Page 91 of Royal Lies

"Everetta! Bloody Hell! Everetta stop it!" Someone was shouting. But the blond-haired girl couldn't seem to move. She knew who it was, that prim and proper tone could only be from one fae.

Was she moving?Yes, she was, but she wasn't the one moving her body. She wasn't the one giving her body commands to move.

"We need to stop her, she's not herself, something-" The words were cut off from the feminine voice, it was from the white-haired girl the blond-haired boy was into.

"We need to kill her!" Another feminine voice bellowed as a hurl of purple hellfire came barreling toward her. A glow of bright light was all the girl could see in her blurry vision as she blocked it. Again her body moved out of her control, as a voice that sounded like hers but also not like hers spoke.

"Please, do try your best. I'd love to give this body a test drive." Reaching out to grasp the power of the purple flame before her she took the magic of the fire into her body.

"Everetta! I know you're in there somewhere. Fight it, please!" The blond-haired boy pleaded, catching her attention,or to be more accurate he caught the attention of the entity that was inside her.

That entity wanted something, it wanted back what was rightfully hers. The other half of the blond-haired girl's soul. The other half that was inside the blond-haired boy's body. He had been too weak to survive with his own soul so his mother and the Queen of the Griffins thought it might be best if half the blond-haired girl's soul went into the boy's body so that he might live. Or that was how the story went, but the truth was the girl was far too strong for her own good. So half her soul was cleaved out of the girl so that her magic was more bearable so that she was more controllable, more easy tooverpower.

But just as the power of magic was inches away from the blond-haired boy the snow-haired boy shoved his brother out of the way. Both the boys lay on the ground a tangle of broken ribs and shattered bones as they groaned in pain. Trembling from muscle exhaustion they scrambled to get back on their feet as the blond-haired girl's body shook with laughter.

The blond-haired girl snarled, her movement out of her control. As she launched one magical orb after another, trying to get back the other half of her soul. The thing was, the true owner of the blond-haired girl's body did not mind losing half her soul if it meant that it kept the blond-haired boy alive. The entity possessing the blond-haired girl's body on the other hand didn't care whether or not the boy lived. It wanted it all, all the power, all the magic, everything. The girl was too confined, trapped in her own body, she couldn't do anything. It was as if shackles bound her wrists and ankles against an imaginary stone wall. The real blond-haired girl was too worn out from grief and loss to fight.

At least not until she launched the next ball of light just as the snow-haired boy tackled her in turn taking the lethal hit of themagic. Red stained her vision just as everything became clear again as a body fell to her feet.

"No! Flynn-" The other feminine voice was cut off just as the blond-haired girl's vision became clear once more. Blood was splattered across her golden white tattered gown. Her heart-shaped neckline already peeling off her left boob. The hem of her outfit was torn and damp with mud. Staring down at the dying form before her the girl fell to her knees too shocked to say anything. Her eyes widened in horror as her trembling hands scooped up the now ashen-colored snow-haired boy's head, Flynn. As blood seeped through his lips. His own feeble shaking hand reached up to cup the wet stained tears streaking the blond-haired girl’s, Everetta's, cheeks. "I-I love you, always." The boy breathed out, his body going still before slumping against her body at the statement. A gray fog covered his once vibrant blue eyes before his limp hand hit the dirt-stained ground of the gardens.

A screeching bellow pierced the air as magic coursed through every inch of the gardens. A soul-shattering scream yanked from the very core of her fractured heart reverberated across the entire realm destroying all that it touched.

Eyes opened, I finally awoke, my eyes glowing their bright golden hue as I sat up. Gazing at the snow-haired boy who was standing above me, his back to my front. Frowning I cocked a brow until I saw the dagger coming towards the snow-haired boy, Flynn, or was it, Fletcher. I didn't know what made me think of that name or if he evenhadchanged his name. First things first, I had to stop the dagger plunging for the boy I loved.

Chapter 27

Fletcher

I sat beside her bed, entranced by the tangles of her half-glowing hair. She seems to be able to physically recover a little, that's good. Reaching out a hand, I held onto her wrist, using my right forefinger and middle to examine the beating pulse beneath her skin. Her pace had picked up, it was going back to normal. The purple veins were still there but they were fading. Good, I was right. She's fighting it on her own. For a moment there I was a bit worried when her pulse had slowed till I nearly thought she had died but then it started rapidly speeding up. It was a wave of ups and downs until it finally stabilized. Her pulse hasn't changed much since I last checked her an hour ago. I couldn't leave her bedside, not with her still unconscious. Who knows what would happen if I did. Akasuki had been bringing in my meals for a little under a week or so now. Since my meeting with my younger sister, I didn't dare leave this room. There was nothing else more pressing than Everetta, the only reason I left for Snow before was because I owed my sister that much. She had kept this court intact and I did feel some guilt over last life events.

Suddenly the door slammed open, the hinges flinging off the door. I whirled around at the soon-to-be-dead asshole who was disturbing Evie's sleep. His dark brown hair and deep red irises stormed in as I rolled my eyes turning back around to focus my attention on the love of my life.

"Where is she?! I know you have her. I've let it go in the ballroom because you were making an entrance and Irespectthat but it has been five gods forsaken days. Where is she?! Where is my sister?!" Any lesser man might have cowered as the room shook from his roaring screeches. I was sure the wholecastle must have heard his shouts by now. Using my magic I fixed the unhinged door. The thing was nearly shattered to pieces. I sighed, wishing I could just ignore his tirade but alas if I did the man would probably annoy me even more. I'd rather tell him what he wants than have the man go behind my back and turn this whole castle upside down searching for Luna while my brother was still sealing his regime.

"Don't think you can ignore me," Lucarious stated as if sensing where my thoughts had traveled. I turned back around to face his arched brows, his stance ready for an attack. As if he'd have to wrestle me for the answers. I sighed, fully aware that I shouldn't even be this close to him, but I needed to do what I came here to do. Turning, I looked up at the man before me. Picking up my notes I looked down at my clipboard and jotted down the measurements I had counted. About ninety beats per minute.Good, that was about right, a bit high but considering her ragged breaths it should be fine.The normal range for fae was forty to one hundred beats per minute depending on your race, humans would be sixty to one hundred beats per minute.

Glancing down at the sleeping beauty before me I could tell from her wild look, that despite my best efforts to try and change her dirty appearance, she still looked rather worn and bedraggled.

Rolling my eyes, I looked back at Lucarious, “If you're referring to Luna, yes, I did imprison her. I didn't think you'd care. After all, it's not as if you haven't done that to her before," I stood heading toward my little makeshift medical center in the corner of the room. It's been five days since Everetta had passed out and my brother had taken the throne, yet my dear Everetta had still yet to wake. I'm quite surprised though; I would have thought thePrinceof Blood and Fire would have come earlier. Using the cabinet's upper surface I spread out my numerous potions and vials. Or perhaps my potion worked better on himthan I had expected? Fiddling with my newest concoction–a mix of dry-herbed water sprites and woodland sprites, known for their calming abilities–I swirled the orange-looking liquid. Pouring it down a long tube I watched as it heated before adding a dose of red lizard tail for a little bit of a numbing sensation. I didn't want her throat to be burnt when drinking the next bit of this potion, the dragon's fire. Then again, she was somewhat of a dragon, so she should be fine even without adding the red lizard. I don't want to add too much stuff into her system at the same time. Next, I’ll add a dose of pixie dust for a sweet taste to counteract the bitter acid of this potion.

"She's my sister. I would be a fool not to care. To be honest, I was shockedyoucommanded the act you two had always been so close.”

Now, that could have two meanings: either he didn't know I was planning to torture Luna, or he knows and is trying to cover it in the best possible light. If it was the latter, I didn't need to address him. Or a third possibility he truly was suspicious and wasn't trying to lead me into revealing something.

Turning around, I faced thePrinceof Blood and Fire.

Smiling, I looked up at the bastard, “PrinceLucarious, my patient, my bond, my lover, and my most prized possession was almost killed by a fae whom I regarded and still do regard as my best friend. I did what I needed to do to ensure Everetta's safety. If you have anissuewith the way she is kept, please take it up with my brother. I'm but a mere doctor of the spirit realm in this life. Now, if you could please excuse me, mypatientdoes need me." I turned back towards the said patient and examined the small course of blue veins running from her neck to—damn it.

Unbuttoning her shirt, I was nearly done unhooking the first button when a hand suddenly shot for my wrist. I stared at the tanned arm, like a man blessed by the sun, and frowned upat him, "You'll wake her. Who knows how she'll react once she wakes? I'm strong but gods I'm not that strong."

I guess one good thing about the narcissistic bastard was he knew where his limits were, unlike that tiresome brother of mine.

Waving a syringe in the air, I retorted, "She's been passed out for five days. If she wakes, I couldn’t be happier. Now, please let go of my wrist,PrinceLucarious. Iama doctor." I reiterated those last words, hoping that he got the hint and confronted the king of this court about his so-called issues, though I highly doubted my brother could do anything about Luna’s current predicament, regardless of whether he wanted to or not. He's always hated her. I've never understood why but if it works in my favor so be it.

Narrowing his eyes on me, knowing just as clearly as I did that Eli wouldn't do shit to release Luna. I rolled my own, again, at his obvious aggravation. It took him a few more seconds before his iron grip loosened as I yanked my wrist away. My skin was still as pale as fresh snow, so the burning red against my skin was more prominent than for a fae like Lucarious. Trying not to wring my hand free of the pain from his iron hand grip, I turned back to my patient.

Resuming my task, I unbuttoned the first three buttons just enough to show what I needed but not too much for the guy by my left to get a peek at something that was not for his viewing.He better not be looking; if he so much as tries to get a peak over my shoulder, I'd... I took a small peek to the side. Good, he wasn't. The man had his eyes looked away facing the door. Just as I turned back around, I saw the small curl to his lips.

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