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Flipp
Iwas transported immediately to the Palace by wagon. I was in way more trouble than I wanted to admit to myself. I hadn’t been that scared since I scrambled away from the mob bosses.
We were on an unpaved road, and it was the roughest ride I had been on in a while. As the wagon rocked its way to the Palace, I thought about what I was going to say to the Queen when I had to go in front of her. Queen Attina, if all the rumors were to be believed, was a no-nonsense leader that had very little time for mercy. That was what scared me the most. I was not sure why she would give me another chance to live, the Sirens didn’t even like my kind.
I shuddered at the thought of it. I watched as the countryside passed by the wagon windows and the Kingdom was coming up. I would have given anything to have Azil turn the ship around and get me out of there. That was not what happened. My heart was in my throat as I thought about having to go into the castle by armed guard, and try to explain that I wasn’t some dangerous monster.
I looked outside to see if I could see Drayven. I had a dream in my head that he would come and rescue me, the way that he promised he would, but things really weren’t looking good anymore. Where had he gone? Had he decided to just save himself and leave me behind?
I couldn’t help but think about Jesye. Where was he at that moment, and was he still alive? He must be doing worse than me. If they were treating me this way, how would they treat a slave they bought for parts?
Tears streamed down my cheeks as I thought about it. I was alone in the wagon, and I took the opportunity to allow my emotions to flow. I never really had the luxury of crying about my problems. But, while I was alone in this wagon, I was going to cry my eyes out before I had to walk in front of the Queen. Poor Jesye, he really never stood a chance, and I was the foolish one to think I could save him from all this. I couldn’t even save myself. The Seer had really taken me for a ride, making me believe that I was someone important enough to save anyone.
The wagon turned into the Kingdom and slowed down as it moved onto the cobblestones. I took the opportunity to see all the old and elegant homes that the citizens were living in. Wayde was really a stunning island, and had I had the opportunity to take it all in, I would have liked to walk around and check things out.
The wagon rumbled up to the Palace gates. A guard got out and chatted with the soldier on the other side. The gates slowly opened, and we went inside and moved into the courtyard. The wagon stopped and I waited for a while as the soldiers talked amongst themselves. I didn’t mind the wait. I was unprepared for meeting the Queen of Wayde.
Eventually the soldiers came to the back and opened up the wagon to let me out. I was still restrained, so it wasn’t easy getting out, and I almost fell. They dragged me to the doors of the Palace and practically threw me through them. I landed hard in the entrance to the Palace and felt a premonition that I was going to die that night.
The Queen had been notified of my arrival, and when I went into the throne room, she was already sitting on the throne.
The throne was made of gold, and it shone all the way to the back. I swallowed hard as I looked around the room and saw the Captain, and the guards from the ship, waiting by the sidelines. They look smug, like me pleading for my life was one big joke. There was a lot of people in attendance, which surprised me. Both Azil and Xagon were standing near the front as my representatives, and I was hoping they were also going to speak on my behalf. They were Sirens after all. These were their people, and they should be able to reason with their own Queen. I tried to smile at them, but I was too freaked out.
I was walked to the front and told to kneel before the Queen. Before I was given chance to do it myself, they forced to my knees and I trembled as I looked up at the Queen. She was terrifying to behold. It was almost as though she stared right through you, but to look at she was stunning. She had raven black hair that hung down to her feet in cascading waves, and the crown that was on top of her head was filled with jewels. The lower half of her body was in serpent form and she looked like she dared me to say something about it. Like if she didn’t feel like using her legs, then she just wasn’t going to. She was wrapped in silks that were warmer tones and radiant. Her piercing green eyes and full mouth demanded attention.
“Why have you demanded a word with me, monster? We usually kill your kind on sight around here.”
I felt a little dizzy. “Queen Attina, thank you so much for seeing me. I just wanted the opportunity to show you that I mean your people no harm. I’m a travelling campion with the Sirens, and I am fighting alongside them.”
“How did you come to be with them?”
“I was running from enemies of my own, and they offered to help me.” I certainly wasn’t about to tell her that I killed someone.
The Queen stared at me for longer than was comfortable. I felt like she was expecting me to say something more, I just didn’t know what it was.
“Queen—”
“Stop right there, I’ve heard enough.”
“But—”
“Guards lock her up.”
I was rendered speechless. “No, please.”
“Don’t worry, monster. I’m not going to have you killed. We will keep you as a prisoner and use you as entertainment.”
I didn’t even want to think about what that meant. “You have the wrong idea about me.”
“Guards, shut her up already, and get her out of my sight.”
My heart sank.
She motioned for the guards to come for me. They rushed me, and I looked to Xagon for help, but the two men weren’t moving. They were just staring like they didn’t expect anything else to have happened.
Knowing I had no other choice, I used my tail and took out a couple of the guard’s legs. They went down hard onto the ground, and the Queen started clapping. “See, she’s already providing us with some great entertainment.”
I was only half useful as my arms were still tied behind my back, I could only use my legs. One of the guards reached for me and I backed away too fast, ending up on my backside. They rushed me again and one of the guards grabbed me roughly. He pushed my face into the ground, and then he picked me up and dragged me away.
I looked to Azil and Xagon, and I was shocked to see that they didn’t look the least bit surprised that I was being dragged away. They weren’t horrified, or in disbelief, they weren’t even a little bit outraged for me. They weren’t talking to the Queen, begging for my release. They were doing nothing, and it just about broke my heart. I felt tears welling up in my eyes as I made eye contact with Azil, and he actually looked a little victorious. What was he celebrating? Was he happy that I was now a slave of the Queen? What was happening?
As the guards dragged me out of the room towards my prison cell, it occurred to me that I had been set up by the Sirens.
