Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 34

The clatter of horse hooves sounded down the grand road to the palace. Cybelline slowed down once the din of the palace faded from her hearing. The city was still a lively place, despite the late hour, though not exactly hospitable. She took the horse to the night market that Solara had told her about.

"What's a young lady like you doing out here at night?" A voice jeered at her. Cybelline looked over and gave the man a razor sharp smile, "Shopping." A few men stirred and looked at her with interest once they saw that she was alone.

Carefully she guided the horse down an alley, five men following her as she did.

Thirty minutes later, a boy emerged, grey eyes and dark haired dressed in the everyday peasant clothes. The boy hefted a big bag of coins in his hands and ambled away with a grin. Behind her, in the darkest corners of the alleyway, lay strewn a a pile of men tied to the stirrups of a big horse. On their foreheads were the words, "ARREST ME. I TRIED TO STEAL A PALACE HORSE."

Cybelline ruffled her hair, grimacing as powder from the wig flew into the air, she needed a bath after that.

She ambled through the city back to the hovels of the poorer district and back Solara's house, no one noticed the slight little boy who seemed to blend into the shadows. Reaching the street, she stopped and frowned.

Three men stood outside of the house, talking quietly to each other. They wore similar, dark grey clothes and had ordinary faces, but it was clear as day to Cybelline that they didn't belong to this part of the city.

Tall and muscular, and with eyes swept through the street every once in a while, they had the sharp look of men who had been trained in combat. Ubiquitous daggers hung on their belts, in a part of the city where weapons were prohibited.

In a few moments, another man came out of Solara's house, he walked over to them and shook his head. The leader spat on the ground and cursed.

Swifty, he ordered,"She can't have gone far. Comb through this city, check the tunnels, even if we have to turn it upside down, we have to find that Witch. Remember, kill on sight. Don't take any chances. I rather that we kill a hundred women who look like her than let her slip away again." He signalled another one of his men, "Tell the Legion to be on the lookout, by tomorrow I expect them to have searched every major city in this country inch by inch."

Cybelline turned and walked away casually, Solara didn't seem like the type to stay and get caught.

Thirty seconds after she left, the ground shook and a column of flames shot up into the sky from what used to be Solara's house. Cries of pain was quickly engulfed by the flames.

Cybelline looked at the column of flames thoughtfully, well that was unfortunate. With a shrug, she left to find an inn.

The Bear and the Hare was a quaint little inn, a place for weary merchants to rest before a day at the market. Cybelline made her way to the innkeep.

Finding that there was no one there, she headed towards the backroom. She heard the sounds of heavy thudding and someone whimpering in pain. She opened the door a bit and saw a middle-aged man beating a child.

"You stupid child. Moronic brat! I'll sell you if you ever eat the leftovers again. Those are for the pigs. Not for a worthless thing like you."

A thin, balding man was kicking a child with all his might, his face purple with exertion. There was a cruel glint in his eyes as if he was enjoying it. Cybelline frowned, turned around and walked back to the front. Long ago, someone had tried kicking her like that. They lost their leg.

She sighed, "I must be going soft." When she returned to the front she tapped a boy her age, "Go find your innkeeper, I want the best room you have." She threw him a coin, the little servant bowed and went away.