Chapter 72: Chapter 72

“HOW COULD YOU EVEN SAY THIS ROSE?”

Zagan shouted while staring down at the whimpering girl. Her snivels echoed in the concrete cell but her tears didn’t thaw his anger a bit.

Furious with her absurd suggestions, Zagan gripped her forearm and shook her violently. Rose hissed in pain and peered at him through soaked eyelashes.

“Calix is dying Rose. He needs you right now or he would end up killing both Zac and himself. You don’t care about him, fine but you do know that if he loses control, he can even become a danger to Diana. Aren’t you afraid for her? Have you gone this incogitant in such a short span?” he growled but as usual Rose kept mum.

Zagan acted according to the plan to reach Rose and get her aid. He was optimistic about his move but his efforts turned down the drain as Rose instead of helping him straightaway recanted his proposal. Zagan was shocked and hurt because Rose not only turned down his request but also ordered him to leave her alone.

Zagan tried to reason her fears that George’s behavior had made her apprehensive. She couldn’t make herself trust a stranger but it was a nut-cutting time. They have to take a call or end up losing their lives.

Frustrated with his rants, Rose jerked his hand away from his hold and spat, “You can wax wroth all you want but my decision isn’t going to change. You don’t know what George can do, Zagan. I have seen his powers, and the authority his family holds over Heaven. No one will be able to make it out of this palace alive. And here you are goading me to pull up a stunt that can endanger my life. My fate is decided. No one can stop it. But Jasmine,”

She paused and took a sharp breath before continuing, “Lord has given her again a chance. My sister has faced too much trouble before, she had cried a lot but not anymore. You love her, right? Then take her away and never come back here. Take her away from that psychopath. I want my sister happy at any cost.”

She cried and grabbed his hand. Zagan was flabbergasted. The light in her eyes and hope in her voice didn’t go unnoticed by him.

“You only care about Jasmine? Diana is pregnant Rose. Calix is under Kiora’s control. Zachary’s life is at risk. She is safe but they aren’t. Jasmine knows everything and that’s why she is trying hard to get save us and here you are?” He reprimanded her but Rose was in no mood to listen.

“YES, I AM ACTING SELFISHLY BECAUSE WHAT YOU ARE TELLING ME TO DO IS A CAUCUS RACE!! TRUE LOVE’S TOUCH? COME OUT OF YOUR IMAGINATION, ZAGAN!! SUCH THINGS DON’T EXIST!!”

“It does.” Zagan retorted and returned her glare with the same intensity, “Jasmine was my panacea. We both loved each other that’s why she was able to heal me. Calix also loves you-”

“NO, HE DOESN’T!!” Rose screamed in his face startling him. Pushing him harshly, she stood up on her wobbly legs and wiped her tears with the back of her palms.

“He never loved me, Zagan. He’s just obsessed. He has always seen me as his property. You don’t boss around the people whom you love. You don’t hurt the people whom you love. He never tried to understand me. I always begged him to take me to Jasmine because I know my indulgence has spoiled her but he never did. Saw what happened? Neither Jasmine would have tricked Theo in marriage nor he would have lost his mind. It’s all his fault.”

Zagan clenched his jaw. Her reply words made him fly off the handle. He immediately sprung from the ground and towered over her small frame.

“So, you are gonna let him die? You just can’t implicate others for the crime your sister committed.”

Rose stared at him wide-eyed, “Y-You? How could you blame my sister? You claim to love her and here you are-”

“Yes, I do,” Zagan replied firmly, “but I can’t turn a blind eye to her wrongdoings just the way you had always done Rose. You can’t run away from the fact that whatever is happening with all of us is only because of Jasmine. Zac successfully saved Diana from Theodore but Jasmine voluntarily married Theodore even though everyone told her not to.”

His words ticked her. “ZAC ALSO HELPED HER!!”

Zagan nodded, “Indeed but he also tried to make her understand before becoming a part of her devious plan. But Jasmine was too stubborn to listen to someone. She is your sister so it’s obvious that you will favor her but you’re now being mean. Jasmine put everyone’s life at stake but that girl finally admitted her mistakes and is bound to redemption. But you are still stuck on your ‘saving my sister’ slogan as if how much pure she is and how much vile we are. I am not against Jasmine Rose but the point is your one-sided narrative. You never understood others’ concern for you Rose. You always prioritized Jasmine in your life, condoning her mistakes and blaming others for her sufferings. You say Calix never loved you. He did but you never took any initiative to understand him because you were blinded with love for your sister. That’s why no one ever mattered to you. You willingly break all your ties, forgot about your friend, and kept cursing the person who only requested one chance from you.”

Zagan poured out all his anger. Rose kept listening to him with sealed lips and tears washing down her blotched cheeks.

Once his rage simmered down, he again looked at the heartbroken girl but this time with concern. The look on her face tore him apart. She looked dejected, remorseful, and sheer helpless. Zagan mentally cursed himself for breaking her more than she already was but her blind love for Jasmine triggered a strong never inside him.

It was none other than his sad reality.

In front of him wasn’t Rose but a mirror. Zagan was agitated as Rose was reminding him of the time when he used to defend and support Kiora.

Zagan was Kiora’s younger brother. He used to admire his elder sister a lot as she was a connoisseur in black magic. It was the truth though; Kiora was the strongest witch of Hell that’s why he always stood by her side.

When Zachary rejected Kiora, Zagan lost all his calm. His anger knew no bounds as someone dared to hurt the person whom he respected the most. Though Kiora appeared cold and aloof, Zagan knew that she was broken. She was completely devastated by his rejection and Zagan couldn’t brook her anguish any longer. That’s why he decided to teach Zachary a lesson.

Zagan set up his mind and finally made for the path of revenge but Jasmine’s invasion into his life changed his perceptions. She was the one who showed him the mirror and made him halt his steps for a while to do an introspection. That’s when he realized his mistakes.

Rose was repeating the same mistake that he committed in the past. Zagan could relate to her as he could see himself in her. She was completely blinded by Jasmine as she was her only family. But it was important for her to see the other side of the coin as well.

A deafening silence followed in the four walls. Zagan’s words were like a reality check for Rose who stood at one corner with her eyes fixed at a point. Zagan was mad at her but his brows puckered in worry when she didn’t speak for a minute. He took a furtive glance at her only to see her lost in deep thoughts.

Eventually, his lips curved upwards because he could see that he did succeed in his plan.

Rose’s P.O.V.

Am I being selfish?

Will my touch bring back Cal?

Random questions corrupted my mind after Zagan showed me the mirror. It’s easy for me to turn down his request just the way I have done before but the question is for how long will I keep running away from the truth?

Zagan is right. My fear and insecurities for Jasmine had turned me blind from seeing the other side of the story. I did this with Diana even when she was innocent. Just to save my sister, I incriminate her. Just to free my sister from the stigma of being an obsessed woman, I blamed everyone when the reality was the opposite.

But Jasmine had also accepted her fault. That’s why she is helping everyone and here I am only trying to save her. Rather I should say, saving myself.

From Calix.

From George.

From this mess.

Calix always forced me. He is not a saint either but George is the quintessence of evil. Never had I ever imagined that I would be fearing angels more than demons. If Jasmine somehow gets saved but then what will happen to me? What’s gonna be my future? Be George’s slave?

A shiver ran down my spine when reality struck me like a thunderbolt. George will force me this time and I won’t be able to do anything but surrender him. Because I am willingly closing all the doors of escape and building my cage by pushing everyone away from me.

But how can I save Calix? And if I save him, won’t he kill me for abandoning him?

He is a demon and I betrayed him. Though he has never raised his hands on me, only begged for a chance. But this time I had cheated him.

Will he forgive me for this? Will he let me get away with this?

I don’t know. The mere thought of it dreads me so much and dissolves all my bravura leaving my mind to naught. I can’t even imagine confronting him.

All of a sudden, I felt a gentle touch on my crown. I looked up only to see Zagan caressing my head. His gaze was soft and his touch was gentle.

Taking a deep breath, he grabbed my shoulders turning me towards himself, and then enveloped my hands in his warm ones.

“I know it’s difficult for you to put your trust in a person who had forced you to accept him. Who had only tried to overpower you and imposed his feelings and desires on you. But you see Rose we are in dire straits. I won’t beat around the bush, it’s evident that you don’t have a choice. Neither of us can defeat Theodore alone. Moreover, Diana is pregnant. One wrong move and we can lose her because our enemies will attack only at our weakest point.” He tried to explain me.

“Then why didn’t you bring your army along? You knew you were coming for war, not for a luncheon.” I snapped at him.

His expression turned grim, “Because when we reached Theo Dynasty, Kiora closed the portals. She trapped us. This was all a plan of George and Kiora of caging us. But what I realized now is that even if I and Zac use all our powers, defeating Theodore isn’t child’s play when he has the entire Heaven at his side. I know Zac holds the power to burn down the entire heaven but his weakness is Diana who is incapable of fighting and Calix whom they had gotten under their control. You might be unaware of his powers but Calix is capable of slaughtering thousands of soldiers in one go. Jasmine is our second biggest strength but she is with Theodore right now. She has to be careful because once Theodore comes to know that Jasmine is fooling him, he won’t wait for a second and kill her. If I had the power to cure Cal, I would have done it a long time before but I don’t. Please Rose, I beg you. Save him. Please don’t let us down because only you can heal him.”

He spoke in a heavy voice. The corner of his eyes turned moist turning me speechless. My shoulders automatically slouched not able to hold the responsibility which he had given me.

How can I save someone when I am the one who needs to be saved from the man whom I tried to outwit?

“R-Rose?”

Arthur’s deep voice filled with sorrow caught my attention. I immediately looked at him only to find him staring at me with teary eyes.

“Arthur” I whispered and dragged my feet to the other side of the prison.

My gaze fell on his bloodied hands as he coiled his injured fingers around the iron rails and leaned on them.

“Will you save my Diana?” He said and tried to look at me through the slits.

I swallowed my tears. He looked miserable and defeated. I have never seen him so pitiful but today he was ready to get down on his knees.

“I-I know I am being selfish but please save her. Her life is in danger. Please have mercy. Save her and her child.” He cried and joined his hands.

That’s when my dam broke.

I vigorously shook my head in denial, “No please don’t speak this way. She is my friend too. We all will save her. We all love her. Don’t think that you are alone in this fight. We are with you, Arthur. I am with you. God, how could I turn so mean?” I said and grabbed my forehead.

Really what has gotten into me? She is my friend. We grew up together and here I am only concerned about my sister. Diana never looked down on me, her family always treated me well. I never felt inferior nor they ever made me feel insecure. And here instead of being grateful, I am only blaming them.

How could I lose my conscience?

“S-So you will save her?” Arthur chirped. I shifted my eyes back to him. His eyes held hope. Wiping my tears, I bobbed my head and shot him a smile.

“Yes, I will. I will cure Calix and help Zachary.”

My words brought up a smile on his face. Not only his but Ariel, the King, and Queen too smiled after such a long time.

Turning to Zagan, I looked at him and gave him a curt nod. He smiled and gave a harsh tug on the rusty fetters breaking them into smithereens. Limping to the wall, I leaned on it. The pain was too much, the chains had badly bruised my ankles. My powers won’t work here so I have no option but to bear the pain.

Zagan then grabbed my hand and pulled me towards him. I encircled my hands around his waist as he draped his large wings over me and in a blink of an eye we disappeared in thick smoke.