Magic's Mark

Chapter 16

My heart rate increased as my eyes adjusted to the bright lights in the room. The large room felt more like a medieval style hall than any room I had ever been in before. The high ceiling was decorated in gold and black, intricate patterns cascaded down the walls. My eyes tried to capture everything in a split second, a large gold throne was sitting on a raised platform across the hall. The plush cushion on the seat of it glistened in the light of the candles held in the huge metal chandeliers.

"So who are you?" A voice broke me out of my examination of the room. As I looked around I became acutely aware of the amount of people. About a dozen of them where scattered around the room.

I took a hesitant step backwards, my eyes scanning the room trying to locate who had spoken. The crowd of warlocks were all dressed in long gowns that looked like they were other worldly. What looked like family crests where emblazoned across their chests. Even though I had never been here before there was no doubt about it – I had been taken to the royal court.

"Answer me," the voice beckoned. I finally spotted the owner of it, a tall skinny woman standing close to the throne.

Her blonde hair was laid in a perfect braided up do and her green flowing gown glistened from its small golden embroidered details.

Whoever she was, she was clearly important. She is not the king. Taylor said that the king is ill. So the queen?

I stayed silent, staring at her for another moment.

"Answer me," she called out again.

"Sorry if I may, your highness," my captor curtseyed at the queen and moved forward gently.

"I found this human fraternising with one of our warlocks," she pointed her well manicured finger in my direction.

A gasp went through the crowd and all of them took a couple of steps towards me.

I was scanning the room, all my muscles ready to spring into action at any moment. Yet I was trying to look relaxed. They think I'm human. They don't know what I am yet. Maybe I can still get out of this without them finding out?

"She knows too much about us and we must protect ourselves," Olivia continued, her voice gleefully happy.

An older man caught my eye, his dark brown eyes reminded me of another pair I looked into many times before. I felt my breath catch in my throat when I realised that this man must be related to Taylor. His hair was longer and had speckles of grey in it, he was dressed in a regal looking robe but there was no mistaking those eyes.

Something sparked within me, I snapped back my head to the queen, "My name is Cara."

"She speaks," the queen replied coolly. "So child, tell me are you human?" her voice was so cold, her eyes looked like she wanted to kill me.

I saw the man who shared the same kind of brown eyes as Taylor shake his head, it such a small movement but seeing it out of the corner of my eye was enough to jolt me back into focus.

"No I am certainly not human," I lifted my head up to meet the Queen's gaze. They have to protect their secrets. I don't know what they would do if they found out...

"So which family do you belong to?" she continued her questioning.

For a second I froze before replying, "Grimstaw."

The queen nodded her head gently.

The man with the brown eyes stepped forward, "Aribella, if you don't mind. Cara is part of our family."

His strong hand rested on my shoulder and I could see the queen nod slowly.

"King Grimstaw, please excuse the confusion."

His hand stayed on my shoulder as he turned me around and guided me towards a side door. I held my breath as we continued to walk.

"Prove it," Olivia croaked from the other side of the room.

The crowd in the room fell silent and I felt myself stop in my tracks. The side door was only a few steps away from me, yet it couldn't have felt further away.

King Grimstaw turned around and I followed his lead. His hand was still resting calmly on my shoulder, "What are you insinuating Miss Brownlow?"

"If she really is a warrior in your family. She should prove it," Olivia replied back, her eyes suspiciously glued on me.

"You don't trust my word?" his voice bellowed out authoritatively across the room.

One of Olivia's body guards stepped up, flanking her on the right. He looked older than her, but still fairly young.

His eyes rebelliously met mine, "If you are who you say you are. It shouldn't be any issue."

I felt a panic creep up inside of me. If I am getting out of this, I will have to use magic...

A second guard moved up to Olivia's left, another one of her trusted warriors it seemed. He threw some more fuel on the fire by adding, "We have never seen you before, Cara. I have never even heard of you..." His voice died out but he had said enough.

I could have cut the tension in the hall with a knife. I felt my fingers shake in fear and anger. I closed my eyes for a split second. Think of Taylor. Use magic. He's your warrior.

The words washed away my fear, and all I was left with was anger. I am sick and tired of all of this magic nonsense.

"I am Grimstaw and just because you have never heard of me don't mean you should doubt me," my outburst echoed through the hall and I could sense the sprays of purple magic from my hands. But I was too angry to look down, my eyes pinned on the guard. He shrugged his shoulders and took a couple of steps back. 

"We should probably head off," King Grimstaw announced.

His hand pulling at my shoulder. I let the flames of magic die down quickly and turned to walk out with him. A woman flanked me on my right and opened the side door for us.

We walked down the corridor, his hand still on my shoulder and  the woman on my right. They stayed silent, so I followed their lead. The atmosphere around us was tense, but something told me I could trust them. After all, he must be Taylor's father. I caught another glimpse of the woman. Did that mean that she was his Mum?

We turned a corner and speed walked down another corridor.

"In here should do it," the woman said softly as she grabbed hold of a heavy iron door handle and pulled the oak door open.

We moved in and she quickly locked the door behind us. I let my eyes dance around the room, it looked like a study of some kind. A great wooden desk in one corner, an open fireplace in the other one and a chandelier with candles throwing a limited but warm sheen across the marble floor. I felt like I had been transported into castle from another time. But instead of aristocracy, it was filled with warlocks.

King Grimstaw grabbed hold of my shoulders with both hands. A dull ache went through my shoulder blade at his touch.

His dark brown eyes fixed on me, "So you are the Vortex my son has sworn to serve for the rest of his life?"

Author's note: So I know I left the last chapter on a bit of a cliffhanger. I am sorry if I keep holding you in suspense with this one - but it was just such a perfect end to the chapter :) Please let me know your thoughts in the comments - I can't wait to hear them! And if you did enjoy this chapter, please show me that you appreciate my work on this story by voting on the chapters and sharing this story with some one on Wattpad who you think might enjoy it :) Have a fabulous week and I will post a new chapter on Thursday :)