Page 16

A fter the spectacle of Charlotte and Ranville's celebration yesterday, all Liana wanted to do was stay in bed. She dreamed of a day spent reading and daydreaming in the solitude of their bedroom. Perhaps Damien would return early this evening to join her for a steamy bath before supper. He woke early, per usual, and already started his day leaving her with guilt for her lazy attitude. She figured she should be somewhat productive today which is how she found herself in the mage training rooms yet again.

She'd just started working on a batch of truth serum because they were going through it like mad these days, when a mage message flittered onto the workbench interrupting her work. She grabbed the paper, hoping that it wasn't more bad news from her mother. She'd had enough for one week.

Her heart skipped a beat. She never thought she'd receive this letter, but this is exactly the situation she was glad she'd given Grace the spelled paper.

The message was brief.

Emergency at the safehouse -Grace

Liana turned to Sasha. "We have to go to Grace and the others. She said there's an emergency."

Sasha barely glanced down at the note before shaking her head. "You cannot, my Queen. It would be too dangerous."

Liana's magic surged in her veins, riding the wave of her anger. "My friends are in danger or hurt, they need my help."

The unyielding vampire shook her head. "I cannot bring you there. It is not safe."

Liana spun on her heel and marched for the door with Sasha quick on heels. If Sasha wouldn't take her, she'd find someone who would.

"Is Luciano with you?" she asked Damien.

"He is. What do you need? "

"Please ask him to meet me in the mage training rooms."

"He'll be there soon. May I ask what is going on? "

"Just something I need to check on."

Liana just closed the door on the mage training rooms when it opened once more to a furious Sasha. Luciano arrived at the same moment.

"You summoned me?" he drawled, glancing at the annoyed vampire guard.

"You're not going," Sasha demanded.

Ignoring her, Liana spoke to Luciano. "I've received a message from a dear friend. They are in distress, and I must go immediately to investigate."

"Where?"

"In the city. It is a homeless safehouse for mage and they were only ever to use this message if they were in dire need. Someone is probably hurt, and I must go to heal them."

Luciano hesitated. Rubbing a hand over his jaw, his eyes narrowed on her. "It could be a trap."

Liana threw her hands up in the air praying to the gods for patience. "Grace is a sweet woman who is selfless and kind. She'd never betray me like that."

He shook his head. "Anyone can betray you, never forget that, Liana, even your closest friend."

His words of caution struck deep inside her, magic shrinking back within herself. "We have no idea if it's a trap or not, but while we sit here debating, someone might be dying."

Luciano dropped his hand to clasp them behind his back. "You are the Queen, Liana. It is a difficult truth to hear but your life is not worth risking for them."

Liana didn't have the air to gasp she was so stunned. "I don't believe that for a second. I must help."

"Would you say that if Damien's life were on the line?" he countered, which had her vehemence wavering. "If you had to sacrifice another to save Damien, would you? Because you'd be valuing his life over another." He paused, letting the weight of his words settle. "It's a terrible truth, Liana, but you are too important."

The need to protect still sizzled in her veins. She had to do something, and there was no easy or quick way to get to the safehouse. Storming back into the training rooms, she gathered a few healing potions and sent them to Grace with a note of apology that she could not leave. In her head, she sent a prayer to the gods and Grace for forgiveness.

Not bothering to look at either of them, she walked back out. "If you are going to keep me prisoner in my own home, the least you could do is send someone to check on them." Shoving the double doors open, her magic flung them a bit too hard, and they shattered against the stone walls. She stormed off without another word.

After a quick outfit change, she hurried to the training courtyard, Luciano hot on her heels. She didn't bother telling him to go away. If he wanted to waste his time following her, he could do as he pleased. She walked into the secret passage, aiming for some fresh air, and perhaps a bit of solace outside the suffocating walls of the castle.

The moment she stepped onto the soil and grass, she bolted. The vampire would be right behind her but there would be no containing her right now. If she couldn't help, she'd let this built-up energy out somehow.

She ran as long as it took for her to stop feeling the need to run into the city. Then she kept running until she could no longer breathe. She ran until she could no longer feel the suffocating guilt or stifling shame of inadequacy. What kind of friend was she that didn't aid them when they needed her most? What kind of queen was she that she couldn't help her people stay safe? What good was she as some prophesized miracle if she was too cowardly to act and too inept to properly use her magic?

"That's enough, Liana," Luciano declared, stopping in front of her. She shoved him out of the way and kept running.

The kingdom would have been far better off with a savior that wasn't such an outcast. The savior should have been someone that actually enjoyed being a part of high society. Someone that was a proper young lady that followed the rules and didn't incite an entire rebellion simply by breathing.

Truly exhausted, Liana slowed then collapsed onto all fours, her chest heaving for breath.

Luciano finally convinced her to return inside and carried her to the castle on his back. Once there, she insisted on further combat training. The old monarch didn't say a word in response, only grabbed a training sword and tossed it at her. She completed the series of sword movements, her muscles getting stronger and held the blade steadier after days of training. When her arms began to shake, they moved onto close combat.

Even after a morose supper where Damien didn't pry into her glowering mood, Liana returned to the courtyard alone. Her shadow, Sasha, was there, otherwise she wanted to be alone. Forcing herself to push away the pain and weakness from her earlier efforts, Liana ran herself through the movements again and again without the sword until she could have done everything in her sleep. She didn't stop until she was so exhausted, she passed out the moment she laid down.

It was still the early moments of dawn when they were woken by their door slamming open. Damien crouched on the bed over Liana, his vampire in full control as Luciano barged in.

"Get up. Both of you get dressed. Something inconspicuous. There's been more murders."

He waited in the sitting room until they were both dressed in simple tunics and trousers, neither of them waiting to rouse their personal servants to aid in dressing.

"I'm warning you, Liana. This is going to be very difficult to see, and I'm sorry," Luciano warned, his eyes full of guilt.

"Who?" she asked, her gut sinking. He didn't answer though. Damien picked her up and they were speeding through the castle toward the city. Doing her best not to jump to conclusions, she could barely refrain from thinking the worst. That her family had been targeted, or her friends.

Before they even stopped in front of a familiar abandoned printing press, Liana knew why Luciano looked so guilty. Why he apologized for these murders.

Damien barely set her on her feet before she fell to her knees with a sob.

It had been a trap just as Luciano warned yesterday. But when they didn't get her, they took the homeless mage.

Dangling from the roof, Grace and six others hung by their necks from thick, rotting ropes. On the wall beneath written in blood,

You chose the wrong side. You are the Savior of nothing.

Savior of nothing.

She was nothing.

Not a friend, not a Queen, not even a strong female.

If she had been any of those things, she would have saved these innocent lives. She would have found a way to get to them. To fight off the rebels before something this horrific could be done.

That would be her new title. Her epithet known for generations to come.

Queen Liana Ashwood, savior of nothing.