
It was a simple sword with rubies decorating the hilt. She ran her hand over it and froze. She repeated the action. The blade seemed to purr in her presence.
"Did you guys feel that?" She passed the sword to them and they tried it. They all said it didn't do anything. "It reacted to me."
"Maybe it knows that you're supposed to wield it," Delilah said. "It recognizes you."
Bella took the blade. "I can't believe this is the Elder Sword. I was expecting something a little grander." A burst of power scorched her and she dropped it.
Hunter chuckled and picked it up again. "I don't think it liked that."
"It can hear me?" Bella's stomach dropped. "It's like it's alive."
"I heard that the person who made it enchanted it to detect power." Sanriel pushed off the wall. "Maybe it can sense yours."
"But not Hunter's?" She took it back and swiped at the air. It was perfectly balanced and the hilt didn't move an inch. "It doesn't make sense."
"None of this makes sense," Mel said. She watched Bella practice and corrected her on her form. "We should get some rest."
"I think we should go back to the surface now," Bella said. "It won't be long until the king notices it's been replaced."
"He won't." Delilah spoke up. "He never uses it."
Bella tossed a grin her way. "Do you want to come up with us?"
The woman blushed. "Oh, no. I don't know how to fight or help in a war. I would just be a nuisance."
"If you change your mind, you'll always have a place in my court." Bella crossed to her closets and pulled out some clothes. "Really."
"Thank you." A blush spread across her beautiful face. "I should be getting back now." She bowed and exited the room.
Bella glanced at Sanriel. "You know you can visit whenever. I'll always have a place for you."
"Sometimes I wonder if you're the Dark Queen everyone says you are." Sanriel kissed her cheek and strode to the door. She tucked her wings in tight as she squeezed through. "See you on the battlefield."
"You better not be late!" Bella called to her retreating form. Sanriel gave her a rude gesture over her shoulder. Beaming, she turned to Hunter and Mel.
"We're ready when you are," Mel said. "Together."
"Together." She gathered her clothes and slid the sword into the back of her dress. The cold metal bit into her skin, but instantly warmed.
Hunter grabbed her hand and Mel linked her arm through his. "Let's banish the bitch."
Bella met his eyes as they exploded into a whirl of dust. They burned with such an intensity she almost looked away. Her eyes began burning as they spun and spun.
Sunlight shone down on them as they landed.
Into the middle of a war meeting.