Bart didn’t know what to make of the Chaos Prince. His smile was unsettling to say the least but it was his eyes that bothered Bart the most. It was as if he knew he was a step ahead of Bart and everyone else and that there was nothing anyone could do about it.
“I didn’t think you would actually be dumb enough to come here,” the Prince began. “Yet I must give it to Mafortian. You clearly didn’t want your little girlfriend here to die.” Bart wanted to respond with ‘She’s not my girlfriend’ but he just kept quiet. “Now I would like to formally introduce myself,” the Prince continued. “My name is Tyreekin Shapric, but many know me as the Chaos Prince.”
“I know who you are,” Bart yelled. The Prince laughed which prompted the three brothers and all the soldiers behind Bart to start laughing as well. He hadn’t realized that they were surrounded until the laughter had started. How were they supposed to get out of this situation? He’d seen Victoria fight and she was good, but he wasn’t sure if she and her brother could take the three Bloodworthy brothers. Now they had to deal with Tyreekin also? Not a good plan.
“I’m glad,” he said still laughing. “I didn’t want to go through an entire flashy introduction anyway.”
“Enough of your games, Tyreekin,” said Jester. With the smile still stretched across his face the Prince’s eyes turned to Jester.
“I wasn’t talking to you, Jester,” he said. “I was talking to my cousin.” Bart wasn’t sure if he had heard Tyreekin correctly but it sounded like he had called Bart his cousin. Charlotte looked to Bart, and Bart knew she was thinking what he was thinking.
“Liar!” Bart shouted out. He tried to rush forward but Victoria stopped him. Bart was half happy she did because he had no idea what he was thinking. The Prince looked at him, but the sly maniacal look on his face didn’t change.
“Ah, so they haven’t told you?” he said, sounding surprised. “Figures they wouldn’t. I will let you discuss that later then. However, for me to let any of you leave here alive, I am going to need your help, cousin.” Bart’s anger was rising. Whether Tyreekin was telling the truth or not, Bart didn’t care. All Bart cared about was shutting him up.
“Why would I ever help you?” Bart asked angrily.
“Don’t talk to him or listen to him, Bart,” Victoria said.
“That hurts coming from you Victoria,” Tyreekin said casually. “I thought we were all friends here. Your brothers clearly have taken a liking to me.” He gestured to Mafortian and his brothers when he said this. Bart was stymied. There was no way that was true. Why was Tyreekin saying these things? Was Victoria really Mafortian’s sister? And if he was telling the truth, why had all this been kept from him? He thought the secret keeping was long past. Tyreekin looked at Bart and could clearly see the confusion and frustration on his face. “Wow,” he said laughing again. “They clearly haven’t shared that much information with the boy, have they,” he said looking at Mafortian who just smiled. “Let me ask you something Bartholomew. How can you trust anything they have to say? If they have lied to you about so much, how do you know what they are keeping from you or what else they are lying about?” Bart didn’t want to listen to him, but from what it was sounding like, he was right. Tyreekin was spilling all these secrets that he knew nothing about and no one was denying them.
“What is it that you want from Bart?” Charlotte yelled out, snapping Bart out of it.
“It’s simple, really,” Tyreekin responded. “Give me what your father gave to you to hide, and you can all go safely. Refuse, and well as you can see, you are vastly outnumbered. Refusal wouldn’t be the wisest of options.” Jester turned and looked at Bart but Victoria kept her eyes on their enemies. Bart had no idea what item the Prince was talking about and Jester clearly saw that on his face.
“I don’t have anything from my dad but this necklace,” Bart said. Tyreekin started to laugh again and so did his men.
“Come on now, give me what I want, Bartholomew,” he said. “I know you have it; your father said so before he died.” Bart was livid now. He knew his father was gone, but he hadn’t known whose hand had done the dirty deed. Now, looking into Tyreekin’s eyes, he knew. And all he wanted now was revenge.
“He said he doesn’t have what you’re looking for,” Victoria said stepping back obviously preparing for the inevitable attack by the Prince and his men. Tyreekin stopped laughing but his smile remained. Bart could think of nothing but wiping that smile clean off his face.
“Listen,” Tyreekin started but then, before he could finish, a bright white light flashed between the two groups. It was so bright that Bart had to shield his eyes. It felt like heat was emitting from it, too, and Bart thought that maybe Tyreekin had finished with the talking and decided to burn everyone alive. Bart’s uncle who was in the Marines always said people were easier to search when they’re dead. There was no arguing that point. When the light finally died out Bart was shocked at who he saw standing there, and clearly so was Tyreekin, whose smile had faded. It was replaced by a frown and wide eyes. Everyone had gone silent and just stared as Demetrius stood tall in front of the Chaos Prince.
“Tyreekin,” Demetrius said softly. The Chaos Prince stood there visibly upset at the arrival of Demetrius, but Mafortian and the others looked more fearful rather than upset.
“To what do we owe this pleasure,” Tyreekin said resentfully.
“Let us not pretend that this is a pleasure,” Demetrius responded. Tyreekin continued to frown as he glared at the Master of Wielding.
“Fine,” Tyreekin hissed. “I was just having a conversation with my little cousin there. He has something I want. If he hands it over, then we can all have a peaceful night.” Everyone was silent as Demetrius stood there, unwavering in his position opposite Tyreekin. Bart didn’t know what was going to happen, but he liked his chances a little more now that Demetrius was there. Even so, they were still heavily outnumbered.
“Bartholomew,” Demetrius said, turning to walk towards Bart. Bart noticed Tyreekin’s eyes widened even further as if Demetrius turning his back was some kind of offensive gesture. Regardless of whether or not it was, no one moved a muscle. Bart was a little shocked, too. Demetrius must command the upmost respect if no one attacked him when he wasn’t looking. “Do you have any idea what item he speaks of?” Bart had expected Demetrius to be angry with him for leaving the castle and disobeying the queen and himself. Yet, standing here, looking in his eyes, Demetrius seemed rather peaceful.
“No clue, sir,” Bart said quietly.
“Very well then,” Demetrius said with a smile. He turned back to face Tyreekin and pushed Bart back in between Victoria and Jester. “He doesn’t have what you are looking for. I think it best we just take our leave.” Tyreekin began to laugh and once again all his men joined in.
“Sure thing,” he said with a smirk. “Just leave the girl as incentive that when Bart here finds what I want, he will bring it to me.” They all started laughing again, this time much louder.
“Not going to happen,” Demetrius said, loud enough for everyone to hear over the laughter, silencing everyone. “She leaves with us.” Tyreekin’s frown returned as he stared into the unyielding eyes of Demetrius.
“I don’t even know what you want,” Bart screamed but Demetrius put his hand up silencing him.
“It matters not,” Demetrius said calmly. “Tyreekin is going to let us go regardless of what it is he needs.”
“And who are you to tell me what I am going to do?” Tyreekin shouted, evidently starting to lose his cool. Demetrius didn’t respond. He just stood there, completely still. Then, out of nowhere, Jonah came stumbling through the crowd, a little beat up but overall, okay.
“Wow,” he said as he stopped and assessed the situation. “This is interesting.” Tyreekin didn’t take his eyes off Demetrius who continued to look straight back at the Prince. Then Tyreekin started to laugh.
“You know, I like your style,” he said still chuckling. This time only the Prince was laughing. It was obvious that no one else got the joke. “Fine,” he said finally after several seconds. “The boy may not have what I want today or he may not want to give it up, but trust me, we will meet someday soon and when we do…” He gestured something to the soldiers behind Bart and the others, and they began to slowly back away. “When we do meet again, he won’t have the same choice.” Then, just as quickly as Demetrius had appeared, the Prince and his henchmen vanished with a flash of a green light. Demetrius turned and looked at everyone with a great big smile.
“Shall we go home?” he said casually, as if none of the past ten minutes had happened. Jester grabbed Jonah by the collar and Victoria told Charlotte to hold on. Demetrius walked up to Bart and placed his hand gently on his shoulder. “You’re with me,” he said and with that, Bart’s eyes closed only to re-open standing in front of Crestcon castle.
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