Chapter 10.

Neriah.

A day later.

I gaze at my crystal ball, my eyes searching for the ones I have been seeking for in over 18 years.

The ball shines with such brilliance. The light enough to blind the weakest of mortals. But I’m no mortal now, I’m I? I’m one of the strongest dark fairies stretching far and wide in all the kingdoms. Both the kingdom of men and kingdom of fairies, marvel at the amount of power I have acquired in all these years.

I see nothing but ordinary peasants as I gaze in the crystal ball. Fury as strong as a storm finds me, threatening to cloud the mood, which I’ve managed to conjure for my charity ball coming in the next few hours.

Furiously, I push the crystal ball out of my face. I pant heavily as the useless object shatters into pieces against the cold stone floor. I glare at the shattered pieces, displeased that I haven’t been able to find the ones I have been searching for.

For years I’ve been seeking out the former Queen Renelda and her little baby girl. But all to no avail. I’ve sent my men in search of them, but till now they haven’t seen the Queen or her little baby. I need to find them, because I have this nagging feeling that they will pose trouble for me someday.

I stand in the middle of my potion room, glaring at the shattered pieces on the ground. My mind is searching for possible locations where they might be. I'm growing restless by the minute, knowing the longer I wait, the more threat the Queen and her baby will pose for me.

Then a glowing light shines behind me, startling me. I look behind and see my sister, her brilliant glow almost blinding me. I shield my eyes from her glow, my body coiling with irritation at her presence.

“You haven’t stopped searching for them, isn’t it, sister?” My sister sneers.

I inhale shakily and turn my eyes to her. I grin, slyly, knowing that once upon a time, I had this same radiance. But now, I have something more menacing and fearsome, darkness.

“No I haven’t, sister. Do you know where they are?” I sneer, coldly.

Her eyes glow with softness as she watches me. Something tugs inside me as I see my sister’s softness. A softness I once sought. But those days are gone now. Now I have become a Queen of darkness. I’ve become the strongest dark fairy in the entire kingdom.

My expression turns cold, as I banish those happy memories. I straighten and I draw closer to my sister. Her surreal glow gently burns me like light flames. I inwardly flinch from the heat of the burn. I twirl my fingers inside the swirls of her glow, the light sending tiny pains through my body.

“Once upon a time, sister, you used to allow me have everything. And then you stopped. You allowed me not to have the one thing I needed. You made me a laughing stock.” I pace in front of her, watching the effects of her glowing light on my fingers.

“I used to, Neriah. But not anymore. You turned the love we shared into hate. You turned all we were given into darkness…”

“I had no choice, sister!” I thunder.

A dark flame erupts from me, kindled by my fury. I snarl as I watch my sister’s beauty and goodness, overpower my own presence. I should have been the best. I should have remained the most beautiful. But my sister stole my life. Pain explodes inside me as I watch her with scorn.

“You stole my life, sister. You became the purest and most powerful fairy. You became a Queen!” My body shudders as dark emotions course through me.

My sister only watches me with an enviable calm and I wish I had that.

“I never stole anything from you, Neriah. If anything, I loved you…”

“Love? You had love?” I derisively say.

She looks at me with this tender look again that infuriates me. “You should have given me everything I wanted.”

“You seek the Queen and her child. But you will not find them, sister. Rather prepare. For the princess would return and restore that which was treacherously taken.”

I pale in horror as those words fall from my sister’s lips. I stagger back at the enormity of those words. The message sinking into me, driving dread into me. I eye her, dubiously.

“That’s not possible...The Queen gave me what I needed by blood. She signed with her blood…”

“And something stronger than blood will break your reign upon them.” My sister cuts in, quietly.

“Stronger than blood?” I echo, confusedly. What can be stronger than blood? I scowl, raising my eyes to her. “What do you mean something stronger than blood?” I ask her, curtly.

She looks at me, a smirk on her face.

“Something that your black heart will never be able to comprehend,” she says, a smile playing on her lips. Without saying another word, my sister disappears, leaving me alone to ponder on her terrifying words.

A knock on the door jolts me and I turn to the sound.

“Come in!” I roar, furiously.

Dalkino, the leader of my henchmen steps inside. I try to calm down, but my body shudders with the fright of the words foretold by my sister moments ago.

“Anything about the child and the Queen yet?” I ask, calmly.

“No, my Queen. If anything the men I sent there have come back with only virgins to please your majesty,” Dalkino says.

I look at him, appreciatively. My mouth already waters from the thought of drinking the blood of these virgins tonight, before my masked ball.

Straightening, I cross to the door. Stopping in front of Dalkino. "Did you invite all the nobles as we discussed..."

"About that, Your majesty. The poor people are rebelling and if we go outside they fight us. Some of them are trying to breach the walls."

I frown, displeased at this news. I need to teach these rebels a lesson. But first I need their leader.

"They have a leader. Invite him for tonight's ball."