Mendeve: Descendants

Chapter 16

"I've got her!" The Emora cried out in relief.

Belle's eyes suddenly flew open. But they didn't belong to Belle. Her eyes were no longer a silver and gold flecked amber, but pure onyx. Nothing but black filled them.

She snapped her head in The Emora's direction. Before anyone could do anything or register what was happening, Belle's arm shot out.

The Emora was instantly lifted off the ground, struggling against an invisible force choking the life out of him.

"Arabelle!" King Aranide tried to shake her out of the trance she was in. "Belle!"

Belle snapped her attention in her father's direction. As soon as her gaze fell on him, he was thrown back and pinned to the ground.

Belle slowly turned to Maddie who fell immobile and grew pale as snow. The Emora was still struggling with whatever Belle was doing to him.

Ezryan could see that The Emora was trying to use his powers to fight back, but his niece was stronger than any of them could ever have imagined.

Ezryan didn't know what to do. Maddie didn't make a move. King Aranide was still being held down against the floor. And The Emora was still dangling in the air.

The two guards that were posted outside the tent ran in at the commotion and alerted others. They drew their swords as more soldiers filed into the tent and surrounded Belle, their swords unsheathed as well.

"Stand down! That's my daughter!" King Aranide shouted.

Belle's power still had him held down on the ground.

The soldiers stood, uncertainty written all over their faces. They couldn't disobey a direct order from their king, but they couldn't let harm come to him either.

Arrows whizzed by everyone in the tent. All of them flying straight towards Belle. The archers that arrived were too late to have heard King Aranide's command.

Ezryan watched in horror as the arrows sailed through the air.

"No!" The king bellowed.

Belle bowed her head down, as if she were accepting defeat.

The arrows stilled in midair before they even reached her. One was positioned directly in front of her, aimed straight at her forehead.

A low chuckle sounded out from her, but it wasn't just her voice that came out of her mouth. When she spoke, another voice accompanied hers, a deeper one. A man's.

"Did you really think you pathetic fools can kill me?" She asked with a wicked smile, her head still bent.

Everyone was now in shock. Some of the soldiers were already sweating. Some looked like they wanted to turn and run.

"I will kill you all! And she will help me do it!" Belle roared.

As her head snapped up, the arrows splintered and flew off in different directions. The soldiers were thrown back, the tent flaps flew up at the sudden gust of power.

Belle. Ezryan tried to reach out to her in her mind.

Her gaze fell on him.

Ezryan froze in his place, afraid to move or make a sound. Heck, he was even too scared to breathe. She could kill him in an instant and not bat an eyelash.

He swallowed as he looked into those soulless, black eyes. They sent a terrifying chill up his spine. This wasn't Belle. But he had to try to reach her. He didn't want to believe that the Belle he came to care for was gone.