The Mage Queen Book 1: The Princess
Traversing Through The Ruins

Anastacia's heart sank. Erkalla was Princess Anastacia's knight? But she was just a lady-in-waiting! Although she had seen Erkalla fight before, she didn't know that Erkalla was knighted. She had jokingly called Erkalla, "Lady Erkalla" but didn't know it was an actual title.

Her sweaty hands trembled as she tried to push herself up from the floor, only to drop in fatigue. Anastacia wearily looked up and saw Erkalla looking down and pointing her scythe at her. A chill ran down her spine when she saw the bloodlust burn in Erkalla's eyes.

"You should've stayed home," Erkalla coldly said.

Anastacia glowered. "You still would have killed me."

"Not necessarily," rebuked the princess as she strut towards her. "Your arrival awakened me, Anastacia. Like my knight said, you should have stayed home."

Anastacia shivered at the iciness of their voices. She stared at them only to notice a green vine creep up behind them. It had thorns and she heard something hum next to her. Suddenly, a gunshot fired and the vine whipped both the princess' and Erkalla's faces. Anastacia yelped when someone grabbed her hand and pulled her off the ground. She saw Marick dragging her back with his gunblade pointed at Erkalla and the princess.

"Marick! You're okay!" She beamed only to gasp at the blood trailing from his forehead. "What happened?"

"The bloody bastard caught me off-guard, that's what," he hissed, flicking the safety off. "If you don't mind, I'll be raining bullets."

Anastacia gulped. "Please don't damage the books."

"I'd usually give a damn, Your Highness," he growled, "but not right now."

Anastacia gulped. Hearing Marick's venom-laced voice chilled her blood. But seeing the stand-off made her wonder what would happen. Seeing Erkalla stand on the other side left her with so many questions. Why didn't Erkalla take the chance to kill her? If she wasn't the real princess, why did Erkalla follow her orders?

Princess Anastacia chuckled. "My, those are big words coming from a mere peasant."

Marick paused for a moment before shrugging. "Maybe. But" — his lavender eyes glinted mischievously — "I'm not the one who's gonna get squashed."

The princess blinked until she saw a shadow looming over her. Anastacia gawked at the large pumpkin creature, flailing its vines like whips and growling. Where did the pumpkin even come from? She saw Rowen jog towards them, folding his arms.

"Whaddya think, Cap?" He grinned.

"If you entered that in a Country Fair, you would've won first prize, Sprout," Marick smirked.

"Yay! I'll grow some mushrooms next time!"

"Yeah, make her high. Should buy us some time."

Anastacia nodded. "What do we do now?"

Suddenly, Marick dragged Anastacia. "We get the Abyss out of here! We can't fight her and her new attack dog!"

"Erkalla's not an attack dog!"

"She may as well be!" Marick climbed out the window and made his way down the vine. "We're leaving!"

Anastacia looked back. "But the pendant—"

"Ditch the trinket, princess. We'll snatch it from her later!"

Gulping, she watched Rowen slide down the vine. She glanced back, watching the princess, Erkalla, and her brothers fight off the angry pumpkin creature. Her heart sank at the sight. She gripped her blouse with tears forming in her eyes. She didn't want to leave them but what could she do? The princess overpowered her in a matter of seconds!

"I'll return for you," she whispered.

With that, she leaped off the ledge. Her eyes widened as she fumbled and grabbed the vines, yelping as the friction burned her palms. Anastacia suddenly let go and screamed, plummeting from above. She frantically tried to grab the other vines only to yelp as they whipped and cut through her palms. In a panic, she flailed her arms until something caught her. She yelped and looked down to see a brown, squishy platform beneath her. It tilted over and sent her sliding down, causing her to scream. When she landed on her feet, she gasped and began patting herself in disbelief.

"I'm alive?" Anastacia gasped. "I'm alive!"

Rowen grinned. "Of course you are! Mushrooms make great bouncy beds!"

Marick chuckled until he heard a loud explosion from above and growls from within the castle. "We better head out. You do not want to be here at night."

Anastacia nodded. "But, where do we go from here?"

"Anywhere but here. Xychosia would be ideal."

"Xychosia it is then."

Marick drew his gunblades. "Sprout, take the front. I'll guard the rear."

Rowen nodded and held onto Anastacia's hand, grinning. "Just hold on to me, okay?"

Anastacia smiled with a weak nod. There was just so much to take in! But Time wouldn't let her stop as Rowen dragged her along. The gunshots from Marick's gunblades faded into a distant echo as she took in the sight of the ruins of Sofiene. The torn banners fluttering in the wind, the dust swirling from said breeze, and the skeletons that leaned against the ruined walls broke her heart. Why would someone destroy their own home? Most of all, was she just a replacement for the real Anastacia? If she was then, who was she?

A thundering roar snapped her out of her thoughts when her brothers dropped in front of her. She screamed and fell against Marick while Rowen stopped right in front of the bloodied golem. Blood and pus dripped out of the gashes with even fragmented thorns falling out. She pinched her nose at the stench as Rowen summoned more vines to hold him down.

"Go on ahead!" Rowen hollered. "I'll catch up!"

Before Anastacia could say anything, Marick threw her behind him and shot the golem in the head. She shivered at her brothers' howls, hiding behind the pirate. She wanted to beg him to stop but, her voice disappeared. She covered her ears and trembled, trying her best to ignore how each echoing gunshot and pained howl broke her heart.

Stop.

She wanted to scream.

Stop it! He's hurting!

But each gunshot and howl stunned her voice to silence. Eventually, she heard a loud splash. Her body froze and she slowly loomed over Marick's shoulder. Beyond the pirate's shoulder, she saw the golem lying on the ground in a pool of its own blood and pus. Its body seemingly spazzed and shivered, as if writhing in pain. As more blood and pus oozed out of the bullet holes, bile built up in her throat. She clutched her stomach and everything gurgled until her vision went dark. Everything seemed to settle down until something tapped her shoulder forward.

"Start moving. Not sure if my bullets killed it." She heard Marick say.

Silently nodding, she trudged along with her shaky knees. Anastacia let Marick lead her along until she felt something wrap around her wrist gently. A warmth began to pulse and the scent of lavenders filled her nose. Her breathing slowed down and the pain in her chest faded away.

"Don't worry, we got you," Rowen reassured.

Anastacia nodded again but refused to let Marick remove his hand over her eyes. She didn't know if she could keep herself together if he removed his hand. However, she was grateful that Rowen continued releasing the lavender's aroma near her nose. Whatever bile that rose to her throat settled down. But her hands continued to tremble. Her fingers twitched as she felt a migraine creep upon her.

Soon, she heard a thunk beneath her feet and her vision was restored. Anastacia saw herself at the airship again. She wanted to turn back but someone shoved her in. She stumbled and landed against the table, with her knees giving out. She collapsed to the floor as Marick and Rowen slid the doors shut and locked it.

"And this is why we don't go to Sofiene," Marick sighed and raked his fingers through his hair. He turned to Anastacia and raised an eyebrow. "You ready to go home?"

Anastacia nodded.

Rowen smiled and extended his hand. "Come on, I'll bring you to your room."

Anastacia sighed in relief. She weakly took Rowen's hand and tried to stand up. But her knees gave out. She yelped and nearly collapsed on the dryad until something soft caught her. Her eyes widened when she found herself lying on a mushroom.

"It's okay," Rowen reassured. "I got you."

She nodded but this time, with tears forming in her eyes. Anastacia shivered and pushed herself off the mushroom. How could Rowen and Marick come back without problems? Despite the stench of sweat, rotten flesh, and blood, they walked it off as if they were just in the park! Suddenly, a loud explosion sounded off and the whole ship shook, throwing her and Rowen on the floor.

"Sprout, battle stations! We're getting out of here!" Marick ordered.