To Bewitch a Devil

130 It was a nightmare

Zavian said nothing to that. He didn’t know if he still had trust issues with any of the Princesses, but he appreciated that Jasmine referred to her by her name and not as ‘the maid’. And he knew that Neera liked her, and he found that if there was any Princess, he could trust her around, it was Jasmine.

They arrived at the open part of the garden, and he could see the way the faces of the palace workers brightened upon her arrival. There were greetings, and Zavian noted the way she asked after their wellbeing, watched her converse with them, and he found it endearing.

“Leon, one of the guards has been ill, “, she told the King when she was back at his side. “I recommended a few herbs, and thankfully, it worked. He is still recovering.”

Zavian didn’t even know any of the workers by name. Talk more of knowing who was ill or not. But here was someone who cared for the plight of the workers individually. It was touching.

When they were back at the castle, Zavian had to excuse himself.

“As much as I enjoy your company, Princess Jasmine, I would like to get back to sorting out some official duties,” he said.

“It is okay, your Majesty, ” Jasmine spoke with a soft smile.

“I would be honored if we can do this again another time, “, Zavian proposed.

That made Jasmine’s smile grow. “The honor would be all mine.”

.....

With that, Zavian was back at his study. He let out a tired sigh when he sat at his desk. It was almost afternoon, so lunch would soon be served.

He headed over to Neera’s room, hoping she would be in. After the first knock, she opened the door herself. He was greeted with a soft smile on her lips.

“Join me for lunch, “, he said.

She smiled even wider. “Okay;

She closed the door and followed him by his side to the dinette. Even though the two meetings with the Princesses went well, there was no one who made him in complete comfort apart from being with Neera.

He didn’t tell her of the meeting with the Princesses, he could not bear it, something told him Neera would not mind his association with the Princesses, but he would. He looked up at her from his meal and found her staring at the oysters on her plate.

“You haven’t had it before, have you? The chef told me it was available, and I told him to specially prepare it for you.” Zavian said.

“Thank you,” she said and poked the raw, soft insides, unsure.

He took the shell from her, used a fork to loosen the attached oyster to its shell, and handed it to her.

“Now, tip the shell into your mouth.” He instructed, using his own as a demonstration.

Neera obeyed, and when it was in her mouth, she squeezed her face in disgust. Zavian could not help the laugh.

“I’m sorry, I can’t”, she shifted the plate away. “I will stick to something else.”

“I will have something else prepared for you, anything you want. Just name it, ” Zavian offered.

Neera shook her head and reached for the fish. “This is okay, Zavian.”

Zavian grinned. She might be a human with no powers, but his name on her lips was magic in itself.

...

Neera was floating again.

The air around her suffocated her, and she could not move. She tried to scream, but her tongue was paralyzed in her mouth.

Zavian, she called out with her heart, hoping he could hear her.

Black smoke seeped into her room, and on the wall, she could see it swirl, and she could see the same portal-like hole being opened, the smoke sucking in where her wall once was.

Help... she wanted to scream.

The only sounds that filled her ears were the sound of blood rushing. Her heart thumped violently, as if it wanted to tear out of her chest. The clouds swirled and swirled, and a black hole grew wider.

Over the sound of her heart, she heard something that sounded like grunts and moans, as if wild animals were in pain. The noises tore at her, and she wanted to block them out. They filled her room, but her paralyzed tongue stifled her from screaming at the intensity of the voices. There was pain and sorrow in them as if it will split her head open. Then, in a flash, it all vanished, and she fell back on her bed.

Zavian shot into her room that very second. He was by her side immediately, and she grasped unto him with her dear life.

“What happened?” Zavian panicked. “Was it the nightmares again?”

Neera, covered in her own sweat, gasped for words. She nodded her head and dropped it into Zavian’s chest.

“Come, we are going to my room, “, he said.

He carried her, and she shook like someone who had caught a fever. He had heard her call him, heard the sounds of her heartbeats, like drums beating, wake him up. He had bolted straight from sleep to her room.

When he reached his room, he dropped her on the bed and took a towel from his bathroom to wipe the sweat on her forehead.

“Did you hear... it?” She asked, her teeth chattering.

“I heard you, yes.”

“No, those sounds.” She whimpered and placed her palms over her ears. “Those sounds.”

Zavian pulled her close. He wished he had the power to erase that memory from her head because whatever it was; it had scared her to her core.

“You are safe with me,” he whispered into her ear. “It was a nightmare.”

Neera shook her head, fat tears trailing their way down her face. “No, it was in my room... the darkness, the voices... that sound...”

Zavian hugged her close and rocked her gently. If he could take away her fear and pain, he would siphon every bit out of her.