The Exiled Prince and His Siren

Chapter 9

They immediately started running as soon as they stepped out of the portal. Max and Violetta followed right behind them. All four didn’t bother looking back to see that the portal closed just in time for a pair of black eyes to get a one second window to get a look at their backs fleeing, and unfortunately, the place they were fleeing to.  

The trees blurred past them as they picked up their feet. It was absolute bad timing for Violetta to feel the onslaught of nausea but the feeling was quite persistent.

She fought through it to keep up with the others, but when she finally stumbled on her feet, Max instantly shot out an arm and pulled her to his side, carrying her weight with him.

She felt like she was flying at this point and it didn’t help at all. Before she knew it, her head lolled to the side and she sank against him. For the first time since he mastered the urge to shift into his beast, Max fought hard to keep himself at bay.

Violetta sagging against him woke an instinct in his beast to come through the surface, puzzling him for a second before his attention was caught by something else.

High walls were all he could see where they were headed to. A fortress in the middle of the forest.

“Almost there.” Arissa yelled out.

Not one of them wavered in their steps. They ran until they were right in front of the dark cobblestone walls. The gates opened on their accord.

Arissa was the first to enter followed by Callahan then Max with a barely conscious Violetta right beside him.

Out of nowhere, a forceful wind came barreling towards them. Arissa quickly stepped in front of them and threw her hands up to block it. She stumbled back a little but her hold didn’t break.

With a swing of her hands, the wind followed suit. She pulled her hands in opposite directions as if to rip the wind into two. She then drove it to the ground until there was nothing left but a breeze as its remnants.

“What a pleasant welcome.” Arissa muttered under her breath.

“What a pleasant surprise.” A sickly sweet voice said from the threshold of the tower-like house.

All of them turned towards the voice.

“Maleroy” Callahan acknowledged in a low voice.

“Long time no see commandant.” The man said. His voice turning suave and deep.

Then he turned towards Arissa. “Good to see you, darling.” His voice going back that overly sick sweet tone.

“I couldn’t tell from the hostile welcome Maleroy.” Arissa answered, already making her way towards the house.

“Expecting someone else to walk through those gates?” She taunted.

“Have only been waiting for you sweetheart.” The man answered teasingly.

Arissa scoffed while Callahan grunted in response.

The man turned his attention to the two other people standing behind. His eyes instantly widened at the sight of them.

“Highnesses.” He greeted with a bow of his head.

Arissa and Callahan stopped in their tracks. They turned to look at Max and Violetta still right where they gates closed behind them. Then they shared a look.

Their faces were blank but their eyes held worry.

Maleroy on the other hand looked downright excited.

“I never thought I’d see the day I’d have the child of the griffin king and queen, as well as the prodigal daughter of Queen Luna in my humble abode.” He said dramatically.

“The resemblance is uncanny.” The man said, bewildered.

“We’ll speak of this inside. There are eyes and ears everywhere in Malhelm.” Arissa said.

“I haven’t invited you in yet.” Maleroy interjected.

“It’s still my house.” Arissa cut him off.

Violetta furrowed her brows in confusion, and from the side, she sensed Max do the same.

“They were lovers.” Callahan answered their unspoken question.

“Ah good times.” The sorcerer commented.

“Be quiet.” Arissa growled, moving around Maleroy to proceed inside the house. Callahan followed suit.

Maleroy held his hands up in surrender and just moved aside to let them through. He then gestured towards Max and Violetta to go ahead, an unnerving smile that was supposed to look welcoming, gracing his face as he looked at the young royals.

Then he himself entered the house as well.

 “Well, well. I am Maleroy, sorcerer of Malhelm. It’s a pleasure to meet you prince Maximillian and princess Violetta.” He briefly introduced himself when they were all inside.

Max led Violetta to take a seat, her legs immediately giving out from under her as she sank into the plush seat. Normally she’d refute the use of the title, but she was still slightly unwell to even bother.

Max remained standing but he remained right next to her.

Maleroy kept his gaze on Violetta, not at all hiding his obvious curiosity for the half-blood.

“I must say your highness. I’m quite surprised to see you in Malhelm of all places. There’s quite a bounty on your head as of the moment.” Maleroy said.

“Don’t call me that.” She spat at the same time that Arissa said, “Stop aggravating the child Maleroy.”

The sorcerer completely disregarded Arissa’s words, earning a dark look, his eyes flashing that of his beasts, from Maximillian and one intimidating step from the prince.

“You’re the child of a queen. The only surviving child for that matter.” Maleroy said, unbothered by her response.

“I’m not exactly my mother’s pride and joy. Being her daughter has never granted me any luxury other than ridicule.” Her voice was low but full of venom. It wasn’t that she was craving for maternal affection.

No, she didn’t see why she had to be faulted for a decision her mother made.

 “Prodigal daughter? Did you run away from your kingdom Violetta?” Arissa asked, feeling absurd they left out the details of her hiding the first time they talked back at the cottage.

“I was forced out of the kingdom.” She answered nonchalantly.

“Sirens take pride in being purebred. No half-siren has ever been possible before because the fetus would not survive the hostile womb.” She sighed. “No one thought the queen would sire a child with a human.” She explained, averting her eyes by the end.

“Nevertheless, you are still the most coveted half-blood in all the realm, to put it dramatically.” Maleroy said. “The king seems desperate to have you in his clutches. Interesting.”

“Maleroy” Arissa warned.

An unexpected growl rumbled deep in Maximillian’s chest. In an effort to appease his raging beast, he stood on his feet, taking Violetta with him. They need to be far from the others for him to calm himself down. “Where will we be staying?” He asked no one in particular.

Arissa was the one who answered the prince. “The last floor, take the room the farthest from the hall.” She said.

Max quickly moved and made his way up the stairs wordlessly. His arm was still supporting Violetta as they did so.

It took Violetta halfway through to realize, Arissa answered them with the assumption they’ll be staying in one room.

“Interesting.” Maleroy commented once again once the two were out of ear’s way.

Arissa just sighed.

“Poor child. She doesn’t know it will only get harder from here.” The sorcerer said, shaking his head.

Callahan kept silent, his eyes still on the path Max and Violetta left in. He knew the prince his whole life, and by the looks of things, there might be something they need to discuss in the days to come.

“The prince will be crushed when he finds out that the fate of the woman he doesn’t know he wants, will be the same fate his mother had as payment for the actions of the princess’ mother.” The sorcerer said ominously, striking an arrow towards the hearts of the people who raised said prince.