Annalise
I always find it astonishing how many whispers can be passed in the wind.
The secrets flowing in the wind are enough to pull down an entire kingdom.
They say you should be careful because the walls have ears, but it’s the wind we should be wary of.
Two days ago, right after Cassandra discovered her heritage, I sent a gust of wind towards the north, feeling my power ripple free.
My wind magic acts as an extension of my very essence, allowing me to harness and direct air currents with mere thoughts, though generating a strong, focused blast over large distances can be exhausting.
I have never before sent wind over such a large distance, but I managed to do so by focusing my energy into a single purpose.
“Find me the secrets I seek.”
I created a miniature vortex that rippled through the Witch Kingdom and dispersed into a cool breeze, but I got exactly what I was looking for.
“King Alexander and Queen Lucinda want her dead”, I tell Jason, and his eyes widen in disbelief.
“Right after they drain her of her power”.
“They want her fire?” Jason asks in confusion, pacing his office.
“Doesn’t Alexander have the same power?”
I sigh to ease the terror that rises within me.
“If what we found out today is true and Princess Cassidy is Cassandra’s mother, then the fire isn’t the only power we have to worry about”.
My eyes rise to meet his.
“Your mate is dangerous”.
Cassandra had to begin training the next day.
Now that she’s aware of her power, the blocking spell her mother had placed on her is broken, which means everyone can sense her energy, and everyone would know exactly what she is.
In other words, there might be a lot more people seeking her life.
Cassandra passed out after yesterday’s training session.
With her unconscious and Jason refusing to leave her side, it gives me the perfect opportunity.
I summon the wind and circle it around me, making me move faster and more silently as I leave the pack house.
I let myself materialize with the wind, which is something I can only handle for about five minutes.
I pass the borders without suspicion, as they assume I am nothing but the wind.
I begin my trek through the unclaimed lands that lie between the three kingdoms.
It contains a large assortment of trees and mountains that peak over them.
I use my speed to push myself forward to the Vampire Kingdom.
I have two goals in mind and two goals only.
One: Retrieve the Codex.
Two: Don’t die while retrieving the Codex.
Not my best strategy, but it’ll have to do.
I must do my best to get the Codex.
Jason and Cassandra’s lives depend on it, and so do the lives of the supernaturals in all three kingdoms, because once the witch royalty gets their hands on Black Magic, only the gods know what they would do with it.
The Codex, a powerful ancient grimoire, contains the secrets to unlocking curses, spells, and the feared Black Magic, capable of altering the balance of power among the magical realms.
Its possession could grant its holder unrivaled power and a daunting ability to control the fates of many.
With the gust of wind pushing me forward, my legs move at an incredible pace through the unclaimed grounds between the three kingdoms before I make it to the border of the vampire kingdom.
I let the wind around me seize and pull up the hood of the jacket I wear.
I couldn’t materialize into the wind to make it through these borders, so I’ll have to find another way through.
“Halt”, a guard calls to me, and I freeze before slowly turning to him.
“Yes?” I don’t hide the frustration in my voice as I turn to face the vampire.
“By whose orders do you come to our borders?”
“I don’t need orders”, I say as I pull back my hood, and the guard startles.
“Your highness, the king has been looking for you”.
“I’m sure he has”, I reply as I pull the hood back over my head.
“If you would do me a favor and not inform the palace-”
He takes a strong hold of my arm, and the other guards around him snicker.
“I believe Prince Dukarion would be pleased if we delivered you to him ourselves. Imagine the rewards we would receive for retrieving a runaway princess”.
“Let go of me”, I warn, but his grip only tightens.
I grit my teeth and summon the energy within me to the surface.
Wind splits the air, and the man holding onto me is sent flying.
“Get her!” I pull out the daggers strapped to my side and throw them up in the air before pushing them forward with the aid of the wind around me.
I have always been terrible at hand-to-hand combat, so I leaned heavily on my power.
It wasn’t the best bet, but it was my only bet.
Combat is not an option.
I pull my hand through the air, and both of my daggers find their marks in the shoulders of the ones seeking to attack me.
If there’s one difference between the vampire kingdom and werewolf territory, it’s that it never fully modernized.
Despite the presence of cars and other technology, most of these are exclusively available to nobles and royalty.
Within the sprawling streets of the vampire kingdom, horse-drawn carriages are still a common sight, contrasted by the sleek vehicles hidden behind palace walls.
The vampires value tradition, which is reflected in their architecture, with grand castles and ancient stone bridges over quiet rivers.
They also preserve a preference for old-world charm in their weaponry, combining medieval swords and arrows with modern machinery like guns.
Their adherence to tradition creates a sense of timelessness and an air of regal mystery, distinctly different from the bustling and technologically progressive werewolf territories, where stone pathways give way to busy streets lined with flickering neon lights.
The streets always have a dark, eerie feel to them, or maybe it was just to me since I technically don’t belong here.
Most vampires carry themselves with an air of sophistication that I admire; some of them are more regal than I would ever be, and I’m a fucking princess.
I push my way and my power till I’m right in front of the looming structure that is the vampire palace.
The structure is black with ravens hovering over it, making it feel anything but homey.
Yet, this is where I’ve lived since I was brought to this kingdom.
I often wished that I lived with my brothers in their manor, but the King was having none of that.
He liked to keep me close.
I feel my heart beating hard in my chest as I look up at the palace.
I can’t help but think of what the king would do to me for disobeying him.
Whenever I did something wrong, it never went well for me or my brothers.
I keep to the dark and use the wind to cause diversions that allow me passage.
I somehow managed to pass the guards and make my way to the library.
My heart leaps as I open the door, hoping that neither the prince nor the king is inside.
I sigh in relief once I see it’s empty.
I go to a loose floor board and pull out the Codex with a smile.
“Mission complete”.
Without the dangerous magic-induced leather book I now hold in my arms, Alexander and Lucinda can never overrun the werewolf territory like they plan to.
They may know a few basic curses, but the rest would be safe, and without all ten curses, they would never be able to create Black Magic.
I take the book and run outside into the hallway, but I crash into someone.
“Kairon?” I call out in shock, and he stares at me with the same expression.
“Dee, what are you doing here?”
“I was just leaving”, I hiss, and my hands around the book tighten.
His eyes drop to them and widen.
“The fuck, Diana, what in Chi’s name do you think you’re doing?”
Chi- the goddess of blood and creator of the vampires.
Selene is the moon goddess and creator of the werewolves.
Celesthra is the goddess of the stars from whom witches draw their energy.
I roll my eyes, “I’m taking the book back with me”.
Kairon shakes his head repeatedly, “I can’t let you leave, at least not now”.
“Too bad”, I whisper before a gust of wind throws him into the opposite wall.
“Goodbye, brother”.
“Diana!” He calls to me as I run down the halls, not caring to be subtle, as I weave through the servants who shriek at my presence.
“Princess?”
“Your highness!”
“Sorry!” I call back.
I run down the spiral stairs into the entryway until I tumble in the most terrible, most ungraceful, most embarrassing way imaginable- tripping over my own two feet and crashing right into someone.
“You insolent peasant!” A voice shrieks.
“Don’t you know-”
I look up to see the speaker, and my jaw unhinges as I lock eyes with the queen of witches, standing there in all her glory.
She wears a dazzling blue dress that matches her eyes, which always seem to have bolts of lightning moving in them.
After all, it is the power she wields.
Her black hair falls over her shoulders, making her look nothing short of ethereal.
The jewels she wears glitter in a way that makes me feel inferior.
“Y-your majesty?” I stutter, and the queen raises a brow at me.
“Oh, it’s you, Annalise. Get up, a princess should not be sprawled on the floor”.
I get to my feet, my cheeks hot in embarrassment.
I hide the Codex behind me as I rise.
“Last I heard, you had run away with Prince Drakos, and Dracula was tearing down the entire province to find you”.
“Oh”, I startle.
“Well, the king knows where we are now and-” I try to lie, but her eyes move to the book hidden behind my back.
“What are you holding?”
Shit.
Shit.
“Uh…”
“Darling,” my eyes snap up at the voice.
My heart thunders as I put my hand over my chest and bend my upper body in an elegant bow on seeing King Alexander.
The bow that is accepted by the witch royalty.
Shit!
Shit!
Shit!
“Annalise”, he seems startled by my presence.
“It’s nice to see you here”.
“You too, your majesty”, I lie through clenched teeth, and he turns to his queen.
“We ought to be going now, my love”.
Lucinda shakes her head, “I think Annalise has something we want”.
The couple pin me with their gazes, and my heart stutters.
Shit!!!!
“I have no idea what you’re talking about”, I laugh nervously.
“Give me the Codex Annalise”, Lucinda sneers.
Well, that was direct.
“No”.
Lightning dances right behind Lucinda as her eyes flash, and I gasp.
“Give us the Codex and no one gets hurt”, Alexander warns, his eyes turning the same gold Cassandra’s have when she uses her powers.
I can’t believe those two are related.
“You’ll have to kill me for it!” I pull out a dagger and flip it in my hand, and do my best to create more distance between us before calling on my power.
Footsteps echo down the entryway, and we all turn to the newcomer, who looks at us in pure shock and disbelief.
Kairon’s eyes lock with mine, and his voice sounds in my head, “dammit, Diana! I thought you left”.
“Apparently not”, I scoff.
“What’s going on here?” Kairon asks as he walks down the stairs, his eyes narrowed on the king and queen.
“I thought you would be on the way back to your kingdom by now”.
“We’re simply trying to get back what’s ours.” Lucinda’s eyes are on me as she speaks.
“It’s mine”, I counter as I hug the book closer to my body.
“Your majesties”, Kairon’s voice is anything but polite.
“I think it’s time you take your leave”.
“Prince Dukarion, you of all people should know the lengths we go to get what we want,” Alexander seethes.
“So bring her to us”.
Kairon goes rigid.
“What?”
“I said”, Alexander begins slowly.
“Bring your sister to us”.
Kairon’s gaze snaps to me, and my heart leaps as I try to run, but he’s already in front of me before I get the chance to do so.
“Kai?” I whisper in pleading confusion as he grabs my arm.
Then he begins pulling me towards them, and adrenaline makes me thrash in his grip.
“Kai, please!” I beg.
“They’re going to drain me, Kai!”
He ignores me and keeps dragging me towards them.
“Kai, please! I’ve been terrible, I know. I promise I’ll be better, don’t give me away, please! You and Ayden are all I have, Kai!”
He ignores me and pushes me straight into their arms.
I scream, I thrash, I beg.
I tell him I’m sorry for leaving.
Tell him I’m sorry for fighting, for using my powers against him.
I beg for his forgiveness.
I beg him not to abandon me like my parents had done.
I promise him to obey and do as the crown instructs.
But he ignores me.
My brother turns and leaves without a single glance back at me.
“Kai!!!”