Minx

Minx

Gabriela poured over the maps once more. Her spectacles drooped over her nose, but she didn’t push them back as her attention was solely on the plans before her. Naru walked up behind her, holding a tarnished goblet in one hand and a loaf of sweet bread in the other. Minx clocked his hesitation as he stood a mere foot behind the little Maiden, his courage waning while he watched her with the same intensity as she was studying the maps.

When it became apparent the Hunter was about to turn and walk away, Minx called out. “Did you need something, Naru?” She asked sweetly. He froze as Gabriela glanced up from her maps to him.

“I just- I wanted to make sure you ate something.” He said, thrusting the food and drink at Gabriela.

Gabriela blinked at the offerings, her face contorted in confusion. They stood like that for a ridiculous amount of time. Minx had to hold in her laughter- she’d never seen two people more awkward than them at that moment.

“Maybe take it and thank him?” She said. Gabriela moved with a jolt as if Minx had poked her with a stick and took the goblet and bread.

“Th-thank you,” she stuttered out, a blush creeping over her cheeks.

Naru nodded, then took a step back from the table. “At your service,” he said, grinning as he gave her a bow. Gabriela’s eyes widened behind her spectacles, but she said nothing as he continued to back out of the room.

“Hopeless.” Alec snorted from her side. Minx threw an elbow into his side, gently, but hard enough that it wiped the stupid grin from his face.

“Leave them alone,” she hissed.

“Someone should,” he protested. “Then maybe the Hunter would make a move and we’d all be spared this awkwardness.”

“I thought he liked the other Maiden- the one that can eat an entire cake?” Elinar said from her other side. Minx twisted around in her chair, holding back her laughter.

“I think that ship has sailed,” Minx said, watching as Elinar’s delicate brows rose in confusion. “Sage likes the Demon.” She explained.

Elinar’s eyes shifted from her to Alec. “So the Hunter is moving on to the next Maiden?” She asked flatly.

“I think it’s more nuanced than that,” Minx said softly. “Since we came here, they have spent a lot of time together since the rest of us have been so busy.”

“Hm,” Elinar hummed thoughtfully, “Humans are strange. Elves have mates chosen for us by our Elder. Compared to this, our way seems much more simple.”

“Simple, maybe, but then you have no choice in the matter. I would much rather have the freedom to pick the person I give my heart to.” Alec said, his eyes sliding to Minx.

She felt her cheeks heat under his eyes, causing her to turn back in her chair to hide her face from him. She turned her mind blank, hoping he couldn’t read her thoughts.

“No word yet?” Rhea asked as she entered the war room.

Minx shook her head, holding up the tiny walkie-talkie bud she’d created. “Sage hasn’t said anything yet, which is a good thing. She’s really only supposed to use it if something goes wrong.”

Rhea nodded, her tiny braids swaying as she adjusted her pirate hat. “Well, whenever they return, we are ready- are we not?” She asked Gabriela.

Gabriela was picking at the sweet bread while studying the maps. She looked up and nodded quickly. “Minx and Rhea will take this section of the city, while Sage and Wraza will handle it here.” She pointed to the west and south parts of the city. The east had already been handled by them- it housed the manor by the sea.

“That leaves the north to the rest of us,” Gabriela said. “It’s a small stronghold, so it shouldn’t need two Maidens.”

Minx nodded. “Alec and Elinar will go with you, as well as Kade and Naru.”

“And the prisoners we take?” Rhea asked.

Minx glanced from her to Gabriela, but before she could answer, the air cracked with magic. Kade appeared behind Gabriela looking unamused.

“Where-” Minx started, but stopped when Sage collapsed onto the table. She rolled over and noticed the sweet bread Gabriela had.

“Can I have some?” Sage asked. Gabriela gaped at her but pushed the bread towards her.

“This is why you don’t let go. When will you learn?” Kade asked, shaking his head.

“At least I didn’t break it this time.” She grumbled, munching on the bread. “I smelled this and couldn’t resist.” Sage rolled off the table, bouncing to her feet.

“How did it go?” Minx asked carefully.

“About what you’d expect,” Kade answered.

“I didn’t blow anything up, if that’s what you mean,” Sage said. “I blasted the Hands that entered the city into the desert, and then we left. But,” she gave Minx a sad look, “I am pretty sure they are going to burn your tree down with the Fae poop.”

“Fae Fyre,” Wraza corrected, but Sage ignored her.

Minx held back a sigh. She knew there was a chance they would try to destroy what she created, but it was a risk she was willing to take. Besides, it gave them more of a reason to remain distracted and to stay in Veer while they freed the cities.

“What’s next?” Sage asked.

Gabriela pointed to the map. “We need to move now and take this city.”

Sage chewed on the bread as she leaned over the map. “You really think this is going to work?” She asked.

Gabriela stiffened but nodded. Sage must have noticed- she stood up and smiled down at her. “I don’t doubt you, Gabriela- you’ve proven yourself time and again these past weeks. I only meant, are you sure Supreme Capricorn will make the trip down to the other city? He could just send the Hands, and we’d have to pivot from there.”

Gabriela chewed her lip but nodded again. “He’s not going to take the loss of the mine well. Not to mention knowing my involvement with the palace.”

In a matter of hours after the destruction of the palace, Rhea’s spy network was reporting rumblings about it. Rumor was Maidens had been involved- one in particular with the power to harness the sky and wind. They’d known then it was only a matter of time before word got back to Supreme Capricorn- and there was only one Maiden with that kind of power, so he would know it was his daughter immediately.

“Besides all that, I think he would come here just to get you back,” Minx said.

“Right. Imagine if it got out that his daughter was a Maiden.” Sage smirked.

The table fell silent for a moment as the possibility sank in.

“Do you think-” Minx started but faltered when she saw how pale Gabriela had become. But Wraza had no qualms about it.

She finished the thought for them all. “We should get the word out that she is.”

Sage looked between them, waiting for Gabriela to say something. When she didn’t, Sage spoke up. “It could help, but also hurt us. If everyone knows she’s his daughter, don’t you think he’d change his mind and stay behind?”

“No,” Gabriela spoke, at last, her tone hollow and meek. “It would guarantee he’d show up, but only to burn me in public. He would use it as some twisted example of his devotion to the Goddess.”

Sage and Minx shared a knowing look. They understood intimately having parents who would sacrifice their children for the chance to gain power.

“We wouldn’t ask that of you,” Sage said quietly.

“Yes, we would.” Wraza retorted, earning herself heated glares from the entire table. Even Rhea cut her a look, but Wraza ignored her and instead set her steely gaze on Gabriela.

“We would because we have all lived through it in some way or another. That’s not to say we expect you to do the same just so we’re all evenly fucked when it comes to family- but if we can all live through it, so can you.” Wraza said.

“That doesn’t mean she has to! She just said he’s going to come with or without everyone knowing who she is.” Minx pointed out.

“Sure, but he can still have the advantage over us. If he captures her and does what she says, we hold the advantage.” Wraza explained, her eyes burning with intensity as she spoke. Minx could see the gears shifting in her mind to everyone’s horror.

“Wait, no one said we’d let him capture her!” Sage snapped back, dropping the bread on the table. Minx stood up straighter- Sage would only leave food behind for one thing- rage.

Her friend stepped closer to Wraza, her entire body practically vibrating with anger at the thought of handing Gabriela over to her monster of a father. Minx didn’t need Alec to tell her what was on Sage’s mind- by the look on Kade’s face and how he moved to be behind Sage, they could all see she was clearly reliving the horrors Seraphina had put her through when they tried to sacrifice her.

There was no way in hell Sage would let someone willingly walk into that nightmare.

“Nothing will happen to her.” Wraza growled, “Nothing she can’t handle. He wouldn’t kill her outright- not when he can use her death as a public spectacle.”

Sage’s hands clenched into fists, a purple haze rolling over them as she tapped into her gift.

“No,” she growled. “We aren’t giving her to that monster.”

Wraza surprised them all by smirking and sitting back in her chair. Minx had half expected her to blow up right next to Sage- she’d been prepared to throw a tree between them.

“It’s not up to you, Blackwood. I think it’s the best idea we have, and if we don’t do it, we’re all idiots doomed to fail. But it’s not up to me.” She jutted her chin towards Gabriela, her shark tooth earring swaying as she said, “It’s up to her.”

All eyes moved to Gabriela, who had shrunk so far into her chair that she nearly slipped off it. Minx tried to offer her an encouraging smile, but she would not look up from the maps.

After what seemed like an eternity, she mumbled something only the Demons and Elinar could hear.

“What?” Sage asked.

“She said she’ll do it,” Kade replied gruffly.