Almost There

Julian was the first I had spotted. His hair was sticking up in every direction, red rimmed his eyes. There was a feel of desperation around him, as if he had lost all hope of the future. But he had heard the boom within the walls, if the sword in his hand was any indication. Running a hand over his face, Julian stepped towards me and I wanted nothing more than to embrace him, but we had fought so violently and there were enemies inside our halls.

"We need to get Caspian and Mikaela out. I have sent the Valkyrie to get the kids, but told them not to go near Katharine."

"This is what I wanted to prevent, Luciana. You have to understand."

"What I understand is that you have given up on her, but I never will, because she never gave up on me," I replied and grabbed another sword from the closet closest to Julian's office. We had weapons laying around everywhere, for situations like these. "Kill all who comes close." I instructed and set off down the hall again towards our bedroom.

As we drew closer, a group of men stumbled into the hallway. Human, by the smell of them. When they saw me, their steps faltered, their faces falling, but their guns remained pointed at my chest. I stepped closer and lifted my sword as bullets started pelting the walls beside me. Julian flung right and I dodged left. 

The first head dropped to the floor as Julian sliced through bone and muscle. A second man edged closer to him, gun firing non-stop, but none of the bullets met their mark. Julian snarled as he brought down his sword again with deadly grace. Running up to an opponent, I sent my knee to his stomach and swiped down as I passed. Blood slicked the handle and I gripped the metal tighter.

Rounding the last corner, Mikaela and Caspian came into view. Caspian had tucked Mikaela behind him against the wall as assailants closed in on them. There were about five, but they wanted the two of them alive. I dodged right this time and sling-shotted Julian forward. His foot hit the closest man's knee before any of them even realized that we were there. The man bellowed in pain, falling to the floor. At the distraction, Caspian lunged forward, his fingertips turning into claws. He swiped at the man's neck and blood sprayed the walls and paintings.

Bracing myself, I mocked high and struck low when another man tried to get closer to Mikaela. My sword vibrated as it passed through bone and muscle. A leg plopped on the ground and Mikaela paled considerably. This was much like the attack on our palace all those years ago.

"Look at me," I commanded Mikaela, grabbing the sides of her face and forcing her to look away from the bodies. She had never wanted violence. In all our loving years together, all Mikaela had ever wanted was peace and love. This was one too many times where people had threatened that. "Don't think about it. You are fine. I am here." I whispered. The woman fell still before me, then leaned forward into my embrace. A gasp broke her lips and she trembled.

"We need to hurry and get out of here. We don't know what Katharine will do once she encounters these people." Julian commanded from behind me. A gentle hand rested on the small of my back. Light and encouraging. Caspian.

I slowly released Mikaela again and Julian came to her aid. There was a sad smile to his face as he looked at her and my heart gave a heavy pang. He had never looked at me with such sorrow or fear. No, I was the Killer Queen and no one needed to protect me. Not even my mates.

"We need to hurry. The house will collapse any second now. I can heard the foundations straining with each ebb of power from Kat." Caspian urged and I nodded in response. Julian picked up Mikaela bridal style and ran out in front of Caspian and I. 

A reassuring hand slipped into my own and I looked towards Caspian to see him smiling slightly at me. He squeezed and nodded towards where Julian was running, Mikaela's arms clasped around his neck. I shook my head in response and started running again. Caspian kept pace with me and the four of us finally broke out into the cool night air. 

Servants were already being ushered out of the property by the guards and some of the Valkyrie when we caught up to Sebastian. He looked frazzled, despair clinging to him like a second skin. Soot stained his white shirt and splatters of red dotted his tan skin. Our eyes met and he shook his head slightly at me. He couldn't reach Levi.

"Where are the children?" Mikaela rushed out as Julian set her down on the gravel driveway. Caspian tightened his hold on my hand.

"They are safe. Sophie and Claire had gotten to them before those brutes could. But I am afraid that they had surrounded Katharine's suite by the time they had gotten there." Sebastian informed us and I felt my heart sink to the floor.

Julian opened his mouth to speak, but an ear deafening screech came from the house as the foundations finally gave in. Flames licked up the side of the palace where Katharine's suite would have been. Debris tumbled to the floor and the palace cleaved in half. Servants cried out in fear as a lone figure rose above it all. Her hair whipped in the wind, eyes chasms of green. 

Katharine.

Julian, Mikaela and Caspian took a step back, watching my daughter unleash her powers in a brutal display. Sadness stung my nose and throat. With a flick of her wrist, Katharine sent more debris tumbling to the lawn, crushing the flowers we had grown together below. That wasn't my daughter. That was the purest form of magic there was. Power in its truest form. I turned towards my mates.

"I'm sorry I didn't believe you," I spoke to Julian. "I am sorry that I have been utterly stubborn since the day you met me. But she is my daughter. My only flesh and blood. If I give up on her, there will be no one left in her corner."

"What are you saying, Luciana?"

A crack echoed into the world and I felt the magic wash over me, wash over us. A dome of green spread from Katherine, evaporating even the corpses surrounding her. It inched closer to us and it took everything inside of me to look away from my first born.

"Take Mikaela, take Caspian, take the children, and run." I could barely hold myself together as each word left my mouth. It dawned on Julian what I wanted to do. Where I had to go.

"You will stay here with us! We are one, Luciana Archenbow. Don't do this!" Julian screamed, but I couldn't face him much longer. I had to get to her. I had to get her to calm down. She would wrecked the entire city if I couldn't get her to stop. Her powers had seized her body. pushing my little girl into the furthest corner of her mind, just like with Max.

"Please, Lucy. We love you. We will figure out another way." Mikaela pleaded, grabbing onto Julian's arm to support herself. The warm reassuring hand returned to my own as Caspian stood close to me. There was nothing but warmth from him. Love.

"We will figure this out together, but not now. Not here. We can evacuate the city. There is time." He tried to talk me out of it, but I locked eyes with Sonja just behind Sebastian. Everyone else was gone, but my Valkyrie stood before me. They all had their shoulders drawn back, their eyes on the growing green dome. They knew what had to be done.

With our eyes still locked, I murmured to Sonja, just loud enough for her to hear. "You get them to safety. Promise me."

"As you wish, your Majesty."

The Valkyrie pounced on my mates and I ripped my hand from Caspian's, sprinting to the edge of Katharine's power. I heard them scream my name. Heard Caspian cursing each one of my girls and Julian roaring that they were dooming me. Mikaela cried, her sobs almost breaking her chest open.

But I focused on my daughter instead. On the power vibrating off of her in great waves.

"It is you and me until the very end, baby girl."