Dark Queen: The Cybelline Prophecies

Chapter 85

The little blue bird flew through the city, cloaked in power and faster than the wind. In a moment he had seen the entire plan of the palace and perched atop the roof. After finding the dungeons he flew back to the villa where his mistress sat like a statue.

Leonmithas turned back to his fae form and stood facing Cybelline. Her eyes were closed, her face was pale. He sighed, "We should not have come." He should have been her right hand, he was first fae after all. But the land of the ring was a temporary place, he was still weak from the years of being imprisoned as a crazed monster bird. 

He thought of the land in the ring and sighed. It was created by the source as a temporary stasis for all fae life, but the more fae there was, the more it took for Cybelline to keep it from breaking. It was a safe harbor, but it was not their home. 

Cybelline opened her eyes and smiled, "You found him?"

Leonmithas nodded and told her the details, "He's in the dungeons. But are you sure about this? You're carrying thousands of souls in that land in the ring. The more people you place there, the more it will take out of you. Your magic could become unstable."

"It's just one more person. He's a little unstable, but I'm sure you'll like him." Cybelline reassured him.

"Are you sure it's just one?" Leonmithas asked, "Are you sure you didn't come because you were worried about that human general?"

"Why can't it be both," Cybelline got up and stretched.

Leonmithas's eyes opened, "You're not poisoned?" He had been racking his brains on how to find the antidote.

Cybelline shook her head, "No, of course not. If I can't even avoid getting poisoned then I would've died a thousand times in my life already." She wiggled her fingers, "She might be able to detect magic, but not slight of hand."

"How many secrets do you still keep?" Leonmithas asked.

"How many stars are there in the sky?" Cybelline countered. She looked at him up and down, "Anyways, enough small talk. Take off your clothes."

Leonmithas's blinked uncomprehendingly and suddenly clutched at his chest, "I thought you liked that human general."

"I do, but that's not the point" Cybelline grinned, "You said you're good at shapeshifting. Right?"

"Yes."

"Then can you be me for a little while?"

Leonmithas finally got it. A tinge of red came to his cheeks, "Fine."  He turned around and started undressing, his cheeks slightly pink, "Don't look."

Cybelline raised an eyebrow, "Why not?"

Leonmithas turned from light peach to cherry tomato, "You...you're supposed to be our queen." He was a well trained warrior, but with Cybelline, he always felt that she turned the world upside down.

Cybelline nodded, "That has nothing to do with me enjoying your body." 

Leonmithas went from cherry red to wine. Cybelline laughed and waved a hand, "Alright I won't tease you anymore. Here's a set of my clothes. Get changed and I'll see you in a while."

Once dressed, Cybelline closed her eyes and felt the world around her. She remembered what Leonmithas had taught her about shapeshifting, allowing her magic to flow to her limbs and change the structure.

Sweat beaded her forehead, it would not be this difficult if she hadn't the burden of the magical ring on her hand. But she gritted her teeth and bore it.

When she opened her eyes... Leonmithas had a very strange expression on his face as he looked down on his queen.

She opened her mouth...