The Cursed Beauty (BEYNIKA) [ON HOLD]

Chapter 17: {The ShapeShifter And The Nagas' Domain}

Rihanna Roshni.

The moment we step through the portal's doorway, the scent of warm earth and ancient magic fills my lungs. We emerge in the sweltering heat of... what seemed to be Nigeria. Well, what a change of scenery. The air is thick, heavy with something more than just humidity—magic, dark and ancient, pulses beneath our feet.

A shifting form moves through the sand, rising,—a Nagin. Half-human, half-cobra, she emerges with an ethereal glow, as she stands tall before us. Her slanted golden eyes flicker with recognition as she bows deeply.

"Daughters of divinity," she hisses, her voice like silk, "I have been expecting you."

"You have returned," she says, voice like silk. "It is an honor, great ones."

I slightly bowed my head in acknowledgment, and in gratitude to her respect. Onika nods her head, she doesn't bow down to nobody, but I don't lack manners even if I talk a lot of shit. "I wish the circumstances of our visit were different, yet we are here now, spirit of beautiful water. We thank you for your welcome." She said powerfully, like the regal queen she is. Maybe she still has some of her manners, after all.

I can tell by the little quirk in my sister's lips that she was reading my mind, and it's not like I lied. Out of the two of us, I was more polite than Onika. But then again, this bitch is death personified, so I don't really expect her to have a lot of that politeness, but it still shocks me when she shows it.

The Nagin smiled ruefully, before bowing her head once again as she acknowledged Onika's words. "The word has got out. I am sorry for what happened to your beloved, Dark Mother." She said respectfully, and I arched my eyebrows up. Well, the damn word spread out everywhere, but then again... this is us, so it was expected. " The underworld speaks your names in hushed reverence. You are known everywhere."

Onika crosses her arms. "Where exactly are we?" Look at the impolite child not acknowledging the complimenting fact the deity gave.

I refrained myself from answering Onika about our whereabouts, and let the Nagin answer her instead, which she did. "Nigeria. And more precisely, its capital." She replied. "A land of endless riches, infinite power, black magic and sorcery, and darker things still."