Call Of The Dark

"You are too worried, Lord Lorza," Emma said. Then she dragged her fingers down his chest and rubbed his skin. "What if this delicate creature wants to ride you, dear Lord Lorza?" A line of faint electricity sizzled down.

He stiffened. His bride was sex walking on two legs. She enticed him to no lengths. Even though he wanted to take her right there and then, he shook his head. "Not now. I just risk you being hurt." He looked at her beautiful face and wondered how he could be so lucky. Did he truly even deserve her?

Another knock on the door disrupted his chain of thoughts. He growled. "Who's there?"

Gladys's shrill voice sounded. "I have come with the healer."

Lazarus jerked his head back. She had come back pretty quickly. "Come in." He got up and walked to the bar.

She entered the room with the healer following her. The healer bowed to him and then to Emma.

"I went to him personally to get this potion made for you Emma," she said, waving at the potion which the healer was holding in his hand. It was a deep brown liquid that bubbled. "Have it quickly. I am sure you will relax. When you get up next, all your internal injuries will heal up."

Emma looked at the healer who had silvery white hair and white beard. She pursed her lips. "But I think I am fine, Gladys. I don't want it."

"I will not hear a word about it, Emma!" Gladys chided her out of concern. "You are very important for us, for Lazarus. Why don't you understand that if you are healthy, Maeve will be able to enter you easily. She doesn't want to enter a sick body. After all, in your body she will be ruling all of Wilyra!"

Emma didn't like the way Gladys was putting it all, but she knew that Gladys was only talking like that because she was concerned about her brother. In their last chat, Gladys had made it clear to her how much she wanted Lazarus to come out of his darkness and rule the kingdom along with his true bride which was Goddess Maeve. But what Gladys didn't know was that Lazarus wanted to keep Emma and not Maeve. Basically, Emma could delay her healing, but there was no harm in drinking the potion.

Gladys motioned the healer to give the healing potion to Emma. The healer went to the table where a jar full of water was kept. He took out the water in a glass and poured the contents of the bottle in it. The liquid started frothing.

As he was preparing the potion, Gladys turned to walk to the couch and sat down. "I have also informed Maeve that you are here, Lazarus," she said. "She was pretty eager to meet you."

Emma was not sure how Lazarus would react to her words, but when she glanced at him, she saw him… indifferent.

"I think Maeve is going to come here and see Emma herself, if you don't go to meet her," Gladys said.

"I will go to meet her," he replied as he poured wine in his glass. He recalled how Maeve had threatened him. "Why did you tell Maeve about Emma and I so enthusiastically?" he asked. "You could have waited for Emma to heal."

Gladys was stunned at his question. She licked her dry lips. "I— I—" she stuttered. He raised his eyebrow. She licked her lips again. "I thought that you would want to see her. Isn't it?"

"I see…" he said, sipping the wine down his throat.

The healer had mixed the potion well in the glass. He lifted the glass and his eyes went to Lazarus. He lowered his eyes immediately, as a shiver ran down him. He took the glass to Emma and said, "M'lady, you have to drink the potion in one go. It is very bitter, but please bear with me. Once it will go in you, your stomach would feel like it is burning. But the feeling will be fleeting. I will give you water to soothe the burning sensation. Once you have had it, please take a rest."

Emma took the glass from his hands. When she sniffed it, it smelled so terrible that she scrunched up her nose. She brought the glass to her lips and was about to have it, when Lazarus growled. "Stop!"

She snapped her head to look at him with questions in her eyes that she dared not ask. He had this menacing look in his eyes.

Lazarus ambled to Emma and took the glass from her. He brought it to his eye level and examined the contents. Narrowing his eyes, he said, "What all have you put in it?" He sniffed it and felt like puking.

The healer looked like he had forgotten how to breathe. With a lot of difficulty, he said in a hoarse voice, "Yarrow, chamomile and honey. I have also added fenugreek seeds."

Lazarus extended the glass to him. "I don't want Emma to take anything unless tested. After all, she will have to be present in a healthy condition for the ritual."

"Tested?" Gladys said, getting up. "What do you mean, Lazarus? Our healer has been in the palace since eternity. Don't you trust his potions?"

Lazarus shook his head. "No," he said very simply. "I don't trust anyone around Emma for now. She is too precious for me."

Gladys couldn't refute that. Emma was very precious for him. She looked back and forth from him to Emma. "But I have got this potion made in front of my eyes. It is perfect!" she pushed. "Don't be so suspicious!"

"In that case, why don't you drink half of it?" Lazarus extended the glass to her.

She stepped back. "No!" she retorted. "I can't. I am not unwell."

"Even Emma is saying that she is fine, yet you are pushing her to have this potion," Lazarus pointed. "So if you have it, I am sure it won't harm you. At the same time, my doubts about the healer will go away."

Gladys gulped.