Page 7 of Crowned A Traitor
"You will be the death of me," Arthur let out a sigh and looked to the pantry.
"Take what you need but not enough to be noticed by the other Doomed," Arthur said, leaving the kitchen for the staircase to the Doomed quarters. Klara watched his slumped shoulders, hoping one day she could free him. "Goodnight," Klara called out as his shadow disappeared. She felt caged in the Queens' Castle, but for her, there was hope of freedom. Klara couldn't fathom how Arthur felt after his centuries of grueling servitude.
Klara snacked on the plate of stir-fried vegetables and noodles Arthur had left for her. After hearty mouthfuls, she pushed the plate away. Footsteps approached, and Klara checked the staircase for Arthur, but there was no sign of him when the shrill voice startled her.
"Where's the dessert?" Lilith said. Lilith's favourite part of the day was dessert as if she would ever let Klara have any. Treats and training didn't create a warrior. Klara knew she was in for a roasting as the Queens marched into the kitchen.
From their disappointed expressions, they were expecting to see Arthur slaving away and not Klara at the island. "Where's Arthur?" Abadan asked, folding her arms with Lilith and Eve behind her. "I sent him to rest."
"The dead don't need rest," Lilith said, picking at her nails with a sharp blade.
"The Doomed serve as the King commands."
The Queens stood before Klara. Eve, Adam's wife who'd been tempted from the Garden. Abadan, the Mother of Demons and the King's greatest rival and ally. Last but not least, Lilith the First Woman and first wife of Adam only to be shunned for her strength and intelligence. Lilith had quickly become the King's greatest warrior and confidant in the early days of Creation. Each Queen was powerful and evil in their own right, but Lucifer was their King, and if they wanted the protection of his Kingdom and his generosity, they did his bidding.
"You never said what you were doing in the Forest?" Abadan said grating a nail along the marble countertop. The high-pitched squeal made Klara shiver.
"Patrolling, as the future ruler, can I not see my lands?" Klara said calmly moving away from them. She searched the impressive pantry for pickled carrots and Lilith grabbed the jar before Klara could reach it. Lilith popped a carrot between her lips before placing it back on the shelf. "We have Lesser Demons for that, no need to endanger yourself," Eve said in dismay and Lilith threw one of the daggers strapped to her thigh at Klara. As the Master-at-Arms, every moment was a challenge, and Klara caught the blade between her fingers with ease before she flung it back at her mentor, “I don’t trust the Lesser Demons.”
Lilith caught the dagger midair. “Why not? They are your subjects.” Klara would never find Lilith in finery unless the situation demanded it. She wore her shirt and trousers tight to her skin, with her hair braided away from her face. Always battle ready at a moment’s notice.
"Demons at all levels can be bribed." That's precisely what Klara was relying on to sell her story. The Beanstalk was the last step in her escape plan. To ease her passage through the Forest, Klara had given two gold coins to Argon and Avila whom she'd caught bargaining with Creatures trying to flee Malum for Kalos while on River duty. If anyone came after her, the Demons would lead them astray.
Smuggling was one of the Malum's greatest issues. Struggling Creatures sold their souls or whatever they could to get into Kalos, despite Kalos being free from Dark Creatures and dark magic. The Creatures and Fae of Kalos weren't all squeaky clean. Klara had heard rumours of the Kalions' greed. Demons often reported deals made for land or riches to enhance a Fae's status. It only cost the Fae their Light, and once a deal was struck, their magic was corrupted. Dark.
Dealing across the lands violated the treaty, but when Light or a soul was on offer, what was a treaty to a Demon. When payment is due, it doesn't matter to which land the Creature belongs, if they didn't pay, Hell's Hounds would drag the poor Dark Creature to Hell's Maze and the Dark Fae to Malum.
"We have talked about your little adventures before," Eve said. "Your Father called, and you were nowhere to be found. How do you think that makes us look?"
"I can see you were deeply concerned for my safety."
"I'd be more concerned about the Demons you were harassing," Eve chimed in pushing back a strand of hair. Eve always had flowers in her hair and the brightest of gowns.
"Ha-ha. Well as you can see, I'm perfectly all right," Klara shuffled away before Abadan the High Queen caught the scent of her wound. If caught, Lilith would torture her. Eve would plead and fret with Lucifer. She was the best at playing the fake mother in front of the King. Abadan, however, would lock Klara in the dungeon for weeks and laugh as her stench grew and starvation drove her to madness. By the time, Eve's pleas for forgiveness on Klara’s behalf reached the King, he would have already backed the High Queen’s decision. Abadan's ability to spawn a legion of Demons gave her an advantage over Lilith and Eve.
"I smell a liar," Abadan rose her perfectly manicured eyebrows.
Klara cringed as Abadan towered over her with her long crimson robe draping over her corseted body. The High Queen was both feminine and lethal. The Queens were outrageously different, but together they created a force no one could stand against.
"Open," Abadan said, dragging her diamond-encrusted nail down Klara's jacket zip and unclipped one side of her ruined dungarees. Klara opened her mouth to protest, but Abadan pressed a finger to Klara's lips while her eyes drifted to Klara's hand covering the centre of her chest. Eve sniffed coming closer as the air filled with the scent of blood. Klara saw the shame in Lilith's eyes.
"I can explain…" Klara stammered and Eve knocked trays of food off the counter while Lilith pulled on Klara's t-shirt revealing Klara's oozing wound and savaged shoulder.
"Sweet Judas, what happened?" Lilith recoiled in horror while Abadan's eyes fell on Eve.They are already assessing my punishment, Klara thought.
"Wait until your Father hears of this!" Eve threatened, and Klara pulled away from them.
"Losing my heart is not a big deal. I slip into Hell, grab a heart from one of dad's collections, and I'll be back in no time."
"You think we would let you deceive your Father?" Eve ranted, always Fathers most loyal pet. "At seventeen, I expect you to stop acting like such a child. All these ventures are harming your proper education!"
"Do you want him to find out you let his Heir roam free and get her heart ripped out, do you think the King would deem that a proper education?"
"Why we never..." Eve starts, but Abadan holds her hand high commanding Eve's silence.
"Who’s to say what happened? Maybe you three rose against me?" Klara caught Abadan's wrist before Abadan's palm came into contact with her cheek. "Seems you trained me too well, Lilith."
Klara released Abadan's wrist. Abadan had never struck her before. A queen need not lift a finger because there would always be someone willing to raise a hand for them.
