The sun was barely over the horizon when Hathor was woken by Imogene’s strangely happy announcement that classes would start tomorrow, and that today would be practice for getting up so early. There were several reactions to the news. Troy yelled, telling Imogene to “shut the fuck up” because it was too early. Maddie groaned loud enough the entire building probably heard her. Sky made a comment about having a shower as Isaiah’s annoyance made the temperature of the apartment plummet for a few minutes. Hathor slammed a pillow over her face and pulled the covers further over herself.
Imogene was having none of that.
Troy was her first victim. A loud roar ripped through the apartment followed by what sounded like Imogene running away. Hathor had enough sense to look up as her door was opened. A large sliver wolf plonked itself beside her bed. Isaiah was next. His shrill try of “get out!” came seconds before Imogene’s high-pitched laughter. She’d probably walked in on him getting dressed. Again. Next was a cry of protest from Maddie who, from what Hathor could hear, was being dragged from her room.
When Imogene opened the door to Hathor’s room, she saw Troy in his wolf form laying beside the bed and wisely backed away without saying anything.
Once the door was closed, Hathor reached down to brush her hand over Troy’s head. A low rumbled escaped him. It sounded a lot like a purr. She giggled at the sound and continued to stroke his head. His fur was so soft!
“What are you doing?” Troy asked.
“Sorry.” Hathor tucked her hand back under the blanket.
“Never said you had to stop.”
She smiled, lowering her hand once again to pat his head. Troy’s tail wagged happily in response.
It wasn’t until Imogene yelled out again, this time to say breakfast was ready, that either of them bothered to move. Troy pushed himself to his feet and padded out of the room. Isaiah asked if he’d rather dog food for breakfast, receiving a well-deserved growl. Hathor shook with laugher, waiting another minute before getting dressed and joining her friends.
Breakfast was simple. They were yet to properly stock up on food. Hathor pulled a small bottle of juice from the fridge and took the last two remaining pieces of toast from the plate at the centre of their shared table. She, naturally, took the seat between Troy and Maddie.
Partway through their meal, if it could even be called that, there was a knock at the door. Maddie went to investigate. She came back with six holo-screens in her hands. They were passed around the table. The group’s timetables for their final year at the Academy had arrived.
The moment hers was in her hands, Hathor cringed. She started to regret filling all fifteen of her class slots. Troy leaned closer to have a look, whistling. She glanced between her timetable and his own bare-minimum one. That didn’t help her mood.
Imogene took the screen from her hand, skimming it. “Oh, come on, Hathy!” she exclaimed, handing it back. “Since when do you back down from a challenge?”
“It is a lot,” Hathor started slowly.
“And you totally good this!”
The others gave her encouraging nods. Under the table, Troy’s hand slipped into her own and gave it a small squeeze.
Hathor let out a breath. “Yeah, you’re probably right.”
At the same time as Hathor was being woken up, Amneris found herself in a similar position. A massive sabre-tooth tiger had her pinned to the bed and was growling in her face.
Amneris rolled her eyes. “What do you want, Nikki? The sun is barely up. Go find someone else to take you on your morning walk.”
Nikki returned to her Fae form. “That is very offensive.”
Amneris stuck her tongue out. “Tell someone who cares.”
“You sure woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”
“Yes, and you were on it.”
Inside of moving, Nikki proceeded to lay on top of Amneris. Amneris sighed and wiggled out from underneath. Thankfully, Colt had already left. She wouldn’t have to deal with Nikki’s threesome jokes. He was probably off doing whatever he and Leo did most mornings.
“Why are you waking me up so early?” Amneris asked.
Nikki held up her hand. A phone dangled between her fingers. “Tara called you.”
“What the fu – is that my phone?”
“Yep.”
Amneris snatched it away. “What is it with you and going through my personal things?”
The Shifter shrugged. “I get bored.”
Amneris felt her eye twitch. “At least tell me what Tara said. Since you’ve gone to the effort to wake me up, I assume it’s important.”
A nod. “Apparently someone broke into the Castle and freed one of the Frozen Ones.”
“I always knew that place had crap defences.”
Nikki gave her a grim look.
“What?” Amneris rolled on her side. “Nikki, who broke into the Castle?”
“You might want to sit down for this.”
“I’m laying down.”
“Oh, yeah—”
“Nikki!”
Nikki squeezed her eyes shut and said quickly, “It was your mum.”
Amneris shot upright. “WHAT?”
Tara choked on her morning tea when Amneris appeared in the seat across the table from her. “How the fuck do you do that?”
“You need better shields,” was all the Queen said, reaching forward to take a donut. She twisted it between her fingers before devouring the thing in one bite.
Tara could only stare. She knew there were wards around the Caste; wards no one, not even Amneris, should be able to get through. The fact she could appear out of nowhere whenever she wanted . . . It sent a chill down Tara’s spine. It was a wonder her throat was yet to be slit in the middle of the night. The chill deepened. That was a highly unpleasant thought.
“Where is your entourage?” Tara asked in a weak attempt at small talk.
“They’re somewhere.” Amneris leaned forward with a smile, clasping her hands together. “So, Tara, I hear you had a little break in last night.”
She gulped. “Yes.”
“Do you not have guards?”
The Castle, as a matter of fact, had several thousand guards, The intruder managed to slip past all of them and gain entry to the Chamber of the Frozen Ones, a room only a select few people knew about. How the woman broke in, Tara had no idea.
Seeing she wasn’t going to answer, Amneris said, “And you’re certain the thief was the current Rebel Leader?”
“We are,” Tara nodded.
The system had confirmed it. The woman had been caught on the many cameras dotted around the room. Her face had been – barely – spotted by one. The system recognised her as Nephthys Kaylee, the current leader of the Rebellion against Lyriumia, who just happened to be Amneris’ mother. She hadn’t been seen in a long time, even presumed dead, but if she was still alive, she clearly was far from giving up her position of power.
“Show me what she stole,” Amneris said.
Tara grimaced. “I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“It’s a very restricted area.”
The Queen’s eyes flared with cyan fire. “Then give me access.”
Tara gulped again. “Yes, ma’am.”
Tara led Amneris to a door at the base of the Castle. They climbed down a staircase, walking under a stone arch that looked on the verge of collapse. It was re-enforced with beams but a danger sign hung clear.
Tara stopped when they reached the second archway. She placed her hand on a section of stone. The wall before them slid away. She moved away to let Amneris in first.
Amneris stopped on a balcony overlooking a room that would’ve taken her breath away if she had any. It was safe to say the Frozen Ones were far from a myth.
The room was massive. It seemed endless. Chambers made of silver crystal glowed against the dark stone of the room. Very few of the chambers glowed brightly, the rest dim. Did that mean only a few of the chambers were still active? If so, what happened to the others?
Amneris made her way down the stairs – carefully avoiding the red crystals – and into the room itself. Up close, she could see just how massive the chambers were. Easily three times her height. In each glowing chamber was a fully preserved person. Wait, no. Not preserved. These people were alive. Asleep, but alive. Perhaps the others were meant to hold people but something had stopped them being reached . . .
Tara showed her to one empty chamber in particular. “Until yesterday, this one had a woman in it.”
Amneris pushed the chamber’s unsealed door open. There was a small console on one side. The figure of a person was carved into the crystal. On the side of the outside of the chamber was another console. Unlike the one inside, this one had been stabbed several times. A knife was still embedded in it.
“It’s too far in for us to—”
Amneris pulled it from the crystal.
“Pull it out,” Tara finished in awe.
There was something familiar about the blade. Amneris was certain she’d seen it somewhere before, but where?
Her attention was caught by a message carved crudely in the crystal.
Tara followed her gaze. “Okay, that shouldn’t be possible. None of our weapons can even scratch the surface.”
Amneris brushed a finger over the message. She pulled away with a hiss, her burnt skin healing quickly. The crystal had a layer of the red crystal somewhere inside it or, at least, a variation. The message was written in the Old Language. Amneris was able to read it. “It says, ‘I am Aurelia, Guardian of the Naka’Idis. You brought your vengeance down on my people. You slaughtered them and brought fear to my world. I am coming for you—’”
“What?” Tara urged. “What does it say?”
“‘I am coming for you, Anmerankh-Karareia.’”
The two women exchanged glances.
“What did you do?” Tara asked.
“Nothing!” Amneris exclaimed. “I didn’t know this room existed ’til today! Never even heard the name ‘Aurelia’.”
“You must have done something for your mother to free one of the Frozen Ones,” Tara countered.
Amneris shrugged with one shoulder. “To be fair, she does hate me so I don’t actually have to do anything to get on her bad side. As for this Aurelia person . . .” She trailed off thoughtfully. “How old did you say this room was?”
“I didn’t, but it’s thought to be billions of years old, possibly further.”
Amneris frowned. “A hidden room under the Castle from a long time ago filled with sleeping people. Why does this sound so familiar?”
