Eyes of Emerald

Chapter Twenty-Two (2)

I couldn't tell Iris. I couldn't tell anybody. If Iris knew, she'd go mad - she'd be like me. She had to stay innocent, she couldn't know about any of this. It would - I didn't even know what it would do to her. And so I took a deep breath, raised my head and tried my hardest not to show my shock on my face. Pasiphae couldn't know either - if she knew her daughter was alive and well, with all the power they thought hadn't worked...they'd destroy Iris.

                I wiped away a tear from my eye. "Y - you just killed her." I said into the silence. "You killed your own daughter."

                Pasiphae's face was like stone. She'd suddenly sat up straight, her eyes burning like the flames beside us. Her lip curled. "The child was weak. It did not deserve to live."

                I looked at her in shock. "She was your bloody daughter!" I exclaimed, standing up. The Queen rose with me, and I didn't see the woman who had once had a daughter - instead, I saw a Queen, a woman of power. Her eyes were narrowed.

                "You will speak with respect or I shall ensure that you never speak again." she said, eyes flashing as she took a threatening step towards me. I couldn't help myself. I ran for the door.

                I barely made five paces before the floor burst into flames before me. I cried out, skidding to a halt and whipping around to see the Queen striding towards me. Her eyes glittered with malice and I backed away, only to find that the flames licked the backs of my legs. When she reached me, Pasiphae didn't do anything for a moment, just watched me with those terrifying grey eyes.

                When she did speak, her voice was quiet, but tinged with a warning. "If you try to escape again, I will send word for your friends to be killed." she said it quite calmly. Ice struck my heart - how did she know that Keira and Celie and Iris were down there in the dungeons?

                She nodded, satisfied at my reaction. "Come," she said, beckoning me out of the door. "It is time to prepare you to be the guest of honour."

                I hurried after her. "What?" I asked loudly, hearing the footsteps of the guards following me. As if I would risk actually trying to run away - as if I'd even think about trying to attack Pasiphae. They fell into step behind me and I fought the urge to roll my eyes.

                "Your friends are to attend too," the Queen said without looking back, setting such a fast pace that I had to jog to keep up.

                "Attend what?" I asked.

                Pasiphae stopped so suddenly I almost walked into her. She turned slowly, head tilted to one side. "Do you mean to tell me that you don't know?" her brows were furrowed, like I should have known. I shook my head, suddenly fearful of what I was the guest of honour of. Pasiphae's eyes glittered and a slow smile crept across her face. "Well then, you are in for a surprise." she said, before turning around again and sweeping off down the corridor. "Follow me," she said.