The Lost Queen Book 2 - Kehlani

I stretch and look out the window. The suns are rising in the deep orange sky. It's going to be a hot day. "Come on princess. It's time to get up." Kina tickles my foot. "Final day of exams. Then you are done completely. You never have to go back to school." I pull my feet back under the covers. "10 more minutes." "Nope. I'm going to have the servants fill the bath. Get up and pick out a dress." I throw the blankets off me. "Fine." "I figured you would be in the best mood today. School is finally over." She picks up some laundry and heads for the bathroom. I stand up and stretch. I mutter, "Yea, now I get to go be queen forever. I don't even have a king yet." She can think whatever she wants though, I am making it to the end of the year party. Even if I have to sneak out. I pick a pretty yellow dress. It's a typical floor length princess dress. Tight on top and huge on bottom. Then I grab some matching shoulder-length high gloves. That will be good for today. 7 hours later, I step into my apartment with Kailia. She's the only friend I've managed to make in the last 25 years at this school. We pull the veils off our heads and plop on the couch. "We should take a vacation now and tour the world. Maybe we can get lucky and find our mates out there somewhere. They're obviously not looking for us." "Yea, I thought for sure I would find mine during school. I was looking forward to finding my king." "He's probably older and more mature... or his mom swallowed him." We crack up laughing. "What's so funny, girls?" "Nothing, Kina." "Alickina, would you let Mayra go on a world tour with me? Maybe we can find our mates. The idiots are lost." I smile at Kina. "I have always wanted to see the floating mountains in the deep south." "They will come to you at the perfect time. You can not rush it." Kina shoves stuff in boxes. "And she won't be able to go on a world vacation from the throne." Kailia's eyes about pop out of her head. "YOU'RE TAKING THE THRONE NOW?" I can't help but laugh. "Nice job Kina." "Sorry, she asked me while I was side tracked." Kina runs into the bathroom. "Yes I am. My father is ready to be done. He's ruled for thousands of years. I think my parents figured I would find my mate while I'm here as well. But I didn't. So, I'm going to rule alone until HIS PERFECT TIME." I yell the last part down the hallway. She sits back and stares at me for a second. "Yea, you'll be fine. You're smart and strong. If you need a vacation or some help, send for me. I'll come and help you put the boys in their places." I chuckle, "Actually I'm getting crowned in 3 days, you can move in then. I'll make you an advisor." "Really?" "Yes. Everyone else at the table are old men. I need someone more in touch with reality." "Yea, I get that. So did you find out anything new about that rumor?" "The rumor that I own a spaceship, and I'm an alien? Or the rumor that I'm a normal girl pretending to be a princess?" She cracks up laughing. "The rumor about the hidden treasure being revealed to you after you graduate." "Well, nothing has been revealed yet." I rub my eyes. "None of the good rumors are ever true." "That's true. Come on. Let's go while she's packing." I jump up. We throw the veils back on as we get out of the apartment. A couple of hours later, we're half drunk, kissing boys in our class. We're all happy we're done. Nothing serious. I lean in and kiss Donovan's marking spot. He squeezes me and winks. "Want to go have some real fun?" I see Kina out of the corner of my eye. She's got her arms crossed, and she is glaring at me. "Oh I better not." I throw the veil on my head and move off his lap. I'll pretend she's not here. Kailia puts an eyebrow up, then she throws her veil on her head. "Why are we hiding? Oh." She flips around and sits super close to me. Then she pushes the drinks away from us. "This is fine." "Maybe we can sneak out of here." I peek towards the door slowly, and she's gone. "She left, maybe she didn't see us." Kailia nods at me and we turn back around. "AAAAHHHHH!" She's right in front of us. Kina points to the door. We go back to our room and go to sleep. No use arguing with Kina, she is pissed. We get up about halfway through the morning. We stagger out to the sitting area and plop down. Then we look at each other and crack up laughing. "I can't believe you kissed Donovan. You've been eyeing him for like 15 years." I wipe my eyes off. "I figured it was my last chance. At least I got to kiss the hottest guy in school once." "Your servant was pissed though. She didn't even say anything, she just pointed." Kina comes in from the hallway. "Enough girl talk. Time to get ready. I sent word to the castle, and they're expecting you at 1. And you will be veiled. Last night did not happen." I get up and head to the bathroom. "It's not my fault my king is lost, Kina. Maybe you can send him a map." Kailia stands up, "Send mine a map too please." An hour later, we're ready to go. Me and Kailia plop on the couch. -Knock Knock Knock- "Damn, we just sat down." I force myself to get up and go open the door. A man stands there in clothes I've never seen before. They are almost silky. He bows low. "Rise. How can I help you?" "I have a delivery for you." He hands me a little box. "It will always lead you home." Then he turns around and walks away. I shut the door and go back over to the couch. "What was that about?" "He said it will always lead me home." "Well, open it. Maybe it's the treasure." I roll my eyes as I open it. I pull out a silver necklace. It has a compass charm on it. I smile and show Kailia. "I wonder who sent it." "No idea. That's a weird gift. And it's supposed to point you home? Well, it's surely not pointing north. Maybe it's a treasure map. Once you get crowned we should see where it leads." "That's not a bad idea. We'll have to get away from my guards for a bit." She holds it out, "It's not pointing to your castle either. He said it will lead you home?" "Yea." "Maybe it's symbolic of something. It's not pointing to your home." "Maybe. It is pretty though." "That it is." "What have you got there?" "A necklace. A man delivered it for me. He said it would always lead me home." Kina takes it. "Oh, a little compass. That's cute. I wonder what it's pointing to?" "We have no idea." I give Kina the box and necklace. "Can you keep it safe please? I would like to look at it more when I have more time. It's a beautiful gift. Obviously symbolizing something." "Of course. I'll carry it back to the castle myself. I have a few more things to do before I head back." "Thank you, Kina." Kailia gives me a hug. "I'll come in 3 days. I want to see your crowning ceremony. I can't wait. You're going to be the perfect queen." "Well, I doubt that's possible. But I mean what I said, I do want you to stay with me as my advisor. All those old men are going to make me crazy." "Do they have mates? Maybe my mate is 1 of them." "They're very boring. I don't think you'd want them. But I'm sure we'll meet lots and lots of sexy princes." She jumps up and down. "I'm kissing the first 1." "Hey, I'm the queen. I get first choice." "No, you'll kiss them all." We laugh and Kina comes in. "Enough girl talk. You'll see each other in 3 days. Mayra, you're free to teleport any time." I give Kailia a big hug. "See you soon. Don't forget please." "I could never forget. I'll see you soon Vampire Queen Kehlani Mayra Sarris. We have lots of princes to meet." "Yes we do." I giggle and throw the veil over my head. Then I concentrate on my stuffed doll. I open my eyes and it's so dark. That's not right. Everything is black. "You finally made it." I flip around and come face to face with my brother. "What is??? AAAAAHHHHHH!" Something goes right through my stomach. "So happy to see you. My perfect sister." He spews every word with hate. I try to shove my nails into his eyes. "No." He grabs my arm and breaks it. "Is that any way to treat your brother?" He swings a sword at me and cuts through my arm and leg. "STOP PLEASE." I throw myself on the ground and reach for anything I can use as a weapon. He pulls me back up by my hair. Then he punches me in the face. "You are so weak. Why they would ever choose you to rule, I will never figure out." He stabs a dagger into my side. Then he rips it out and does it again. "HELP. HELP." "Nobody can hear you in here. Scream as loud as you want." He backhands me across the face and I feel a couple of my teeth get knocked out. A whip cracks across my back. "AAAAHHHHH!" "Get on your knees, whore." I try to run, and the whip hits me again. My stumble and fall. I hear a man laughing that's not my brother. "That got her down." My brother steps in front of me and pulls me up to my knees. "Open your mouth sister." "No. Please Fane. What are you doing?" "OPEN YOUR MOUTH." He pries my jaw apart and shoves his hand in. All I can do is cry. The whip hits me again as my brother puts something in my throat. It seems like a metal piece of some kind. I don't know what it was. He rips his hand out of my mouth and grabs my jaw. "No one will ever find you. Today you die and when I find your mate, he'll die too." He backhands me again. Then he shoves me to the ground. I can't scream anymore. I can't even pick myself up off the ground. "You're f*****g pathetic and worthless." Something slices my arms and legs. Then I feel the whip land across my face. I open my eyes for the last time. Fane is swinging a big rock at my head. -Blackness-