Playing With Fire

Chapter 22

I walk into the castle as two guards open the door for me, my dress blows in the cool night air along with my hair. A guard comes to show me to the dining room and I follow him in. The dining room is truly majestic, with a diamond chandelier handling above the fine mahogany table with silverware and expensive looking decor spread over the surface. So that where all our tax money goes.

Cornelius sits at the head of the table, Scott sits to his left with an old man in guard uniform to Scott's left. On Cornelius's right sits a young boy with similar features to Cornelius, he looks roundabout 16, he must be Cornelius's younger brother. I hope he isn't an asshole like his brother.

I take my seat next to him and he keeps his head down as a blush creeps up his cheeks unlike his brother who scanned my appearance shamelessly the second I walked in. I need to find I way to get the ring on Cornelius's finger. We eat our meal mainly in silence except for Scott and Cornelius plotting random ways to get more tax from the citizens of the sapphire realm, it takes all my will power not to hit them in their faces with a fireball.

I have to put the ring on Cornelius's finger first, before I melt their faces off. I would just kill them but then someone else will just continue with their whole mind controlling ring scheme and I'd rather be controlling one of the people on the inside of that operation. After dinner we head through to the place drawing room for drinks. I have Jason on speed dial for when I put the ring on Cornelius. Ever since Jason got the ring off my finger he became the commander, at keys that's what we hope. The ring and my phone are sheathed to my thug, thankfully Cornelius doesn't seem to notice the missing ring.

As I sip on my drink, I ponder why they invited me to dinner. Oh shit could this be a trap? I push down my paranoia. I'm probably just overreacting. "Raven, babe," Scott calls me over, becoming with his finger. "Cornelius what's to give us a tour of his castle." He puts his hand on my lower back and guides me out of the drawing room, following after Cornelius. Instead of going upstairs we start going down. Deeper and deeper.

Then there are more pairs of footsteps behind us, several armed guards follow us down the stairs and dark passages. Cornelius walks into a dark room, and Scott guides me in afterwards. It's the dungeon I realize as Cornelius lights a torch in the corner of the room, illuminating the chains and cuffs that litter the room. What on earth is happening.

"So, we realized you may have been immune to the ring and we have now figured out why," Cornelius says as he paces the dungeon and two buff guards blood the door way. I still can't figure out why the are telling me this. "Then I realized," he continues, "that the rings posses demons within them, demons that take my commands." Well that we didn't figure out. His rant continues. "And demons can only posses someone when they are dead."

Oh shit, that's why he is telling me, he is going to kill me. "You get where I'm going here right?" He says as he turns towards me pulling a dagger from a sheath on his back. "I wish I didn't have to do this," he says as he stalks towards me, "you really are very hot but I don't have a choice, plus you know way to much to keep on living," he adds. He comes closer way to close for comfort.

My senses kick in, I slide the dagger from my thigh and thro it, it hits its mark in Cornelius's throat. The blood starts to flow down his neck. Scott takes a moment to realize what's just helped and so do I. Scott is immediately on his knees his hands trying to stop the blood from flowing out of Cornelius's neck but it's too late. "What have you done," he screeches at me as he continues to try and stop the flood flow. "You bitch, what have you done."

I stand there motionless, shocked at my own actions but what choice did I have. King  Cornelius is dead. The soldier all raise the crossbows painting them at my chest. Bring it bitches. Scott is lying on the floor. Tears are running down his cheeks and his hands are drenched in blood, I almost feel bad for him. Almost. "Shoot her," he screams at the shoulder who raise their crossbows at me.

I count three soldiers, this should be easy. Their arrows are completely useless against my flames as I dodge and burn all of them. I create a huge bubble of flame, surrounding me. They jump out the way, not wanting to have their faces melted off. I continue to walk through the castle, eyes white and hair ablaze. I calm myself down as I walk through the palace grounds, no one seems to know that the king is dead yet. I need to get out of here before they find out.

I start to jog down the hallways, thank goodness I chose flats. I run all the way to my apartment, locking and then moving a big table in front of the door. I grab my phone to send a message to Jason to see numerous messages from him.
Jason: are you ok
Jason: is the ring on
Jason: Raven!!!
Jason: I'm going to come to the castle is you don't answer soon.
Thankfully the last message was sent only 2 minutes ago.
Me: I'm fine, things didn't exactly go as planned. The king is dead.