Chapter 14
We all head up winding stairs after a big dinner of steak, mashed potatoes, french fries, and broccoli. (I did not eat the broccoli, Avara brought me some carrots) And after, we had a wonderful dessert of chocolate lava cake. We have all had way too much sugar (even Emma, which is surprising) and are dashing up the stairs. We push open a random door that leads into a bedroom. The walls are like the rest of the house, and the floors are birch. The bed sits near an open window. The bed is red, and five orange pillows lay across the bed. It is king size, and a canopy covers the whole thing. George immediately grabs a pillow and whacks Everleigh on the head.
“Hey!” Everleigh says, and she grabs a pillow. In a few minutes, we all have a white tiger sitting on us.
“George! Get off of me!” grunts Emma. I turn into a tiger and try to push her off. That doesn’t work. Harley slides a knife out of her belt, which George failed to cover. As gently as possible, pokes the tiger. And again. And again, and again, and again, until George leaps off us all.
“Harley!” She says, and points to a little dab of red on her legs.
“Oh, can our big tiger not handle a tiny drop of blood?” says Emma, nudging George with her hammer. I rub my eyes.
“Ok, how about bedtime?” I suggest. I bet you can guess how that went.
“Nooooo!” Moans Harley and George.
“Yes!” Agrees Emma and Everleigh.
“Okay, you night owls go into another room and do whatever. Emma, Everleigh and I are going to bed here!” I say, shoving a giggling Harley and George out the door. I close it, except I can still hear their shrieks and laughs in the hallway. If I’m being honest, I’m a bit jealous they get along so well. I shouldn’t be though. It was my choice to go to bed. I flop down on the bed next to Emma and Everleigh. All of us are so tired, we don’t even think about changing out of our dresses. A knock on the door makes all three of us sit up. I get up to open it. Avara is standing there, holding three night-gowns. One is red, the other green, and the last a frosty blue.
“Thanks!” We all say, taking our night-gowns. Emma is the first to speak.
“I’m changing in the closet!” She says quickly.
“Okay,” I say. Me and Everleigh turn away from each other and put on our night gowns. It feels much better.
“You can turn around now,” Everleigh says. I turn around. Everleigh’s waist-long hair is over her shoulder, and her hands sway gracefully at her side. Emma then comes out of the closet.
“Ughhhhh I’m so tired!” she says.
“Me too,” I agree. I flop down on the bed. Emma picks the pillows up off the floor and lays them neatly on the bed. We lay down under the covers. Even though it's hot, I snuggle up against Everleigh. She doesn’t seem to mind.
“Goodnight,” Emma says.
“Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite!” I add. Everleigh yawns.
“Nighty night,” She says, and pulls the covers up. I’m glad the room has a fan, or else I’d be boiling, I think. I don’t know when I fall asleep, but it is not enough before I hear it.
Chapter 15
A horrible scream makes my eyes fly open. Harley! Emma is already out of bed, and Everleigh has just opened her eyes. “Harley!” I whisper.
“I know. Come on. Everleigh, Anabelle, load your bow,” Emma says. She clutches her hammer. I take an arrow out of the quiver and hang on to it. Oh boy, if I have to use it I’ll probably miss. I think. Where is Harley? Is she okay? Is...Is she dead? I try to shove away my panic. Save it, Anabelle. We push open the doors. A single drop of blood stains the birch floors. I stiffen, and my blood turns to ice. It feels like a giant stone has been dropped into my stomach. George stumbles down the hallway and collapses at my feet.
“I...Couldn’t...Couldn’t stop her...Leave me...Run! All of you, run!” she spits out. She coughs blood onto the flooring. A long jagged cut bleeds on her arm.
“Who? George, who?” Emma asks, but George is limp. She’s not dead, I can see her breathing. But she’s passed out. I examine her for other wounds and then I see it. A horrible gash on her thigh.
“Everleigh, bring her into our room!” I order. Everleigh is strong. Always has been. She picks up George and lays her on the bed. She shuts the door behind her as she runs out.
“Where is Harley?” Everleigh whispers.
“I don’t know,” I say. We hear another scream. “This way!” I run forward down the hall, and throw the doors open into a room. In it, a tall woman stands, dressed in black, clutching a knife. Harley is on the floor, and she has her knives out as well. The woman throws a knife at Harley and Harley rolls to the side, missing it. I quickly turn into a tiger, and pounce. I have the woman pinned.
“What are you doing to her?” I snarl, teeth bared.
“Why, isn’t it Queen Anabelle! How lovely you paid me a visit! Why, you can join your friend, if you like!” she says as she cuts open my forehead with the blade. I roar in pain. ARGH! ANABELLE! Where’s all the clever fight moves you were gonna use? I let out a long hiss.
“Enough, Raven!” snarls a familiar voice. Ash! Fire blazes through the room. Queen Raven laughs, a horrible cruel laugh.
“Oh, does the dragon want to join this midnight fun?” she says. More like midnight terror.
“Enough!” Everleigh’s strong voice breaks through Raven’s. Everleigh aims her bow at Raven. The arrow sinks into her arm. Everleigh is a natural. Raven glares at Everleigh, and throws a knife towards her head. Everleigh ducks and catches it, and grins maniacally.
“Thanks,” she says. Raven wears two pendants on her neck. A raven, and a panther, I think. All of a sudden, a panther leaps at Everleigh (proving my theory!), claws out, teeth bared. I leap in Raven’s way, and knock the shadow queen into a wall. I put my claws on her throat.
“What are you doing in my palace?” I snarl through gritted teeth.
“Oh, please let me go!” Raven begs, in a high pitched, mocking voice.
“No more play time, Raven. Why are you here? I will sink my claws in deeper than they already are if you don’t answer me,” Raven narrows her eyes. A couple seconds. No answer. My. Claws. Go. In.
Chapter 16
Raven screams, a horrible scream. I release her, and she turns into a raven, and flys out the window. She bobs up and down, unsteadily. I turn back into a human and run over to Harley. Blood drips from a wound in her arm. And another in her leg.
“Harley, are you okay?” I ask.
“I’m fine,” she grunts. “But why didn’t you kill her?” My eyes widen in surprise.
“Kill her? Seriously? El didn’t say we had to kill her right?” I say, shocked.
“Harley, that is ridiculous! Of course we aren’t going to kill her!” Emma says.
“Queens.” I look around to see El, standing by the door. “In order for the kingdoms to be safe,” El gazes at me, and I know what's coming next. My heart skips a beat. “You will have to kill her.” I stand there, shocked. “I didn’t want it to come to this. But it must. Good luck,” El says, and disappears. Harley narrows her eyes at me.
“Why didn’t you just kill her?” she demands.
“Harley!” Emma snaps. “It is a big thing, don’t you think, to kill a living being?” she snaps, her eyes sending daggers Harley’s way. Harley looks down. “Yeah. That's what I thought,” Emma says coldly.
Chapter 17
“Come on. Let's go to bed,” Everleigh whispers. Harley, who is still on the floor, stands up.
“Can...Can we all sleep together?” Harley asks. Emma’s face softens.
“Yes, of course!” Emma says. “Let's go.” Just in case, I load an arrow into my bow. Harley takes a knife out of her belt, and Everleigh loads her bow as well. Emma swings her hammer around nervously. Harley leans on my shoulder, limping a little. We walk toward the bedroom George is in, and I open the doors and hold them open for everyone else. George’s eyes fly open when she hears the doors clang shut. She reaches for her bow and arrow which is on the nightstand, and has already loaded it, and shot an arrow at us by the time we come over to her. The shot isn’t very good, and it falls short, and lands on the edge of the bed.
She is just reaching for another arrow when Harley says, “George, it’s us. The queens. Relax.” George does- the tension in her shoulders softens, and her eyes show no signs of fear.. She puts the arrow back with the rest and sighs.
“Sorry,” she says, and rubs her eyes sleepily.
“Don’t worry about it,” Emma says. “I would have done the same thing,” Emma says, placing a hand on George’s shoulder. George blinks at Emma, and gives her a puzzled look.
“But you don’t have a bow and arrow!” she says. Emma rolls her eyes and laughs. We all do, a little. I’m sure we all would have been laughing a whole lot harder if George and Harley hadn’t almost died.
“Oh, George, you know what I mean!” Emma says, crawling into bed. “Let's get into bed,” she says, like she is our mother. Actually, she is very mature and could actually be a very good mother. I crawl in, and I am sandwiched between George and Everleigh. I let out a long sigh. And close my eyes.
I toss and turn, trying to fall asleep. I’m the only one still up. I think. I can’t stop thinking about Raven. And how I could have been the injured one. How maybe if it was me, I would be too stunned to scream for help. How I could have died. I shudder at the thought. Did I even make the right choice, coming here? I could die. No more Candace, no more Wren, no more James, no mom, no dad. I hate the thought. If I died, what would happen? Would it be like Harry Potter, where Hermione made her parents forget all about her? I squeeze my eyes shut and push the thought away. I toss and turn some more. I turn to the right, and a pair of bright hazel eyes meet mine. I jump, swallowing a yelp of shock. Pitch black, then eyes. I shove my angry words back down my throat when I identify the eyes as George’s.
“Holy...Oh my God George! You gave me a heart attack!” I say, clutching my chest. My heart beats, a fast steady beat.
“No, I didn’t. You’re fine,” she says.
I laugh. “Why are you still up?” I ask George. She wrinkles her nose and frowns.
“I haven’t been up all this time! You woke me up! With all your tossing and turning! You kicked me! In the leg!” She says, and gives me a gentle shove. She slides her leg out of the blankets and rubs the wound. I look away. It has dry, crusted blood.
“Sorry,” I grumble, not meaning anything. I guess being up late hasn’t been helping my mood. “And don’t push! I’ll knock into Everleigh, then it will create waking up dominoes!”
George giggles. “Well, it is the same thing you are doing!” George says, her volume rising.
“Shhh!” I say, putting a finger to her lips. George rolls her eyes.
“I’m not that loud,” she protests, sitting up in bed, her volume louder. That kid has a mind of her own. Everleigh’s eyes flicker open, but then close just as quickly as they were open. I scowl at George.
“It won't be too long before she wakes up for real! Go back to bed!” I say, pushing George into the pillow. She sits back up.
“I can’t!”
“You haven’t even tried!” I say, irritably, but know inside that’s exactly what I would’ve said myself.
“I just know. So, we both can’t go back to bed. How about we take a walk?” she suggests. It takes me a moment to decide. What if we run into Raven again? No. I don’t think she’ll come back here. Not when I almost killed her. I could do it again, and actually kill her, and she knows it. Or, she should. Don’t be a scaredy cat. It’ll be fine.
“Okay, fine, but we’d better not get lost,” I say, sitting up.
We all head up winding stairs after a big dinner of steak, mashed potatoes, french fries, and broccoli. (I did not eat the broccoli, Avara brought me some carrots) And after, we had a wonderful dessert of chocolate lava cake. We have all had way too much sugar (even Emma, which is surprising) and are dashing up the stairs. We push open a random door that leads into a bedroom. The walls are like the rest of the house, and the floors are birch. The bed sits near an open window. The bed is red, and five orange pillows lay across the bed. It is king size, and a canopy covers the whole thing. George immediately grabs a pillow and whacks Everleigh on the head.
“Hey!” Everleigh says, and she grabs a pillow. In a few minutes, we all have a white tiger sitting on us.
“George! Get off of me!” grunts Emma. I turn into a tiger and try to push her off. That doesn’t work. Harley slides a knife out of her belt, which George failed to cover. As gently as possible, pokes the tiger. And again. And again, and again, and again, until George leaps off us all.
“Harley!” She says, and points to a little dab of red on her legs.
“Oh, can our big tiger not handle a tiny drop of blood?” says Emma, nudging George with her hammer. I rub my eyes.
“Ok, how about bedtime?” I suggest. I bet you can guess how that went.
“Nooooo!” Moans Harley and George.
“Yes!” Agrees Emma and Everleigh.
“Okay, you night owls go into another room and do whatever. Emma, Everleigh and I are going to bed here!” I say, shoving a giggling Harley and George out the door. I close it, except I can still hear their shrieks and laughs in the hallway. If I’m being honest, I’m a bit jealous they get along so well. I shouldn’t be though. It was my choice to go to bed. I flop down on the bed next to Emma and Everleigh. All of us are so tired, we don’t even think about changing out of our dresses. A knock on the door makes all three of us sit up. I get up to open it. Avara is standing there, holding three night-gowns. One is red, the other green, and the last a frosty blue.
“Thanks!” We all say, taking our night-gowns. Emma is the first to speak.
“I’m changing in the closet!” She says quickly.
“Okay,” I say. Me and Everleigh turn away from each other and put on our night gowns. It feels much better.
“You can turn around now,” Everleigh says. I turn around. Everleigh’s waist-long hair is over her shoulder, and her hands sway gracefully at her side. Emma then comes out of the closet.
“Ughhhhh I’m so tired!” she says.
“Me too,” I agree. I flop down on the bed. Emma picks the pillows up off the floor and lays them neatly on the bed. We lay down under the covers. Even though it's hot, I snuggle up against Everleigh. She doesn’t seem to mind.
“Goodnight,” Emma says.
“Sleep tight, don’t let the bed bugs bite!” I add. Everleigh yawns.
“Nighty night,” She says, and pulls the covers up. I’m glad the room has a fan, or else I’d be boiling, I think. I don’t know when I fall asleep, but it is not enough before I hear it.
Chapter 15
A horrible scream makes my eyes fly open. Harley! Emma is already out of bed, and Everleigh has just opened her eyes. “Harley!” I whisper.
“I know. Come on. Everleigh, Anabelle, load your bow,” Emma says. She clutches her hammer. I take an arrow out of the quiver and hang on to it. Oh boy, if I have to use it I’ll probably miss. I think. Where is Harley? Is she okay? Is...Is she dead? I try to shove away my panic. Save it, Anabelle. We push open the doors. A single drop of blood stains the birch floors. I stiffen, and my blood turns to ice. It feels like a giant stone has been dropped into my stomach. George stumbles down the hallway and collapses at my feet.
“I...Couldn’t...Couldn’t stop her...Leave me...Run! All of you, run!” she spits out. She coughs blood onto the flooring. A long jagged cut bleeds on her arm.
“Who? George, who?” Emma asks, but George is limp. She’s not dead, I can see her breathing. But she’s passed out. I examine her for other wounds and then I see it. A horrible gash on her thigh.
“Everleigh, bring her into our room!” I order. Everleigh is strong. Always has been. She picks up George and lays her on the bed. She shuts the door behind her as she runs out.
“Where is Harley?” Everleigh whispers.
“I don’t know,” I say. We hear another scream. “This way!” I run forward down the hall, and throw the doors open into a room. In it, a tall woman stands, dressed in black, clutching a knife. Harley is on the floor, and she has her knives out as well. The woman throws a knife at Harley and Harley rolls to the side, missing it. I quickly turn into a tiger, and pounce. I have the woman pinned.
“What are you doing to her?” I snarl, teeth bared.
“Why, isn’t it Queen Anabelle! How lovely you paid me a visit! Why, you can join your friend, if you like!” she says as she cuts open my forehead with the blade. I roar in pain. ARGH! ANABELLE! Where’s all the clever fight moves you were gonna use? I let out a long hiss.
“Enough, Raven!” snarls a familiar voice. Ash! Fire blazes through the room. Queen Raven laughs, a horrible cruel laugh.
“Oh, does the dragon want to join this midnight fun?” she says. More like midnight terror.
“Enough!” Everleigh’s strong voice breaks through Raven’s. Everleigh aims her bow at Raven. The arrow sinks into her arm. Everleigh is a natural. Raven glares at Everleigh, and throws a knife towards her head. Everleigh ducks and catches it, and grins maniacally.
“Thanks,” she says. Raven wears two pendants on her neck. A raven, and a panther, I think. All of a sudden, a panther leaps at Everleigh (proving my theory!), claws out, teeth bared. I leap in Raven’s way, and knock the shadow queen into a wall. I put my claws on her throat.
“What are you doing in my palace?” I snarl through gritted teeth.
“Oh, please let me go!” Raven begs, in a high pitched, mocking voice.
“No more play time, Raven. Why are you here? I will sink my claws in deeper than they already are if you don’t answer me,” Raven narrows her eyes. A couple seconds. No answer. My. Claws. Go. In.
Chapter 16
Raven screams, a horrible scream. I release her, and she turns into a raven, and flys out the window. She bobs up and down, unsteadily. I turn back into a human and run over to Harley. Blood drips from a wound in her arm. And another in her leg.
“Harley, are you okay?” I ask.
“I’m fine,” she grunts. “But why didn’t you kill her?” My eyes widen in surprise.
“Kill her? Seriously? El didn’t say we had to kill her right?” I say, shocked.
“Harley, that is ridiculous! Of course we aren’t going to kill her!” Emma says.
“Queens.” I look around to see El, standing by the door. “In order for the kingdoms to be safe,” El gazes at me, and I know what's coming next. My heart skips a beat. “You will have to kill her.” I stand there, shocked. “I didn’t want it to come to this. But it must. Good luck,” El says, and disappears. Harley narrows her eyes at me.
“Why didn’t you just kill her?” she demands.
“Harley!” Emma snaps. “It is a big thing, don’t you think, to kill a living being?” she snaps, her eyes sending daggers Harley’s way. Harley looks down. “Yeah. That's what I thought,” Emma says coldly.
Chapter 17
“Come on. Let's go to bed,” Everleigh whispers. Harley, who is still on the floor, stands up.
“Can...Can we all sleep together?” Harley asks. Emma’s face softens.
“Yes, of course!” Emma says. “Let's go.” Just in case, I load an arrow into my bow. Harley takes a knife out of her belt, and Everleigh loads her bow as well. Emma swings her hammer around nervously. Harley leans on my shoulder, limping a little. We walk toward the bedroom George is in, and I open the doors and hold them open for everyone else. George’s eyes fly open when she hears the doors clang shut. She reaches for her bow and arrow which is on the nightstand, and has already loaded it, and shot an arrow at us by the time we come over to her. The shot isn’t very good, and it falls short, and lands on the edge of the bed.
She is just reaching for another arrow when Harley says, “George, it’s us. The queens. Relax.” George does- the tension in her shoulders softens, and her eyes show no signs of fear.. She puts the arrow back with the rest and sighs.
“Sorry,” she says, and rubs her eyes sleepily.
“Don’t worry about it,” Emma says. “I would have done the same thing,” Emma says, placing a hand on George’s shoulder. George blinks at Emma, and gives her a puzzled look.
“But you don’t have a bow and arrow!” she says. Emma rolls her eyes and laughs. We all do, a little. I’m sure we all would have been laughing a whole lot harder if George and Harley hadn’t almost died.
“Oh, George, you know what I mean!” Emma says, crawling into bed. “Let's get into bed,” she says, like she is our mother. Actually, she is very mature and could actually be a very good mother. I crawl in, and I am sandwiched between George and Everleigh. I let out a long sigh. And close my eyes.
I toss and turn, trying to fall asleep. I’m the only one still up. I think. I can’t stop thinking about Raven. And how I could have been the injured one. How maybe if it was me, I would be too stunned to scream for help. How I could have died. I shudder at the thought. Did I even make the right choice, coming here? I could die. No more Candace, no more Wren, no more James, no mom, no dad. I hate the thought. If I died, what would happen? Would it be like Harry Potter, where Hermione made her parents forget all about her? I squeeze my eyes shut and push the thought away. I toss and turn some more. I turn to the right, and a pair of bright hazel eyes meet mine. I jump, swallowing a yelp of shock. Pitch black, then eyes. I shove my angry words back down my throat when I identify the eyes as George’s.
“Holy...Oh my God George! You gave me a heart attack!” I say, clutching my chest. My heart beats, a fast steady beat.
“No, I didn’t. You’re fine,” she says.
I laugh. “Why are you still up?” I ask George. She wrinkles her nose and frowns.
“I haven’t been up all this time! You woke me up! With all your tossing and turning! You kicked me! In the leg!” She says, and gives me a gentle shove. She slides her leg out of the blankets and rubs the wound. I look away. It has dry, crusted blood.
“Sorry,” I grumble, not meaning anything. I guess being up late hasn’t been helping my mood. “And don’t push! I’ll knock into Everleigh, then it will create waking up dominoes!”
George giggles. “Well, it is the same thing you are doing!” George says, her volume rising.
“Shhh!” I say, putting a finger to her lips. George rolls her eyes.
“I’m not that loud,” she protests, sitting up in bed, her volume louder. That kid has a mind of her own. Everleigh’s eyes flicker open, but then close just as quickly as they were open. I scowl at George.
“It won't be too long before she wakes up for real! Go back to bed!” I say, pushing George into the pillow. She sits back up.
“I can’t!”
“You haven’t even tried!” I say, irritably, but know inside that’s exactly what I would’ve said myself.
“I just know. So, we both can’t go back to bed. How about we take a walk?” she suggests. It takes me a moment to decide. What if we run into Raven again? No. I don’t think she’ll come back here. Not when I almost killed her. I could do it again, and actually kill her, and she knows it. Or, she should. Don’t be a scaredy cat. It’ll be fine.
“Okay, fine, but we’d better not get lost,” I say, sitting up.
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