Hi! Thanks for visiting my blog :) This is part seven (final part) of a little story I'm writing. For anyone who is new here, I would recommend you start at part one and work your way through. Happy reading!
I glance at the huge doors, wondering how to proceed. The guards watch the crowd, not threateningly, but surely alert. I try to think what Alex would do, but my mind comes up blank. Of course, it makes sense that he should gather the army of all those who can use magic - he at least knows something about how the magic works and the people who have it. Which left me going to see the king. Hence the dithering outside the doors.
I briefly go through what I know in my head. The royal family has little to do with the people, other than collecting taxes. The king takes audiences, but the outcomes are seldom helpful to the petitioners. If I want to get his attention, I may have to go for shock tactics.
I sigh, so not looking forward to this, wishing more than anything that Alex was here.
Just get it over with, I tell myself. I hold my head high and start striding towards the doors. The guards move to stop me, but I ignore them. It's still difficult, reaching for my magic, but in the few days we travelled together before splitting up, Alex taught me the basics.
The guards fly backwards, hitting the walls, probably knocked out, though I don't stay long enough to make sure.
At this, people scatter even as other guards come running. I take care of them as easily as I did the others. By the time I storm into the audience chamber - getting directions from terrified civilians on the way - the room is in an uproar.
"How dare you burst in - "
I cut off the king's angry bellow. "You do know that your kingdom is about to be swallowed by the sea and destroyed, don't you?" I yell.
That shuts everyone up. After all, no one is supposed to know about the Greni. The king shoes everyone out of the room, even the very reluctant guards.
"Come, girl, say what you have to say," he snaps, though his pallor belies his flippant tone.
"Surely you know," I say softly, walking towards him. "Were you planning to enjoy life until it was over, never breathing a word of it to your people? No, you must have some other plan. Going to live in the mountains?"
He flushes red. "Not everyone can be saved. Only a few will fit on the floating peaks. It is the only way to preserve the human race. If too many tried, they would sink."
I've never heard of the floating peaks, but the name gives me idea enough. So he is going to live on some levitating mountain while the rest of us die, is he?
"The Greni are prepared to negotiate," I say. "Allow them back onto this land -
their land - and they may not kill us all."
He shakes his head dismissively. "The Greni are not bound by our laws. You would invite anarchy to our kingdom, girl."
I open my mouth in outrage. So he'd rather the whole kingdom die than sacrifice his precious power? Before I can get so much as one word out, though, something hard collides with my head. The pain shoots out from the spot, almost knocking me from my feet. My eyes meet the king's, and he is smiling in triumph. Even as my knees start to collapse, I reach once more for my magic, sending a lethal sword of fire shooting forwards... I don't see if it hits its mark. The fire, and everything else, is swallowed in the blackness that covers my vision.
The world shifts. Hazy light comes and retreats, never the same, never bright enough to see nor dark enough to sleep. I am vaguely aware that they must be drugging me to suppress my magic, but that knowledge isn't enough to help me break free.
I try futilely to push those around me away, to reject whatever potions they are shoving down my throat, but whatever they are giving me, it leaves no strength in my body. As the haze continues to shift, only one hope keeps me going: I am not alone. Alex will surely be here soon.
When the haze brightens, it doesn't seem to be anything different. I wait for it to get darker again. When it doesn't, I squint, wondering what new trick this is.
"Cara?"
I try to say something, but my mouth doesn't want to do my bidding. All that comes out is a faint sort of moan.
A pair of arms wraps around my shoulders, lifting me. "It's ok," Alex whispers. "We did it. It's going to be fine, Cara."
As he carries me away from the hard, cold stone on which I have been resting for as long as I can remember, my blurry vision takes in something I never expected to see. Greni - a whole group of them - standing near us, talking to the people who are all around.
"We won?" I whisper, my throat as dry as sand paper.
Alex leans down and kisses my forehead. "We won," he whispers.
Two months later
Alex swings our hands together as we walk through the garden. Though it has been a month since the negotiations ended and the Greni moved back onto the land with us, it's still strange to see them here. I wave at Renii, the Greni who now lives next door to us. We've become good friends even in the short time we've known each other.
We don't stop for conversation, though. Alex and I keep walking, towards our new home. Many people wanted Alex to take control of the army of magic users he raised and rule the kingdom. Many wanted me to - as the one who finally killed the mad king, some almost worshipped me.
Neither of us ever wanted to rule, though. Alex handed over the reins to Jonathan, by far the best person for the job, and the two of us went home. It wasn't long before Alex and I decided to move in together. My father wasn't pleased, but he'll get used to the idea in the end.
Just before we reach the threshold, Alex scoops me up in his arms. I giggle as I am lifted into the air. When he looks at me, his gaze is full of love and confidence. "We'll never have abandon our home again," he says, pushing the door open with his foot.
I lean up to kiss him as I am carried into my new home. "Never."
The End
