The Enchanting Rapture (#1)

Chapter 28

Annika

      "No!" Soren shouted before Annika could get out a word, startling her. "No, Annika!" He took her by her arm and lead her into the cover of trees. His hold made her wince, but she did not complain.

    Her frustration built until she couldn't stand it anymore. "Now you listen here!" Annika shouted back, silencing Soren as he was stunned by her volume. "I feel it right here," she placed her palm against her chest, where her heart would be, "that this is supposed to happen. This is the perfect opportunity to kill Zyhed, it's fated. Don't you at least want to hear what I have to say?"

     "You do not comprehend what is going on here! He will kill you, but he will not just do that. No, he will torture you until you are insane!"

     Hers eyes watered in fear and determination. "I know that, but I have a pl-."

     "Then why do you want to do this?" He demanded, gripping her upper arms with great strength. "Why?"

     Tears fell down her cheeks uselessly. How she hated to cry, but it wouldn't stop. "Soren, it's not something I want to do, it's something I have to do! I need you to understand what I am saying. Zyhed came and left, unknowingly making himself vulnerable. Don't you see, Soren? I have a plan."

     "What plan?" He demanded. Annika was not accustomed to Soren talking her this way, and it sparked her anger no matter how much she tried to think logically.

     "Look, Soren!" She pointed in the direction of Zyhed's men. "Zyhed went to go lay in a warm bed with some unwilling woman while they are left in the cold, miserable with no one to lead them until nightfall." Her voice had risen, proving just how settled she was on what she was trying to say.

     Soren shook his head. "You are suggesting we talk to them?" He was denying her before he even finished his own response. This wasn't right. She needed him to support her, or else Annika wasn't sure she would be able to go through with what came next.

     "That was the plan wasn't it? We have until nightfall to convince them they shouldn't fight, prove to them we can beat Zyhed! Do you really think they will resist our offer of a better life? And when I go, it'll just be an assassination attempt, nothing else."

     "You are going to try to kill Zyhed?" His tone of voice told her more of what he really meant to say.

     "Not without me," Rouhem added in as he barged into their argument. His muscles were tense with hatred for his parent's murderer. Annika would not have expected any less.

     "You can't come with, he'll know something is up," Annika reasoned. Her head was spinning, but it all came to one conclusion: she was going.

     "His death is mine and my brother's!" Rouhem retorted. "We must deliver justice, and us alone." 

     "He's got a point," Inferno joined the discussion​, "Zyhed needs to be killed publicly. It'll do a lot of things in our favor."

     "You're right," Annika agreed, "then we will capture him instead."

     "Why are you speaking like you are going?" Soren demanded loudly, losing the calm facade he usually kept so well. Annika stepped back at his hostility. 

     "Soren, this is the only wa-"

     "You aren't going," he commanded with a dark gaze. His expression was so severe, and she couldn't believe it was directed at her.