I could sense he presence and smell her scent like a dog, long before I entered the throne room. She was one of the fewest existing creatures in all realms who managed to send this realm into frenzy. She was also among the few who managed to set my whole existence on edge. Fucking Abbirel. The last of her kind, The dark clan.
The oldest and most powerful witch and enchanter to ever exist. She also had the power to control both the black and white magic. Not to add to the point that the only way to kill the witch was by tearing her into pieces before setting her on fire till she was ash. Fucking show off. Leave everything about Abbirel to be fucking complicated.
That was not the only reason I was on edge. Though Abbirel and King Darius my freaking father, had been on good sides of each other for many centuries, Darius might or might have not broken a promise he made to her. No matter how small the broken promise, Abbirel was not the, forgive and forget type. As if that was not enough he had summoned her in the middle of the witch's holiday. That's what she called her weird tours to different realms to do some sick revenge on creatures who owed her.
I pushed the throne doors open and stepped through. I walk briskly till I was standing directly in front of them.
She regarded me with her catlike green eyes. She was seated on the seat in front of the throne on the right side. Her melanin dark skin glowed. She was beautiful in the long black dress she was wearing. It complemented her feminine curves perfectly. Her long dark brown hair sat in waves around her perfect round face.
I bowed in acknowledgement to King Darius and nodded stiffly to Abbirel before taking my sit to the left of my father's throne.
"You have grown into a handsome young man" She stared at me with a with a raised brow.
"It's been only a decade witch you have not changed at all either", I returned sarcastically. I knew it was a bad idea to piss off the witch but I couldn't help it.
"You remind me of Aurora, always with the witty tongue and hot mouth." She smiled evilly.
"Watch your tongue witch!"
"Watch it!"
My father and I snapped at the same time. I didn't want her talking about my mother like that. My hand tightened on my sword as I fought to remain calm. Abbirel just knew how to push my buttons.
"Did I hit a nerve ooh Darius? You were always stupid for that bitch." She pointed a perfectly manicured red claw at my father.
"You will be wise to watch your tongue..." Darius growled his eyes blazing with anger.
"Or what? Darius?! You owe me one and you'd be wise not to raise you voice at me!" Abbirel snapped back her eyes narrowing as blazing balls of fire formed from her fingertips.
"You are a lying piece of shit and I should have left you to rot in the land of the dead!" she sneered her teeth locked together.
"At least I could be happier there than listening to your whining for one more second!" Father fired back. They were now nose to nose. I could give anything to watch someone get under father's skin like Abbirel did. She was however among the few to get away with it.
"Is that why you summoned me here you old rag?! Because I'll be glad to send you to hell instead!" Goodness how old were this two?
"Now if you are done having a civilized conversation, anyone want a drink?" Max's voice cut from the door. A shivering Narla was standing behind him peeking at the fire balls in Abbirel's hand.
I was sitting bored. I was used to things getting out of hand between Abbirel and Darius and I had no intention of intervening. Things had gotten worse when father had broken a promise to marry Abbirel some half a century ago. Maybe Darius wanted to use her to know the reason of mom's death. Or see her one more time. Nobody knows.
She had used a powerful dark magic spell to allow father to pass through to the land of the dead. It was a risky process and in return she had almost died after the gatekeeper to the land of the dead noticed her portal and almost snatched her soul. To make matters worse father had changed his mind after coming back from the land of the dead. He never talked about his journey to the land of the dead and I'm sure it wasn't a happy reunion. Whatever happened there must have fucked up his entire boring existence.
"A glass full of Darius's blood would be better," Abbirel smiled rather too widely. At least she was not creating fire balls anymore. I'd hate to be responsible to repair the entire palace this time when they were done throwing each other across walls, Again.
Father mattered something under his breath and sank back on his throne.
"I see you have a human for yourself," She stared at the cowering Narla and she ducked completely behind Max. I smiled as I watched he peek at the witch again before ducking again.
"That's the reason I summoned you." Darius started and Abbirel's eyes snapped to him. I could feel Narlas fear as it radiated from her in waves. It turned to shaking at father's voice, obviously. He had had her thrown in a dungeon.
"What?!" Abbirel chuckled darkly. "You are now scared of harmless humans Darius?" she burst out laughing and I could see father's anger grow quickly. I could feel it radiate off of him in waves.
"She's not just a human." I tried to save us all another anger outburst between father and Abbirel.
"What?!" All her attention snapped to the human behind Max.
"Max step aside!" Father said flatly.
"Shut up Darius, the poor thing is too scared."
Abbirel scoffed as she stepped towards Max.
Max stepped aside but remained at her side nevertheless. She kept her head bowed and shook like a leaf. I felt sorry for her.
"Narla its okay, she won't harm you." I said in a low voice to. She nodded timidly and placed her shaking palm in Abbirel's.
After a few minutes she snapped her eyes opened looking troubled.
"I can't see anything about her childhood. I can't see her parents. She is maybe or maybe not be a human." She finished and stepped back. "I need something connecting her to her childhood."
"What do you mean Abbirel?" Father looked more irritated. "Have you lost your powers witch?!" He growled.
"Let's find out." With a flicker of her finger father went flying towards the wall. He managed to stop the waited impact midair. He landed to the floor graceful. His power radiating off of him dangerously as his eyes glowed a blazing white.
"Guess they are still intact." Abbirel said in a sing song voice. Max rolled his eyes and smiled encouragingly at a trembling Narla. Fuck I forgot she was not used to this shit.
"You gonna regret this witch!" Father growled dangerously as he moved menacingly towards Abbirel.
"Father can you..." Before I could finishing father was disappearing into a portal I didn't see Abbirel create. She cleaned some imaginary dust off of her shoulder before cackling loudly. The sound was so evil as it bounced off walls. After cackling for a century but I knew it had been just a second she finally sighed. Her three familiars appeared by her side, three huge snakes.
"I need you to bring me something from her childhood dear Ryammel. The damned ghosts won't hold Darius for long. I need to go however how much I enjoy throwing Darius through walls." She finished the last part looking rather dissapointed. She moved closer to Narla and sniffed her hair.
"Interesting." She muttered before disappearing into a portal her familiars slithering around her in a lovely pattern.
Just then father burst through another portal looking murderous. His whole demeanor screamed murder. One prisoner was going to lose their life today. I shook my head.
"Come on." I wrapped my hand around Narla's small arm and ushered her out of the room. Max close behind me. He couldn't hide his amazement at father's haunted look. I chuckled lightly as we stepped out. A crashing sound followed from behind the door and we burst out laughing. Abbirel was something. Getting under cold fucking Darius skin wasn't easy. She was something. I had to give her that.
"See you later brother, try not to scare her to death." Max smiled at Marla encouragingly before throwing me a glare. I grinned and rolled my eyes as he diverted through a different hallway.
Narlas form shook and she looked traumatized by the whole encounter.
"Relax angel nothing's gonna happen to you." I cooed. Her teary brown eyes full of fear shot to me and I had to fight everything in me not to pull her into a tight hug. She looked adorable. She nodded stiffly and turned her face away.
"We could leave tomorrow angel, if you are not feeling alright." She looked ready to pass out poot thing. She looked pale.
"It's O..okay" she stuttered
"You sure?" I asked again. I don't know why I suddenly felt the need to know she was alright. I shook my head.
"Okay angel, this way." I ushered her towards the double doors leading outside.