Conquest of Magic

Part 47

Sophia raged when she heard that Stanley ordered her to stay inside the room like a prisoner and placed guards on the door. She detested the idea that everyone had gone off to train Kristen as if she were a princess. Her blood started to boil just thinking about it.

"They're all treating her like a true princess just because she is powerful enough and they stupidly believe that she would fight for them," Sophia grumbled, her gaze locked on the distant forest where Kristen received special training from the others. "She's not their princess."

Stanley, the man Sophia had secretly loved, appeared to be totally in love with Kristen. It confused her. She couldn't understand why he thought Kristen was his soul mate when it was obvious to Sophia that she was the one for him. Sophia couldn't help but feel a slight wave of happiness when Kristen saw her hugging and kissing Stanley the other day. It was a planned trick to create differences between the two, to make Kristen question her relationship with Stanley. Sophia was aware that Stanley had affection for her as well.

"I need to talk to him," Sophia mumbled to herself, her gaze tightening. She couldn't let this chance pass her by. She wanted closure and wished to tell Stanley that she was his true mate, not Kristen. Her mind, on the other hand, was a turbulent sea of conflicting emotions. The black magic coursing through her veins made tempting promises of power and control. It urged her to embrace the darkness in order to utilise her powers to separate Kristen from Stanley and claim him for herself.

Sophia paced back and forth in her room, her heart torn between her love for Stanley and the tempting call of dark magic. The urge to go after power was immense, and she could feel her hold on self-control weakening as she wanted to be more powerful than Kristen.

"Why does Stanley love her so blindly?" she thought, her gaze narrowing with dread. "Is it possible she's mistaken about her true mate? Perhaps she thinks that because she is a witch, her mate must also be a witch and has chosen Stanley over William?"

Sophia's confusion grew as the answers eluded her. She was also aware that Kristen was being pursued by William, the vampire prince who loves her. Why would Kristen abandon him for Stanley? Sophia's thoughts were gnawed by a question.

Sophia knew one thing for certain in the midst of her internal struggle: Kristen was an obstacle to her happiness, and the darkness within her pushed her to remove that obstacle at any cost. Sophia made a quiet vow to herself as her chamber darkened with the rising strength of her magic: she would do whatever it took to win Stanley's love and become the princess of the Fork's land, even if it meant diving deeper into the dangerous depths of black magic.

Sophia had been confined to her room, but she had found a way to keep an eye on the training ground. The crystal orb hidden in her room acted like a window into the unfolding events, and her eyes burned with jealousy and frustration as she watched Kristen excel in every test. Kristen, the seemingly perfect witch, had won nearly every challenge, and Sophia's fists clenched with anger.

"Why her?" Sophia muttered, her gaze fixed on Kristen. "Why not me? How can Kristen be so flawless? Everyone wants her—both the vampire prince and the witch prince would do anything for her. If only she had chosen the vampire prince, none of this would have happened. A war would have been averted, and I could have lived happily with Stanley. Kristen's choice ruined everything."

Sophia's resentment boiled over, and she directed her pent-up rage clearly at Kristen, blaming her for the chaos that had affected their lives.

Sophia found relief in one thing, despite her rage: finding her true love. For that reason alone, she couldn't bring herself to harm Kristen. But a sensation of loneliness gnawed at her. She had no actual home, no one to lean on, and no place to call home.

"It's not that bad," Sophia thought to herself. "If I hadn't helped Kristen escape, I wouldn't have met my mate."

That night, as Sophia lay in her room, an eerie presence entered her dreams. It was the vampire land's head witch Mary attempting to make contact with her. Sophia was terrified and baffled by the interruption, and she refused to speak with the witch. She did, however, hear the witch's quiet yet forceful voice.

"The king forgives you for your past actions," the witch said softly as she laced her spell into Sophia's consciousness. "He promises to spare your life if you help us in capturing Kristen. He only wants her. You can have your partner, Stanley, if you help us get her back."

Sophia's curiosity was stirred, and she allowed the witch to enter her mind. Sophia's passion for Stanley had been seen by the witch, and she knew she could exploit it.

"Why would the king forgive me after I betrayed and helped Kristen's escape?" Sophia asked, her scepticism evident.

The witch had accumulated some of Sophia's memories, including her affection for Stanley and desire to get his love. She recognized that Sophia was unaware of certain truths.

"Kristen's betrayal was planned by the witches," the witch stated. "They tricked her into thinking Stanley was her true mate." The people, in Fork's land are not to be trusted. Remember how Queen Irna murdered her own daughter, Queen Amanda, simply for refusing to return with her?"

The witch stopped, allowing the weight of her words to sink in. She smiled as she saw Sophia's hesitancy. "You are innocent, Sophia," said the witch. "I begged the king to save you, and he agreed." You know I'm right deep inside your heart."

Sophia fell into thoughtful silence. The witch's words had piqued her interest. It might be worth it to help the vampires get Kristen if it means bringing peace and giving Sophia a chance with Stanley.

"What should I do?" Sophia eventually asked, her voice quivering. The witch couldn't hide her happiness at having gained Sophia's trust.

"Gain their trust," said the witch. "Get close to Kristen, observe her, and find her weaknesses." Every witch has one, and you must find it."

Sophia nodded, her resolve growing stronger. She'd made a decision, and now she'd play a risky game, working from within to achieve her hidden purpose.

Sophia lay on her bed, her room engulfed by shadows cast by candlelight. She sighed and glanced at the ceiling, her mind racing with ideas. She had learned of Kristen's weakness when she saw her training. However, she had a secret intention, one she wasn't yet ready to reveal to the cunning witch from the vampire land.

As she closed her eyes and settled into her bed, Sophia's thoughts swirled like a storm. She had decided to help the vampires capture Kristen, but a deeper part of her hated the idea of hurting the one who had unintentionally become her rival.

As sleep claimed her, her mind drifted into the world of dreams, where her deepest desires and fears danced a delicate ballet. Sophia dreamed of a life in which Stanley's feelings for her were as intense as his feelings for Kristen. But beneath the surface of her beautiful dream, jealousy coiled like a serpent, its grip tightening around her heart with each passing time. The picture of Stanley and Kristen together gnawed at her, their love a continual reminder of what she wanted but could not get.