Chapter 66
We’d barely arrived through the front door when we were ambushed by a power I’d never felt before. The power knocked all four of us senseless and threw us off completely. It was only when the female mage told me, through her mind, I needed to play along, did I stop struggling as much.
Ornella’s scent was all over her magic. It took a great deal of control to not to rip her apart. Was she the one who did that ritual on her? If she was, I’d have great fun tearing her limb from limb once I got my hands on her.
“Please, your majesty, I am here to protect you.”
“Protect me? You’re lucky you are one step ahead of me right now. Otherwise, I’d tear out your heart and make you eat it!” I spat back as my hands were bound behind my back by an invisible force.
Never before in my life had I ever come across such a powerful gift before. It was almost at the level of Morgana’s, possibly higher than that. This mage was well trained. I wondered where she’d even come from. Magic like this left a mark, a presence.
She must have been the mage who took Ornella’s connection from me, that’s why there was that memory of the spell left in the woods. Her magic left an aura, just like my mother’s used to.
“Ornella is safe, your majesty. I believe she is on her way here with many fighters, including my brother.”
“She must not come here! You must stop her!”
Looking at the female mage more clearly now. She looked similar to Genu and her family, jet black hair and the same facial features. She was of Nadrolan descent.
“Please, just play along. I need his lordship to believe I have you under my control.”
She spoke to me through a mind link as we were pulled into the throne room, where I saw Dorian and Nora atop mine and Ornella’s thrones. I struggled not to lose control right there and then. I was finally face to face with our parents” true killers.
“How dare you sit there?!” Vanessa shouted.
“How dare we not?” Dorian asked, sarcasm and laughter rolled off his tongue like a knife. “You never deserved this throne, this kingdom. This kingdom should have been mine! My mother threw away my chance of marriage to Delphine. Then she died because of my brother-in-law”s narrow mindedness. Falling for my stupid sister. I made it my life’s goal to take back what was mine!”
We were thrown to the base of the steps and made to kneel as Dorian began waffling on. My eyes lifted up in shock at the mention of my aunt”s name. Confusion and shock rolled between my sisters and me. I didn’t know any of this. When Delphine was promised to Sirius, they made a deal. It was only when Sirius broke that deal many years later, did Delphine die.
“Ah, I see your parents never told you that part of the story. Well, let me enlighten you all.”
He cleared his throat and got into a more comfortable position, throwing over his legs on one side of my throne. Clicking his fingers had Nora rushing to hand him a glass of wine. He appeared to be even more egocentric than I first believed. Dorian tried to give himself a presence of power when all I saw was a coward.
Nora did not make any eye contact with me as she sat on Ornella”s throne. I may have felt anger towards Dorian and wanted nothing more than to destroy him. But seeing Nora made my blood run hot, a fire filled rage. She would be the first to die if my sisters and I got out of this.
“When Sirius was forced to make a deal to marry Delphine, at the ripe old age of fifteen, he’d already met my sister, Elora. Although we were not from a high-born family, my father owned much of the lands that harvested the grain to feed the families of Crystal City,” he paused dramatically, as if to see if we were all paying attention, which surprisingly we all were. “When Delphine came to visit us, I was a young Fae of eighteen. I’d help my father with the grain. When he was given a lordship, our family quickly moved up in the ranks. Sirius and Elora would pass each other more frequently as she would take lessons with the other ladies of the court.”
He shifted slightly, lowering his legs, and sitting more upright, stretching his back left from right. Age. He wasn’t as fit as he liked to make out to be. No longer the young Fae warrior he wanted everyone to think he was. Good. It would make killing him easier.
Dorian continued, “When Delphine was sent to live with Sirius, and his family”s court, I would often visit the castle along with Elora. When Sirius was too busy, or entertaining my sister, I would talk with Delphine. We became quite good friends. For many years she would visit Crystal City. We fell deeply and madly in love. She did everything she could to get out of the bond. When magic failed her, she decided to speak with Sirius herself. She would offer the marriage in name only, but ask that she be with me in her kingdom. The alliance and bond would be satisfied, and he could be with Elora. But, he did not like that.”
I didn’t like where this story was going. I always knew Sirius killed Delphine by marrying Elora. However, judging by the sudden change in tone of voice, Dorian was about to tell us something different. I wasn’t sure if my sisters would handle this new side of the story.
I wasn’t fully sure he was telling the truth. I wouldn’t have been surprised if this was all a lie just to get us to let our guards down. As far as I was concerned, he probably stalked my aunt and harassed her.
“If he couldn’t have your aunt, then no one could. Knowing how the bond worked, he broke your aunt”s heart by marrying Elora in secret, thus killing her by breaking the blood bond. When she died, a part of me died along with her. But thankfully, and finally, I got my revenge for her death. Which you can thank me for. I killed Sirius in a rather painful way.”
The shockwave of Ornella’s father’s death took me out. We all knew how Delphine had died shortly after Sirius married Elora. Everyone knew that story as it was public knowledge within the kingdom. It”s why marrying Ornella had to be done so discreetly, but inviting and welcoming to my people. I didn’t want any of them to hold Delphine’s death against her.
Like I’d done.
Lost in my thoughts and lowering my eyes at the realisation of my mistakes once again, I didn’t hear as the doors burst in until the shouting began.
Ornella, a mage, a guard, and Genu stormed in, along with some of her finest soldiers. I hated looking as helpless as I did, pretending to be tied up with magic. The moment Ornella stepped through the doors. Relief flooded through my body. She was alive, and here.
Surely now was the time for the female mage to let my sisters and I go, so we could fight, protect our loved ones, but she didn’t budge. She kept her spell on us tightly.
“You must protect, Ornella!” I shouted to the mage as Ornella offered herself up on a platter.
Her instead of me.
Pulling at my binds, I called to my shadows to help, to get me out of this jam. They seemed dormant, unable to answer and a sense of weakness shattered through my bones. Looking towards my sisters, they seemed to all feel the same way. Whatever this female mage was doing to us, it was weakening us.
“Let us go! I will be able to protect you from Dorian!” I pleaded.
Instead of helping, she kept her eyes set on Ornella as she sent a shockwave of light towards her. Dorian and the female mage exchanged words about me. I didn”t know or care what those words were, my sole attention and care was Ornella.
We were marched towards the stairwell that would lead us down into the depths of the castle. I continued to ask for her help.
“Please! Whatever happens, please do not let Ornella die! You must promise me this! I will do anything you ask of me.”
“I will do everything I can, majesty, but if this is the Goddess’s wish, we must do as we are told.”
The Goddess would never allow strangers into the belly of this castle to open a portal that could destroy her world. I didn’t believe it and was now half suspecting this mage had other ideas. Trying to look into her mind, even with my magic depleting, I found only a wall and sharp eyes staring back at me in anger.
If Ornella died, that would be it for me. I didn’t know if the bond magic was stripped away or if it still held. Regardless, I could not—would not—live in this world if my light was no longer here. I needed her to keep the fire in my heart a blaze.
“Ornella, please don’t do this.”
I would beg, plead, anything to get her to reconsider. She ignored me, or perhaps couldn’t hear me. Dorian kept a tight grip on the back of her neck and my blood boiled with fury. I wanted to tear the very skin off his bones just for laying a finger on her. I wanted to wrap Ornella up in a safe, protective bubble where he couldn’t touch her ever again.
“Please, Ornella, please, tell me you can hear me.”
I sent out another call, hoping she would answer me. When we went down another flight of stairs, and she didn’t even flinch at the sound of my voice.
My heart broke more.
Our bond was truly severed.
Our link was broken.
Well, if she couldn’t hear me, I would show her how much she meant to me. I would get us out of here and kill these Fae once and for all.
“Once he begins the ritual, I will loosen your bonds, majesty, you will only have one shot while I try to close the gate.”
The mage spoke, eyeing me with a sense of confidence with fear hidden underneath.
“You will not be able to close the portal. Only my sisters and I will be able to fully close it. To fully open it Dorian will need my blood. Ornella’s blood may partially open it, but I am hoping he thinks only Ornella”s blood works.”
“I’m afraid not, he knows he needs you, too. He was hoping you’d show up to save her. Your sisters won’t be far behind as my magic will be wearing off in a matter of minutes. As for how long it will take them to get here, I am hopeful they won’t be too late.”
Lost for words as we reached the main door to the ruined hall, Dorian looked at his guards as they shoved me forward, almost knocking me off my own two feet. I will have great pleasure killing them.
“You sealed this, did you not!” he shouted.
Rolling my eyes, I smiled coyly. Until I had my magic fully restored. They would not be able to open these doors.
“Panya, can you open this?!”
She was flagging, her magic almost depleted by the amount she’d used since my arrival. She would need rest shortly if she were to even try and help shut the portal. At this rate, she wasn’t giving me any vote of confidence.
Running her hands over the doors, the static as her magic met mine sent shivers down my spine in response. I could feel her magic mix with mine and then a small sigh escaped her lips.
“I cannot. Only his majesty may open this door.”
“OPEN IT!” Dorian roared at me as he pulled out his sword and held it against Ornella’s heart, “Or I will gut her here right in front of you.”
A growl rumbled through my chest as Panya waved her hands and allowed the bonds that kept me from using my magic to drop. I could have Dorian down in seconds, but in those same seconds he’d have a chance to run that sword right through my wife’s heart.
“Don’t you dare try anything either.”
He stepped forward and Ornella winced as the sword pressed into her skin between her breasts. No, it would be too risky to take him on in this closed space. Rubbing my hands together, I called upon the pits of my magic. To the darkness that begged to be released. To destroy this Fae who threatened my family. I pulled out a small strand of magic to the tips of my fingers and ran it down the door frame.
A soft click sounded, then the noise of bolts being released within until the door released its latch and slowly crept open in front of us.
Shoving me forward, he held the sword against Ornella still. We all stepped into the hall where the portal stirred in greeting. The torches that surrounded the room lit up in welcome, revealing the tall pillars of black Obsidian stone. And finally at the end of the room stood the large portal decorated with the symbols of the moon cycle.
“Well, start the ritual!”
Dorian addressed Panya as he started to lower his sword. I caught Ornella’s beautiful hazel eyes as she stared at me. Both of us at that moment were wondering what was going to happen next and how I was going to get us out of here.
I needed to get her away from Dorian, that would be my first step. Preparing to lunge myself at him, Panya sent her magic towards me. I flew through the air, landing hard against one of the pillars. The female mage bound my body with the same magic that wrapped around Ornella’s.
“NO!” I shouted, twisting, trying to break free.
“YOU SAID, YOU’D KEEP HER SAFE!”
I shouted at Panya who ignored me as she stepped towards Ornella, pulling from her waistline a jewelled encrusted dagger.
Lifting up one of Ornella’s wrists, she sliced down it, creating a large wound. The air was sucked out of me as Ornella squealed in pain. Ornella’s eyes met mine again as a trickle of a tear ran down her cheek. She mouthed the words ‘it will be okay’ as I thrashed against Panya’s magic.
I couldn’t understand why she was so easily able to control mine. This wasn’t right, something didn’t feel right. Watching then as Ornella was taken towards the portal I continued to shout. Shouting for my sisters to hurry, begging my shadows to help release me.
Ornella’s bloody hand was placed against the side of the stone. The ground immediately shook with the connection, rippling and starting to glow. It would only be a matter of minutes, ten at most, until the door was completely shattered. Releasing the very monsters that lived behind it, allowing them to step through.