Darla stared at Kaizan as if he would combust in flames, but the man was unfazed. Once again he shrugged and walked to the door along with Darla. She was about to break into a sprint when he pulled her braid and stopped her. They heard her cursing him outside the door all the way down the stairs.
When they were left alone in the room, Anastasia opened her mouth. "I know that your mother and father are not happy to see me, but do you think that their animosity will go so soon? I want to talk to her about my plans. Will she help me in freeing my parents? Will she help me in removing Aed Ruad? Why do I feel that instead of moving forward we have gone many steps back?"
Ileus had wrapped his arms around her waist. He pressed his chin on her shoulder. "All these questions are coming too soon, and honestly I don't have an answer. But whatever happens, you know that I am with you and I am going to make sure that you get what you deserve." How could he answer her questions when at this point he was unsure about everything? He lifted her hand and caressed the ring in her finger. "What I know is that you and I are real and that is what matters to me the most."
Anastasia's body quivered in response and she curled in his lap. He held her tightly against his chest and rocked her. "By throwing Maple in front of mother we have gained. I am sure she will be on her way to grill Maple." They sat there quietly for a moment when Ileus said, "Would you like to continue with your training warrior girl?"
Anastasia jerked her head up in a surprise. "I would love to!" she said.
—
To say that Adrianna was eager to get into Maple's cell was an understatement. She was dying to shred her to pieces but after sweeping her cell. The guards opened the iron gates of the prison. As they opened the magic around them sizzled in white lights that would have sliced anyone into two. The prison was located on a solitary hill that was on Level 3, far away from the civilization. It was heavily fortified. Though one couldn't see the guards but in reality they were cloaked under invisibility spell. Only the queen could see them. Adrianna had summoned Haldir. She was angry with him but her anger was pushed down because of her impatience to meet Maple.
As she walked with him to the prison, she said, "Why didn't you tell me about Maple earlier?"
"That would have been a grave mistake on my part," he replied coldly. "I am bonded to protect by none other than you and if I would have told you about Maple, his security would have been compromised." Flimsy excuse, but doable.
Adrianna stopped on the cobblestone path they were walking on. She turned to him and narrowed her eyes. "Really Haldir?"
Haldir gave her one of his rare smiles. "Yes, Your Majesty." His answer was short. Sometimes when you hide information, it acts as your greatest weapon.
Adrianna's eyes narrowed and she glared at him, but then she turned and resumed walking. "How is Inyanga doing? I heard she is pregnant."
"She is doing good, Your Majesty." Again a short answer. Adrianna was aware that Haldir gave clipped answers and the only people he ever had lengthy arguments with were Isidorus, Ileus and of course his wife.
"Where is she these days?"
"She is in her kingdom and plans to come here in a month's time."
They soon reached the wing of the prison where Maple was kept. When the guards opened the thick iron door that creaked and sizzled with wizard magic, Adrianna's curiosity rose. She was sure that she would find her daughter's whereabouts in Maple's cell. As she walked, she could hear deranged laughter, mad mumblings and loud curses of the prisoners. Prison cells were separated from each other, not by walls, but by thick ivy that crawled around to form a room. If the inmates tried to break ivy, it grew back. It grew back so tightly that it would often trap them for ages until a guard came to set them free. Magic crackled everywhere.
Adrianna touched the ivy wall of the cell in which Maple was. As soon as it opened, she found herself staring into Maple's eyes that had turned into a yellow slit. Adrianna stared into those eyes. Maple wrists were shackled by ivy that was growing around them. Every time she tried to pull herself away, ivy grew. Just around her wrists the leaves were red because the roots of the climber had penetrated into her skin and sucked blood. Her bat-like wings that she must have flared at some time out of anger were pinned to the wall and ivy grew around them. Her hair was matted and her lips were chapped.
The witch queen went and stood in front of her with a smirk. "How do you like our hospitality," she scoffed.
Maple growled. "Who are you? Release me!"
Adrianna ambled to her and stopped right in front of her. With a claw she tipped Maple's chin up and snarled, "Look at me well. I am Adrianna, the queen of Draoidh."
Maple's eyes widened. Fear skittered down her spine. She tried to free herself from the ivy but the vine grew wildly. "What do you want?" Maple had heard about Adrianna's skill of entering someone's cell, and leaving the person deranged for life. Her face became pale like a ghost.
Adrianna tilted her head and said, "I want to see inside your mind. You know that, don't you? Now it is up to you to resist, but the more you resist the more you are going to get hurt. I can't promise that I will not alter your memories, but then again you don't have a choice."
Maple felt a tendril entering her mind. "Don't you do that bitch!" she shouted. "My brother is going to take revenge from you and that bloody bitch, Anastasia!" The tendril turned into something so vicious that she yelled in pain and then her eyes became blank. Adrianna had entered her mind easily despite her resistance.
