Fated Enemies

Chapter 47 - Sacrifice

Alexa growled, warning the cloaked man, of her attention, and that she was ready to strike, he laughed at her attacking posture and growling advertisement, "no, no, no" he sang, like he was taunting her, that made Alexa a bit confused, Edwin was bonded in that orange light he didn't seem hurt, but she was unable to keep seeing him like he was frozen in time, "if you kill me, dear Edwin here, will have a very agonizing and painful death," that sent shivers down Alexa's spine, "now, how about we take this up as civilized people and talk it up!"

She glanced at Edwin and understood that she couldn't do anything else but comply with Flaviu's order, she turned back to her human form and looked the sorcerer right in his eyes, seeing his face for the first time, and the big scar that he had across his face made her turn her face away, but that seemed to anger the sorcerer, "oh! You don't like my face? Did you know it was your father o made this? He ruined my good looks forever, he ruined my face, but now, I don't really care!" he kept babbling angrily until Alexa closing her fist took a step forward.

"What do you want?" She asked boldly looking straight into the sorcerer's eyes.

"Well, at first, this was supposed to be a simple dethroning, but now, Lucius is back, you killed Rufus, and I don't know if I want Morgaine to succeed, I should uphold Council law, but seeing that they didn't want to intervene in this matter, I might let it slide, but I'll need something, I can't allow you two to roam free, that would grant me a lifetime of misery with my fellow Council Members, not that I care much about them but I still need somethings that they have!"

"Can you cut the chase and tell me what the fuck do you really want?" Alexa asked, anger coating her words, her nails starting to growing into claws.

"It's easy, I want you!" that requested shocked Alexa who looked dumbfounded at him, "if you want dear Edwin to live and this senseless war, as you've said, finished before it really takes up some damaged you have to come with me and do as I order you to do! It's your choice now, but know that neither Edwin nor your friends at the Castle walls have much time!"

As if pressing her to make a decision, a cry crossed the skies, a known voice of Elia, making her shiver Edwin's skin was turning orange and he shifted as if in pain, "All right! I'll do it! I'll go with you and make whatever it is that you order!"

"Wise decision, my queen! Before I cast the spell to stop all of this, I'll need you to put this on!" Flavius told her, tossing her a collar, it was an iron collar with engravings on its side, "This will only ensure that you comply with your part of the deal, only then I'll do everything that I promised!"

"How do I know I can trust you?" She asked looking to the collar examining it, she understood that once she closed it, there was no visible mechanism to open it up again.

"You don't! But it's your only choice, now! Do it, or Edwin will suffer!" Flavius pressed her to put the collar around her neck.

She looked at Edwin, tears dropping from her face, fear of the unknown future that was unfolding for her, her friends and people, she looked towards Edwin who smiled, as if saying that everything would be fine, whatever she chose to do he would support her, then he winced in pain, and that made her act, grabbing the collar with two hands she slid it around her neck closing it in with a metallic click, she felt a dark cloak pressed on her mind, making her unable to reach her wolf, "It's done, now, keep your end of the bargain!"

"Thank you, my dear, we will have so much fun together!" He replied, tossing his arms up to the sky he chanted some strange words and what seemed to be little stars with a white color fell down, the field around them disappeared and she could see everyone falling asleep.

Edwin fell on the ground, free from the orange field, she ran towards him, embracing him, feeling his breathing, "What did you do?"

"I cast a spell that made everyone fall asleep, your people will be the first ones to wake up, so they can take action against the other army, Edwin will also wake up then, don't be afraid, nothing will happen to them, they are like frozen in time, no injured people will become worse neither die under the spell, they'll have time to heal them! Now, let's go!" Flavius pressed her, touching her arm, she repelled his touch.

"Go where?" Alexa asked, still embracing Edwin.

"The Merchant Council, of course, there will be time for me to teach you some things that no one from this side of the sea knows! Let's go!"

Alexa cried, but didn't let go of Edwin, not until the collar sent a striking pain through her spine, she screamed, then looked up to Flavius, with a murdering look, "I didn't want to use this right now, you made me! Now you know what happens when you don't comply with my orders!"

She stood up, dusted her clothes then looked straight into his eyes coming closer she said through gritted teeth, "I might use a collar, but you'll know how awful it will be holding this leash!" She threatened him, then stormed out to the stables, they would need horses for this journey, Flavius was smirking, but following her, scheming something.

They found two horses, common horses, they mounted and with a glance to the Castle, Alexa silently said goodbye, she didn't know when she would ever set foot in that walls again when would be the time that she would be able to see Edwins face again or to hold him in her arms, but she knew that he would take care of the people of the Castle, the village and the kingdom, but most important, her pack members she knew she could trust them all to make the best decisions for the kingdom.