Chapter thirty three

"What exactly did you do to her?" A witch queried. 

Talia whirled around to see the speaker. She noticed they all formed a semicircular wall when she faced them. They were starting to catch on. Most of them knew what happened to Sybil's brother and the girl kept rambling about how she did not want to remember. Talia wondered if they suspected she could take a peek into their mind. She was not even sure of what she did. But one thing was certain, She had been in Sybil's head. Her eyes flickered close as she channeled into the memory she had vividly seen. Again, She could picture Simon. Except he wasn't the monster the books and tales had told. He looked human. He looked just like her. Talia ignored the Witch's question and stumbled out of the room. The image of Simon refused to leave her head. It felt like a trauma she witnessed herself.  Myriads of emotion flowed through her; guilt, feat, and pity. The pity was the problem. Why was she feeling pity for a murderer? As repulsed as she was by the sight of what the demigod had done, When Talia looked into his eyes, She could paint a very big picture and it was regret. She vaguely remembered the words of the professor who took her morals class. He had said something about magic having its mind of its own and it had the urge to react badly to an unprepared situation. Talia wondered if that was what made Simon do what he did. But, Could she be a threat too in the near future? Was there something that could condition her into a killing machine? The mere thought of it made her shudder.

"You look tense." Someone, she thought, said to her.

Talia looked up and there was indeed someone there. She hyperventilated from the shock of knowing it was not her mind speaking. The man in front of her had the kind of face that stopped people in their tracks. Ebony skinned and the most elegant golden irises. It made Talia swallowed for a moment. A sudden pause struck her when she opened her mouth and the next thing she found herself doing was staring mouth wide open. Followed by overcompensating gaze and a blasted embarrassment that set her cheeks in fire.  When she did gather herself together, the damage had been done already. The unknown god had a weak smile planted to his lip and it only made Talia's cheeks burn with a far wicked intensity.

"Who are you?" She finally coughed out while her belly flustered. Talia was surprised to see another god in the castle. If she had not seen him since her arrival, She doubted he was family to the royal family.

"Sorry to startle you. I am Oba," he said, extending a hand.

His accent, It was of African descent. Was he...

"...Son of Yemoja."

Talia's pulse kicked up a notch. She had said so much about Yemoja. It came as a surprise to know that Persephone willingly allowed the Prince of a neighboring kingdom who she would probably view as an enemy into the castle walls.

"My name is Talia." She flicked a smile, accepting his hands in kindness. A sharp jolt suddenly spread through her hands and upwards the second their skin made contact. It was more than just a slight tingle that ran underneath Talia's skin. No, it was as though someone had attached a live wire to each of her nerves, and her soul practically left her body.

"What was that!" Talia gaped.

"Sorry, I did not intend to probe your mind."He apologized.

"Probe my mind? What does that mean?"

Talia knew very well what he meant when he said what he said. All she wanted was for her doubts to be dismissed. Did the god just gain access to her mind?

"It's common in the Western Kingdom. I did not mean to intrude your mind without permission."

There went her validation. He did break her mental walls and without permission. The thought of what he had seen scared her.

"What did you see?" Talia stammered, wondering if she picked the right choice. A lady in her right mind would have slapped him right in the face. The mind was like the body. It deserved to be safe.

Oba did not answer. Talia noticed his gaze was fixated above her, almost like he was looking at something odd. She followed his stare, trailing them slowly. Her head craned backward and Talia saw the Prince. His expression was impassive but there was a dangerous ring of red flames highlighting his ethereal blue Iris.

"Prince Denys." She said, then looked back at Oba. There was tension between them. Chaotic tension and a challenge passed unspoken between them. Talia could smell trouble brewing and she wasn't sure why but she believed she would the cause of whatever massacre that was sure to take place if she did not intervene.  Ignoring her, Denys proceeded to speak to Oba.

"You should know better than to seduce one of your own."

The tension between the two hiked up to dangerous levels.  Talia had never seen Denys act this way. They were mere acquaintances and the possessive way he was acting around her was unnerving. Oba did not deserve it. He wasn't flirting and even if he was, Talia believed she had a choice. Not that she pictured herself in an alliance of any kind especially in her present situation.

Confusion reigned in Oba's golden eyes before a smile took over. He bade Talia goodbye before picking up his pace. When the god was out of sight, Talia faced the jealous god, scowling.

"What was that about!"

"He was trying to get into your mind." He snapped, his eyes flashing bright blue again.

Now that Talia thought about it, what was up with his changing eye color? One time they would be gold and the next second they would be blue.

"And that matters to you because?"

He mumbled something dark which she presumed weren't nice before giving his answer.

"It doesn't matter but I come with some good news."

Talia scratched her neck, tingles making her body sprout bumps. Good news? Talia was on the edge. Was it something that had to do with her mother?

"My mom?" She speculated.

"Yes. I visited the Greenlands as you requested." He confirmed.

"Did you see her? What did she say? Did she miss me?" Talia immediately barraged him with questions. More than even he could keep up with. The girl was excited. Any news from her mother would brighten her day.

"She..." Denys began, finding the words very difficult to say. For a moment, Talia felt concern rush through her. The Prince was hesitant to give whatever good news he had. What could be good about the news if it lacked the joy to share it.  "...Your mother did not let me in. Neither did she want to speak to me. I think it has something to do with my mother's hand in your predicament. But she did hand this over for me to give you." He then took out a spherical artifact and dropped it in Talia's open hands. "She said if I was truly sent by you, That you would understand it."

Talia smiled and swept away the chestnut hair from her face, hooking it behind her ear as she examined the sphere.

"It's an enchanted pen. We used it against vegetable sprites." Talia revealed. "Glamoring the sphere was the first try at magic. I remember the smile on my mom's face when I succeeded in making the sphere look like coins. I took so much pride in myself when I caught my first Sprite. "

Tears slowly formed at the corner of Talia's eyes as the beautiful memories she shared with her mother resurfaced. Talia could not imagine what her mother was going through. She wished she could tell her the difficult choice she was to make if they were to ever meet again.  She wished she could get words of wisdom from the only wise person she knew. Talia wanted to be certain she was making the right choice. The only reason she had not sent it to her in a note was because of Denys. She was sure he would never let her sign her name off the book but time was running out each day and Talia knew she had to make the choice.

"Thank you for this." She appreciated. "If there is anything I can do to repay the favor, I'd gladly oblige."

Denys touched Talia's arm igniting that fire that always came on when she was next to him. A fire that blocked every other emotion. She put the fire out. She couldn’t let things go that way. She was on thin ice. It was the only reason she was alive. Talia couldn’t let her desire get the better of her. She couldn’t let him be a distraction and neither would she become a distraction for Denys. Talia buried the giveaway signs that would imply she wanted him, even when she burned for him.

"Well, If you insist, Is it fine that I invite you to have breakfast with the royal family?"

Say no Talia! Do it! Do it!

"Breakfast with your family?"

"I know it's a stretch, considering you are going through a tough time. I just wanted you to take your mind off things while I try to convince my mother or find some kind of loophole to get you out of here." He said in a rush, afraid he was going about it wrong. The last thing he wanted was to look like an insensitive jerk.

She chuckled. "It's fine. I don't mind. What time?"

"Seven sharp."


Talia chuckled again. Of all the worst things that happened to her, her enemy's son had been the nicest thing to drop in her path. He was very different from his mother and the more Talia tried to push the thought away, the more it intruded her mind. Did the prince like her