Chapter 41: Chapter 41

“Hurry up, Max! We need to go save my best friend and my sister,” I shouted when he wouldn’t get up from where he was sitting.

I had asked why we couldn’t fly or run or whatever they did when they wanted to get to places fast but he said that Havana was planning to take down the royals and most of the griffins were, unsurprisingly, on her side. Turned out a lot of people actually hated Evander and wanted to get rid of him.

Max advised us to be masters of stealth if we were going to get there without having to fight and die before we even got to our destination.

“That’s if she hasn’t killed him already,” Max said, still refusing to get his lazy ass off the floor.

Apparently, they weren’t used to walking long distances and it made then slower than ever. I wondered how Leon had managed to be in shape if he was around such people.

“Can you be a little optimistic?” I asked giving in to the peer pressure and sitting beside him. “Why do you guys not have cars here or other means of transportation?”

Avyanna laughed. “Have you seen us? We are griffins for chrissakes. Why would we need cars when we are faster than them both on air and on land?”

I narrowed my eyes at her. “Ask me that question when we actually get to Leon’s castle and he isn’t dead.”

She stuck her tongue out and Max rolled his eyes then said, “I actually have a car we can use. It’s pretty fast too.”

“I thought we were going for stealth. Wouldn’t that ruin our cover?” Val asked making an input for the first time since the beginning of our journey. “Let’s just use the forests and you guys can transform then take us there. The dense trees will provide cover for us and with your good eyesight, you guys will be able to navigate so we don’t crash.”

“That’s actually…a pretty great idea,” Avyanna said with wide eyes seeming surprised that Val could come up with that.

I wasn’t surprised though. God had given him the brains for a reason.

“I’m actually really smart as you can see,” Val said but there was an underlying tone in his words but I couldn’t get it.

Max and I exchanged looks then relaxed to watch their interaction before reminding them that someone’s life depended on our ability to be fast and skedaddle.

“What happened between us?” Avyanna asked with a sad sigh.

Val shrugged as his eyes darkened. “The same thing that always happens. You didn’t know me and then you fell in love with me. Now you know me and want nothing to do with me.”

She crossed her arms. “That is not true.”

“I want to understand something. You guys were, are, in love?” I asked with wide eyes.

Avyanna nodded. “He is Minnie’s mother.” “Father,” Val corrected.

“I said it on purpose,” she said shooting a glare at him.

“Sorry, what?” I asked getting even more confused. “I really want to ask how you fell in love with each other and why you have a child amidst other things but considering the situation we’re in, I’ll leave the interrogation for later.”

Max gave me a pat on the shoulder as he stood up. “That’s a brilliant idea. We need to get out of here. Havana and her army are on their way now to the castle.”

Avyanna looked at me and gave me puppy dog eyes as she jutted out her lower lip. “Are you sure I can’t punch her in the face?”

“Yes,” I said as we began to move in the direction of the forest.

“What if I break her nose a little?” Avyanna asked again with a whiny tone. “It’s the same thing,” I cried. “Please, we can’t hurt her.”

“I’ll try but if she offends me, I might give her a little taste of my fists,” Avyanna said with a frown.

Max burst into laughter. “She’d kill you before you even get a chance to do that.” He suddenly stopped and we stopped too. “This was the same route Havana followed.”

“Does that mean we have to go back?” I asked with a sigh already tired of all the walking.

“No. We just have to avoid the way they went and we won’t have a problem. There are many roads to the castle.”

“Okay, then which way did they go?” Avyanna asked with a rushed tone. It appeared I wasn’t the only one getting tired.

Max looked around thoughtfully. “Well, based on the direction of the wind, the broken sticks in the corner, and the slight disturbance in the dirt, I’d guess they went left.”

My eyes widened. “You can really figure it out from all that?” Max smacked my head. “No, you idiot. They sent me a text. See?”

“Why are you getting texts from them?” Avyanna asked with crossed arms.

“He’s meant to be on their side,” Val replied with a bored tone and when Avyanna tried to speak, he said, “Let’s just get out of here.”

“So, who am I riding with?” I asked excitedly and they all gave me strange looks. “What?”

Avyanna rubbed the back of her neck. “I don’t think you should come with us. You’re still very much human and it can get dangerous real fast.”

I crossed my arms and glared at them. “Where will I stay then?”

“Stay here…” there was an unmistakable hitch in Val’s voice as his eyes glistened with tears, “please.”

I stared at him for a moment before answering. “No, I will not and I don’t care what any of you say.”

“Ah, that is my motto! Segui il tuo corso, e lascia dir le genti,” he said with a little bow and when I raised a brow, he added, “Follow your own road and let people talk.”

“Since that’s settled, can we go find Havana and stop her?”

***

When we got there, which wasn’t that long, Max suggested that we hide in the bushes until Havana came and we assess the situation before running in. It wasn’t up to a minute after we had hidden and Havana came in. She said a few words to the guards at the gate and they walked with her inside.

We ran out of our hiding spot the moment the gates were free and ran to hide by the bushes lined up by the stairs leading to the castle doors while Havana stood at the entrance with her army fully behind her.

She said whispered into the ear of one of the guards and he went inside the castle. A few minutes later, the entire royal family, except Evander, came out with a few guards. I noticed Hiro and Milo there too then I remembered that it was part of their job description.

I wanted to come out while they were doing their ultimate stare-down but Max dragged me down. “Idiot! Do you want to get killed?”

I frowned and crossed my arms. “You’re an idiot. I’m an idiot. We’re the co-presidents of Club Idiot.”

“Where is Evander?” my sister asked breaking the heavy silence that was between the two sides.

“That’s right. Where is the idiot, anyway?” Max asked looking around.

I raised a brow wondering who else he was looking for when he called me idiot. “I’m right here.”

He looked at me and shook his head. “Oddly enough, I’m not talking about you this time.”

“And here I was flattered that you have a nickname for me,” I said feigning hurt and he rolled his eyes as we turned back to look at the scene playing out in front of us. “This is like a movie.”

“Where is Evander?” she asked again after no one had answered and as if hearing his name, he came out from the middle of his family who had lined up. “You ruined my brother and I, my entire family. I plan on returning the favor.”

Evander laughed and I wasn’t surprised that it sounded as evil as he looked. “Oh really? You want to ruin my family too? Go ahead. Try and see who’ll run back with their tails between their legs between both of us.”

“I officially do not like Evander,” I whispered and they all nodded. He looked like he was ready to command them to do something so I stepped out of the bushes and this time, Max didn’t stop me. “Stop!”

“Paris, I thought I locked you up,” Havana said with a frown and the look in her eyes she always gave me when she wanted me to leave.

I ignored her and looked at Evander. “I don’t doubt that you are a heartless man but can you leave my sister and maybe talk about this like the civilized adults that you both are?”

“Are you a part of this madness, Paris? Where does your loyalty really lie?” Tobias asked me and with the look in Leon’s eyes, Tobias had echoed the words in his mind.

Great! They thought I was a traitor.

I crossed my arms and scoffed. “How many times have I done nearly everything to protect you guys? Yet you stand here questioning my loyalty.”

“Seize her!” Evander commanded and the two guards that were standing on the side of the royals came to get me so I ran beside my sister.

“If I ever see you anywhere near her, you’ll have to deal with me,” Havana threatened, her eyes turning into slits as she did and the men looked so terrified that they actually ran off. “On every honor I have left, Evander, I swear that I will end you for everything you have done.”

“I will kill you,” Evander spat.

She laughed maniacally that I almost couldn’t believe she was my sister. “Honey, I rose up from the dead. I do it all the time.” She began to walk up and down casting them strange looks. “Who to start with, who to start with, oh I know! What about Leon?”

“Havana, we talked about this,” I whispered harshly, pulling on her dress, but it was either she didn’t hear me or she was purposely ignoring me. I was betting on the latter.

Leon crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. “And how, pray tell, do you want to get rid of me?” Havana didn’t reply and Leon looked at the guards and other people behind her. “Attack this mad creature!”

I hated to admit it but it looked like Leon had no power over them because they didn’t even flinch. It was like he had simply ordered the wind and even the wind wasn’t heeding his instructions. I found it a little funny but I didn’t want it to look like I was messing around in such a serious situation so I shut up.

Havana laughed hard as she looked into Leon’s eyes. “The griffins betray you because they serve me.”

Leon looked shocked and he took a step backward. “H-How?”

“Silly boy, can’t you see the truth right in front of you? This is my little kingdom, and you and your pathetic little siblings aren’t welcome here anymore.”

“Who are you calling little?” Stefanos asked just as Leon said, “I am hundred percent sure I am a man.”

As always, Stefanos was ignored and Havana’s attention was drawn to Leon. “I am fifty percent intelligence, eighty percent power, and seventy percent badass.”

Leon raised a brow. “That’s two hundred percent.”

“I am twice the man you will ever be,” she said then all of a sudden, she winced as though she was in pain.

I didn’t see Leon throw anything but a dagger was sticking out of her chest and even though it wasn’t my body, I found myself screaming my head off. I could literally feel the pain, my breath leaving my body, and Havana looked like it was just a pin.

Her voice sounded so casual as she asked, “How did you do that?”

Leon smirked probably feeling as though he had gotten her but I knew he was far from that. “Maybe if you spent less time talking and a little more watching, you would have figured it out.”

She pulled the dagger from her chest and smiled. “Was that supposed to hurt?”

Leon’s proud look turned from satisfied to terrified faster than light moved and I didn’t know what was happening but he kept screaming and falling to the floor as if someone was hurting him even when no one was near him.

I looked and saw that Havana was doing those things to him with her eyes so I tried to distract her by waving my hand in her face and pinching her. Unfortunately, it had a different effect because she picked up like I was a feather and tossed me back to the bushes I’d come from.

Avyanna helped me stand up and I couldn’t help the pain that rushed over my body. I was sure that it was nothing compared to what I was looking at Leon go through.

Val looked in the direction I was looking and sighed. “With those injuries, it’s a miracle he still has blood in his body.”

“We need to get you close to her so you can put the amulet on her,” I said and he nodded. “I’m going to try to keep her busy enough to not kill Leon.”

We made a plan and moved out. My job was simple and it was to take Havana’s attention from Leon. Unfortunately, it was easier said than done. I did everything I could do but she was so bent on killing Leon slowly.

Suddenly, it was like everything had stopped. Leon was already on the floor looking out of it, the only sign that he was alive being that he was still breathing. Havana had stopped everyone around Leon from moving to help him and I saw the victory in her eyes. One last glance and he would be dead.

I move my hand and noticed that despite it all, I could move. Without thinking, I jumped in to cover Leon just as I felt the pain take over my being.

I stared at Leon through blurry eyes. “I’m not losing you, Leon. Not this time.” Darkness.