Whipping Girl

Chapter 30: A Rock Under the Roots

We'd resumed to walking now, more so just Queen Aefre and I. Death was in Queen Aefre's arms, being carried ever so gently. Death's eyes were partially shut but not all the way. Her arms wrapped around Queen Aefre's neck. 

Her hair was in medium thick braids, with a colorful band of beads holding them out of her face. Instead of  a crown, her staff and the magic emitting bead on her ear gave away her rank. 

Death almost seemed to nuzzle into the Queen's bright orange necklace as she slowly healed in Queen Aefre's partially shifted arms. Which gave her more strength in holding the large were. 

Even though I hadn't seen Queen Aefre in years, I still get taken aback by her beauty. Smooth darker skin and long cheeks holding perfectly centered lips and heart striking wide midnight eyes. 

If she wasn't a kishi, the humans would've praised her instead of feared. 

I personally just liked being around her. She was  a politician's dream, the way she talked so smooth and could comfort anyone. The relationship between the kishi of the Mocamedis Realm and the werewolves of Devaleon was always a strong one. Chaos realm though--never really knew how the kishi felt. 

I could definitely see Death warming up to her though. 

"You smell like coffee." Death mumbled. 

I noticed a smoky warm scent off of the Queen, like roasted tea, but wasn't sure what Death was talking about. Maybe she was referring to a Terra item? 

"Death you need to rest." I ordered. 

Death just mumbled more, incoherent now. Queen Aefre smiled flirtatiously. 

"This alpha Were was not the kind of friend I expected you'd bring- to help," she made a slight wiggle, "I thought you'd bring your mate Yeona." 

I shook my head no. 

"Death is stronger." I teased. 

Queen Aefre nodded, "Aah I see. " Though I could tell she wanted to tease a bit more. 

I let it go, since I know being Queen has weighed on her ability to be as fun as before. Her hyena ears started to pop up, replacing the human like ears from before.

"You tired?" I asked. 

"Of course Yeona," she laughed, "finding you in all this desert during a storm, quite the hassle." 

"Well Queen Aefre, you could have let us transport through the front door..."

She laughed more as the door in reference came into view. A giant behemoth of ancient stone that shaded nicely the soldiers in front. Two women wearing deceptively simple fabric of black, white, and sand coloring- with shapes and crosses, but no real armor. Stones and beads aligning their waists in a colorful fashion. If it was not for their hyena faces staring us down- they wouldn't look intimidating at all. 

But those beads. That was where the true danger lies. 

Since Queen Aefre couldn't greet, I waved on her behalf and announced her entrance.

"Queen Aefre arrives with two werewolves, injured and of no harm!" I yell as loud as I could, my arms both moving in the air as obvious as possible. 


Both the soldiers drop onto their knees and await our arrival. In the middle of the stone, a long hallway becomes visible. 

We get close enough and begin walking through it. The Queen laughs friendly at the soldiers. They let out a small laugh as well each. Common greeting among the kishi. Almost melodic sounding, like giggles in fun among humans. The only point of minor misunderstandings between our kind- which is why kishi culture is sometimes studied in the classes of learning in  at Devaleon. Being important enough- they get there own course. 

Due to the time I spent in the Mocamedis realm with the Queen before she was one, I was able to skip those classes. 

To be honest I never expected her to become the Queen, I always thought she and I would end up in the same situation as political mediators. No one expected her sister to fall so ill. 

As we walked through the very cold stone hallway I remember her sister and the day I stopped coming. She has spat blood all over this hall- all over me. All of her skin marked with the silver lines of that curse. The magic they never really figured out. Infecting her in a way even her body couldn't fight. 

A situation so bad, all who weren't kishi or human had to leave- in hopes the bearer of the curse wouldn't be able to keep sending it her way if they weren't there. 

But it was too late. 

And now Aefre, was Queen. 

I tried to shake away the memories. 

"You remember don't you Yeona?" Queen Aefre whispered. 

I nodded. 

"Well to be honest with you, that's why you're here," the Queen sighed, "I've been cursed too now." 

I turned to her. She lifted her head sideways, showing silver lines coveting over the skin on her neck, glowing in the dark of the stone hallway, and only now being so visible. 

"I'll die soon if you don't figure this out."