ENCHANTED WORLD SERIES BOOK 2: TEMPTING THE DARK KING
Chapter 10.5

Inter-Chapter 10.5

Zafrina...

Zafrina quietly watched as her king was being persuaded by his young mate into letting her go into town while he concluded the meeting and she couldn’t help but smile inwardly. To Lady Lyrah, King Rhol’s stony expression didn’t scare her at all. She managed to tread through places only others dreamed of and she got away because she was his mate. Zafrina crossed her arms over her chest and studied the two. Much had changed about the Jinn King in the several days that he was in his mate’s presence. It was a relief but at the same Zafrina couldn’t quite understand the sinking feeling she had about the two of them.

Zafrina was always good at picking up things that others couldn’t and never once had her sixth sense ever failed her. Now, she wished whatever it was that was making her dread this union, was just something that was to pass in the future. How was a union picked out by the heavens ever a bad thing?

Another disturbing thing that Zafrina found herself doing was she was immensely protective over the High Lady Lyrah. Ever-since she took it upon herself to go to the king’s quarters to introduce herself, she had found herself worrying over the young Royal Mage over and over again. Whenever Zafrina had some free time in her hands, she sought out Lady Lyrah to make sure that she was faring well.

The time the Jinn king asked that she left the Black Fortress with the Lord Mage, Zafrina followed her to the Realm of Spells. Her heart settled down when she saw the young Royal Mage sitting in the gardens with the dragon they called Drake chatting and smiling. She left shortly after Drake took her back in.

Zafrina couldn’t understand the attraction she had for her queen but it was unnatural and she wanted to get to the bottom of it. Again, Zafrina turned her eyes towards where the Jinn king and his little mate were chatting and her eyes clashed with Lady Lyrah’s. A sly smile appeared on her face and Zafrina knew she was in for it. She rolled her eyes and straightened from where she was leaning. What was she in for now?

“I had a feeling whatever you told the king had something to do with me.” she said defeated and her eyes somber. Lady Lyrah’s face brightened with a smile.

“Oh, come on.” She frowned lightly at her but there was mirth dancing in her eyes. “It’s not so bad getting stuck with me for several hours while the king concludes his meeting here, is it?”

“You are the one to say that because you never get stuck with yourself, do you?” Zafrina touched her guns on the small of her back. If she was going to take their king’s mate about in the city, they had to be prepared at all times. Not everyone was happy with her presence in the Realm of The Dark. She heard the little comments that were going around the crowd as they entered and the last thing Zafrina wanted was to have Rhol ripping her head off for not taking care of his mate better! She turned to the two young warriors behind Lady Lyrah and gestured for them to join them. “So, where are we going?”

“Shopping!” Lyrah exclaimed and led the way out.

“Why do I feel like I’m going to regret this?” Zafrina couldn’t even remember the last time she went shopping. She was just not cut out for such things. She was the person to take her position opposite an enemy and render them useless by the end of the battle, not trying to figure out which shoes went well with which outfit!

Maybe, once upon a time, she had had the thoughts of a typical female but that had long changed. Given her life was not as pretty as everyone else’s, she had to mature up earlier than expected. She taught herself from a young age that nothing came easy and that in order to get something in life, she had to work hard. She had been working hard to get where she was and she was quite happy with the life she had. It beat cleaning up the whore rooms every morning.

Zafrina had seen it all in that brothel. She had seen cheating husbands running away from responsibilities at home, at times wives as well came to the brothel for entertainment. There was all sorts of shows to keep the clients interested and Zafrina had seen each one so many times that she could actually tell what followed.

So many things happened to her at that place she once called home and most of it she didn’t want to remember. The only reason she was able to survive there with descent food and a roof over her head was because of a promise to work for the Mistress of the Brothel after she had become of age. She wasn’t the only young child there. There were lots more and they were all going to be taught the art of arousing and satisfying a man after they were old enough.

Zafrina pushed those dark thoughts away. Now, she was at a better place and that was all that mattered.

Zafrina found herself bumping into Lady Lyrah who had suddenly stopped and turned towards the city hall.

Zafrina frowned at her and as she was about to ask her what the problem was, Lady Lyrah was already turned and running back towards the city hall.

“Lady Lyrah!” Zafrina called after her.

“The evil is here!” Lady Lyrah exclaimed.

Zafrina’s blood ran cold. If the evil was there then Lady Lyrah was better off back at the Black Fortress. Without giving it anymore thought, Zafrina flashed herself in front of Lady Lyrah and grabbed her arms. “The Jinn king would not want you anywhere near here.”

“Zafrina!” Lady Lyrah’s eyes widened when she realized what she was about to do. “Wait--”

Zafrina didn’t wait for her to add on anything and flashed her back to the Black Fortress. They reappeared in the library and Dante was working on some reading. Lady Lyrah looked around hysterically.

“No! No! No!” She moved away. “I have to go back. The Jinn King is in danger.”

“Your safety is my first priority. The king can take care of himself.” Zafrina assured the High Lady.

If Zafrina had agreed to let the high Lady in that city hall, she knew she was going to answer to her king and the last thing she wanted was to piss him off.

“But he can’t feel what I have felt.”

“Zafrina?” Dante came towards them with suspicion in his eyes. “What has happened.”

Zafrina turned to Muriel’s nephew and pursed her lips. “We believe the city hall in under attack and I have brought Lady Lyrah back for her own protection.”

“But Rhol needs my help!” Lyrah exclaimed. “Take me back!”

Zafrina held her ground. Even if she was going to lose the High Lady’s favor, she was not going to take her back.

“Calm down, my queen.” Dante tried to calm down the high lady but her eyes were wild with anxiety and worry.

“I was so close to finding out who was responsible for all these strange happenings. From the way I read the energy, it was the source of all this darkness what we have been feeling everywhere.” Lady Lyrah raked her hair from her eyes.

“I know who is responsible.” Dante said grimly catching everyone’s attention. “Now, I need you to sit and calm down. Zafrina, can you please get someone to bring the queen something to drink to calm her down.”

Zafrina nodded and flashed herself to the kitchen. Leah quickly made some calming tea and snacks and the two of them went back to the library. Lady Lyrah was sitting down but her anxiety was still very much alive. Leah placed a steaming cup of tea in front of her and a plate of cakes.

“Who is behind this?” Lady Lyrah asked softly. “Is it a Sorcerer? A Mage?”

“A Bachu’ane Priest.” Dante answered.

Zafrina saw the way Lady Lyrah slightly stagger on her chair. Luckily she was sitting down. With shaking hands, she reached for her tea and sipped it. “But Bachu’ane Priests no longer exit.”

“This Bachu’ane priest is an ancient.”

“So, King Rhol is fighting with an ancient Bachu’ane priest at the city and I am sitting here in the library having a cup of tea?” she asked incredulously.

Zafrina moved forward. “It’s best that you are here. The last thing the King needs is to think about his mate while he is in battle.”

Lady Lyrah’s face was so pale with competed with her hair. Although both the king and his mate looked at though they were incompatible at times, they had already started caring for each other. Lady Lyrah’s face said it all. The worry written there for her mate was almost an entity.

“So, we have to sit here and wait?” She looked up at her, her eyes begging Zafrina to assure her that everything was going to be alright.

Zafrina pursed her lips nodded lightly. She didn’t have any assurance to give her but she was quite sure the king was going to make it alive.

To her, King Rhol has always been invincible. From the first time he managed to capture her after she torched the brothel where she worked, she saw him as a hero. He pardoned her and most of the time she assured herself that it because she made such a fuss to the point that the guards couldn’t hold her but in truth, Rhol had seen her fighting spirit and wanted to give her a second chance.

Like most of the warriors in his army, each one had come from a dark background and now they had a common goal; survive today and live tomorrow.

“Zafrina?” Lady Lyrah’s small voice penetrated her mind.

“Yes, my lady. We have to sit here and wait.” Zafrina said.

Lady Lyrah nodded vigorously. “Okay.” she whispered.

Zafrina turned her eyes to the male sitting next to Lady Lyrah and asked. “What else have to learned about the High Priest?”

“Uhm--” Dante clicked some buttons on the computer and sighed. “There was only one known High Priest of the Bachu’ane; Rowan. He served their leader, Aidan for the most time of his life.”

“It is said that Rowan persuaded Aidan to use the Dark Energy.” A voice came from the door and when they all turned, a very worried Muriel was standing with her mate close beside her.

Zafrina had known Zax for the longest time and even though he appeared very calm in the surface, Zafrina could see the male was troubled.

“After tempting Aidan with the Dark Energy, he predicted the fall of this weak leader and started tempting Uzrel, the king’s father.”

“But Uzrel didn’t fall!” Lady Lyrah exclaimed not wanting to believe it. “The Thyest Bow had already been tainted by the Dark Energy, seducing the king with its evil. Before King Uzrel fell for its power, he threw the Thyest Bow into the ocean where it was never located and he committed suicide.”

“He did and he would have been a much stronger Dark King if his own son hadn’t taken his life.” Muriel cringed her forehead and Zafrina saw the dampness that had formed a thin sheet of sweat over her skin. “King Uzrel was a follower of Aidan and he had other members in the brotherhood including Marcus of Hawk. He stole the Thyest Bow and he and Rowan attempted to taint the purity of its power with the Dark Energy but they failed.

“King Rhol discovered what his father was up to and killed him but he could never find the Thyest Bow afterwards. We are not sure if it was hidden by Uzrel or the mortal lock disappeared for self-preservation.” Muriel cringed again and Zafrina found herself asking what the problem was. “It seems my son is tired of the cocoon of my body.”

“Muriel, are you in labor?” Lady Lyrah leaped up from her feet and rushed to the fellow Mage.

Muriel nodded lightly. “Zax was taking me to the infirmary when I overheard what you were talking about.”

“Then we should head to the infirmary now!” Zafrina scowled at Zax has she stalked towards the couple and lifted Muriel in her arms.

Muriel rolled her eyes. “I’m fine, Zafrina. Really!” Before she could anything more, she ground her teeth to hold back a howl of pain.

“Really?” Zafrina eyed her knowingly and led the way towards the infirmary.

Zafrina stood up with a start as two males were carried into the infirmary. It was Leon and Stefan. Both males were unconscious but Zafrina was not able to ask what happened because a few moments later, more of the warriors being dragged into the infirmary with bruises and some of them already dead.

“Where is the King?” Zafrina heard Lady Lyrah ask. She, too, was worried about Muriel’s health and so they were just outside waiting to hear any news. Zax was wearing out a path along the hallway carpet but the moment he saw the warriors being brought in. he went to help.

“The king is still at the city hall, my queen.” one of the warriors replied.

“Is he alright?” Lady Lyrah asked softly.

“Yes my queen. He is on his way back as we speak.” The warrior answered.

Then something strange happened. Lady Lyrah’s body took on a dim glow when she heard that the king was alright. Zafrina had never seen that happen before. Now, her skin was as if it was made from bork; illuminated ivory tasks from the mammoth-like elephants found in the enchanted world.

Before she could go and inquire about the strange phenomenon, Eva came rushing in with a Jinn warrior chasing after her from behind.

“Where are my brothers!” She asked tearfully as the Jinn grabbed her and refrained her from entering the infirmary.

“Your brothers are under treatment as we speak.” Zafrina approached the female.

Eva’s teary eyes turned to her and calmed down a bit, enough to ask her questions. “What has happened to them?”

“We are still not sure. We will have to see from the results.” Zafrina assured her.

Lady Lyrah moved to her position and placed her hand over Eva’s. “Don’t worry. I know your brothers are fighters. They will make it through.”

“How many warriors have been lost?” Dante asked the warrior.

“It’s not certain for the moment but most of the Mage warriors have been severely injured or dead.” The warrior said.

Zafrina breathed in hard. She thought her job was going to lessen but having the chances that Rowan could attack Lady Lyrah was a tenth fold of her problems. But why would he would he want to attack the Mage? And what did the resurrection of old traitors and the sacrifice of a mass of Ghouls have anything to do with them? Not to mention why was it that the King seemed more susceptible to the tainted energy? So many questions were buzzing in her head and they were no close to finding an answer but at least thanks to Dante and Muriel they were at a good start.

“Why the Mage?” Lyrah turned to Dante.

“The High Priest can channel into the energies of other beings who have the ability to manipulate energy. That’s my guess.” Dante ran his hand through his lose hair. “That means everyone who is able of manipulating energy is in danger.”

“But why would the High Priest attack the Mage here? What is the connection?” Zafrina narrowed her eyes thoughtfully.

“I don’t know yet. I can’t seem to make a connection but I am very sure it is connected.” Dante assured them. “I will have to do some more reading—maybe even go and consult with my professors back in Ullanis.”

“Oh heavens....oh heavens.” Eva’s knees gave way and she found herself staggering onto the floor. “The hunger has begun.” She whispered.

Zafrina felt her heart burst within her ribs. There was nothing more dangerous than a hungry Nosferatu! Their race was far more superior than any other race in the enchanted world so they were stronger in every way but their greatest weakness happened when they were hungry; they could never control their hunger.

“Dante, get the High Lady out of here!” Zafrina commanded as she approached the fallen and panting female then peeled her eyelids back. “When was the last time you fed, Eva?”

“I can’t....I don’t remember.” Eva gasped as her beautiful eyes turned into orbs of blood red and her canines unsheathed from their hiding area. Her fingernails also elongated into claws and she began to sniff for a potential blood donor.

Usually Nosferatu drank from their mates. Unmated Nosferatu drank from the same donor every time. They rarely changed a donor but if their donors died or got mated then they had to start building tolerance for the new blood. But at times of emergencies, they were able to detect a brand of blood that they could take in to sustain them until they returned to their donors.

Eva’s head snapped up as she eyed Dante’s and Lady Lyrah’s way. Zafrina turned and found herself getting irritated when she discovered Dante and Lady Lyrah were still standing there looking stunned. “Dante!”

“Dante....” Eva hissed as she took on a pouncing stance.

Before Zafrina could do anything, Eva was already on Dante, bringing down the male like a felled tree. Her speed was beyond anything Zafrina could contemplate. All she saw was a blurr.

“Oh fuck!” Dante exclaimed as Eva’s teeth sank into his neck.

Lady Lyrah muffled her scream with the back to her hand as she crawled away after she, too, was sent to the floor with the sheer force of Eva’s pounce on Dante.

Dante’s body bucked from the ground as Eva fed ferociously on him. But Dante was not Eva’s donor...so why was she feeding so heavily on him?

“Eva? Eva!” Zafrina approached the crazed Nosferatu cautiously. “If you feed on him like that, he will die.”

Dante’s skin was already pale and his ruby eyes were fading.

“You are killing him, Eva!” Zafrina exclaimed.

Eva’s head snapped up. “I can’t kill him...” she assured Zafrina with blood oozing from her mouth.

“She’s can’t kill me...because I’m her...mate.” Dante’s head turned to the side and Eva went back to feeding calmly this time. Dante’s eyes glowed at them and a small smile touched his lips as finally Eva collapsed against him from the blood high that followed after the Nosferatu hunger was sate.

Zafrina found herself standing there watching the wonder unfold in front of her. She didn’t even notice that King Rhol had returned and he was standing at the entrance of the hallway with Saigon assessing what was happening in front of him.

“What in fuck’s name is going on here?” He growled bringing everyone except for the passed out Eva turned to him.

“I found my mate.” Dante waved at the king with a ridiculous smile on his face.

Someone whimpered then choked back what sounded like a laugh. Zafrina turned to Lady Lyrah and she was still sprawled on the floor, her eyes watering and her face pink as she tried to keep her giggles under control.

Rhol turned to her and arched an eyebrow at her but Zafrina did not miss the relief and amusement dancing in the king’s eyes.

Lady Lyrah swallowed back her giggles but instead they came out in full force and she found herself choking. Her skin glowed as she eyed her mate. Zafrina rolled her eyes. This was getting ridiculous. Even Saigon, who hardly smiled, was pursing his lips and looking away to hide the little smile that was fighting to get out.

Eventually Lady Lyrah gave up and just had a good laugh. “I know the last thing I should be doing now is laugh but I thought Dante was done for when Eva pounced on him. And then—and then—she passed out while she was feeding! She’s completely out! I mean the greatest predator is as tame as a kitty right about now.”

Chuckles rang around the hallway.

“You could learn a thing or two from her.” King Rhol crossed his arms and eyed her intentionally.

That sent Lady Lyrah into more bouts of laughter. Tears streamed her eyes as she crossed the hallway towards her mate. When she reached him, she stood on her tippy-toes, her eye sight in the same level as his mouth. “It’s not going to happen.”

“Well, you can’t blame me for being hopeful.” King Rhol’s body relaxed.

Zafrina had never seen King Rhol give up on anything but she could have sworn he had just given up trying to change Lady Lyrah’s ways. So, what did that mean? Was he getting fond of her?

“Come upstairs with me, Lyrah.” The king coiled his arms around her shoulders and pulled her into the safety of his body.

Lady Lyrah nodded and soon the two of them vanished behind a ball of smoke.

Zafrina and Saigon exchanged looks and shrugged.

“Do you need help, down there?” Zafrina turned to Dante.

“No thanks. Let me just bask in the relief that I will not have a lonely existence in this world.” He sighed.

“Just remember she has three older brothers, each one an assassin in their own right. Let’s hope they’ll not murder you in your sleep.” Zafrina started making her way away from the infirmary.

“Hey! That’s not helping!” Dante called out.

All Zafrina did was smile maliciously as she walked away.

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