Page 51 of Bewitched

“You want to kill me so you can become king, admit it! And you tried to do so just now by swatting at me in my bee form. I bet you wished you had killed me.” Fire seemed to burn in her black eyes now, and it was very unsettling.

“Medea, that’s not true, and our time together last night should have proved it to you. I don’t want to kill you. And I also don’t like the fact you were spying on me.” This angered him now.

“If I wasn’t, I’d never know how you really felt about me, would I?” she retorted.

“I don’t want to kill you. Honest.”

“How can I believe that? You almost just smashed me to death with your hand.”

“I told you, I didn’t know the bee was you,” he said through gritted teeth, thinking this was a nonsensical conversation.

“Well, I heard what you said to your brothers,” she shouted. “You’re considering doing away with me and my sister just so you can be king!”

“Now wait a minute.” He held up his hands, trying to calm her. “I said, any man would consider such an offer, but I turned it down. Perhaps you missed that part.”

“I heard you say you considered it.”

“Just for a brief moment, I suppose, but it was only the temptation getting to me. You know I would never do it.”

“Do I?” Her hands were on her hips now.

Rhys glanced up to see both his brothers shaking their heads, making him realize that mayhap he shouldn’t have admitted to anything. Not when Medea was so angry. “Medea, the important thing is, I turned down the King’s offer. Don’t you understand that? Do you hear what I’m saying?”

“Oh, I hear you. I’ve also heard more than I ever want to know!” She raised her hands and blasted black light at Rhys. It hit him hard in the chest, flipping him high in the air. He landed on his back on the ground with all the air knocked from his lungs. He struggled to try to breathe.

“Rhys, are you all right?” Darium and Zann rushed over to help him.

“Medea! Medea, what are you doing?” yelled Rapunzel, running over the bridge toward her sister.

“Rap, I thought Rhys was different from most people, but now I see he is the same as everyone else in my life who has deceived me or let me down.”

“Sister, control your emotions. Please,” warned Rapunzel, reaching out to take her sister’s arm. “You know what happens if you don’t.”

“Leave me alone, Rap.” Rapunzel went flying through the air next, barreling into Alaina. They both fell to the ground. “I will make him pay for what he did, if it is the last thing I ever do.”

It didn’t even sound like Medea talking now. Rhys had no doubt that it was the darkness inside her making her act this way. Medea stormed toward Rhys, but Rapunzel intercepted.

“Nay, I won’t let you hurt him. You’ll leave him alone.” Rapunzel used her own powers now to blast Medea, sending her stumbling and falling to the ground.

“No one cares about me. No one ever has,” screamed Medea, getting to her feet.

“Medea, calm down and we’ll talk about this. Then we’ll go find the dragon, and head back home where we belong,” said Rapunzel.

“I’m not leaving the land of Mura, and you can’t stop me from staying. This is my home now. I plan to be the ruler of Mura, not that conniving, deceitful Rhys Blackseed.”

“Medea, this isn’t you,” said Rhys, getting to his feet, and heading toward her, finally catching his breath and being able to speak. “I know you have darkness inside you. That is what’s making you act this way. You don’t really mean it.” He inched closer to her.

“You know nothing about me, Rhys Blackseed. Nothing at all!” she screamed.

Rhys lunged for Medea, knocking her down. They rolled over and over atop the ground while he used his powerful strength to hold down her arms. He did everything he could to try to stop her from using her dark magic.

“Get off of me, Rhys.”

“Medea, listen to me. I was wrong to consider the offer from the King, and I’m sorry. It was a weak moment. Everyone has them. But honestly, I could never kill a woman, and you know it. Look into your heart and see that it is true what I say. I could never kill someone I care for as much as I do you.”

“You lied to me, Rhys. You don’t care about me at all. I was better off alone!” She mumbled some words that Rhys couldn’t decipher, but it almost sounded like some kind of spell to him.

“Uh... Rhys?” said Zann from behind him.