Lightning washed her bones, it pounded her form, violently refining it over and over, breaking everything down to rebuild it. Normal mages absorbed magic slowly over the years, changing their bodies until they were near immortal. For Cybelline, the power that ran through her body would have burned a hundred mages.

---

In the land inside the ring, the tree felt the rush of power and grew ten feet, going from young sapling to tree in an instant, the fiery red leaves flourished and white buds began to show signs of coming to life. The land changed once more as it revealed more of itself. Mountains that had been mere shadows stood proud in the distance, its snow caped beauty sparkling like icy jewels. An entire expanse of forest grew out of the fog, as trees that were hundreds of years old presented themselves once more to the living.

Ithos, Myrai and the children rushed out to see what was going on.

Ryion had been closest to the tree. He had seen it sprout up as if ten years had passed. He looked up to see a bolt of lightning come towards him.

Myrai and Ithos leapt for him but it was too late, the little boy was engulfed in a branch of lightning. The couple were knocked back as they watched in horror as the boy screamed.

---

Outside, Cybelline felt the roar of lightning subside and she opened her eyes once more.

Anera stared at the woman who floated in mid-air, how could she be alive? This made no sense. She had no magic. What sort of trickery was this?! She tried calling the relic back to her but to her infinite horror, the globe was nowhere to be found.

Her face drained of all color and she dared not look at Norian. Norian's eyes seemed to replicate the horror in hers. Where was the holy relic? What did the bitch do to it?

Cybelline looked at her, "Do you still want to fight?" She looked at Anera and was reminded of Alyena's crazed stare.

Anera was almost crazy with rage, "HOW?" She screamed. It was a holy relic, any normal person who touched it would instantly explode.

Cybelline smiled, "Thanks for your gift." Cybelline played with the lightning at her finger tips, "I'm really enjoying it."

Anera was not done yet. She raised her hands and uttered an incantation, a layer of fog appeared, obscuring the view of the crowd. They barely noticed, they were still not over the shock.

Killian looked up at the woman who stood in air. He took a breathe, the first since he'd seen her dive into lightning. He melted back into the shadows, leaving as suddenly as he appeared. His Cybelline could take care of herself. But this doesn't mean those who tried to harm her could do as they pleased.

Inside the fog, Anera smiled viciously and took out her bow and an arrow she had prepared especially for this occasion. Instead of aiming it at Cybelline, she aimed it at Estelle, "Goodbye, Queen Estelle." She was the spell caster and could see a little better than the rest. Estelle was closest and would be the first to die.

Estelle couldn't see, but she heard Anera, "Anera, you know that they would kill you the moment you have no use them right?" She asked, her voice hollow, "You're betraying all of us by doing this."

Anera paused, "I don't believe you."

"Why would I lie?" Estelle wanted kick the girl off the horse, but she was too weak right now.

"Because you've always been above me. And now... now that I am more powerful, you want to see me fail."

"You're an idiot."

Anera ignored the queen and took aim and let loose her arrow.

"I enjoyed your company but I truly will be a better ruler." Anera said. She scanned the sky for Cybelline but found no one.

The moment Anera had loosened the arrow, Cybelline was at Estelle's side. Reaching out gently, she plucked the arrow out of the air with two fingers, an inch from Estelle's heart. Estelle watched, amazed. Anera, too busy looking for Cybelline, did not notice.

"What do you want to do with her?" Estelle asked Cybelline softly, "I won't stop you if you kill her."

Cybelline remembered the fae Alyena she had just met, blinded by her own convictions. Was death really the best solution for these people? Or was it just an escape from consequence?

"I want her to see what she had done. I want her to understand."

Estelle nodded, "I'll follow your lead."

Anera turned in time to see Estelle fall to the ground. Estelle's voice seemed to be full of pain, "Why are you doing this?"

Anera smiled, "I'll be queen soon. Lord Norian will be my consort. His mother is the greatest mage of Londaros, and she's helping me. And when her son is King of Londaros, I will be his queen."

Estelle stared at her, "He'll make you a concubine at best."

Anera's eyes flared with hatred, "I will never be a mistress." She forgot about Cybelline, jumped off her horse and came over to the Queen, dagger in hand. "The poison is taking too long."

But as she approached, she felt a light wind breeze by her. She didn't even see what had happened.

In the next moment her dagger landed in someone else's hand.

"Estelle is right. You are an idiot."

Estelle got up from the ground as Cybelline stood beside her. Cybelline tossed the dagger up and down.

Anera's mouth opened in shock, "But how..?"

Cybelline scoffed, "Because you're a blind cow."

"How dare you insult me!" Anera gasped.

"You are so easily manipulated. You're an insult onto yourself."

"I...I....I..." Anera stammered, unnerved, "But you tricked me."

Cybelline gave her a look that basically amounted to No Shit.

"Think, Anera, you saw only what you wanted to see. We could have killed you already." Estelle said softly.

"Why haven't you?" Anera snarled.

Cybelline sheathed the dagger and tossed it back to her. Anera caught it without understanding what was going on.

Cybelline's voice was light and casual, "Do you trust this Lord Norian with you life? Don't answer me, think about it for a minute. You can fool everyone but yourself."

"Or have you been manipulated all along?" Estelle asked.

Anera trembled. She didn't want to think about what Cybelline and Estelle said. She loved Norian with all her heart and he had promised her the exalted position of the crown. She was within reach of that goal, no one would take it from her.

"You're all trying to trick me. I don't believe you!" Anera looked as violent as a cornered wild beast, her eyes darting between Cybelline and Estelle.

Suddenly she raised her dagger, she would not be persuaded by mere words, "Just give me the relic, you mongrel" Anera snarled at Cybelline, impatient, "Or I'll kill everyone you love. Starting with that brother and sister of yours. I am powerful. I'll do it."

Estelle looked up into the sky and sighed. She didn't want to admit she knew someone so stupid and childish.

Cybelline's eyes turned to ice. Insult her or threaten her, she didn't care. People were inconsequential, and most were a waste of her time.

But to threaten those she cared about? That would not do.

Anera thought the change of expression on Cybelline's face had meant fear, "You hea---"

She didn't finish the sentence, for Cybelline had suddenly appeared in front of her. It had taken less time to blink.

"Say it again." Cybelline's voice was quiet, lighter than the whisper of leaves on the wind.

Anera opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Cybelline had her by the neck. Ice seemed to be emanating from her figure as she threw Anera across the arena.

Anera hurtled through the air and crashed through the ground, her arm shattering on impact. Gone was the barrier of power and the spell that could transport her away from the monster, had disappeared when she threw the lighting.

Nothing could save her.

Cybelline had caught by the throat mid-bounce and threw her down once more. Anera was now just a ball of dirt, her clothes and face barely visible under the mud. One eye had swelled shut.

"Say it again."

Anera had been coddled since she's been young. She was one of the most gifted mages in the land. Nothing she did was wrong and she had been told that she was going to be queen one day. She stared at Cybelline in absolute fear.

This wasn't a human. This was a monster, a monster of nightmares.

She had thought that Cybelline had been a little strong and might have known a few tricks. She thought Cybelline had been lucky in defeating the Ice Sisters.

How very, very wrong she was.

Anera was frightened, she looked to Estelle, "Help-help me."

Estelle looked at Anera with disdain, "Was I kicked in the head by a donkey?"

Cybelline studied Anera, "Since our words can not convince you. We must think of another way. How about a wager, my lady?"

The words my lady sounded like an insult. Anera looked at the girl with fear. Cybelline continued, "I wager that if you lose this competition and went back to your precious Lord Norian without any use left in you, he would sacrifice you in a heartbeat."

"H-he-he wouldn't." Anera glared at Cybelline with her good eye, the little bit of defiance she had left.

"If he remains loyal, the you get to be queen."

Estelle grinned, she knew that she liked Cybelline for a reason. She looked at Anera, "If Lord Norian betrays you, then you have to do as we say. Or we can end you here and now."

Anera closed her eyes and then opened them. Did she have a choice?

"You have a deal." She spat.

The fog cleared and two women stood in the field. The third knelt in front of them, her arm bloodied and broken.

Estelle smiled ruefully at Cybelline, and then shouted.

"Behold, the new Queen of Spies!"

"Um...." The entire arena went silent.

Cybelline stared at her, "Wait, no. This wasn't part of the plan."

Estelle grinned, "Yes, but I want you to be Queen." Cybelline was about to protest but, the entire arena of thousands of people started clapping.

This girl had displayed no magic, she had done what no mages had ever done. She had used her own strength and defeated the mage born. They wanted her as queen. They roared in approval.

In the stands, a woman appeared before the Londaros delegation.

"What an interesting predicament we have fallen into, son." A woman stood beside Lord Norian. She was an elegant creature, tall and lithe, her face showed only a hint of amusement as she looked at the new queen of spies.

"Mother." Lord Norian looked at Cybelline with greed in his eyes, "Mother, I want her."

"Of course, my boy." Lady Celia patted her son's head lovingly, "She'll make a grand concubine. Maybe even your primary wife." Celia's face showed distain at the sight of Lady Anera, "You'll get rid of that filth soon?"

Anera had been carried over. Her face drained of all color.

"My lord?" She asked, her voice broken.

Lord Norian looked at the dirty, disgraced figure, "Stand behind us, I don't want to see your face at the moment." His voice was colder than anything she'd heard before.

He didn't care, didn't ask how she was. At that moment she knew what a fool fool she'd been.

Anera stood by their sides, her eyes downcast, her heart in a million pieces.

She had lost but she was not beaten. She glared at the mother and son pair. Quietly, she began to do what Estelle had ordered.

----------------

Lord Killian looked at the piles of sleeping men in front of him and frowned, "Aren't these Lord Norian's men?" He saw some mages in the midst of them. These numbered in the hundreds, this was the army that Londaros had sent to seize the city. At least, the first legion.

Lord Evan nodded, "It seemed like Lord Norian has poisoned his own men."

They didn't know how to react to that. Lord Evan sniffed the leftover mead, "It must have been strong. Whatever is in here can put a horse to sleep."

"When do they wake?"

Lord Evan shook his head, "At least not for another three days."

Just then Lord Jacen arrived, his face covered in a fine sheen of sweat, "We've cut off the rest of the Londaros army en route here. Just like my lord had said, they had planned to attack tonight."

"Should we capture Lord Norian now?" Lord Evans wanted to know

Lord Killian shook his head, "No, let's watch what he'll do once he realizes that's he's trying to conquer a city with only himself and his mother."