The Ember Queen

Chapter Sixteen (Ending One)

The throne room, the palace:
The impact of the spear replayed in Fiona's head again. Throw, Soar, Pierce.

Abraham in front of her, limbs eagle-spread, crimson blood gushing down his back and stomach. He fell onto his knees. Fiona's delayed scream, and then crashing down onto her own knees. Bending over Abraham, chocking on her sobs. In complete in horror as she watched the starlight in his eyes dim. Two blank, Hazel spheres.

Survival mode set in. She leaped to her feet, and a two-step scramble across the room and she pulled her dagger off the floor beside Gabriel, slicing straight at his throat. He gurgled, and spat blood on her face, but Fiona just pushed him back, and stabbed him six times, twisting the blade upon the final removal, then aiming the blade for herself. A clang of steel against wood sounded through the hall as Celeste dashed through the door.

"I heard your scream-" Celeste gasped, her breath cut short. "Fiona NO!" The queen's sister ran across the room, pinning Fiona's blade hand to the ground, and quickly binding her kicking legs.

Fiona arched her neck, and took on last look at her love. She silently screamed his name, and then whispered it several more times. Abraham! Abraham... no.

Her stomach heaved, and she threw up all over Celeste's boots and on the tile floor.

In an effort to end her sisters shock, Celeste reached behind Fiona's neck, and pinched just above her collar. Fiona didn't fight back, just laid there and then slept as consciousness was taken from her. She never saw the world the same again.

The throne room, the palace, three years later:
Fiona sat on her throne, clicking her inch-long metallic nails on the armrests. The black stony material was flecked with white and reds, making it look daunting from below.

Fiona eyed two servants as they scrubbed away a red stain from off the white tiles, remnants of the most recent trial. The doors to the throne room opened, and Fiona's half-sister walked in. Stopping less than five feet from the throne, Celeste bowed slightly, taking notice of the stained tile.

"Fiona, you requested to see me?" She said, standing straight again.

Fiona nodded sharply. She almost commented on the informal way Celeste had addressed her, but held her tongue. Her half-sister would be gone soon enough.

"Congratulations on your engagement," Fiona said plainly, causing Celeste to grin. Her outburst of joy caused Fiona a stab of pain.

"Thank you, most gracious queen," Celeste said, a stupid smile still captivating her features.

"I am afraid you will have to be married later than you expected, or at least in a different location," Fiona continued. Celeste's face fell, making Fiona smirk. "I had arranged another transport of soldiers to go to sector twenty-two, but my head supervisor became ill. It is an unusually large shipment, and I want you to see to its success," Fiona finished.

Celeste finally found her voice. "But couldn't one of your chairmen attend to it-"

"You leave tomorrow," Fiona cut her off. "I will allow Rico to accompany you, but you must leave before sunset tomorrow. You will be back after a couple weeks, possibly a month."

Celeste nodded, and with a quick bow left the room, shocked from the cruelty of her sister. Fiona let out a steamy breath, and adjusted herself to a more comfortable position. The servants began scrubbing the tile floor again, and against Fiona's will, her thoughts began to wander.

This same room almost three years ago.... Celeste saved her life, and kept her in this miserable world. Now, she wished Celeste had let her use the knife to her own bidding, so she could be with him. The man who had caused her so much pain. So maybe, she could get some revenge. Or take back the years with him that death had cheated her of.

She snapped back into reality. The tile floor was spotless. The sun was setting.

By this time tomorrow, Fiona thought, Celeste and her Fiancé would be gone, and she would have no threats to her throne. She could rule, and punish as she wished. She was already planning to rid her government of a council, and rule on her own.

Forever a queen, Fiona Crimson Regium would conquer. Burn the world to ashes if that's what it took to keep her power.

She would stomp out the sparks, and rule over whatever was left. Even if that was just the embers.

The true fate of The Ember Queen is now revealed, and I want to thank my first two readers and greatest support, Clara & Marta (not on Wattpad). Thanks for sticking with me!