They were talking.
I hoped that meant this was again all for show, and Panya was on our side.
“My sister would never help scum like you!” Karim shouted.
We all seemed to be in a stand-off with each other, no one seemed to want to make the first move. How did Nicholas and
the others get here before us? Genu said, they were a day behind us. Unless they travelled by magic, hoping to catch us before
Dorian arrived.
“What do you want, Dorian?” I asked, stepping forward, lowering my sword.
“Isn’t it obvious? I want what was promised to me.”
“I will never be your wife,” I snarled.
“Ah, but you will. You will also gift me the power I deserve. The power of the Goddess.”
I wanted to throw up as my fear and anxiousness tried to take over. The very thought of being his wife, or anything to him
made me want to tear out my own heart. I’d rather die.
I was Nicholas’s wife. Only his.
Genu looked at me from the corner of her eyes then back to her cousins as the sisters admitted another scream of agony. I
truly hoped it was all for show. Within seconds, Dorian clicked his fingers again and Panya turned her attention towards me. A
ball of light shot out from one of her hands and hit me square in the chest.
Lifting me up into the air, my body was wrapped tightly. My arms were bound tightly to my sides, my sword dropped from
my hand. In protest, Genu and the others raced forward, but were stopped by an invisible wall. Squirming and kicking against
my bounds, I shouted in frustration, trying to escape my new bounds, but it was no good.
Dropping in front of Nora, she laughed diabolically and yanked me up by my collar. Pressing a dagger firmly against my
throat, she drew blood in an instant. It was only then I heard Nicholas’s muffled shout as I glanced towards him.
Fighting against the magics that kept him under control, he managed to stand. Determined, angry and struggling, Nic
managed to push through the barrier. Dorian barked more orders at Panya to increase her spell. Concentrating she pushed at
Nicholas, managing to pull him backwards as they stared at one another.
His eyes darted towards me as I tried not to scream or show the pain I was in. We would get out of this. I knew we would.
We had to.
“I will do it!” Nicholas shouted, “I will open it!”
“No, Nic!” I shouted back, knowing what he meant.
A laugh from Dorian echoed through the hall as he clapped his hands in excitement. He had won this non-existent battle.
Nicholas just handed over the keys to his kingdom to protect me. I couldn’t allow that to happen.
