The Obsidian Pillar

Chapter Forty-nine - The Beast

'What happened that night?' Mauden hissed.

'I failed,' the beast spat at her from the balcony. They hadn't had the chance to discuss that night at the King's castle in Kralken. His wings drooped with exhaustion.

The sorceress waved her hand and he abruptly began to transform, agonisingly, before her very eyes.

'How did you fail?'

'She was protected, defended, by another.' He crawled from the balcony into the room, wincing with pain and cold in his nakedness. The sun was rising as he went, promising a new day. He prayed that Valla was getting closer to helping him. 'I'm sorry, Mauden, I failed.'

The sorceress smiled, revealing her pearly white teeth, unnaturally sharp and threatening. 'Darling, you did wonderfully,' she whispered as she lifted him onto the bed, tucking him in as he watched on, uneasy with her maternal efforts. 'Balfour declared war anyway. That person you killed in her stead must have been extremely precious to the king.' Her eyes widened brightly. She looked maniacal.

'Now, sweet one, we are so close to what we dreamed of. We are at the very end,' she cooed.

He struggled up onto his elbows. 'The end?'

'I have one last thing to ask of you, precious one.' She sat on the bed and stroked his hair with her sharp nails, her black eyes devouring him hungrily. 'I'm going to destroy the two kingdoms. I want to make your father pay for what he did to me. I need you to be yourself, to be the beast one last time and help me on the battlefield.'

'My father?'

'Don't play coy. I know what that wench told you. But what you have to understand, sweet one, is that your father is as much responsible for your situation as I am. Don't you want revenge on him? He left you in this tower with me, after all.'

Arwel fought the urge to be sick, though he wasn't sure if it was from the transformation, Mauden's words, or because he was hungry. So hungry.

'You will do this last thing for me, won't you, sweetheart?' she whispered, her face close to his own.

Repulsed, he turned away, 'No. I won't. I won't kill again,' he snapped, moaning in pain as his stomach turned violently.

She reached out and shook him harshly. His head snapped back. 'I think I can make you change your mind.' She closed her eyes and frowned slightly and Arwel heard something fall to the floor. Mauden moved away to it and he saw Rosa, cut, bruised and bleeding on the floor.

Mauden waved her hand violently and Rosa's body lifted into the air, flying towards the edge of the balcony.

'No!' Arwel leapt from the bed.

Mauden waved her hand and Rosa disappeared into nothing. 'I'll keep her safe until you've done what I've asked,' the sorceress snapped.

'You bitch,' he yelled, lunging for her. He grasped her jaw and attempted to throw her to the ground, but she merely laughed as he doubled over in pain.

'Sweet one, don't wear yourself out. You'll be no good to her like that.'

He spat at her before leaning over to be sick.

'I think we're done here.'

She merely laughed, before disappearing into thin air.