(Completed) Seraphina [The Lost Queen Series: Book #1]

Chapter 15

"Shackles and pain, either one to claim..."
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A doctor checked on me as I waited to be released. Snape barged in with a triumphing smile as shackles followed him. "It's time for to appear before father!" Oh great... I sat up and allowed him to cuff me despite them still being very loose. I hadn't noticed a large shackle until Snape held it in my face. "You need a collar considering how unpredictable you..." I didn't move as he put the shackle around my neck.

Without a word he pulled the chain connected to it. "Come my dearest pet... We cannot delay the inevitable!", Snape yanked the chain again with a sinister grin. As I got off the bed he continued to pull until I was standing a few feet behind him. I prayed that he wasn't leading me to the festival for all to see me... Caspian wouldn't stick with the plan if he saw what Snape did to me...

As we walked out of the clinic a few people stared at me. "Do you like the sight of my pet? She needs to be broken in before anyone can come near her so don't get to close." A woman stared at him in fear as he pulled me past her. "Well I think it's about time that I told you a little secret... I saw you last night having some fun with that annoying prince Caspian. You spoke with one of my men who reported your whereabouts to me. With that said I'm disappointed in you... How could you allow yourself to be defiled by him? I thought you would at least have the decency to wait until marriage." Snape laughed dryly as we walked down a long corridor.

"So you've been tailing me since last night? You are the worst kind of person to ever exist in this world!", a sickness feeling grabbed my stomach. What is wrong with him?! "Why would you even be concerned with whom I'm spending time with?" He doesn't seem to know that I didn't do anything with Caspian... At least nothing that physical...

"Well father has an announcement to make about two arranged marriages.", Snape sounded enthusiastic to my dismay. If Quincy is marrying Amandius then who else is getting married? Snape? Who would marry him? "Aren't you curious as to who is engaged?"

"I'm surprised you haven't spilled the tea with how enthusiastic you are...", I scoffed in annoyance. I don't understand why he is acting odd but it's unsettling... It's like seeing the devil smile at his favorite puppet!

Snape stayed silent as we approached two large doors. I could hear a lot of chatter behind them. As Snape pushed the doors open the smell of food and flowers engulfed my senses. As we walked in the chatter stopped as a tense silence fell over the room. Snape pulled the chain as the crowd moved aside for us.

I didn't look up in case Caspian was standing near me. "Ah... Our special guest has arrived...", Quincy looked furious but his anger wasn't directed at me. "Snape... Why is she in shackles and who damaged her face?"

"She is my pet and I needed to discipline her for misbehaving!" Quincy stood up from his throne and slowly stalked over to us. "Father...?", Snape seemed scared as he loosened his grip on the chain. "I only did what you asked of me... Don't push me because of her again!!!", Snape screamed out in frustration suddenly before drawing his sword. "Take another step and I will end your bloodline!!!" The sword rested on my collar as Snape pulled me against him.

"Snape... Let her go...", Quincy looked worried but not for me. Snape has the power to spill everything they've been doing for years and in his unhinged state anything could happen. "I wouldn't punish you for bringing me a traitor. I simply want you to realize that she needs to be publicly executed... You cannot keep people as pets, especially those who seek to undermine you. Now put your sword away and sit down somewhere..." Quincy managed to make everyone forget Snape's words. As the crowd began to chatter normally again as if I didn't exist...

Snape let go of me and quickly sheathed his sword before following Quincy's order to sit down somewhere. He dragged me with him but he didn't seem to notice me. It felt as if his words created a spell but it didn't affect me. Quincy glanced at me for a moment before walking over as if he noticed something.

"Seraphina...?", his voice held uncertainty. "I don't suppose that you'll tell me what's going on?", my voice cracked slightly as his eyes burned into me. "How is this possible...? You aren't affected by my manipulation... Well that's unfortunate... You must've been to the other side..."

"No thanks to Snape... Is this the true power of authority? Like in the story of Everia?" Long ago before any kingdoms existed there was a lonely maiden who found herself in the land between life and death. The ruler of the land found her to be an interesting sight so he bestowed 7 gifts to her. Violet necklace, a green eyed maiden, 100 pumpkins, a pink haired man, a crimson rose, a small golden crown, and lastly 10 lazy men.

"Yes, but that's not just a story... Everia was the first queen of our time and with her 7 children the kingdoms were created... Those gifts were a test for mankind and we failed... Now the curse has gotten worse and a sacrifice needs to be made to fix this... You will never become anything so I've chosen you to save us.", Quincy pulled his hair as his eyes seemed to lose their humanity.

"Why won't you sacrifice yourself? You've sinned more than anyone else so it should be you to fix this!" Looking away briefly I spotted Caspian with a priest near the large doors. For a moment our eyes locked and he nodded at me. It's almost time...

"...You're being greedy. A king shouldn't die for his subjects! That's why you're the perfect pawn... Women aren't very useful and your mother was a terrible sacrifice. I didn't even get 20 years of peace! So many sacrifices and yet none of them have worked..." Quincy continued to ramble on until I spoke up suddenly.

"Then sacrifice me. I'd rather it happen now rather than later..." Quincy and Snape are clearly deranged but that doesn't concern me. If I can get them to proceed with the execution while all the kingdoms are still here then they will lose. The chatter stopped as everyone's eyes stared at me suddenly. A cold chill racked my body as everyone began to approach us.

"Are you a willing sacrifice? How can you do such a thing so easily? Why aren't you being greedy with your? Do you think throwing your life away will change anything...?", the voices mingled together just like the shadows did. That's when I remembered Iredelious words,"I'd prefer if you didn't talk to the shadows..." Ellis also said, "The king has eyes everywhere except in high places. Keep above unruly eyes to stay out of danger and watch the snakes laying in shadows."

The shadows must be people in high society! Quincy can't control them but he can persuade them for a time. Since Quincy can't control them they are dangerous to someone who speaks out of line. Did Ellis predict what was going to happen?

A hand grabbed me from behind as I was quickly dragged away from the crowd. I looked over to see a black haired woman pulling the chain. She seemed familiar but oddly enough she had her eyes covered by a black leather strap. As she pushed through the crowd I spotted Caspian for a moment.

He looked angry as the crowd pushed him away from me. Hands tried to grab me but none of them got a good enough hold. As we escaped out of the doors the ominous feeling finally let go of me. It felt as if a weight had been removed from my shoulders. "That was close... It's a good thing that you didn't answer them or you would've gone insane like Quincy and Snape."

"Who are you and what is going on?" The woman had bandages wrapped around her chest area. She was very tall yet thin in an elegant way. Almost like the portrait of Mistress Eras... Shaking my head lightly I followed her as she led me to the courtyard.

"I'm Mistress Eras... You my dear have been chosen as a sacrifice just like your mother was. We don't have much time to talk for now but Ellis is leading your prince here now. You both need to leave Theron as soon as possible! I'll find you again when things settle down here.", Eras spoke quickly as we entered the armor. She pushed a sword on the wall to reveal a hidden stairway. "Go before Quincy finds you!" After shoving the chain in my hands I quickly made my way down the steps as the hidden door closed.

My heart raced as I tried to put the pieces together. Quincy and Snape are clearly insane and suffering from their greedy ways. Mistress Eras is helping me to escape from here. Ellis predicted this and he is on our side. Soon Ellis and Caspian will meet up with me... If I must worry about anything it's how I'm going to get these shackles and collar off...