Kingdom of Lies (The Fifth Element Chronicles)

Chapter 19 [part 2]

Without a word to me, he walked towards the portal.

His silence was worse than any words.

Once I was sure everyone had passed through, I closed it.

I approached the vines.

'What have you done to his father?' I asked Jonah who kept laughing.

'Let's say my father and I were experimenting on the prisoners... but we couldn't do anything without magic. Marco was right, you did it without being asked. You just needed a little push.'

'I don't understand, so why didn't you lift the curse before?'

'You may be pretty but you're not very smart. My father can't create again what he uncreated, that's not part of his power. We needed you and now, you gave us exactly what we wanted. So thank you princess, we will be eternally grateful to you.'

Unable to believe my eyes, I watched as Marco broke free from my bonds.

'Oh, I forgot to mention it. Your brother thought he could boss me around, that I'd give him anything he wanted just for coming up with the idea of how to lure you here. But nobody tells this King what to do. So I gave him a little of the medicine he needed. And all that dark magic is not fought with your magic, now he can kill you as he always wanted to, and I won't have to put up with his demands any more.' 

'You betrayed him.'

'Are you surprised? You would have done the same. I see you beauty, I see deep inside you and I recognise that darkness. Soon you will see it too. And when it is so, you will join me, and together we will rule all the Kingdoms. Now I recommend that you start running, because, do you remember that wonderful dinner we had to find me a wife? The food must have been delicious, especially because of what we put in it.'

What had he done? He was insane. I would never be like him. We would never be the same.

'This is not the end, you will pay for all you have done.' I told him.

'I'll look forward to you making me pay, beauty,' he said as I rushed away.

I ran through the castle, knocking over every single guard.

I felt Marco coming towards me, he had broken loose and was already running after me. Only it wasn't Marco, it was some kind of animal, like a giant wolf. 

Why had he trusted the prince? Now he had become a monster of darkness. Did he hate me enough to make this worthwhile?

I kept running until I reached the main entrance.

'Lightning!' I shouted, hoping that my horse would come back to me.

Galloping non-stop, Lightning freed himself from those who were holding him and came to my encounter.

I mounted him and we began to gallop in the opposite direction.

The ground began to vibrate and hundreds of animals of the same species as Marco came out of the windows. They came from everywhere, from the houses, from the streets. All the guests at the party had become monsters imprisoned by Jonah's darkness.

His wickedness knew no bounds. Seeing what he had done to his own people and what he wished to do to the rest. I would never be like him.

'Faster!' I implored Lightning, who was doing what he could to get us out of there.

What was I supposed to do?

What could I do?

I couldn't let those animals spread beyond that Kingdom.