RETURN OF THE HYBRID (Book III)

Chapter 22

Their priority was not to save the king. Baxter was one hell of a smart man. Both ways the king was going to die and he wanted to clean up his name. Clean all the traces of his involvement or what in future they would have called terminate all the loose ends. Johannes locked the door quickly with all his strength.

"Knock it down. You can't hide in there forever!" Baxter shouted.

Johannes tied the wine skin around his waist and walked to the window. A sea of soldiers were waiting for them down there. It was going to be a tough one. The escape was going to be tough if not impossible.

"You remember what I told you about if things go wrong?” he asked not looking at her.

He was ripping of the curtains from the windows to make a rope. There was another window with less soldiers. If he could get her there with the blood then figure out how to save himself later to buy her more time to escape.

"Not leaving without you" she said.

"You are joking"

"No am not leaving without you we are two very powerful people a bunch of soldiers is nothing to us"

"What do you have in mind? I can smell silver and garlic allover"

"It won't be long before they break through this door we need to be ready"

"With what exactly?"

She smiled then spread her hands as though she was praying. Her hands caught fire.

"You are good at smelling right?” she asked.

"Yes"

"Get gasoline"

"Gladly" Johannes said leaving in super speed through a door. He came back with two cans of gasoline. The large door was already being ripped form it's hinges. Any minute from then they were coming in. Gaia out the flame.

"You know what to do next" she said.

"I wish you were not into the prince I would have kissed you"

"No am Not"

"Liar"

"Just get ready" I will light them up then stay close to me to avoid the flames.

When Baxter’s men knocked down the door Johannes poured all the gasoline in the two cans on them. Before they realized his game plan Gaia's hands lit up and a snake like fire rolled on the floor. The next thing that was heard were people screaming out if the place their bodies on fire, the smell of burned skin, both animal and human filled the air as Baxter and his men ran for their dear lives. Gaia and Johannes walked inside flames and jumped on the nearby horse. Baxter was smart but ignorant. He forgot it was a vampire witch combination. The small fire turned to one big inferno as everything caught up into flames. It was the second kingdom on fire and the first win for the hybrid. Baxter was left with nothing to rule.

"That was cool" Johannes said drinking from the wineskin.

"You dummy don't drink it all!" Gaia argued snatching it away from him.

By mistake it slipped from her hands and dropped but before it hit the ground she stopped it. Johannes stopped the horse, leaned over and picked it.

"Show off"

"That was not on purpose” she argued.

"Let's get somewhere to sleep tomorrow we go to the meeting point" suggested Johannes as they got further in the woods.

***Cassandra's Quest in the northern kingdom***

Eric had given her a place to sleep for the night after they arrived in the kingdom late the previous day. The entire northern kingdom was on lockdown during the night after reports of spies being seen. They could not risk walking at night, it was both stupid and dangerous.

"So this friend of yours you said her name was?" Eric asked serving her tea, honey and bread with mixed fruits.

She did not like bread that much but the mixed fruits and honey were an additive to her daily boring diet. She would have rather had yams or nuts instead.

"Lana she works in the palace as a maid or worked, it has been long since we talked am not sure"

"So we go to the palace even though you are not sure of her whereabouts" Eric said taking a seat opposite hers.

She nodded and poured herself some tea. Just a little and applied honey on the bread. Eric was staring at her lustfully from the corner of his eye. He was not aware she knew he was looking.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Cassandra asked.

"You probably don't remember but you healed our mum once although she died later on but I'm so grateful, that one week you gave us with her was priceless. I learned a lot and started being grateful of her life"

"Am sorry"

"No it's okay, it was a long time ago the wounds heal you know"

"But the heart doesn’t forget, how long?"

"Ten seasons back I think, I look young don't I?" Eric asked with a grin on his face.

"No I didn't say that" she said restraining a smile.

"Am twenty seasons old and you I guess fifty or what?"

"I don't count"

"Okay, but you are beautiful though. Do people like you get married?" Eric asked smiling.

It was time he let the intentions of his heart known. He was speculating being a witch she probably knew what he was thinking. There was no point of lying and waiting for her to make the move which depended on whether she liked him.

"You want to marry me?" Cassandra asked flashing a smile.

Eric was sure she was not using her magic on him. She was scared of using it. They were having a genuine conversation. And he was confident she liked him after bringing up the word marriage in her answer.

"Maybe but we will have to go through courtship and stuff"

"I can get married of course but not to you" she said politely.

He felt hurt. Judging from her beauty any man would have felt the same way and to confirm his fears he asked the same question every man would have asked. Turns out it wasn’t that old.

"Is there someone special? Who's the lucky man?"

"No there is not, I will complicated your life, can we go find Lana?"

She changed the topic. Eric still wanted to understand her. How complicated could she have been? Apart from magic. She was not a normal human being at heart and another thing was the fact that he might have died and left her behind. But Eric just wanted a chance to love her for the rest of his life and die in her arms even though the thought of someone else having her in his absence was scary but he would have been dead with nothing much to do about it.

"Yes, Lana we ride on my horse" Eric said leading the way.

When they got out he locked the door while Cassandra stood by waiting for his next move.

"What's her name?" Cassandra asked walking towards the horse, he massaged her back.

"Marita, I named her after my mother"

"She is a beauty"

"She seems to like you...come on let's help you get on top" Eric said holding her hand.

“She doesn’t like everyone”

“Yes, you might be special”

He sat behind her as they rode through the settlements towards the palace. Eric had people he knew in the palace, they would have helped them get Lana. There was no need of looking for her where she lived. Cassandra did not believe in fate but she believed she was lucky to meet him. Eric was her straight ticket to the king's palace. James was among the most respected Kings in the five lands. He demanded respect. No one had an option really, you had to respect him or lose your head. And nature shaped humans into struggling animals. Survival was key. He had a large army protecting his palace making it an impenetrable palace.

"Our king is a very smart man, the smartest in the four lands" Eric said as they rode to the gates of the palace.

From far one could see a burning torch above the gate. Beside it was an archer with a bow and quiver of arrows. Then there was men with swords and quivers carrying their shields making their rounds on top of the wall. There was another group making rounds around the wall but on the ground, in addition to arrows they had spears and clubs to beat the leaving hell out of anyone who tried to harm their king. King James’s palace was the real definition of a fortress. Getting in there would have been tough without a smart man like Eric. Tough like an elephant going through the sewing needle hole.

"All kings are smart in their own way including mine king Rhode"

"Like I said ours is the smartest others are smart"

"Why?"

"Unlike the rest of them he has not send his army to look for war, they are just waiting to be attacked for them to fight back"

"That one is smart"

Eric chuckled. He doubted her confession.

“Really” She assured.

“Don’t worry I believe you, we are here”

They got to the gates and alighted. Eric instructed her to let him do the talking. That was what he was good at, using his sweet tongue to create a path where no path could be created. Meanwhile guilty Cassandra was feeling bad about not telling him why she was there. He knew she wanted to see her friend but he had already played the role of Lana. He was getting them in the palace.

"Stop!" A huge man, brown maybe dirty with lice overgrown beard, distorted voice with a steel helmet on his head ordered.

Cassandra and Eric both froze.

"State your business with King James or anyone within the palace walls"

"We are not here to see the king...I mean we are here to see the king and our friend sorry am nervous can you just move a little bit am scared of swords, spears and stuff" Eric said looking all cheeky.

Dressed in a cream colored baggy long-sleeved shirt, tacked in a brown pair of trousers and black boots, a water skin around his waist, his hair curly and rolling on his shoulders, cascading actually describes it better, his eyes were full of life, Eric looked like a comedian. But he was selling another story too. He was not a threat. It was the easiest and smartest way to get past security. Their job was to minimize threats. Proving one was far from causing a threat was another easier way to get in.

"You don't even know how to wield a sword I bet" the man said moving a few steps back.

"So you know" he cleared his throat," can we see a maid named Lana and then the king we will be quick about it I promise"

"Your names"

"Am Eric the son of Jonah, the famous business man"

"And her?"

"Lydia the daughter of Samuel"

"Are you two married?"

She looked at Eric. Maybe the marriage bit would have done the magic. Nothing in the kingdom was celebrated like marriage. King James wanted more men to create and army and to do that women had to get married and give birth to men, part of the reason he took an initiative to bless the newly married couples.

"We want to be married, I came to get the kings blessings and permit" Eric said holding Cassandra tightly.

"What about your friend Lana why have you come to see him?"

"To invite him for the wedding"

"Okay, open the gate!" He ordered.

The interrogation went smoothly. They were in. Now the last riddle was getting the kings blood without harming him and causing panic all over the palace. If that happened then she had no guarantee Eric would have been safe. She was not worried about herself. Magic was always an option. As they walked to the palace building, some fifty meters away from the gates a soldier came running. He ordered them to stop. Cassandra froze. Panic mode set in. what had they seen or heard?

"Stay still I got this" Eric whispered.

He was trying to look reserved although panic was all over his face.

"What is it?" Cassandra did the opposite.

Eric held her hand right. If they realized who she was, he might as well considered himself dead. King James treated treason with death. There was no negotiation about it and as though death was not enough ones entire family was banished from the kingdom never to return for eternity. Their land was shared among the poor except that those who got a share of it were not even close to poverty. Most of them were the king’s cronies. His advisors and concubines, drinking buddies and high level palace officials.

"We forgot to search you of any weapons, stand far apart and spread your arms!" He ordered.

"I only have my water skin" Eric claimed.

Cassandra needed that to carry the blood and Eric was there reminding them to take it away.

"It doesn't matter you must be searched"

He started with Eric. From the legs to his waist with his arms feeling anything hidden, to his chest and sleeves, there was nothing. He took the water skin, opened it and poured some water on his palm. He smelt it and forced Eric to drink. Eric drank gladly. It was Cassandra’s turn and Eric was fuming with jealously. It was the first time he wished he was a guard and he had to touch a woman like Cassandra indecently in the name of searching for weapons. It should have been him touching her allover, if not him at least they should have searched her from far, where he couldn’t see.

"Be careful with her, know where to and not to touch" Eric complained looking on closely, “Don’t we have women soldiers?"

"Shut up! Don’t teach me how to do my job" he growled.

The man looked at Cassandra closely. She was holding her breath. In her head a spell was ready just in case he realized who she was. That was the problem, many people knew her but she didn't know them and she couldn't remember them.

"Have I met you somewhere?" He asked.

"She rarely walk my friend what is this?" Eric argued.

"One not your friend and two next time you speak I will send this sword under your chin through your skull shut up!" he said glaring at Eric.

Without knowing he provided a perfect distraction for Cassandra. She readjusted her face and eyes with a spell.

"Look again” she said.

He did look again.

"Sorry I thought it was someone else"

"Go on search me" she dared.

The guard’s confidence had diminished. He searched her randomly asking her to turn around and avoiding what he was not supposed to touch.

"You are free to proceed" He said and walked away.

He was gone a few meters, Eric got his freedom of speech back.

"What did you do him?"

"You should ask what I did to me" Cassandra said looking at him.

"I would have forgotten you"

"That was the whole point of it"

They were welcomed to the royal palace by the butler as he went to fetch Lana.