Page 95 of Destined Dawn

“Enter.” The door springs open.

Inside, the Black Prince stands talking to two older magicals; one male, one female, both dressed in finely embroidered robes. All their eyes land on me and their combined magic flickers to life.

“Rhianna,” the Black Prince says, “we were just talking about you.”

“You were?” I say, confused.

“We are so happy you have returned, Princess,” the woman says. Her silver hair falls in long braids down her back and her rusty brown eyes are piercing.

“Actually,” I say, finding my voice from somewhere, “that’s what I have come to talk to you about.”

The woman’s gaze flicks up to the Black Prince. He nods and then the two other magicals leave, the woman’s cold arm brushing against my body as she does and her magic prickling over my skin.

When the door closes behind me, the Black Prince fixes me with his charming smile.

“I hear you were feeling unwell this morning. I take it you are feeling better now? That my servant saw to your comfort?”

Servant? I knew Charmaine was some kind of maid or assistant. But to call her a servant? I shake the thought aside. That’s not why I’m here.

“I’m feeling much better, thank you.” My gaze flicks around the room and I notice the picture I ruined hasalready been removed and replaced. “I can’t stay here. I have to go back, back to the republic.”

The Black Prince considers me.

“Nonsense. It is too dangerous. You are safe here. We will protect you.”

“But my friends, they are in danger and I can’t stay here while they’re–”

“Your fated ones are with you. Your familiar too. You will make new friends here in the Kingdom. I can find some young woman your age, have them sent to you and–”

I take another step towards him. “No, you don’t understand. I’m not worried about having no friends. Shit, I spent my entire childhood without them. But I have them now and they are important to me and I have to help them.”

“And how do you expect to help them? Christopher Kennedy wants you dead. If it was not for my dragon’s interference, youwouldbe dead!”

“With your help, we could–”

“With my help?” His eyes narrow. “What exactly do you have in mind, daughter?”

“Christopher Kennedy is a monster. He’s terrorizing his own people. We need to remove him from power.”

“And seize power for ourselves!” The Black Prince steps forward and his eyes glint red with the firelight.

“No, I mean–”

“I have waited so long for you, my powerful child – with your boundless, bottomless wells of magic,” he says, his voice more rapid, more eager, the flames flickering in his pupils, “waited for you to join me.”

I take a step away from him, alarmed at his sudden change in tone. He leans forward and grabs my wrist. His hand is cool and my dark magic sizzles vividly to life,surpassing my other magic, driving to the forefront, available at my fingertips.

“Together there will be nothing that can stop us,” he says. “Together we can bring a utopia to both lands. We can rule over both.”

“What?” I say, trying to tug my arm from his grip. “I don’t want to–”

“Daughter,” my father hisses, “show me what you can do!”

“I don’t–”

“Rhianna!” he snaps. “Show me!”

And my crimson magic rises to the challenge. It’s arrogant and proud and it wants a chance to show exactly what it can do. Its black tentacles race up the walls of this room, melting and destroying everything in its path, burning a hole in the ceiling above us and continuing on its path of destruction, climbing higher and higher through the floors above us and then bursting straight through to the roof itself, shooting high into the sky, a deadly bolt of jet black lightning that singes the very air itself.