Chapter 39
A Message of Hope
Witches are created and moulded from coven to coven.
Each coven has their own signage and shifter quality.
The Darkblood’s are snakes, Earthglow’s are foxes, PoisonIvy's are ravens, and the royal line of witches are said to be Phoenixes.
Any witch born with different shifter abilities within their own coven are either banished or killed.
May the witch lineage forever remain pure for our Maiden, Mother and Crone.
Established Article Scroll belonging to the Witch Hall Chamber Museum.
My heart remained thumping hard just like it had last night.
I breathed in the air that I once would have considered fresh in Abdera, but now all I breathed in was the blood that this cursed land seemed to absorb.
My jaw clenched on its own accord when I scented Morvin before seeing him.
He watched me with scrutiny and massaged the back of his neck.
The fire blades strapped onto my black and gold armour seemed to beg to be used.
Seducing me to command it alight and sink it into his tainted flesh to watch it burn and turn into char.
Morvin hissed and rubbed at his neck. I smiled darkly to myself, I willed the mark on his neck to burn hotter.
The blood promise that was owed to me meant he would die as long as those markings were on his neck.
And I would make sure of it, even if it's not today.
Fate would make us cross paths again and again, all until the promise has been met and blood is spilt.
At least, this is how I thought blood promises had worked.
She would know, she has all the answers I seek.
My heart constricted in pain, the pain you get from missing someone who betrayed you.
I got atop my stallion which had been brought out by Abderan guards who were too afraid to look me in the eyes.
They had no doubt been told to be weary around me by their lord.
I showed them my teeth in a smile that did not meet my eyes.
I dragged a nail over my blades. No claws, but could still slit their throats in the broad daylight.
I didn't want to leave this land after finding out the information I had gotten.
There were Duvessan survivors being hunted.
And I couldn't do anything about it. Not alone at least. The guilt in my core that had already existed began eating at me faster.
The soldiers readied themselves for the journey back to their homeland. The Kingdom of Apollo.
The Kingdom of Light.
The little girl in my mind did not scream, did not whimper or thrash around.
She instead stayed quiet. I felt it. Felt her dread.
The Kingdom of Apollo had been the only kingdom I had refused to visit since being an arena warrior.
The land was said to be filled with Apollo's light: bright, powerful, and strong.
My legs began to ache the way they always did when I was anxious and stressed.
Apollo was the last stop on our journey, where the prince would see the king to report his conquests and accomplishments.
Where he would introduce me as his warrior.
A sudden wind pushed against my cheek, making my hair blow against my face. I clenched my fist, and commanded myself, "You will have to be brave. For them." I had let my hair loose this morning, open for all to see, not hesitating like before, there were others like me out there.
And there was no possibility "he" would recognize me. After all these years. After all this time. I wondered if the prince's father still had those cruel red calculating eyes, if his rich blond hair was still long.
A sudden loud caw echoed from above me, taking me from my thoughts. I looked up in time to see a parchment paper wrapped and sealed fall into my lap. I stopped breathing. My body stilled as I studied the black seal of a crow encasing the letter. I broke it apart immediately.
Morana,
We will be performing upon our arrival in Apollo.
You have no need to fear, I will explain everything as I should have.
Everything that is to happen is as it should be, and I plead to you to trust me, if not as your arena master, then as the mother that had taken you in and cared for you.
It will all make sense soon. The prophecy, your powers, everything.
Come to Apollo, and find me Morana, it will all come to darkness soon. We miss you.
Yours truthfully,
Fala.
The fear and uncertainty I had initially had about travelling to Apollo had lightened a tenfold.
My family would be there... Dezimus, Elijah, Ezra.
.. and even Fala. Fala seemed to have many secrets.
Even the ones she kept for me, but I had faith in her letter even though my trust hung on a thin thread that could only be mended by what she had to reveal.
I held my chin up high and looked past the red leaved trees, up into the bright blue sky that had birds flocking.
I smiled lightly and held the letter tightly against my chest before tucking it away safely into my armour.
Faith was a dangerous thing to keep these days, but I would keep it for them, to believe everything would be alright if they were there.
I held my horse's reins tight and led it into a light trot to the front of the group.
I immediately spotted Red's auburn hair and heard Hulin's sharp laugh.
I had ignored the red eyes that seemed to follow my every move, I had ignored him this whole morning.
Not meeting his eyes or acknowledging his presence, even refusing to revisit the memory of what had occurred last night.
Of how he had touched me... and tended to me.
I couldn't go through with it, not when he holds such a strong name.
Not when Duvessans are being slaughtered on this land, and Morvin has the leverage of a secret of myself that could affect the prince's decision in even keeping me alive.
My relationship with the prince had grown so much that thoughts of harming him in order to escape were becoming less.
Inanov was right. Being with the prince would end disastrously.
I couldn't allow myself to be with the prince, but my heart felt like it was on another agenda.
It pumped blood faster into my veins and made my shadows want to appear.
His presence had awakened more inside me than just my feelings.
I looked to the horizon ahead of me and gave one final look to Abdera.
"Trouble in paradise?" A voice came from beside me. Inanov.
It seemed like he had been next to me for quite some time, and I had failed to notice it. "Excuse me?" I frowned in confusion and guided my horse over the steeped pathway of pine that slowly etched from red, back to green.
My body immediately lost some of the tension it held. I had not realised how much I truly loved nature the way it was meant to be, how much I truly missed the dark green moss.
"You and the prince," Inanov said as if it was obvious enough. He was right however, because I understood what he had been referring to.
"You were right," is all I said. Not looking at Inanov and keeping my eyes forward.
His eyes widened at the revelation and it made me smile, but not enough for that smile to stay.
"The prince and I being intimate together is a bad idea. Too dangerous," I spoke the truth even if he didn't know half of the reason.
"It is, if he falls for you. Even if Lady Ferway didn't exist, the chances of him stepping in front of a sword or arrow for you are high.
Too high..." Inanov's voice softened as if to provide some comfort yet all it brought was a very clear image of the prince sacrificing himself to save me.
It sounded far-fetched as the prince was selfish and power hungry.
There wouldn't be a world where he'd sacrifice himself for the likes of me.
But that didn't stop my mind from thinking there was a chance he would do it.
"I know," was all I could respond.
Warmth enveloped my palm. Inanov's hand was tan and big as he then gave my hand a soft squeeze in reassurance. It was the first time he had shown this kind of comfort.
"You made the right choice. Sometimes logic rules over love.
" Inanov's voice was soft. He had always shown kindness, when he allowed Red to come along, knowing he wasn't truly a weapons boy.
Or when he kept food aside for me around the campfire, there was also that time when he chose to take the first watch at the inn so that I could sleep.
I could feel eyes burning at my back. My body knew whose pair of eyes it had been, so I did what I had been doing this whole morning. I ignored it. Inanov seemed to be in deep thought before he confessed. "Love is hard to come by for those like us."
"I refuse to accept that I deserve it." It had meant to be a whisper.
.. a soft thought to myself, but he had heard it.
Inanov looked at me then with his honey brown eyes and squeezed my hand in kindness.
I gave him a small smile, hoping he wouldn't pity me.
Inanov opened his mouth to respond, but he had immediately been cut off by a stern voice.
"Hands off my warrior, Inanov, and keep those bedroom eyes for the whores in Apollo." Any form of softness left Inanov's features. My cheeks flushed on its own accord.
"As you wish, Your Highness," Inanov addressed the prince with cold formality and took his horse away from mine, directing it towards Akiel. Leaving me alone with the prince.
"Cosying up to my head guard to make me jealous? Always filled with surprises, Mor." The prince chuckled and led his white stallion closer to my own. I clenched my jaw and ignored how my heart nearly skipped a beat when he called me by that name.
"You got jealous on your own accord," was the curt reply I gave.
"You never let me hold your hand like that.
" His words stunned me so much I gave in and looked at him.
It was a mistake, the prince was in a playful mood and seemed to want to pass his time by teasing.
His eyes were red flames and his features were softened with that lazy smile he gave.
For a man with little fae magic, his energy always spirited to flirtatious games.
I decided to play it. A dangerous one... but a game nonetheless.
"Have you ever tried to hold it like that?" The question back made his eyes light up mischievously. It made him look more boyish. Younger. It suited him.
"Would you have let me?"
"No." Was my quick response.
"So that kind of affection is only for my head guard?" The prince's voice was low and closer, the words caressing over my skin.
"I'd suggest you work on your jealousy." I tried my best to hide away the ghost smile that threatened to appear.
"Oh, dear warrior. That might take too long, for I envy the very sun rays that kiss your skin the ways I wish to kiss yours.
" His answer wasn't what I had expected to hear.
Something that sounded so... sweet. He must have been trying to play a joke.
It made me snort and roll my eyes at him instead.
Before I knew it, my wrist was suddenly being pulled forward, I held myself onto the reins of my horse firmly with my other hand.
The prince held my wrist and then as if the world was slowing down, he placed a soft kiss on it, above the slight scars that covered it.
I opened my mouth to speak but closed it again when no words came out.
"Apollo is a three-day trip- two days at best. If you want, my sheets will welcome you in them before our arrival.
" The prince's voice was silky and alluring just like his aura.
He played it off as if he just wanted intimacy, as if he was acting on lust yet his words were poetic like a lover.
A silver-tongued lover, as it seems he meant to only be offering sex.
"It is never going to happen." I bit out and frowned in disgust, well I at least tried to make it look that way because my body was all for it. Eager.
"Never is better than impossible." The prince chuckled and led his horse to the front of the group.
I steeled my thoughts of him and blanketed them with thoughts of Apollo.
The kingdom now seemed to rule nearly all of Terran with a powerful king sitting on the throne.
A king powerful enough to save the whole of Terran from darkness and a king powerful enough to kill whatever and whomever stood in his way.
Solaire Gideon.
The uncertainty in the wind carried a shiver down my spine.