-24
ASLAN’S POV
“Cheers!!” Zarina said raising her goblet. She was in an extraordinarily good mood.
My heart sank every time she talked about Aurora getting killed. In the end, I couldn’t take it anymore and jumped out of my seat.
I almost spat out a snide remark when she raised her eyebrows but I managed to compose myself and said, “Zarina, I will just go for a walk and come.”
She eyed me suspiciously but didn’t say anything. I had just opened the door when I saw the most alluring sight. A huge Golden dragon was alighting on the ground. What was more some people were seated on his back?
My heart fluttered and ran as fast as I could. By the time, I reached the clearing Tyson had taken his human form.
I let out the breath I was holding when I saw Aurora standing next to him. I pulled her in a hug and croaked out, “I died a hundred times thinking that something happened to you. Never leave again without telling us…”
“That is enough… Aurora must be tired… let us go inside…” Tyson’s anxious voice sounded behind me. I raised my eyebrows and smirked, pulling Aurora even closer.
“Aslan!!” Tyson’s warning had me grinning from ear to ear. So, my brother finally had someone he cared about.
“Tyson is right, Aslan. We had a very rough journey…” Caleb said pulling me away.
Amazing!! Now Tyson and Caleb were on the same page. I couldn’t wait to see how everything played out.
Suddenly, the hair on my back stood as I sensed an intense glare. F***! I had forgotten about Zarina.
“You made it alive brother… So good to see you Aurora… Caleb! Glad that you didn’t die… It would taint my name… and who is this young man!?” Zarina chirped as she greeted everyone.
Shaking my head, I exhaled deeply. Who could say that she was celebrating Aurora’s death a few moments ago?
Tyson pulled me to the side when Aurora and the others started walking inside. His expression turned serious and he chewed his lower lip. “Aslan, send our men to find out about all the people who saw me in the dragon form. Then, gather them in the basement.”
My heart skipped a beat as I asked, “What are you going to do with them?”
“You know that we are not allowed to shift unless we are veiled by the magic… Not a single one must be left…” He said and trotted inside.
He didn’t have to spell it out for me to know that he was going to kill them all. I would have ignored his command and left with Zarina but Aurora was involved.
God knows what his twisted mind would come up with if his orders weren’t followed. I wasn’t going to take a chance as far as Aurora was concerned.
Letting out a long, deep sigh; I set off to do my bidding.
TYSON’S POV
I sat on the bench contemplating the past twenty-four hours. I had broken a couple of promises I had made to myself: Never break the Dragon Laws which were of course made by me; never let anyone drink my blood…
Start of flashback…
I clutched at the black stone in my hand, shuddering as I remained hidden behind the sofa. The old lady I met at the market had told me that it won’t even let witches track me.
But that didn’t stop Aunt Maple from finding me. She dragged me out from behind the sofa.
She laughed, a loud evil laugh as she snatched the stone from me. “My silly, naughty boy… This stone can protect you from witches but not me… You are bound to me by blood…”
Then she proceeded to grab my hand and caressed the region near my wrist. I tried to pull away and begged, “No Aunt! Please… it hurts… leave me just for today…”
Tears rolled down my cheeks and begged and cried for all I was worth but she didn’t relent. She brought my wrist near her mouth, bit through my skin, and started sucking blood.
The agony and suffering that followed. I shook my head to get rid of those memories. It was a dark lane, I didn’t want to revisit.
It was so different when I fed Aurora, my blood. I didn’t feel any suffering or pain… Maybe because I wnated her to drink it...
“Tyson…” Aurora’s sweet voice brought me back to reality.
“Hmm…” I muttered as I raised my head to look at her. She looked breathtaking even in her grimy clothes. Her mud-stained face made me want to lick it clean.
Shaking my head I asked, “Why are you here?”
She lowered her eyes and fumbled with the straw in her hand. “Tyson…Celeste tricked me into believing that she was my God Mother… I regret vanishing without telling anyone…”
“You were trapped and frustrated… I get it… you don’t owe me an explanation. You were being held here against your will. It is natural to want to escape.” I said grasping her shoulder.
“Celeste… she wanted to sacrifice me to bring the Dark Queen back…”
My heart stopped beating the moment those words left her mouth. The level of fury, and fear I felt was so intense that I was afraid I would end up hurting Aurora.
I jumped to my feet and got out of there as quick as lightning.
“Zarina! Zarina! Where the F***! Do you vanish whenever I need you!” I shouted from the hall.
“What is the matter brother? You seem particularly in a bad mood.”
“Tell me something… Is it possible to bring back the dead using magic?”
“The resurrection ritual! It is a very difficult ritual but not impossible. The sacrifice needed is great. So, it is rarely performed.”
“What kind of sacrifice are we talking about?”
“The witch who performs the ritual needs to sacrifice something closely related; own child, grandchild, husband…”
“You seem particularly well informed about this subject. I hope you are not hiding something from me, sister…” I spat, galring at her.
“Tyson please… don’t start with your paranoid suspicions…” Aslan said, walking towards me.
I was glad that he stayed back. I was willing to tolerate our pesky little sister till Aslan stuck around.
“Then help me appease my worries. Go and find everything about Celeste!”
His eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he said, “Why bother? Isn’t she dead?”
“Just do what you are told, brother. I have my reasons.” I called out, trotting to my chamber.
The Dark Queen could never return. If that meant, I had to eliminate every single one associated with Celeste, I would.
.