THE THIRD MAGE 38 Damien

The guards who took her all guarded the door, leaving her inside the chamber alone, miserable in her thoughts. She wasn't bound though, so her hands were free to roam and touch wherever she wished.

She held the ball, Bouncy, which she made as her necklace. It did not bounce at that moment because Bouncy has a new role to play. And Denaire really wished that it would yield an effective result.

She hoped it would. So she silently prayed that everything would be alright.

King Andrew was slowly descending to the holding chamber, his elite guards in tow. A mind control expert was following him, his head lowered.

"Damien, my boy, I have a very important job for you. This person you are about to control is very special. I want you to take very good care of her."

The boy, the mind control expert, Damien, raised his head and nodded at the King. The King smiled, showing his pointy teeth.

"Very good Damien, so obedient. Now smile. I don't want to let our special guest for today think that I'm mistreating you."

But Damien didn't smile, for there was something going on in him – something very wrong.

***

Denaire heard the footsteps first before hearing the door open and seeing the ugly face of the King. But still she acted with respect, for she was afraid what he might do to her if she didn't.

"Your Majesty," she said with a curtsy.

"Ah, Denaire, how sweet of you. Now, as you may have thought, we are going to interrogate you. I brought someone that would help you shed more light to the events in Oniro."

"I will help you Your Majesty, in any way I can. You don't need to do that. I will gladly tell you what I know."

King Andrew grinned. "Ah, but you see, my love, I don't want to risk it. I am not sure where loyalties lie as you were from my enemy kingdom. Oh who am I kidding? Everyone is my enemy!" he laughed maniacally.

Denaire cringed inwardly. This stupid King is going mad, she thought.

"So, Denaire, for safety purposes, I do have to do this to you. You won't mind, will you?"

Denaire clenched his fists, which didn't escape the observing glance the King gave her.

"Ah, my sweet child, you don't need to resist it. Resisting would be very, very painful. Just let it in and it would all go smoothly."

Denaire closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. She calmed her racing heart and persuaded her mind to relax and remember that the necklace will help her. It will.

When she opened her eyes, there was a burning fire in it, one that didn't escape the King's eyes. He was curious of what made her feel that way, but he couldn't find anything that would fit the situation. So, he disregarded it and decided to move on to the next activity.

The King ordered the guards to bring the guy in. Denaire watched wearily at the exchange, noting if there was something amiss in it. But she found none.

She waited for the guy to come in, and when he did, she was left speechless. One word was all she could say in a whisper, "Brother."

Her brother looked at her. And there she saw what was wrong. Her brother was like a puppet, his face was expressionless, his eyes dull and empty. It was as if he has no life at all, a puppet doing what its puppeteer wants.

She wanted to hug her brother and release him from whatever spell he was put into, or maybe he was mind-controlled too. But the King was looking at her intently, looking for something she didn't know. And so, she rejected her wants to talk and ask him what happened. The King might exploit their relations.h.i.+p and all her plans would all go wrong.

"Do you know him Denaire? I bet you do, since my people found him in Oniro after all."

Denaire didn't answer. The King's statement wasn't really looking for an answer.

"So, Damien," continued the King. "Begin interrogating her."

Damien bowed to the King and approached Denaire who backed a step. She had the urge to touch Bouncy, but retracted her hand immediately, for fear of the King finding it suspicious.

She clenched her fists instead and faced the approaching Damien.

"Denaire, open your mind to me," Damien said hypnotizing.

Denaire could have sworn he felt the tendrils of power emanating from her brother brush up against her. And as if it felt that she was a familiar being, Damien jerked and glared at Denaire.

Denaire glared back, feeling his power getting aggressive and pus.h.i.+ng more. Damien shuddered at the familiarity his powers felt, and when he looked back again at Denaire, there was some clarity in his eyes again.

Denaire finally knew how to get his brother back.