Secrets and Magic Ch. 04

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A brief skirmish.
3.2k words
4.68
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Part 4 of the 4 part series

Updated 10/31/2022
Created 05/01/2009
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savannuh
savannuh
51 Followers

Author's note: It has been a while, right? I've received quite a few messages regarding the finishing of this story. There is a lot happening in my life right now, but I AM going to finish this. Thank you so much for your support! Keep it coming! Also, please remember to comment and vote. :-)

Secrets and Magic: Chapter 4 -- Enemies and Resolutions

Aden was tired. Whatever kind of slumber he'd been in had drained him of everything. Waking up had been sudden, as if someone had walked in and doused him with cold water. One second he was unconscious and the next he just... wasn't. As soon as he gathered his wits about him, it was clear something was wrong. His door was sealed shut; something Merced would only do under the direst of circumstances. Before he thought about it, he was up and out of bed prepared to fight off anyone who would dare threaten him and those placed under his protection. Without bothering to unseal the door, he merely blew through it. A few steps and the scene that greeted his eyes had his warrior-side seeing red. Merced's limp form was lying in rubble and Jack was being manhandled by someone he hadn't seen in a long time. Zechariah Stone. Without hesitation he sent the man flying. Fury filled every pore of his body and he seethed as it grew. This man would dare enter his home by force, attack his bodyguard, and put his hands on the woman he — Aden stopped his train of thought as Zechariah got to his feet. "I see my information was wrong, unless..." Zechariah straightened his robe and rested his black eyes on Jack, "she healed you." He brought his gaze back to Aden, maintaining his air of neutrality though nothing was going according to plan. It hit Aden then. She had healed him. He was walking, without pain, and without the slightest bit of protest from his muscles. He was beyond pleased and a little surprised, but wouldn't allow himself to feel anything more than that. Not until the current situation was dealt with. He chanced a glance at Jack and found her watching him with wide eyes. She was breathing rapidly and shaking slightly. Something was wrong with her. Settling his attention on Zechariah once more, his eyes narrowed. What had he done to her?

"So this is your politics at work, Zechariah? Intrigue? Assassination? You would have us battling in the streets like animals?" Aden asked with a deceptive calm. The man had been a thorn in the side of the throne for years and now he knew him to be responsible for everything: the unrest, the fighting and ultimately... his injury.

"You misunderstand, my Prince," the use of his title sounded more like an insult, "I would have us breach the very limits of what we thought possible."

"Your eyes show you to be half way there. Dark Magic asks a lot of its user, does it not?"

Zechariah smiled, "A small consequence for less than favorable actions."

"Just how far have you gone?" Something in Aden clenched.

A wrinkled appeared in Zechariah's brow as he feigned concentration. Then, as if sudden inspiration struck, he responded. "Do you know what makes the perfect exchange? Living human tissue." As if what he said was perfectly normal, Zechariah went on, the pride evident in his voice, "Animals work, but they're not equal so the power is not as potent. We started small at first -- a finger, a toe -- small steps on a long journey. And if the person had Magic of their own, well, the ecstasy was unbelievable... addictive."

Shards of ice pricked his spine, but Aden kept a tight lid on his emotions. What Zechariah was doing went past forbidden. This was why studies from home were always inconclusive. The residual Magic was too dark for anyone to recognize it for what it was. Human sacrifice. "I will put an end to you and your Shadow Mages. The kingdom will not fall prey to a bunch of monsters."

Zechariah laughed, "Monsters, indeed. You'd be surprised at the numbers who agree with me," his lifeless eyes narrowed in a shrewd glance, "Perhaps your blind faith in loyalty to the crown is misplaced. Those killed during the fighting were no strangers. They were your subjects."

"And as duty demanded, they were brought to justice -- as will anyone found willfully violating our laws."

"Ah, spoken like a true leader," Zechariah studied Aden a moment, "I imagined our meeting going much differently, you know, but I suppose improvising never hurt anyone."

Aden drew himself up, heightening his guard, "What are you talking about?"

With almost imperceptible movement, Zechariah formed a sphere with his hands then hooked his thumbs together. A string of unintelligible words sprang from his lips and thick plumes of black smoke billowed from his fingertips. Aden reacted immediately by conjuring a shield, but it did no good. The scent of rotting flesh filled the room, nearly turning his stomach. Cracks began to form in his defense and before his very eyes the protection shattered. Foul tendrils forced their way into his nose and throat, burning and choking him. Alarm flashed on his face as his hands helplessly grasped at his neck. He coughed. Once. Twice. This did nothing to dislodge the obstruction. It began to pulse and pull at the power flowing through him, attempting to bend it to its will. He staggered as the edges of the world turned black. Jack screamed as he fell and Zechariah stood a silent witness not bothering to hide the immense pleasure on his face.

He was going to die.

Aden closed his eyes and fought to gather the last of his strength. He, the First Prince, was lying on the floor at the feet of the man he'd just vowed to kill. It would not end like this. It couldn't. Losing was not something he did graciously and though he didn't fully understand what was happening to him, he resolved to use his last seconds wisely. Exerting a control unknown to most, he quieted the inner panic. Fear is admitting you have already lost. Allowing his body to go limp, Aden internalized his last vestige of life and concentrated. He could see the bands of Zechariah's attack wrapped around his power, but the hold was tenuous. He focused on the source and through sheer willpower expanded his Magic. It grew stronger...brighter, potent enough to rip the dark bindings to shreds. With great force the blackness was expelled from his body and precious air filled his lungs. Nearly lightheaded, Aden rose to his feet panting as his veins crackled with vitality.

Zechariah looked aghast as the Prince overcame an attack that would have killed anyone else. The spell was designed to go after a user's Magic and turn it against them. When he saw the way Aden had choked and slipped to the floor, he'd been sure triumph was on the horizon. "How did..." Zechariah's heart roared in his ears, "It's not possible."

Aden stood with his head bowed, loose strands of hair obscuring his face. There was something in the air around him -- an almost tangible echo of fortitude. Without looking in Zechariah's direction he raised his arms to his sides, forming a perfect 'T' with his body. In a perfect dance he brought his hands together in front of him with the open palms facing Zechariah. A spiral of bright green sparks were released spanning from him to his opponent. Zechariah cursed out loud as he tried to block, but only succeeded in receiving a burning cut on his chest. He glanced down and saw the torn part of his robe where the strike had cleared through to his flesh. Seeing the coils retract to come in again, he was galvanized into action. Whispered words tumbled from his lips and seconds later the entire house shook. Leathery black vines broke through the floor and wrapped around Aden's legs. They traveled up his body to encase him, ending his assault. A heavy moment of silence passed as Zechariah breathed a sigh of relief. The vines were beginning to sprout evil-looking thorns and he knew it was a matter of time before Aden suffered multiple stab wounds from an extremely debilitating poison.

Again his arrogance was short-lived as the vines exploded from the inside out.

Aden made nary a sound as he fell into position. His blood pumped fiercely through his system as the pool of Magic within him intensified. He could feel the rage beating within him, mixing with the gift of unlimited stamina. It felt good. It always felt good. He didn't fight it as a little of his control slipped and changed his eyes to onyx like Zechariah's. Once more he formed a cross with his body and let loose twin green tornadoes that whipped a path from him to Zechariah.

Debris was flattened in their wake, tossed around from the force of the conflicting winds. Zechariah managed to evade one, but could do nothing against the other. He was swept up inside of it with a loud holler and whirled around until brutally slammed to the ground. When everything stilled the blonde man was now the one on the floor, gasping in silent horror at his severed arm a few feet away. A trickle of blood slipped down the side of his mouth and fell to his lap in a fat drop. He had vastly underestimated the man. How could he have bested him with all he'd done? He needed more power. He had to have more.

He spoke through gritted teeth, red spittle flying in the air, "You bastard..." Zechariah grunted in pain, "I will make sure you pay for this. If I have to murder everyone you hold dear... you will pay."

Aden walked over to him, prepared to deliver a final blow, when he saw his lips move then his body disappear in a puff of smoke. Zechariah was gone leaving behind his lost appendage and a fresh scent of more decaying corpses. He stood there and stared at the vacated spot until slight movement from Jack caught his attention. He closed his eyes and wrestled his power back until he was in full control again. With his eyes their usual color, he opened them and saw her kneeling next to Merced.

The Ca'lai stirred weakly then sat up. It seemed whatever Zechariah attacked him with only worked if he stayed nearby. With help from Jack, Merced was on his feet and brushing dirty silver hair out of his face. "Where is he?"

"Gone. Teleported to safety," Aden's voice was laced with anger. He almost had him.

"What he did to me -- I'd never seen or felt anything like it," the youth bowed his head, "I failed you."

"You took down seven on your own, I would say otherwise," he looked at Merced, "It is I who failed."

"Um..." Jack's voice had both men eying her. She was still shaken and cold from Zechariah's intrusion. A tear slipped down her face as she hugged herself, "What just happened? What the hell is going on?" A slight shiver came and went.

Aden looked at Merced before he spoke, "You just witnessed the leader of an opposing government faction try to kill me." The statement hung in the air.

He offered no elaboration as she processed his words. The distraught look on her face tugged at him and again he wondered what had transpired between her and Zechariah. His eyes followed the movement of her throat as she swallowed. She licked her lips and despite the situation it sparked something within him, "Government faction? What?" A crease appeared in her brow, "And did I hear correctly? You're some kind of Prince? Oh my God..." The last was said more to herself than to him before her eyes snapped to his again, "Just who are you?"

He paused before he answered her. She already knew more than intended and now it seemed she was destined to learn the last of their secret. Regarding her quietly, he spoke in the same manner as before, "I am First Prince of the Kingdom of Inthrall on the planet Kendra. Merced was assigned as my bodyguard during my time of convalescence. Without going into too much detail, there are a select few displeased with the order of things and have decided to wrest power through the demise of myself and family."

Jack simply stared at him as if he'd lost his mind, a look he wasn't too thrilled with. Another shiver coursed through her and she blinked then looked away from him. He could tell her mind was working at understanding what he just told her. She ran a hand through her hair then wrapped her arms around herself once more. She looked at him again, "You're serious."

"Of course."

"I knew you guys weren't from around here, but I never imagined another planet. I don't know why that seems so impossible to me." She shook her head and took a deep breath.

Her body shook again and this time Aden moved close to her. Jack took a small step away, and whether she realized she'd done it or not, it upset him. Pushing it aside, Aden exercised a patience he wasn't known for. "Jack, tell me what he did to you."

It looked like she was trying to hold herself together, but her eyes pooled and several tears rolled down her face. She sniffled. Aden was at a loss. He wanted to grab and hold her -- to somehow soothe the turmoil swirling within her, but as always he held back. What he was feeling was something he was not prepared to deal with or comprehend. What he did know was the thought of anyone hurting her made him angrier beyond belief.

Jack inhaled shakily, "I-I'm not sure. He made me look in his eyes and then it was like he was inside me. I could feel his coldness. It touched everything. He could read my thoughts, my past, my present... the worst was when he brushed against my Magic." She swiped at the moisture on her face, "I'm not sure why, but it reacted to him -- burned him. That was when he stopped."

Aden looked at her strangely, "I see." He was livid. Zechariah had performed the ultimate invasion. His hands clenched at his sides. "Are you okay?"

She swallowed, "Yes... I think so. The coldness is still there, but it's going away little by little."

"You should rest then. We have things to discuss but they can wait for the light of day," at her look of alarm he continued, "There is no need to worry. Nothing else is happening tonight."

Jack nodded. "Okay." She walked over to the stairs and went up a few before turning back to face him and Merced, "And you guys are going to be here?" Even as she asked she knew it was a silly question, but with the mood she was in she needed all the reassurance she could get.

Aden met and held her eyes, thinking she looked very much the frightened little girl, "We will always do our best to keep you safe."

She held his gaze a moment longer then climbed the rest of the stairs. Aden watched her until she moved out of sight, ignoring the patchwork of emotion that kept trying to push its way to the surface.

Merced smoothed hair out his face and the action caused Aden to turn and look at him. "We need to return to Inthrall," his eyes flicked upward and back, "All of us."

"I will notify your father." Before leaving to submit his reports, Merced paused, "She is not going to like this, my Prince."

"I'm not giving her a choice."

They hadn't planned for Jack to become so involved, but now that she was it was too dangerous to leave her on Earth. Zechariah would eventually come for her; the man wasn't one to forget about things he could use to his advantage. And he'd told her himself: They would always do their best to keep her safe. That statement wasn't said lightly. As a Prince, it was his job to protect, but on a more personal level, he wanted her near him.

*-*-*

Aden stood in the doorway of Jack's room watching her sleep. The plan had been to come up, wake her up, and explain why she was coming home with them. But the site of her lying on her side with her mouth slightly open brought him up short. It excited him to imagine walking up to her in this state and quietly sliding his cock between her lips. He liked to think she would suck it gently at first before realizing what was actually happening. His brow creased as he tried to get himself under control, but it was too late. He was hard and aching. A scowl settled on his face soon after; what he wanted was right in front of him and there was nothing he could do about it. He'd already gone over the reasons why Jack was a bad idea and didn't care to do it again. He shook his head and took a step forward.

She shifted slightly and burrowed deeper beneath the covers halting his progress. Aden swallowed through clenched teeth. He didn't really want to have the impending conversation. Jack was stubborn and would not want to leave. Why would she? Earth was the only home she'd known; she had a life here: friends, family, future plans. Even with all of that though, Aden would not take 'No' for an answer. He couldn't; her safety and well-being were too important. Zechariah may bide his time, but he wouldn't forget about her. And then there was the small matter of her Magic; at least if she came with them they could help her master it. He took a few more steps until he was close to her. Against his better judgment he reached out a hand and buried it in her hair, running his fingers through it. It was soft and warm with a faint sweetness that tantalized his nose. Aden stiffened even more and allowed his fingers one more run before removing his hand. His eyes drifted up and down her form. By the stars, he wanted her.

It was true the only way to ensure her safety was to keep her near, but as much as he tried, he couldn't ignore the more personal reasons he wanted her close as well. Aden was sure the conversation would not go well. Jack would insist on staying behind in addition to posing more questions he wasn't prepared to answer. As royalty, he was accustomed to having his orders complied with. He was Prince Aden and commander of the Royal Protection Army. This woman, whether she wanted to or not, would do what he thought was best for her.

That was why, in the end, he felt no guilt for what he did next.

savannuh
savannuh
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ZZchromosomeZZchromosomeabout 5 years ago

Really good story. Probably only about half finished, but was still worth reading the four posted chapters.

plan4itplan4itover 8 years ago
please continue!

Please come back and finish this enthralling story! You are an excellent writer and I can't wait to see where this goes.

jazira55jazira55over 10 years ago
More more!!!!MORE MORE

Update plz. I definitely need to know what happens

MORE MORE

MaPetiteFleurMaPetiteFleurabout 11 years ago

I always thought I was too proud to beg, but screw it. Please, please, please, PLEASE update this story! Please! I love what you've done so far, and I can't wait to see what happens next. I know that life and other important things take precedence, but I sincerely hope that you can update! Just think of the people you would make incredibly happy by doing it!!

Good luck, and lots of inspiration to you!

AnonymousAnonymousover 11 years ago
Very Interesting

Please update soon, I eagerly await the rest of the story.

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