The End of Innocence: Book 3 of the Kinstone series

As I draw closer to the exit of the hallway, I start to hear voices shouting from foyer, loud ones, and really demanding.

“We demand to see her, you pathetic servant, and will not take 'no' for an answer!” shouts a voice. I faintly recognize the voice, it sounds young and a tad boorish if you ask me.

“As I told you before, with her Ladyship away I cannot allow you to see the Young Miss,” this one coming from Sebastian.

“Useless, I can’t believe this girl has such worthless servants in her employ. I know that I would be utterly embarrassed to even walk past such nitwits.” The second voice echoes with a tinge of magic, something I definitely remember. But it too sounds really bossy, if not a little bitchy.

I exit out onto the hallway, and onto the balcony overlooking the foyer, “What’s going on?” I look down to see two girls standing in front of the butler. They turn and stare up at me, both smiling, but not friendly ones.

“Well, well, will miracles never cease? It’s been a long time, Aria.”

I gaze down at the girl with dark-blonde hair, whose fiery silver eyes glare up at me, “Yeah…it has, Mistral. But apparently not long enough. What do you want?”

She grins, “Why, we came all this way to see you, little bitch.”

I roll my eyes, leaning against the banister, “Still holding onto that grudge from Court last year huh? Well if you’re here to again demand that I leave my mom then the door’s right behind you.”

Her grin turns into a scowl, “Of course I am, you little lowborn, gutter-trash of a girl. You have no right to stand amongst us.”

Sebastian steps closer to them, “I will not allow to you insult the Young Miss.”

The girl’s companion steps in front of him, “Know your place when in the presence of nobility, lowly dog.”

Okay… even that hurt me.

I turn to her, “Lana Drakthul. You’ve got some pretty large balls coming into my home and order around my staff.”

She growls, “You have been a thorn in our side for too long. First you show up to Court as Countess Rivenfeld’s daughter, and then refuse to leave her. You insult us once more by having an Uldulvan wolf as your bonded. The utter arrogance of it all.”

I roll my eyes, “Geez let it go.”

“Shut. Up. You witless little tramp,” she snaps. “What hurts even more is that you are descended from a house that should have stayed buried to time. For they too were known to be thorns in the sides of everyone.”

Her mouth curls into snarling growl, “You will never be our princess. We denounce your claim to the throne. Shyair always loved mingling with the common people so much that they became them. So your claim is but a sham, given how far and removed you are from them.”

I slam my head into my arms, “Just go away. I really don’t care about this right now,” looking down at the pair, “you say you denounce my claim, does that mean if I do the same you’ll leave?”

Mistral shakes her head, “It doesn’t work like that. The only way to do so is with your life.”

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, but I calm myself down. “Just leave. If you do, I promise nothing bad will happen to you.”

The blonde growls, “We will kill everyone here if you don’t face us.”

I leer down at them. Unlike the time when Mulkus threatened the Estate, where I wasn’t in the best of moods, I stood calm if not growing more pissed by the moment. My hands grip tightly around the railing, “Take it back Mistral. You’re messing with the wrong girl in the wrong house.”

She grins, “Oh? Was I addressing someone of importance?” I growl, but restrain myself.

The sound of laughter echoes through the foyer, a laughter I nearly had forgotten about, but not its source, “Hello Irina.” I peer to my left, seeing the vampiress walk up the stairs, somehow having slipped past Sebastian.

“Still the same petulant little doll I see,” says Irina, “still refusing to take orders from her betters. But now I hear you’re the long-lost princess of Dewloura. My, how’ve you moved up in the world.”

I glare at her, “I see they decided to drag you out of whatever hole your father placed you into. I have nothing against you or your family anymore, so why are you here?”

She sighs, “Still naïve,” looking to me, “just what my brother sees in you is beyond me.”

I shrug, “You tell me, I could care less about him. If he were here he’d probably try to and rein you in.”

She takes a step closer to me. Once more I can feel her trying to penetrate my mind, sending horrific images of myself before her.

I smirk, easily blocking her assaults, even throwing a few lewd ones at her. While I don’t like hentai, trust me it’s disgusting at times, it can prove helpful in a pinch. “Girl, it’s been two years, don’t you ever think of trying new things? I live with a sphinx and have an aunt who if was here, would tear you down faster than you could even blink.”

She cringes and snarls, viewing my retaliatory assaults, but grins, “Ah, but where is this sphinx or aunt of yours? Neither is present are they? You have no one here to protect you.” Her smile then frowns into a scowling growl, “I am going to make you pay for the humiliation you suffered onto me during our duel. Neither your pet plant or boorish dragon are here to rescue you from your justly deserved punishment.”

I sigh, shaking my head, “Guess Kerrigan was right about you still holding onto that grudge,” looking to her, “I beat you fair and square Irina, you’re just a sore loser. I’m also not the same girl you fought two years ago. If you face me, you’ll find that out the hard way.”

She sneers, “Still trying to act tough as to not face your betters, eh Aria?”

I glare at her, “It’s not an act Irina, now get out of my house. All of you.”

She grins, “But we are your guests, surely your mother taught you how to extend your hospitality to us. After all, we have come a rather long way.”

I continue to glare at her, “I don’t care.” Her grin grows broader as she draws closer with a step.

I cross my arms, “Professor, I need your help.”

The sensation of something gently stroking my hair entered my mind, “I shall be down shortly, little scholar.”

I smile softly, leaning against the banister. Hopefully once Xiphos arrives he’ll be enough to dissuade them from doing anything stupid and force them to leave.

“Aria!” shouts Lana, “we will kill you, for you have no business standing amongst us or even above us. Your mother will be disgraced and shunned from the Court. We shall purge your Coven and all its members, and shall claim your wolf so we shall finally go back to our true home.”

I roll my eyes, “Yeah…good luck with that. We’re done here so as I keep telling y’all, GET. OUT!!!”

I unfold my arms and starts heading for the stairs, ignoring Irina. I was tired of this crap and want to just curl back up onto the couch with the pups and my book.

“Big Sister? Where are you?”

I feel my blood freeze as Luna walks into the foyer, somehow managing to slip past both Fenris and Kateryna.

The sensation of gleeful bloodlust fills the room as I turn to see a horrifying grin rise on both Mistral and Irina. The vampiress’ fangs gleam in the light as she leaps towards her, arms outstretched.

I leap for the wall, using it as springboard. My body soon becomes enveloped in the spectral guise of the kitsune and Rushes after the vampire.

Time seems to slow down, far more than it usually did when performing this ability, as I glanced over to see Mistral also dashing for the pup, with Sebastian running after her. I reach out with a spectral tail and grab Irina by the throat, landing onto the bottom floor.

I shift my foot, carrying her and launching myself at Mistral and Lana, blasting the trio out the front door and into the driveway, destroying the ancient wooden doors and the stone banister beyond them.

Broken pieces of wood dropped to the floor along with dust. I look up at what remains of the door. Rachel's going to kill me for this one.

The cries of a child echo in the foyer as I turn and run towards a crying Luna, dropping to my knees and pulling her into my chest, “Shhh, Shhh, you’re okay Luna. Big Sister is here.”

The pup desperately clings to me, crying bitterly into my chest, “I thought…I thought she was going to hurt me. I couldn’t get away fast enough.”

I kiss her forehead, stroking her back, “That’s why I’m here.”

She looks up at me, tears flowing down her furry cheek, “Are you going to fight them?”

I stroke her face, “Yep, I’m to make all the bad people go away.”

Her paws dig deeper into my jacket, “Will you be okay, Big Sister?”

A broad grin rises over my face, “What have I always told you?”

Her little eyes light up, “Big Sister is invincible.”

I nod, “Big Sister is invincible,” leaning over and kissing her forehead again.

A pair of golem maids arrive, bowing to me. I pick up the pup and hand her to one of them, kissing her cheek one last time, smiling, “This’ll be over before you know it.” She bobs her head, clinging to the maid.

I turn to the maid, “Take her and her brother home now, and make sure they stay there. Also, alert the dryads and harpies. I want them to guard the kobolds and anyone else who can’t fight.”

The maid bows her head, “Right away, Young Miss,” quickly turning, finding Micha, with the four leaving out the backdoor.

I sigh, spinning around and head for the gaping hole where two massive doors once stood. “Living armor, come to life and defend this home!”

The reverberations of metal splitting and stepping onto the marble tiling soon echoed in the foyer. I gazed over to see the spectral images of little girl-like figures clad in armor, each wielding a massive sword and shield, marching towards the front door.

The gentle sound of heavy pawed feet landing on the floor reach my ear. I looked to see Xiphos standing beside me, “Forgive my tardiness, little scholar. I wish I had come sooner to your aid.”

I stop and shake my head, “You’re fine, Professor. But thanks anyways for coming, now I need to go deal with our band of intruders.”

The old sphinx leans forward, “You do know that I can simply teleport the lot of them away, ending this right here and now.” He easily could.

Sphinxes, apart from not only being masters of telepathy and beings of power beyond all comprehension, were capable of teleporting you to any place they choose and not even think twice about it. It’s one of countless reasons why I never even attempted to prank or piss off Xiphos.

I smile, “I know you can. They’d just come back and do this all over again. Plus they might use this to defame my mother, calling me a coward and branding her as one.” I sigh, shaking my head, “Maybe I’m just an idiot and not walking away from a fight I know I shouldn’t get into.”

He smiles, “You are your mother’s daughter. A fact as true as the moment you stepped through those doors for the very first time.”

I lean in and hug him, “Thank you, Professor.”

He smiles, wrapping a paw around me, placing a kiss onto my forehead, “You are most welcome little scholar,” pulling back, “now, what shall you have me do?”

I smile, staring up into his ancient eyes, “Support, both emotionally and magically, and make sure no one gets in.”

He bows his head, “It shall be done, little scholar.” I grin and resume my trek for the front door.

To my right I see both of my knights walking towards me, hands clenched, each ready to fight.

“Forgive my oversight, Your Highness. I looked away for a moment and the little one had already gone,” speaks a repentant Kateryna.

I smile to her, “It’s all right. Hell, she’s slipped out of my sight on more than one occasion. So don’t go beating yourself up over it.”

The elf bows her head, “Many thanks, Your Highness.”

I pan up to Orga, whose jaw looks set and stoic, “Shall we fight alongside you, Your Highness?”

I smile to him, “It would be my honor to have you with me.” The couple bow and step back, watching as their armor explodes into view, covering them.

I know it would be stupid and arrogant not to have them fight with me. I need the extra help and what more could I ask for than a pair of battle-hardened knights at my side. They bow and head to the door.

Fenris soon emerges from behind them, in full form, aura pulsating with cold fury. “Tonight I shall fight with you, my little Aria. It is my duty as your bonded and guardian.”

I smile, “Thanks, Papa Wolf. I guess it’s time to show how far you and I have come, isn’t it?”

The wolf bows his head, “I agree, little Aria. No one threatens my little girl.” I giggle, hugging him tightly, then stepping back and headed for the door.

I pan over to see Sebastian walking towards me. “Young Miss, I would be negligent in my duties if I were to allow you to go into combat unarmed.”

I smile to him, seeing that he was carrying my Han kote, dragon sword, kodachi, and thigh pouch.

I sigh, stroking the weapons, “I guess the time of these merely being for display is over.”

The old lycan bows his head, “I am afraid so, Young Miss.”

I nod, picking up the kodachi and wrapped its belt around my waist, clicking the buckle tightly. I pull the gauntlet from his hand and slide it over my left arm, flexing my fingers until it was snug and secure. Finally, I retrieve the pouch and strapped it to my thigh, making sure it was full of paper tags.

I take a long deep breath as my preparations were now complete, looking up to him, “Ready?”

The lycan hands the dragon sword to a golem and steps back. A fierce growl emanates from his body as it begins to grow larger, more muscular. White fur sprouts all of his body as his face elongates into a muzzle, lined with dozens of long fangs.

His hands become claws with his feet growing on large wolf-like paws and legs becoming similar. A long white tail sprang from his rear, watching as it swish against the floor. He now resembled a worgen from World of Warcraft.

This is the first time I have ever seen him transform, and have to say…wow. The white-furred lycan lowers his head to me, staring gently with gleaming blue eyes, “I am ready Young Miss.” I smile to him as we start for the door, ready to face whatever lies before us.