To all my charming readers,
Thank you for all the lovely reviews and your continued support for The Ghost Queen. Now, going on to the eighteenth chapter. I can't believe it. All this in about three months.
She glared steely eyed at the two men in the room with her, trying to get them to behave. It had been a risk for her, for sure, to be in the same space with them. They were only four metres away from throttling each other.
Reece stood at the far end of the room, stance wide, fists clenched at his sides, ready to move in for the kill at any given moment. Sage sat sprawled on the couch, posture relaxed, but Cinder knew better. He was as tense as a strung wire, eyeing his sworn enemy with narrowed aquamarine eyes. The glass coffee table between them seemed especially delicate as it vibrated with each of Reece's stomping steps. The first-era china teacups rattled in their saucers, sloshing tea everywhere. Cinder winced. Stars, what a mess.
Cinder sat beside Sage on the futon, a fact, she knew Reece was quietly seething over, illustrated by his hard gold eyes trained on the leftover space between them. Sage noticed, a smile playing around his mouth. He gave the young thaumaturge a slow, careless smirk and shifted closer so that his leg brushed hers. Cinder closed her eyes and groaned inwardly, pinching the bridge of her nose. She moved toward the far end of the couch. Was this really necessary? She could practically hear Reece's gnashing teeth and the steam pouring out of his ears.
Encouraged by Reece's reaction, Sage manoeuvred himself so that the whole right side of his body was pressed right against her. "Guys-" Cinder began. They both ignored her. Sage grinned at Reece wickedly, his arm just barely touching her shoulder before Reece moved, lunging for Sage. He vaulted across the coffee table. "Don't you dare touch her," he snarled as he grabbed Sage by the collar, hauling him to his feet. Sage yelped as he was pulled away from Cinder. Cinder scarcely had enough time to dive out of the way before Reece threw Sage back into the wall with a thump. But they had both been trained by the best and Sage recovered swiftly, landing in crouch on the sofa.
Lips peeled back into a hiss, Sage looked like a smaller, leaner counterpart to one of the Wolves Guard. Reece looked no more civil. They circled each other, both seeking an opening, a weakness. "Guys," Cinder warned, "you better cut it out right now." Sage and Reece turned simultaneously to growl at her.
Facing Sage again, Reece barked, "She's mine." Of course, Reece didn't know about Sage's sexual orientation. Sage only hit on her in front of Reece to antagonize him. It worked all too well.
"I'm nobody's," Cinder snapped back helplessly. They ignored her. Temperature rising, she glanced between them, panicked. This was rapidly spiraling out of control. Reece had always been protective, but she didn't think his possessiveness went so far, and stupid, idiotic Sage just had to push his buttons to see how much Reece could take before he snapped.
"Hear that, Blackcrest?" Sage taunted. "She doesn't belong to anyone. Cinder doesn't even belong to you. Sucks to be you, doesn't it." Reece let out a low growl.
"Watch what comes out of your mouth, Sablewood. You shall address Cinder as Her Majesty."
Sage snorted. "Like you?" Reece charged Sage and they fell to the floor, fists flying. They rolled toward her, Sage's hand smashing into Reece's jaw over and over. Well, this was productive. Cinder dodged out of the way of their roiling bodies, her breaths coming out ragged and faint. Oh, stars, not another one. Not now.
INCREASING LEVELS OF NERVOUSNESS AND APPREHENSION DETECTED. COOLING PROCEDURES IMMOBILIZED. SYSTEMS OVERHEATING. BREATHING EXCERCISES RECOMEMMENDED. ONE...TWO...THREE... Reece flipped Sage over and tackled him to the floor, this time the advantage going to her gold-eyed thaumaturge. Cinder had wanted them to work with her, but if they couldn't control themselves and their testosterone fueled feud...
"ENOUGH!" Cinder shouted. Her command only caused them to brawl all the more furiously. Head pounding and short of breath, she stumbled to the door and yanked it open, the fresh air breezing in, soothing her burning face. Cinder slumped against the doorjamb, taking deep, uneven breaths. The world spun dizzily around her, but somehow, she managed to stagger haltingly to her chambers.
Cinder let herself in, collapsing at the threshold. Distantly, she heard dismayed cries, and panicked footsteps. She felt every rumbling stride and cool hands framing her sweaty, scorching face. Cinder brought a searing hot hand to her chest where her heart beat like a hummingbird's wings. She stared sightlessly at the high ceiling, the concerned, frightened faces before her blurring into one, the twinkling chandeliers twirling around and around and aro-
A face flashed across her vision. A man she had never seen before. Cinder struggled to place him. Tosco, from the restaurant. Takazumi's owner. His shell Lunar wife. A sweet old lady that adored her at first sight. A fire, a blazing inferno, bonfire. Stacked logs. Burning paper walls, creeping along the floor, blood, blood, blood. Her arm, legs consumed by the flames. A figure that emerged limb by limb from the shadows, cloaked in black. Her assassin. Then, it all faded away replaced by a man with expressive copper brown eyes and silky black hair. Kai. He stared down at her in anguish, smoke partially obscuring her vision. But there was no mistaking the salty tears dripping down his cheeks like a faulty faucet.
Cinder blinked, the light filtering back in. Kai disappeared, replaced by blinding white light. She squinted against the glare. What was that? She had never seen those people in her life. Well, except for Kai and, perhaps, the restaurant owner. Was her memory finally coming back?
"Water," someone murmured. Scarlet? A cool glass was pressed against her lips and Cinder took a gulp, then another, the refreshing liquid sliding easily down her parched throat. Scarlet kneeled by her side, while Cress and Thorne hovered over her shoulder. Cinder met their concerned gazes with a weak smile. Wolf was still holding the glass. They all looked relieved.
Beyond them was an impeccable man in deep blue, his heather gray eyes radiating uneasiness and apprehension. His former black hair was dusted with gray and soft wrinkles marred his brow.
At the sight of him, Cinder scrambled to her feet, almost tumbling back down when her jelly like limbs tried to support her weight. Wolf caught her around the waist and effortlessly pulled her upright. He gave one of her hands a light squeeze as if to ask her if she was okay. Cinder nodded. His bright green eyes, so much like Ginger's, peered at her doubtfully, but he let go. Wolf shifted nearer, his arms braced out, ready for her in case she fell. She didn't.
The man strode forward, his distracted expression smoothing into blank nothingness. Cinder straightened, tilting her head to watch him as he held out his hand and sank onto one knee, eyes respectful averted. Cinder took his weathered hand with her own and he brought her hand, touching it to his forehead. "Your Majesty," he murmured reverentially.
"Please," Cinder said, shifting uncomfortably at the formal ceremonial greeting, "none of that. Rise."
Aleksander Tikovanoff stood with one fluid move, despite his seasoned age, and finally cracked a small smile. "I wish I could ask if your stay in the Eastern Commonwealth has gone well so far... but that would be rather callous of me, wouldn't it." Cress stepped forward with a confused but affable smile.
"Would you like me to request rooms for your stay, Sasha? How long are you planning to sojourn?" she asked politely. Sasha bowed slightly to his better.
"I am only here to discuss a few things with, her Majesty. I will gone in a few hours."
Cress and Scarlet slid baffled glances toward her but Cinder merely shrugged. It would be better for them to be ignorant of her private investigation. The farther they were from this, the better.
"Well then," Scarlet said at last after a brief pause. "Shall we take some time off to give you some privacy, my queen?"
"That would be great, thanks, Scarlet," Cinder said a relieved note creeping into her tone. Hearing it, they all gave her a weird look but they left.
When the door closed behind them, Cinder quickly turned back to her fourth-tier thaumaturge alarm coating her words. "You've found something haven't you."
Sasha hesitated. "I hope so, Your Majesty. I cannot be sure at the moment, but I have amassed a large amount of information, much that discriminates against at least one of the council. As of now, I have one of my most trusted assistants taking charge of the inspection back in Luna. I believe this kind of sensitive information is best to be discussed in person than through net communications considering your desire for secrecy." Cinder took a deep breath, filling up her lungs, then, letting it out slowly.
"I'm almost afraid to ask. What have you found that was so disturbing, Sasha? I have never seen you so fidgety or so anxious. Is it that bad?"
He shrugged. "Depends on how you define bad, I believe." Cinder stared at him.
"Well?"
Sasha started, rubbing his head awkwardly. "Perhaps you would like to sit down, Your Majesty? You were a bit sick before, were you not? I'm afraid I am not a bearer of good news." Cinder stalked into the parlor and eased onto an armchair. He stood stiffly and Cinder waved an impatient hand at the couch.
"Please sit, Sasha. Let's hear this horrible news you bear."
Sasha sat uncomfortably. "You read the comm I sent you, correct?" Cinder nodded. "Well, we've uncovered many more things since then. You gave us permission to engage a covert search warrant on the council. With Medora, though there is motive, there is no evidence. She's completely clean. Celesta and Walter are also innocent. I believe that you said an investigation on Scarlet Benoit was unnecessary, and Darius seemed to have no link to the fire or the assault. Scion-Elect Sage and Atticus on the other hand... " Sasha paused with a hesitant look. "There was a large sum of money connecting the Sablewood account to Danto's private finances. 250,000 univs. When questioned, Atticus was largely defiant and replied that he knew nothing. Master Sage has not yet been interrogated, but we speculate that he might have reimbursed Danto Selkirk to hire a hit man to take you out. We found a gas mask and a black cloak in Scion-Elect Sage's personal chambers." At that, Cinder stiffened. A man in a black cloak, exactly what she saw in her little flashback.
"Are you sure it was in Sage's rooms? Perhaps someone framed him." Cinder could not dispute the evidence that was laid before her, but something about it felt wrong. Sage had always been a good friend of hers. He would have never do this. Sage had not lied in the garden. He told her that he didn't set the fire. But she hadn't asked him if he hired someone to set it. Sage was Goldie?
Oblivious to Cinder's racing thoughts, Sasha continued. "When we questioned the servants they said that the gear was Sage's. Through it seems to have been hastily washed, our forensic chemists found remnants of ash permeated into the fabric, not to mention the sooty scent."
"What about Ember Guard, Lieutenant Aiden? Sage claimed that Aiden was with him."
Sasha shook his head. "Lieutenant Aiden followed Danto back to the palace. He was not with Sage the time the fire occurred." Cinder sagged back into the armchair. Sage? She took the blackened pages out and stared at them. Cinder had only read one of the letters, but...
"Is there a way for you to analyse this letter, Sasha?" Cinder asked passing him the first note. "Scion-Elect Sage gave it to me. I would like to know if the writing could be by his hand. This letter was written when he was eleven." Her thaumaturge stared at the soot-stained page she held out to him for a tense moment, then reached into his own uniform pocket to take out a thick, gold embossed, ivory letterhead.
"Isn't that..."
Sasha nodded grimly. "It is. Not only can the traitor enter your private offices and chambers, he can prove it and throw it in our faces." Cinder rubbed her temples. Those stationary pages came from her private store, only used for official documents. It cannot be copied or reproduced. Anything written on those papers was the equivalent of a direct order from the queen herself. "This was found when we did an autopsy on Danto's body. If the letter," Sasha inclined his head toward the folio in her hand, "and the writing on the letterhead is the same, I'm afraid that you might be in graver danger than we first thought." Cinder took the thick, ivory card paper from Sasha.
Sekirk,
Enclosed is sum you requested. If you want to see your family again, obey, or else I fear they will succumb to a very, very unfortunate accident. Keep an eye on the target.
-G
"This 'G' paid Danto to hire an assassin," Cinder said slowly testing out the words. "If 'G' is Goldie and Goldie is actually Sage, he blackmailed Danto to do this. Sage abducted the Selkirk family? The journal entries Sage gave me stated that the assassin is three years older than me, and Sage definitely fits the description. He's also in the council as Scion-Elect and he was there when we discussed the Tarsus." Cinder shook her head. "I don't believe it. It was Sage all along?"
In a strange way, it did make sense. Reece had always told her not to trust him, but Cinder had concluded that Reece was too biased to judge Sage's character. After all, they were practically mortal enemies. And Sage... he knew about her inner lie detector. He had told her, he hadn't set the fire, just to throw her off her game and it had worked. Too well. She hadn't even suspected that Sage might have not told her the whole story. Cinder clenched her jaw. He had duped her, played her for a fool. Well, he was about to find out that his little game was ending.
"Call in the handwriting analyst to check the letters. Scion-Elect Sage is hereby dismissed from duties and is to be arrested for treason to the crown." Cinder said, standing up. Sasha stood with her, uneasily.
"There's one more thing, Your Majesty."
Cinder blinked at him. "What else did you have to tell me?"
He took a deep breath. "My team found the Selkirk family." She furrowed her brow.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner? Had they been questioned?"
"We can't question them, Your Majesty. They are dead."
Clifthanger...! Reviews as always please! Hope you liked this chapter!
-Silverleaf