Being the only life-form that could move she rose to her feet within the stillness. She could save so many civilian lives if she took the lives of the frozen mages before her. As hard as it was to convince herself that it was what she needed to do, it was still hard to think about driving her dagger into another’s chest.
Gaining courage, she approached an inanimate mage, the flute’s notes still ringing. But she saw someone else moving around besides her. It was Demitri Von Cobb. He was walking through the stillness, unaffected by the charm. He approached, forcing her back against the alehouse door behind her. She tried to push through the door, but it was jammed, probably bolted shut from the inside.
“What a neat trick,” said Demitri. He snapped his fingers and everyone was released from the paralyzing sound of Anna’s flute. Demitri’s reanimated servants continued to corral the civilians in the street. The mages would slit a civilian’s throat if they resisted.
“Take her,” Demitri said, pulling the flute from her hand. He snapped it in half.
Anna’s hands and knees shook. She was handed off to Demitri’s pawns. Where is Rayne? She wished for her stepbrother’s protection. She needed it, now.
Demitri walked the street looking around at faces filled with horror. Mages laughed at the cries of Anna’s people. And Demitri enjoyed the terror that he instilled, she could tell.
“Bring all citizens of Ikarus out onto the streets; men, woman, and children!” Demitri shouted.
Then Anna saw Alexandal, the king, limping into the upheaval towards Demitri, unarmed and unguarded. What in Gabriel’s name is he doing, she thought? He looked forlorn and unconcerned at the invasion. Mages ran right past him as if he wasn’t there. Alexandal was pale and clammy.
“You have done well, Lord Alexandal,” Demitri said, his face cringing with a tight smile. “You’ve been a fine servant.”
Alexandal remained voiceless. He could barely stand up straight.
“But you are no longer needed. I release you from my command,” Demitri said, waving his hand across the king’s face.
Alexandal deflated, falling to his knees. His bloodshot eyes slowly cleared. Demitri took the king by the arm and lifted him to his feet. “Thank you,” the king said, relieved of the controlling torment. But Alexandal appeared clueless about what had been happening or the actions he had been taking.
In that moment, as Alexandal wept, Anna saw the man she knew when she had first come to Ikarus; the caring, hopeful man who had once been general of the Ikarus army.
“No. Thank you for your service,” Demitri said then slammed his sword straight through Alexandal’s heart.
The onlookers gasped, holding in heavy breaths.
A sickening pain overwhelmed Anna. It hurt to see the king, her foster father, no matter how detached Alexandal had become, fall by the hand of a man known to have brought great suffering to their people.
Demitri addressed the filled street. “From this day forth, you will all bow to me. I, Demitri Von Cobb, am the ruler of Man, ruler of all land and sea.”
Demitri then set his attention on a frightened woman being held tight by her husband in the crowd. He took her by the arm from her husband and brought her to the center of attention.
“Why are you so fat?” Demitri coldly asked.
The woman, already scared and crying, cried even harder, “Because…I’m…pregnant.”
Demitri brushed her cheek with the back of his fingers, “Don’t worry. I’m not going to harm you.”
“Thank you, my lord,” she said, her voice trembling.
“Not yet,” Demitri finished. He turned to the crowd. “For too long now you’ve all led lives of sin. There will be many changes to the laws of this kingdom. Gabriel, our creator, made himself clear in The Book of Volpi. We are to be fruitful, responsibly. But our population has run out of control; too many nameless bastards produced from adulterous sex. For this, it is now a sin to procreate. You may fornicate. I will still allow that. See? I am a compassionate man,” he laughed, “No harm will come to those who have already sinned…not yet. But from now on if a woman gets pregnant, I will cut the thing out myself. You will all die sooner or later, but I assure you, your deaths will come at my leisure. For now you are my hostages. You see, humans are cancerous to planets. They consume both animal and plant life and create weapons that destroy their own habitats. And they do it all over again to the next planet. We have seen it happen again and again.” Demitri turned back to the pregnant woman, who was still weeping. “Now that you know the new law, tell everyone how ashamed you are for what you’ve done. Tell them how embarrassed you are to have that thing growing inside of you.”
The woman was crying so hard she couldn’t catch her breath to speak.
When she failed to respond, Demitri then set his eyes back to Anna. “My lady,” he said, walking towards her. “Please, join me in the temple.” The mages, pointing their staffs and wands at her, directed the way.
In the temple, Demitri stood under the red moonlight shining through the stained-glass skylight windows of the cathedral. Anna wanted to stay as far from Demitri as she could be, but he stepped closer, closing that distance. He came inches from her face.
Demitri spoke softly. “I have never been a king before and I don’t know much about politics, but I do know that a king needs a queen. And since I am the king—”
Before he could finish, Anna spat in his face.
Demitri grabbed her throat. “Tonight, you will become my bride whether you like it or not. And your gift for the wedding will be your stepbrother’s broken body. Lock her in here with the
