Chapter 77 Chapter Seventy-Seven
Chapter Seventy-Seven
⚓️⚓️⚓️
Zeke
My uncle's calm look finally cracked. “You know, it's such a disadvantage to be so smart. It means you'd have to die first. I can't have you getting in the way of my plans now, can I?” He cocked his head to the side, cracking his neck.
I blinked when a figure suddenly dashed in front of me.
“You’ll have to kill me first.” Mirah said coldly, power enveloping her body.
I was dazed. I'd never seen her look so beautiful and confident before. When had she gotten so powerful?
“Mirah, don't. He'd hurt you.” I whispered, trying to pull her away.
“Don’t stop me, Zeke. You've always protected me. It's now my turn to protect you.” She said, her voice softening a little.
“What a touching sight. Unfortunately, I don't fight with women. Xavier, will you have the pleasure of taking her away? You've always coveted her, no?” My uncle turned to the white-haired Rogue-brid beside him.
A low growl escaped my lips, as if daring him to come anywhere close to my beloved.
“Let’s get back to Weasels now.” I whispered. My uncle was cunning. He definitely had something else planned, and was obviously stalling for time.
“This has been a truly beautiful game. It's time to put an end to it, even though I enjoyed it so much.” My uncle made a sad face, and I growled from my position.
“Unfortunately, none of you would be leaving here alive.” He said, pulling at the air.
Gwev fell to the floor with a grunt. Natasha arched her bow at an unsuspecting Roanna and fired.
The arrow deflected a few inches away from her, and fell to the ground.
“Smooth move, See-brid.” Roanna chuckled. “But too clumsy for a princess.” She made a face.
“Good thing you remember my status. Deflect this, if you can.” Natasha smirked.
“Deflect what?” Roanna frowned. She didn't get the last word out, when she fell to her knees with a loud curse. An arrow was embedded in her thigh, and she struggled to pull it out.
My uncle advanced towards us, and I quickly signaled at Kai.
“Now.”
He uttered a quick spell, and engaged his ability to shadow.
We were now back at Weasels. I sensed danger the moment we advanced through the gates.
And I confirmed my suspicion, when I saw my father standing in the middle of the Circle members. They were waiting for us outside the castle's main door. Master Ragnarok regarded me coldly.
“You’re here. We've been waiting for you.” My father chuckled.
This was bad. A king was never involved directly with The Prestigious Royal Circle.
Why was he-
I felt a hand on my shoulder, and I jolted.
Relax, Mirah seemed to say with her eyes.
“Are you losing your ability so fast? Why do you have a wound?” Master Ragnarok's words called my attention to the slash on my neck.
It wasn't enough to kill me. But I could feel myself getting weak, little by little.
“Was the Circle behind my mother's death?” I asked coldly, not bothering to mince words.
A surprised look flashed through my father's eyes quickly, before disappearing.
“That isn't a conversation we should be having, while you're standing. Gentlemen, why don't we offer our guests, and our ex-prince seats?” I heard a familiar voice call out, as footsteps sounded from the entrance to the castle.
I looked up as he emerged. More stoic-faced than the last time we had a conversation, my great-grandfather held on to a staff, as he gave an order to no one in particular.
“Bind them all.”
🪯🪯🪯
Mirah
None of this made sense.
Not the fact that I was witnessing a real supernatural war, which wasn't supposed to exist at all.
Or the fact that I'd actually tried to kill Zeke, based on the fact that I thought he'd tried orchestrating my death.
Blood oozed from his wound, making my heart ache even further.
If he was defeated, I definitely played a huge role in it.
But I wondered who the man whom Zeke had referred to as Uncle Xavier, was.
Oh.
I almost gave myself a facepalm. Of course he was Zeke's uncle. And from all indications, he was the one behind everything that's happened.
But I couldn't understand why Xavier insisted that I had a huge role to play in whatever puzzle or game this was.
I shivered as some cloaked men approached us, hands raised. I turned hastily to Zeke who had a murderous look on his face.
“We meet again, King Tyler, and King Natchez.” He didn't flinch from the approaching men.
“I hope you retain your confidence while I'm torturing you.” King Tyler scoffed.
“That’d never happen.” Zeke threw back.
“Confident much, young prince?” King Tyler chuckled.
A sudden whirlwind erupted, surrounding all of us and cutting his words short. I pushed forward, almost falling to the ground, when a hand grabbed and pulled me backward. My back hit a sturdy chest, and I sighed in relief.
But almost immediately, I tried moving away from whoever it was.
“Stay put,” I heard Zeke say, and I shivered as his warm breath fanned my neck.
I subconsciously relaxed. The whirlwind finally died down, and I blinked when a beautiful woman emerged. She was dressed like a warrior queen and looked like it, with a bow and arrow slung on her back.
She looked familiar, and I knew I'd seen her before.
Queen Belinda.
“What a colorful appearance, Queen Belinda. I knew you wouldn't resist showing up. You did the last time, remember? Now the party is about to begin.” King Tyler laughed without mirth.
Queen Belinda took a defensive stance in front of us.
“You were never fit to be a ruler, Tyler. Or maybe you were, before greed consumed you.” She said coldly.
I shivered, my skin pebbling from the regal aura she commanded. Gone was the kind-faced woman who'd offered us dinner the last time.
In her place was a strong woman whose aura poured off her body in abundance, inducing respect and fear from the beholder. I fought the urge to bow before her, and concentrated on King Tyler whose face was now a mask of fury.
“How dare you?!” King Tyler spat.
“Touched a nerve?” Queen Belinda chuckled.