Call Of The Dark

Emma wiped the tears off her face. If she wasn't going to get Lazarus, then she was going to make sure that Olya got Magnus. She grabbed Olya's hands and said, "Why don't you run away with Lord Magnus?"

Olya looked scandalously at Emma. "What?" she squealed. "That would be so outrageous! How can I run away with him when I intend to marry him after I am eighteen?"

Emma frowned. "When is your birthday?" she asked as if her mind was already concocting plans.

"In two months."

"Oh, then you have made it easier!" Emma's lips quirked up.

"How?" Olya asked, wondering what Emma was up to. And she could sense that Emma was up to something really mischievous.

Suddenly, the door of her room opened with a loud bang and they snapped their heads in its direction.

"Olya!" Magnus came inside, his expressions panicky. He closed the door behind him and leaned over it as he looked at Olya and tried to calm his nerves. His throat was dry. Slowly, he closed the gap between them and kneeled right in front of her. "I— I won't let that happen. Trust me," he said as he gently placed his hands over her thighs. The whole world including Emma faded around him.

Olya bit her lip and cupped his beautiful face. "I don't want to marry anyone other than you Lord Magnus," she said softly, her lips trembling.

"I don't want to marry anyone either," Magnus let out a love confession so beautiful that Olya melted.

From the corner of her eye, Emma saw that Lazarus too had traced in the room. He leaned against the door with his hands clasped behind him as he watched the two love birds with their gazes locked.

"Then why didn't you protest over there?" Emma intervened. She huffed in anger as Lazarus pushed himself from the door and walked towards them.

Magnus snapped his head to look at her and then turned to Lazarus. His fangs snapped out and his fists balled tightly. "Lazarus," he said as he got up. "If you think I am going to leave you alive to marry Olya, then let me tell you one thing clearly—"

Lazarus lifted his hand up. "Magnus, I don't want to marry Olya!" His eyes drifted to Emma who was blowing a strand out of her face with a fierce look in her eyes. If looks could kill, Emma was already throwing daggers laced with poison at him.

"Then why didn't you deny it straightaway!" Magnus snapped, doubting his elder brother. He took a menacing step towards him and then another as if he wanted to rip him limb by limb.

"If I denied it that time, Olya would have been in grave danger."

Magnus's eyebrows furrowed. "What do you mean?"

"This is not the time to explain what I mean, but the thought of marrying anyone other than Em—" his jaws clenched. "I mean Maeve, is abhorrent."

Emma's mouth fell to the floor. She rose from her place, stomped to him and hissed, "That's right. The two of you are a match made in hell. I wouldn't have married you if you were a donkey!"

Lazarus shot her a glare. He was going to kill every donkey now. He willed himself to turn his attention back at Magnus. "My plan is to—"

"Of please!" Emma interjected. "No one needs to know your plan. Goddess Maeve is sitting in the tent, missing you," she said, fluttering her eyes in sarcasm. As Lazarus glared at her again for being so impudent, she turned her attention to Magnus. "I have a plan."

Magnus narrowed his eyes on her. "What plan?"

Emma crossed the floor between her and Olya and sat down beside her. Magnus came to sit in front of Olya again and knelt. He wiped her tears and placed a chaste kiss on her cheeks as if to relax her. She grasped his hands in hers and then her eyes slid to Emma.

"Why don't you run away?" Emma said, shrugging. "It's so simple."

Magnus rolled his eyes as Olya said, "I told you that's not an option!"

"I know, but I am not asking him to run away. I am asking you to do that."

"Are you freaking insane?" Lazarus growled.

Emma shot him a glare and he became quiet. "Look, Olya, you are upset with this whole marriage thing. Why don't you run to Wilyra with Magnus? But no one should know that you have run to him. Everyone will find you everywhere else and Magnus too will have to show that he is finding her. But in fact you will be living in the palace all the time!"

Lazarus's lips curled up for a short moment but he wiped it off with his signature death glance.

Magnus, in the meantime, was all ears. "I can hide her in the palace and it won't be very difficult."

"Yes, you have to hide her from Maeve's magic for two months!" Lazarus scoffed.

Emma crossed her hands across her chest and in a low voice said, "If I were alive, I would have helped you for those two months, but—" her voice drifted away. Her throat burned with an unknown emotion. She shoved it soon and resumed her confidence. "Once she is eighteen, she can marry you in a private ceremony."

Olya and Magnus couldn't help but suddenly feel excited. "Well, this can be done. Fuck with Naomi and her vile plans!" Magnus said with excitement, lacing his voice. He looked at Olya and gave her a reassuring look.

Lazarus liked Emma's plan and he didn't know why his chest was swelling with pride. "I have a cabin nestled somewhere nestled in the harsh icy snow mountains of Wilyra. We can keep Olya safe there," he added his contribution.

Olya chuckled. "Oh, Emma! Thank you so much!" she jumped at her and squeezed her tight in her hug. "You are brilliant!"

Emma flicked her hair back. "Of course, I am!"

"Now that this matter is nearly resolved, let me go and accept Cain's marriage proposal," Lazarus said, giving Emma another long look. But she ignored him. "Only then Olya's running away would look legit!"