6:59 (40 page)

Cam

I woke up to the sound of Apsen singing along loudly to the pop song on the radio. His voice was loud and rickety and incredibly annoying. But somehow, nobody else around seemed bothered by it.

I was slightly disoriented. We were zooming down the highway but I had no clue where we were going. And why was stupid
Anjolie
sitting on my lap?

“Hey, get off me!” I groaned, jamming my hands into her back and shoving her off of me.

Startled by my sudden outburst, she tumbled to the floor beneath me, struggling to catch her breath from my forceful blow. This got everyone's attention.

“Oh, Cam!” Olive cried, jumping over to me and circling her arms around my neck. “You're here!” She began to cover me with kisses, her soft hands tangling into my hair and caressing my neck. It felt good.
She
felt good. I returned her kisses hungrily.

“
Oh, Cam! You're here!
” Aspen cooed, mimicking Olive's tiny voice. “No, duh, he's here. It's seven o'clock!” His voice dripped with sarcasm.

I shot him my death glare, but for the first time in many years, Aspen wasn't spooked, he just rolled his eyes. “Your little scary stares don't freak me out anymore, bud,” he said, ruffling my hair. “After that fight back there, I think I could slap the devil without wetting my pants.”

Harper burst out laughing at her brother's joke, her silver eyes dancing with amusement.

Fight? What fight? Looking around at everyone, I was met with frazzled, beat-up faces, staring me down with tired expressions.

“What
happened
to you guys?” I asked, watching Anjolie grip her bloody stomach as she struggled to pull herself up from the ground and onto a seat. Apart from me, only Hudson still looked like a vision of beauty, yet her frantic panting and wild eyes indicated that she was as exhausted as everyone else.

“Oh, my, so much happened while you were gone,” Olive said, snuggling into my still-warm lap. “It was so crazy! It sucks that you missed it!”

“What do you mean crazy? What happened?” I was beginning to panic now.

Aspen slammed a hand onto my shoulder. “Well, big guy, some crap happened and we survived it. That's all that matters, 'kay?” he teased, snickering under his breath.

I rolled my eyes and shoved him away. “Can someone with a higher IQ please tell me what really happened?” I asked, looking around at everyone else. Aspen flicked my ear in defense.

But Armando was too busy smiling and kissing and whispering to Hudson, and Hudson was still totally freaked out, and Anjolie was just staring out the window, breathing heavily as she grasped her stomach. I silently hoped she was okay, regretting shoving her earlier.

“Ooh! I'm a great storyteller!” Harper offered, clapping her hands together excitedly. I spun around to her in order to catch everything.

“So… Cameron and Olive were in the park when Pedro and his men caught up to them and then captured Cameron. Olive went to get Anjolie and Hudson and Armando followed after them. Anjolie called us and we all arrived at the park. Anjolie went to go fight and Armando followed and I decided to take Olive in to fight with us. Aspen went to grab a burger and a few beers.” She glared at Aspen, who shrugged, before continuing her story. “So then we all were in there fighting, and then Olive got Cameron out of the chains and then they began rounding everyone up. We all started running out of there, away from Pedro's men, but there were a zillion of them and they were hard to shake.” She paused and smiled proudly at Hudson. “Fortunately our queen drove this huge car over to us, running over most of Pedro's men and clearing the path for us. We quickly hopped into the car and
zoom
we were out of there!” she finished, clapping her hands again. She was perpetually happy.

I nodded, soaking this all up. Wow, stuff really did happen, and they survived it. Even Olive.

Even Cameron.

I was so surprised that the guy could hold his own so well. Noting the blood stains all over my jeans and shirt, I could tell he didn't go unscathed either. But he still survived it. Maybe he was stronger than I thought he was.

“Oh, and Anjolie shot Pedro!” Harper added in.

Silence engulfed the car as everyone anticipated my next move.

My eyes bulged as I glared at Anjolie. “Well, thanks a lot,
Anjolie
!” I cried, fire in my eyes. “You knew how much I wanted to kill Pedro! I've been waiting for this day since I was thirteen! And there you go, ruining everything—”

Anjolie's eyes weren't open. Her hand was limp on her stomach.

She wasn't breathing.

“Anjolie?” I squeaked, my eyes furrowing with concern. I reached out and shoved her shoulder. She slid to the side and slammed against the window from my shove, lying there like a rag doll.

“Oh my goodness! Is she dead?” Hudson cried out, gazing at her through the rearview mirror. Her hands clutched the wheel with fright as she struggled to keep the car steady.

Aspen leaned over and felt her neck. No one said anything as he did this.
Please don't be dead, Anjolie
, I prayed to myself. We've come this far not just to lose someone at the end of the battle. I swallowed sharply as I noticed that her skin was turning a sickly blue, and the brightness of her silvery locks was dimming. She couldn't be dead. She just couldn't.

“Well, Aspen? Do you feel a pulse?” I asked, my patience completely gone now.

Aspen looked over at us, his eyes wide. “Wait, how do you feel for a pulse?” he asked.

Angrily, I quickly shoved him away and grabbed up Anjolie's tiny wrist, pressing my two fingers into her veins.

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

“Uh, guys?” I whispered, my voice wavering a little. My heart was racing faster than anything in this world.

“WHAT? IS SHE DEAD?” Hudson cried out again, swerving the car a little due to her increased panic mode.

I nodded slowly, swallowing back a lump in my throat as my eyes began to sting. “Yeah,” I finally answered. “I think she… I think she…” I was losing it. I couldn't think straight. The world around me began to fade.

“Cam?” Olive's voice was a blur in my mind as I struggled to grasp onto reality. Anjolie couldn't be dead. That's impossible. This had to be impossible.

My hands shook as I placed my hand on the gash on her stomach. The warm blood continued to seep through her shirt and onto my fingers. There was so much blood. So much blood…

“Cam!”

“What are you doing?”

“Should I take her to the hospital!?”

“No, Hudson! She's
dead
!”

The voices around my head blended together as I fell onto her chest, trying to steady my shallow breathing. Finally I was able to mutter, “Take everyone home, Hudson. And then you and I are taking Anjolie to your father.”

Cam

Hudson gazed at the crystalline castle, blinking slowly. “I can't… I can't believe
this
could be mine someday!” A faint smile spread across her lips but disappeared quickly as she focused on the limo driver. “Um…
gracias
,
se
ñ
or
,
por
… um…
el carro
.”

I gave her a confused glance. She's half Galician! Shouldn't she know the language?

As if hearing my thoughts, she shrugged. “Hey! We usually have a translator with us when my dad sends cars.” She stared at me innocently with her doughy eyes.

“We should probably brush up on the language, huh, honey?” Miss Monica asked. Hudson nodded and kissed her cheeks. “We'll learn after we save Anjolie's life.”

I hoisted Anjolie into my arms. “Let's get her to El Rey as soon as possible,” I said, examining the makeshift bandage we put over her wound. She looked absolutely horrible; her skin was now the color of her eyes and her body felt as cold as ice. Just like the private jet pilot, the street car driver kept gazing at her lifeless body, asking, “
¿
Ha muerto?
” Neither of us knew what they were saying so Hudson just kept saying, “
No sé
.”

Hudson nodded and Miss Monica said she'd catch up with us later.

The two of us ran up to the front of the castle. Guards were everywhere, holding their guns up when they saw the two of us run up to them. Hudson groaned and held up her hands. “Guys, it's me. Put your guns down and let me through!”

The guards quickly put away their weapons, apologizing profusely to their future queen. She flipped her hair over her shoulders and then pointed expectantly at the door. A guard hastily opened the door for the two of us, allowing us both to run inside the castle.

“This way!” she cried, bounding into a golden elevator. I shuffled in after her and she quickly clicked
TOP FLOOR
. The doors closed.

“Are you sure my dad can fix this?” Hudson asked, adjusting her makeup in her compact. Earlier she had been bawling her eyes out so much, I was surprised she hadn't died of dehydration.

I nodded, biting my lip. “I mean, he
should
,” I answered, unsure of it myself. “We have a bunch of awesome powers so he should have a few, too.”

The elevator reached its destination.

Before the doors opened, Hudson turned to me. “But no matter what, you will not agree to anything besides allowing me to become queen. I will not stand for any funny business, you understand me?” she warned.

I brushed off her warning and adjusted Anjolie's position in my arms. “Yeah, sure, let's go,” I said.

Hudson stared at me for a little longer until the doors opened — revealing El Rey himself. He stood there with a hard expression on his face, his eyes shifting between the two of us. The man was intimidating. He was dressed in an extremely expensive black-on-black suit and wore his thick jet black hair slicked back. He also donned a neat goatee and had a smooth olive complexion. His eyes were the same mahogany color as Hudson's.

After staring at Hudson for a long time, he glared at me. His voice was stern when he pointed at me and said, “I hate you.”

My jaw hit the floor. “Excuse me, sir?” I asked, not knowing how to respond to that. When someone — especially the king himself — says he hates you, there really is nothing to say back.

El Rey folded his arms across his chest and continued staring at me. Then he lifted his hand and gestured for someone. Immediately, two guards arrived at his side. “You,” he said, gesturing to one guard but not taking his eyes off me, “grab the dead boss. And you,” he gestured to the other, “seize the disobedient Gray Eyes.”

“
What
?” I cried, but the guards were already grabbing at Anjolie and pulling my arms behind my back forcefully.

“Dad!” Hudson interjected. “Dad! Stop!” She leapt at the guards to help pull them off of me.

El Rey glanced at his daughter with absolutely no emotion in his eyes. “Follow me, daughter,” he said with a flick of his wrist.

“Let Cam go!” Hudson barked at the guards, ignoring her father's instructions.

El Rey didn't turn around. Instead, he just kept walking until he disappeared into another room. The guards remained there, pinning me against the wall as they wrapped cuffs around my wrists.

I didn't bother to struggle — not in a situation like this. I allowed them to slam me against the wall and bind me like a prisoner. Hudson stared incredulously at the guards. “Enrique! Javier! Stop it!” she cried.

Enrique and Javier completely ignored her. Javier even took the liberty to box her out of our little circle. I sighed heavily against the cool marble wall. This rescue mission wasn't exactly turning out as planned.

“Javier!” Hudson cried angrily. “
Enrique
!” She was panting heavily and instantly I knew what was coming. Unfortunately my hands were bound behind my back, forcing my ears to shatter upon her loud scream.

Enrique and Javier jumped, startled at the sudden, blood-curdling screams. Hudson's mouth hung open like a vast black cave and her high-pitched scream seemed to wake up all of Spain.

Immediately, three other guards — followed by El Rey — leapt out from the other room. El Rey's hands were clasped on his ears as he screamed for Hudson to shut up. Hudson continued to scream, shaking her head and pointing at me.

El Rey took the hint and told his guards to lay off. Thankfully, I was unbound and able to peel myself off the frozen wall. I rubbed my sore jaw and wrists and then nodded at Hudson.

Her screaming stopped abruptly.

“Dad, we need your help,” Hudson said, folding her arms. “So I want your full attention. Or I
will
scream again.”

El Rey narrowed his eyes at her.

****

“I'm sorry, there's nothing I can do. I'm not a miracle worker, daughter,” El Rey said, folding his arms and leaning back against his throne.

“But, Dad! You have
amazing
powers! Shouldn't you be able to grant somebody life again?” Hudson pleaded, gesturing at Anjolie's lifeless body lying on the sheets near the fire place.

El Rey just shrugged his shoulders.

“So this trip was just a waste of my time then, huh?” Hudson said, clenching her jaw and staring daggers at her father.

El Rey shook his head and walked up to her. “No need to worry, daughter. This trip wasn't a total waste. In fact,” El Rey nodded at a guard near the door who then fled the room in a flash. “I have something for you.”

“I don't want it,” Hudson said stubbornly.

“Oh you do, daughter. You will love it.” El Rey clapped his hands together when the guard came back wheeling in two carts — one stocked with fine dresses and other clothing, the other piled high with jewelry and elegant accessories.

Hudson gasped, her jaw hitting the floor.

El Rey fed off of her awe, waltzing over to the clothes and sifting through them. When he found the dress and necklace he was looking for, he picked them out and held them up to her. “This dress is from fine material found in a hidden silk territory in China. The necklace? Shipped from Egypt's leading jewelry management.” He stared at the fabric and jewels with a twinkle in his eye. “This dress and necklace alone is worth more than the entire country of Ecuador.”

Hudson was completely hypnotized as she stared at the treasures in front of her. Her hands were shaking as she ran her hand over the dress's material and the necklace's jewels.

“All of this is yours,” El Rey said, placing the dress and necklace in her hands. “For a price, that is…”

I knew there was a catch.

Hudson looked up at her father. “I can't afford this!” Hudson cried.

El Rey chuckled and shook his head. “No, no, no, daughter,” he said with a smile. “I don't want your money. I just want you to be happy.”

Hudson stared at her father with a priceless poker face. “I
am
happy,” she replied.

El Rey stared at her with the exact same poker face, verifying their relationship as father and daughter. “You are nowhere near happy,” he countered.

“What are you getting at?” Hudson asked.

“Take the throne,” El Rey blurted.

Hudson stared at him, her poker face shattering. She glanced at me for a split second and then back down to the floor. “I can't,” she said.

“Well why not?” El Rey asked flabbergasted.

Hudson just shook her head, still staring at the floor. I could tell she really wanted the throne but was holding back because of Armando. I desperately wanted to say something but I was afraid the guard holding me in a chokehold would rip my head off.

El Rey stared at her with a glare that could ignite fire. I could tell he wanted to rip her head off. But instead, he took a breath and folded his arms. “Well if you're not taking the throne then I don't know what to say. I can't fix your friend. You can see yourself out.”

Hudson looked up at him with watery eyes. “But, Dad… please?” she asked, her voice wavering. “Please help her.”

“I can't.” El Rey averted his gaze.

Hudson let out a cry and ran over to Anjolie's body, sobbing her heart out. I reached for her but was immediately pulled back into the chokehold.

Tired of standing here dormant, I choked out, “Can I say something? Please?”

El Rey glared at me. “No. You can leave.”

“Let him speak!” Hudson screamed, startling everyone.

The guard quickly let me go. I rubbed my neck and coughed out. “Hudson, how much do you care about saving Anj?” I asked, my voice slightly hoarse from the chokehold.

Hudson stared at me with blotchy, red eyes. “What kind of question is that?” she asked, tears in her voice.

I nodded and peered at El Rey. “Sir, how much do you want Hudson to take the throne?” I asked, hesitantly staring into his eyes.

El Rey just glared at me with his fiery mahogany eyes.

I didn't bother for an answer. “I'll tell you what,” I said, rubbing my hands together. “Hudson will take the throne—”

“
What
?” Hudson cried out.

I held my hand out to her, quieting her before she becomes a nuisance again. “Let me finish,” I said. I looked back at El Rey. “Hudson will take the throne
if
you revive Anjolie.”

Hudson sprang up and grabbed my arm. “No I won't!” she cried, pulling me away. When we were out of earshot, she swiveled around, glaring at me. “I can't take the throne!”

“Why not?” I asked, throwing my hands in the air.

“I told you! Armando doesn't want me to!” she cried.

“Hudson, you have a choice here,” I pointed out. “You could either become queen — something you
really
want to do — while also saving Anjolie's life, or you could leave here with a dead Anjolie just because Armando doesn't want you to become queen.”

Hudson shook her head. “It's more complicated than that, Cam! If I become queen, my mind is erased of emotions other than anger, wrath, jealousy, and envy. I won't remember my past and I certainly won't be myself again.”

“Your mind doesn't necessarily have to be erased, daughter…” El Rey said, coming up behind us.

Hudson swiveled around. “What do you mean?” she asked him.

“My mind was erased as orders from my father,” El Rey explained. “Apparently he didn't want me to remember my obsession over your mother. However, I will not erase your memory should you choose to become queen.”

“Really?” Hudson asked, her eyes becoming hopeful.

El Rey nodded. “Really.”

Hudson jumped up and down, excitement coursing over her brightened features. “I'll do it! That was the only thing stopping me, Dad!” she cried.

El Rey's mouth twitched into an almost smile. “Good, let's begi—”

“Wait!” I interjected. “You still haven't agreed to reviving Anjolie, sir,” I said.

El Rey's almost-smile disappeared and in its place returned the glare and frown. “I told you this before and I shall tell you this again: I can
not
fix your friend. She is dead. Her energy has left her body. There is nothing I can do.”

Suddenly anger boiled over my body. “There
is
something you can do!” I yelled, not caring if he was the king or not. “You managed to put not one, but
two
lives into my body without any problems. Why is there an issue now?”

El Rey raised his hand and smacked the senses out of me. I crashed into the wall behind me, slumping to the ground. Hudson screamed. “Don't you raise your voice at me!” El Rey barked. “I cannot fix your friend! I cannot just bring life energy out of nowhere! I was able to combine you and your human counterpart together only because you are half-blood. Right now, Anjolie is just a lifeless body.”

I lifted myself up on all fours, staring at the ground, wondering if my mouth was bleeding. I breathed heavily.

For the first time in my life, I was out of ideas.