Conquest of Magic

Part 19

William P.O.V

A heavy sigh escaped me as I watched her sleep. She looked so peaceful, but the past few days had clearly worn her down. I'd been trying to earn her trust, like my father asked, but every time I got close, she shut me out. It was as if she was hiding something.

The bed creaked as I sat down, stealing another glance. Even in sleep, she was beautiful—strong and brave. But her hands were clenched around the blanket, as if she was holding on for dear life.

I wished I could take her far away, keep her safe by my side. But everyone here hated her because she belonged to the Witch clan—the same clan that killed my mother. The pain of that loss still lingered, and I couldn't fault the others for their hatred.

But as I looked at her, all I felt was a deep ache. I had to protect her, even if it meant defying the King. Watching her sleep, I realized I was torn between love and fear, knowing I'd do anything to keep her safe.

My blood boiled as the council meeting began after dinner. Tension hung thick in the air as we took our seats. The vampire who had attacked Kristen was brought before the court, standing there unharmed.

My heart sank. It didn't make sense—my father was known for his brutal methods when dealing with traitors. How had she escaped unscathed? Doubts flooded my mind. Was my father hiding something from me?

The knot in my stomach tightened as my father explained the vampire was newly turned, driven by bloodlust when she attacked. But I wasn't convinced. There was more to this than he was letting on, and I was determined to uncover the truth.

The girl was executed before I even had a chance to question her, deepening my suspicions. Was this a ploy by the council to trigger Kristen's powers? Or was my father telling the truth? One thing was clear: Kristen had to awaken her powers soon if she wanted to stay alive.

I knew I had to confront my father. When he finally spoke, I saw the pain on his face, a reminder of the past that still haunted him. He told me how much Kristen resembled my mother—not just in appearance, but in spirit. The thought stirred something inside me, a longing for the piece of my mother that I had lost.

Then came the real reason for his interest—Kristen belonged to the same witch clan as my mother. He believed she would possess similar powers, perhaps even greater. Hearing this left me speechless. The powers that had made my mother legendary might live on in Kristen, yet she was still just a human, unaware of what she carried within her.

The idea that Kristen was the last of her clan felt like fate, like she was brought to us for a reason.

The idea of her having my mother's powers was thrilling, yet deeply unsettling. I couldn't forget the whispers about the dark magic she wielded. After all the things I heard there is only one explanation to all these. Kristen's powers must have been sealed within her. Her family must have sent her to live among humans, to protect her from us but my father had tracked her down with the help of a witch.

Her fate now rested in his hands. If her powers mirrored my mother's, she'd be spared—useful to our cause. If not, execution would follow, swift and merciless. I couldn't let that happen. I needed to come up with a plan to save her, but first, I had to learn more about her family and the powers she posses.

A few witches had escaped the war along with Kristen, hiding in the human world. John discovered that one was living in London. We had to find her before someone else did. Coincidentally, there was a council meeting in London tomorrow, one that required my father's presence. When he asked me to go, I felt both relief and dread.

Kristen trusted me—only me—in the castle, and that trust was a double-edged sword. It gave me strength but also weighed heavily on my shoulders. She had no one else on her side, no allies, and everyone in the castle answered to my father. I had to protect her, even if it meant going against my father.