MAGE CHRONICLES: THE BEGINNING

35. Rosy Bargains.

KING DARIAN.

When I sent them to get her, I thought they would finally snap out of it, but she must have altered them more than I had previously assumed. They couldn't recognize her face at all. They even had their friend believing he was seeing things. At least he could tell the new face was familiar.

"Fuck!"

I hurl the snow globe at the edge of my desk towards the wall and immediately regret it, stopping it mid-air. It was my last birthday gift from my sons before they started resenting me. I place it back carefully shelving the pain flashing through me at the thought of my sons, and not a moment too soon.

The door opens and the snake, Garian strolls in; I hated the boy, I couldn't count the number of times I have stalked him, even in his dreams to kill him, only to back out when I smelt and felt her sinister energy around and on him.

He walks in like he owns the place, owns me, a smug smile on his lips, maybe he did, it felt like it most times.

"What is it Gary?" I ask the mask of indifference I had perfected in place.

He hated the nickname, all the more reason most of the folks in the palace used it. No one liked him, which says a lot because folks tend to pretend they liked each other here, but no one bothered with him.

"She wants to see you," his tone suggests that the meeting would be far from social, not that they normally are but in this case, chills ran down my back. Even Dolly sensing my mood shift, or maybe she heard him, turns and struts back out of the office, still invisible.

"Why?" I ask feigning innocence, "Is there a problem? I got the girl here, risking everything with Faery. What more could she want?"

"Why don't you ask her that?" the bastard answers smugly and I almost loose the firm hold I have on my inner beast.

"Careful Garian, you may be her lapdog and messenger, but don't forget you are still a citizen of Bright, I'll be well within my rights to punish you, folks have lost their heads for less than disrespecting their King, don't try me," I warn still blasé.

He scoffs, turning to the door, but not before see the uncertainty in his eyes; the chill of fear and it energizes me something fierce.

I hear his yelp from the hall followed by a growl. Dolly; I realise with a smile; she didn't leave after all. Mood somewhat uplifted, I brace myself and head to my chambers.

She enjoys being in my private space. Invading the sacred room I had shared with my beloved mate, knowing it gets to me more than the arrangement we have.

I smell her before I even reach the door, the sickly-sweet scent of roses that somewhat buries itself so deep I can still smell it way after she leaves.

"Come in Darian," she croons from inside and I walk in looking around but as usual there's no physical body. The slight disturbance in the air around the bed; my mate's side of the bed tells me where exactly she was.

"I did as you asked, why are you here?" I ask.

"Careful honey or I'll think you don't like me, and my feelings would be hurt." The form shimmers and she's visible. "You don't want my feelings hurt," a pause, and she stands moving closer going around me where I stood, just inside the door, each step punctuating her words. "Do you?" She asks running her hand down my back and up to my face.

"You remember what happens when you try to hurt me? Don't you Dary?" she asks softly, cupping my face.

Gritting my teeth, I replay the hundreds of ways I have dreamt up to kill her, and make her suffer. Make her pay for every single crime committed against me, my family and my realm.

"Yes, I do," I manage to grit out.

She giggles, an innocent girly giggle which contrasts her entire self. She was anything but innocent. It makes my blood freeze, I tense up, and I wait to see what she would do next.

"You can't kill me baby," She croons.

Another waft around me, and then she moves back to the bed, back to my love's side.

"Our agreement was to bring her here before they got their hands on her. But they did, and then to make matters worse, Dary, you inducted her into the mate trials. Do you know how mad that makes me?" She asks with an evil smile, picking up another snow globe from my nightstand.

Yes, I do. It's why I did it, you evil witch. And it was the only way I could protect the innocent thing you'd dragged into this mess.

"I understand your concerns, but it's the only way I could think up to get her here without arousing suspicion after the scouts failed to bring her in before the other side got to her."

"You mean your sworn brothers' side? That side?" she asks with a dark chuckle.

I remain quiet knowing the storm was yet to pass and I was right.

"I'll punish you, and your blood, watch out for it," she says innocent act gone and then I don't feel her anymore.

Collapsing on the bed, I clutch my head as I try to regain my composure.

What would she do now? She couldn't physically harm my children, the bargain made sure of that, so what would she do this time?