My glass falls from my hand, shattering on the smooth stone floor; One is in pain. I know it on an instinctual level, and I know exactly where he is too.

  Flying across the room, I find the door to the garden blocked by two nervous looking guards, shifting back and forth fingering their weapons. I don’t have time for this, another spike of pain shoots through One, he’s in the garden, I need to get to him, I need to!

  With one motion, I instruct Enna to remove them. She moves faster than I can track with my low stats, the guards seem similarly incapable of seeing her, crying out in surprise when she is suddenly behind them. The next moment sees the guards flung across the room, crashing into a table of refreshments, sending a small wave of wine flowing across the room; someone screams.

  Enna already has the doors open, and I rush through. I see him immediately, held aloft in some sort of barrier, energy crackling over him. Gwyna stands over him, not even registering my entry.

  “Let him go! Or I’ll have Enna tear your head off!” I scream. I might be completely panicking.

  Sarah runs into the garden, coming to a halt beside me, taking everything in. She calls out, “Gwyna! I knew you were stupid, but damn! You think the king is going to let you get away with this? Put down the Vess, right now!”

  Gwyna turns lazily towards us, “I am simply studying the beast, begone.” Energy begins gathering in the end of her staff.

  “Enna kill her! Kill her! Get One back!” My hands are shaking, I can’t hear over my heart hammering in my ears, I think Sarah is saying something, probably begging me not to kill the bitch.

  Enna squares off with the mage, now at her full height, claws fully extended. She waits until Gwyna fully charges her spell and lets her cast it too. A spell I recognize as a beam of disintegrating energy rushes towards Enna, that beam can cut through a knight, Enna can’t get hit by it, I can’t lose her too.

  “Enna!” I scream, but she is already moving, easily dodging the laser. The beam crashes into the castle wall, craving out a huge swath of destruction, setting fire to the nearby trees and bushes. The beam continues on its path of devastation, as the mage tries to track Enna with it, but fails to hit her even once. Enna is so much faster than Gwyna, and Gwyna knows it now. The mage’s bored expression drops into one of annoyance, then into outright anger. If Gwyna is aware of the mass devastation she is causing, she either doesn’t care or isn’t showing it.

  Enna pivots, darting towards the mage, staying low to the ground as another beam just misses her shoulder. With a leap, she is on top of Gwyna, who unleashes another spell, forming a glowing shield between her and my caretaker. Enna tests it by stabbing a claw into it, sending ripples over the surface; a crack appears where she struck.

  After a lengthy incantation, the time bought by the shield, Gwyna grows a white hot orb of fire in her hand, launching it towards Enna. The shadows wrap around her, stealing her from sight. The spot where she was standing gets mangled into a slag of burning earth.

  Bursting out of the shadows behind Gwyna, Enna tries to assassinate the mage.

  Gwyna’s eyes grow huge when Enna’s claw wraps around her neck. With a flash, an amulet around the spellcaster’s neck forms a barrier over her body, saving her throat from being slit, but is unable to protect against Enna grabbing Gwyna by her neck and throwing her across the garden. The mage crashes into a garden shed, emerging a few seconds later, uninjured, but breathing heavily; leaning on her staff for support.

  A gleaming spell circle is created, spinning around the spellcaster’s wrist, launching three spears of magic towards the Vess.

  Enna ducks under the first, cuts through the second one with a claw, and blocks the third on her arm. The first bolt circles back around, tracking Enna and catching her off guard, slamming into her back; throwing her forward. Catching herself, she ducks back into the shadows before another trio of spears can catch her.

  Gwyna steps cautiously towards Enna’s last known location, tracking her staff across the shadows of the garden. Pointing her finger skyward, a bolt of light flies into the sky, bursting like a magical firework, sending a lasting light over the garden.

  The shadows melt away, revealing Enna near a gathering of trees. The mage sends a bolt of ice her way, flushing her out into the open. The two stand still, sizing each other up for a moment; tension radiating in the air.

  Enna doesn’t seem to be injured, neither is Gwyna, she does look exhausted though. All those big spells fired off so quickly were probably tiring. The amulet around her neck isn’t glowing, which probably means it’s out of magic juice; I hope.

  If Enna dies and I resummon her, is it the same Enna? Or will I get a completely different caretaker? The thought grabs my stomach in a sickening grip. I shake myself; I need to help. Reaching out, I find my knights, surprisingly close by. Did Enna do that or was that my subconscious? Doesn’t matter, I grab ahold of my knights, ordering them to kill the magister.

  Over the garden wall, eight knights drop down. Seven surround the mage, while one stands protectively over me.

  Gwyna clicks her tongue, “How did you get those creatures inside the city? Surely they weren’t allowed entry.”

  She’s definitely stalling for time, Enna seems to be content to let her, answering, “Humans make for terrible guards, distracted by their needs, unable even see through the darkness.”

  “Do not underestimate us, demon.” Gwyna punctuates her statement by slamming her staff into the ground; a golden barrier erupting into existence around her.

  Enna inspects her claws, flicking dirt off them, “Think you can hold out, human? There are a lot of claws around you.”

  “Give me a few moments, and the entire might of the mages guild will come crashing onto your heads.” The spellcaster pants.

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  “Hmmm, you didn’t anticipate such a fight tonight. Your mages are woefully late to come to your aid.” Enna taunts, flexing her limbs; ready to pounce.

  Gwyna wears a grim expression as she hunches closer to her staff.

  My Vess attack, and I feel a tsunami of mana wash over me. My knight crouches down, wrapping all of its arms around me protectively. I expand my senses to look through one of the other knight's eyes.

  The knight is pulling itself out of the ruins of a wall, carapace severely burned, and two of its blade arms hang limp. The rest of the knights are in a similar shape; I don’t see Enna.

  Gwyna hovers in the air, magically charged wind whirling around, eyes glowing with the amount of mana flowing through her. Twelve great swords of magic circle around her like the hands of a clock. My knights are moving back in for another attack, and the blades move so fast, my knight can barely track them. I watch my knights fail to completely dodge or block the spell, carapace armor cut cleanly through, leaving steaming wounds behind. Then, Enna is tearing through the air, blocking a slash from a blade with her claws, allowing huge cuts to open up on her arms just to get close to the spellcaster.

  The mage is unable to track all her different opponents, Enna slips through the whirling blades, claws collide with staff, smashing it into arcane splinters. A follow up swipe catches Gwyna in the chest, throwing her to the ground.

  The magical blades draw back into a tight defensive circle, whirling into a blur, protecting the downed mage.

  Slowly, Gwyna staggers to her feet, clutching a bleeding gut wound.

  Sarah darts forward, blade drawn and shining with the golden light of a skill. My heart soars with hope, only to be disappointed when she doesn’t stab the bitch. She does shatter the barrier holding One, scooping him up and quickly returning to me, depositing his small shivering form into my arms.

  The relief is immediate and immense. I hold One as close to me as possible, sinking to the ground, my heart is still beating too loudly for me to make out what Sarah is saying.

  Enna reappears at my side, not a scratch on her. I look up to see Gwyna glaring death towards us, she doesn’t launch any more attacks, however. Sarah stands between us, still talking, “-dumbass! Look at what you did! Is this what happens to those of us who reach level sixty? A complete loss of higher brain function!?”

  “Why isn’t she dead?” I whimper under my breath.

  Enna kneels down, pulling my shivering body closer, “This is better, sweetheart. Trust me. This will drive a wedge between her and the humans; we will have her head yet.” A gentle hand lifts my chin, “I promise it, my queen.”

  “C-can we leave now?” I want to be anywhere but here; it’s starting to get really noisy. There is some kind of argument going on between Sarah and Gwyna, a gathering of people are crowding the entrance to the garden to spectate. A huge section of wall is crumbling under its own weight and on fire, screaming can be heard from somewhere.

  “In a moment, love.” Enna promises.

  I stay on the floor, cradling One. Why did it have to be him? Why couldn’t she have just gone outside the wall and chosen a random drone?

  “Shhhhh,” Enna hushes me, “You are practically shouting your distress to all Vess, I’m trying to keep them from storming the castle, please, be calm; you are safe now.”

  Taking in some shuddering breaths, I try to slow my racing heart, Enna seems content that I am at least trying, she continues whispering, “I do not believe it was a personal attack, One was simply the weakest easiest to access Vess. Killing was not the intent, it seems to have been an invasive spell, used to rip the answers from One’s very body. I apologize for my negligence; it shall not happen twice.”

  I just nod along, numbly. I knew it, I’m never going to be accepted, there’s always going to be people like Gwyna. I’m sure there are already hundreds more like her, plotting my downfall, I just don’t know it yet.

  Now Sarah is kneeling in front of me, asking something. I look up to see the king standing just behind her, the courtyard now swarming with royal guards. Andra is having a heated argument with Gwyna, who still finds the time to meet my gaze with a look of hatred.

  Shivering, I just look up at my caretaker, willing her to make it go away.

  It was too early; I wasn’t strong enough to protect myself. I need to go back to my hive where it’s safe and dark and quiet. Maybe stay there for a hundred years, build a massive army, wait for Gwyna to die of old age. Then, I can safely walk amongst humans.

  Sarah reaches out to caress my cheek, “Renna? Please answer me, I’m on your side here.”

  “What?” I force a reply out.

  “Gwyna isn’t even denying it, saying she was taking proactive actions to save us from you or something. I just need you to-”

  “Yes, she hurt me, she is the aggressor.” I hiss, “What kind of a pathetic king can’t control his own people?”

  “Renna?” Sarah’s voice is laden with concern, “I get it, you’re pissed, but don’t make an enemy of the king over it. Wasn’t the whole point of all this to become allies with him?”

  King Danish approaches, his guards looking very concerned to be getting closer to me. Belatedly, I realize that’s probably due to the eight looming nights behind me. Pretty brave of them to approach me, really.

  “Queen Renna,” He greets with a curt nod, “I would like to hear from you what happened.”

  I just stare at the king; no words make it past my lips. What does he want me to say? Presumably, he already heard it all from Gwyna, and she wasn’t even really lying. Except about the part where I am a threat, I guess. Maybe I need to be more of a threat.

  There is a gathering of people in robes, holding staves and scrolls, around Gwyna. The mages guild, definitely a threat to me. I wonder if they have the balls to attack me in front of the king?

  The king follows my gaze, frowning, “There won’t be any more fighting tonight, not in my castle.” His eyes quickly switch to my knights, eyeing them warily. They probably aren’t supposed to be in here.

  “She is tired and needs rest.” Enna quietly interjects, scooping me up and hiding me away in her arms. “This is a human problem, it is for humans to solve, then report to us.”

  Enna leaves no room for argument, simply ignoring everyone, making the jump from the garden to the roof in one bound. I don’t really pay attention as I am ferried across the rooftops. My head is a mess, I kind of want to cut off all contact with humans, but that’s kinda stupid, plus that would be something Gwyna would want.

  The cold night air whips by.

  Finally, I am safe inside my palanquin. I refuse to let go of One, which makes it very tricky for Enna to take my dress off, but she manages somehow. Enna slips me into my fluffy pajamas before laying down with me in bed.

  Closing my eyes, I try to sleep, usually sleep comes easily whenever I need it. I curl closer to Enna, her warm presence makes me feel safe, but I just can’t get comfortable.

  Oh yeah, I never went pee. Somehow, the thought that I have to get up and go is what breaks me, tears start flowing down my face, quickly turning into sobs. Enna does her best to comfort me with warm words and gentle touches. I think I’m ugly crying now, all the stress coming out all at once.