Cursed Eyes

Chapter 16

Alinia sat in the window, watching the rain. She felt lost at what to do. Part of her was missing, and that part was just across the hall in his own bed. Her mate was alive, her parents want her dead, and she now had no home due to the king of Dreal killing all half breeds. It just wasn't right. None of it was. There just had to be something she could do.

She then noticed the library across the way. She teleported herself to it after leaving a note. She went in and found the section of laws. She grabbed anything regarding the mating laws. For hours she read through them, even well past sun rise. She was about to give up. Many of the scrolls told her everything she already knew. Did nothing change while I spent years in isolation, she asked herself.

She then found an older looking scroll. As she began to read it, hope began to bloom in her chest. The scroll talked about unfair treatments towards someone's mate. The man or woman can go to the Captain of the Guard in a near by palace and have them read through the victim's memories. If found it has happened they will be given a document that states the mating is null and void, deeming that person free.

It wasn't worthy of getting them arrested, but it was something. She checked the scroll out then teleported back to the tavern. Everyone was downstairs eating breakfast when she came in. She sat down, feeling her exhaustion hit her. "Happy hunting," Milo asked her. She nodded, "I found something that could work in our favor. I just have to get to the closest Kingdom." "That would be Kalos. It's a day's journey from here," Theo told her. She nodded, hope blooming in her chest.

The Kingdom of Kalos, wasn't among the friendliest of Kingdoms to be in. In fact it's mostly made up of criminals. In a way though, the kingdom itself has no crime because this was their safe haven. Outside the kingdom walls though and they weren't to be trusted. In a way, it was also beautiful. The kingdom was filled with bright colors, music, the smell of exotic foods filling the streets. Women weren't modest with their clothing, men didn't watch their language, and children ran around care free. It was peculiar to say the least.

They got to the castle gate and a guard stopped them. "Halt, what brings you here," He asked them. "I have come to ask the Queen if this law is still present in her Kingdom," Alinia said while handing him the scroll. He read it over before handing it to her,"You have come on a good day, right this way." The inside of the palace didn't look like it belonged to someone who ruled over a kingdom of criminals. Instead it looked like a luxury paradise. Large windows looked into lush gardens, beautiful paintings hung on walls, and many of the soldiers appeared to be friendly.

When they got to the throne room a woman wearing well tailored trousers and tunic sat side ways in her throne, her back resting against one arm, her legs over the other while reading a book. Her boots sat on the floor by her chair in a heap.

She looked up and smiled, "Yay visitors." She sat right in her throne while putting her book mark in place. "I'm Queen Aqua, nice to meet you all. So what brings you to the Kingdom of Crime," she asked them. Alinia stepped forward with the scroll, "I wanted to see if this law was practiced here." The guard passed it to her and she read it over. She nodded, "It has been a while, but yes, the law is practiced here." Tears of relief flooded Alinia's eyes. "Usually though the law only pertains to people of my kingdom, but I know what is going on in Dreal, so you are being considered as refugees. So if you become citizens here then I can also handle this matter. In order for the nullification to become permanent though you have to live here as a legal citizen for a year. It does go in effect immediately but as I said, to be permanent you have to live here a year." Dracin shrugged, "Not like we have anywhere else we planned on going." The others then agreed. The queen stood up, "Usif, make sure these gentlemen get good rooms and see to it they're fed. Come on pretty lady, let's go see what your memories tell us." The queen was rather strange, Alinia thought as she followed after her.

"So what's your name," The queen asked curiously. "Alinia," was her reply. "So tell me, which of those men are the reason you're trying to get this done," The queen asked. Alinia's face became a soft shade of red, "Its mostly for myself, and you're about to learn why. I searched for a hope though for Xon, the shapeshifter."

The Queen smiled, "Well I hope you guys dont believe the rumors whispered about the town. We started the rumors to keep the ones with sticks up their asses out of my Kingdom. We're a big band of misfits, but we're a big band of accepting misfits. Of course the city is filled with criminals, but they're inside these walls they're not criminals, they're just regular people. I do warn you, they wont trust you at first, but they'll warm up when they realize you guys are here to stay."

She knocked on a door then opened it. A man was sitting behind a desk with papers in hand. She sat on his desk and handed him the scroll, "We gots a special case buddy." He read the scroll then looked at Alinia. "I warn you revisiting your memories will hurt and you will feel the pain as if they're happening all over again," he told her seriously. Alinia's fists clenched, "Its worth it."

He got up from his chair and turned the two chairs in front of his desk to face each other. Alinia sat in one chair and wished her heart quit slamming into her ribs. He placed his hands on either side of her head.

She felt his magic leak into her mind and it was like it her life was rewinding. Queen Aqua watched them quietly. Both were pale and sweating because of the pain they were in. She glanced at the clock every so often, seeing the time that passed. It took four hours she noted. When he released they were both gasping. "Fucking hell. Any of those bastards step into this damn city, they're dead," he snarled. That made the Queen straighten.

"What did you see," she asked him. "Show her your scars hon," the captain told Alinia. Alinia removed her cloak then stood so her back faced them. She removed her tunic and the queen couldn't help the gasp that left her. "The word came from her father when she was just a child. Her mate gave her the rest. She escaped thanks to the Red Assassins. If only they had come sooner," The captain said. The queen ran her hand over the scars. "How old are you," The queen asked Alinia. "A little over two centuries," Alinia shared with her. Alinia put her tunic back on and faced them once more. "I want to be with a man who truly loves me and I can't be with him if I still belong to that monster. I hid for years, but I'm tired of that." "He wont ever get close to you," the queen said before giving her a hug.

She gave Alinia the forms for all of their citizenship and her nullification and she wanted to cry tears of joy and relief. She then felt the queen use her magic to cut the mating bond. This is what true freedom felt like, Alinia realized.

A servant took her to her room and Xon sat on the bed, waiting. He stood when she came into the room. She smiled and threw herself at him. "She snapped the bond and gave me a document that declares us no longer mated," Alinia told him. He held her tighter and kissed her. She gripped his tunic as she kissed him back desperately. The sparks they felt when they were trapped in the dream were still there. You can trick the mind, but you cant trick the heart.