The Mortal Brides of the Djinn King and Prince

Part 2 Chapter 9

Jessabelle had been at the church for almost a year and grew bored with being so innocent and good. She knew it was all part of her and her father's plan for her to win all their hearts and trust before showing them her true nature. But it seemed in pretending she had developed a weakness towards Sarah when her father always told her she would feel nothing but loathing for humanity. It seemed she shared the same weakness towards this creature of God as he felt toward her mother. Every time Sarah touched her, she became vulnerable around her. In fact, she was beginning to think of her as a sister. She loathed this feeling and knew she must fight it, but how?

Sarah sat in her room here at the church, praying to God for strength and understanding. She knew from the moment she was born that she was destined to kill the unholy one, but Jessabelle did not seem to be the evil being she was foretold to be. They had grown remarkably close, and Jessabelle felt like the sister she had never had. She knew she must fight these feelings and remember her birthright, but she was finding it much more difficult than she ever imagined.

"Sarah, what on earth are you doing here alone?" Let us go outside and play on the ice pond," Jessabelle's sweet voice sang, disrupting her thoughts.

"I was just thinking about you, Jessabelle. Yes, let us go play," Sarah replied. Jessabelle took her hand intuitively, knowing this was her chance to rid herself of her unwanted emotions towards her friend and enemy.

Jessabelle knew the only real solution was to end Sarah's life and prove to herself she was again fit to be the daughter of the great obsidian lord Leviathan. It would be simple: she could blame the weakness of the ice for Sarah's untimely demise. It would look like it was all just an accident, a tragic one.

Sarah knew by the faraway look in Jessabelle's eyes that she was up to something evil. She knew in her gut that her friend, but enemy was planning to kill her. This day would be the final test to see if there was any way at all that she could save her instead of destroying her. Today would show her once and for all if there were any human emotions within her. She would find out if Jessabelle loved her even in its smallest measurement. She walked with her from the safety of the chapel out into the cold to head towards the frozen pond. As they approached their frozen destination, Sarah prayed for God's protection.

Reaching the edge of the icy pond, Jessabelle finally spoke." Go ahead of me, Sarah, let's race. Whoever makes it to the other side first is the winner."

Sarah stood watching Jessabelle for a few lingering moments, hoping she would change her mind. She never did; her eyes remained full of darkness and determination. With a short breath, Sarah stepped out onto the ice, dreading the sharp bite of icy water she knew was soon to come. She had faith. Faith that God would watch over her and protect her if Jessabelle went through with her scheme to kill her. After all, it was her destiny to stop the end of the world.

Jessabelle watched as Sarah reached the very center of the pond. She knew she was far out enough that no one would hear her cries for help. She closed her eyes tight and called to the flaming fires of her home to come forth and crack the ice just enough for Sarah to fall to her frozen tomb.

"Come forth ancient fires and do as your master's child commands. Boil the water beneath just enough to crack the surface and take with you this innocent blood," Jessabelle chanted over and over. She opened her eyes just in time to see the ice crack. She fought hard against feeling any pity for her friend and foe. It was more than a little difficult not to care that Sarah was fixing to die a horrible death. Then she heard Sarah's scream, and her heart froze as solid as the ice that surrounded her.

The bitter, chilly water of the pond bit Sarah's flesh as she fought ferociously to stay above the surface and not lose consciousness. Her pink lips were now turning blue and trembling to the point where she was not sure she could cry out to God to save her. She wanted to cry, but her tears seemed to freeze the moment they fell. She closed her eyes and, at last, found a bit of inner strength to cry out, but it was to Jessabelle that she cried out, not the lord.

"Please, Jessabelle, save me. Please," Sarah shouted through clenched teeth. And when the words came out, she lost her strength and slipped beneath the water's surface, ready to embrace her icy death.

Jessabelle felt a stab of agony in her heart. She could not do it." No! No, do not take her, please. Bring her back to me at once, please," she shouted out death. She fell to her knees, sliding hard across the ice until reaching the spot where the water engulfed Sarah. She could see nothing but her hair, so she reached out and gripped it firmly in her fist and pulled her from the water. Sarah looked dead already, her face colorless and pale as alabaster. Her lips were purple and blue as the midnight sky as Jessabelle held her in her embrace, desperately trying to force her to come back to life. She called to the fires of her home once again until the pond was no more. In its places, the earth was dried and cracked.

Sarah awoke from the darkness of death, hearing Jessabelle calling her back to her. She could not believe that she passed her test. She knew there was something human and pure inside of her after all, even in its smallest measurement. Perhaps she could save her from her fate and protect heaven and earth all in one. She smiled up at Jessabelle warmly with her newfound hope. Then she hugged her tightly. As they hugged, Jessabelle, too, had a new hope. She would do her damnedest to bring Sarah to the darker side and make her a sister to the fates and her in more than just friendship.