~Mirandiona💎

That can't be right. I double checked the report. The words were the same as they had been the last two times I'd read them. Algrie and Kenysiz were the only cities hit by the rebels. All other cities gave no report of large scale attacks. As thankful as I was to hear the news, the report from Kenysiz put a dark cloud over my mood.

The messenger who delivered the report said the city had already fallen to the rebels by the time he left. Most of the guard there was blindly loyal to Helton, the guards who weren't part of the rebellion had been quickly dispatched. None of them had seen it coming.

To make matters worse, Katal was doing a thorough sweep through of the city guards. Any guard that had been spotted not aiding in the attack or actively supporting the rebels were sent to imprisonment to await trial for high treason. The ones that attacked back or tried to run were killed on sight.

This resulted in a large thinning of Algrie's guard coupled with the deaths from the attack and previous scrimmages. More civilians were willing to join the guard and help, unfortunately a large portion of the new recruits wanting to join were men. I couldn't let our entire male population be decimated so I was forced to issue a limit and temporarily add a few more restrictions to their enrollment eligibility. Do to our unique biology, women could breed together and have viable children but this always resulted in a female child, a male was needed to produce male children. Because of this it has resulted in a much higher female population. If all our men died then there was next to no way to bring the male population back up.

Sighing I drop the document back on the desk and resist the urge to bury my face in my hands.

"Hey, you've received a letter from one of the lycan chiefs." Serana's voice cuts through the silence. Looking up I see her sitting on the divan, which I was quickly beginning to associate as 'her's'. There was a thin and slightly worn piece of leather held lightly between her fingers.

Pushing my chair back, I get up and walk over to see the leather parchment. Moving the stack of documents Serana had been sifting through, in an effort to help discern the important from the pointless, to the floor. I take their place beside her and gently grab Serana's hand to tilt the document in my direction.

'Majesty, it greatly pleases me to tell you that your people have moved their hunting. We no longer see your shadows unless it is a stray passer.

The people of my tribe, and the tribes of others, have seen this and become peaceful toward you once more.

I must also tell you of the ones who do not wish for peace. I have seen many of your shadows but they do not hold the presence of your warriors. The shadows they cast speak of war and a thirst for self.

We know them to not be with you and they plague our lands to rally our anger. My kind are no strangers to fighting. We know your people do not like the prospect of war, but it seems that is the only path.

I cannot speak for the other tribes, but the Kin'va will honor your kindness and fight with you should you call on us.

Chief Zekim'rak'va'

I sat there silent for a moment. After rereading the letter again I find my voice. "Well this is..." I trail off for a moment. "Unexpected." I finish.

Looking up to meet Serana's orange gaze I see that she was quite nearly bouncing in her seat. A smile tugs at my lips at her excitement and I hold back a chuckle when she tries to clamp down on it.

Digging one of my smaller fangs into my lower lip I look back down at the leather letter.

Serana's wing brushed up against mine as she shifted closer so we could both look at the document more comfortably. "If the rebels are messing with the tribes there could be more chieftains that share Chief Zakim'rak'va's view." She mutters.

"Let's hope." I breath.

"Any more news on the damage total?" She changes the subject, shifting more in my direction.

"It would appear only Kenysiz was hit, a few days before Algrie." I inform taking the letter from her grasp to place it with the stack on the floor. She shifts again and forces my wing to press against my body do to her proximity. Pulling back, I realize why she's gotten so close when she reaches across my lap for another document. "If you wanted to sit in my lap, you could have just asked." I comment, dropping my voice just above a purr.

The way her body went rigid and her cheeks darkened in the late evening light had a chuckle vibrating through my chest. Sitting back up with a new letter in hand she levels a glare at me and twist her features into a slight scowl.

Snickering at her reaction I stand and turn my back to her before she can find something to say. Stretching my arms above my head I flex my back and wings. A shiver ran down my spine as the new quills still filling in shifted in a way I wasn't used to. A quiet moan escapes as I let my arms fall back down and resettle my wings in their proper position.

Serana mutters something under her breath catching my attention. Glancing over my wing I spot Serana's eyes darting back to the paper in her hands. Giving her a bemused look. "What was that?" I ask, watching her face go red.

"Nothing, just muttering to myself." She says keeping her eyes on the document.

Right. Narrowing my eyes at her, I decide to drop it and turn back to my desk.

~💠~

"Send a caravan to Parsivic. We don't have enough material to reform the wall. See what you can lift from them, but don't take more than they can spare." I order one of Katals more trusted captains.

I didn't pay attention to his 'yes your majesty' before turning to the rebuilding plan. It had been five days since I enacted the total monarchy and things were progressing much more quickly now that the council wasn't here to fight me on every decision.

Another person enters the already full room and shoves forward until they're in front of my desk. Looking up I spot Fyko standing before me. "What is it?" I ask turning my gaze back down to the rebuilding plan for the wall.

"I would like to speak with you in private, my queen." He says instead. There was something off about his voice, he never spoke quite like that unless he really had something to say.

Looking back up I see the light of emergency in his eyes. "Everyone out." I demand.

A few grumbles came from the small group of people that have been vying for my attention, but they all leave without further complaint. Once the last one is out of the room and the door is shut Fyko begins to speak in haste. "I was at the east barracks prison block this morning." He begins, leaning his hands on my desk. "I kept out of sight from the prisoners hoping they might say something. It was hard to say without the context but it sounds like they slipped something into the city during the attack. I'm not sure what but there is something in this city, and from what I've heard it's powerful." The strain in his voice coupled with the slight amount of fear in his eyes had my feathers standing on end.

"How powerful?" I ask, dreading the answer.

His jaw clenches and the veins in his neck stand out in prominent lines. "They said something about the ruins." He grits between clenched teeth.

I could feel the blood drain from my face as my veins felt like they had turned to ice. Unlike Ocenalos, Skyris didn't have many relics from before the Purge. Most of the things left behind by the sapians had been repurposed or simply fell off into the ocean below. But there was one place where not even the animals dared tread. It had been one of their greatest cities and to this day it was filled with the nightmarish contraptions they had crafted to kill all that they saw fit.

"Have you told Katal?" My voice was barely a whisper but I didn't care how weak or frightened I may sound. At that moment I had every right to be afraid. If the rebels somehow got a weapon created by the sapians inside the city then every single person within the wall, and likely even beyond that, was in grave danger.

"No. I couldn't risk being overheard and the woman won't talk to me." He answers standing up straight again.

"Go get her and bring her here immediately." I order.

With a sharp nod he turns and heads out of the room. Once the door is closed behind him I burry my face in my hands and try to calm the rapid pounding of my heart.

The door clicks open announcing the arrival of someone else. Lifting my head I find Serana walking in with a tray of food.

"What's up with Fyko? I just passed him in the hall and he seemed a little on edge." She ask walking over to place the tray down on an unoccupied corner of my desk.

I can't find the words to answer so I press a fist to my lips, taking in a shuddering breath.

At this Serana looks up at me. Her features quickly twist into a look of concern. "Mira, what's wrong?" She rounds the desk studying the side of my face.

"When Fyko gets back he can explain." I whisper dropping my hands onto the surface of my desk.

The smell of food makes my insides twist in a nauseating way. I'd completely lost my appetite at the news.

The corners of her mouth turned down in worry. Pushing my chair back so I was slightly facing her, I motion for Serana to come forward. When she's close enough that her legs are brushing mine I reach out and pull her by the hips.

The look of confusion and worry never leave her face as she complies and straddles my lap sitting down. Slipping my arms under her wings I pull her flush against my body and bury my nose in her soft dark brown hair.

Without a word she wraps her arms around my neck and nuzzles my jaw in an effort to comfort me. "What's wrong?" She breaths, not unlike how a parent speaks to a frightened child.

Shaking my head I bury my face deeper into her neck screwing my eyes shut. We sat there for several long minutes, me breathing in her scent with deep shuttering breaths and her stroking my hair and laying small kisses across my jaw and neck trying not to look scared at how rattled I was.

When the door finally opened again I slowly lifted my head to see Fyko and Katal entering the room. Serana pulled away enough to glance over and see who had come in. Tightening my hold around her waist I gently squeeze her body against mine, a silent plea for her to stay where she was.

Turning back to me she readjust her arms so that they're between us and rest her head against my shoulder, lightly pressing her lips to my collarbone one last time before settling completely.

I watch the look of mild shock flit across Katal's face before it's replaced by one of concern. As Fyko tells them what he told me I watch the look of concern morph into one of fear.

When he's finished Serana's talons are pressed against my waist as she struggles to keep them from digging in, and Katal is pacing the room looking more and more panicked by the second.

"Katal." I finally speak after several long minutes of silence. "Gather the most trustworthy people you know and comb through every crack and crevice of this city. I don't want you to stop until whatever they brought in is found." I order.

Her body goes rigid and the panic morphs into resolute determination at receiving the order. "Yes, your majesty." She salutes before exiting the room from the balcony to carry them out.

"Fyko." I call for the man, turning his attention back to me. "Go back to the barracks and get those prisoners to talk. I don't care what you have to do. Make. Them. Talk." I grit out.

"Aye, my queen." He responds following Katal's path off the balcony.

Taking my first full breath since hearing the news I turn my attention back to the woman in my lap. "Serana." I whisper nuzzling her ear. "Serana."

She shifted and pulled back to look at me. "Could whatever they have still work?" The intensity of her gaze pierced through my very soul.

As much as I wanted to believe, that no those weapons of fire and death could never work again after so many years, there was a great weight of doubt and fear that told me, yes they could, the rebels wouldn't have gone through the trouble if they weren't certain it could work.

"I'm not sure." I breath searching her dark orange eyes for something to latch onto. "But I don't believe they would do all of this just to fail." I whisper.

Her jaw trembled with the force of her emotions. "If even half of the stories about the Purge are true then all of Algrie could be burned away in an instant." Her voice though strong held the slightest hint of a tremor.

"I know." I breath. Pulling my hands back I follow the outline of her curves until I'm cupping her face and running my thumbs across her cheeks as if to wipe away unshed tears. "We'll find it." I felt as surprised by my words as the other woman looked. "We've got to try. It's been a week since the attack on the wall. Whatever weapon they brought isn't working yet or they would have used it by now." I find the words pouring out of me, getting stronger the more I think on it and realize they're true. Digging my fingers into her thick mane of hair I pull her forward until her forehead is pressed against mine. "There is still time." I hoped there was, there had to be.

Her hands found their way to my wrist where they held on as if her life depended on it. She didn't say a word. She only sat and leaned into my body until the sky turned orange then slowly, purple.

There was much more I needed to do with the knowledge of this new threat, but I couldn't find it in myself to pull away and deny her the same comfort she offeredo me. Untwining my fingers from her hair I pull my arms out of her grip and wrap them around her hips and under her seated body. With a bit of effort, from not having moved in hours, I stand with her in my arms.

She wrapped her arms around me and buried her face in the crook of my neck as I walked across the room. Bracing myself, I have to push her against the wall next to the door so I can use one of my hands to open the door.

Once I was out in the hallway I made a straight path for our room. As I walked through the castle some of the delegates that still roamed the halls gave me quizzical looks or shocked stares. Even a few of the guards could not hide their surprise at seeing the other woman wrapped around me as I carried her through the castle.

The guards at my door open it for me and have the decency to not look in the least bit confused or curious. Nodding at them in thanks I walk past and enter the dark bedroom.

A soft click lets me know that we were alone once more. I can hear Ovah jump onto his chair and even Etria seemed to sense that now was not the time for play as she trotted over to join the gryph.

Kneeling on the foot of the bed I lean forward, catching myself with one arm, until Serana was laying on her back beneath me. I start to pull back but stop when she doesn't unlock her arms from around my neck. Looking down I see her staring back up at me with an unreadable expression on her face.

"You know they're going to start talking." She whispers. Of all the things she could have said after hours of silence, that is what came out.

It was so inane and sweet that I found a smile pulling at the corners of my mouth. "I don't care." I breath. In truth I never really did care much for the gossip of others.

She continues to stare at me, refusing to relinquish her hold on my neck. With a sudden surge she rises up at the same time she pulls me down and her lips are crashing into mine. The kiss was all fangs and force, but it may have been the best I'd ever had.

When she pulled back and stared at me, her face dark with the presence of a blush and her breaths coming in rapid pants, I couldn't help but follow her and connect our lips again.

I knew why she had done it. For the same reason I had leaned down and kissed her again. So when the time came, this wasn't what we worried about. The thought of never having seen what could have happened or not knowing what we could have done.

The second kiss was softer no force or clashing of teeth. Just want. I kissed her for all I was worth until my lungs screamed for air and she pulled away in need of the same air my body craved. Taking in deep breaths I pull back until I can see her eyes. Searching their depths I found no hint of regret or trepidation at having kissed me.

Letting a long sigh past my lips I moved to the side so that I was laying beside her. When she turned on her side to face me I reached out and wrapped my arm around her waist to pull her closer.

A soft grin played at the edges of her lips as she shifted into a more comfortable position and pressed a lingering kiss to the dip at the base of my neck. This time when her lips met my skin they sent a shudder down my spine. A purr rumbled from my chest as she kept her nose pressed against my neck and curled into me.

Wrapping my wing around her smaller frame I close my eyes and let my mind succumb to sleep. Tomorrow would bring skies knows what, but I would deal with that after I woke up.