for the subtle tapping of Samira’s nails on the armrest of the throne chair. Dali and Akim patiently turned to look up at their master’s face, their eyes reverent. Samira rose from her chair and shouted, “Marie, come here at once!” In moments, her small, frail assistant appeared and kneeled before the throne.
“Your mother was very dear to me, my child,” she continued, speaking to me like a relative who actually gave a damn. “The struggle she and your father endured truly breaks my heart,” she placed a claw-like hand over her chest to express sympathy. “Because of that, I will graciously excuse you from execution and grant you entrance … under one condition—”
“Guilty or not, there is no condition to those sincerely requesting exile. You are bound!” Gabe’s voice boomed as he proclaimed the truth, his arms tight with rage.
Her eyes widened and she turned to him. I cringed, afraid the plan to get inside the gates of exile had just failed.
“You dare!” She shouted and thrust her hand forward toward him. Sharp yet seductive, her hand swirled through the air; her force propelled him from the ground, flinging him backward. The blue bottles shook above the fireplace and he flew into the rigid stone wall, knocked the elegant candelabras clear across the room as he crashed through them. Dali and Akim rushed to stand below him as he hung in agony, pinned against the wall, standing guard of their enemy while Samira laughed. “I do believe you are pushing your luck, child.”
Audrey shrieked and dropped to the floor, covered her eyes with her hands. Knowing I was powerless to help Gabe, I remained still and obedient, careful not to blow my only chance. The red of Samira’s nails jumped out at me like serpents, her fingers pointing to my chest, holding me in place with the same force.
She immediately glanced at Marie, prompted her to stand next to me. “Listen wisely, Mr. Devereaux, be careful that you do not offend me like your precious friend, here. I am bound to grant your request to exile, but I am in no way required to dismiss your punishment for defying my laws before you enter. I will not kill you, but you must pay, do you understand?”
I looked over at Gabe hanging on the wall and pictured Camille’s face once more, then responded with vengeance. “I can pay you in service. Would that be acceptable to you?”
Samira laughed. “Ha! What service could you possibly offer me, child? A good laugh, I suppose?”
“No.” I stepped forward, determined to get past the city’s gates as soon as possible. Indifferent, she stared back at me, waited for my proposal.
“Instead of punishing me, how about utilizing me? Make use of my gifts. The resistance on earth is the least of your worries. The immortals have heard of the resistance that has been building right here, within the walls of the city. It’s no longer a secret.”
“How do you know of this?”
“Word from your servants has traveled outside of this realm. It’s a threat to the future of Amaranth, you know it is. If your servants turn against you with the resistance, you can lose your entire kingdom.”
“My servants…” Samira glanced accusingly at Marie, then rose from her chair and glided forward to meet me, her eyes cutting into mine once more. “You are fearless,” she said, released her hold on me, “and your boldness is most refreshing.” She smiled for a moment, then quickly moved her fist in front of my stomach, twisted it tightly and turned it sideways in the air, turning an invisible, deadly switch. I buckled over as her intangible force crippled my arms; my hands clawed to grasp my stomach in horror. She continued to wrench her fist in front of me, her lips curling with delight as she watched me cry out. I fought the pain, tried envisioning what it’d feel like to hold Camille in my arms again someday.
“Please, stop it!” Audrey screamed, yanked her hair as she pleaded, curled up on the floor. Gabe still hung lifeless on the stone wall. Unable to speak, he watched me crumble under Samira’s strength.
“Lest you forget who is in control of this situation, my child, let me remind you,” she hissed. “I determine what a threat is. You have nothing of value to me, do you understand? If I recruit any help from you, it is because I command it. I do not bargain with insignificant, defiant immortals.” She paused