House of Mages and Raven (Shades of Ruin and Magic #4)

Chapter 12

12

Barbie

C ade sighed. “Where were we before I was interrupted?”

I decided that I’d had enough. I was never a sheep.

“How long am I going to be stuck here?” I demanded. “I didn’t do anything wrong, yet I was mercilessly dragged here in the middle of my breakfast. I’m tired and hungry. I’m feeling very dizzy due to my chronic low blood sugar, a medical condition that you lucky and healthy people might’ve never heard of. It’s getting worse ever since my brutal kidnapping. I wonder if Headmistress Ethel filed it in her report or not, but I don’t mind telling you that I was maimed and tortured before the brave heirs rescued me.

“If you want proof, you can ask the amazing heirs for the evidence—the chains that pinned me down in the dungeon, the iron mask forced over my innocent face, and the unholy torque made of dark material and black magic. The trauma is still so raw and terrible that I don’t wish it upon any of you here. The professional investigation team led by the capable and compassionate heirs tied the kidnap to the one and only druid, who used to be Headmistress Ethel’s most trusted right-hand man and secret BFF, short for best friends forever. However, I cannot say for sure if they’re also closet lovers or not, but they were inseparable before the druid showed his true colors.”

I nodded to Ethel in acknowledgement despite the icy fire smoldering in her eyes. I hoped the kings and queens would haul her self-righteous white fae ass to jail, but somehow, she’d survived every scandal, untangled all the messy threads, and kept her high position. Even so, she wasn’t my target, and I had bigger fish to fry.

I heard suppressed snickers across the hall. Cade cupped his mouth and coughed as if he was trying not to laugh. But it wasn’t a laughing matter that I’d suffered at the druid’s hands, and I wasn’t done.

“I was just as surprised as all of you that the respected druid turned out to be the head of the evil Brotherhood cult.” I raised my voice. “I don’t want us to start a witch hunt. However, I believe someone else is pulling the strings. Yes, the druid was powerful and influential, but he was still a pawn. It’s the puppet master we need to be wary of.”

The audience stared at me as if I had three heads. There were whispers, gasps, some nods, and a lot of snickers. A mixed review.

“The nerve of the creature!” Queen Odette snarled. “Strike her down for her insolence.”

Killian spread his arms, lightning sparking on his fingertips, daring anyone to come closer to me, and Queen Lilith’s face hardened like icy marble. It didn’t look good for their united front that he kept defending another girl. I couldn’t believe that he’d go so far for me.

Believe it. Sy nodded and smiled.

Yet I was worried. Even as an heir, there’d be hell for him to pay later.

“No one strikes down my client on my watch!” Cade snarled, potent power rolling off the mage heir. He swished his wand in a circle, and his wind and mage fire twirled around me to shield me. “Respect the court as a trial is ongoing. And this trial concerns every kingdom in Mist of Cinder.”

The Council members and the monarchs from other kingdoms issued their agreement.

“My client isn’t insolent. She’s bold.” The mage prince sighed dramatically. “As you can see, Barbie has no social skills. She doesn’t think like us or talk like us, as she wasn’t raised in the realm. She isn’t as privileged as us to have higher education. She’s new, but she has raw talent. And I hope you can at least appreciate her authenticity. I can say confidently that Barbie is quite harmless unless you decide to stir up the hornet’s nest.”

He smiled at me, and I glared at him, not liking his comparison of me to a hornet’s nest. He was supposed to defend me, but now he was confusing everyone.

His opening was great, though, Pucker commented.

Killian glanced at Pucker before averting his gaze, obviously not wanting anyone to realize that a poltergeist was milling around.

“Tell the court about the Seed of Heaven the druid slid into your cup in order to kill you during the first trial of the Brides Selection, Barbie,” Cade said.

At the mention of the Seed of Heaven, everyone sat straighter. The mage prince was trying to divert attention from Medea to the druid and make me sound like the victim of a vicious plot and a terrible conspiracy. I’d have been a victim if the druid had succeeded.

I shuddered at the memory of my insides being boiling after the druid forced the Seed down my throat. It’d nearly done me in.

“Go on, girl!” the vampire king encouraged me, and then a few Council members urged me on as well.

And so, I told the tale and bravely recounted my suffering. I didn’t even use flowery prose. Before long, the kings, queens, and the Council all got into a heated debate about the Seed of Heaven and questioned what other weapons forged in Heaven and Hell would threaten the realm. Cade had successfully changed the narrative and made me sound like a fly caught in the web of the dark schemes of the enemies outside and within. Some pointed fingers at CrimsonTide, the neutral zone. Some speculated on the mastermind behind the Legion of the Brotherhood. No one had profound insight or constructive input. And no one agreed with anyone else.

“According to the myth, even a tiny drop from the Seed of Heaven can paralyze a god.” The fae king trained his gaze on me. “A powerful immortal will die an agonizing death within seconds. How did you survive the Seed, girl?”

I stared at his astral projection. Etiquette required me to lower my gaze, but Sy and I were apex predators. Well, I couldn’t exactly tell him that Killian had helped purge the poison of the Seed by fucking me and feeding me at the same time. Also, I had this nagging feeling that the residue of the Seed was still in me, even though the combined power of Killian, wild magic, and my own magic had rooted out the Seed and purged its deadly effect on me. While I was a ticking bomb to the world, the Seed was a ticking bomb in me.

“The report said that you were taken to Underhill for healing.” Cade’s father gave me a hint.

Everyone held their breath, waiting for me to reveal secret knowledge of Underhill, the covert, sentient realm that held wild magic. Underhill had rejected the rest of the kingdoms for millennia. No one had been granted access until I came. The heirs were allowed in occasionally when I was inside the dark forest of Underhill.

“Yes, High Mage Majesty!” I exclaimed. “But I don’t know what exactly transpired and how I was healed, since I was unconscious and on the brink of death due to being poisoned by the druid. I must’ve been healed in the lake in Underhill, but I wouldn’t suggest a skinny dip there. The water is extremely cold, and Underhill isn’t too welcoming unless it grants you a boon.”

Gasps rose, greed charging the air despite my warning. But I wouldn’t worry too much about the supernaturals harassing Underhill. The wild magic and the shadow beasts could handle them. No one had the power to invade Underhill, except my father, and he’d have to get to Underhill over my dead body.

“That cunning, lying creature is trying to derail the murder trial!” Queen Odette shouted. “No matter what it says, it murdered my daughter, the princess of the Kingdom Chaos and the most promising bride candidate. The creature must be put to death!”

“We’ve moved on from the murder trial, since we’ve established that Barbie wasn’t responsible for Princess Medea’s death,” Cade said exasperatedly. “The rogue druid and his master, whom we have yet to discover, are responsible for all the tragedy and death in the realm. Let’s focus on diligently hunting down the druid, and through him, we’ll get to his boss, who could be the God of Ruin, for all we know.”

The kings and queens of the other kingdoms and the majority of the Council voted in support of Cade and me.

“This case is unprecedented.” King Vasiliy glanced at the other monarchs before turning to his queen. “Let’s dole out another form of punishment instead of a death sentence. Besides, the girl might not survive the second bride trial.”

The king had issued a serious threat. I chanced a glance at Killian. He stared at his father, his face darkening and lightning sparking along his fingertips again.

“I have a suggestion, Your Majesties,” the herald chimed in. “We shall brand the Accused as a warning.”

Rage swelled in me, making me see red.

Let them try to brand us. Sy flexed her claws. We’ll slash open whoever comes to brand us, spilling their insides on the spotless marble floor before we come after the chaos king and his bitch. If he and his army come, we’ll drain Kingdom of Chaos.

And that was our promise.

Not even Killian could stop me. I didn’t want to harm his kingdom, but his father and stepmother didn’t deserve to sit on their thrones. They should’ve heeded the warning from Cade about not prodding the hornet’s nest.

“Brand the abomination!” Queen Odette screamed.

“That’s extreme, Queen Odette,” Cade said.

“Make it so,” the chaos king barked.

A rush of dark power rolled off me, spreading through the entire court. Other than Killian, Rock, Cassius, and the other princes, no one could breathe. My power couldn’t subdue Queen Lilith either. The kings and queens in their holographic projections were also immune.

The herald clawed at his throat at the tight pressure, then the chaos king and his bitch queen followed suit.

Killian snapped his head at me, his gaze locking on mine, urging me to let go and promising that he wouldn’t let any harm come to me. His dark lightning increased in volume on his fingertips and twirled around his forearms at his promise to me, and my power recognized it.

I swallowed. Something eased in me. I leashed my dark power, and everyone gasped for air.

“What is she?” a mage Council member whispered in awe and fear.

Congratulations, Barbie, Pucker shouted in excitement. You’ve just found another new power. Way to go!

Sy applauded. Congrats!

Sweat broke out on my forehead as I restrained my darkness. It was easier to let it out than to leash it, and I was still a novice to having all this new power, let alone controlling it.

“I petition to have Barbie removed from House of Chaos to House of Mages,” Cade announced loudly, his bright voice brimming with righteousness, “and she shall be under the protection of Kingdom of Mages.”

“Petition granted!” Cade’s father shouted, as did the mage from the Council.

The other princes tried to argue to get me into their houses instead but stopped themselves at Cade’s warning look.

“You can have that creature after she’s branded!” Queen Odette insisted.

Hadn’t she suffered the power of my wrath just now? I could just kill the stupid bitch as easily as lifting a finger.

“Over my dead body will I allow anyone to brand Barbie,” Killian said icily.

“That’s not for you to say,” his father hissed. “Remember your place, son. This is my court!”

“I stand with the heir of Kingdom of Chaos,” said Prince Silas. “Barbie is still welcome to return to my house, and no one shall brand her as long as I breathe.”

“Barbie isn’t cattle to be branded,” Prince Louis seethed. “Anyone who tries to harm her shall go through me, as I’m declaring my intention to court Barbie, the most promising bride candidate.”

“You’re not courting her, Louis, I warn you!” Silas growled at the vampire prince. “As a dormant wolf, Barbie’s very likely my fated mate!”

A muscle jerked on Killian’s temple. Rage smoldered darker in his storm-blue eyes. Why was he so furious? I wasn’t his anymore, despite the fact that he still extended his protection over me. After all, he was a kept man, and I didn’t want to be a kept man’s kept woman.

Yet even from this far, I could feel his effort to rein in his dragon. I could almost hear his beast’s roar. I turned my gaze away, as I couldn’t bear it.

“I might not be courting Barbie,” Rowan said, breaking the shocked silence brought on by the two heirs’ declarations, “but I stand with the rest of the heirs against any harm coming to a promising bride candidate, as the law of the Brides Selection decrees.”

All the heirs had once planned on pretending to court me to bring me to my knees. Somewhere along the way, their game had shifted, so much so that now they openly declared their intentions toward me to offer their protection. I owed all the princes more debts now, and I wouldn’t leave them unpaid.

“Barbie could be the true mate to any of the heirs,” Cade drawled, seizing the opportunity. “So she shall get the maximum protection from the law of the Brides Selection. And thus, I declare the trial to be over, and Barbie will be transferred to House of Mages.”

Kilian growled, yet he didn’t dispute it. He was letting me go. While I was somehow relieved, pain seared my heart. He’d given up on me.

“That murderer will go free, just like that?” Queen Odette demanded in outrage. “Where’s my justice, my king? Am I not the Queen of Kingdom of Chaos? Is there no respect toward me in the realm?”

King Vasiliy pondered as he glanced at Killian, Queen Lilith, then at me.

“The Council shall vote,” he decided. “But before the ruling, Barbie must be jailed in the dungeon of Kingdom of Chaos for a week. After all, she caused the death of Princess Medea, my beloved queen’s only daughter. This sentence is final.”

Queen Odette zipped her lips, knowing that “accidents” could happen to me while I was in the dungeon of her kingdom.

The heirs traded a look. They were good at playing politics, and this was the best deal I could get.

So, sitting on the damp, moss-covered ground in the dungeon, I waited for assassins to come.