One Week Earlier
There is a knock on my door.
"Come," I reply. Darcy walks in. I look at her. Her black hair is a little scruffy and her skin paler than normal. Her eyes are dull and there is a grim expression on her face.
"You called for me, your majesty?" she asks. I nod my head, standing up.
"I have a proposition for you," I tell her. She nods her head and I take a deep breath. I don't want to say what I am about to say.
"I don't want you fighting in the coming battle," I say to her.
"I want to fight..." she says. I nod my head.
"I know," I reply softly.
"Don't you trust me, Isla?" she asks. "After everything that has happened?" she asks, anger lighting up her eyes. I think back to the Choosing. How she betrayed her mother and brother to save us. How she protected us from her mother's attacks and told us of all her plans. After all the abuses she has suffered. At first, I wasn't sure. I wanted to trust her, but I had to be certain. I had gotten Daniel to hide and read her mind whilst I asked her about what had happened. She was telling the truth.
Since then, I have felt odd toward her. We have had a dramatic past, which I have come to realise was no fault of her own. We have a lot of mending to do.
"I do trust you," I tell her. "However, if I manage to break the spell then you won't be able to shift," I explain. She sighs with slight annoyance.
"I will still have my powers." I think of her ability to turn people into stone and shudder as the memories of being frozen as Aspen murdered my sister springs to mind. She must see something in my expression because she looks down and mutters sorry under her breath.
"You don't have to apologise," I sigh at her, taking a seat on my chair.
"I still have my snake," she says with a softer voice as she holds up her arm. A stone snake curls up her wrist. It looks like an intricate bracelet. Yet I know it is really just a disguise. If she wills it, the snake will grow and become the creature she is meant to shift into.
"I know," I say to her. "But I have another job for you." She frowns, confused.
"What do you mean?" she asks. I gulp and take a deep breath.
"What your mother has done to you..." I begin.
"Go on," she frowns with a confused expression.
"It makes you smell and appear as human," I tell her. She nods her head, understanding what I mean.
"You want to use it," she states. I feel horrible. Using something that hurts her so much for my benefit. No, it is for the benefit of Shadow.
"I do." My voice comes out strong. She nods and sits, running a hand through her hair. I know it hurts her greatly. Her animal ripped away from her in such a way. I couldn't imagine how it felt.
"What for?" She asks with a sigh. On cue, Blue walks into the room.
"Blue will explain," I say. He nods his head. "Whatever happens in this room is not to be repeated," I tell her. "The information and plans we come up with have to be kept between only us." She frowns but nods her head. Blue begins.
"The NightShades have a unique magic system," he begins. "As you will have been taught." We both nod our heads, remembering our lessons.
"NightShades get their magic from the elements," he starts. "It is drawn from the rainfall, from the growing and dying of plants. Everything. But it doesn't go straight into its people. It feeds into their ruler. The High Priestess. She acts as a channel or conduit of sorts. All the created magic goes into her and then is distributed and shared with all the other NightShades. This is done through a link which connects them together. In order to keep the magic strong and pure, many rituals and ceremonies must be done. Now, they haven't been done for a long time which is why one of the many reasons why a lot of the NightShades now can only do basic spells. They can only fight with spells of small destruction or flames. The NightSHade king keeps most of it for himself and the more greedy and cruel he gets, the more the magic poisons the people." I nod my head understanding. "However, the magic has one way of protecting itself from this sort of poison. The only person who can absorb it is the High Priestess. It doesn't matter how strong a Witch or Warlock is, they can never directly channel the magic. It can only be done through the line of High Priestesses which runs down an ancient family line. The female descendants of the first NightShade. The woman so pure of heart that the magic chose her to rule and protect its magic. It chose her to share it with them and only those of her bloodline can do the same."
"So how is King Harrison able to rule?" Darcy asks. "If the only person who can collect the magic can be one of these daughters?"
"Because the current Priestess is still alive," I say. Her eyes widen. "The King can't draw the magic himself. But he can draw it from her with the right spells and strength." Darcy nods her head understanding.
"So the magic is being harnessed from the elements through her and going through him before it goes into the rest of the NightShades?" she asks. It is slightly confusing, but correct. "When it passes through him, he keeps most of it for himself. Then his greed, corruption and cruelty poison it and then all those it feeds into," Blue replies.
"So what do you want me to do?" She asks. I gulp. It is a big ask.
"We want you to go to NightShade," I begin to explain. Her eyes widen.
"What?" she asks.
"You can pass as human. From what Daniel gained from reading Aspen's mind, they have a lot of Human servants there. All of them come over from the human lands to learn about magic and try and get some themselves. You can pass for one of these humans and find the Hight Priestess. Then bring her here."
"How would I even look for her? He probably has her locked up somewhere hidden. How would I even get there?" I look at her.
"Daniel and Kayleigh went through Aspen's mind very thoroughly. It turns out that on some of her trips away, she had actually visited NightShade. King Harrison actually showed her were the Priestess is being kept as a way to impress her." Darcy gulps. "I can help you across the water," I say as I hold out an enchanted charm. She looks at it for a few moments with a frown.
"What does it do?" she asks as she takes it.
"It will create a powerful current which will take you straight to NightShade and back. It will also allow you to breathe in the water and not take any damage from the power of the currents." She nods her head.
"All of his forces are here. All his monsters are here. Most that will be left are servants and normal working NightShades. Plus with your snake on your wrist, you will have protection at all times," I try and convince her. She thinks for a few minutes and there is an awkward silence in the room.
"Okay, I'll be your spy." She says. "But I want to know everything I need to about that place." I smile.
"Thank you," I say to her. "I'll bring Daniel in. He learned a lot from Aspen." She nods her head and frowns again.
"Isla?" she asks.
"What if I don't find her. What if I don't bring her back in time." I don't answer for a few seconds.
"If we don't find her, she can't take back her rule over her people. She can't break his link. Let's hope you return before she has a whole battlefield less of NightShades to restore."
"But she hasn't been able to break it so far. What will change if we release her? Is there any hope to this?" she asks.
"I don't know," I sigh. "But something will happen either way." She nods her head and Daniel walks in.
"Ready to learn everything about the NightShades?" he asks her. She nods her head and I watch her leave the room. I sigh and Blue looks at me.
"It needs to be done," he says.
"I know, it just feels like I am using her. Especially after all that has happened," I tell him.
"Unfortunately as queen, these are decisions you will have to make." I just nod my head and he walks out of the room.
Present day.
The frail woman steps toward King Harrison. She looks so weak that I'm not even sure she can help us. That thought quickly vanishes once I see the fear in King Harrison's face.
"Thank you," she croaks to me. "For weakening him for me. It will make this much easier and cause much more pain," she grins.
"Sorcha," he whispers. "Don't do this! Queen Isla, please!" He begs as more blood drips from his mouth. "You need me. There is a much worse enemy coming and you need my help!" He pleads.
Sorcha holds herself a little higher as she steps directly in front of him. He is shaking his head madly and continues to beg and apologise. I let out a dark chuckle. Then we all watch.
Sorcha places her hand on his temple and takes a slow deep breath. He jolts, going limp. Black covers his eyes and he blinks slowly. It is creepy. Then, he lets out a pained scream. Sorcha holds a satisfied grin on her face as he continues to scream. I can only stare, wondering what is going on?
His veins suddenly light up in lines of bright light beneath the skin. It explodes from his mouth and eyes as he lets out another scream. It then begins travelling into her hand, like her hand is sucking the light out of him. The bright white then travels over the rest of her body and she begins to glow. It is so bright that I have to cover my eyes. His screams stop and the light fades. I blink quickly then open my eyes properly. The frail old woman is gone. She has been replaced by a woman only a few years older than myself. Her fair skin is smooth and healthy. Her bright green eyes glow and thick locks of bright ginger hair cascade down her back in soft curls. She is beautiful and a wide smile fills her face as she looks down on Harrison. He is breathing heavily, the spike now killing him.
"I want him alive!" I shout and straight away shifters move to keep him alive. He looks so much weaker. Even more pathetic.
"What happened?" I ask. Sorcha smiles even brighter as she turns to face the battlefield, not answering me. She closes her eyes and light builds up inside her again. Suddenly, it explodes. I am almost thrown off my feet as this light ripples over the battlefield and continues off into the distance. I look at her confused. She turns back to me.
"I have removed his magic," she tells me. "The magic now flows through me again fully instead of being sucked from me into him. I have now distributed the true magic back over my people," she grins then her smile fads as she really sees the battlefield in front of her. All the dead NightShades. She gulps, tears springing into her eyes. I watch as a few stand, their faces changing from the distorted and twisted features I had come to recognise, into those of regular people. They look around, confused.
"So many dead," she whispers. I gulp. Could she want revenge for her fallen people? She looks back at me.
"Your majesty," she begins. "I do not blame you for what happened here," she gulps. I let out a sigh of relief. "However, I ask that you allow me and any survivors leave peacefully to return home," she requests. I nod my head.
"Of course. I think we all need to have a talk first though." She nods her head. "Please, don't be offended if people still see you as an enemy and treat you with suspicion. Our people have lost many to the NightShades," I warn her. She nods her head and doesn't say anything. I shout out orders to search for those still alive, shifter or NightShade and begin to help.
"Isla!" Oliver shouts. "Healer!" he is crouched on the ground, holding a body. Panic flutters through me and I run toward me. I feel tears spring to my eyes as I see a mess of pastel pink hair surround a bloody head.
"No," I whisper as I sob comes out of my throat. I crouch down next to Lady Indira. Her eyes are open but only just. They are bloodshot, almost distorting the lagoon green shade of them. Blood trickles over her olive skin and a Black Root arrow is buried in her chest. She looks up at me, blinking heavily.
"Isla?" she whispers.
"Shhh, don't speak," I tell her. She coughs and more blood trickles from the corner of her mouth. I stroke her hair and let the tears fall freely.
"I am the Lady of the Academy," she jokes. "You can't tell me what to do," she coughs and winces. Oliver calls for a healer again and I see some shifters rushing over.
"No, there is nothing they can do," she tells us then looks at me with kind eyes. "Isla," she whispers softly.
"How far you have come since you returned," she sighs and lifts her palm up to my cheek. "It has been an honour serving and teaching you all. You will be...." she coughs again and lets out a pained groan. "You will be the greatest rulers the Shadow has ever seen." Tears fall from her eyes but still, she smiles, not showing the pain of the Black Root to us. Oliver cries too.
"Hold on, the healers are here," he pleads with her. She laughs weakly again and looks at him then me again.
"It is too late," she sighs. In a sudden, rash decision, I pick her up and put her on my back. I am as gentle as I can be to try not to hurt her.
"Isla, what are you doing?" Oliver asks. I begin my shift. My bones pop and my muscles tear but I hold in the pained screams. Once I am shifted, I take off into the air. I feel Lady Indira's small body lying on my back. I feel it as she holds onto the spikes that make my way down my spine as I begin to ascend into the clouds. I head away from the battlefield and toward the mountains nearby. They are beautiful and I fly over them. I can feel it as she moves her weak body slightly to look over Shadows beauty. I sweep down, my belly skimming the skin of a large lake. I dip the clawed tip of my wing into the water, letting the water ripple softly.
"Thank you Isla," she whispers and I can sense she is crying. I hear her let out a soft, deep sigh then she goes completely limp. I land by the side of the lake, letting a loud roar sound from my body as I lift my head to the sky. It echoes off the mountains, making it sound louder. Then I sink my head low again, twisting my neck to look at my back. She has her eyes closed and is nestled tightly between the spikes over my scales. I gulp and roar again before taking off and heading back to everyone else.
When I land, I shift back and place Lady Indira on the ground softly. General Xavier comes up to me, placing a hand on my shoulder.
"We have lost many," he says. I nod my head, not wanting to think about it. "Iona has teleported the most in need back to the healers in the palace. The others are starting the journey home now," he gulps, looking at Lady Indira.
"All our dead," he sighs. "Will be taken back to their families for funerals." I nod, not taking my eyes off Lady Indira.
"Have I lost anyone else?" I ask, my voice sounding almost numb. He knows I talk about my friends and a soft smile lines his face.
"Andrea we managed to get to the healers in time," he begins. "The same with Fiona. The others are all bruised and cut but there haven't been any casualties," he tells me. I nod my head.
"Okay," I tell him. Feeling a heavy ache settle over me. "Let's tell Shadow that we are safe and take our dead home," I tell him.
"Yes, your majesty," he says before going to bark orders to his soldiers. I look around me again. There are so many piles of broken bodies and blood everywhere. It is a mess. Now, I can smell it. The stench of death and decay. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. Toryn puts his arm on my shoulder and we don't say anything as everyone gets to work around us. I want nothing more than to go home, but I can't until all of this has been cleared and sorted. The High Priestess is organising her surviving people to clear all her dead and we are doing the same. It is going to take a long time.