The Cursed One ✔ - Book One of the Phoenix Trilogy

Chapter 30 Heartbreak

Days turned to weeks then weeks turned to months.

It had been two months and a half to be exact. Still no sign of Aldrik. Venus was tempted numerous times to ask master Ronheild but in the end she chose not to.

If he really love me then he will find a way..

Did he?
One could only hope.
That few lingering kisses would be enough for him to stick by her.
One could only really hope....

Venus had his memories in the far end of her mind. She needed to be focused on her trainings for in few weeks time the quests would begin. Her incompetence in hand to hand combat dragged her development drastically down no matter how hard she tried but due to rigorous workouts...

Well, what can I say.. I earned my keep.

Her strenght, muscles and stamina were a sight to behold. She definitely owed it to the power within her otherwise there will be no chance for a weakling like her to even develop a single muscle in just two months time.

Thankfully, I have aced one section in training.

Yes, she aced archery! Thanks to her literally eagle eyes! She was deeply connected to her bow and arrow and was able hit twenty miles targets like it was just right in front of her. Though Marcus was not lacking behind due to his vampiric eyes but he focused on swords play, archery didn't appeal to him at all.

Before you raise your brows on her me.. Yes, she did qualify to shoot that far! It was definitely seen on her strong arms and wrists. Master Xerxis was not joking about her workouts, he gave her relentless exercises daily but his hatred for her was far behind them now, gone with the wind. They were like uncle and niece after that breakdown on her first day of combat training. And because the title of father and daughter belonged to her and master Ronheild...

Then there goes her fire... It was still yellow level, stucked to a basketball size. That was how far the size would go, regardless how much concentration she put into it, her fire was as stubborn as a mule! Everyone can just imagine where that stubbornness came from. She managed to reshape it only as dagger so far. And of course, she was able to control it engulfing her whole arm and her arrow!

Goodness! I feel ecstatic everytime my arrow destroys the targets into tiny splinters as it hit the mark! I'm good! Yeah!

That was her total advance since the start. To say that she sucked on almost everything was the right statement for her physical training but in academic, she was unbeatable.

She didn't even dared to compare herself with the rest of the group. All in all, they were more awesome besides the fact that they could control their flames now engulfing half of their bodies. Plus they could reshape it in daggers, arrows, swords, etcetera, etcetera...

So what! For a human I made an amazing improvement! But for being the so-called vessel... Hmnnn, I totally sucked!

Venus couldn't be any happier! She didn't wanna be the vessel. Maybe that was where her slow progress was coming from. Based on what Marcus told her, she was holding back...
And she heard that Letticia was doing very well with her one on one training with master Balto, they don't get to see her though. Only at dinning chamber. Nobody knew where that woman was hiding all the time! Her room was only few doors from theirs, all alone as per requested by her.

Anyhow, all had been prying about her and Marcus. Her explanation to Daphne that they were best buddies now fell on deaf ears, nobody believed. Marcus never mentioned anything romance related issues anymore and called her barbie all the time. He was really good guy, if Venus could teach her heart whom to love, she would definitely teach it to cherish Marcus rather than that jerk Aldrik who happened to be playing a dissappearing act for months now.

Mater Ronheild have been busy since that council meeting a month ago. He never had time to talk with any of them, only trainings.

Oh, did I mention that they are back to their cloaks now?

Her majesty, queen Mystyq, made the final revisions. It was more wicked, magic can be pulled and released only by its wearer which means sorcerers cannot flick it out of the bearer even if they wanted to.

Queen Mystyq was coming and going every couple of weeks to recharge herself from the pull attraction. On the other hand, her lessons with her was not progressing at all. For unknown reason, she was not attracted to life source of phoenicians if it was not pulled outside, its raw form.

Only that time that was exposed in raw cords of pull from the assessment chamber during initial grouping did she consumed the pull. Or did she? Was it rather the other way around? That the pull cord was attracted to her in some way. Whatever it was, she didn't had the courage to try that theory, not yet anyway.

And there was still that matter about the sorcerer. How she managed to suck his magic up was a big unanswered question. Plus, queen Mystyq told her a lot about king Veron, her alleged father. How he was once a good wizard, that it was her fault when he became obsessed with having an heir for she was impotent.

Meantime, let us go back to the present..

Venus and her group were all huddling their way towards the bed chambers to freshen up before dinner time, after another tiring day of training, she felt beat up particularly these days.

"Venus, dear! I finally catch up with you. How are you and Aldrik? Are you meeting up again today? You were inseparable. He is always missing in the palace nowadays.." Lord Ronheild low voice startled her as they passed by the office chamber. He came out of the door all of a sudden asking her questions she never understood.

She inhaled his aftershave-like smell as she turned around to face his hooded figure, "W-what do you mean, master? I never seen him for months now."

Master Ronheild was about to argue with her when a sweet voice came from behind him, "how are you, Venus?"

Oh! How I missed that voice! He is forgiven for not showing up for a long time! Venus thought as excitement flooded her heart.

Though she knew who it was behind her master still she was startled when her eyes finally landed on his handsome face, "huh! W-where have you been?" She asked him in a loud voice not aware of the masters pouring out of the chamber probably from a meeting.

"Well, hello to you too! I don't think that's any business of yours" he said to in a stranger's tone while raising his brow out of annoyance.

"What is the matter with you son. It's Venus!" Master Ronheild reprimanded him, brows furrowed out of confusion.

"It's no matter, master. Maybe Aldrik is just having a bad day." Venus tried to mask her own confusion and disappointment. She consoled master Ronheild not wanting them to have an argument because of her.

"It's your majesty to you. I'm perfectly fine, father" Aldrik's voice filled with animosity startled them. She even heard Daphne gasped beside her while the three men at their back maintained their silence. Daphne knew about everything, she was able to pry it out of her about the kiss.

"Don't I mean anything to you after what happened?" Venus asked with small voice. Marcus moved forward, clasped his left hand to her for support when he saw her trembling body.

"What happened," came an alluring voice as they watched a creamy hand snaked around Aldrik's waist from behind.

"L-letticia?" Her eyes blurred with tears when her surprised beautiful face came to view.

"It's nothing my inamorata, she's nothing to me." Aldrik stated soothing her as he pulled her into a hug in front of Venus.

Her heart was filled with betrayal and hatred, body automatically engulfed with raging blue flames which burnt Marcus' hand that clasped unto hers. She turned her face unto him trying to pull her grip but he endured the pain and held on tight. The whizzing sound and smell of burning flesh stunned the whole crowd around them.

"I'm here to catch you, my inamorata.
SOMNIMUM DOLCERUM!" He whispered these words to her with tears in his eyes as Venus succumbed to sleep.