Rewritten

***

Cyra entered the library, trying to find an inkling of information on the VeLila twins.

Until yesterday, she had been consumed with rage. Duke Ambrosia and Sherwood had the audacity to go behind her back to get two prisoners into the competition. They even went as far as to promise them freedom. All behind her back.

However, that rage boiled down to curiosity.

She needed to know something--anything about who those twins were. And what crime they committed to end up gaining the title of the "Most Dangerous Criminals in Carrallizian History." When she met them, Drayce seemed to be all bark and no bite. And the sister seemed sensible. Refreshing almost.

How did those two end up committing a crime that even she, the queen of Carralliz, could not know about?

A small hand tapped her shoulder. "Miss, could you help me find a book? I cannot seem to find the one I am looking for."

Had the hand belonged to an able adult, she would have snapped, "Do I look like a librarian?" But the hand belonged to a small eight-year-old child. So she said, "Of course. Which book are you looking for?"

No child deserved rough treatment. Adults...she could not say the same for them.

The few people in the library gaped at her.

The Cruel Queen offering help. Most of the time, she only offered taunts and beheadings.

"I'm looking for a book that can tell me about the Manus Daemonium."

Cyra giggled. "Whatever do you need to know about the Demon Realm? They haven't been strongly active for almost seven centuries. A little boy like you should know nothing about the horrors of the Manus Daemonium."

"But I've seen them already, and the horrors have burned my eyes," he whispered.

"What did you say?"

"I said, I needed to know because I have a school project. And even though they are not as active as before, they do still cause disturbances in the Northern Continents."

Cyra hummed, agreeing with him. "Schools don't introduce Daemons and Manus Daemonium until the tenth standard." She scrunched her eyebrows. "Are you in the gifted program?"

"I am. I am a student in the school of the Daemonium Sureiyas. It is my dream to raid their realm one day."

The Daemonium Sureiyas, the Demon Killers. Why would an eight-year-old child want to be one? How did he even pass the entrance exam?

Cyra wanted to ask why, but she supposed she shouldn't. If such a small child had such big dreams, there was a load of trauma in his past.

She hated anyone asking questions about her past, and she was sure the boy did too.

She led the boy to a corner of the library where the books on Daemons lived. One by one, she read the names of the books until the boy said yes to one.

The book had letters of the Northern Continent. Did the boy know how to read the divine script of the Boqsrei People from the North?

Apparently, he did because after expressing his gratitude, he ran off to a table and started reading. Silently mouthing words he found interesting and reading at such a quick pace.

This kid was something else.

Wanting to know more about the child, Cyra sat parallel to him. "What is your name?"

He looked up from his book. She could have sworn his pupils expanded then returned to normal size. Like an animal. "Kai. What's yours?"

She smiled. No one had asked for her name in years. They already knew her as the Cruel Queen, and before that, the Princess of Carralliz. "Cyra Thornis. Pleasure making your acquaintance."

"I must say the same." His face scrunched up. "Anyway, do you know where the bathrooms are?"

Did this kid have no idea she was a queen? She liked having a sense of privacy and knowing someone who didn't have pre-installed discriminations against her. But still. "I'll take you there."

Kai stood, returning the book in its place and followed Cyra to the bathroom.

Something about the kid was different. Only Specials were allowed in the program of the Daemonium Sureiyas. Even if their job was more decoration and a title than actual work. They didn't need to exist for any reason other than tradition as Daemons hadn't shown up in years.

But, upon looking at his temple, not a single dot marked it, meaning he was Bare. Yet he still managed to enter the academy at a younger age than most.

Now she had two things to investigate. The twins and this child.

Kai came out of the bathroom and went back to the library after offering Cyra a quick "thank you."

She made to follow him, but someone stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. "Your Majesty, I must ask you for an inkling of your time. The matter is urgent."

Knowing the voice belonged to Duke Ambrosia, the person who committed treason legally, she whacked his hand off her shoulder. "I implore you to grant me a wish. Speak to me never again, and I might consider not executing you."

"But I've done nothing illegal--"

"Well, let me ask you this. Why am I called the Cruel Queen? It's because I am cruel. Did the thought ever cross your mind before you decided to cross me?"

"Your Majesty, I had no intention--"

"I don't need to hear your excuses. Return to wherever you came from and reflect on your actions as a toddler does. I am enraged with your decision to let two criminals free without my permission. Now get lost." Without listening to anything the duke had to say, she strutted towards the dining room.

"We've found your parent's bodies."

Time froze. It had been two years since her parents died, and two years since she'd become queen.

"How could you have identified the bodies? It's been two years. Their faces must be black by now."

"They were wearing the same wedding rings and the same clothes they were last seen in. How would you like me to respond?"

"Well, the funeral and the memorial have already taken place. Now that we've got the bodies, we shall bury them in the royal graveyard. Why would we do something special? Because they are my parents?"

"Your Majesty," he said, rubbing a hand against his beard, "the former monarchs wanted to be cremated."

No! She would not burn what little remains of her parents she got back. She would keep them as close to her as possible.

"I said to bury them in the royal graveyard and that is final."

She didn't wait to hear the "Yes, Your Majesty," and immediately walked away. She sniffled and tapped her eyes, making sure no one would see her vulnerability. She did not falter in her step and regain her composure quickly.

They were gone. Nothing was going to change that. It was the circle of life...and she should accept it. There was no point in crying or grieving.

She'd already done that more than enough.

Just as she opened the door to her bedroom, a servant said, "Your Majesty, four more Champions have arrived. I've already settled them in the throne room."

"Good," she said, making her way to the throne room to greet more Champions. Hopefully, none of them were prisoners like the last time she entered the throne room.

She followed the servant to the throne room, ready to meet whoever was daring enough to enter the competition.

She reached the room and entered it with her soulless mask on.

***
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Word Count: 1300