.Eyes Of Void.

-6-

I watched mage Mystery lower her hand, still in shock with wine over me and my dress.

"What is this supposed to mean?!" My mother's booming voice echoed through the silenced room, shaking all in fear of her wrath... All but the mage.

I watched the mage set down the apple in her other hand on the table and walk through the parting made between the guests.

"I am sorry for such crude display your Majesty but I needed to act as fast as I could, the Highness's wine had been poisoned." She said that as if it was facts, no doubt in her voice.

I looked down at the stain, I was almost poisoned? Why? Who? How? Really?

She stopped walking a few feet away from us and raised her hand again, waving towards herself and the air picking up the glass pieces and with a small flash of heat formed it back into one piece of glass.

As the glass formed back so did the wine staining my dress fill the glass once again, leaving me dry and clean again.

I watched her smell it and hold the glass high up in the air for all to see as if it was a huge gold nugget just found in a river.

"Soul sucker was mixed into the Highness's wine." She declared loud and clear, horrified gasps running through the room with whispers.

I heard of the soul sucker, a rare poison that only needs one drop to kill one hundred strong men or women. I was taught it was extremely dangerous as it had no smell or taste unless mixed with wine or beer and the alcohol in it is what activates the toxins, slowly becoming more and more potent.

If I remember this right, it weakens the one poisoned by it, causing violent vomiting, bleeding from the lungs and unending night terrors until death occurs or until a cure is administered if the victim lives long enough.

"Someone from the castle is a traitor, wanting the Highness's death. The only soul sucker in this corner of the continent was made by head mage Belladonna and I for research on it, someone thought it wouldn't be noticed, masked with magic." She said as the current head mage, Belladonna, made her way over and took the glass from her, smelled it with a critical eye before speaking up herself.

"It is the one we prepared yes." She confirmed with a nod, swirling the poisoned wine around in the glass. "The faint red Alernia smell to it was of my choice to ward people away from drinking it because as we know red Alernia has a strong smell to ward off anyone. Right before the party the doors to that room had been forced open and I hadn't been able to find what was off... Someone swapping a decoy vial with this one, someone that knew what was hidden in that room." And someone that knew what decoy to use to trick a hurried head mage.

"Guards! No one leaves this room until the murderer attempting at my daughter's life isn't caught!" Mother was angry, so angry, no one would dare to contradict her right now.

The guards lowered their spears to form X's in front of the doors, letting no one leave, I am more then sure they'd be the next on the chopping block if they did even accidentally.

"Mages! Do your work!" Mother ordered with a cold snap of her voice.

"Yes your Majesty." All six of the mages present said in total synchronicity, almost sounding like one person if it wasn't for the tone different and accents.

I watched them walk around the room, looking for something but I didn't know for what they were looking for, is there a trail they can follow? How? Gods I wish I had elemental magic, I could have learnt all of this but some things I'll never know as they can't or won't share from the rumors I heard, mage secrets and all that.

"You there!" I snapped my head over to see Mystery accusingly pointing at then right hand man of the head butler, the guests pushing themselves away from him in fear, at if being near the accused would make them targets too.

He looked terrified of being caught and slammed himself through the window to escape and I watched Mystery jump after him without hesitation.

I gasped but saw the vines that crawl up the side of the castle lift them both back in and set them down before slithering back into place.

I watched her flick the beads, maybe those are magic too and those had the trailing spell in them?

I watched as she kneeled down over him, pinning him to the ground, a hand firmly on his wrists, holding them over his head and the other one grasping his neck.

I shivered as he let out a loud scream before she let him go, some rune scorched into his flesh but I didn't recognize it, must be an old one.

"Guards bring that man away." Mother calmly but still coldly said.

Everyone watched him be pulled away as he pleaded to be let go but didn't fight back, seeming drained of strength.

"Today." We all looked at mother as she talked. "Today you have been witnesses to the incredible powers my mages possess, so if anyone one came here with ill intent they can leave because I will send them after you to teach you to not go after me or my family." She finished with that threat.

And she is not to be taken lightly, I've seen things she did, some being the greater evil some being the lesser but always in service of the queendom or our family, that's the queen she is and the one I should try to be.

I looked away from mother, turning to face Mystery to thank her for what she did but she was already gone from sight.

I sighed through my nose with a smile, you are really intriguing, I can't help but want to learn more about you mage Mystery.