Mia
I looked at the new quarters we would be living in and smiled to myself. It was nice to be out in the open and breathe the fresh outside air. Staying in the prison for those few days made me appreciate my freedom better.
I looked around our new home, my lips curved with excitement as I checked out the surroundings. I wanted to jump up and down as I was that excited. It felt so good to be free that I felt tears pricking my eyelids and quickly looked away before the boys saw it and started wondering what was wrong with me.
I already knew which part of the house was going to be my room. I couldn’t wait for Rudolph to finish the tour of the environment that he was giving us and move into the house. I wanted to check out the rooms but I didn’t want to rush in and betray my emotions that I was excited.
“I’m sorry on behalf of the king and the people of how we had treated you.” Rudolph said.
I sighed and rolled my eyes, wondering when the guy was going to stop. He had never stopped muttering apologies to us ever since he realized that we had been locked in prison by the king unfairly. I wished that he would let go of his guilt but I didn’t think it was going to be that easy. I doubted that he was going to let go until the king was free of the bond of the dark wizard. Until then, I was certain that he was going to feel guilty for all the bad decisions that his friend made and I felt sorry for him.
I had told him to let go of his guilt but he didn’t listen. Quinn had told me to leave him that he would let go when he was ready to and I had stopped bothering myself about him.
“I hope that you would be comfortable here till you go back home. I figured this place would be better than the prison for us to discuss and plan how to get rid of the evil in the king.”
“Yes, it would.” Quinn nodded. “What will you do though about the king if he finds out that you have taken us out of the prison against his commands?”
“Asides being the king, he is my friend. I know how to deal with him. Don’t worry about that. Now that I know that it’s not fully Ethan in that body, I don’t have to worry of taking advantage of our friendship to defy him and do what I want. I don’t care of being seen in the wrong doing what I have to do as I know that it’s for the good of my friend.”
I was amazed at his conviction. He was a strong, daring man and I respected him. I was sure the boys did as well.
“We would have been good friends if we had met under different circumstances.” Quinn chuckled.
Rudolph chuckled. “Let’s get rid of the nuisance we both hate and we can consider exchanging contacts before you leave.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Quinn chuckled.
No sooner had Rudolph left that the king walked in. He seemed furious and looked at us as if he struggled to believe what he was looking at. We stilled as he barged in and looked at him.
He sneered at us, his eyes narrowing with annoyance as he looked at the table before us. We had just settled in for dinner when he came in.
“I didn’t want to believe it but here you are as I heard. I couldn’t believe it when I overheard the maids talking of the house the werewolves are now living in.” He growled in anger.
“Better than the prison that you threw us in. Don’t you think?” Quinn arched his eyebrows at him.
“Don’t annoy me further, wolf.” He hissed at him.
“Aren’t you annoyed already, vampire or should I say wizard?” Quinn taunted, unrelenting.
The king ignored him and seemed to be talking to himself. “It would be a scandal if I throw Rudolph into prison but he is certainly pushing his limits as the king’s friend.”
He turned to us. “I can’t let you stay here as free men without getting anything in return. You have to repay my kindness.”
“You didn’t put us here.” Jack hissed at him.
“I am the king, the controller of the land. The girl will be my maid and you can all stay here.”
I sighed. That was the dark wizard. He wouldn’t stop wanting me, would he?
“In your dreams.” The boys stood up and growled at him.
The king laughed and it was the evil sound of the dark wizard. “The girl is mine or else, all of you will get thrown back in prison.”
“I will go with you.” I said, standing up.
The boys turned to me with surprise. “No, Mia. Don’t.”
Even the king looked at me with surprise but quickly blinked it away. I guessed he was waiting for me to argue and protest.
“I will be your maid, your highness.” I said with a slight bow.
The king nodded and smiled. “That settles it then. I give you ten minutes to say your goodbyes.” He said and walked out of the room.
“What are you thinking?” The boys growled at me as soon as he was gone.
I smiled at them. “A brilliant idea.”
“What?” They asked, looking stunned.
“I have been wondering why the sap didn’t work on the dark wizard even though it was meant to be.” I smiled as I said.
I loved this idea. I had always thought of it ever since that day but I didn’t ponder on it because I believed that there was no way that we could work on it. I hadn’t even thought of it when Rudolph had brought us out from prison and here. It wasn’t until the vampire king had mentioned that I become his maid that I remembered the theory and knew that fate was working on our behalf.
“Because he got stronger in the body of the vampire.” John said.
I shook my head, still smiling. “No.” It was easy to get to that conclusion but that wasn’t the case.
“What are you thinking?” Quinn asked, narrowing his eyes at me.
“I think the sap didn’t work because we poured it on the body of the vampire king. That wasn’t the dark wizard with the evil in him. The sap wouldn’t have worked on your boys as well which was what happened that day. The dark wizard hiding inside the vampire king is what made the sap not to work.” I explained.
Jack sighed. “I knew there must be a reason that the dark wizard had chosen to possess a body instead of resting to get his powers and working to get his form back.”
“Do you have an idea on how we can get rid of him?” John asked.
I nodded. “That’s why I didn’t protest about becoming his maid. The vampire king is the body so the sap wouldn’t work on him, the dark wizard is the inside and that is what we focus on. I will feed the vampire king the sap when I become his maid. I hope that would help.”
“Nice idea but I hope that you wouldn’t get killed.” John sighed.
“Trust me on this.”
“It’s not that we don’t but we can’t help getting worried when we think of you being alone with a man who has no control over his actions. What if he decides to kill you one day?”
I smiled. He wasn’t. I knew the dark wizard had a soft spot for me even if the boys didn’t want to admit it. “That is where Rudolph comes in. Tell him about the plan and have him be on standby in case something happens to me so he can talk the king out of it. You all heard it when the vampire king said he couldn’t throw Rudolph in prison.”
A maid knocked on the door and popped her head in. She saluted us and turned to me. “The king said you have used more than ten minutes.” She said and left.
“I have to go now.” I turned to the boys. “Get me the sap.”
They nodded, handed a container of sap to me with their expressions dark as if they had been sentenced to their deaths. I guessed they had. I had heard that their mate was like a lifeline to them and they would be immensely broken if I got hurt. I promised myself to not get hurt, for their sake.
“I will come always in the evenings to give a status report and tell you If the plan is working.”
“Be careful.” They said at the same time.
“I will.” I replied and walked out of the room, missing them already.
***
“You will be the one to get my food and drinks from now on, Mia and you will stay here with me while I eat.” The king said as I got to where he was. “I will keep you so busy that you won’t have the time for those boys.”
I nodded and smiled to myself as I listened to him. The king must have really been praying hard to be free because it was amazing how the dark wizard was saying what would make his exit be faster.
“Yes, your highness.” I bowed and mocked.
“Have the werewolves found their mate and broken the curse?”
I blinked at the sudden change in conversation. “What?”
“Never mind. You wouldn’t know stuff like that.” He said, waving his hand at me in a dismissive manner. “Get me some snacks.”
My eyes widened and I almost betrayed myself even before the plan started. How was I going to get the sap on snacks without having it noticed?
“On a second thought, get me tea as well. I am stressed and need to soothe my nerves.”
“Yes, your highness.” I bowed and smiled as I walked away.