Chapter 23 The Queen Of Sorcerers

As soon as Lazarus was out of the throne hall, he picked up Emma. Cupping her head against his chest, he traced her back to his room.

Emma remained in his embrace for some time before pulling away. She didn't get dizzy at all this time. Maybe it was because she was getting used to it or because he pressed her against his chest during the whole tracing.

Tears stained her cheeks. She recalled how everyone was hell bent on sending Lazarus to the dungeons. He deserved it for all she knew but she didn't know why she defended him. She craned her neck up to see him as he tipped his down to see her. He was breathing heavily.

"You didn't have to defend me there," he said. "I could have gotten out of it easily." He didn't like the way Anton shouted at her. He didn't like his father questioning her.

She took a step back but he didn't let her waist go. "I didn't want to," she replied. Shaking her head, she said, "For everything you have put me through, I will never like you." She grabbed his arm and pulled its tightening grasp away from her. "Please free me. I don't want you. My birthday is in three days and I want my eighteenth birthday to be peaceful and happy!"

He glared at her as his breath became rough. He pulled her closer to his chest and growled, "Even I don't want you. I hate you so much that it burns. My problem is that I need you badly. Desperately! And that's why I can't free you."

A sob left her. She struggled against him and he left her. She turned and then rushed back to her room. He heard a loud bang of her door closing. Lazarus stabbed his fingers in his hair and murmured curses against his brother and father. Closing his eyes, he just sank on the rug, recalling what all he went through in the trail. He didn't know how long he spent his time on the rug, but when he got up, the sun had begun setting. He didn't get any sleep today either. His mother had said that like a good vampire, one must sleep during the day.

It was her eighteenth birthday in three days? He dragged himself to his closet and changed into another set of clothes to go to meet his friends and Magnus. He had a lot to discuss.

Magnus was sitting in his room with two women when he traced there. "How do you manage to do all this?" Lazarus asked, shaking his head. The women got up and scurried out seeing him.

Yul came into the room as the women opened it and went out. Lazarus had called him for the meeting in Magnus's room. This was the only place he trusted because everywhere else his father had spies.

"Where is Richard?" Lazarus asked Yul, watching him sitting at the table. Richard was Lazarus's most trusted spy and a friend.

"He hasn't come yet?" Yul said. He was looking tired. There were bags under his eyes and it looked like he hadn't slept for a long time.

Lazarus rested against the pillow behind him. "What is the report on the witches?" He had asked the queen of the sorcerers, Mabel, to be his ally in his quest for the kingdom of Wilyra. Mabel was a strong sorceress and was the ruler of the kingdom of Ixoviya. She was still finding her mate and it was said that Mabel had decided to marry her mate only.

Yul tightened his lips. "Mabel wasn't in her kingdom when Richard contacted her. But it is said that she is still contemplating the alliance." He shrugged. "You know the sorcerers. They will see what is in it for them before giving their alliance to you."

Lazarus knew. Everything was going against him. As much as he wanted to control everything, he was losing control of everything. Every piece in his game of chess was falling apart. Maeve had left. Emma hated him. He just escaped another round of torture in the dungeons because of Emma—something he had never anticipated. He was looking forward to killing more guards over there. And his father was finding more excuses to kill him.

Magnus got up and walked to the bar to pour wine for his brother and Yul. He handed it to them and sat down in his place. "I don't know what Anton is up to, Lazarus," he said, "But you have to be careful of him. He has been holding meetings with brothers and sisters over the past few days. It's as if they all are waiting to take you down."

Lazarus swirled the wine in his tumbler. He knew what Anton was at. He was against Maeve entering Emma's body. Since he couldn't openly kill Emma, he was seeking ways to eliminate her and Lazarus.

"To be honest," Yul added. "I am not sure of Maeve's intentions either. She keeps meeting the king and Anton quite frequently. You should rein her in."

"She has gone to Vilinski for a few days. I am not worried about her," Lazarus said and sipped wine. He was only worried about Emma. "Maeve can handle herself pretty well."

"But why is she talking to the king and your brothers and sisters so much?" Yul said in an irritated voice. "I am afraid that she would spill all our plans to them."

"Maeve is never going to do that. Don't you think that I know she is growing friendly with them? It hasn't gone unnoticed," Lazarus defended her. Maeve was acting like his spy and at the same time trying to have a warm relationship with his brothers and sisters so that once the soul casting ritual took place, she would be able to know their weaknesses and press their nerves around it. This would help him gain complete control of his siblings.

Yul nodded lightly. "There's another thing. Your cousin brother Cain, Lord of Upper North Jupan, has invited you for Samhain."

Lazarus chuckled. "What has Cain up his sleeve this time? Tell him that I will come." After discussing a few more important things, Lazarus left. His feet took him to Emma's room, but Ginger informed him that she was sleeping. He grew restless.