Chapter 51: Chapter 51

Chapter 50:

Sanaya’s P.O.V

“Sanaya!”

Lancelin was suddenly by my side, covering me as shards of glass flew everywhere along with sparks of fire. Although Lance’s much larger form was covering me, I felt a sting on my arm as a piece of glass embedded itself on my arm.

The entire throne room erupted into commotion as people started running around trying to dodge the glass and fire. Some of the sparks landed on the huge silk curtains and they instantly caught on fire, causing even more fear and panic.

I clutched on to the lapels of Lancelin’s jacket as he wound his arms around me tightly and moved back so we don’t get trampled by the people trying to escape the room. He moved us to the safety of the pedestal where the thrones were and then began barking orders at the guards to get everyone to safety.

“Lance, Sana!” I turned to find Acelin running towards us along with their mother. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.” Lance and I said at the same time.

“Did you find out who was behind this?” Lance asked Acelin as he pushed me behind him to keep me safe.

“No, but Tanya just came to me.” Acelin helped his mother up the stairs. “She said she felt mage magic just before the chandelier hit the floor.”

“Fuck!” Lancelin cursed and called for the nearest guards.

“Get everyone out!” Lance yelled at the room as he pushed me in the direction of one of the guards. “Sanaya, go. Stay safe! I’ll come and find you when this is all over.”

“Lance, no!” I reached out to him but the guard caught me in a firm grip.

“My lady, it’s not safe.” The dark haired man told me as yet another chandelier fell to the floor, sending glass and fire in all directions. The guard pushed me behind him, covering me with his body, but after that he didn’t give me any more time to speak. He started pulling me out the door and I tried to get one last look at Lance before I was escorted out of the throne room.

Lance was with his mother, Acelin and Amber, pointing the panicked guests towards the exit and helping the injured. The King was nowhere in sight but I think I saw Asmara standing with Keith at the very end of the room, trying to evade the panicked crowd. Both Alina and Erick were going around the hall with their vampire speed, helping get people to safety. I desperately wanted to join Lance but I knew I would be of no help.

There were hardly any mortals here except me, Martin and a handful others. But even the immortals seemed scared of the fire. Maybe because it was one of the things that could actually kill them.

“My lady, take this route,” the guard pointed to a hallway in the opposite direction of which all the people were going to. “This hallway leads down to the guest chambers. You’ll be safe once you reach them. And please, don’t tell the sire that I didn’t escort you. My wife and child are still inside the throne room. I need to escort them to safety.”

“Go,” I told him reassuringly, moving away from the stream of people exiting the hallway. “I’ll be fine. You should look after your family.”

“Thank you, my lady.” The guard bowed low and then ran back inside the room. I waited a few seconds, desperately wanting to go back and make sure that Lance was alright but I knew I was of no use to him as of now.

The tiny vial of vampire venom in the dress pocked felt like a heavy weight and even more was the weight of the decision on my heart. Clenching my fists, I turned in the direction of the hallway and began walking down the path shown by the guard. But it became increasingly confusing after about five minutes of walking when I reached a part that split into three other hallways.

Did I take a wrong turn? I looked around for something familiar, but too late I realized that everything looked the same. I had been too nervous before the ceremony to actually pay attention to anything other than Lancelin. So I had no idea if I’d seen these paintings or the wood carvings on the door before.

“Lost?” A familiar voice asked, making a chill run down my spine.

“No.” I turned to look at Asmara in her gorgeous red dress and found her not alone but surrounded by six other hooded figures, all in black robes that covered every inch of their bodies, making it impossible to guess their identities or gender. They were all standing behind Asmara, as if waiting for her command. Something didn’t feel right about the entire situation. “What’s going on?”

“Oh, nothing important.” She shrugged, still not moving from her spot. “But you, my darling human, are about to take a little trip.”

“Wha-”

I wasn’t able to finish my sentence as the hooded figures all sprang to action right then and came at me with phenomenal speed, surrounding me in a blink of an eye and two of them grabbed onto my arm, holding on with iron grip, hard enough to leave bruises.

Asmara came forward then, with her hands behind her back and a sly smile on her lips. I struggled against their grip but to no avail. I even tried to scream for help but one of the figures put their hand in front of my mouth, cutting off my scream and even my air supply.

“I wouldn’t do that if I were you.” Asmara said in a sing-song voice. “You can’t escape anymore. This is the end for you. And after I’ve gotten rid of Lance’s precious little pet, nothing will stop me from taking the throne.”

“And you think that Lance will fall for your stupid tricks just like that?” I snapped at her. “Even if I’m dead, Lance would never, ever choose you.”

“Don’t be so sure.” She smirked. “After all, you’ll be dead and gone and unable to notice how I’ve planned everything out in my favor. Besides, Lance will be too devastated at your death to take the throne. And we all know how Lancelin’s father was once under my spell.”

“You bitch!” I spat at her but Asmara simply laughed at me.

“I didn’t want this fate for you, but unfortunately your fate is sealed.” Asmara whispered into my ears but the sound of her voice clearly told me that she didn’t care if I died right then and there. All she cared about was getting to the throne by any means possible. “I’m not going to kill you. There’s no fun in that. Except, I’ll send you to a place where you will wish for death with every breath you take.

They hurled me to the end of the hallway, near a wall where Asmara turned an ornate candle stand on the wall to open a trapdoor. The room was dark and murky, like it hadn’t been used for years and the hooded me forced me into the room. Then Asmara pointed towards one of the hooded figures who then raised a gloved hand and began moving it in a circular motion while chanting something in a language I couldn’t quite understand. By the sound of their voice, it appeared to be a male.

Soon a small blue circle formed in front of us, made completely of light and then it expanded slowly with each swirl of their hand, before the circle was the large enough that an entire person could fit through it. And I knew exactly whom it was for.

“You know,” Asmara whispered maliciously in my ear. “The great thing about Shadowland is that no one, mortal or immortal, has ever come out of it, alive or dead. So, here’s to hoping to never seeing you again.”

With that, Asmara gave me a hard shove forward and I went right through the circle of blue light, right into the land of eternal darkness.