Universal Creativity 1 | Page 12

“You may have had them put them down but they are not holstered. I want safe passage for my people, Laxur.” Asora could feel tears burning the back of her cerealan eyes but she refused to let them show and she was starting to feel the strain of keeping the enchanted shield up. “Back them off.”

The Queen shook her head. “They will not go. They are my personal guard. They would die first. Just like yours have.”

The princess swallowed. “You did not have to do that.”

“Yes I did. I wanted this facility and your people fought us and died honorably. They were protecting you.” Laxur sighed. “I did not know you would be here. It was unfortunate. You may leave but leave the employees. They will work for me now.”

“I cannot do that. They are Utopians. They leave with me,” Asora retorted harshly, her melodic voice hard.

“Come down from there and I will think about it.” Laxur smiled supremely confidently yet inside she had her doubts. It was one thing to take the planet and another to hold the ruler of the Grand Utopian Kingdom. This was a tricky situation. The Humans would not look kindly to her hurting the part Human ruler nor the Angels. She knew that she needed Asora off the world as soon as possible. She was getting nervous and her guards were feeling it.

A blonde haired woman with flashing gray eyes, a guard and a knight of the realm, with a lance bristled. She was the bodyguard to Asora. “Your highness.” She stared at Dari, her opposite number with malice. She did not like that Dari’s hand was twitching near her handgun.

Dari smiled insolently.

Asora saw the look. “It is alright, Dame Sarea.” She turned back to the queen. “I do not think so, Laxur. I want to leave with the rest of my people.

You do not want to keep me here, Laxur. I promise that there will be retribution if you do and you know this.” With a ring of truth, Asora continued to float and hold up the shield.

“I want to talk with you, not to go to war.”

The queen insisted.

That was something that the princess believed. The empire and the kingdom had not been at war for a very long time and last time it had cost both sides dearly and yet her sister had taken the planet. Asora felt her spirits drop.Darkcons were pushing at the border to see how many planets they could get before the Kingdom would respond. Asora wondered that herself and so she had to shove back now before the Darkcons got too bold.

Dari was paying attention to Sarea and fingered her handgun again. Sarea pushed forward to move past the shield. She did not like the Fallen Angel threatening her princess. The female knight was a powerful witch to enable her to protect the monarch and so was able to penetrate the shield.She walked up to Dari who was surprised at the aggressive Human and did not have time to react when Sarea slashed at her hard with her lance, opening up a wound in her face. The Fallen Angel pulled her gun but Sarea reacted again, knocking Dari’s arm and the shot went wild.

Asora had become distracted by what her bodyguard was doing and in her inexperience she let her guard down which in turn allowed the shield to drop. This was a mistake as the bullet hit her hard in the shoulder.

Laxur immediately reacted by thrusting her hands out at Dari and Sarea. A powerful spell hit them and they flew apart. The dark queen called out, “Asora!”

Jeia caught his adopted sister as she fell and turned on Laxur, “Open a portal so we can get her home before she bleeds to death.”

“Yes. I will open a portal for you but for your people, not for Asora. She needs immediate attention by someone who has knowledge of bullet wounds. Your people have no experience.” Laxur insisted.

Yane was furious with the situation. He knew Laxur was right about the healer.

He hesitated to send his troops away and allow Sysu access to Asora. He doubted that the queen would allow her younger sister to die or would take her prisoner but you never really knew Laxur.