Book 2 - Chapter 49

Book 2 - Chapter 49
Chapter 49 – The Queen’s Choice




"You leave my brother's body, now!" Solene shouted just as a neon blue circle appeared underneath her. It quickly expanded and reached the fountain where AC stood.

Amon jumped up, and as a result, levitated the boy’s body before the light could touch him. “I think I’ll stay,” he flashed his fangs at her; his fangs that glinted with the blue glow. “I’m rather enjoying this vessel, woman. You, however, should be worried. At this moment, your husband is under Caym’s mercy, bloody and groveling for his life.”

This briefly shook Solene. She trusted Henri’s capabilities as king. He was a powerful man. Caym could never rival him, but then again...what if...what if this demon was telling the truth? What if Henri was indeed on the brink of death and she wasn’t there to save him?

Should she go to him then? But AC... the boy needed her too. He needed her help too.

“Ahhh!” Solene cried out in pain just as black thorns sprang from the ground and tied her wrists and feet. As the pointy edges punctured her flesh, blood oozed out and tainted the cobblestone ground.

“Focus on me, woman!” Amon shouted. He ordered the thorny vine to grow, consequently bringing Solene up in the air; her legs and arms positioned like a woman nailed on the cross. “I’m here to torture you,” he continued and slowly floated to her front. “I’m here to make you suffer over and over again until you beg me to release you.”

Solene tried to summon her spells, but some kind of barrier from the thorns hindered her from doing so. This was the same in their first encounter, and she was certain now this was his demon power.

Instead, she spat out her blood-stained saliva onto his face and tossed him a pained glare. “I would never do that. Kill me now, I know that’s your main objective! But in return, you must release my brother!”

“Hah!” Amon tossed his head back and laughed. “And have you unite with your husband in the Afterlife? You can’t fool me, Queen of Sattus. I know you already drank the holy water of the River Enyd. Even if you die here or be transported to Gehenna again, your soul will always return to Sattus. To your husband. But then again, do you really want to do that when you have no one to return to? Caym will kill him and you will end up a lonely queen forever.”

Solene hauled in a deep breath. Once again, Henri didn’t explain this particular detail to her when she drank the holy water. 

‘But torture or death?’ She couldn’t decide anymore. However, it wouldn’t matter, really. If by some freak miracle Caym could kill her husband, then it wouldn’t matter if she gets tortured or killed. Without Henri, she was as good as an empty shell.

“I’ll say it a—gain, Amon, release my bro—ther, or face conse—quences,” Solene panted, the considerable blood loss finally affecting her.

“Face the consequences?” Amon tipped her chin up and wounded her cheek with AC’s extended nails. “You can’t use your spells on me with my subjugating power over you.”

“T—rue,” she strained to say, “but not my fa—miliar!” Successfully using thought transference, Solene was able to summon the Oratongi. It appeared in the sky at the flash of lightning and it roared and bared its fangs towards the demon’s way.

Those who saw it: the Rantzen Family, their staff, the grim reapers, and Solene’s family were all astonished. Lady Ursula quickly realized what was happening and trotted in haste with her cane to the area of the fight. 

“Hah hah!” Amon guffawed. “You know you will kill the boy if you kill me. We are one and I will never release his body.”

“I don’t need his body. I only need his soul,” Solene answered. The Oratongi disappeared from the sky and re-materialized behind Solene, glowing like the sun as its mouth burst into flames and expanded to accommodate both AC and the demon. “I AM THE QUEEN OF SATTUS, AND I WILL REVIVE HIM!”

Amon was blinded by the bright light. He could hear her words, but wasn’t sure how to react or escape the beast. He felt his soul and the boy’s body shackled on the spot. He felt chained by the light. He felt crystallized.

Before Solene’s familiar could close its flaming mouth, Lady Ursula rushed to create a spell. A luminous rope appeared out of thin air and whipped inside the Oratongi’s mouth. This then wound around the boy’s body and once she deemed it enough, she pulled him out of the beast’s mouth, leaving the Demon of Avarice’s soul squirming and recoiling in pain. 

Solene, seeing this, nodded weakly at the old woman. “From darkness, there is light!” she started the incantation meant to bind demons, drawing energy and power from her familiar since she was still bound by the thorns. “Oh, Holy Cage of the Heavens, I invoke thee! Cage this demon and judge his sins!”

Inside the Oratongi’s mouth, the golden cage appeared. The flames merged with the golden bars and it became an impenetrable prison.

“Bi—tch! BITCH!” Amon’s agonized scream was heard before Solene’s familiar fully closed its mouth. The thorns around her wrists and legs turned to ashes and finally, she was freed.

Falling down and huffing on the ground, she then moved her attention to her brother who lay on Lady Ursula’s lap. Tears flowed immediately from her eyes as she saw him normal again. His fair complexion had returned, and he was unconscious, but breathing. Calmly breathing.

“Oh god, AC!” She ran towards him, kneeled on the ground and carefully placed his little head into her bosom. “I’m sorry. I’m so sorry this has happened to you!”

“He will be okay, Solene. Don’t worry about him. I’ll take care of him,” Lady Ursula stated as she placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

“Thank you for saving him, grandma. You were just in time! I was ready...so ready to kill him and revive him! It was the only way to end the demon’s hold on him!”

“You did well, Solene. You did well.” Lady Ursula lowered her head and afterward took AC back into her arms. “Now, go. I know something is happening in Sattus. Help Lord Henri there. Fight and win!”