Chapter 484 - Trapped
Siora was feeling weak. She had used a lot of her magic and Iona wasn't even killed. She could have used her magic to kill Rolfe, but her son was too strong. Anger and frustration flared inside her. All the hours, all the planning, she had spent on this mission was going down the drain. She had to quickly think of a way to get out of here, else she would be killed. So when Anastasia offered her that she would give her the force of life, she chuckled. The fae princess really didn't have brains. She was going to give her energy and that is all she wanted. It would rekindle her magic and she would be able to use it again. When Anastasia asked her to promise, she promised to accept that force. She couldn't believe her luck.
The thin film of white energy surrounded her. The magic in her, which had reduced to a mere ribbon, started to swell. It swelled and swelled. At first, it was calming, soothing and Siora felt invigorated. Her wounds healed, her skin stitched on its own and it became so velvety soft that she couldn't believe it. She couldn't help thinking that she had trapped the fae princess so beautifully in her vow that even though it would work against her, Anastasia would be bound to help her.
But Siora wasn't ready for what Anastasia had in mind. The fae princess was actually filling her with so much force, pure and untainted energy that it stirred her blood at the molecular level. However, Anastasia didn't stop. She continued to pour in more of that energy in her.
"Noooo!" Siora screamed. Her body was covered with a thin film of white light. Full of life… There was so much energy in it that Siora's heart rate accelerated. Anastasia was the deity. And she had asked the deity to grant her life… the magic force of life… And because of the vow, the deity was giving her the pool of life… so much that it was not able to bear it…
"Did you think that I am going to leave my daughter in your hands to die, Siora?" said Adrianna as she stood right beside her daughter-in-law and joined hands with her.
Siora saw that Adrianna was passing her magic to Anastasia.
"You wanted Anastasia to fill you with life. Well, that is what she is doing now." Adrianna scoffed. "I am helping her to pull all my magic force and pass it to you." She looked at Ileus and Rolfe. The two men came and joined hands with Anastasia.
"You— you can't do that!" Siora shouted.
"Why not, Siora?" Adrianna asked.
The four of them were now standing together, their hands on Anastasia's forearm. The force of life, the white ethereal light that was emerging from Anastasia's hands, thickened. Anastasia's eyes turned violet with silver speckles behind them. Her wings susurrated and a slow smile formed on her lips. The deity was fulfilling her vow according to the promise Siora made to her.
"We had come to know that you were somewhere near the border of Silver Vales. And all that was done after that was in the wake of getting you out of your hole," Adrianna continued. "I had come here two days back and this was kept a secret. Only Anastasia and Ileus knew about it."
Siora was stunned at the revelation. There was so much pain in her body. She wanted it to stop. The force was trying to come out of her. And if it continued like this, she would burn… What Adrianna was saying was adding fuel to her anger, but Siora was not able to do anything. She couldn't even lift her finger. The energy was loading her and every part of her body felt heavy. She was like a ticking bomb.
Adrianna continued, "When you had fired that spear on Kaizan's mansion, we knew that it had to be you. Haldir had kept a close vigilance on you. As soon as you entered Silver Vales, there were at least ten Mozias who were watching you all the time. Do you think that we couldn't take you out at that time?"
Siora was now feeling like her heart would explode. With half closed eyes, she looked at the elf. He was standing behind Anastasia with his arms crossed across his chest, looking so fierce that his cheekbones appeared jagged like mountain peaks.
"We couldn't take you out because we didn't know what repercussions that would have on the vow that Anastasia had made with you. And so, we devised this strategy to take you out."
Siora's vision turned red. She didn't know what was happening to her. Frustration mounted on the inside, only adding to the pool.
"Are we such fools that we would have a party at Kaizan's house after you attacked it? Unfortunately, it was Lea who took the spear. Had she not been there, your magical spear would have broken the wall of the mansion and could have affected Anastasia and Ileus."
Oh, so her magic spear was going in the right direction. "Stop…" she said, her voice a whisper. "I can't…"
"When you were hidden behind those drapes, we knew you were there. Anastasia and Ileus were aware of your presence. We were waiting for you to attack. We were waiting for you to use your magic… your so-called ancient magic. We wanted to tire you completely so that you would beg Anastasia for saving, for giving you more life and you fell right into our trap."
Siora's mouth fell to the floor. "What?" she rasped, but in a whisper. It was her who was supposed to trap Anastasia. How did she fall into the trap? By demons! She looked at Anastasia who was smiling. She looked terrifyingly cruel and extremely beautiful. Her eyes fell on the brown wolf who was standing right behind her, next to Haldir. If only she had killed him that time, if only she had never made Anastasia vow, if only…
"How is life feeling inside you, Siora?" asked the deity.
It was a lot and then nothing. It was light and then darkness. It was all she wanted and then she didn't. Every part of her body was now full of force—force so intense, that she was sure she would not be able to sustain it. Gods were cruel. She remembered a saying—never make a deal with the faes. And that is what she had done—not once, but twice. She wanted to laugh at herself, but she couldn't. She wanted to become the queen of Galahar, once again, but she couldn't. She wanted to spend her life with Aed Ruad, but she couldn't. She fell into her own trap. Adrianna was too clever, even for a demoness like her. And together with Anastasia, they were invincible.
All at once, the whole world hummed around her—a hum so loud, a buzz so thick that it bled her ears. She tasted blood in her mouth, she could smell copper, and she knew she couldn't hold it any longer. The force was too much to handle.
Siora's body shuddered. She barked in pain, and then with a loud boom, she exploded. A wet smack.. Blood showered over them and some of her flesh clung to them.