“I don’t believe you.” Mara approached him while her friends looked on. James was worried she would kill Mr. White.
The old man backed away in fear. “Please, I beg of you! Hear me out. I need your help once again!” Mr. White cried. “You’re the only one I can rely on.”
Mara stopped. She was a little surprised to hear he needed her help again, considering they were enemies, but she was also curious. “Out with it. What do you want this time?”
Mr. White regained his composure. “Karl has been abducted again.”
She folded her arms. “Again?” Mara shook her head. “I don’t know. Every time you asked me to save him, someone got killed. Heru, Lady Isabella, and Anna died because of him, yet the Faith had no problem shifting all the blame onto me.” Then, “Besides, shouldn’t Kallisto save him? He’s the reincarnation of her husband, is he not?”
Mr. White’s jaw dropped. “I thought you would do it. Don’t you still have feelings for him?”
James and Aspen looked at the older man, then to her. Mara gave a stunned expression.
“No,” Mara replied. “No… How could I? Because of you, my parents…” Her eyes narrowed. “When Kallisto murdered my father, you and Karl did nothing.”
The old man looked shocked at her response, though remained silent.
His silence agitated her. Was he even sorry for what he did? Mara wasn’t expecting an apology since Mr. White was a devoted member of the Faith. Other thoughts went through her mind. This could be another plot to get her captured again, or worse. This could be some scheme to separate her from her friends and get them killed. Losing Allen was the breaking point. She began to move away from him. Her right hand tightened into a fist.
“I’m not saving Karl. Get someone else to do it!”
She stormed into her room and slammed the door shut. James and Aspen gazed at Mr. White. The former college professor stood dumbstruck.
***
Later in the evening, Mara heard a knock on the door.
“Someone came to see you,” James called. “And no, it’s not Mr. White.”
Answering the door, she saw James on the other side. She grabbed her cape in case she had to go anywhere. Mara left her room to greet whoever came to see her. On the way, she saw Mr. White still here. He glanced up at her as she stopped and stared at him. James caught up to her.
“Why is he still here?” Mara whispered to James.
“He’s too frightened to go back,” James revealed. “He fears Kallisto will kill him for failing to return with Karl.”
She could’ve felt some pity for her former college professor, but he brought this all upon himself. In the end, she wasn’t moved by his plight. Mara answered the door and saw a young man standing before her.
“Good evening, Miss Ashwood,” the young man spoke with his hands behind his back. His blue eyes, black hair, and goatee was familiar to her.
“I’ve seen you before,” Mara said. “You are Morgan’s butler, Kai.”
The young man nodded.
“That is correct,” Kai replied. “My mistress has invited you for dinner.” The butler gestured to a carriage already arranged for her.
To say the least, Mara never expected this. Her friends expressed curiosity while Mr. White watched from the background.
“An invitation?” James asked.
The butler glanced at him. “Yes, that is correct. My apologies, but only Miss Ashwood has been invited.”
Mr. White stormed over to them. “I wouldn’t trust him,” the old man warned.
Kai gave a dismissive expression. “It is just a dinner,” he said flatly.
Mara took a step forward.
“Morgan is not to be trusted!” Mr. White cried. “She abducted Karl!”
Mara snapped her gaze onto him. She was astounded to know Karl’s abductor was the original undying. A sense of dread washed over her.
“So, this is your angle?” Mara demanded. “You’re trying to trick me into killing Morgan and break the final seal.”
The old man gaped at her. He appeared stunned she would implicate him of such a thing.
“I know about Kallisto’s plan to awaken the divine.” Mara scowled at him. “Have you no shame? You don’t even care if millions die! If anything, you’ll be far away in Corlin, living in a luxurious manor while Aazalith slaughters millions!” She looked at James and Aspen. “Are you two going to be okay without me?”
Her friends nodded their heads in unison.
“Yes, we will,” James replied.
“If anything happens…” Aspen gazed at Mr. White with glowing eyes. “I’ll turn you inside-out.”
The old man gazed at the Watcher with apprehension. He was terrified of her claim.
Mara watched the three for a while, then stormed into the carriage. She put on her hood and mask on the way in. Once she was settled, the butler got on top of the transport, then directed the horses to move. Leaving for Désir, Mara saw Mr. White giving chase, but was stopped by James and Aspen. Her friends took the old man inside.
Chapter Fifteen
The Deal
Mara looked out the window, watching the winter scenery. Kai was steering the horses. She had second thoughts about going alone. Though after hearing about Morgan having the commander, she needed to go there. In truth, the huntress wanted to make sure the worst case scenario didn’t happen. With Morgan possessing the final seal, Mara was well aware of the target on the original undying’s back.
Once they reached the manor, the carriage stopped. The door opened, revealing the butler.
“We are here,” Kai said, offering his hand.
She took his hand while walking out into the cold. Mara released it as she stood before the manor. Two other men took the carriage away. The butler led her into the manor, directing her to the main living room and offering her a seat. The huntress pulled down her mask and took off her hood. She sat there and waited, unaware of the presence behind her.
“I’m so glad you could come,” Morgan began.
Mara turned her head and saw her. The hostess was dressed the same as before. It was hard to see, but Morgan was smiling and appeared to be in a pleasant mood. She sat adjacent to where the huntress was seated. The older woman leaned over to get a closer look.
“I’ve heard you had a very rough time with Kallikratés,” Morgan said. “It must be painful to lose loved ones. So much tragedy during a time of festivities and joy, especially during your own birthday.”
Mara watched her with an odd expression. She never told anyone about her birthday. Morgan reached for Mara’s left hand and touched it. “I wanted to have you over,” the original undying spoke. “No one should ignore their own birthday.” The huntress gazed back at her hand, sensing a strange but familiar power. She recalled the sensation before in the Dark Labyrinth. The older woman gave an inquisitive stare. “Or perhaps you came looking for him?”
Mara glanced back at her. “So, he is here?”
Morgan removed her hand, then reclined back in her seat. She gave a small but very confident smile. “Yes, if you wish to see him. Karl, my dear, please come in.”
As if on command, he entered the room.
The huntress watched as he walked to Morgan’s side before turning to face her. The first thing Mara noticed was his blank face and glazed eyes. At least he wasn’t giving any glares. He didn’t even reek of alcohol. He wore an outfit similar to the butlers and servants—a white dress shirt and a black vest with golden buttons decorating it. The tie, dress pants, and shoes were all black. Morgan reached for his arm and stroked it. Karl smiled while she petted him, as if he enjoyed being touched by her. Glancing back at his face, Mara couldn’t get over his unnatural expression.
“I’ve been told you abducted him,” Mara said.
Morgan withdrew her hand. Karl’s face went back into a blank state.
“He came to me of his own free will,” Morgan explained.
“I’m skeptical.” Mara pointed at him. “He�
��s in a trance.”
Morgan frowned, realizing Mara caught on. The older woman stood up and walked past her. “Okay, perhaps I was a little dishonest,” she admitted, gazing at him. “He and the Holy Blades came to Désir to capture me, and break the final seal.”
The huntress shot up to her feet, staring at the older woman in shock.
“After sending his men away, I showed him the truth,” the original undying said. “But he couldn’t handle it, and Kallisto’s control over him remains strong.”
Mara became more puzzled. She had no idea what Morgan was talking about. The older woman gazed back at her while heading towards a hallway.
“Oh, you don’t know? Come with me,” the hostess beckoned.
Mara followed her.
Morgan led her down the hallway. They came to a dead end. The older woman pulled on a light fixture and the wall opened up, revealing a new passage.
“Did Harold tell you about the Legend of Kratés?” Morgan inquired, while leading her guest to a room on the other end.
Mara nodded. “He said it was a fabrication. The real heroes were you and the other six. You were assisted by the Stone Mages, the Silver Thorns, and the Aristocracy.”
“That is correct,” Morgan said. “We were able to communicate with Aazalith, hoping to reason with her. The divine demanded her soul back and threatened to destroy the land. We had no choice but to stop her. With the Stone Mages’ magic, seven seals were placed on her, suppressing access to Amara’s soul, as well as her own magic.”
Stopping before the door, the hostess placed her gloved hand on the doorknob. Before opening the way, Morgan looked back at Mara.
“We were the unsung heroes the world never knew. We were feared and hated while Kallikratés lied to humanity.”
Then the original undying opened the door. Inside was a large circular room with a casket on a pedestal. The coffin was made of glass and gold, filled with a glowing blue liquid. The contents caught Mara’s attention for there was a body inside. The hostess gestured to Mara to take a closer look. The huntress complied and approached the casket. Her eyes went wide upon gaining a clearer image of the figure inside.
He looked identical to Karl with the exception of his hair being a little longer. His body was well built, though he wasn’t too muscular. Her eyes drifted down to his chest. A tattoo began from the left side of his neck and spread over the entire length of his left arm. The strange markings were also present on the same side of his torso. She had seen the tattoos before on the labyrinth guardian. All he wore was a pair of dark blue pants with leg wrappings below the knees. Sandals adorned his bare feet. His body was perfectly preserved. It was as if he were sleeping under water.
Mara was mystified. “That’s…”
“Kratés,” Morgan interrupted.
The huntress snapped her gaze onto the hostess with a dumbfounded expression. At first, she was at a loss of words, but found her voice. Mara then looked back at the body of the former king. “Why is he here?”
“After neutralizing Aazalith, I returned to my domain,” Morgan revealed, watching his body. “Kratés followed me home.”
Mara glanced back at her. “Did he know who you are?” She saw Morgan nod. “You let him into your home?”
“Yes,” Morgan replied. “Kallisto abandoned him while Aazalith tore their palace down. Thanks to us, he survived, but became upset by Kallisto’s betrayal. The tension between the two had finally broke. He never wanted to see her again and became my lover once more.”
“You let him back in your life? After what he did to you? To Amara?”
“He changed,” Morgan insisted.
“I find it hard to believe.”
“Please, listen and understand,” the older woman pleaded. “He regained his senses and swore to make things right, but Kallisto found us. She stabbed Kratés with a keeper’s dagger, which once belonged to Harold. I believe she kept it in case he turned on her.” Morgan revealed, “He didn’t need to die. The dagger could’ve been used to make him human, but Kallisto could not stand seeing us together. So, she took him away again by stabbing him in the heart, robbing him of his life. I could’ve defeated her, but she fled. Since then, neither Kallisto or her followers dared to return to Désir until recent times.”
Mara didn’t know what to think. It was much to take. She looked down and saw all the proof she needed to believe Morgan. The scar from the dagger was almost faded, but it remained visible. She stared at Kratés’ body for a while before being escorted to dinner.
***
Dinner was ready by the time Mara and Morgan arrived at the table. While being served, Mara glanced up from her plate to see a servant come with a different dish. There was so much food on the table, she hoped she wasn’t expected to eat all of this. Staring down at her dinner plate, she began to think of her plan. The original undying watched her.
“There appears to be something on your mind,” Morgan said. “Did you truly come here to rescue Karl?”
Mara looked back at her. “No, I didn’t,” she admitted. “If anything, I came here to make sure you’re safe since you have the final seal.”
“Oh, is that so?” Morgan asked. “How sweet…”
“I have a plan,” the huntress revealed. “We’re going to confront Aazalith and put Amara to rest. We are going to break this vicious cycle.”
“We?”
Mara nodded. “I’m not doing this alone,” she said. “With the three of us combined, we can do this. Aspen already agreed to help.”
“And now you’re asking me?” Morgan asked.
“Yes,” she replied.
“You’re not going to honour Harold’s wish?”
“I already found the others,” Mara said. “I got captured while trying to save Allen, and was tossed back into the Dark Labyrinth. While trying to retrieve his body, I found them and absorbed their souls. Ten victims—more than half never reached adulthood, and one hadn’t been born yet.”
“I know,” Morgan responded.
Mara gave a curious expression. “How do you know?”
The older woman gazed at her. “I’ve seen them myself.”
“You have?” Mara realized what was going on. “The apparition I’ve been seeing—that’s you?”
Morgan nodded. “Psychic projection is one of my powers.”
The huntress kept staring at her. “You’ve been watching me all along?”
“Ever since I discovered you were an undying,” Morgan replied. “When I first saw you, you were a frail thing. Your soul was like a tiny flame. At first, I was able to render myself invisible to you. With each undying soul claimed, your soul grew stronger, allowing you to finally see me.” She changed the subject. “I knew of Kallisto’s hatred towards me, but never thought she’d stoop so low to murder innocent girls.” Keeping a cool and calm demeanour, Morgan watched her. “Very well, I’ll help you. I will also aid you in stopping Kallisto and the Faith.”
Mara’s eyes grew wide. “Really?” Then her excitement faded when she wondered about the final seal. “But to make Aazalith appear…”
“I can break the final seal myself. I’ll die, then return to life. I am also an undying.” Morgan paused. “Although I will admit I did not expect your unwillingness to slay me.”
She watched Morgan. “Considering the circumstances, I suspect you don’t want to die.”
“What circumstances?”
“The fact you have the perfectly preserved body of your former lover.”
Morgan froze. It seemed like she never expected Mara to say those words. After a few seconds, a smile crept upon her face. “You are much more observant than I thought,” she said. “I planned to resurrect Kratés, but I’m missing one thing in order to complete the ritual.”
“What is that?” Mara asked.
“His soul,” Morgan answered. “So, it was very convenient for Karl to come to my domain.”
Those words caught the huntress’ attention. “Are you going to kill him?”
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“I just need to stop his heart for five minutes. Believing Karl has died, Kratés will leave his body and return to his own. Not only does the alchemic potion preserve him, it’ll also draw his soul back. He will return as a human. Once Kratés has been resurrected, I’ll revive Karl. No harm will come to him. You may be unaware, but there are two souls within Karl—Kratés’ as well as his own. Kratés was quite special, being able to father many children. His spirit can ride the current of his bloodline, allowing him to be reborn within one of his descendants.”
“How do you intend to do this?” Mara questioned.
“With a spell,” Morgan answered. “However, his mind must be free. This is easier said than done. Kallisto still has a firm grip on his mind. Even I haven’t been able to break it.”
“How long will it take?”
“I cannot say, but the longer he’s away from her, the better off he’ll be.” Morgan fixated her gaze upon Mara. “Once all of this is done, I’ll return Karl to you.”
Mara frowned.
The older woman took notice. “This is what you desire?”
Mara remained quiet. It was Morgan’s turn to frown.
“You two were together,” the older woman said. “You were engaged to be married.”
Morgan’s words reminded the huntress of Karl’s proposal in the garden.
“I know,” Mara said. “It’s just… I’ve been thinking about how I really feel about him. When I entered a relationship with Karl, it created a rift between me, Allen, and my father. If I never met him, I think none of these things would’ve happened.”
Morgan watched her. “Your feelings for him are waning? Interesting…” she said, “When Kratés betrayed me, my feelings for him diminished as well. Though he regained his mind over time and begged me to take him back. Karl, on the other hand, hasn’t been fortunate.”
“What do you mean?” Mara questioned.
“Even though a small fragment was enough to make him powerful and immortal, it wasn’t enough to let him keep his mind. I can revert him back to the way he was.”
Mara pondered her words. Morgan claimed she could free Karl, but what did she mean by making him more open-minded to her? How was she going to do this? Other thoughts surfaced in her mind. She was unsure about letting Morgan resurrect the former God-King. Kratés played a major role in shaping the present. If he had never seen Amara, none of these things would’ve happened. Then she thought about her former college professor. It was possible he remained at James’ home, still waiting on her to save the commander.
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