Chapter 43: Mind Games

The Queen Icily looked at Prince Obi

"Looks like you are ready for war?" The queen asked

"Not really, I just want you to feel what is like to be betrayed by someone close to you, i have you wrapped around my fingers now just like you have me wrapped on yours" Prince Obi told her

"I am proud of what you have become; for how far you have gone but..." The Queen looked at him "I can never forgive any siren that hurts my daughter just like you have done" The Queen told him

"I attacked the Princess? what's your evidence?" Prince Obi asked

"This, you must have lost it while ambushing my daughter at the sea with your sea monsters" The Queen said showing him the Whistle that Princess Adunni had found at the sea back then

Prince Obi looked at her blankly "I did no such thing" he said

"When the great queen of the sea says you did it, then you did it" The Queen said with a smirk on his face.

"This is not yet over" Prince Obi told her.

***

8pm back at the city...

Lava finally picked up the call from the unknown number after receiving multiple calls from it.

"Who is this?" he asked

"Thank God, it's me Lilian" the caller said

"Lilian? i don't know anyone by that name" Lava said

"I am Oma's friend, the Lilian you went to school with remember?" Lilian asked

"Oh, Lilian; longest time, how are you?" Lava asked

"Not fine, i have something to tell you and you need to believe me when i tell you this" Lilian said to him

"What's that?" he curiously asked her

"It's about Erica" Lilian said

"Erica?" Lava asked in curiosity

" Yes, I think you should know this, Erica isn't who you think she is, I have tried to warn Oma and she wouldn't even listen to me, I believe she has been charmed by her" Linda told him

" And why is that?" Lava asked hoping Lilian haven't found out what Erica is.

" I think she is a wanted criminal in her country, she is planning to kill someone here and Oma is in support of it, Erica tried to hurt me" Oma quickly said

" Erica tried to hurt you?" Lava asked

" Yes, I didn't want to tell Oma's mum because I don't want Oma getting into trouble because of her, since you have the authority to everything in the city, you know the right thing to do" Lilian told him

" Thank you for telling me this" Lava said to her

" You are welcome, I just don't want Oma or you to get hurt" Lilian said to him before she ended the call.

" This is the only way I can separate her from Oma, even if I had to lie" Lilian said to herself.

" I need to warn Erica, if her identify is exposed, she will be in danger" lava said.

***

Princess Adunni and the Sirens of Riveria pays their respect to the late great king of Riveria even though he had been long gone.

" The great king of Riveria, my father; will continue to rest in the hearts of the Riverians!" Princess Adunni Shouted out loud.

" Forever in our hearts!" The Sirens shouted

" His great deeds have never been forgotten, he united the kingdoms of the sea in perfect peace, for years; there have never been war, I swear on his grave to make sure his efforts are not taken for granted" The princess swore to them

" Long live the future Queen of Riveria" They hailed in Unison

" Whoever that starts a war between the kingdoms, will be punished; even if they are related to me, it is a promise to you all" The princess said again

" We stand by the future Queen; we swore with our lives!" The Sirens chorused again in great joy.

" My reign starts now" The Princess said.

(Erica at the bathtub)

Erica breaks the third spike on her back in great pain, she had always done so as a punishment to herself for causing the king's death. Even though she did it as an order from the Queen, she had been having endless sleepless night about the king's death

" I guess I am my mother's daughter" she said to herself as her blood flushes down beneath the bathtub.

(Lava comes out of his room after dressing up to go see Erica)

" May I ask where you are headed to, Sir?" Gretel asked startling Lava

" Geez! Why are you here?" Lava asked him in curiosity knowing that he should be eating with the rest bodyguards.

" Making sure you don't go somewhere this hour of night" Gretel responded

" Am just going out for a walk, you can go inside and rest your legs; I believe they are tired" Lava said walking away from him

" You are not going to see Erica, right?" he asked Lava

Lava stopped and looked at him for few seconds

" And what makes you think you can stop me from going out even if I am?" Lava asked him

" I won't stop you, But I wonder if Erica will be able to find a safer place to stay when I expose her video?" Gretel said as he played the video of Erica inside the fish tank to him.

Lava clenched his fist in anger.