Page 17 of A Monarch's Fall

I looked back at Percy and Dylan.

Six days ago, I wasn’t so paranoid. But five days ago, Percy did the impossible. And three days ago, I officially abandoned my coven to join the witching division of The New Foundation.

And yesterday I chopped all my hair off.

A lot can happen in less than a week.

“Not far, about ninety minutes,” Dylan answered.

“And what happened to her?” I asked.

“Her?” Percy asked indignantly, lifting her head from Dylan’s shoulder to look at me disapprovingly. “This big idiot happened to me,” she continued.

I smiled apologetically.

“We rescued her from the maze,” Dylan answered, shaking his head as if he was amused by Percy, like she was some small child that didn’t understand what was happening.

“We have different definitions of rescued,” Percy continued, “I wouldn’t describe blowing someone up and then kidnapping them for a SECOND time, as rescuing them.”

Percy was clearly angry. Even in her current state, she had enough rage against Dylan to hit his chest in admonishment.

“Hey,” Dylan complained at the attack, even though it seemed like he barely felt her frustrated slap to his chest. “You were trapped in the maze of Ardens, Percy, how were we meant to know that it wouldn’t kill you like it’s killed thousands of others? Not to mention you were literally being chased down by True North rebels who want your head on a stick. I call that rescuing,” he defended.

“Did it ever occur to you that I don’t want or need to be rescued?” she fired back, “In fact, why don’t you leave me right here? There are no True North soldiers or rebels or whatever here now, is there? You could still let me go,” her tone bled from anger to pleading and I felt a wave of guilt wash over me.

Selene and Percy were soul-matched. Such a bond was legendary in its rarity. I didn’t know what the impact of separating the two would be for Percy. Could she even survive if permanently removed from her Princess? What made it worse was that I couldn’t say anything, bound by a blood oath, and I wasn’t about to die for Selene.

I could only hope that Witching Command would recognise the bond in Percy, and could do something to free her.

Dylan and I didn’t agree on much, but we did agree, even if we had different knowledge as to the cause of Percy’s condition, that she was bound to Selene, and something had to be done about it.

The two were so different.

Selene was ruthless. A new Borealis Queen of Death in the making. Like her ancestor, the vampire that started the Borealis coven. The Queen of Death’s name wasn’t remembered now, no traces of her given birth name in any records. Some in the witching community believe she had all evidence of her origins destroyed. Her former name wiped from records, preferring her deadly title.

Of course, there are other benefits to no one knowing your given name. Names have power. So much of enchantment magic was tied to blood and bone and true names. Selene reminded me of the legends of her ancestor. Her callousness and sadism were already well known throughout the kingdom, and she was only a princess. A title which held power but in practice wasn’t meant to mean actual power; there was meant to be a ruling monarch, the King, and his council and the Lords of the Houses and the Royal Conference all between her and power. Even the King wasruled by checks and balances. But those safeguards, those small defences against tyranny, were not something that Selene so much as pretended to concern herself with.

There was no other option but to end the Borealis monarchy, tear down the House system and build something new. The House system subjugated the people whose work made the kingdom.

Percy and her power would be vital in the coming war. There hadn’t been a witch with such power, maybe for millennia, certainly not since we started to record history in the written word. Only oral traditions, stories of inter-coven magic, and legends mentioned any witches with power comparable to that of Percy.

“Please, Ana,” she said, turning to me. “Don’t let him do this,” she begged me.

“I’m sorry, Percy. There really isn’t any other way. Ardens isn’t safe. I’m not sure anywhere is really safe. Not since, well, not since your new ability made itself known,” I told her.

“Ana, you’re my best friend. You know I’m safe with Selene. She needs me now. How could you help them do this?” she challenged me, and I looked away. How could I explain to her that this was all for her and the greater good of everyone? She was in love with Selene. But she wouldn’t be; someone like Percy didn’t love someone like Selene, not when given a choice. The soul-match had stolen that choice from her.

“There,” Harris said, and the bus headlights flashed once.

“You know this isn’t right. I can’t believe you’re ignoring me!” Percy hissed.

“I’m sorry,” I told her as we neared the bus, “Everything will make sense soon,” I promised.

“A whole lot is making sense right now,” she replied, and her tone felt almost threatening. I only hoped once we wereback in House Halvorsen, everything would make sense, she’d understand why we had to separate her from Selene.

When we reached the bus — an old school minibus — Harris opened the door for Dylan.

Dylan stepped onto the bus and immediately handed Percy over to Idonea.