The Flames of Deception - A Horizon of Storms: Book 1 by AJ Martin Page B

only offering
sympathy.”
    “ My mother only wanted to hold my hand to comfort
me. It was a simple gesture. Do you have any idea the torment that has placed upon me?
I killed my own mother! ”
    Matthias shook his head sadly. He looked to the king at his
side. He had seemed such an almighty man just a minute ago, but now
he looked pale and fragile. The princess herself looked like a
delicate porcelain china figurine, ready to shatter into pieces if
she were so much as touched. Matthias had stumbled into a deep
family torment.
    “ I can’t imagine what you both must have gone
through,” he said. “What a terrible thing to have happened to you.
But you said you no longer feel the power now?”
    The princess nodded. “As my father said, he found
someone who was able to help me. A wise young witch who had
experience in helping women with their powers. She wanted me to
learn how to use my power at first, but with some persuasion by my
father, she taught me how to suppress it. That was over two years
ago. I thought it was finally all behind me.” She shook her head. “But now
here you are.” She looked at him with steely eyes. “I take it you
meant to take me back to your realm to suppress me?” she asked.
“That was your reason for sneaking up to my
chambers?”
    Matthias shook his head. “It is not as simple as
that, Your Highness. You’re forgetting about the prophecy. It
showed you using your power. That’s how we knew about
you.”
    “ Why would the gods show you a prophecy of me ,
of all people?” the princess asked incredulously. “What do I have to do with the
release of the dragon?”
    Matthias looked awkward. “We believe…” he stopped.
“ I believe that you
are destined to stop the dragon from being
released.”
    Josephine’s eyes widened. “Me?” she whispered,
stunned. “You think I could stop the dragon? ” she exclaimed.
    Matthias nodded. “I do.”
    “ You cannot be serious?” The king scoffed. “What deception is
this now?”
    “ It’s no trick Your Grace!” Matthias rebuffed.
“Everything I told you about the dragon’s release is true. But I
couldn’t bring myself to tell you everything last night. It was
too much to ask of you to believe me about the dragon and your daughter’s
role. You do not trust my kind.”
    “ So you decided to kidnap me?” the princess hissed. “So you could
use me as some sort of… shield against that great lump of rock in Olindia?” Her
voice was scathing.
    “ It wasn’t the original plan,” Matthias said,
shaking his head. “I was going to raise the subject over the coming
days, when I had earned your trust. But I was ordered to retrieve
you immediately as my people believe you are in danger. It was a
mistake to do it the way I tried, but it was borne out of concern for your life.”
    “ Rubbish!” The king growled. “Concern is not a
trait I associate with your kind. Treachery , however, suits you down to the ground.” He
scoffed. “You expect me to believe that your people, who despise
women who can use the world’s powers, would allow my daughter to use her abilities to
stop the dragon? Why would you make such an exception to centuries
of repression and subjugation? You have killed empresses and
queens: great women throughout history , because they dared to wield any kind of
power.”
    “ She has been selected by the gods,” Matthias
reiterated. “Not only that…” he paused, the look on his face
pained.
    “ Out with it!” the king barked. “I have no further
patience left for your procrastinations, ambassador. You will tell
me everything! Give me the answers I want to know.”
    Matthias nodded. “You deserve to know. But will you allow me to ask
a question, if it will help me to present you the full
picture?”
    The
king nodded begrudgingly. “If it is necessary to obtain the truth,”
he sighed.
    “ How
much do you all know about the different powers of this world, and
the Creation?” Matthias asked them all.
    “