"Grandfather," Richard nods to him then looks to me with a smirk, "this is Zara, my soon to be queen."
"I thought Charles was joking! Tell me Zara, what do you see in this man?" He laughs with a bitter undertone.
Instantly I see Richards eyes fall to the ground, and for the first time since knowing him, I see the insecurity in him.
Lacing my arm around his waist and holding his hand with my free one, I smile sweetly at him before answering the man.
"That has nothing to do with you, all you need to know is that we are together," I smile smugly.
"Don't think being his queen will protect you," he spits his venom.
"Do not waste your threats on me. You neither scare nor bother me with your threats," I bite back in an irate tone.
"Now you can see why we get on so well," Richard speaks cheerfully.
"You should keep a leash on her, Charmer or not, I will behead the bitch!"
Before my anger can touch the surface, Richard has thrown his grandfather against the wall with an ear piercing thud.
"She is under your skin, could you be weakening already son?" He laughs as he gets up from the floor and dusts of his jacket.
"Not weakening, getting stronger every day," Richard taunts.
"Ladies and gentlemen, could I please have a moment of your time," a woman's voice rings through the speakers.
As we wait for everything to quiet down, I notice Richard’s grandfather slip out of the large room.
"I know it is hard for you to all be in the same room, but as royalty we expect you to act accordingly. The next man or woman to raise a finger against another will be out. On a better note, we have all heard the rumours of the Charmer, some even that she is here tonight. I would like to ask Prince Richard and his to be Queen to announce themselves."
And with that, the people who surround us take a few steps back, and watch us carefully.
"Thank you Penelope, but it was not necessary," he tells the woman who just put the spot light on us, "you hear right, I have found my mate in Zara, the Charmer, and you should all treat her with respect. For those who do not quite understand," he finishes by nodding his head to the stage, followed by the woman’s head flying across the floor and stopping only metres away from us.
Desperately trying to remain still, my stomach lurches but I’m able to control it. Why did he do that? God the man is sick; a warning would have sufficed.
Hearing the gasp from the audience, my eyes fly to Richard.
He smiles at them, then kisses my lips gently before taking my hand and walking over to one of the empty tables. I would have pulled away if I wasn’t in a state of shock.
"What the fuck?" I hiss at him quietly as I step in front of him, and my back facing the onlookers.
"This is no game Zara; I have to get their attention and respect. I gave them all a warning by decapitating that vulgar woman’s head and they will now think twice on any ideas they have conjured up of coming after you. A simply thank you will be sufficient."
"Jesus Richard," I screech again with my eyes showing the shock.
"You need to grow harder to this Zara, as a Charmer you will have to live this life, alone like the rest of us."
"I'm not alone, I have a family, friends."
"At your side, they will not live long. You come in to this life alone and leave alone" he explains harshly.
Deep down, I know he is right, I have thought this myself many of times.
"Right I need to see this Patrick," I tell him, needing to change the subject.
"Follow me then," he tells me before pulling me though the people who part way for us.
Walking towards a group of finely dressed men, we stop before them.
Richards’s presence has them soon turning to face us.
"Patrick," he nods.
Patrick is a good looking man, as are the men he stands with, their eyes eat me up.
"What is it?" He says with attitude.
"Why so sad cousin," Richard taunts.
"You knew that was my girlfriend," he barks back.
"Yes I did didn't I, but then you did after all send Torka after Zara, did you not?" he says with a raised brow.
"You did that?" I ask outraged.
"So it was revenge?" His cousin asks with anger in his eyes.
"No, not revenge, that will follow," Richard sneers.
"I am not scared by you Richard, you can do nothing to me whilst grandfather lives," he replies, but sounding scared, which he was trying to hide but his voice gave him away.
"I have time cousin. Anyway, this was lovely, excuse me," Richard say’s and turns his back on his cousin to walk away.
But unluckily it was a wrong move, as before he can cast a spell to hurt Richard, I push my hands out against the air and manipulate it to lift and throw him across the room, and in doing so crashing into a large glass table.
"Well executed," Richard praises as we walk away coolly from the scene.
"Why didn't you tell me that the man pretending to be Julian, to get close to try and kill me was sent by your cousin?"
"Because."
"Because what?" I ask agitated.
"Stop worrying about has happened and look forward from this night, what is done is done. Become the person you want from life, not the person to please others, to ask the right questions, take it how it comes and live everyday selfishly."
And for the first time, I agree with him, not that I will tell him so.
Rolling my eyes playfully, I take my glass from the table, sip the wine and cross my legs in the chair, and look on at the people.
Hours pass slowly, and Richard and I sit in the same spot, watching and waiting for the right moment, which appears before us perfectly.
Richard’s grandfather step’s up to us with evil sneer on his face, whilst the cousins stand at his side fearlessly.
"We have been thinking about your role in the dark coven, we think you have out lived your position. It is time for a new Prince, I'm sure you agree," he lifts an eyebrow.
Richard stands to his feet slowly, and offers his hand to me, which I take willingly and stand at his side.
"I do not agree," he shakes his head smiling, angering the men further.
"Then it shall be taken from you!" His grandfather roars, shaking the room.
"By who, you?" Richard laughs evilly.
Any moment now there will be magic thrown our way, even the entire hall of people could turn on us, so I stand with my head held high watching the cousins carefully for any movement, but keeping united with Richard.
"Don't laugh at me boy, I killed your father, your mother, your dear grandmother, you have not an ounce of their strength!"
Wow, this I did not know. I so badly want to look at Richard, even comfort him, which shocks me, however, I cannot show weakness.
"You are right, I am stronger than them all put together. If you wish to test me, go ahead old man," he taunts calmly.
"Have it your way. We will meet on the last day of the month at..."
"No! Now!" Richard yells, and this is when my stomach drops.
I knew there would be a battle, it's just standing here surrounded by these people, has made the whole ordeal come to life. I'm about to watch Richard kill his grandfather, while I murder his cousins, all because I want to finally see Mary dead! When did I become this person?
Thank god Richard’s cousin Thomas, who was the new leader of the Dark Coven in the other reality where Richards was dead, isn’t part of this rebellion because I couldn’t take the life of such a decent man.
Soon after the words leave Richards lips, we see and hear many of the guests scurrying away in fear for their life's, but around twenty or so stay to watch.
"Zara, stand over there," he tells me softly, and squeezes my hand before holding my face in his warm hands; he kisses me so gently that I barely feel it. Nevertheless, my lips are left tingling from the touch of his moist lips on mine.
Nodding my head to him in a con
fused state, I go to turn away from him, but change my mind and step closely to him, and in a whisper I say,
"Good luck," I tell him strongly before I turn away and walk to the wall, standing with my back against it.
Richards cousins walk to the wall furthest away, and talk quietly amongst themselves, while Richard and his grandfather step into the middle if the floor.
And as they stand there watching each other’s movements, suddenly a high ring of bright burning fire circles them.
Gasping at the sight of them surrounded by the flame, I hear the echo of laughter from his cousins that have joined the other spectators to see the battle commence.
Richard throws his hands out causing his grandfather to fall into the flame, but he soon jumps to his feet and magically chokes Richard. It then looks like Richard is being held by his arms and legs as he stands spread out a meter off the ground. Forcing the magic away, Richard falls to the floor bent down on one knee, he twist his hand, and I watch in awe as his grandfather rises as his body twist with speed, he then fly kicks his grandfather, once again I watch the man crash into the flame and scream from the burning.
This goes on for some time, and it looks to me that there strength is equally matched, until his grandfather falls to the floor in exhaustion, holding up one hand, asking Richard to give him time to get to his feet. However, Richard kicks his face, knocking him on his back.
As the scene unrolls, I quickly look to his cousins to see if they have yet to make a move. As soon as the thought enters my mind, I watch as the two cousin’s stand with their eyes closed and their hands raised, chanting.
Fuck! Thinking on my feet, I concentrate on their stance. Just like that, the ground beneath them shakes and cracks, causing them to stop casting the spell.
Steadying themselves, they spy me across the room, followed by what looks like bolts of lightning thrown my way. Crouching on the floor with my hands covering my body, I wait for them to strike, but nothing. Jumping up on my feet, I take a frightened step back when I see the lightning has stopped only inches from my body and face like I had put up some sort of force shield.
Pulling my hands back, I throw my hands out to them with all my might and watch them fly back across the room and hit the two men, who were not expecting it.
As they get to their feet I knock them back down with my mind alone and rush at them with speed and concentration as out of nowhere water pours from the ceiling, almost like a wickedly strong water fall. As the water beats down on them, holding them in their place, I quickly turn to look at Richard. He has his foot on his grandfather’s neck and his hands high, but when he feels my eyes on him, he winks before lifting his foot. Unable to watch, I turn back to the cousins, and with great concentration I manipulate the water to seep through their mouths and noses, filling them with the water, drowning them.
Watching the fall of water gradually stop pouring, the body of the two men lay dead. Closing my eyes to the image I turn my head slightly and let myself take a much needed breath, followed by a cry of shamefulness for how I murdered them in cold blood. Clenching my teeth as the tears fall down my cheeks, I feel sick, I feel as though I have become a monster, an evil vile monster.
"Zara?" Richard calls to me.
Clenching my eyes tightly to remove the image if the men, I spin to see Richard standing across the room, with a frown on his face.
"Come," he calls again.
Forcing my shaky legs to move, I run over to him and hold onto his hand which he holds out.
"We are going back to the Dark Coven," he warns me before transporting ourselves there.
"I'm using your shower," I tell him in a jagged breath before sprinting away from him and entering the bathroom.
Ripping my clothes from my body in disgust, I step inside the huge shower, turn on the water and let it wash away my disappointment in myself.
With my back to the glass, I slip slowly down to my bottom, while the warm water flows over me.
Those men might have been evil and killed many people, but, that didn't give me the right to take their lives. I need Richard’s help, to save the life of Ruk, but I was naive to think this would not affect me so terribly.
"They would have killed you," Richards voice echo’s.
"I know," I answer back and hug my knees tighter.
"Come out of there, you are clean," he persuades.
"Go away, I'll be out in a sec," I answer back.
Shutting off the water, I dry myself with a towel and wrap myself up in a fluffy white dressing gown I find hanging on the door.
I should go home, but then the questions will arise and I cannot face them yet, I need to get my head around what I have done and become.
Creaking open the door, I thank god for Richard not being here.
Slumping down on the couch and hugging my knees, the image of the men I’ve just killed flashes though my mind, making my stomach turn.
Then a presence fills the air, a warm loving, and beautiful presence.
"Mum?" I cry in desperation.
"Daughter, do not be sad, or regretful," she tells me, appearing at my side, stoking my hair lovingly.
"I don't want to be this person," I tell her truthfully.
"You are you; you have not become anything or anyone. I'm proud of your actions tonight, you have no idea the lives you have saved, the family's, children. But you cannot hide this," she presses her hand against my heart.
"I just wanted to stop the pain, I feel nothing there now, it's as if I have never loved."
"Exactly," she looks deeply into my eyes, "I have to go darling. You know what to do, only you can make the choices, they won't always be right, but that's the point," she smiles and fades away, leaving me wanting more of her, to sit with her and talk properly, something I have yet to do with my mother.
Walking back inside his bedroom is Richard, with the book of Kartam in his hands.
"This is yours. Thank you for tonight, I will not disappoint you when you need me to repay the favour," he hands me the book graciously with a nod of his head.
"Thank you," I take it from his hands carefully, "can I stay here tonight," I ask, but don't explain that I can't go home yet.
"If you wish," he says with a light frown, that soon turns into a small smile, "but you will have to stay in this room as you have every man and woman looking for you. I do not want your death on my hands," he jokes lightening the mood.
"Wouldn't want that. I'll stay here, and leave in the morning. Thank you."
"You are welcome. Take the bed, I will be up all night anyway," he tells me as he walks into his sitting room closing the door behind him.
Getting up from the couch, I move over to his bed and climb under the sheets, open the book and say quietly.
"Return my feelings," and just like that the book open to the reverse spell.
Chapter 11
Back home Sitting at the kitchen table, I stare out of the kitchen window, my heart heavy with grief from losing Ruk, but at the same time, happy that he is here alive, even if it’s not with me.
"You ok sweetie?" Dallah's voice brings me out of the trance.
"Yeah, fine, just fine," I smile at her.
A light frown forms on her brows while she study's my face, she then looks to Angus, Sallack and Den and shrugs her shoulders slightly.
"I'm ok, I swear," I try to convince them all.
"Please babe, tell us what happened in the Dark Coven? You look different," Den asks gently whilst taking my hand in his.
Pulling my hand back, I knot my fingers together and place them in my lap.
"I don't look different, you just see me as different. What's been going on then, while I was away?"
"Not much," he shrugs.
"Right. I'm off then," I tell them as I get up from the table.
"I'll come with you?" Dallah asks getting up.
"No! I'm sorry Dallah; I just want to be alone."
Walking through the wooded trail at the back of the house, I l
et my mind slip back to Ruk again. If the bitch Mary wasn't here, I know that Ruk and I would be together, I know we would. However, for some unknown reason he feels a sense duty towards her, I'm not sure if it is the memory loss, or if he has taken to this changed woman. Whatever it is will be short lived, unless, no I can't believe he would ever want her. At the end of the day he hated her so much that he killed her with his bare hands.
I can't sit back and watch this car crash happen before my eyes. I just wish to god he would snap out of it, because I'm starting to feel angry, rather than upset, which I suppose is a good thing.
"Hello lovely," a woman's gentle voice rings through the trees.
Spinning around in a circle to face the voice, I see no one.
"Who's there?" I ask bravely.
"Just a friend, come to me,"
"Why don't you come to me, if you are a friend?" I ask uneasily.
Walking out from behind a tree, is an old woman with her head bowed down and wearing dirty damp clothing, the smell of her alone causes my skin to crawl.
"Who are you?" I ask looking at her closely for any sudden movements.
"A friend," she whispers then cackles loudly, making me jump.
"Whatever, I'm going," I tell the woman and walk away from her.
She looks to be homeless, but I get a horrible feeling about her, so when I turn to face her again, the air is knocked out of me as I'm hit with great strength over the head.
Coming around, I crack open my eyes to the moon lit sky. Shit, she must have hit me hard; I must have been unconscious for hours.
"Hello?!" I scream whilst going to rub my head, only, my hands are tied to a chair.
"What the fuck! Hey! Show yourself," I yell angrily.
Where am I? Why can I not get out of the restraints?
No, no, no! Richard! He was the only one to have known how to keep me like this, but why would he.
"Bella Donna," no way! "How lovely it is to see you with your eyes open," Demitri's crooning voice hits my ears like a tree falling upon my head.
Forsaken (book 3) (The Charmer series) Page 11