1 CHAPTER SEVEN
Mina closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the wind as it rippled through her wings. Flying was one of the few activities that she could enjoy without any guilt about abandoning her duties. She opened her eyes slowly and sighed. She had a job to do, and she couldn't waist any time on recreational activities.
Glancing down on the ocean beneath her, she realized for the first time just how close she was to her parents' crypt. She nearly fell out of the wind currents as a vision flashed through her mind.
FLASHBACK
Three-year-old Mina watched from her alcove as the servants left the building. If she listened carefully, she could just make out what they were saying. She listened for a moment, and then blinked in confusion. Why would mummy and daddy order everyone out of the castle? I bet it's got something do to with the way daddy's been acting lately. I'm going to find out what it is.
She crept behind the curtain in the back of her alcove. As she slipped into the hidden passageway, she wondered again why her father had been acting so strangely since he'd come back from his trip. Mother is probably just mad at him because he didn't contact us for so long. He's probably just feeling guilty because he forgot. Still, that doesn't explain why mother ordered everyone out of the palace.
She slid silently through the passageway until she came to a dead end. She tapped lightly on one of the wall sconces, and then waited as the tiny panel in the wall swung quietly open. She crawled on hands and knees into the equally tiny spy hole behind her parents' bedroom. She smothered a gasp as she realized just how close her parents were. She'd have to be very quiet if she didn't want to get caught. As Mina put her eyes to the slit in the wall, she could hear her parents talking.
"What is this all about, Remis?" her mother asked quietly. Why does mother look so sad? And why does father keep patting his pocket? Her father smiled, but the smile was unlike any she'd ever seen from her loving, devoted father. "Let's not kid ourselves, Aphromina. You know perfectly well that I'm not the same person that followed you around like a faithful lap shikra. I've found something greater than you." Mina's mother closed her eyes in anguish. "Is it greater than Mina? Do you care more for that poisonous flower than you do for your own family?"
Her father laughed maliciously. "Ah, yes. My family. Do you mean the same loving family that's overshadowed me for the past twenty years?" Her father's voice became louder with every syllable that he uttered. "Or maybe you just meant that I should show more loyalty to you than to Cassenian?" He was shouting now, and she finally understood why he'd ordered everyone out of the palace. "Why should I show loyalty to a lying, deceitful, power-hungry fool like yourself? You've never shown loyalty or love for me, so why shouldn't I leave you for Cassenian? She actually cares about me! You don't, and you're training Mina to be just like you!"
Her father was far too close to her mother. Wait, what am I thinking? Father would never hurt mother! He wouldn't hurt a fly!
But even as she thought this, her father removed his outer robe. An icy finger trailed along Mina's spine as she saw the large red blossom attached to his chest. In the center of the blossom was the tiny figure of a woman with pale pink hair and evil in her eyes. The tiny woman laughed cruelly along with her father. "Say hello, Cassenian," her father cackled. Cassenian smiled hungrily as she gazed upon the frightened queen. "Touch her, my love. Then she'll be ours!" Her father grabbed his wife by the hand, and in spite of her great strength she could not pull away. As they struggled, her father jerked her mother around until they were both facing Mina's hideaway. Her father looked straight at Mina, and their eyes met. Mina couldn't help gasping in fear as she saw the look on her father's face for the first time since he'd come home. She clapped a hand over her mouth, but her father had already heard. That's not my father. Not anymore. "I believe we have a little eavesdropper, Cassenian. What should we do with her?" The Cassenian blossom smiled just widely enough to show Mina her fangs. "I want her, too. Her power is great, even greater than her mother's. Once she's infected, not even that silly high queen will be able to stop me!"
Still dragging the queen with one hand, the man who was no longer her father advanced towards Mina's wall. "Come out, little one. I won't hurt you, at least not very much!" She didn't budge, and he scowled in anger. "Come out, now, or your mother dies! Can you live with that, Mina? It'll be all your fault if I kill her. All. Your. Fault."
Mina's mother finally quite trying to free her wrist. "Stay there, Mina." Her voice was still calm, as if she'd known all along about her husband's possession by the evil blossom.
Her father stopped his advance long enough to strike her mother across the face. "That's enough! You shut up, woman!" He pulled a long, wicked-looking dagger from his belt and turned on his wife. "You've plagued me long enough!" He drove the dagger into her mother's side, and her mother screamed in pain. Mina, too, cried out. "Stop! I'll come out! Just please leave her alone!" She frantically pounded on the wall, trying desperately to find a way into the bedroom.
Her father turned back to the wall, completely ignoring his dying wife. "That's more like it. You're worth more to us than your lady mother."
"Leave her alone," her mother gasped out between spasms of pain. With a cry of pain, she pulled the dagger from her side. Before her father could turn around, she brought the hilt down on her father's head. He gave a grunt of surprise, but didn't otherwise react. Her mother repeated the action, this time using greater force. An expression of annoyance crossed her father's face, and he swung at her with one arm. The blow caught her across the stomach, and fell to her knees in pain.
Her father continued to advance on Mina. Finally, he reached the wall and tapped lightly on one of the panels. The panel slid aside. Mina tried to run, but he grabbed the back of her own robe. She choked as the material bunched around her throat, but she didn't stop trying to get away. He lifted her off the ground, and her feet dangled painfully in the air. He spun her around until her face was just inches from his own. He started to grab her face with his other hand, and she closed her eyes in fright. She felt as though her heart was going to burst with terror.
Suddenly, he gave a grunt of surprise and toppled to the floor. As he fell, his hand released his daughter's robe. Mina quickly rolled as far from him as she could get.
Her mother was standing behind him, the crystal sword in her hand covered with her husband's blood. Her own blood was poring liberally from the wound in her side, and she soon collapsed with the strain. Mina skirted her father's body and ran to her side. Just before she touched her mother's skin, the queen shouted, "Don't touch me, Mina! The Cassenian already infected me. I'm sorry, little one. I don't want to leave you, but I don't have a choice." She smiled gently at her daughter. "I need you to do something for me, little one, and you have to promise that you won't ever tell anyone what happened here. Can I count on you?" Mina nodded as the tears began to fall.
Her mother's hand hovered in the air next to Mina's cheek, but she still didn't touch her daughter. "Mina, I won't lie to you. I'm dying, and your father's already dead. But even in death, we're still dangerous." She paused as another spasm gripped her weakening body. "Do you remember that time when I took you flying over the ocean? Do you remember that little cave under the rocks?" Mina nodded again. "Good. I want you to take your father and I there. Place us in the cave, and use your magic to seal it up. Make sure you don't touch us directly, understand? And you can never tell anybody what happened. If you do, the people won't ever trust you again. They'll always be afraid that you've been infected, too. They might even try to break into the cave, and although I'm pretty sure that I killed Cassenian when I killed your father, she might still be alive."
Her mother's voice was barely louder than a whisper, now. "I don't ever want you to go back to the cave, either, Mina. Promise me!" her voice rose hysterically. "I p-promise," whispered Mina. Her mother's body relaxed, and her hand fell back to her side. "Good girl. You'll be a good queen. I'm sorry I won't be there while you grow up, but know that I'll always love you." Suddenly, she plunged the bloodied sword into her heart. The queen's body shook one last time, then became still. Mina knew that she was gone.
END FLASHBACK
Tears streamed freely from Mina's cheeks. Though the events of that day hovered in the back of her mind at all times, she hadn't consciously dwelled on her parents' deaths in years. Until today, she couldn't afford to.
And there won't be a tomorrow, she thought sadly.
She hovered above the water for a moment, gazing around her at the beautiful ocean one last time. Then, resigned to her fate, she pointed a finger at the waves directly below. "Crescent V Smash!" she cried. A beam of golden energy shot from her fingertip into the churning waters below. A whirlpool formed in the place where the beam hit, touching all the way to the bottom of the sea. At the very center of the whirlpool was a narrow, dripping, staircase leading deep into the earth. Mina floated down to the staircase, letting her feet touch the slippery surface. Her wings disappeared as soon as she was on solid ground. She descended the stairs, which ended in a small stone room several feet below the floor of the ocean. At the opposite end of the stairs was a large door, which was held shut by a huge golden chain. Mina walked slowly up to the door, and then pressed her hand to the lock. Both her hand and the lock glowed softly for a moment, and then the lock swung open. She pushed the door ajar with one hand, and entered the stone chamber beyond.
Mina closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of the wind as it rippled through her wings. Flying was one of the few activities that she could enjoy without any guilt about abandoning her duties. She opened her eyes slowly and sighed. She had a job to do, and she couldn't waist any time on recreational activities.
Glancing down on the ocean beneath her, she realized for the first time just how close she was to her parents' crypt. She nearly fell out of the wind currents as a vision flashed through her mind.
FLASHBACK
Three-year-old Mina watched from her alcove as the servants left the building. If she listened carefully, she could just make out what they were saying. She listened for a moment, and then blinked in confusion. Why would mummy and daddy order everyone out of the castle? I bet it's got something do to with the way daddy's been acting lately. I'm going to find out what it is.
She crept behind the curtain in the back of her alcove. As she slipped into the hidden passageway, she wondered again why her father had been acting so strangely since he'd come back from his trip. Mother is probably just mad at him because he didn't contact us for so long. He's probably just feeling guilty because he forgot. Still, that doesn't explain why mother ordered everyone out of the palace.
She slid silently through the passageway until she came to a dead end. She tapped lightly on one of the wall sconces, and then waited as the tiny panel in the wall swung quietly open. She crawled on hands and knees into the equally tiny spy hole behind her parents' bedroom. She smothered a gasp as she realized just how close her parents were. She'd have to be very quiet if she didn't want to get caught. As Mina put her eyes to the slit in the wall, she could hear her parents talking.
"What is this all about, Remis?" her mother asked quietly. Why does mother look so sad? And why does father keep patting his pocket? Her father smiled, but the smile was unlike any she'd ever seen from her loving, devoted father. "Let's not kid ourselves, Aphromina. You know perfectly well that I'm not the same person that followed you around like a faithful lap shikra. I've found something greater than you." Mina's mother closed her eyes in anguish. "Is it greater than Mina? Do you care more for that poisonous flower than you do for your own family?"
Her father laughed maliciously. "Ah, yes. My family. Do you mean the same loving family that's overshadowed me for the past twenty years?" Her father's voice became louder with every syllable that he uttered. "Or maybe you just meant that I should show more loyalty to you than to Cassenian?" He was shouting now, and she finally understood why he'd ordered everyone out of the palace. "Why should I show loyalty to a lying, deceitful, power-hungry fool like yourself? You've never shown loyalty or love for me, so why shouldn't I leave you for Cassenian? She actually cares about me! You don't, and you're training Mina to be just like you!"
Her father was far too close to her mother. Wait, what am I thinking? Father would never hurt mother! He wouldn't hurt a fly!
But even as she thought this, her father removed his outer robe. An icy finger trailed along Mina's spine as she saw the large red blossom attached to his chest. In the center of the blossom was the tiny figure of a woman with pale pink hair and evil in her eyes. The tiny woman laughed cruelly along with her father. "Say hello, Cassenian," her father cackled. Cassenian smiled hungrily as she gazed upon the frightened queen. "Touch her, my love. Then she'll be ours!" Her father grabbed his wife by the hand, and in spite of her great strength she could not pull away. As they struggled, her father jerked her mother around until they were both facing Mina's hideaway. Her father looked straight at Mina, and their eyes met. Mina couldn't help gasping in fear as she saw the look on her father's face for the first time since he'd come home. She clapped a hand over her mouth, but her father had already heard. That's not my father. Not anymore. "I believe we have a little eavesdropper, Cassenian. What should we do with her?" The Cassenian blossom smiled just widely enough to show Mina her fangs. "I want her, too. Her power is great, even greater than her mother's. Once she's infected, not even that silly high queen will be able to stop me!"
Still dragging the queen with one hand, the man who was no longer her father advanced towards Mina's wall. "Come out, little one. I won't hurt you, at least not very much!" She didn't budge, and he scowled in anger. "Come out, now, or your mother dies! Can you live with that, Mina? It'll be all your fault if I kill her. All. Your. Fault."
Mina's mother finally quite trying to free her wrist. "Stay there, Mina." Her voice was still calm, as if she'd known all along about her husband's possession by the evil blossom.
Her father stopped his advance long enough to strike her mother across the face. "That's enough! You shut up, woman!" He pulled a long, wicked-looking dagger from his belt and turned on his wife. "You've plagued me long enough!" He drove the dagger into her mother's side, and her mother screamed in pain. Mina, too, cried out. "Stop! I'll come out! Just please leave her alone!" She frantically pounded on the wall, trying desperately to find a way into the bedroom.
Her father turned back to the wall, completely ignoring his dying wife. "That's more like it. You're worth more to us than your lady mother."
"Leave her alone," her mother gasped out between spasms of pain. With a cry of pain, she pulled the dagger from her side. Before her father could turn around, she brought the hilt down on her father's head. He gave a grunt of surprise, but didn't otherwise react. Her mother repeated the action, this time using greater force. An expression of annoyance crossed her father's face, and he swung at her with one arm. The blow caught her across the stomach, and fell to her knees in pain.
Her father continued to advance on Mina. Finally, he reached the wall and tapped lightly on one of the panels. The panel slid aside. Mina tried to run, but he grabbed the back of her own robe. She choked as the material bunched around her throat, but she didn't stop trying to get away. He lifted her off the ground, and her feet dangled painfully in the air. He spun her around until her face was just inches from his own. He started to grab her face with his other hand, and she closed her eyes in fright. She felt as though her heart was going to burst with terror.
Suddenly, he gave a grunt of surprise and toppled to the floor. As he fell, his hand released his daughter's robe. Mina quickly rolled as far from him as she could get.
Her mother was standing behind him, the crystal sword in her hand covered with her husband's blood. Her own blood was poring liberally from the wound in her side, and she soon collapsed with the strain. Mina skirted her father's body and ran to her side. Just before she touched her mother's skin, the queen shouted, "Don't touch me, Mina! The Cassenian already infected me. I'm sorry, little one. I don't want to leave you, but I don't have a choice." She smiled gently at her daughter. "I need you to do something for me, little one, and you have to promise that you won't ever tell anyone what happened here. Can I count on you?" Mina nodded as the tears began to fall.
Her mother's hand hovered in the air next to Mina's cheek, but she still didn't touch her daughter. "Mina, I won't lie to you. I'm dying, and your father's already dead. But even in death, we're still dangerous." She paused as another spasm gripped her weakening body. "Do you remember that time when I took you flying over the ocean? Do you remember that little cave under the rocks?" Mina nodded again. "Good. I want you to take your father and I there. Place us in the cave, and use your magic to seal it up. Make sure you don't touch us directly, understand? And you can never tell anybody what happened. If you do, the people won't ever trust you again. They'll always be afraid that you've been infected, too. They might even try to break into the cave, and although I'm pretty sure that I killed Cassenian when I killed your father, she might still be alive."
Her mother's voice was barely louder than a whisper, now. "I don't ever want you to go back to the cave, either, Mina. Promise me!" her voice rose hysterically. "I p-promise," whispered Mina. Her mother's body relaxed, and her hand fell back to her side. "Good girl. You'll be a good queen. I'm sorry I won't be there while you grow up, but know that I'll always love you." Suddenly, she plunged the bloodied sword into her heart. The queen's body shook one last time, then became still. Mina knew that she was gone.
END FLASHBACK
Tears streamed freely from Mina's cheeks. Though the events of that day hovered in the back of her mind at all times, she hadn't consciously dwelled on her parents' deaths in years. Until today, she couldn't afford to.
And there won't be a tomorrow, she thought sadly.
She hovered above the water for a moment, gazing around her at the beautiful ocean one last time. Then, resigned to her fate, she pointed a finger at the waves directly below. "Crescent V Smash!" she cried. A beam of golden energy shot from her fingertip into the churning waters below. A whirlpool formed in the place where the beam hit, touching all the way to the bottom of the sea. At the very center of the whirlpool was a narrow, dripping, staircase leading deep into the earth. Mina floated down to the staircase, letting her feet touch the slippery surface. Her wings disappeared as soon as she was on solid ground. She descended the stairs, which ended in a small stone room several feet below the floor of the ocean. At the opposite end of the stairs was a large door, which was held shut by a huge golden chain. Mina walked slowly up to the door, and then pressed her hand to the lock. Both her hand and the lock glowed softly for a moment, and then the lock swung open. She pushed the door ajar with one hand, and entered the stone chamber beyond.