Chapter 14

I was shocked to see my queen's sister in a sleep-like state inside the crystal. I had no idea when she put her in here or even when she had found her.

"When did you find her? You only got your memory back recently," I questioned staring at the fiery head girl who looked no older than Kyle had been before we had found out who he was.

"Sometime last year. I had no idea who she was but I couldn't leave her there. She was silently sleeping in a small cave off to the side of one of the numbers houses. It's no wonder that the boy became one considering her power was radiating off of her in waves. It affected everything around her. The walls had been turned into a jungle for her protection. Luckily, it recognized me so I didn't have to fight my way through. After all, most cards are made by our power anyway. You're a mixture between a Card and Arvian after all. Making you both, natural power exposed to ours only to transform into something unnatural. Arvians have been here as long as the earth has rotated on its axis but we're all doomed to be killed by our children and love only those with the same blood as us. I'm lucky because you have our blood but Cai...I've never seen my brother as excited as he was when he 'found' Shelia. My brother honestly had no one else to care for except for us, and Lucy was already sleeping away," she replied laying a hand gently on the clear stone. She gave it a soft pat before she leaped up in the air and hovered before the girl's face.

"Lucy! Lucy cee, It's time to come out. Father's dead so there's not need to worry. I'm here and so is Cai! Come on! Come play with us again," she pleaded and waited for an answer as she rubbed the stone as if to erode it enough to break her sister out of her sleep.

"You found Lucy?" a voice shook in awe behind me and she grinned at her older brother who had been angry at him only minutes before. Seeing her sister again apparently had a calming effect on the queen as she

"Of course! It's it amazing! She hasn't aged a day since she sealed herself off from the world," she replied tapping the casing lightly. The Master rose up behind her and carefully laid his hand next to Mina's.

"Lucy cee, Jule lee is here with me and we need to come out. I did a bad thing Lucy and I need your help to fix it. Please Lucy cee? I'm...sorry for not being able to help you when you needed it most with father and I regret not being able to save you. Jule lee doesn't know what happened to you. As soon as father tried to make her your replacement, she threw him into the middle of the earth to burn alive. So please Lucy, please help us," his voice trailed off as he let his head fall against the suddenly quivering stone knowing that if she chose to answer, she would do it now and more than likely never come out again if she was left alone.

Slowly but enough so that all of us knew what was happening, the stone melted away to reveal the girl's head and then her torso running down into the floor hardening against its surface as she floated in front of them. Her large aquamarine eyes gazed hurriedly around before they settled on me. Unable to contain her terror, she hurled herself into the Gardener's arms before starting to cry. Deeply disturbed by this display, Mina turned to examine me before she blinked.

"Lucy what are you crying over? He doesn't look a thing like Dad did," she frowned at her older sister and she glanced over at me. Containing her terror, she thoroughly interrogated my presence and even went as far as to seek out my mind. Opening up to her, I watched as her eyes widened and she shifted her stare to Mina.

"He really loves you," she murmured softer than the wind's breeze on trees. Giving her a large smile, I bowed to her. As I straightened up, my smile vanished and I waited calmly for any instructions my queen might have for me for the wakening of her older sister. Deep in my mind, she continued to search me over before she found the memories I had tried to lock away. They came back to me as she tore them up into the conscious part of my thoughts, rape, murder, torture by the hands of the Master, love for a girl who was taken away from me so quickly and on and on.

When she released her hold on me, I was on my knees trying hard to battle unconsciousness but I hadn't said a word. My pride was still intact. Standing up slowly, Mina's appearance in front of me helped me stand and I smiled weakly and briefly at her.

"Are you alright?" She asked gently and I nodded.

"She just dug too deep," I replied calmly but I felt small arms wind themselves around my waist and I looked down at the small girl clinging to me.

"I'm sorry, I'm so sorry," she cried into my shirt and I patted her back awkwardly.

"It was a long time ago. My queen has helped me through much of it," I accepted easily. Her bright eyes glanced up at me and she pulled away. Sniffling, she took the Gardener's hand and hid behind him as he stared at me in complete and total shock. Pretending I didn't notice it, I turned to Mina.

"You need to ask her quickly before we don't have any time left. Nil is still in trouble," I pointed out folding my arms against my chest and leaning silently against the wall. This was coming to an end, I could feel Shelia almost wishing to be found out. Then again, it might be the other plants that were acting that way but I had taken care of them a long time ago.

"Of course!" She agreed, jolted back to reality. "Lucy, I need your help with something. You know how Cai did bad things right? Well, one of the bad things he did was making a woman named Shelia. Do you know her?" I questioned and she glanced up at me horrified.

"Cai made her? She's the one disturbing my sleep! I kept telling her to go away but she never listened to me. I hated the fact that she never listened to me," she glared at her younger brother and he ran a hand through his hair. The similarities between the two were astonishing. Lucy's glarer was just like my queen's was when she got angry. Fighting back the urge to chuckle, I waited until they were all ready to proceed before I nudged her lightly. Getting back on task, she nodded her assent.

"Right, do you know where to find her?" she asked her sister nervously. It appeared she didn't know how to handle her. Then again I certainly couldn't blame her.

"Yeah. Do you want me to tell you where she is?" she replied unhappily and I grinned at her easily. Seeing my smile, she brightened and closed her eyes.

"She's in the St. Luke's Cathedral on Madison St.," she notified us opening her eyes and I bowed slightly to her before all of us headed out together.

"Sorry Lucy but can you stay here and watch the cards for me? I really need to go help someone right now ok?" Mina smiled hugging her sister.

"Ok...will you be back? I felt you go away for awhile once but you came back again...are you going away like that?" She asked confused.

"Not if I can help it," I smiled at the girl and she grinned up at me.

"Bring her and Cai back...at all costs," she said seriously and I bowed again at her request.

"I can do nothing but that. I will not let my queen die again," I smiled and tapped her lightly on the nose before turning to her. Wiping my face blank, I walked out of the room behind her as she led the way to Shelia's church.

The walls were a brilliant eroded gray stone that showed various pictures that weren't fully visible to the naked eye. Its tall spire stood out solemnly against the brightness of the sun's day and I found myself wondering what would be inside. Shelia, according to Master, had never been one for the older type of beauty. Stained glass windows glittered ominously as we walked closer to it and my feet stopped of their own accord. Confused, I tried to move forward only to fall where I stood.

"Castor? What's wrong?" Mina questioned turning around.

"Don't come near me!" I shouted warning and glanced at the Gardener for help. He grabbed my queen by the arms and started pulling her away from me. Trying again, I tugged all of my power towards the source of what was holding me. I heard Shelia's scream as I struck her again and again.

"Castor! Stop! Just wait and we'll stop her!" I could hear Mina shouting over and over again but it had little effect. I was stuck with little chance of getting out and I stopped exhausted by the effort panting on the ground.

"Leave Julia, I won't have you taken the same way I am. I can feel her power reaching out for you. Go!" I commanded calling my queen by her first name shocking her out of her fear. Trembling in Master's arms, she stared at me with huge eyes wanting to help. Forcing a grin on my face, I put my hand to the ground and forced a small vine to reach up from a crack in the pavement near her feet. It winded up her leg and around her waist blooming a perfect brilliant blue rose in her face. Shaking hands plucked the flower from its stem and she held it looking at me confused.

"Take her Cain. I won't have my queen killed," I growled at my former master and he shook himself from his place.

"Come on, Julia, we have to get in the church," Cai said quietly pulling her arm and when she didn't move, he physically picked her up. Taking one last glance at me, his eyes met mine and he grinned fiercely. Grinning back, I nodded to him as they ran inside.

Finally gathering all of what was left energy, I struck out again one last time against her. Shelia's scream tore into the air as I blasted into her brain, the one place where we could be killed. I could feel it melting slowly but I didn't have enough power to fully kill her. As my one last tribute to my beautiful Mina, I left my body and followed her into the church. Wrapping her in my arms after Cai put me down, I brushed my lips against hers and I smiled at her.

"My wonder Mina, I'm sorry I won't be able to keep my promise to your sister. This is the last thing I'll be able to do," I smiled gently at her.

Tears fell down her cheeks as she stared at my ghost self.

"Castor," she murmured hugging me again and I held her. The blue rose twined itself around my body taking my strength away from me. In my place, the blue rose changed into silver and wrapped itself around her arm. Staring down at it, she gasped as it melted into her body and she finally started crying.

"He's gone Cai, he's really gone," she wailed dropping to her knees and Cai's arms enfolded her safely.

Author's note: Well...it's almost the end of the Card Duet...my plan for a trilogy completely failed but the good part is that there is another part after this one and its not as depressing (hopefully). In any case, stay tuned for the next and final part!