Chapter 30: Chapter 30
"READY?" THE MAN TOSSED THE COIN and Magnolia prayed the Gods that it would be the head. "Head." The voice came and a few cheers burst among the men.
Magnolia swallowed the lump in her throat as she saw Daniel shaking his head with a pained gaze.
Magnolia took off her scarf and dropped it to the ground. She heard a few whistles, which made her teeth grit with anger.
Then, the man tossed the coin again.
"Head."
Magnolia removed her coat.
Daniel took a shaky breath. He had been trying to restore his aura, but it was taking too long.
The coin was in the air again.
"Head."
Magnolia stared at the duke. Her dress was next.
The man crouched next to Daniel and patted him on the shoulder. "I do not know if this is your lucky day for not getting stabbed, or your unlucky day for watching your wife strip in front of all these men." Then, he let out a loud and evil laugh.
He turned back toward Magnolia. "Come on woman, we don't have all day."
Daniel clenched his fists. He was still too weak.
"I think the lady needs help with her dress." He motioned to his men to undress her but when they got close, Magnolia was out of control.
"Don't you dare touch me, you bastards." She grabbed one of their swords from its sheath and slashed the owner's throat then stabbed the second in the chest.
"Duchess," the leader roared. When Magnolia turned, she was faced with him holding a knife to Daniel's side. "I forgot to mention that if you refuse to undress, the duke gets stabbed instead." He grinned as he slowly inserted the blade.
"Please, stop–I will take it off." Daniel cried. "STOP."
Magnolia was shaking and her vision was blurred by the endless tears. Two men took a hold of her as a third took the sword away from her and punched her in the gut. The pain split her in two, she struggled for air.
"Crown." She heard the man call.
'No. Please, no–Gods please.'
"Did I mention that this dagger was made from Dragon Bone?" the leader said. "And not any dragon," he added. "It was made from the bones of the Ice Dragon, so if you are trying to heal yourself, there is no point really." He grinned. "My dagger is draining you from your magic with every stab."
Magnolia sobbed as she prayed. She watched the man she loved on the verge of death. The knife stabbed Daniel again and his cry was deafening.
"No," Magnolia howled.
'Let me out.'
Something cracked inside of her.
"I am going to kill you." She growled with such savagery, the men who were holding her let go. "I am going to kill you." Her voice echoed through the woods.
Something deep inside her was unleashed, something so powerful it scared even her. It was way stronger than when she choked Serena in the duke's office.
Magnolia was terrified that she was not going to be able to control it. But she did not have the luxury to stop it right now. She needed this power, to kill these bastards, to save Daniel.
The leader burst into laughter and his men followed him. "Duchess, do you know how many men have threatened to kill me, yet here I am." He turned dramatically in a full circle as he sneered.
"I am not a man, though." Magnolia said with a terrifying grin as flames emerged from both of her hands.
"You said she had no magic," the leader screamed at one of his men.
"She–she did not, my lord," he stuttered with wide eyes.
"Stop." He pushed the knife to Daniel's throat. "I will kill him." His hand shook.
"Will you now?" Magnolia strode closer to them, her smile never faltering.
"I swear I will." She stopped.
"Really?" She cocked her head to the side. "How will you do that?"
In a split second, a flame slashed through both of his arms. They fell to the ground with a thud.
The man shrieked in pain. He eyed his dismembered arms then glanced at Magnolia with terrified eyes.
Daniel looked down at the man's arms with shock then his eyes met his wife's. Her gaze softened and he heard her voice in his head.
'I am going to get us out of here.'
Daniel could not believe what was happening. Did his wife just speak to him through her mind? Only a few masters in magic can do that.
"Kill her," the leader barked, making the fire return to Magnolia's eyes. He shivered when she laid them on him.
"How many men did you say you had?" Her voice was low and terrifying, there was a hint of amusement in it. The man was confused by her question.
Suddenly, a scream emerged. One of the men was engulfed in flames. He ran around in panic, but it only took seconds for his incinerated body to fall to the ground.
Then another cry was heard, then another one as Magnolia set the men on fire one after the other.
A wicked smile danced on her lips. She did not spare anyone, even the ones who were attempting to escape.
The woods went quiet, all they could hear was the man's shaky breaths and his blood, spilling out from both of his upper arms.
Magnolia rushed to her husband as the fire died in her hands. She untied his hands and checked his injuries.
One of the wounds was too deep and he had already lost so much blood. She tore a piece of her dress and pushed it against the wound.
"Keep putting pressure." She attempted to help him up, but he stopped her.
"Wait, we have to find out who sent him, he will not survive if we take him back with us."
"What about you? We need to get you home now." Magnolia's protest was full of worry.
"I'm fine. This is probably our only chance," he added, with a lower voice this time. Magnolia turned to the man and inhumanity returned to her face.
"Please." She heard him plead. She sat on her heels next to him.
"How about we play a game?" she suggested. "I am going to ask you questions and if I do not like your answers, I will stab you."
She untangled the Dragon Bone dagger from the fingers of his cut arm and pointed it at him. Then she removed his mask. Daniel recognized him instantly.
"Baron Cross," he said through gritted teeth.
"Well, we finally have a name. You know it was quite rude that you knew ours, but we did not know who you were." Magnolia made pleasantries. "So, who sent you here?"
A second later, she planted the knife in his thigh, earning her a scream. "You are taking too long." She shrugs.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." He panted. "It's just that, it is not just one person." She stabbed him again and a louder scream escaped his mouth.
"Then give all of their names."
"Pl–Please–Please." He swallowed hard. His eyelids were getting heavier by the second. Magnolia knew that he was slipping away.
"Alright, the names." Her voice was calm.
"Baron Pruice is the leader." He swallowed again. "But almost all the barons are a part of it." His breathing was getting heavier. "The main ones are Baron Gustav, Baron Lorton, Bar–" He could not keep his eyes open anymore.
"Who else?" Magnolia shook him, but he was already gone. "I think I overdid it," she told Daniel, but his body was on the ground, motionless. "Dan?" she called, tears already racing. She rushed to him.
'Please be alive. Please be alive.'
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone