A Queen Among Blood: Chapter Fifty-One - Yildiz

A Queen Among Blood: Chapter Fifty-One - Yildiz
As I look over to see signs of Osiah’s aura, I witness a large dome surrounding him made of white energy. I don’t know how after a blow like that, but Osiah is up on his feet. I can see the outline of his fists pounding at the dome that now surrounds him. Another barrier. Fucking barriers. Much like curses, only the person who made the barrier can take it down, except in the case of makkares where their magic is easily trumped by the Gods. But not even a God can destroy the barrier of another God.

I cough and gasp for air and try my best to at least get up onto my knees. It takes all the strength I have left but I manage it. Unfortunately, while I was doing that, Jartre made his way over to me. His 7’9” glowing frame towering over me like a giant ready to squash me like a bug.

“So nice to finally meet you in person,” he says politely.

“Jartre,” I seethe.

“Now don’t tell me your animai over there told you about me, that is a surprise,” he says, the surprise clear in his voice.

“I put… two and two… together. He only confirmed it,” I manage to answer. Each word is more exhausting than the last.

“Don’t you fucking touch her!” Osiah screams.

Jartre places his hand under my chin and angles my face up towards him, “He has beautiful taste in women, I’ll give him that,” he says softly, “But that’s how we got into this mess,” he continues, his voice now turning menacing.

Before I can even say a word in protest, a streak of violet energy shaped like an arrow hits Jartre square in the chest and sends him flying.

“Keep your hands off my daughter,” I hear the seething voice of my mother. I look over in the direction of where the energy came from to find two large figures standing side by side. One surrounded by beautiful fuchsia and silver, the other surrounded by violet and silver with a glowing bow in her hands aimed in Jartre’s direction.

The figure bathed in violet walks over as the bow disappears, and kneels in front of me, “Hey kiddo, long time no see.”

“Morrtemis?” I question in confusion.

“Don’t worry, I got you,” she says as she lays her hand on my shoulder. Not a moment later every ounce of pain that was radiating through my body completely disappears and I feel my energy return to me.

I smile at her in gratitude, “Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” she says, helping me to my feet. I look over to see Jartre get back on his feet and I guess dust himself off.

“Zarseti. Morrtemis. And here I thought I’d shielded myself from you,” he says casually.

“Oh, you had, very successfully. We’ve been struggling to find you for weeks,” mother admits calmly.

“Yet here you are.”

“You may have shielded yourself, but you didn’t shield my daughter. Did you really think I’d just sit idly by and let you hurt her?” she questions, her tone full of indignation.

“Still calling irshiusts your daughters? Come on, Zar. You snapped your fingers and willed them into being. That makes you their God, not their mother,” he snaps in a bored tone.

“Oh, he has really done it now,” Morrtemis mutters.

Quickly my mother’s aura grows in size as if it’s becoming radioactive and then a moment later that same build-up of energy is flying right at Jartre sending him flying so far I can’t see his aura anymore.

Morrtemis releases me and begins applauding my mother, “Couldn’t have done it better myself.” Her words send an unpleasant zap down my spine, and I resist the urge to roll my eyes.

“Not that I’m not grateful to see you, but what are you both doing here?” I question, but I don’t get an answer because Jartre reappears out of nowhere, and I can make out the distinct sound of water dripping on stone. Did he land in the ocean?

“I thought you were supposed to be the Goddess of Peace and Love,” he says mockingly.

“I never claimed to be a pacifist. Ever imply they are not my daughters again and it will be the last thing you do,” she threatens, “I made them from me. I love them with all my being. They are my children, and I will destroy any God who dares harm them. Your feud has nothing to do with Yildiz, leave her out of this!” she exclaims, fury coating her words.

I look over and see Osiah still pounding his fists against the barrier and it breaks my heart. “Osiah,” I whisper sorrowfully, stepping in his direction, but Morrtemis holds me back.

“That,” Jartre says now pointing at me, “That is why I can’t leave her out of this.” In the time it takes me to blink, I’ve been transported to Jartre’s side and both my mother and Morrtemis have been placed in a barrier of their own.

“For fuck sake Jartre, let her go! This is between you and me, leave her out of this!” Osiah shouts.

“Don’t worry, I don’t plan on hurting her. Because you know what I realised? I don’t have to fight you or plot all the ways I can hurt you. All I have to do, is just tell the truth,” he says, and I can hear the evil smile in his voice.

“What truth?” I ask as a cold chill creeps down my spine.

“He still hasn’t told you has he? Your precious Osiah.”

“Told me what?” I ask in confusion. I look over to my mother and Morrtemis but they’re both oddly tight-lipped right now.

“I fucking swear I will kill you, Jartre!” Osiah yells as he continues to pound his fists into the barrier, not seeming to get tired for even a minute.

Jartre slings his arm over my shoulders, and I try to shake him off, but he just tightens his hold, “It’s rather poetic really. Ultimately the person who is going to hurt you and ruin his life, is himself. I didn’t have to do any of this,” he chuckles, “You see, Yildiz, the man you love and whom everyone is so protective of, isn’t worthy of it. I mean, why protect someone who has been deceiving you this entire time?” Nothing but truth rings out in his words, and I feel my stomach sinking deeper and deeper.

“Dammit, Jartre, stop!”

“What are you talking about?” I ask with as steady a voice as I can muster.

“Allow me the wonderful honour of introducing you to your animai. Yildiz, meet Oshmin, the God of Life and Death,” he announces with glee. So much glee in his voice as if his words didn’t just shatter everything I thought I knew.