Chapter 53: Chapter 53

Ora’s POV

I paced up and down the grassy meadow with restless anticipation. If Sandy had gotten the message, he should have been here by now. Did he see through my plan? Or did he just decide not to come? Hundreds of questions swirled in my mind as I continued to wear the ground. What would I do if he didn’t turn up? What will I say to Grand Magus?

A frustrated grunt escaped my lips and I smacked my palm. Now that he was back with his friends and family, he probably didn’t care about me or my message. It was funny how this thought made my heart twist when all I wanted to do was make him pay for betraying me. I snorted and shook off any sense of attachment I felt for him.

“Ora, is everything alright?” The moment I heard his voice, I spun around in delight. My lips lifted in an automatic smile and I took a step towards him. His beard had grown into a soft stubble and his eyes looked weary. But, he was as handsome as ever, and more alluring was the shadow of concern that had tainted his features.

“Did you get my letter?”

His question hit me like a bucket of cold water and my steps faltered. My jaws clenched and I crossed my arms over my chest, “Why did you send that letter again? To mock me? To show me how easily you could betray me?”

His face blanched and he stuttered, “It is not what you think…. I…”

“It is too late for explanations, Sandy,” I raised my palm and stated in an indifferent voice. “Now is the time for Payback.”

His eyes widened in shock as I used the binding spell on him. Vines of energy coiled around his shoulder like a python, engulfing him in its icy grip, “Ora? What are you doing?”

I tried not to focus too much on the way my name sounded on his lips. Grasping his arm, I teleported to the assigned cave. Grand Magus was already waiting for me there.

Her lips curved in a smile as they landed on Sandy, “I didn’t think you had it in you.” She used her magic to undo my spell and bound him to the wall. Turning to me, she added in a cryptic voice, “If you agree to do one more task for me, I can accept you as my apprentice again.”

Alarm bells blared in my head. I knew that I was probably going to regret this but I asked anyway, “What kind of task do you want me to do?”

“Though you brought this wolfman here, it is not enough to prove that you are fully dedicated to my cause.” She paused for a moment, her gaze drifting from me to Sandy and back to me. “There is only one way to prove yourself, Ora. The point is if you can go that far.”

I sighed through my nose, hardening my resolve. Looking into her eyes, I said with complete sincerity, “I am willing to do anything and everything to fulfill my goal.”

She raised her hand, rubbing her perfectly manicured nails, “Then, you should have no difficulty in tracking those children down….”

“Ora! Don’t even think about it! You can’t endanger innocent lives like this!” Sandy cried, struggling frantically to free himself.

His words flared the simmering rage that I had barely contained. Narrowing my eyes, I spat, “Who are you to tell me what I should or shouldn’t do?” I don’t know if I did so just to spite Sandy but I found myself agreeing to the condition placed by the Grand Magus.

I placed my right hand over my chest and bowed slightly, “I will bring the children to you within two days.”

“Ora! No! You can’t do this to those children, to Evaan! What is wrong with you? Did you forget how much you love him…. Until a few days ago, you were ready to move mountains to save Evaan. What changed suddenly?” His words sliced through me like broken shards of glass. Yet, I forced myself to turn around and walk away. There was no other way to achieve my goal. I had to do this.

It was very easy for me to track down the children given that they were under my protection spell. I managed to gather all nine children by the end of the day. Grand Magus was very impressed and she gave me the Obsidian Plaque. Now, I could visit her quarters as and when I liked.

I went back to my old routine. It was as if my life was a clockwork clock and someone had turned back the time by a year. I woke up with the break of the dawn and set out in search of the ingredients Valence wanted me to gather. We had lunch together and in the evenings, I helped her practice magic.

Sometimes my mind veered to Sandy who was still ensnared by Valence but I resisted the urge to go and see him. However, the tendrils of my magic often found their way inadvertently into the cell he was kept; feeling relieved every single time I found him alive.

Two weeks later, that day finally arrived when Valence invited me to her mansion. She placed her hand on my shoulder and smiled at me; the kind that made her eyes light up. “You have proved yourself to be loyal to me. So, I want to assign a very important task to you. The next week, I will be away looking for the snowflake. I need you to take care of someone in the meantime.”

I placed my right hand on my chest and bowed, “It would be my honor to serve you, Grand Magus.”

She held my hand and with a wisp of magic, I found myself standing in the corridor of what seemed like a grand mansion. She led me to a large, door engraved with vines of ivy and roses. At a first glance, it looked just like any other decoration but on further inspection, I realized that it was one of the rarest magical plants. My eyes widened and the words left my lips in an awed whisper, ‘The tentacles of Venus.’

“All my training didn’t go waste after all,” Valence commented in a tone something between annoyance and admiration. “When I am away, remember to feed it with your spiritual power every day.”

“Grand Magus,” I replied with a curt bow to which she merely nodded. Her eyebrows suddenly knit together and she placed her hand on the door.

“Honey, I am home….” Her voice was so uncharacteristically gentle that it made me want to throw up. There was no reply from the other side.

So, she called again, “I am back, Nivaan. Won’t you come out to meet me?” My heart skipped a beat hearing that name. Wasn’t that Evaan’s father’s name too?

There was a soft click and the door opened up. A man with messy hair stepped out. His eyes narrowed as they fell on Valence, “I thought it was Emy….”

Something deeply sinister flashed in her eyes but when she spoke her voice remained sweet as honey, “Who is this Emy, love?” She laced her hand through his and placed her head on his chest, snuggling closer.

“I…I had a dream and….” His eyes glazed over and he pushed Valence away. “I am tired and would like to rest.”

Valence gritted her teeth but led him to the bed and settled him comfortably. Then she locked the door and touched the wooden surface again. The vines on the door wiggled and changed direction entwining further. She had activated the tentacles.

Her features were settled in a deep scowl when she spun around. With a frustrated grunt, she snapped, “Why can’t he just forget about her?”

My jaws hung open and my hand flew to my head. Evaan didn’t know much about his father but I couldn’t vaguely figure out what must have happened. Nivaan must have chosen Emilia over Valence. So, she erased his memories and kept him here out of spite.

My mind flashed to the time I had walked in on Valence performing Brisanje. If I had interrupted her ritual or had the guts to check on him later, Evaan and his mother wouldn’t have suffered so much.

I sighed through my nose, a long drawn one, and then shook my head. This had nothing to do with me now. Evaan, Sandy, none of these people mattered. What mattered was my goal; my need for revenge. Glancing one last time at the locked door, I followed Valence’s energy trail and teleported after her.