Calliope [Book 2]

“No!” Mido lurched forward, but the guards behind him held him back.

“Very well,” Queen Ryenna said. “We must begin right away.”

“Don’t you touch her!” Mido yelled to the queen.

“King Mido,” Queen Ryenna hissed at him. “This is not your choice to make. Stand down.”

“This is every bit my choice. I will not allow this.”

“Calliope is not your queen yet; you have no say over what she does.”

“Calli, don’t do this,” Mido begged.

Calliope’s heart ached as she ignored him.

“Get him out of here,” Queen Ryenna demanded.

The guards dragged Mido out of the room, leaving Calliope alone in the queen’s presence. Calliope looked to the queen nervously and she smiled at her reassuringly.

“Are you sure you want to do this?” the queen asked.

Calliope nodded quietly. “It will give us the best chance of surviving this.”

“You are far too selfless for these people.”

“I owe them for not killing me when they had the chance.”

“I should say the debt is far beyond repaid. They should owe you now.”

“Not a chance. I will do everything in my power to protect this world for as long as I can.”

Queen Ryenna nodded. “Then let us begin.”

#

Mido paced the castle halls anxiously. His mind raced and his stomach churned as the minutes passed slowly by. The queen’s soldiers stood guarding the doors, ensuring that Mido did not disrupt the process.

“I am Asmar’s king,” he muttered angrily. “My opinion should matter, damn it.”

He walked back and forth, passing the guards and glaring at them as they held their ground. Mido stopped, standing before them. “How long will this take?”

“It won’t be long,” one of the soldiers assured him.

“I should be included in this. Does no one care about royalty anymore?”

The guard smiled. “Not when you’re not even a true heir.”

“I am a fucking king,” he shouted at them.

“And your royalty means nothing in Queen Ryenna’s kingdom,” the guard reminded him. “Your Highness,” he added as if to add sting to his blow.

“He makes a true, arrogant king, though,” the other soldier added.

“You let me in there, damn it.”

“Give it a rest.”

“I cannot let her do this.”

“Back off or we’ll make you,” the guard hissed.

Mido leaned against the wall across from them, holding his angry stare. He crossed his arms and tapped his foot as he waited. A few more minutes passed and Mido grew more and more impatient. Finally, the doors opened, and Calliope followed Queen Ryenna out. She smiled crookedly to Mido.

“I’m not talking to you,” he said, his arms still crossed.

“That’s mature,” Calliope snarled.

“Enough,” Queen Ryenna warned. “What’s done is done.”

“What now?” Mido asked.

“We need to find those witches before they have a chance to attack the kingdoms.” Queen Ryenna turned to Calliope. “I need to teach you the spell,” she said and turned back to Mido. “I suggest you return to your kingdom,” she instructed him. “And prepare them for an attack.”

“I’m not leaving without Calliope.”

Queen Ryenna nodded. “Of course. But I do not have time for this.” She raised her arm and in a flash, Mido was gone.

“What have you done?” Calliope said, panicked.

“Relax,” she said. “He’s safe in Asmar now.”

“Don’t you dare use magic on him,” she hissed. “You will not use magic on these people.”

“In my kingdom, Calliope, I will do what needs to be done to ensure the safety of my people. Being here, around you, only makes Mido irrational.”

“Fine,” she muttered. She followed the queen once more through the castle, ready to begin her training.

#

Mido found himself in the castle’s throne room. He hurried outside, confused, and found himself back in Asmar. He looked over the city and to the distant ocean where Queen Ryenna’s kingdom waited just on the other side.

“Damn it,” he mumbled.

“Mido?” Ian’s voice called from behind him. He hurried to his friend. “When did you get back?”

“Just now,” Mido muttered. “Queen Ryenna brought me here.”

Ian raised an eyebrow, confused.

“With her magic,” Mido clarified, unamused.

“Where’s Calliope?”

Mido turned back into the castle. His footsteps echoed off the walls of the large, empty throne room. He made his way to the back of the room, through the door, and towards the table that waited for him in the center of the next room. Maps lay scattered about, ready for a plan. Ian followed close behind and watched Mido as he peered at the maps.

“What happened?” Ian asked quietly. “You’ve been gone for months.”

Mido nodded.

“Did you find her?”

Again, he nodded.

“What the hell is going on?”

Mido sighed. “I found her and we found a way out of The Land of the Shadows. She drained her magic, breaking the bond, and bringing her back to this world. Queen Ryenna got me out by creating a barrier. But, in the process, three of the dark witches escaped and are now loose in the world. They could strike anywhere, anytime.”

“Shit.”

“Queen Ryenna needed Calliope’s help to return them to the void. However, it would demand a lot on Calliope; her magic would drain in the process. Queen Ryenna said she was able to fix that, but it would trade Calliope’s immortality.”

“She did it?” Ian asked, already knowing the answer.

“She did it,” Mido confirmed. His fingers gripped at the table, turning his knuckles white.

“What are they doing now?” Ian asked.

“Preparing themselves for war.”

“And you’re here because...?”

Mido sighed and straightened. “Because I made an agreement with that witch queen to be here in Asmar as king.”

“I know you hate being here,” Ian said slowly. “But I’m glad you’re back, alive and safe. Plus it means we can get rid of Barric now.”

Mido suddenly remembered that he was there. His curiosity turned to him. “Oh yeah. What’s going on with that?”

“Their ship was intercepted by a group of pirates. Barric and Carsen tried to escape and join them, but Carsen was killed in the process. Barric managed to escape and joined them for a while before coming to Asmar in hopes of joining the war and getting his hands on Calliope.”

“Of course,” Mido grumbled. “That’s why Rowan liked him so much. They’re the same, evil, manipulative dicks.”

“I’d get rid of him,” Ian suggested.

“Let’s just kill ’im,” Mido hissed. “I want to see his head.”

“That will definitely make you a loved king,” Ian said sarcastically.

Mido sighed and fell into the chair behind him. He pinched the bridge of his nose in an attempt to stop the pounding in his head.

“You should go back to Librona,” he said.

“No way,” Ian said, shaking his head. “You need someone here to keep you from doing stupid shit. You really make a terrible king.”

Mido smiled. “Thanks. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

“You should probably warn your people.”

Mido nodded. “Get me Lance. And don’t you dare bow to me.”

Ian smiled and left Mido alone in the room. Mido leaned back in the seat, balancing on it’s back two legs, and examined the map once more. He wondered where the witches had gone or where they would attack first. He couldn’t imagine they were far from Re’iam. It was Queen Ryenna they were mad at, after all.

Ian entered moments later with Lance at his side. The advisor greeted his king, happy for his safe return.

“I trust your trip went well? You were gone for longer than I expected.”

Mido nodded. “Thanks for holding down the fort,” he said.

“Barric did very well. A trust worthy suitor should you need to leave again.”

“That won’t be necessary. In fact,” Mido added. “I don’t want him in this kingdom.”

“My lord?”

“He was banished from Librona. I do not trust him here.”

“Sir, he is a favorable citizen in Asmar, and he has done well taking your place while you were gone.”

“I don’t care. I want him gone. He was banished for a reason.”

Lance was quiet, not daring to argue with his king. “Very well,” he said quietly. “I trust your decision is for good reason. I will make sure he is gone by nightfall.”

“Please do,” Mido said. “And if I find something happens, I will not hesitate to punish those who have failed me.”

“Of course, My Liege.” Lance left his king to take out his orders.

Ian turned to Mido once the door closed behind them.

“Now what?” he asked.

Mido shrugged, getting to his feet. “Now we wait.”

“For what? An attack?”

“Calliope will come when she’s ready,” Mido said to reassure himself. “She won’t leave us in the dark. And if we’re attacked, she will come to help.”

“I hope you’re right,” Ian said hesitant.

“There’s no sense worrying about it now. We can at least make sure the kingdom is prepared and the army is ready.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Ian said.

“Go do something,” Mido said. “You know, get the army ready.”

“I’m not a soldier for Asmar,” Ian reminded him.

“Do you want to be?”

“I don’t think King Sloan -”

“Fuck King Sloan. You’re here now. Go be a soldier. Hell, you’re a knight now. Keep up the good work and I’ll make you captain.”

“You’re too kind,” Ian said, bowing dramatically.

“See? I make a good king.”

Ian smiled. “All right, My Lord, I shall ready the troops.”

“Excellent, Sir Ian. Lead my kingdom to victory.”

“I will fight to honor you, My King.”

“All right, enough of this bullshit,” Mido muttered and sighed. He sat back down and crossed his heels together on top of the maps. “Go have fun. I’ll sit here and be boring.”