The Ice Queen of Lessaenes (Book 5)

Assassination

I followed Keilee's voice out to the balcony, keeping my steps as light as possible. I was dressed in a loose blue sweater and black leggings, to maximize my movement. 

"I think she's out there," I whispered to Armetorius, walking out into the open air and instantly dropping down on all fours, closely followed by the Mystic. 

"Be careful," he warned as I held out my hand, creating an Aural icicle. "I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you got caught and I didn't. I really care about you, Saralee..."

"I'll be fine," I rolled my eyes. As I turned a corner closer to the edge of the balcony, I saw Keilee leaning over the rail, laughing. The only problem was, she wasn't alone. When I saw who was with her, I almost lost it right there. 

Fenorel Soren. 

I thought he had gone back to Rhena! But then again, he could come back whenever he wanted to through his portal.

"Seriously? She stabbed herself with a needle just because she was too impatient to wait another six months?" Keilee snorted. "Poor thing, she's always wanted to be just like me. She's too enthusiastic for her own good." 

"I know," Fenorel sighed. "I kind of liked her at first, but thoughts of the Iceheart Serum have made her really impulsive. And weird, very weird." 

"Yep," Keilee giggled. "I knew you'd realize it soon enough. But Saralee doesn't need a Serum to be weird, trust me, I grew up with her." 

"Now," I signaled to Armetorius and sprung up from my hiding place, Aural icicle in hand. How dare Fenorel laugh at me behind my back!? And with my obnoxious sister too!

Reaching out, I grabbed Keilee by the shoulders and yanked her around, gagging her and tying her arms to the railing with Aural tendrils. Meanwhile, Armetorius bound and gagged Fenorel, using the element of surprise to overcome an equally capable Aura warrior. 

"This is for bruising my foot at your coronation ball," I said softly so that Fenorel couldn't hear me as I drew the tip of the icicle across her arm, tearing through the rich fabric of her sleeve and soaking it through with deep, reddish blue blood. The piece of cloth in her mouth barely kept back her scream. 

"This is for keeping me from Fenorel." I ran the icicle across her collarbone and neck. 

"This is for calling me ugly, messed up, short and stupid...more times than I could ever count." I sliced open her cheek. 

"And finally, last but certainly not least," I grinned. "This is for being older than me!" I stabbed her with the icicle, driving it into her heart. A few seconds later, she slumped over the railing, lifeless. 

I looked down to see a very tired Armetorius, and Fenorel starting to break free of his bonds. Raliyel crouched on the closest rooftop to us, waiting for my signal. We would have to have a slight change of plans, now. Fenorel had seen us, and we had to run away with Raliyel or he would know we were in the palace. 

Motioning to the rooftop, I signaled to Armetorius, and the two of us sprinted to the edge of the balcony, leaping off and throwing Aural ropes to Raliyel simultaneously. She grabbed them, quickly fastening them to a chimney, and we climbed up to join her. 

"We have to get away," she said with urgency, pointing to the sleek hovercraft beside her. "Before they send Ice Guards after us!" 

I nodded and opened the door of the hovercraft. Before I could get in, I gave Icicle Hall one last look. Fenorel looked up at me, narrowing his eyes and gritting his teeth as Ice Guards swarmed the balcony, lifting Keilee off the railing. 

He recognized me, I couldn't help but think as Raliyel, Armetorius and I boarded the hovercraft, exiting it near a back door, from which I slipped into the palace, running up to my room and into my bathroom. I turned on the tap as far as it would go and began to vigorously scrub the blood off my hands. I hated its cold, slimy feeling and its metallic smell. 

Note from Queen Saralee: That's okay, it's only temporary. When you get more used to killing, the blood won't bother you anymore :)

I heard a maid's quick knocking on my door and quickly rushed to my bed and slipped under the covers, ruffling my hair to make it look like I was asleep. 

"Princess Saralee? Princess Saralee!" She yelled. 

"Mm? Come in," I answered. 

"I think we've been attacked! Queen Keilee was fatally injured! She was pronounced dead just a few minutes ago." 

"What!?" I sat up with a jolt, feigning horror and surprise. 

My heart beat frantically with fear and anticipation as I followed the maid.

Fenorel knows you did it.

I climbed up the first flight of stairs, reaching a landing from where I could see outside. The balcony was so packed with Ice Guards, I couldn't see either of the moons!

He knows you killed her.

I tried in vain to brush my paranoid thoughts away as we reached the balcony and the maid urgently opened the door, rushing outside, and I followed.

He's going to tell everyone.

"Princess Saralee!" An Ice Guard captain yelled, motioning me over to the scene of Keilee's death. "Chief Myers has just arrived, he wants to speak to you." 

"Your Highness!" The Warrior Chief waved his hand to get my attention. 

"Listen," he said, pulling me over to the side. "I've just gotten some grave news, Pylea is about to be under attack. Human Union ships are literally minutes away. Since we can't legally send troops to defend our territory without the written permission of the current monarch, it's obvious that this assassination was coordinated to be on the same day as the attack. They're getting smarter under that Anderson woman, they know we're helpless without a monarch's signed consent to battle." 

"What are we going to do?" I bit my lip in frustration. 

"I don't know...wait!" His face lit up with an idea. "Here! Sign these!" He handed me a stack of papers and a pen. 

"But I'm not the monarch!" 

"You are now!" Chief Myers grinned, placing his hand over my head. "As the Chief of the Warrior clan and a sitting member of the Council of Lessaenes, I hereby proclaim Saralee Relasay Arystenn, the rightful and legal successor of the throne, Queen over all of Lessaenes. May the blessings of Lumys be with you, Queen Saralee!" 

"What!?" I gasped. "But I'm not old enough yet! You have to be eighteen!" 

"This is an emergency, Queen Saralee," Chief Myers sighed. "I'm sure the other Council members will understand." 

Yes, yes, YESSSS!!!!

I barely forced my trembling hand to sign the documents. I couldn't get over my excitement, I was finally Queen! Of course, my coronation hadn't been as fancy as I had hoped, but it was a year earlier, and that made up for it. 

However, tomorrow would bring new problems. Without the cover of the darkness, everyone would see my new appearance. That could be fixed with some explanation, but there were other things that couldn't...

Fenorel was the only one other than Armetorius and me who knew the entire story. He could ruin everything...or he could save everything. If I wanted to get through this, I was going to have to trust the one person I didn't want to have anything to do with. 

Or did I want to have anything to do with him?