“No. She can’t be the heir if she won’t sign the contract,” said the man. “This is not a negotiation. This is a simple yes or no. You agree to our terms or you don’t. It’s as simple as that.”
The Councilors were firing off at the man before me, and I could feel his stress levels start to increase.
He’d obviously expected me to graciously accept, or more than likely, abdicate. Which was why Mister The-Chosen-One and his family were here.
To sign the contract that I would not.
I glanced across at my father, who had been calmly standing and waiting for me to do my thing. There was no hint of disturbance on his face. If he was troubled, he hid it well.
At my look, he stepped forward. “Perhaps I can be of some assistance?”
Charity groaned. “Yes! Finally, Matlock. Talk some sense into the girl.”
My father picked up the book I’d carried into the realm and held it up in front of him. “When the first High Warlock’s were chosen, they had every right to pick a mate they wanted. And have as many children as they so chose. I don’t see why Ava, someone who did not grow up in our realm, nor understand our laws, should destroy her future happiness because of a law that was only written into our rules a few hundred years ago.”
“Gah!” Charity cried., her eyes narrowing at Matlock’s hands. “That book! Give it to me.”
She launched forward.
I grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her back. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”
Charity’s red headed Witch companion threw a lightning bolt of magic at my chest.
It hit me with the force of a steam engine. Pain exploded into a thousand pieces, choking me.
I fell to the floor, writhing in pain, screaming for help as my life force began to drain out of me.
They’d killed me, and for what? For nothing...
My father dropped to my side and grabbed me before I passed out.
“Ava! Ava! Can you hear me?”
I could, then I couldn’t.
Everything went black.
Chapter 20.
THINGS HAD BARELY GONE dark, the cold feeling of death stealing over me, when something inside me changed. Instead of cold pain, instead of the icy-hot temperature floating across my body, something took it over.
Warm healing power pulsed through me, beginning in my belly and coming out in wave like rings. I was fighting my way back to the light. The deadly pain in my chest was being pushed out, in the strangest way.
My stomach burned in the area of my tattoo, initiating the healing power my sister had so beautifully instilled in me.
I had forgotten all about the tattoo. My mind had been so focused on the attack at hand that I forgot it was even there.
I forced my eyes open and gasped for air, my hands going for my stomach in hopes to soothe it.
My father held me in his arms, barking orders around like a drill sergeant.
“Arrest her. Now!” My father blasted black spark-like magic out his fingertips, towards the red-headed witch. I wasn’t sure if he even noticed I was conscious.
“Dad...” I gasped, struggling to sit up. I grunted, stretching out my neck, trying to get all of the kinks out.
“Ava, no. You must stay still.”
I shook my head, getting first to my hands and knees, then up to my feet. Though my legs wobbled and my belly felt like someone held a flaming torch to my skin, my head was clear and I was up.