Chapter 2 The End Of Common Knowledge

• —Fiona—
• “But father…” he gave me a hard glare, his eyes flaring with the slightest hint of red.
• “The servants will take care of your clothing. And you have just twenty minutes. Dismissed.” The Luna commanded and I dragged my feet, giving my supposed family one last glance before robotically walking out of the main hall.
• The servants were already waiting when I stepped out, and I was escorted to the dressing room where I was washed and given a silk blue dress.
• It is common knowledge. IT IS COMMON FUCKING KNOWLEDGE!
• During the one month of living together, the leaders of all cardinals try to kill each other. One time there was a rumour that the influential Rogue king laced the Zen Alphas food with poison when the hosting fell to the rogues.
• Who the fuck even lets the rogues host things?
• ‘Fuck we are going to die.’ I was scared to death as it is.
• ‘Relax. Let's find something positive about the situation.’ Fayla commented and when I remained silent, she continued trying to lighten the anxiety I was feeling. ‘You get to live with the Lycan King and I saw that look. What if you two become a thing?’
• I scoffed, my fingers picking at the material of my new dress. ‘A thing on his fucking plate of food after they fillet my skin, yes?’
• Can she not be helpful for once? Must she always be a bitch?
• I wouldn't be in this situation if my father hadn't been too ambitious to host the treaty. The Zen Alpha usually takes the Beta or Alpha of the pack that hosts. And each fucking year, none of these people return.
• At least not alive.
• And the Lycan King is hosting. The Lycan King who happens to be on the top of the most evil leaders pyramid.
• The door to the dressing room is thrown open and the Luna turns to me. “Come out, we are leaving.”
• The maid pushed me out of the chair and I joined my horrible family, the Luna ensuring I am in her line of sight as we walk to the main event ground.
• The Elders from each cardinal were separately seated at a table. The kings though, had their table directly across ours looking very bored and out of place seated next to each other.
• Alpha Christian was seated in the middle, the Zen Alpha, Alpha Elijah to his right while the Rogue King, Alpha Xander sat to his left.
• The head witch's priestess daughter, Chloe Baguar was seated after the Rogue King looking all aloof and bored.
• The event started with the emcee being from the Rogue pack and surprisingly he was very well behaved compared to the rumours about their kind.
• I would have found the programme interesting if I wasn't patiently waiting for my death and if the Lycan King didn't so much as stare at me.
• Which is one of two things, he either recognizes me from my earlier rude stare or he is accessing the best way to kill me.
• “And for the most anticipated announcement of the day, the non-monarch representative from the South that is to escort the Zen Alpha.”
• “Soon I will be married to the Zen Alpha.” I hear Kim whisper to herself even though the bitch already has a mate she has been cheating on with several other men.
• The emcee gestured to my father who rose after a round of applause. “Thank you everyone for joining the annual treaty event.”
• “You have done the perfect hosting.” the rogue compliments and my father proudly gives him a nod.
• “Today I present to you all the non-monarch representative for our Zen Alpha and annual treaty hosting, my eldest daughter, Fiona Willows.”
• The round of applause that came after got me on my feet and by the time I realized what was going on, I was already standing next to my father.
• “Oh, a lovely young lady.” The Rogue gave a bow which I returned while doing everything in me to not look at the kings and the witch. “A word please?”
• I cleared my throat, my father giving me a smile that basically said ‘fuck this up and I might as well feed you to the den of vipers’. It made me wonder if the numerous cameras even caught that smile. “I… I am honored to be chosen.”
• Cheers from the crowd, followed by another applause sealed the deal while I took my seat next to the Zen Alpha, all three kings giving me a look that made my insides turn warm yet made me feel as though I was walking on prickled pins inserted in ice.
• The most prominent thoughts that plagued my mind was if I will die by the hands of the Lycan King or the playful looking Rogue King. But surly, my own Zen Alpha wouldn't kill me right?
• Two hours of sitting and doing my best to not regurgitate the food that I had eaten, the event was wrapping up and the kings were preparing to leave while my stepmother made a show of leaving to pack my things.
• Like I had anything worthy of being taken with me.
• As we walked to the awaiting car, Fayla suggested a plan.
• ‘We will stay invisible throughout the month. Don't eat too much. Don't talk at all. Don't look at the kings and we will survive.’
• Surely that should keep me from harm's length.
• The witch had made a show of going in her own car rather than transporting in the Zen Alpha's car. I had a strong feeling she didn't like me.
• All three kings climbed in after I did, each seated opposite me while I was closest to the door. The car was an all round seater so it was easier for everyone to look at each other.
• During the first few twenty minutes of the ride, the silence that filled the car was almost deafening, the tension so thick, it reduced the intake of breath I took.
• A shin of sweat had covered my forehead and I had to wipe it every few seconds. My nervous act not going unnoticed by all three kings.
• “So do you know her?” Alpha Xander asked, his eyes flickering from mine to the Zen Alpha who sat to the left of the Lycan King.
• “No.” He responded before focusing back on his phone clearly uninterested in talking.
• “Strange. Aren't you her King in the South?” He pressed.
• The Zen Alpha looked at him now, his expression annoyed. “Do you know every rogue in the west Xander?”
• He clicked his tongue and gave the Zen Alpha a wide grin. His gaze moved to mine again but I focused on counting my fingers even though I already knew they would be ten.
• A few minutes passed again before he asked. “So does that mean I can peacefully fuck her?”
• The Zen Alpha gave me a quick glance and glared at the Rogue king. “Did you chew your dignity with the food? You are probably two million years older than she is.”
• “I am sure the lady won't mind.” He gave me a devilish smirk that made butterflies flutter in my chest. “I will make the perfect bed spread, I promise.”
• “Gentlemen…” the Lycan Kings’ deep voice came through and as I prayed for the millionth time that I would suddenly dissipate into nothingness. “...there is a lady in the car.”
• The Rogue king and Zen Alpha both scoff before the Rogue King spoke.
• “Like that stopped you from murdering the witch non-monarch last time.”
• His allegations didn't receive any response from the Lycan King and it made my heart drop a mile.
• “But tell me truly. Did you truly kill her while she was giving you…”
• The Lycan king received a call and the Rogue King played him a dirty smirk before focusing his attention back to me.
• “Speak.” He commanded into the phone and barely a second after his expression turned grim and on the verge combusting into flames.
• “What?” Zen Alpha asked and he replied quite stiffly.
• “Palace mother just called, someone set a bomb to the neutral treaty palace.”
• “What?!” The Rogue King sounded quite shocked.
• They may look like someone just gave them a pile of shit but my heart was hopeful. I undid the seat belt and shifted closer to the edge of the chair. “What now? Do I get to go back to my pack?”
• The Lycan King gave me an intense look before shaking his head. “No. It's the most horrible news I have heard this week. We are going to the…” the rude interruption of his words was from an abnormal effect of a strong object hitting the car. The tumbling of it making my head slam against the roof with an impact that yielded a scream out of me.
• In the next second, the rogue king grabbed hold of my waist as the next huge dent splitted the car into two, separating and rolling us off onto the rough gravel of the road. He held me tight, the sharp stones piercing the skin of my body. My consciousness was slipping off.
• Shouts were being thrown. Skins were tearing, stale blood was in the air and the rogue king had let me go, his lithe body now a fast moving shadow against something bigger.
• Something scary. Something that seemed far away until a hand reached out to grab me by the neck. My body lifted off the floor to face a repulsive huge creature that smelled so pungent, it made me instantly dizzy.
• Everything was a haze of grey and black. Of moving bodies, horrible shouts and tearing of flesh. The creature opened its hideous mouth revealing a sharp row of numerous teeth and two long fangs that resembled a flagella, the wet stems of it reaching out for my face.
• I know this creature from the forbidden book hidden in the safe of my father's study. A special species of The Demons Flagellata. A monster that was created only for the purpose of killing.
• Someplace in my heart, in my unconscious state that I fell into, I heard the voice. Perhaps that of the moon goddess or the gross interior of this creature's mouth.
• ‘THIS. IS. THE. END’