Lucia's Reign

Chapter 5

~Mahdi~

I don't know what happened. One minute we were making our way back to Matali, the next we were attacked. We didn't see it coming, giving us not enough time to retaliate. Mainly because our attacker was invisible. Water and light blasts hit us from all directions. I was knocked off of my hippokamp, and onto the sea floor. Yazeed was only a few feet away from me. His eyes were opened, and he was still alive.

"Yazeed," I croaked our. His head turned to face mine. He had a cut over his eye, and it was bleeding badly. He also had cuts and scrapes all over his body. "Go back to Miromara and warn Sera. Go."

"Not without you," Yazeed said.

"That is an order. Now get out of here."

Yazeed struggles to get up, but manages. I watch him leave to warn Sera. I see my attacker conjure another water vortex. Just as they are ready to throw it at me, I roll over. I must not have gone quick enough, because I could feel the full force of it on my left shoulder. The pain explodes, and I yell out.

Black dots play on my vision. The attacker swims forward, and grabs me. It's invisible, but the bubbles from the moving tail come closer. I feel myself getting dragged away as the black dots take over.

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When I regain consciousness I hear voices talking. One is deep and strong, while the other is higher, but pain, and malice can be heard under it.

I try to sit straight up, but only get to a sitting position. My hands are cuffed to the bed I was in. My neck also had a chain on it. Iron. Whoever caught me knew what they were doing. The voices stop when I start to move. The first voice comes into view.

"He's awake," the mer said.

The second voice comes into view too.

"Yes he is," the voice belongs to Lucia Volnero. "Leave us." The man swims away, leaving only iron between Lucia and me. "Well you aren't who I wanted, but my plan will still work."

"Where am I?" I ask.

"You're back home in Matali. Well just outside of Matali. I wouldn't dare drag the unconscious Emperor through the city. That would attract too much attention, and that's the last thing we need."

"Well you seemed to be fine with attracting attention in Miromara."

"That? Oh that was nothing. Just wait until you see what I have planned for tonight."

"And what is that?"

"If I told you then it wouldn't be a surprise now would it?" I stay silent. "You know I'm surprised that arrow I sent through Serafina's chest a few years ago didn't kill her. She strikes me as very weak. I'm surprised you married her."

I struggle against the chains. "Serafina is not weak. She is stronger then you could possibly imagine."

"Is that so? Then why is her brother and his friend coming here right now? Where's Sera?"

Des and Astrid. They were coming here to save me. Thank the gods Sera wasn't with them. All I had to do was stall her.

"Sera knows where her priorities lay. She would stay with her kingdom over me anytime. It's where her true heart lays. Just as how mine is with Matali. We made promises to our realms before we even made promises to each other."

"Is that so. So she wouldn't mind if I killed you then?"

"Oh no, she would mind. If you kill me, you're signing yourself up for a war. And from what I've seen is that you have no resources, no army. You'd lose."

"Maybe. But what you don't know is that I have grown so much stronger these last few years, that when that time does come, no one will see it coming."

"I can only imagine."

As she sits here talking to me I try to find her angle. What is she up to that I can't figure out? Being undercover for the Blackfins I knew how to read the Volnero's. I knew when they were hiding something. Lucia I knew how to how to read well. She's not telling me everything.

Lucia unlocks the door to my cell and swims in.

"I'll let you in on a deal Mahdi," she says getting level with my face.

"Oh? And what would that be?" I ask.

"Tell me what I want to know, and I'll set you free right here, right now, without a scratch on your body. Des and his friend won't be harmed either."

"What could it possibly be that you want so badly?"

"You know Serafina better than everyone. Better than her brother, and better than her friend. I want you to tell me weak parts of Sera, the places to push so I can take over the throne."

"Now why would I tell you that? I couldn't tell you even if I wanted to. Why? Because she doesn't have any to exploit. All of them are hidden in the deepest part of her that no one ever gets to see. Not even me."

She smiles at me. "I think I know why. Thank you for telling me all of her soft spots. That was very cooperative of you."

"What?" I was generally confused. I had told her the last thing she wanted to hear.

Shouts come from down the hall. I know Des and Astrid are here. "I'm sorry that you won't be able to see your Serafina again, but everyone had soft spots."

Before I could question any further I watch as Lucia sends a dagger through my stomach. She twists it send pain through me. Then she pulls out. I can feel the blood rub down my stomach and onto my tail. The entire dagger is coated in blood. My blood.

She gives a wicked smile before leaving the cell and locking it. I have to force my eyes to stay open. I know if I close them there is the very high chance I won't open them again.

I don't know how long it is before I see Des face come into view. Then there's nothing.