The Kingdom of Skies by Mary Claire Garcia (free novels txt) 📕

An old wizard looked up to the skies from his tower. The skies suddenly darkened and rain fell throughout the kingdom. The strong wind blew the flags of the kingdom. The symbol of the mystical kingdom, beautiful golden wings, sewn to the flag placed on the highest tower was beautifully illuminated by the flashes of lightning.
“Old friend Merlin, what is it that troubles you?” a voice said.
The old wizard turned his head slowly to the speaker. He knew who it was even without turning yet he still did. A spirit who was dressed like a king stood by his side. But in fact, he was technically floating.
“Arthur, war is coming here to these lands again. We must find the new queen and king before the darkness kill our people,” Merlin said in a sad voice.
“You still feel her?” Arthur asked.
“Sadly, yes. I know that she is near our skies again. The black magick she had dabbed in had consumed her fully but our link had not disappeared with her heart and even I do not know the reason,” Merlin said with distant eyes.
“Maybe this time someone will kill her darkness,” Arthur said wistfully.
“I truly thought sweet Astrea would be able to do it,” Merlin said with grief in his voice.
“She was like a daughter to you, isn’t she?” Arthur said.
“
“Last time was too much of a tragedy. I hope the new queen won’t suffer the same consequences,” Arthur answered.
“Queen Astrea refused to dwell in the power of black magick. She was too much of an angel. But sometimes you have to fight off darkness with darkness,” Merlin said bitterly.
The old wizard’s eyes travelled out to the land. Queen Astrea’s death was the most painful for him. She was like a daughter to him. His hands clenched into a fist. She had used her soul to produce the most exquisite and the most powerful white magick to fight off the darkness that threatened to destroy the Kingdom of Skies. It was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. She was not able to go back to her own world because of her death.
“What happened to her lover?” Arthur asked.
“The young man stayed behind. He didn’t want to leave without her he said. He didn’t care about the throne either and no one’s heard of him since then,” Merlin replied.
“So have you found the new queen already?”
“No, not yet. But I feel it will be tonight. Once her power grants her strongest desire, we will know who she is”
“I wonder what kind of wish will our new queen make,” Arthur chuckled.
Merlin smiled of the memory.
“Astrea wished for wings,” he whispered as he looked at the flag being illuminated by the flashes of lightning in the darkness.
 

I could not take it anymore. They were fighting once again. I bit my lips and focused on blocking them out. My room could not keep me ignorant from the ugliness going on in our house. I pulled the covers over my head and hugged my pillow tightly. Lou. I needed him. But my cell phone was in Ma’s bag and if I get caught texting I would be in great trouble. So much drama. If only I could go to Lou. Lou Dellfy was my boyfriend. No, he disliked that term. Lou was my lover.
I closed my eyes. I wondered why they even got together if they would be fighting always. My parents fought for the most trivial things. I heard Ma screaming. Glasses being shattered. I smiled ironically. What would be morning like tomorrow? I laughed as tears streamed down my cheeks. I knew I was not the only one with a family like this. It was worse for others but still it hurt to experience it over and over again. I hoped someday I would get used to it.
I remembered my shared fantasy with Lou. If only I could turn into a magical cat and slip into his room during night time. I was always fond of cats and yes, I think it would be nice if I could fall asleep in his arms right now. I needed him. I hugged myself as I heard the fight getting worse outside the confines of my room. I smiled sadly. My wish was only a far-off fantasy.
“Not true at all, child,”
I opened my eyes. I was above the cities. Very high above the cities. I screamed. I screamed “no” in Japanese which sounded like “Eeeeeeeyaaaaaahhhhhh!!!” I heard laughter beside me.
“This is a first. All the previous queens loved the view here. Astrea would have laughed her head off if she had seen you, child. But don’t worry you won’t fall off so easily here just as long you don’t lose your head again,” an old man beside me explained between fits of laughter.
I was sitting on a thin chair floating above the cities. I caught a glimpse of an airplane nearby. Oh god. I could never handle heights. Especially ones like these where my seat didn’t even have a seat belt. There was a floating table in front of me and the old man who was sitting on a floating chair too.
“I can’t do this. Please do something,” I begged close to tears.
My eyes widened as a tea set suddenly materialized on the floating table. Hell. I never liked the adventures of Alice in Wonderland. I was still wearing my pyjamas and I had no intention at all to have tea with an old Mad Hatter above the skies.
“Then where would you like to talk, child?” the old man asked.
“Land,” I pleaded in a whisper.
“Yes, my queen,” he smiled.
Brilliant blue lights surrounded us. Was I going to fall? I closed my eyes and prepared myself.
“You can open them now”
I opened my eyes. I felt soft grass beneath my feet. We were in the woods. Then I noticed the clothes of the old man. He looked like he came from an era centuries ago. He even looked like a wizard. No, an alchemist.
“Is this…a dream?” I asked.
“To be honest, this is all quite true, child,” he answered.
“What is?” I asked carefully.
He raised his hand and golden butterflies suddenly came out. Their glow brightened the darkness of the woods. It was still night, after all.
“Arthur, bring your friends with you,” he called out to someone in the shadows.
A faint blue light came closer and closer to us. Then I saw them. Hundreds and thousands of spirits were being led by a male spirit who was dressed like a king. My mouth opened in awe. They were beautiful to look at.
“You do not fear them, my queen?” the old man asked.
I smiled wistfully at the army of spirits in front of me and shook my head. I turned to him.
“No, I do not fear them. But I want to have answers. Why have you brought me here? Why do you keep calling me your queen?” I asked.
I had even left out the part about floating above the skies and the glowing butterflies.
“Child, you are the queen of our kingdom. The Kingdom of Skies is yours and tomorrow night you will be seated on the throne rightfully yours,” he explained.
Then blue mist surrounded me once again. I tried to struggle.
“Wait! Who are you?” I screamed.
The old man’s crinkly eyes smiled sadly.
“Merlin, child. My name is Merlin and these spirits can be your army if you wish,” he said.
My army? Was there going to be a war? Then my consciousness left me and I felt myself disappear with the darkness.
 

I turned off the computer. Tiffa would surely scold me if she knew I slept late again from playing God of War. I smiled. I missed her voice. It was Christmas vacation and I could not even visit her. If only her Dad would just let his daughter go out with her lover. I looked at my cell phone and opened my inbox.
Tiffa: Prob here in home. Mom told me to sleep now. Good night. Sweet dreams. Love you! :*
Me: It’s going to be fine. Good night. Love you too:*
There was no reply after that. I got my guitar and lay on my bed. I hoped I could dream of us again.
“Meow”
I sat upright. Beside me was a cat I have never seen before. Its body was pure white. There was something wrong with it besides its sudden appearance in my room. Then I noticed its eyes. They were brown. I have never seen a cat with brown eyes. I jumped and prepared to strike the cat intruder with my pillow. A ridiculous and pathetic weapon but desperate times call for desperate measures. Then the cat slowly walked towards me. Oh hell. We do have cats in our house but only my siblings liked them. Then the cat shimmered. Yeah, really shimmered. I was not seeing things. The cat had transformed to Tiffa.
“Tiffa?” I asked in a whisper.
She looked stunned as I was. She was wearing pink pyjamas and a long T-shirt. She looked dishevelled and vulnerable.
“Lou…,” she said slowly.
“I need to sleep now. Must be those games,” I mumbled.
She suddenly held my hands. She felt real. Hell, she looked real!
“I…wished to come here in the form of a cat and I thought I went to sleep. Then an old man named Merlin kidnapped me and I was floating above the skies! Then he brought me to the woods and some blue spirits emerged, Lou! I’m not kidding! Oh, Lou I don’t even knows how to tell you everything that happened!” she babbled in a whisper.
I tipped her chin and touched her lips. She looked at my eyes. Yes, we had talked about this before. But the freaky magic could wait for now. She licked her lips. We’ll talk about it later. Maybe. She hugged me and pressed her body to mine. She felt so