Amara's POV

After miles and miles of traveling we finally made it to the gates of Aster.

Where Lily was hiding.

The kingdom was still in shambles...decimated and almost abandoned.

Anyone left alive either fled or hid in this place.

A once victorious kingdom now knocked down to a mere wasteland of rumble.

All because they wanted me...and Lily wanted the king dead.

With my new armor gifted to me by my mother, magic sword in hand I searched for the queen.

"Dearest daughter...you have gained the power of magic wielding." She whispered to me in my mind as she stood in her fox form, the other two following her like they were her little ones.

"Follow me, I know where she'll be. A shifter cannot hide their gaze from their true queen. A rabbit cannot hide from a fox."

Sly laughter filled my ears from all three as I grunted along.

They are beyond mysterious and kind of annoying in the manner they spoke as well as acted...but I guess that was the way of the shifters, sly in their trickery and mockery.

But they always got the job done, no matter how absurd it seemed.

Once we reached the royal gardens a white rabbit appeared, fur as white as the clouds on a sunny day.

Blue flickers of magical power appeared and within an instant my eyes were now looking at the Queen of Aster...Lily.

During my time away...it seemed as though she was pregnant early on now fully showing.

Distain filled her face as black makeup ran down her cheeks as if she had been endlessly crying.

"Marcella Caldera. My dear sister. My queen....my enemy." She raised her had to show a golden white dagger dripped in a black poison.

"I've awaited this day. The day we once meet again my dearest Marcella...but for the last time."

Her voice was as soft and innocent as ever.

Her nature in which she was displaying to us made it hard to believe she was really the enemy...but still as shifters are...like a coin they had two sides to them...always.

So which side was I seeing? The honest or the lie?

"Lily!" I yelled her name as loud as I could as she glanced my way, seeming to care less for me and more for my mother.

"You play no part in this fight. Only your true mother. Don't end up like your brother who got in the way."

My blood mother seemed to rage at that.

"You will have no mercy Lily! Butchering my son has earned you my sword at your heart!"

"Marcella!" I called as she walked ahead of me.

"Amara stay safe my dear. You two, Dahlia-Tulip...keep my daughter from interfering." Before I could do anything the two foxes took their human forms, locking me down with their magic.

"Stay calm." One said.

"Yes stay calm. All will be alright." The other spoke.

"Yes. All will be just fine."

And before I knew it I was asleep unable to wake.

———

When my body finally drained itself of the sleeping magic I awoke to Lily being beheaded by Marcella's very sword...but Marcella was bleeding heavily at her right side, her left hand iron-clutching the wound.

Just before I sat up to catch my strength back Alastair Thane ran to her, dropping his sword in the process.

"My dear."

She slapped his hand away.

"Don't. Foxes find Darren. He is the kingdoms healer. I need him."

Without a second to spare the two foxes vanished.

I struggled to stand...feeling useless as ever.

I threw my helmet toward her as it hit her back.

"Amara!" My blood father scolded me as I glared at him and her.

"First you keep all this from me! Then you don't even allow me to fight!"

"Lily is still alive. Don't worry. She's hiding more than I thought she would." My mother will little strength turned to me.

"You have your chance go...we'll talk about this latter."

I snatched my helmet leaving them to their own.

"Why must she be so irritating." I muttered as I made my way to the inner castle's room...the throne room where Lily would most likely be hiding.

My feet were as quick as I could make them, the armor I wore starting to weigh me down but still I persisted on my pursuit for the woman who killed my brother.

Who killed the King.

A murderer who will pay by my hand alone.

My hand lay heavy on the door to the throne room, being heavier than I remembered.

"Get out of the way you idiot!" A man's voice called out to me, shoving me to the side as he took the surprise blow from the other side of the door I opened.

It was William...one of the knights I trained with.

"Get your self out of here whomever you are. Strange woman you are to just ask for death on a silver platter!"

He scolded me as I sat on the ground baffled.

Ohhhh wait. He doesn't know who I am. Neither as the knight or princess.

He thinks I'm just a 'somebody'...apparently a strange woman above all else.

"You sir." So I must act as such I suppose.

"What?" He seemed irritated.

"Why take a blow for a strange woman as myself?"

A blush tint popped on his face as he looked me in the eyes.

"Woman have always been my weakness. You all are so painfully useless in needing my aid. It's a shame really. Not one woman has ever asked me for a kiss in gratitude."

I revealed my face with my helmet off, as he still was beside me crouching I kissed his check.

"Thank you my kind sir. You have saved this young maiden's life. And in that I am eternally grateful."

He seemed even more red and happy as ever.

Like a dog who was wagging its tail for being called a 'good boy'.

I chuckled.

"You're admirable my kind and handsome knight. What is thy name?"

"William. Just William. You?" He offered his hand to me as I smiled.

"I'm just a strange young woman who is very grateful to you." I touched his forehead with mine as I escaped to the door again.

This time my sword was ready for her.

My white cape fell behind me, slightly dragging on the floor as my metal boots clanked on the marble flooring of the throne room.

"Your welcoming gift wasn't very impressive." I spoke to a grinning half scorned woman.

"My my. Young Amara has come at last. I knew out of everyone your mother would fall for my trickery. After all...she just couldn't help herself after I spoke of her useless son."

"My brother was anything but useless!"

"Could you really say that?" She stood from her throne...made anew by magic as the previous before it had shattered underneath like glass.

Glass on which she stepped over to get to me.

"If anyone's useful it's been you. A wedding arrangement to become allies with the Eastern Kingdom...an amusing distraction to kill the king. But then your fool of a brother got in the way. Saving his fake father. Someone who's blood I bare shamefully within."

Her pale white hand skimmed over her unclothed stomach, her soft lavender nails glistened in the light, translucent.

Her white hair as pure as snow softly fell to her shoulder, running down her back as flowers pinned purple and white all to the floor as well as sown to her gown in which was made for a pregnant queen.

William popped his head out the door.

"Hello! Sorry to intrude but I'm here to help!"

Lily seemed annoyed.

"Can't you see we are talking. Just guard the door you foolish knight!"

He shied back on the other side but before that he shared a glance with me.

As if he knew she was the enemy.

Without mention of her next action, she took her hand to my throat.

"If anyone's meant to live from this bloody and useless family...I'd say it's you. Ian will arrive soon to claim you. You should be the good girl that you are, obedient and smart enough to know that's the best option for you. No doubt your mother will die of poison and Alastair Thane...well I'll allow him to live so that he may grieve his dying wife for the rest of his days...as well as to grieve for his boy."

Her eyes glowed purple and blue as if looking into my soul.

"You're just like your father...weak...kind...and foolish."

She let go of me after drawing blood from how strong she was keeping my throat in her clutches.

Her nails had punctured my skin so much so that I had to rip a piece of cloth from my cape, stopping the blood.

"Why not kill me?"

Her face filled with disdain and anger.

"I have no need to dirty my hands anymore. Ian will be here to claim you. That is all. Leave."

"No." I charged at her as she took surprise to my disobedience to her orders.

"You dare disobey me!"

My blade slashed at her as she dodged as quick as the rabbit she was.

My cape seemed heavier then usually and getting in my way of the fight so I slung it off to the floor.

"Fight! Coward!" I yelled trying to grab at her as she pulled me away, having me fall down the ledge from the throne.

"Get out! I want you to get out! All of you! Leave me alone! I'm tired of being touched! Don't touch me!"

She seemed deranged...delusional...I could only guess that maybe something happened between her and the king she didn't care for.

Something that scarred her so that it was making her traumatized like this.

A wild stare in her eyes full of fear as she covered her body with her arms, cowering.

Did the King-...no I couldn't think of that now.

I held my hand from reaching her...should I be sympathetic toward the enemy?

Lily of all of them?

Maybe I was like my blood father...after all...he married and fell in love with a shifter.

...what should I do?

Before I could decide William bursted through the door with General Thane.

"Get back from Lily! She's dangerous!" General Thane ordered me as I wouldn't listen.

I would listen to no one.

I reached for my sword and attacked him instead.

Why are we fighting? Why do I want to kill Lily again?

Oh...she killed my brother and the King.

She sold me off to the Eastern Empire.

Ian was under her influence.

So was that bear guy.

Bear guy???

Why can't I remember his name?

Why am I fighting General Thane?

"Amara! Snap out of it! She's spelled you!"

My father's voice seemed so distant...but my urge to fight for blood was stronger.

To protect Lily and her unborn.

I threw heavy blows with my sword, unrelenting...with no fear of death.

General Thane seemed to be holding back so I forced his hand by make it more deadly strikes.

After a time he stumbled, fell and submitted to defeat.

William stepped in once General Thane was down.

I beat the unbeatable Alastair Thane?

And now William...

My thoughts shifted again to wanting blood.

To kill.

My eyes widened after I pierced William's heart with my sword.

"My Lady...thank you...-" His lips touched the back of my hand, smearing it with his blood.

For what?! I killed you!

I hated whatever spell this was! I wanted no more!

It made me feel power hunger and unstoppable but so mindless!!

I want out!! I yelled in my head.

Over and over until something snapped.

As if to answer my plea.

And instead of killing General Thane who lay miserably on the ground full of deep cuts...my sword aimed for Lily and her unborn.

My sword slowly seeping into her flesh as blood ran out of her mouth.

The last words she spoke to me...I could barely make out myself.

"You will forever be reminded of this day...the day you became just like me. A murderer."

When the power of magic finally unchained itself from me, I fell to my knees afraid of myself.

My hands stained with blood.

Tears fell unrelentingly.

My mind was fading.

And then Ian appeared just as Lily had professed...a dead queen and her unborn at my feet.

Unalive...dead...deceased...gone. William too.

"Someone save her. Her baby...she-" why was I feeling so conflicted.

Before I could reunite with my father who was struggling to get up himself...Ian stole me away once again.

All I could think was how murderous I had become...I was a killer no different from Lily.

And for what...revenge?