I paced around, "Anna please, calm down I'm talking with him over dinner tonight. I'm not letting this happen. Remember what I promised you? No sacrifices of my people or my rights."
Aphmau held my arms looking at me. I could tell she was having a harder time than me. She had to clean up this mess. "Can I come with? I want to personally ask him myself."
"Ask him what darling?"
"Why me?" Tears began to form. I couldn't marry Merek. I was a married woman already, and I wouldn't trade my love with Garroth for anything.
"Then you should change Anna. We're fixing this and leaving tonight." Aphmau left with a hug.
I put on my armor and made sure i had my wedding band on.
As I looked at myself in the mirror, the door burst open with Affie in my door frame. "Anna, come with me. Now." She was stern and urgent.
"Why?"
"Now, I won't tell you again. I wasn't asking." She turned on her heel and I abruptly followed.
"What's going on?" No answer.
Affie led me to double doors and looked around before opening them.
"Get on the platform." I looked at her confused. "Again, I wasn't asking."
"No, not without an explanation."
"Get on the platform and I'll answer everything. Go or I'll force you." I looked down to see a light forming in her palm. Magicks.
"Okay." I was shaking, but not from fear. It was from uncertainty. I stepped up and Affie waved her hand and tubes came down and attached themselves to every part of my body. Pain shot through me and all I saw was white.
"This might hurt a bit...just relax."
—
Anna had been missing for the last 2 hours. She missed dinner and nobody has seen her. "Where is she Aphmau." Garroth burst into the room.
"We don't-"
"I wasn't talking to you." Garroth stared Merek down, immediately grabbing me from my seat. "Let's go Aph. We need to get out of here."
"Not without my bride. No one is leaving until I get her." His eyes darkened and a smile spread across his face. "We're making very sure of that. I always get what I want."
"You bastard!" Garroth went for his throat but I quickly parried and blocked him.
"Absolutely not. Back off Garroth." He looked at me with anger but his eyes showed loss, sadness.
"I can get you to her, but you need to give her up to me in return."
"No, we're not-"
"Do I get a goodbye?"
—
Everything was numb. "So." Affie. "You're quite interesting aren't you?"
"hmm..." I could hardly open my mouth to answer.
"Not only an old Jury of Nine member, but a Shadow Knight as well? You'd be a great addition to my collection."
"Collection?" My voice was hardly audible but Affie finally looked at me. My whole body ached and tingled.
"Yes. Do you know why no one has ever heard of us?" Affie held her necklace in her hand and looked at me. "Why don't I just show you. She threw it to the ground and a bright light shown around her, blinding me.
"What are you?"
"My name is Aphrodite. I'm Irene's lost sister. No one ever cared about me, they cast me aside." Her hair was soft brown, a golden halo on her head. She was dressed in green, her dress flowing and urethral. Her eyes were silver now, and she looked her part. "I was thrown out, Irene being the favorite child. They told me I was too dangerous. I grew up alone, forgotten, unloved." She turned to me and cast a figure. I saw her in the woods, alone. "So, I did the only thing I could." The picture changed and it showed her talking to... Merek?! "Merek found me and between us two, we created this kingdom. I created it for him, and in return he lets me keep my collection here."
"Again- what's this collection?"
"People. I collect the best of the best, those are the people in this village. Everyone here came for some reason and stayed due to me. I simply make sure they're worthy and either keep them or kill them. You my dear, will be my prized centerpiece. That's why you must marry Merek."
"So it was your idea?!" Tears formed at my eyes.
"Of course it was, I control this place. I created everything here with a wave of my hand, a flick of my finger. I'm the master here, and everyone are just my puppets, including you and your friends."
"They'll come for me! They'll find me! We're going home!" I was trying to keep it together.
She grabbed hold on my jaw, squeezing hard. "Oh sweetheart, you don't believe that. You're not going anywhere." She put her necklace on me. "You will stay and marry Merek, you will be the Queen and forget all about Phoenix Drop." I felt my eyes become heavy. "That's it, relax. Fall asleep my dear."
The last thing I remember is her closing my eyelids.

—

White, flowers, eyes all on me. Beautiful music played as my body mindlessly walked down to Merek. I could hear myself screaming, wanting to break out of it but Affie had done something to me. Did she do this to everyone here? Is everyone here under her spell?
Most importantly...where was Garroth?!
Merek took my hands and smiled. "You look beautiful my love."
"My dearly beloved, today we celebrate the union of-"Stop!" I look over to see Garroth, Katelyn and Aphmau in the doorway. "You can't do this!"

"Oh I already have."

Sorry this is short but I'm beginning the finale of this book. It's been a fun ride but I wanna be able to finish it before I go back and rewrite the beginning of the book. I'm hoping to get to 35 chapters, but it depends on how much plot I can come up with. I'm planning and working hard to get chapters out for you guys!

Mahalo!