[ DON'T LEAVE ME BEHIND ]

Unaware to Azura, Marcus directed another dark force to Abesselom, but he was fast to swerve it and retaliated with a huge ball of fire, thinking of finishing Marcus at once, he had been a pain in his neck for too long. Marcus saw the ball of fire coming his way, and since he didn't have enough power to avoid it, he draged Azura in front of him, making her surfer the cause of the fire instead of him.

The ball of fire desolated into Azura's body immediately it came in contact with her skin, and the ice she had around her body melted into water, drenching her entirely. She stared blankly at Abesselom with sad eyes before her gaze was blinded by darkness, sending her into an unconscious state.

Abesselom saw what happened and run to Azura, but Marcus wouldn't allow him touch her. Thankfully, he noticed Azura was still breathing. He turned to Marcus with deathly gaze, making Marcus flinched at his mere sight. "I'll take her away from you, she was mine to have from the beginning." He said and disappeared into thin air.

Marcus was scared of what Abesselom could do, but he wasn't going to let any masked man take Azura away from him, that would mean all his plans and ambitions will be shattered. He carried Azura on his horse and rode away from the forbidden bridge and boundaries as fast as he could.

Abesselom reappeared to see Marcus leaving, his eyes burning like fire full of rage. He hated to see Marcus's hand on Azura, but there was nothing he could do at the moment. He dropped to his knees hitting the ground severally in anger, before he vanished into thin air.

He reappeared in Azura's room and saw Azura's fragile body being carried to her bed by Marcus, and the physician, maids and her ladies in waiting started working on her immediately. "Am sorry Azura, but I have to get you out of here, I can't wait anymore, I'll be back for you." He said and disappeared from Azura's room.

.... End of flashback....

"You know, if you haven't taken her to live that life she remembers forcefully, maybe she would have been yours by now." Gideon interrupted Abesselom from his thoughts.

"And that also means that wizard of a king, would've been dead by now." He replied coldly, his face lucking any expression.

" Is that all you can think of doing to him? I'll prefer you live him alive to witness the two of you unit, that will be a great punishment to him." Gideon commented telepathically.

" I have better things to do than to keep seeing him alive." Abesselom said and disappeared, living Gideon in his room all alone.

__________ Czarina Palace.

Azura lay peacefully on her bed, trying to get some sleep, but she had slept enough to do so again, and the incidence between her and Enoch kept her awake. She was beginning to feel lonely in her room since she had dismissed her ladies and maids, but the change in the air alerted her of someone else's presence.

"I no you are there, no need to hide. You can go because I don't want to see you." She said calmly, but anyone who heard her would feel the sadness behind her words.

No one could be seen, but footsteps could be heard coming closer to Azura's bed. Few seconds and the side of her bed begin sinking in, as if someone was sitting on the bed. The hair on Azura's face moved to the back of her ear on it own, revealing her beautiful face. Her body turned face up from the side, as if someone made her turned, yet no one could be seen.

"I know you are mad at me, am sorry, but you'll understand me later." A manly voice said close to Azura's ear.

She sat up on the bed and turned to the direction from where the voice came, but couldn't see anyone. "If you came to say sorry, then why are you hiding yourself?" She asked importantly.

"Because someone can come in anytime." The voice replied.

"Then just go away, I don't want to see you." She said and turn to the other side of the bed to sleep, but before her body could lay on the bed, a handsome man appeared in front of her.

"How fast can you teleport? You were here just now." Azura said, astonished with Abesselom's movement.

"As fast as I can, do you want to.... " He wanted to invite her to try teleporting with him, but he sensed someone approaching. Azura also heard the footsteps coming to her room and pretended to be sleeping while Abesselom made his appearance an illusion.

The boor to Azura's room open slowly and Marcus entered, his movement unrushed. He walked to Azura's bed and when he saw her sleeping, he squat in front of her bed and caressed her hair. "I wish I can tell you what I truly feel, but I don't think you'll even believe me" He said and continue caressing Azura's hair.

"I know this wasn't part of my plans, but I think I've fallen for you Azura, please don't force me to do anything silly." Marcus whispered into Azura's ear.

Abesselom heard Marcus clearly and felt like strangling him to death instantly. He couldn't stand seeing Marcus lay his fingers on Azura, but he had no choice than to stay silent if he wanted to know what Marcus was up to.

"Why do I feel like someone else is here? Marcus said and got up from Azura's side. He walked to the other side of the bed and when he was almost close to Abesselom, a screeching sound of an eagle stopped him.

" Don't think I don't know who you belong to. Tell that masked owner of yours that he lost. I still have Azura with me." Marcus said to the eagle which stood majestically on Azura's window sill.

As if the eagle was not bothered by Marcus's words, it flap it mighty wings severally before folding it back into its body as it relaxed on the window sill. Marcus got upset with it behavior and wanted to attack it, but he was stopped by Azura on time. "What are you doing?" She asked and sat up on the bed.

"You are awake?" Marcus asked.

"Please leave, I want to rest." Azura said.

"I came to see how you're doing, can't I stay for a while? He asked.

" No! Just leave now." Azura said with a cold voice, which made Marcus leave without saying anything more.

Abesselom was a spectator of everything and was enjoying the way Azura was treating Marcus. "So I haven't lost completely?" He said to himself, smirking mischievously.

"And you aren't you leaving? please go, I have an early morning." Azura said, turning to Abesselom who appeared clearly after hearing her calm words.

He staggered to Azura and sat beside her on the bed, caressing her checks as he spoke. "Can I at least put you to sleep before I leave?" Azura couldn't say yes, nor could she say no. She stared at him in the eyes as his dark orbs charmed her to sleep peacefully.

_________ Next morning.

Three carriages pulled in front of Czarina Palace, Azura's residence, waiting for the queen and her ladies to get on board. Few guards and knights had been arranged to escort them on Azura's insistence, she didn't want to leave the palace with many people following her.

Azura held her head high as she walked out of her residence with her ladies in waiting and some selected maids following her. She had a day long journey ahead of her and she hoped nothing distracts her from getting to her destination on time as planned.

"Mum please, don't leave me behind, I don't want to be here without you." Chesa said as she runs to Azura, distracting her from her thoughts.

"But Chesa, am ready to go. If I asked you to come with me, your preparation will definitely delay us." Azura said, squatting to level Chesa's hight.

"Don't worry mum, my things are in the carriage already, auntie Lucia help me with that." Chesa said with a smile.

Azura exchanged looks with her ladies and they all started laughing, seeing how Chesa had things planned already. "I can see my princess is becoming smarter." Azura said and pulled Chesa's checks before they on board the queen's carriage with Lora.

The other members of their group also entered their respective carriage and the men climbed their horses to await their queen's order. Just when everything and everyone was set for them to depart, Marcus's horse came in front of Azura's carriage, which caused her to get out of the carriage in anger.

"What do you think you are doing." She asked impatiently.

"I'm going with you, and don't say no, because I won't listen." Marcus replied with a smirk playing on his lips.

"How can we leave the palace without a single ruler? Just stay here, I'll be back in days time." Azura said calmly but Marcus wouldn't listen as he said earlier.

" My knights and I will go ahead of your group to safeguard the way, so don't worry, you won't see me till noon." He said and rode off in a hurry with his most trusted knights following him on their horses.

Azura had nothing to do than to get back into her carriage. She didn't like the idea of Marcus going with her, but for the safety of the people in her care, she was ready to stan the annoying face of Marcus. She gave her order and the guards moved their horses on her command to start their journey.

Abesselom was a spectator of everything that unfold before the departure of Azura's group. He had initially thought of escorting Azura to her destination, but since he couldn't appear in front of everyone, he had hidden himself under an illusion of nothing, causing no one to see him.

He got upset seeing Marcus among Azura's trop, but the fact that Azura didn't stop Marcus from going with her angered him the most. He watched as the horses moved ahead and the carriages followed, and all he had planned to do also went away with it. He watched the retreating figures of the knights who rode behind the carriages and clinged his jow and his hand into a fist.

"I'll get her back from you no matter what it takes, I'll be sure to get her back. I'll make things right this time, and she'll be mine forever." Abesselom muttered in between his clinged teeth, fuming with rage, before he disappeared from the palace, leaving a huge gust of wind behind.