Do Your Worst

I smiled at the girl sitting across from me, smiling sweetly at me in her summer dress. “You look amazing.” I said softly, sitting beside her, unable to keep my eyes off her lips.

Astria giggled softly, leaning forward a little as if to press our lips together, stopping short before pulling back. “I shouldn’t.” She whispered, peeking down at my hands that wrapped around hers before letting my eyes trail to her lips.

I leaned in a little, looking down, and our lips merely an inch apart before I saw something shiny glinting around her neck.

“What’s that?” I asked, pulling back instantly, recognizing the intricately created necklace chain and knowing exactly what it was.

I picked it up in my fingers, pulling it from her neck, seeing the charm that was given to Xantis when he started at out academy.

Feeling a sinking feeling in my stomach, I stood abruptly and took a few steps back, holding the charm away from me, not quite believing what I was seeing.

Astria was shaking her head defensively, protesting but I could tell by the look in her eyes that she knew exactly what it was.

“Oh my…” I looked down at the charm then back up at the girl, “Bravo and Xantis were right about you weren’t they?” I asked, shaking my head and walking back further away from her as she followed me.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” She said, but her voice was far too guarded for my liking.

“You know exactly what I’m talking about.” I spat out.

I looked down to the necklace then back to her, seeing that she was…changing into something, someone else. As I watched, Astria was no longer a cute little girl in a summer dress. She was a boy, about the same height as her original form with much shorter hair.

I gasped and stepped back, realizing just how fooled I really had been.

The boy growled at me, his words harsh, “if you had just kissed me, you could have become such a beautiful puppet. Who would have thought that sweet little Castiel would murder his brothers and be a controlled king?” He laughed, “Unfortunately, I’ll just have to kill you. Such a pity, I was wondering how those beautiful lips would taste.” His voice was soft as he crouched a little, ready to jump at a still-in-shock me.

I saw his movements begin just as I saw Bravo cast a spell, the now-male Astria flying back and barely catching his footing, snarling at Bravo and I with vampire fangs.

“Astria’s a shifter.” I hissed, letting Bravo know as he stepped in front of me.

“I was only looking for your help to find something, but I see we have more urgent matters to attend to.” He kissed my forehead, noticing that I was still frozen where I was standing as Astria climbed to his feet. “I’ll take care of this.” Bravo smiled at me sweetly, turning and facing the shape shifter. “You reed of evil intent.” He spoke to it, his fingers already dancing around one another, drawing the shape for the spell that he knew would bind the male that I almost kissed.

Astria darted forward, about to knock Bravo’s hand out of the way when I stepped behind him, wrapping my arms around my brother’s waist in a protection spell I learned when I first learned about magic.

I chanted the singular word over and over again, while Bravo encouraged me. “Just a moment longer.” He said and I felt Astria trying to claw his way through the tight barrier I had around the two of us.

I bit my lip, tasting blood as I concentrated on the spell, feeling Bravo building up power. Before I knew it, the power went off like a gun, sending Astria flying back as I looked up.

The recoil threw Astria’s head back into the wall, the door shaking upon impact.

Quick as lightening, Bravo had cast another spell, this one a binding spell to keep the shape shifter in his place. “I’ll never let you harm my brother.” He said harshly to the boy, palace guards already at the scene, having detected the evil magic that Astria was using.

The creature screamed curses as he was dragged away, and I didn’t let go of my brother until long after his cries were no longer audible to us. “Are you okay Princes?” Two medical guards asked, Bravo nodding and speaking to them softly, handing them the gold necklace.

I final came back to my senses once they were gone. “Where did you send them with the amulet?” I asked softly, sitting down on the bench that I almost kissed a male on.

“To Xantis. I can only imagine that she-er..he stole it from him. He got hurt because of it.” He murmured softly and my eyes widened.

“Was he hurt badly?” I asked, unable to hold the question in.

Bravo shrugged, “not too bad, but it was made worse by the fact that he didn’t have the necklace. Now that it is with him, I’m sure he’ll be back to his usual self in no time.” He explained and I signed, looking at the ground, my face in my hands.

“It was all my fault. I didn’t listen to what the two of you said to her and because of that now he’s hurt.” I mumbled, not sure if I wanted Bravo to hear what I was saying.

“Don’t say that.” He said, sitting down beside me and rubbing my shoulder comfortingly. Don’t ever think that. It’s also because of you that he has the amulet, alright?” He said softly. “Why don’t I take you to your room and let you have some sleep and when you wake up, you can go and see how Xantis is doing, sound good?” He asked. I knew he was treating me like a scared child, but honestly, I didn’t mind. It helped soothe me and remind me of all the times he would hold me when I wasn’t feeling well when we were younger.