•Chapter 2•

Arrogance; another Wright trait.

Arrogance because he genuinely looks surprised at my answer. Arrogance for looking somewhat angered by my statement.

But then again he's all pretense. Like with the confidence, none of this is real.

It's all just a game of carefully plotted moves.

These people have made the ultimate mistake in making an enemy of me. Death would not be swift on their ends.

I nearly choke at the thought and try to remind myself that this isn't me thinking, but my father.

I know there has to be good deep down in my conscious. I know there has to be mercy somewhere.

"You know, it's your war too, your people."

Perhaps these people should have thought about the consequences before hollowing me out.

Before turning me into this shell that was never really beautiful to begin with.

"Yes, they were my people, but my people turned their backs on me and it's time for them to face the consequences," my words are all false bravado and cruelty, but he doesn't know that.

He still holds his ground. Standing ramrod straight and looking down on me as if he has all the right in the world to do so.

I can not find it in my heart to care a lick about him. He's just another Varsillian playing the game.

Tapping a finger against the stone discreetly, I send a quick electrical current through the solid material and up to his foot.

Jumping back in surprise I give him a smile and try to fake my best genuine voice, which is pretty damn good, "What's the matter?"

I even decide to furrow my eyebrows, scrunch my eyes a tad bit and at the end of my sentence , I tilt my lips down.

The perfect lie.

The perfect way to seem like typical Evelyn Aculiac.

All I really want to do is close my eyes and drift off instead of indulging this man in conversation.

Smoothing his hands down over his slacks he replies, "nothing,"Another charming smile thrown my way and he continues, "but I do find is somewhat strange that you would allow Varsillia be burned to the ground for a petty grudge."

The decimation of the Aculiac line is hardly a petty grudge but I do not say so, I have not the time to, nor the energy for that matter.

What's done is done.

"You and everyone else top side, have brought this fate on yourselves."

So much energy it takes to get those words out, but I keep on, knowing my performance has to be perfect.

"I must have misspoken, the Varkeshian Republic will make slaves out of all of us. You saw what happened when they got a one of theirs onto the coalition board. Millions condemned to the Saharian mines."

I do not let my lips so much as twitch.

"I have a feeling you are not a man who is capable of making a slip of the tongue."

Not that any Wright is.

Or Varsillian for that matter.

"And I had a feeling you would care about the fate of your people, clearly I was wrong."

Maybe I had once cared for the people here, but the lands are the only thing I care to like about Varsillia, now.

It hurts to much to get attached to beings that will inevitably die.

"You have some nerve, coming in here and telling me to save the people who have taken everything from my family."

The people, the family, who I simply can't find it in myself to care about now.

"And you have some nerve saying you're fine with all of becoming slaves to our sworn enemy."

Slowly something came to mind. The thought started to culminate, to brew, in my head.

My freedom. The idea. Perhaps this ridiculous war could benefit me in some way after all.

And with that, an idea to be with my family once more came.

Maybe if I win this war I can finally be at peace again.

I could be free; I simply have to play my cards right and I am out of here for good.

Out of this freezing place of darkness that had me constantly trapped in my less than pleasant head.

"You know what," I shrug my shoulders a little, as war isn't such a big deal and maybe I'll help, "I will help you, but I want my conditions met."

A slow grin slips onto my girlish face as he takes the bait. What a fool.

What fools they all are for making a deal with an Aculiac.

An Aculiac numb to the world around her, no less.

"Go on." I see him narrow his eyes. I also see his fingers twitch again.

Nearly a carbon copy of his mother.

"I want to be head of the armies both in the air and on the ground, I want to never be bothered by you or any of my former people again unless I say so, I want to be free, I want charges dropped, and I want my adficio chains off."

Or rather, I want Galen free. Or maybe that's just what Galen wants. I don't think I know what I really want.

I know I'll never be happy so what's the point of wasting time on want.

"All conditions are met, but the chains stay."

I let out a chuckle. He knows he can not win this war without me. He has no power to negotiate.

He needs me more than I need him, after all.

"I'm not fighting this war, for you might I add, while I have chains on me that are constantly draining my magic."

"You're too much of a hazard without them, I can not risk it."

I let my hair, with a slight crust of blood, as it seemed to be, fall over my shoulder as I tilt my head once more.

Such a male thing to say.

"Did you know that it takes less than thirty seconds to bleed out from a stab wound to the Femoral Artery?"

"Excuse me?"

He looks shocked for a moment, but quickly recovers.

I can see him just fine even if he can barely make out my face.

Being part Vampire has its perks, after all. Even if I have to drink blood which, as a Vampire, I don't seem to like.

And let's be honest; what Vampire doesn't love blood?

Me apparently.

"And it takes less than fifteen second to bleed out from a stab wound to the brachial artery."

This whole scene looks quite strange. My angelic face, my innocent eyes. There is fire in them yet though. I can be intimidating.

No matter how empty these gestures are, I just need to get through it.

I need to become this woman my parents made me.

"Your point being?"

"If you are the cream of the crop up top, I am not sure how all of you have survived so long without me."

Too true. I had been watching them all. Like any good queen would. With the passing of each generation they got less and less intelligent.

No matter how much I want to quit this life and just go to sleep, I know that my purpose is far greater than this nothingness I feel.

I don't matter at all, what I can do, however, does.

I myself am not stupid, but I often come off as such.

With my young words and often crude statements. And yet they feared me so.

If only they all knew.

"I am not stupid, stop implying it, I simply don't want a walking talking safety hazard wreaking havoc around my world."

His thin fingers flex. He is worked up. Angry when he has no reason to be.

Does he not understand that this is but a game. He made his move and I'm making mine.

"That's comedic really, your world, you wouldn't survive a day at the court I built."

The court I built to keep them safe, my former people safe, I add in my head. I like to pride myself as the heroic villain.

My morals are off, but I can still make right choices. I can still do some semblance of good in this wretched world.

I can still be more than Aries Aculiac.

"I've made it less cruel."

"And that's exactly why Varsllia is going to be invaded, we have to appear strong or we get invaded."

I feel something slither under my skin and another nudging at my wrists.

"I understand that now, but I'm afraid I can't just take off the only thing containing you."

What it must be to be able to flaunt your issues. If I were to throw all of this onto another I would be vilified and riots would ensue.

The curse of being an Aculiac queen.

It's just so tiring, so very trying.

"I do not need my magic to be dangerous."

"So why do you need it then?"

I cannot imagine what it must be like in his head.

"How do you think I'm going to fight an onslaught of at least, I don't know, a few million, at best might I add, seasoned fae warriors who've been fighting wars as a unit for centuries if not millennia"

"Fine, but no one is going trust you."

No one is going to trust me no matter where I am or what I am held by.

"Good, now on that note let us leave this wretched place."

"As you wish, my queen." I can see his flourished bow and I know it was time to work my magic.

To put on the face of Evelyn Aculiac. A queen to not be trifled with.

All I have to do is get through this. Then I can sleep.

The cell clicked open and I made a surge forward, then remember he is here, and I slow to a regal walk full of grace and confidence, for I am a queen and queens do not show weakness or hesitation.

My head starts to pound as I desperately try to push thoughts of revenge away. I am not the daughter of Aries.

I will not be the daughter of Aries.

I ran my hand along the wall, my crude nails dragging.

I want to wash this blood off me. This blood that has been on me for the better part of the last two centuries.

For I had not allowed the remnants of that night to be washed away. I wanted blood to bathe me as a lesson to never do it again.

To cringe every time I had looked at myself and constantly remember that I have the capacity to be good.

Moments later we are in a regal bedroom and then, in a rush, a servant scurries up to the man I stand by with a closed hand.

He moves his fingers, his pointer twitching slightly, and hands him a key, then leaves with quick steps and a head that is tilted downward, eyes cast to the ground.

Maybe some of my influence has remained after all.

He took a moment of hesitation, but inserts the key, twists it, and suddenly the chains are off.

In that very moment I feel Galen start to burst out of me .

I call out to him softly as a black dragon took form on my arm and slithered into this plane of existence.

A roar shakes the grounds.

Galen is here and he is here to stay.

•1928•
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