This Is My Kingdom Come by Megan Rees (red white and royal blue hardcover txt) 📕

A slick-haired seventeen year old boy sitting opposite Imogen glanced at his watch, frowning. “It’s five o’clock. Myra should have been back with our fish and chips by now. Do you think she’s all right?”

“Myra’s quite capable of looking after herself,” Imogen assured him. “She wouldn’t want you fretting about her, Zed.”

“I know,” Zed sighed, swinging back on his chair so it balanced unsteadily on two legs. “It’s just with all this going on. If people are capable of kidnapping Purebloods and shooting our leader, then Myra is at potential risk. I’m worried she’s done something stupid and is now slowly bleeding out in an alleyway somewhere.”

“She’ll be fine!” a long-limbed girl with freckles groaned, clearly tired from listening to Zed worrying about his sister. “Myra is stronger than you think! Just be quiet in case Celeste wakes up – she wouldn’t want to wake up to bickering!”

Imogen nearly laughed. “You’re picking a fight right now, Georgie. Zed was completely calm.”

Georgie just narrowed her pale brown eyes and focused her attention on Celeste, who looked more like she was sleeping rather than unconscious thanks to her rather messy hair. Imogen had this thought that if she tried to sort it out, the wavy haired teenager would wake up and make some teasing comment of how her comrades were just sitting around doing nothing.

A knock at the door startled Imogen, making her straighten up in case it was Will or Nigel. “Come in.”

Cassie plodded in softly, her gentle blue gaze resting on the gathering of werewolves. Her face was hopeful, but there was a slither of concern creeping up on her to shadow her current expression. “Still no change, I take it?”

A small boy with wide brown eyes, ginger curls and a wiry figure shook his head. “Nothing.”

“I see,” Cassie was now definitely showing concern for the teenager she’d known for so many years. “Anyway, the group going to break out the child tonight aren’t so familiar with the mythical business of London, so I was wondering if any of you knew enough about the Pureblood gangs to show them on their way.”

“I want to stay with Celeste.” Georgie replied firmly.

“It’ll only be a few hours. Celeste is perfectly safe here,” Cassie assured her. “You’ll be doing her cousin, my son and their friends a huge favour if you help them.”

Imogen glanced up at Cassie and leaned forward, interested in the idea. “If these people shot her, then I’ll be more than happy to offer my assistance. Who do they need to find?”

“A group who go by the name of The Silhouettes. They’re a group of Purebloods-”

“I’m sorry, but are you trying to tell us that they willingly kidnapped one of their own?” Georgie interrupted, narrowing her cloudy grey eyes. Imogen had always thought her eyes were pretty, but had never said this to her face. The sixteen year old was like a thunderstorm; you could never predict what she’d do next.

Cassie closed her eyes, sighing. “Without knowing their motives, we don’t know why they took Cody. He may be Pureblood like them, but he’s so young.”

“I know about them,” the young boy piped up. “They’re based about fifteen minutes from here at normal walking speed.”

Zed stared at him in horror. “Like we’re going to let a werewolf cub go on a life-threatening mission! You’re twelve!” he cried.

“If Teddy knows enough about them, then I’m willing to accompany him to keep him safe. I lived on the streets for five years, so I know my way around here,” Imogen offered. “You and Georgie can stay here and wait for Myra. Just don’t eat our chips while we’re gone.”

Cassie looked a little nervous. “Can you both control the wolf?” she asked.

“Teddy’s a little iffy now and then, but I haven’t got too many issues.” Imogen told her reassuringly.

“Then it’s settled. If you both want to come with me, then I’ll take you to meet the Purebloods. Some of them are a little feisty, but I think you’ll get along with them without too much trouble.”

Saying a quick goodbye to her friends, Imogen stood up and followed Cassie’s beckoning hand out, Teddy not far behind.

~

“Sierra? Are you awake?”

No response came from her room, so Leon presumed she was asleep or not talking to him. He had been asked by Nigel to take up a drink which would keep her calm and hopefully reveal the location of The Silhouettes. As none of the adults had known in the first place that the gang had come to London, Sierra was possibly the only chance they had of finding Cody and avenging Celeste if she truly was going to die. Her leg definitely wouldn’t be the same again, but there was a chance that she wouldn’t survive because she’d lost so much blood.

Turning the shining silver key in the lock, Leon lightly kicked the door open with his foot and stepped in, his brown gaze resting on Sierra. She was sprawled out on the floor with a peaceful look on her usually stony face, a blood-stained knife in her hand.

There was blood on the knife.

Almost dropping the glass of juice, Leon crouched beside the older girl, giving her shoulder a fierce shake. “Stop playing me around, Sierra.” he ordered sharply, though he could hear the shakiness of his voice.

No response.

“So help me, I’ll bang pans over your head if necessary. Just wake up!”

Silence.

“Sierra!”

Only an echo of his cry followed.

With his heart running a marathon, Leon lifted her hood to reveal out-of-control curly brown hair. There was clearly no damage to her face or head, so Leon was left to wonder what had happened until he had a daunting idea cross his mind.

He gently pulled the sleeves of her black cloak down, but leapt back once feeling a wave of nausea over him as he looked at her wrists.

They were covered with deep cuts. New ones at that, with blood trickling down still despite the fact she had passed. Leon couldn’t believe his eyes. He heard a ringing noise in his ears rather than the silence which had been with him since he’d entered the room, taking slow breaths.

He’d been responsible for the suicide of a girl only a year older than him.

When Cassie returned a little later, she’d brought two rather youthful-looking people back: a tall girl with mousey brown hair tied back in a high ponytail with a burgundy bow and darker brown eyes as well as a bird-like boy with ginger curls and large brown eyes. Both bore a few scars in various places.

“Luna only asked for one werewolf. Why bring two?” Oscar inquired, tilting his head to the side. He wasn’t intending to be rude, but he knew he had phrased it wrong when the girl gave him a cold look. “Do you seriously think I’d let a twelve year old take you to such a dangerous place by himself? One of the girls who were with us appears to have disappeared and she’s seventeen.”

Cassie ignored the comments. “These two are Imogen and Teddy. They’ve kindly stopped keeping a vigil over Cece to help you, so be polite and grateful for their assistance.”

“Oscar wasn’t included on the shortlist.” Atlas pointed out sourly.

“I think you’ll need his experience from growing up in a Kingdom. They begin training early, so he’ll know more than most of you.” Cassie responded calmly, naturally keeping the peace. Oscar had found it fascinating that a strong woman like her had such patience with even the hardest of people.

Adele then came into the living room, her good blue eye troubled. “Has anyone seen Luna? Leon’s in a complete state and I think it would be best if she had a word with him.” she said anxiously, biting her lip.

Oscar pointed one finger to the ceiling. “She’s talking with Ash upstairs,” he informed her. “He looked really bad before I came down, so she went to speak to him.”

The blonde girl frowned. “She must have heard me talking to Leon. We were only down the corridor from Ash’s room – Leon was nearly crying, it was awful-”

“Hold your horses; Leon was crying?” Cassie cut her off, looking worried also now. “He’s as hard as nails. He doesn’t cry.”

“I think even the hardest of people would cry if they discovered someone committed suicide because they’d brought them somewhere.” Adele replied bluntly.

Oscar sat up, flicking his honey brown hair from his eyes. “Wait, the prisoner’s dead? Her group are going to think we killed her!”

“If they want evidence, they can very happily ask me to walk through Leon’s memories,” Adele spat angrily. “I won’t have a problem with that.”

Atlas looked a little concerned himself now. “The quicker we go, the quicker we can relay a plan to get this sorted. Adele, you can go and bring Leon down and try to hurry Luna along. Imogen and Teddy, you two can wait outside with Oscar. I need to get a few weapons; you’ll all need them too.”

“I have a couple of ninja stars and two long daggers. I won’t need anything, but thank you for the offer.” Oscar told him, but then remembered that he was a better shooter rather than single combat. He had left his bow and arrows in his room while fleeing the palace after Stefan set the Demon on him.

The black haired boy nodded quickly, hot-footing it upstairs and leaving Oscar with the werewolves to head outside. Imogen was using a strange metal rectangular device and jabbing her thumbs into it hastily, chewing her lip. The Prince gave her a curious glance, leaning against the letterbox attached to the wall. “What is that thing?” he asked.

“It’s a phone. Normals use it to stay in contact with their friends and family,” Imogen explained, not breaking her dark brown gaze away from the mysterious object. “I’m just sending a message to my friend Myra to let her know where we are. She’s out getting food for us, but she’s taking a while.”

“I’m sure she’s fine,” Oscar assured her. “Werewolves are pretty strong in comparison to most species.”

“Don’t try to pity us. We don’t need it.” Imogen snapped, putting the phone in her coat pocket and sitting on a step next to Teddy. Oscar just let out a soft sigh. I’ve never been in a place where so many people hate me. How can I expect their assistance if they can’t even get along with me? It feels like everything I say is wrong or offensive. Oh, if only Evelyn was here to help me out…

Adele opened the door and gently pushed Leon out, her pale hand resting on his left shoulder. Oscar turned his attention to them immediately and away from his own troubles. “Is Ash okay now?” he asked quietly.

“Yes,” Adele answered simply, keeping her worried gaze on Leon. “I did catch something rather sweet he said, but I won’t share because I don’t think he intended for anyone else but Luna to hear.”

“I didn’t think they’d have sweetness in their relationship. Ash seems rather stubborn and harsh