He rode towards the palace that gleamed in white marble against the sunset sky. He was determined to reach the ancient library and stop whatever plan she had in place. But he had a sinking feeling he was already too late when he heard the news from one of the shopkeepers at the town that their beloved queen had been tragically killed.
The enchantress had already succeeded in executing her evil plan and that was to rule and control the fae realm.
Suddenly, his vision fractured into gold splinters and shadows marred his vision. He dug his fingers desperately into the groves of a nearby wall to keep himself steady on his feet. He felt the chill of the wind seep into his bones but it did nothing to dull the fiery headache that was raging in his skull.
Cassius Deveraux fell to his knees, gasping for air as the wind whipped past his face, tearing at his cloak and ruffling his hair. The winds carried the smell of fresh earth and the faint sweetness of wildflowers, but his senses were to dull to pick up these things.
For each breath he took in felt like there were shards of glass pricking at his chest, his heartbeat thudded desperately against his chest as though begging for relief for the fear that flooded his veins.
"No," he rasped, voice raw and ragged. "No, no, no...."
Her voice slid into his mind then, smooth, cold, and calculative, curling around him like smoke.
You felt that, didn't you?
Cassius's fingers dug deeper into the groves of the wall, trying to anchor himself against the intrusion.
"What have you done?" he snarled, fury and fear tangling in his words.
A soft, amused laugh echoed in his head; it turned venomous then. Your precious Queen has fallen. And now your King has sworn to avenge her.
The invisible chain constricted again in his chest, bending him backwards, wrenching his head so violently. His teeth clenched, the world tilted around him, making him take another step backwards.
You belong to me, the enchantress whispered cruelly. You always have.
Images of Candice flooded his mind: her smile, bright and fearless; the warmth of her hand in his; the steady courage in her eyes.
His chest heaved as he struggled to breathe, as memory and pain collided.
"Leave her out of this," he growled, voice cracking despite himself.
Her amusement sharpened like a knife. Ah. So the secret bride matters to you after all.
The pressure surged through him, threading itself through every vein like molten iron. Somewhere deep in his chest, something snapped. A cry tore from him,raw with terror and fury. Her hold wrapped tighter around him, bending him, claiming him in ways that made his soul ache.
Run if you wish, she taunted. Every step you take is still mine.
Cassius staggered to his feet, hands pressed to his chest, fighting to draw breath that was never enough. The air around him thrummed with her magic, vibrating with the malice he felt through her energy, that made the hair on his arms stand.
His mind then spun with images of Candice, her life endangered, her freedom threatened, and the helplessness of not being near her was pressing on him. It was almost unbearable.
Far away, in a mortal city unaware of the chaos brewing in the fae realm, Candice slept peacefully. Her chest rose and fell in rhythm with pleasant dreams untainted by the storms of life she had endured.
The enchantress now stood before a mirror, safely tucked away in the night realm, hidden within its dark depths. Her pale fingers traced the glass. Images reflected off the surface like living paintings come to life:
The King mourning beside his dead Queen.
Cassius breaking beneath her grip.
And a young woman with dark auburn hair and defiant green eyes, peacefully asleep.
Ahh…this was the Lady Candice.
The enchantress's grinned evily. Good, she murmured. Let him be enraged.
She turned from the mirror, already starting to weave her next spell, with terrifying precision.
For lady Candice, she whispered as she watched the spells obey her commands.
Meanwhile, King Helios stood frozen beside the embalmed body of Queen Stella. The scent of flowers and incense mixed with his grief, felt like a knife that was twisting within his chest. This was heartache he felt at the loss of his beloved queen.
His fingers twitched, clenching and unclenching, as if staring at her body might somehow bring her back to life.
The library doors creaked open. A short man entered, kneeling with precise form.
"My King," the spymaster said, voice low and deliberate. "We have news regarding Cassius Deveraux."
Helios did not turn his head. When he finally lifted his gaze, his eyes burned with fury. "Speak," he commanded, each word edged with pain.
"He was not merely a duke in your court," the spymaster said steadily. "He has been tasked by the queen with maintaining ties between our world and the human world. He has taken a secret bride in the mortal realm, a woman named Lady Candice Whitcombe."
The King's jaw tightened. "A bride," he repeated, voice low, dangerous. "Then he had much to hide."
"Yes, my King," the spymaster replied. "Our agents believe she may not know the full extent of his dealings or that he is in fact, a fae. However, she may know his whereabouts, or where he intends to flee."
"Take her then," Helios said at last, each word an order.
The spymaster's brow rose. "My King?"
"By force if necessary," Helios snapped. His grief flared into fury. "Bring Lady Candice to my palace. She will be questioned."
General Tartarus hesitated. "She is a mortal, my Lord. Laws exist...."
"The laws be damned!" Helios roared. His voice shook the ceiling, grief and anger coiling together. "My wife lies dead before me! And you question my judgment?"
Tartarus bowed stiffly, the weight of the King's order pressing down upon him like iron.
"She is connected to the Aveline and Cassius who delivered my Queen to her death," Helios said, his voice low, deadly. "That makes her involved."
His gaze softened, briefly, on Stella. "I will not lose another opportunity to avenge her," he murmured, eyes misting now with tears. "Not while her blood is still warm upon this floor."
The spymaster bowed. "It will be done," he said, voice steady.
In the mortal realm, soldiers moved through moonlit streets like shadows, carrying out the King's orders. Invisible to mortal eyes as they searched tediously for Lady Candice Whitcombe's residence.
Cassius, bound by love and magic, felt the threat inching towards his new wife. The enchantress's chain tightened in his veins, but it was nothing compared to the dread gnawing at his soul. Candice's life, her safety, her freedom, everything he loved was threatened. Every fibre of his being screamed that he was too far away, too powerless, and too late to protect her.
His fists clenched, in a heartbeat he promised that he would not allow her to die not while he still drew breath.
The wind carried the echoes of the enchantress's evil laughter and the promise of the King's wrath. In the quiet, fragile moments between magic and madness, he whispered her name, a prayer sent up to whosoever would hear it:
"I hope you are safe, sweetheart… my beloved Candice."
He uttered before his vision went black and his body gave way.