Chapter 25: Chapter 25

Confronting and revealing herself to Fina was an startling feat on her and Orla’s part as well. Madonna had not expected to disclose herself to her younger sister after keeping her away from herself for nearly two decades.

It pained her. It pained her to keep the young one from the knowledge of her kin and herself but it was to be done for her own good.

Unlike Madonna, Fina was less of a witch and more of a Phoenix which was not very good. Being the only Phoenix alive with almost no witch traits to defend herself was what made Madonna and Orla to put her into hiding to begin with.

Madonna was overwhelmed by the heart break when she has seen the girl with much lesser esteem in her own eyes. There was no confidence in her eyes and those bright eyes have innocence mixed with fear and submission.

If Madonna has fate in her hands, then she would amend it to make Fina’s living much more untroubled and precious.

It hurt more when Madonna reminded herself of the life Fina was forced into. Anger coursed through her as her hatred for the elder Emor intensified several folds.

Oh she was not going to leave him. She was just getting started and she shall inflict such pain into him that the world shall be witness to the cruelty he had brought on himself.

She shall not kill him for it was much easy punishment. She shall play him, weaken him, hurt him, burn him and then kill him slowly taking her own granted time.

Wiping out the stray tear of anger that rolled down her cheek, she turned to the sleeping male in the room and took her place beside him.

Madonna was well aware of Lucius sneaking out of their bedchamber and going into the depth of dark woods intently. She would have followed him and know what he was up to but when the red whiff of fog appeared from her ruby ring showing her the view of Fina’s little house in the forbidden woods, she had to go there to aid Orla from prying young Phoenix and give answers to her qualms.

Letting loose the hidden magic inside her, she casted a spell to appear right in front of Fina’s little cottage as she has no much time to while away.

Although she had revealed how both the sisters were associated, she had to conceal the tale behind it. How the mother she thought was dead gave birth to a girl years after was a disheartening long tale that for the other day to be exposed.

She had assured her younger one that she and Orla shall answer her soon when it was just the right time for her to know.

Reaching back to the Traven bedchamber before her husband was back from his secret summit; she took her place on the bed and fell in deep thoughts regarding everything that was taking place.

The stealthy attack of wits she and Orla were about to give to Alder, the trouble regarding Fina and her protection’ regarding Lucius and not to forget the burning kiss they shared.

The sheer intimacy between them and how she had took in all the affection he had rained on her has troubled her thoughts.

One, they had kissed albeit with affection and desire coursing between them, yet he was doing just fine. How?

Two, with the desire and other sentiments that were pushing her towards Lucius was disturbing her.

She was out in the light and dark with only motive of destroying Alder Emor and his associates painfully; however, the nurturing warmth between herself and Lucius was unsettling.

Madonna still could trust Lucius. She could not understand and his motives towards her. She did not know who holds his support and who don’t.

With Lucius, it was a blind shoot of arrow hoping to hit the right spot despite the dark.

Lucius was one person who was still a confusing to Orla herself. Orla had told several times that there were many players the game they are playing; who they are and what superiority they hold was what that could turn the tables in the end.

While the Demon King, Orla and Madonna were on the same side, she was not certain of Lucius. He was loved and raised by Alder while Orla ran away and threw away her responsibilities of a mother. She knew why Orla had to do that but when she puts herself in Lucius’ place, she could help but think of a father who raised him with love rather than a mother who left them decades ago.

Yet, there he was, who had helped in destroying his father’s strength.

What was he playing? Was he truly helping her or was it just a bait to use it against her?

The utter bewilderment regarding Lucius intentions were what frightening her. Like Orla had said, Lucius was one strong person who could change the fate of the whole silent war with a snap of his finger.

Although he had only shown his silly, bothersome and affectionate side of him, she knew the darkness that lurked under the mask he held. He was Lucius Emor who could bring the hell to his halls on his command.

Madonna knew from there forth, she had to take every step with precision and caution for she could not afford to make any mistakes that may cost not just her and Orla but life of Fina as well.

The next morning, Madonna woke up when the first ray of sun hit her straight from the small window of the chamber. Deciding yet another long journey ahead of them, she got prepared quickly so they could leave as soon as possible.

She was waiting for her husband to wake and get on with his yet another silly act in the morning but she noticed him on bed deep in sleep. For a moment she got worried as Lucius was not a person to give into such deep sleep nonetheless sleep late in the mornings.

She nearly scurried to him to ensure his health to see if he was doing fine. There they were, those emotions she always felt for the large man sleeping on her bed.

Those good yet unsettling sentiments.

Madonna wondered if she could ever have one day of pleasant life with a man much less with her husband.

“We have a long journey decided ahead, Milord.” She voiced out loudly to wake the dead sleep man up but was only answered with silence.

She tucked the hair brush in one of her baggage and walked to her husband with a sigh. She stretched her hand to touch the tout exposed body of his to shake him away but hesitated for a moment.

He was sleeping in nothing. His upper body was bare of any clothing while his lower body was covered in night trousers. The dark shining skin and his harder than rock chest almost made her gulp her desire.

Heavens, the kiss they shared the other night! It was making her desire for him overwhelming.

Madonna cleared her throat loudly in an unladylike manner and inched her face closer to his as she shook him to wake him up. Her breath hitched as the alluring smell of wild nature hit her nose dilating her eyes in desire she was attempting to control.

She moved her mouth to his ear with much appreciated control, “It’s wide morning, Milord. You might want to wake up now.” Madonna began loudly but ended with a whisper.

As she raised her head up from his, she noticed he wasn’t affected by her loud waking call. To her dread and surprise, his chest was not heaving as heavily as it should have. His breathes were faint and on close look, she noticed his whitening of his dark skin.

She felt a skip in his heart beat as dread consumed her. She shook him violently to wake the hell of him but to her sheer terror, he was not responding to her.

Her mouth parched as she snapped her fingers to use her limited magic to see what was not right with him. Her fingers produced a wave of red sparks and soon enough they disappeared in air. Those red sharps were to get into Lucius body as tell her what was amiss but with their immediate vanishing, she felt the sudden hurry.

Something was not right with him!

Why was he getting pale and why was his breathes hollow?

He was not reacting to her simple magic too?

What was happening to him?

Then suddenly as if someone slapped the reality into her, her mind reeled back to the rough soul consuming kiss they had the other night.

Was the curse acting on him?

Madonna, with panic gripping her senses, looked around for ways to take Lucius to Orla as soon as possible for Orla might have knowledge on curing Lucius.

That was the very moment she wished she had all of her powers with her to appear in Orla’s coven slong right the moment as her limited magic may not allow her to successfully teleport them.

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