Rise of a Queen

Chapter 30

Huge thanks to @firmix for making this wonderful cover!

Now enjoy!

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"Let's all just calm down." Lumiere rose slowly from the bed with his hands raised in neutral surrender on behalf of both men whom were currently glaring at the ground but for very different reasons, "We all are still wired from the past few days. After everything that has happened, we are bound to be on edge."

Brandon turned away while reaching a jittery hand for his pocket and produced the pack of cigarettes he has been nursing since we left the hotel. He slipped a cigarette between his lips and warmed the end, despite being indoors. After a few long drags, he nodded in agreement to Lumiere's attempt at easing tensions.

"What happened is not Dustin's fault. If someone needs to be blamed, I'll accept it." Lumiere announced lightly, "I knew how bad Dustin got last time, but I thought he would be fine as long as he didn't remember his nightmares. Clearly I was wrong."

"We all were." Brandon said quietly. He shook his head, scratching at his jaw, and slowly – bit by bit – his apprehension dwindled with each puff he exhaled. He cleared his throat and handed the cigarette to his cousin, a form of apology I was unaccustomed to, "Sorry for getting angry at you."

Lumiere clapped a hand onto Brandon's shoulder, "No worries, I forgive you."

Brandon's eyes narrowed, "I was talking to Dustin."

Lumiere awkwardly pulled his hand back, "Right ... of course you were."

Just as Dustin was reaching for the cigarette, a gentle knock sounded from the door shortly before the heavy wood swung open to reveal a duo blocking the doorway; a man and a woman dressed entirely in white, holding matching white briefcases, and smiling as strangely as Erie whenever she addressed her guests.

The women cocked her head upon seeing Brandon and Dustin sharing a cigarette, "Smoking is bad for your health. In fact," Her smile, though it didn't so much as twitch, became something rather disturbing, "It will kill you."

Brandon straightened and put out the cigarette on the leg of his jeans, "Um ... can we help you?"

"Actually, it is us who can help you." The women informed kindly. She couldn't have been much older than Brandon but her hair was stark white from root to tip, as though she were beyond her years, and those long strands were pulled back into a tight ponytail that was seemingly the reason for her smile being so taut, "Erie sent for us. We were instructed to treat your wounds."

This must be the medical team Erie had spoken of.

The man standing beside the women was nearly identical in appearance with hair just as white and a grin just as bizarre, "We are already treating the young woman in your group, I believe her name is Corinth. She ran into us on the stairs and directed us here."

They entered the room on the same step and stopped in unison, then waited.

Brandon looked at Dustin, who looked at Lumiere, who looked at me. Being last in line, apparently it was my call for judgment. But clarity on this situation evaded me just as it did for all of them and I could only shrug, at a loss for any form of coherent explanation.

The women set down her briefcase and folded her hands behind her back, "The rest of our team is waiting downstairs for the remanding three. My partner and I are here to treat Dustin King." She bowed as she said his name, "An honor, sir."