CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE:   SILLY PLAN BUT EFFECTIVE

 AGATHA'S POV.

I stared at him in shock, not what I expected.

"Coming with me?" I asked to be certain I heard well.

"Exactly what I said," Kethan retorted.

"I thought you didn't care," I teased.

"I don't. Only you can lead me to the rest of the amplifiers, I need you for now; you can die when I don't," He responded, walking towards the horse.

I gazed at his back in disappointment.

"Just go back to the dead," I yelled out, in fury.

"I can't, I control life and death now," he coldly stated and began moving.

Silence descended as we rode back to the kingdom of Everglade.

"You remember when we rode to war? We took the same horse and I slept on you the whole time," I blurted out, breaking the silence.

"You were cold then also, but at least not to me. You were sweet with me," I added.

"You don't remember any of that?" I asked the quiet man.

"Why do you keep trying so hard to make me remember?" Kethan asked, pissed.

"Maybe because I still can't accept the fact that my husband is gone and I can only be stuck with some mean, heartless, cold young man with my husband's features," I retorted.

"What's your name again…Agatha; you are bothering me," he coldly stated, riding faster.

"If you are so powerful then change that face and stop using my husband's face. As long as you have that face on, you are my husband. You get that?" I yelled, chasing behind him.

"Stop chasing behind me, you are about to fall off," Kethan warned.

"No, I'm not," I retorted.

In a split second, I fell to the ground, yelling in pain.

My knees and elbows started to bleed, I looked at Kethan who didn't stop but instead, continued riding away.

"Monster," I muttered.

Picking myself back up, I wince in pain getting on the horse, I slowly trailed behind Kethan.

We got to Everglade kingdom and we both got down from the horse.

"Stay here," I stated, ogling at Kethan.

"Why should I?" He protested.

"Because I'm sure he wants you dead," I retorted.

"I told you, I can't die," he argued.

"Don't risk it. He has a soft spot for me…I can easily take him down," I responded.

"I doubt that," Kethan declared.

I looked at him mysteriously, having no response for him, I dashed into the kingdom.

"You can just come in and save me when you hear me scream," I stated, walking away.

"Agatha, I Knew you would come," Drystan's voice echoed in the throne room.

"And how's that," I warmly asked, passing him a cup of coffee.

"You brought me coffee?" Drystan asked to be sure.

"I had that when I got to my father's kingdom, I thought I should reserve a little for you," I replied smiling.

"I realized we belonged together, I made a mistake and I'm here to correct it. I want to lead you to the amplifiers," I added.

"Why the sudden change of mind?" Drystan asked, in shock.

"You value me more than anyone else. I loved the way you treated me when you discovered how important I am," I replied, watching Drystan gulp down he whole coffee.

"Why did you think I'd come?" I asked, still smiling.

"Because I set a trap I knew so well you'd take," Drystan responded.

"What do you mean?" I asked in confusion.

"I bet the survivors of your father's kingdom are on their way to a city," he concluded.

"My father's death was a joke to you?" I yelled in fury.

"Until you decide to listen to me, more people will die. Ahh… What's your twin sister's name again… Ariel? She's so beautiful," Drystan stated.

I stared at him in a mixture of panic and worry.

Kethan rushed into the throne room.

"Agatha, I have just received a letter from Caspian… they are trapped in the middle of the plague," Kethan blurted out.

"I know," I coldly replied.

Drystan walked closer to us in satisfaction.

"Oh, my dear younger brother, Kethan. Big brother missed you," Drystan teased.

"Let them go," I screamed.

"You first…get me the amplifiers," Drystan yelled back.

"I wondered how important those people caught in the plague are, your sister? Stepmother? Lunaria? My mother? Caspian? Who's more important," Drystan asked, pleased with himself.

"That's a whole kingdom you bastard," I yelled.

"Kethan, your mother is also caught in my trap...What would you do?" Drystan teased, walking closer to Kethan.

"Trust me, you don't want to go closer to him," I warned.

Even before I completed the word, Drystan's mouth was already bleeding from Kethan's amplified punch.

"Oops, I warned," I blurted out.

"What- is- he?" Drystan asked in shock.

"Definitely not the Kethan you knew," I declared.

"Fair enough, how do I get the amplifiers?" Drystan asked.

"You won't be getting any," I retorted.

"You think you can save them all don't you?" Drystan asked and scoffed.

"I will have to find out," I responded.

"You are willing to risk their lives for your selfish reason?" Drystan asked in disappointment.

"No, I'm trying to save them from you," I declared.

"Let's see how fast you are, how will you get there before the plague kills every one of them? You have just a few minutes," Drystan said and smirked.

"Exactly my point dear Drystan, you need to be active to be able to control the plague right?" I asked with a smile.

"Yes, what do you mean," Drystan asked in confusion.

"You remember the herb you commanded your mother, Tempestina to add to Kethan's meal the day he was killed by you?" I asked.

"Yes, what about it?" Drystan asked back in confusion.

"What does it do again… paralyze right?" I asked again with a smile.

"Yes," Drystan coldly stated.

"Now tell me what that has to do with the amplifiers," Drystan added.

"Alright, since you are so desperate to know. In a few minutes, exactly the few minutes I have to save everyone I need to save, you will be paralyzed. Not just paralyzed but unconscious for days. I believe that's enough time to save the world. Thanks to your mother who helped me prepare this herb, you won't be getting me or the amplifiers, and you won't be able to hurt anyone also," I announced.

"You evil witch," Drystan backed, rushing towards me.

"Time up," I stated, as I watched him collapse to the ground.

"You need to learn not to trust a young, beautiful powerful girl," I added.

"Sleep well, King Drystan."