Touch of Decadence (The Magic Mirror #1)

by Sylvia McDaniel

  She didn't know what was going on, but something had just made him furious.

  Turning back to Daisy, his eyes fearful, he said, "You didn't eat any of this, did you?"

  Confused, she gazed at him. "No, it's meat and I'm a vegetarian, remember?"

  He took two steps toward her. She could see he was anxious. He reached out and touched her shoulders. "I'm so glad you're a vegetarian. She served you grosswald, which is poisonous. People die minutes after they eat the sausage."

  Daisy stared at him and closed her eyes, silently thanking the Fates for warning her. "Why would she want me dead?"

  His communicator suddenly started sounding an alarm. "We're leaving right this moment to go to my sister."

  He turned to her. "The castle is under attack. I think I know who is behind this spell on my sister and my mother. I think my aunt is trying to secure the kingdom for her daughter, Aquila. It's all starting to make sense."

  "She will kill more witches, won't she?"

  "Not without going through me first," he said and grabbed her hand as they ran out the door.

  Daisy had never been more terrified as they ran through winding halls a siren wailing in the distance. They came around a corner and two guardsmen fired a beam of light at them.

  Orion yanked her behind him as they slid around a wall and she quickly chanted a protection spell over them, hoping that he wasn't immune to magic here. She feared for his life and wanted to protect them both. He pulled out a weapon and fired back at one of the men. When there was no return fire, he tugged her behind him and they ran down the hall again until they reached another corner. Three men jumped out and she watched in disbelief as Orion fired his weapon, killing them all.

  "Ignorant fools," he said, as he watched them slump to the ground.

  "Is it because I'm a witch," she asked quietly.

  "It's because someone has filled their heads with nonsense and they believed it."

  "Don't they understand I'm here to help your sister?"

  "But what if they were told something different. I can't believe the army is defecting. There has to be something more to this than killing you for being a witch."

  Daisy sighed as they hurried through the halls. They rounded another corner and she saw Orion's aunt standing in front of the door with two men beside her weapons aimed in their direction.

  "Orion, how nice to have you back. Daisy, how was breakfast?" she said, with a sneer.

  "What are you doing?" he asked. "Where's the Queen?"

  "She's in the room with your sister. I'm standing guard so your witch can't finish them off. We're wise to your plan, Orion. You are not going to take over the kingdom"

  Orion shook his head. "I don't know what you're doing, I'm not after the kingdom. I love my sister and mother. Is that why you tried to poison Daisy this morning?"

  Daisy whispered in Orion's ear. "She's turned the soldiers against us. Let me put a spell on them that will stop their weapons."

  "No. It will only frighten more guardsmen into believing you will harm my mother and sister."

  Rawnia smiled, "I just thought she would love to try some grosswald."

  The guardsmen turned and looked at her frowning.

  Daisy decided it was now or never to plead her case with the men who had turned against Orion's family. "I'm not here to harm or kill the Queen and Princess. I've come to break the spell cast over them. Rawnia would you know anything about this spell?"

  "All witches should die."

  The woman was so filled with hate for her kind it made Daisy sad to think she couldn't be saved.

  "Even good witches? Even ones who are here to combat evil? That's like saying all children must die because there may be one or two born evil, so let's kill them all. I thought this planet had learned from the past."

  A deep male voice spoke up, "We have. We outlawed killing and even invited the witches to return, but now my daughter and my wife lay inside that room in a coma, dying."

  "Father," Orion said and glanced at the King's weapon.

  He pointed it at Rawnia and stared at the guardsmen. "I'll give you to the count of three to drop your weapons and step away from the door. If you don't, my son and I will kill you for the traitors you are. It seems, my sister-in-law wants her own daughter to be on the throne."

  She smiled. "My Aquila, would make a perfect ruler. One who would bring back all the old laws and make segregation, once again, part of our culture. She's of the royal bloodline and is the rightful heir to the throne."

  "Your husband told you about Daisy and you sent the ship after us," Orion said.

  Rawnia smiled. "Corgi has very loose lips. I learned your position when you contacted the healer. You weren't suppose to make it back from Earth."

  For a moment, Daisy thought that Orion's father, was going to kill the woman. She couldn't really blame him. The woman was ignorant. But he ignored her outburst.

  "One," he said and both guardsmen fired their weapons at Orion's father.

  The King fell to the ground, his arm bleeding. Orion shoved Daisy behind him.

  "Father, are you all right?"

  Rawnia pulled her weapon. "Drop your laser Orion. All I want is the witch."

  "Is Aquila aware that you want her to be Queen?"

  "She will make an excellent ruler. Of course, I'll be at her side, advising her on what laws should be changed," she said smiling. "I'm sorry about your mother and sister." She glanced over at his father lying on the floor. "And it appears your father as well. Your family is a stubborn bunch. Now give me the witch."

  "I don't want you to die," Daisy said softly in Orion's ear. "Let me go to her."

  He ignored her.

  "You realize you will never be Queen and I doubt Aquila will be for long. Someone will assassinate her. You're risking the life of your daughter just to take advantage of a spell. You hate the witches, but you're using their evil to your advantage."

  She frowned. "Zitora of the Xalto cast the spell, but he's dead. This is the perfect time for Aquila to have her chance on the throne. Of course I'm taking advantage. As I said before, she is the rightful ruler."

  Daisy had to do something to save them for she feared that Rawnia would soon shoot Orion to get to Daisy. Quietly she started to chant, hoping her magic would once again work.

  A film seemed to surround Rawnia and her guardsmen. They became encased in a thick, vicious substance. His aunt tried to push her arm through the thick stuff, but more of the thick matter surrounded her limb.

  "Aargh, what is that witch doing?" Rawnia cried, pushing against the liquid.

  "She's protecting people from your hatred," Daisy said softly, keeping her focus on the spell.

  "Disengage their weapons," Orion said.

  With a few words, the weapon barrels were twisted rendering them completely useless and pointing back at the person holding the device. Then the film dropped away.

  Orion rushed over and knocked the useless weapons out of the way. He spoke into his communicator and guardsmen filed into the hall. They quickly secured the traitors wrists in cuffs.

  Kneeling by his father's side, Orion checked for his heartbeat. "He lives. We need a healer."

  Hearing his son's voice, the King opened his eyes. "What happened?"

  "Rawnia, shot you in the arm," Orion said. "You passed out."

  The King stood and turned towards Rawnia, his eyes glowed with a red color that exuded the anger that radiated from him. "What will I do with you Rawnia?" Orion's father asked. "You are family. You are married to my wife's brother, but you are a traitor."

  "I am of the royal bloodline that should be ruling Tesceanus."

  A man wearing the sign of the royal family came rushing towards them.

  "Rawnia? What have you done?"

  "I'm doing what you never would. I'm securing the kingdom for our daughter."

  Out of the corner of her eye, Daisy saw him raise a weapon. Fearful for her mate, she threw herself at Orion shielding him with her body j
ust as the man fired his weapon. Rwania slumped to the ground and they all turned to see her husband, Corgi, weapon still raised.

  "My daughter doesn't want to be queen," he said softly. "I'm tired of you trying to force your plans on her."

  Guardsmen surrounded him and one gently removed the weapon from his hand.

  Orion slowly rose from the floor and shook his head at Daisy. "I'm supposed to protect you, witch."

  "Not this time."

  A ripple of awareness, ran through Daisy stunning her. In shock, she suddenly knew they were running out of time.

  "We must get to your sister," she said to Orion. "She's dying."

  12

  The three of them rushed into the room. Daisy gasped at the sight of Orion's beautiful sister and now his mother both laying there in a coma.

  "I'm Sabik, King of Tesceanus," his father said, nodding his head toward Daisy, holding his wounded arm carefully.

  She gave a quick curtsy, not knowing if that's what you did with this group of royals. "Your son has told me of you."

  He gazed between the two of them and walked to his wife. Picking up her hand, he stared down at his Queen. "A month ago, I would have helped Rawnia run a witch off our planet. I remember the Great War, the witch coven's started when they tried to take over our kingdom. But now, I look at my loving wife, our Queen, and my beautiful daughter. If you are a good witch, please tell me you can break this spell. I love my wife and daughter and I don't want to lose them."

  Daisy swallowed the tears that filled her throat. "I can't promise anything except that I'm going to do my best to break the sleeping spell."

  "Thank you," he said and knelt by his wife's side. "I love you, my Queen."

  His words spoken so low, wrenched Daisy's heart and she glanced at Orion. If only he would say those words to her.

  Last night she had not confessed her love and today, she could die trying to break the hold on these women. Did she want to leave without telling him of her feelings? Yet, this morning they had argued. Inside her heart was breaking, but it was time to terminate the spell.

  Orion walked up to her side. "What do you need?"

  "Nothing." She gazed at him and caressed the side of his face. "Alien, you charged into my life unexpectedly, and turned my world upside down. But I've seen the love that you have for your family and the love for your people. You are a caring man who is gentle and kind. Thank you for sharing your life with me."

  On tiptoes, she reached up and kissed him on the lips, showing him with her mouth what her heart already knew.

  When she finished kissing him, he stood there stunned, staring at her. She whirled around, uncertain that he would ever return her love. But not wanting their last words to be angry.

  Daisy faced the women, tears in her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she released it, her resolve strengthened. "Let us begin."

  Walking around the sleeping women, she began to chant in a soothing rhythmic voice, waving her arms and sprinkling some of her magic dust she'd brought with her. For over twenty minutes she continued the chant and nothing happened. No sign of any changes in the two women.

  Exhausted, she stopped.

  "What's wrong?" King Sabik asked.

  "The breaking spell did not work. But I'm not giving up."

  Several minutes later, she tried another spell this time shouting as she moved about the room chanting, telling the women to shake off the sleep. Nothing.

  Needing to gather her thoughts, she glanced at Orion, who had retreated to a corner of the room and watched her.

  "Your spells didn't work on me, they're not going to work on them either, are they?"

  "The reason my spells didn't work on you is because of the connection between us. The reason they're not working on your sister and mother is because of the strength of the coven. I have one last trick that I'm going to use."

  She glanced over at him, her eyes telling him she loved him, her heart wrenching as she hoped he would know what to do.

  Leaning over the sister, she began to chant, laying herself almost on top of the girl. She felt the magic moving into her bones, attacking her, strangling her. Unable to look at her mate, she knew the spell was taking over her body. Her last thoughts were of Orion and the love she had for her mate.

  With a cry, she collapsed onto the floor.

  "Daisy," Orion cried, his voice sounding almost strangled as she slipped into the coma.

  In disbelief, Orion watched as Daisy collapsed and lay on the floor. He ran to her side and noticed his sister slowly moving. She opened her eyes staring at him.

  "Lyra?" he asked.

  "Yes, what time is it?" she asked, sitting up gazing around at the people in the room.

  "Oh my God, you're alive," he gasped, realizing that Daisy had saved his family. And then out of the corner of his eye, he saw his mother moving and his father cradling her in his arms.

  Daisy had broken the spell, but now she lay on the floor. He lifted her into his arms. It was as if she were sleeping. He tried to wake her, but she only continued to sleep. He touched her wrist and felt her pulse.

  Tears welled up in his eyes and he gazed down at the Earth witch. No, she couldn't leave him, because he needed her. She made him laugh, she challenged him, she taunted him and he hoped she loved him. He couldn't imagine spending a day without her. His heart felt like it was breaking as he gazed down at her, knowing he'd fallen in love.

  Daisy sacrificed herself for his sister. To save his family and his planet, but he didn't want to lose her. He couldn't lose her, because he loved her.

  He heard the voice of the healer in his head. Only the kiss of her true love or the spell being either broken or absorbed by another will awaken her..

  She had absorbed the spell.

  "Daisy," he said, his voice cracking. "Don't leave me. I love you. You've captured my heart. You're my mate for life and I want to share every day with you. Please don't leave me."

  He kissed her, his mouth moving over hers, his tears falling onto her face, praying that the healer was correct. Ravaging her lips like a dying man, he put all the love he felt for this tempting woman into his kiss, unable to consider she could never awaken.

  After what seemed like forever, he felt her arms wrap around his neck and when he opened his eyes, she was staring at him.

  He released her mouth. "Oh, Daisy."

  "I didn't know if you loved me and would know how to break the spell."

  "I thought I had lost you and when you were gone, my heart broke. I love you, Daisy. I want you by my side."

  "By telling me you love me, you sealed your fate. You're my mate. The one I've been waiting for. I love you, my big alien."

  "I love you, my sassy witch."

  "Wow, I go to sleep and when I wake up my brother's in love and my whole family is in the same chamber sleeping with me. Somehow I think I missed something," Lyra said, gazing around at the people in the room.

  Orion glanced up from Daisy and smiled at his sister. "Yes, just a little."

  His father cleared his throat and everyone glanced over.

  "Daisy, you saved my wife and my daughter. I would be honored if you would marry my son and join our two worlds together. Your children will be part Tesceanus and part witch, combining our species and making it a better world."

  "Father, I'm supposed to ask her to marry me, not you," Orion said, with a laugh.

  "I was against witches and she's shown me that there are good witches in the world."

  The Queen, who had been resting against her husband nodded her head with a tired smile. "It's obvious our son loves you. We will let him propose his way, but we welcome you into our family with open arms."

  Orion turned his gaze on Daisy. He got down on one knee and then lowered himself all the way to the ground, laying himself on his stomach. Gazing up at her from the lowliest position on the floor, he asked. "Daisy Blanchet, will you join with me and let me be your forever mate?"

  She reached down and pulled him to his feet.
"I wouldn't have anyone else. I love you, Orion."

  "To the Earth and back, I love you too."

  Yanking her into his arms, Orion smiled at her. "The weirdness of Magic, New Mexico brought us together."

  "And our love will keep us together. When we need a recharge, I'll feed you one of Daisy's decadent chocolate cakes."

  Laughing Orion kissed her.

  <<<<>>>>

  Thank You for Reading

  Dear Reader,

  Thanks for reading! I owe a big thank you to S.E. Smith for inviting me to Magic, New Mexico. I had a lot of fun writing in her world and falling in love with these characters.

  As always, if you’re inclined, I would appreciate your letting everyone know by leaving a few words on your favorite vendors website. Whether or not you loved the book or hated, it-I’d enjoy your feedback. Here is a link to my author page on Amazon. You can find all my books listed there along with a video on My Lipstick and Lead series. Click the follow button to learn when a new book is released.

  Sign up for my newsletter if you’d like to learn about my new releases before everyone else.

  Yours in Drama, Divas, Bad Boys and Romance!

  Sincerely,

  Sylvia McDaniel

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