The Sorcerer's Lullaby [boyxboy]

Chapter Thirteen

"Do you remember the day Luka was accused?" He asked. I stiffened in my seat, staring at Remi and Gavin, my mouth working on its own as I remembered the nightmare... No, the memory.

I had suddenly felt distant from Luka ever since our council told us to choose who would become Emperor of our territory. The gears in my mind began to shift, but at the same time, it was like I was watching them shift from the inside. I had stopped speaking to Luka for a while and only said few words to him.

That morning, I had pulled on long black robes decorated with gold images of dragons dancing around leaves. The colors shimmered together in the sunlight as I pulled it on, tying the strap around my waist as I picked up a black cord, tying my hair back.

"Naosia?" I looked up to see Luka peering into the room. He looked stunning with his golden hair laced with colorfully dyed feathers, his blue-green eyes practically glowing in the sunlight. His gorgeous white robes made of silk that drifted against his equally soft, smooth skin. He was like a ghost.

"I'm getting ready to head out to discuss with the council. What do you want?" My voice asked. No, that's not what I wanted to say! Luka blinked, then smiled a little tentatively, drumming his fingers on the wooden door.

"I just wanted to show you something that I learned. Remember when you were wounded that time in Assyria? I think I can heal you now whenever you're wounded." He explained, looking a bit eager to show me. I glanced outside at the sunlight that poured through the paper folded curtains before I looked back at him with a sigh.

"Well, I'm a bit late right now, love. Show me when I return." I told him. Luka looked a bit disappointed, but smile anyway.

"Right! I'll wait for you down by the gardens, Naosia." He gave his head a cute little tilt, then disappeared from the doorway, closing them behind him. I narrowed my eyes, listening to his footsteps thump on the wooden floors outside.

Luka was weak.

No! No, he was not!

He was childish. He was naive. He was a witch. If the country were to find out that a witch was leading them, they would destroy us both. And I wasn't the only one who thought he was too young for this. He was only nineteen. He couldn't run a country. He could barely run his own mouth correctly.

He wasn't strong enough. He wasn't smart enough. And why should he take all the credit? He was cheating his country anyway. He was using magic, not willpower or true physical strength. While our men were out there dying for us, he was nice and safe inside the palace, playing with magic!

No! Stop! Why am I thinking this?!

Luka could not become emperor. He was weak.

We had yet to talk about this and I knew Luka was putting it off. He was probably waiting for me to offer him the position. And even then, the council as well as our people would take place in the choice. Luka was too friendly with people, too sweet and childish. It made people love him. He was fooling them and they would cast their vote for him, only to have our country be destroyed.

We worked so hard for this beautiful country and it's prosperity. We couldn't destroy it now with Luka.

I went to my closet and riffled through it, tossing things out and throwing things back in until I found it. I picked up Luka's golden dagger that he'd won off of one of our conquered enemies. He'd flaunted it as if he'd worked so hard to get it when he had used his magic to swipe it off the man before the man fell off his horse and broke his neck.

I took the dagger and tucked it under Luka's pillow before turning and heading down the hallway. I felt like I was a dark shadow looming through the dimly lit hallways. The candles trembled as I passed, my bare feet thumping softly on the sanded down wood.