Free Web NovelFWOOSH!
Several guards looked up at the same time at the figure descending from the sky, and all of them dropped to their knees immediately.
"Your Majesty!"
The vampire queen landed softly on one of the stone platforms near the entrance.
Her dress barely shifted in the wind, and her white hair fell over her shoulders with a calm that contrasted sharply with the chaos around her.
The alarm was still ringing.
GONG!
GONG!
Guards ran back and forth. Some were trying to restore order, but several remained still, kneeling with their heads down, as if awaiting a sentence.
The queen looked at the cave entrance. Then she lowered her gaze to the guards.
"Report."
A vampire with dark red hair — the same one who had tried to stop Matt — bowed lower.
"My queen," she said, her voice tense. "Princess Matt appeared from the sky several minutes ago."
The queen's face shifted slightly, but she gestured for her to continue.
The guard swallowed.
"We tried to stop her, but…"
Her voice faltered.
The queen tilted her head just slightly.
"Go on."
The guard gritted her teeth.
"She used blood authority on several of us. She ordered us to clear the path and distract the others without killing."
Some guards lowered their heads further.
The queen's eyes moved across them.
She didn't look angry.
That made them more nervous.
"I see," said the queen.
The lead guard continued:
"By the time we regained control, the princess had already reached the barrier. She requested to begin the trial."
The queen looked at the entrance again.
"What difficulty did she choose?"
The guard took a moment to answer.
"The highest."
Silence fell.
Even the alarm seemed to ring from farther away for an instant.
The queen said nothing.
Her expression didn't change.
But her red eyes stayed fixed on the barrier.
The guard lowered her head.
"My apologies, my queen. We failed to stop her…"
Another guard spoke, her voice trembling.
"We also hesitated to attack her directly. Being of royal blood, we weren't sure whether—"
"It's alright."
Everyone went still.
The queen turned her head toward them.
"Rise."
The guards hesitated.
Then obeyed.
The queen walked a few steps toward the barrier, studying the red runes that glowed in the stone.
"I underestimated the things Matt is capable of when she feels backed into a corner," she said quietly.
The lead guard pressed her lips together.
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"My queen…"
The queen raised a hand.
"I won't punish anyone."
The guards' eyes widened. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
"But—"
"There wasn't much you could have done," the queen continued calmly. "Matt possesses blood authority. When it reaches you, resisting is difficult."
Her gaze moved across the vampires present.
"And besides, being of royalty, it's only natural you hesitated to harm her."
The guards remained silent.
One of them looked close to crying with relief.
The queen smiled just barely.
"You didn't commit treason. You simply faced a situation you weren't prepared for."
The tension eased slightly.
Very slightly.
The queen looked back at the entrance.
"However, security around the Forge Cave will need to be increased."
The lead guard straightened immediately.
"Yes, my queen."
"Increase the spacing between posts. And no watch group should remain within the same range of blood authority."
"Understood."
"I also want special protocols for members of the royal family."
The guard nodded.
"It will be done as you command."
One of the younger guards carefully raised her gaze.
"My queen…"
The queen looked at her.
The young guard swallowed.
"Can you bring Princess Matt out?"
The silence grew heavier than before.
Several guards looked toward the barrier with concern.
The queen didn't answer right away.
The red light from the entrance reflected in her eyes.
"No."
The young guard lowered her head.
The queen spoke in a calm voice.
"Once someone enters the Forge Cave, the cave stays sealed until the trial is finished."
She paused.
"Until the person comes out… or dies."
No one spoke.
The sentence hung in the air.
The lead guard clenched her fists.
"But she chose the highest difficulty."
"I know."
"Then…"
The queen closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them, her expression was still serene.
Too serene.
"There is nothing I can do."
Several guards looked down.
A heaviness spread among them.
It wasn't just fear of punishment.
No.
Many knew the rumors.
They knew the queen had waited for Matt's return for months.
They knew that since she came back to the castle, everything seemed to revolve around her.
And now, barely returned, she had walked alone into one of the most dangerous places in the kingdom.
At the highest difficulty.
And they hadn't stopped her.
The queen noticed that weight in the air.
Her voice softened slightly.
"Matt entered of her own will."
No one responded.
"And even if it doesn't seem like it…" The queen looked at the barrier. "That girl is very hard to kill."
One of the guards opened her eyes, surprised by the way she said it.
The queen smiled just barely.
"Trust in that for now."
The guards knelt again.
"Yes, my queen."
The queen turned.
"Resume your duties. I want daily reports on any change in the barrier."
"Yes, my queen."
The queen spread her white wings.
The wind rose around her.
FWOOSH!
And she took off.
◇◆◇
The queen flew back toward the castle, her expression calm.
At her side, slightly behind, a woman in dark grey with thin glasses followed her in silence.
It was her personal assistant, Lyanna. An efficient and discreet vampire.
The queen looked toward the distant castle.
"Lyanna."
"Yes, my queen." freewebnovёl.ƈom
"Find a man whose voice is as close as possible to Matt's."
Lyanna blinked.
For the first time in several minutes, her perfect expression cracked.
"A man with a voice similar to Princess Matt's?"
"Yes."
Lyanna took a moment to respond.
"May I ask what for, my queen?"
"Her human family."
Lyanna understood part of the problem.
Only part.
The queen continued:
"We need to maintain contact with them so they don't worry too much."
Lyanna looked at her.
"You plan to make them believe the princess is still in the human world?"
"Of course."
"I understand…"
The queen kept flying, unhurried.
"Matt promised to return. If she disappears without explanation for too long, her mother will grow suspicious."
Lyanna looked down.
"That could cause complications."
"Yes."
"How long do you think she'll be inside the cave?"
The queen studied the distant mountains.
"Five months. Maybe seven."
Lyanna's eyes opened slightly wider.
"That long?"
"She chose the highest difficulty."
"But last time she entered, she came out near the end of the third month."
"That time she was fused with Iris."
Lyanna went quiet.
The queen continued:
"Her body, her magical flow, her blood, her endurance — all of it was different then. Now she's separated from Iris."
"So her power will be lesser."
"Weaker and less stable," the queen corrected. "And on top of that, she entered in a less than ideal physical state."
Lyanna recalled the reports.
No proper food.
No full rest.
And after having been subdued by the queen's own blood.
"That will complicate the trial," said Lyanna.
"Considerably."
The queen didn't seem unsettled, but her voice had lost a little warmth.
Lyanna noticed.
She didn't mention it.
"My queen," she said after a few seconds. "Then how will we handle the matter of the rebels?"
The queen let out a sigh.
"Iris will have to take care of that now."
Lyanna took a moment to respond.
"Princess Iris?"
"Yes."
"With Eleonora?"
"Yes."
Lyanna dipped her head slightly.
"According to the reports, Eleonora has refused to cooperate fully with Princess Iris."
"That will change."
The queen smiled.
"Matt is inside the cave. Eleonora no longer has grounds to refuse."
Lyanna nodded.
"Would you like me to bring them together?"
"Yes. Tell them that, by my order, both will resume training immediately."
"Understood."
"Soon they'll need to leave the castle to deal with the rebels."
Lyanna made a mental note of every word.
"Iris will need to improve her handling of Eleonora. And Eleonora will need to obey."
"Yes, my queen."
The queen looked toward one of the castle's towers.
"This will also serve to remind Eleonora that the world doesn't stop just because Matt decided to do something stupid."
Lyanna didn't respond.
It was better not to respond to that.
For a few seconds, only the wind could be heard.
Then Lyanna spoke carefully.
"My queen."
"Yes?"
"What do we do about the fusion ritual, then?"
"That will be put on hold."
"Until when?"
The queen glanced at her sidelong.
Lyanna lowered her head.
"My apologies."
The queen turned her gaze back to the castle.
"Until Matt returns."
Lyanna nodded.
"As you command."
The queen continued on her way, her expression calm again.
But her mind was not.
Matt had entered the Forge Cave at the highest difficulty.
'I truly underestimated how stubborn you can be.'
When she opened them again, a small smile appeared on her lips.
She wasn't happy.
Not exactly.
It was a tired smile.
Almost amused.
"You always find new ways to make things complicated for me, Matt."
