The King stared back at me, shock evident in his eyes.
"Who let you in?" I walked closer to him silently. Lifting my hand, I snapped. The King closed his eyes, as if preparing himself for a painful impact. He slowly opened his eyes, realizing nothing happened. "What... What did you just do?"
"You'll answer my questions, King." I walked up the stairs one by one. The King stood up from his throne. "Sit."
At my words, vines slithered across the ground, trapping him in his seat.
"Gaurds!-"
"-I already warned you. Zip it." With each step i took closer to his throne, the angrier his eyes became.
"You won't be able to kill me you know. Not when-"
"You have the last key, don't you?"
"What? What are you-"
"I realized it while I was having a chat with your dear sister."
His face paled. "No."
"She is not as innocent as you all believe, in fact- I'm certain that everything going on right now is somehow linked to that- but, the point is- " I stepped up the final step, meeting his eyes with my own. "-You have something which belongs to me. In fact- It's a bit ironic, isn't it? Locking me up... by using my own power. The keys unlock the more of it, don't they? So tell me, wise and glorious King," My hands lifted, green orbs resting in each. "Where is the last key located? Perhaps if you tell me now, I'll spare your life."
"...You are truly evil, Elodie."
I scoffed. "You blame your war on an innocent noblewoman... lock her up for years... but call her the evil one? You steal and lie to your people, you kill your mother and father for the crown and yet- I'm the evil one?"
I didn't realize what i was doing until I looked back at him. My vines squeezed him tighter, spiraling around his throat.
"That's quite enough, Elodie." a voice spoke up from behind me. "Release him."
I allowed the vines to release the king. He gasped, coughing. "Princess of the Crystal Shard...I wonder which hole you crawled out of."
"My brother doesn't have what you're looking for, none of us do."
I flicked my wrists, the two paperweights appeared. "I'm looking for a third. But I suppose you've already hidden it away somewhere, right?"
"..." The princess' face remained cold, but her hands clenched around one another, rested in front of her.
"Tell me where the third is. It's only fair." I smiled. the two paperweights vanished. "And in return, I won't kill your family of imbeciles."
"You are bold, Elodie."
"As are you." I walked down the stairs towards the princess. "And I must ask, at least while I am here. Sending an assassin to kill Adam..."
"That wasn't Isabella!" The ming called out from behind me. A rush of hatred blinded my logic momentarily.
Isabella's face paled. That was when I knew to believe his words. "Brother stop-"
"It was me." He spoke with a strong voice. "I sent the assassin."
"... Noted."
I turned to the King prepared to take his life then and there. Really, there was nothing stopping me. Nothing but a single thought as I stared at Isabella. Scarlet witches magic relies on magic.
I curled my hands into fists and supressed my murderous urge. "Tell me where the last key is and you will leave this room alive."
"Elodie. This country has lived in peace for all the years you were gone." The king told me.
I scoffed. "This country has fallen apart under the watch of your perverted brothers and your greedy heart. Why? Are you afraid I might expose the truth?"
I might not be allowed to use magic around her... but she doesn't stop me from using weapons.
I raised my hands above my head, two swords appearing from my green magical energy.
"Stop. I'll tell you." Isabella finally said, her eyes strong.
I dropped my arms, still holding both swords tightly. "Speak. Or your brother will be first."
Isabella moved closer to me.
"Isabella, don't-"
"-Do you truly want to know where the last key is? even if you aren't satisfied with the answer?" She asked. My eyes only narrowed onto her every move. I didn't respond. "Each key must be unlocked with power similar or exact to the power that's inside. even then.. the key's physical form will burst once the power is released, shattering into a thousand pieces."
As she spoke, her face only got wickedly sweeter. I scowled, finding her expression made me angrier. "What vile thing have you done?"
"The third key..." She raised her finger to my chest, poking me. "Is in here."
I backed away, swatting her finger. "Wicked woman. What the is wrong with you?"
"Oh but it gets better, Elodie." Her eyes glinted playfully. "The third key isn't in your heart,"
I stared at her hard, clenching my hands around the swords.
Isabella's smile expanded, showing teeth as she looked at me with crazed eyes. "It's in Adam's. You're poor lover will have to die if you wish-"
"Impossible." My swords clattered to the ground as my hand lifted, grabbing her. Isabella was thrown across the throne room, hitting the back wall with a loud thud.
"Isabella!" The King called out.
I whipped my head around to face him, my nostrils flared. "Silence, I said!"
His chair flew out from beneath him, knocking the king down the flight of stairs where he laid, unconscious.
My attention was brought back to Isabella. Despite suspending several dangerously high feet in the air, she was smiling. "What? Are you angry? are you going to try and kill us?"
"You are.... despicable!"
"Killing us won't save him from his fate. you know. Adam... If you want to save this country like you claim to, Adam must die-"
"Silence! You...You..." i was at a loss for words. She laughed at my speechlessness. I dragged her up higher, my magic holding her in place. "Tell me. Why are you doing such acts to innocent people? Tell me! What has he done?"
"Oh, but It's not about him, Elodie. It's about you." She spoke slowly, the glint in her eyes turned cruel. "The first day of your return, you ruined what was supposed to be perfect. It's you who ruins every plan I've ever made."
"You couldn't kill me so you locked me up. What's stopping you from doing that again? Huh? why must Adam-"
"The both of us cannot exist in this world, Elodie. Don't you know that? Until the day that I die comes-"
"-Then I shall kill you here and now." My voice was shaking. "Then... I shall find each one of your worthless brothers and-"
"I've should tell you another secret, Evil Queen... The third key and I are tied. If you kill me, then-"
"—You're lying." I scowled.
Her smile grew brighter. It made me nauseous. "Would you like to test it out? Kill me. Go ahead."
I felt my anger reach its limit.
'She could be lying. Adam could be perfectly save. She can't be telling the truth. And yet...'
I lifted my hand, Isabella's smile faded, coughing. "You-"
A deadly glare shut her up. My hand shook with anger. "I've had it with your trickery, Isabella. You dare push your luck?"
"...." Her eyebrows twitched, another cough left her lips. "You... cannot... kill... me..."
I lifted my opposite hand, green energy welling up with warmth in my palm. "To the gods above and the devils below, allow this witch to damn a soul." I wiped my eyes slowly, noticing that the anger had developed to the verge of tears. "A soul of greed and full of spite, who powers abuse the mass with fright."
Isabella's smile dropped. I watched as her eyes flickered red before returning to brown. She quickly realized my plan. "Stop!"
"Aid me to lock her powers away, and may the love of my life live another day." The green energy around became a vibrant yellow. I stared at Isabella, who could only writher while stuck against the high ceiling of the thrown room.
"You are not strong enough to cast that spell!! I-It, it won't work!!" She said with a strained voice, trying to convince herself.
I shook my head, furious.
"I warned you, Isabella and there are no more left for you!" The ball of energy completely enveloped her being. "Your magic can no longer be used... for evil-!!"
I coughed up a mouthful of blood. My vision grew hazy.
'I've overworked my powers.'
Isabella fell towards the ground. I was barely able to stop her decent from killing her, the control I had once had over my powers was flickering.
"S-Shit.." A shiver ran down my spine, I held my head, groaning. I used the last of my magic to call on someone. "D-Daniel... I need your help."
In a second, next to me flashed a bright light of blue energy. Daniel appeared, grabbing my shoulders in shock.
"E-Elodie! Your powers! I can barely feel them anymore- what's-"
"No time for-" I coughed. "Talk. We need to leave. Now. Can you teleport us somewhere?"
Daniel's nodded his head, but his eyes seem uncertain. "I'll try!" His hands swirled around one another, emitting a blue light.
As I watched, Isabella stood up, with a stumble, her eyes flickered bright red, she was moving slowly towards Daniel.
"Get away." I extended my hand, feeling my head squeeze and my vision fill with black spots.
It was just enough power to push her back to the wall. Seconds later, the blue light emitting from Daniel grew wider.
"Elodie! It's ready! Where should I go?"
The protection spell I had invaded the Throne room with had long fallen, the doors bursting open, guards quickly storming closer and closer.
"As far away from this castle as possible!!"
"Understood!"
Lights encased my entire being. Consumed by the warm and bright glow, both Daniel and I vanished from the throne room. I wasn't able to hold myself from fainting any longer.
As the last of my energy faded, so did my consciousness. My last thought was the hope that my magical binding curse was enough to stop Isabella for good.