The Crown's Fire - Chapter 61

Chapter 61: A Sacrificial Death (unedited)
“I had to change the course of events,” Tarah thought as she entered the portal.

Right then, she witnessed Queen Mineah struggling against Zoran’s power.

“You’re seeking revenge against the wrong person!” Mineah declared, her voice deliberate. “Nikolai didn’t kill Dahlia!”

Zoran paused, his expression faltering. “You! What are you…”

“She’s speaking the truth!” Tarah interjected, seizing the opportunity to distract Zoran. She knew Zoran’s past and understood how he ended up as one of Devon’s warlocks.

This was the only way to divert Zoran’s attention and save Queen Mineah. Tarah had to employ her ability to reveal the truth behind Queen Mineah’s words.

“See it for yourself!” Tarah bellowed as she grabbed Zoran’s hand and then touched the barrier Queen Mineah kept in contact with her inner energy. With determination, she channeled her energy to transmit the past event from Queen Mineah’s memory directly into Zoran’s consciousness. Tarah’s eyes turned white and Zoran’s body stiffened in response.

“Brother is secured! Wizard Lurio, go and enter the portal!”

Amidst Queen Mineah’s screams, Tarah smiled in satisfaction, acknowledging the Queen’s quick wit. Meanwhile, Tarah continued with her efforts to distract Zoran by ensuring that he witnessed every aspect of the truth he had been ignorant of.

By the sideline, wizard Lurio started struggling to hold onto the barrier. After ensuring he had channeled enough energy to keep the barrier on hold for some more time, he hastily entered the portal Mineah created. Seeing his escape, Mineah then turned to her.

“Tarah, that’s enough! Go back inside the portal before it closes!” Mineah shouted at her.

Even though Tarah heard Mineah’s plea to return, she found it hard to pull away from Zoran’s tight grasp. The truth had firmly taken hold in his mind, making it difficult for her to break free.

“Tarah!” The queen’s voice echoed louder this time. Just a few more moments… Suddenly, Zoran’s grip weakened, and Tarah seized the opportunity to sever their connection. Instantly, her eyes reverted to their original color.

“Tarah! Hurry!”

Queen Mineah was barely maintaining her hold as she urged Tarah to enter the portal. With seconds slipping away, Tarah scrambled back inside just before the portal was sealed shut.

“Milady,” Cora swiftly moved to assist Tarah, guiding her to a nearby chair.

“My daughter… Where is she?” Queen Dana inquired, her gaze fixed on the spot where the portal had vanished.

Tarah’s complexion drained as she anticipated Queen Mineah’s presence behind her. Had she failed to alter the course of events as she had foreseen?

“My daughter…” Queen Dana’s voice trailed off weakly.

Before she could continue, Princess Ezme abruptly burst into the tent.

“My brother just sent me a message. He stated that Queen Mineah was with him, and they were on their way back in his mist form. He requests a healer to be ready in his tent as Queen Mineah has lost consciousness,” Ezme informed urgently.

Tarah’s shoulders relaxed, and a visible tension lifted from her frame as she heard the news.

Looking at Princess Ezme, she offered, “I’ll come with you, Your Highness, to check on Queen Mineah.”

With a reassuring nod from Queen Dana, Tarah turned to follow Princess Ezme outside the tent.

It didn’t take long for King Nikolai to arrive in his mist form, carrying Queen Mineah in his arms. Tarah quickly examined the queen as soon as she was placed on her bed.

“How is she?” King Nikolai inquired.

“She’s alright, Your Majesty,” Tarah said, offering a comforting smile. “She just needs some rest because she used a lot of her power.”

“She’ll wake up soon,” Tarah assured him before excusing herself to return to Ezekiel’s tent. She hurriedly relayed Queen Mineah’s condition to Queen Dana to ease her concern.

“Thank goodness,” the older woman sighed, her hand resting on her chest. Her gaze lingered on Ezekiel, her eyes brimming with emotion.

“He’s a resilient young man with a strong will. I’m confident he’ll overcome Vulcan’s soul and wake up soon,” she encouraged, her voice filled with conviction.

“You should be resting too,” Queen Dana remarked, concern evident in her tone. “I’ll have Cora escort you to your tent.”

Tarah’s cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

“Your Majesty, uh… Her Grace is actually staying in the same tent as the prince, at His Highness’s request,” Cora clarified.

Tarah felt relieved that Cora had stepped in to clarify, sparing her from having to address the situation directly.

A crease formed on Queen Dana’s forehead, indicating her confusion. Cora then gestured toward the partition, indicating where Tarah’s bed was located.

“Oh,” Queen Mother exclaimed, her concern evident. “But why? It’s not proper for her to stay with him in the same tent.”

This time, Tarah gathered her courage to explain. “I understand now. It seems my son is simply prioritizing your safety,” Queen Dana remarked, her expression softening with understanding after she explained everything. She felt bad that she had to lie but there was no other way.

“You should rest then and don’t worry about me. I’ll try to help Ezekiel with what little divine power I have left,” Queen Dana remarked. Then she turned to Cora and instructed, “Take good care of her, Cora.”

Tarah simply allowed Cora to assist her in freshening up and having some snacks. She observed Queen Dana quietly as she extended her divine powers to Ezekiel’s body. After some time, Queen Dana stopped, and Tarah quickly approached her, noticing how she was clutching her chest.

“You need to rest, Your Majesty. I’ll take care of Prince Ezekiel,” Tarah insisted, concern evident in her voice as she noticed the fatigue etched on Queen Dana’s face.

“Ah, I almost forgot. My divine powers are diminishing rapidly, and they will deplete soon,” Queen Dana revealed suddenly, catching Tarah off guard. “Regarding the tophet bloodchain spell you mentioned, it’s crucial to understand that only a fallen angel, specifically one who has repented, holds the ability to break it. Unfortunately, in my current state, I lack the capability to do so.”

She paused, her expression grave, before continuing. “Moreover, that spell is really tricky, Tarah. Only one individual can break free from its grasp, as the other person bound to it will face certain death once the spell is undone… It demands a sacrificial death for one to be free. This is why only demons possess the skill to perform such a feat. Alternatively, the spell can be broken by eliminating the demon who initially cast it.”