“Killing Kiora was never a part of the plan, Rose. We just wanted to distract her so that we can get hold of the venom-laced bayonet that she was hiding beneath her veil.”
Calix told Rose who palmed her mouth in shock.
Zachary noticed her frightened state so he squeezed her shoulders and gave her a curt nod, “Yes. We were deceiving her from the start itself and she had no idea about it but we have no clue that she was planning on using this lethal weapon. The spell which she had cast, its remedy was indeed the touch of a person whom the victim loved the most. Calix had nullified her spell but Zagan was affected. That’s why Jasmine was able to cure him. Kiora knew that you only can cure Calix that’s why she was about to stab you when you were engaged in a verbal fight with him.” He explained to her. Rose lowered her gaze in shame.
Though Rose was happy seeing Diana safe and sound, she didn’t approve of the demons’ act of murdering Kiora. She blatantly accused them of murdering someone without knowing the truth.
Rose then looked at the venomous weapon in Calix’s right hand. A shiver ran down her spine as she gazed at the bare metallic part that was bathed in green color. It was venom and that’s what Kiora was going to use on her.
A sigh escaped her mouth. Rose then peered at Zagan only to find him staring at the corpse of his sister with soulless eyes. Tears welled in her eyes as she knew that he was completely devastated by her death. Who won’t be? After all, she was his only sister.
Rose cautiously took steps in his direction; her eyes were trained on his long face. She gently grabbed his left hand and enveloped them in her small ones. Her act took everyone present in the room by surprise.
Zagan as if snapped out of a trance gazed at her. But his jaw clenched when he found sympathy in her eyes. Rose was taken off guard when he harshly yanked his hand away and moved back as if her touch burnt him.
“I don’t need pity. She got what she deserved. I don’t have a single ounce of remorse for this pathetic, vile creature-”
“No please, don’t badmouth her.” Rose quickly covered his mouth with her palm, refraining from cursing Kiora. Zagan was taken aback by her actions as he stared at her wide-eyed. On the other hand, her actions incensed the sapphire-eyed demon who instantly clenched his jaw.
“She is dead now, kindly set her soul free and forgive her for all the crimes she had committed. I know she did wrong but if you keep cursing her, her soul would never be at peace. One even forgives their enemy after he dies but she was your sister.” Rose spoke with a heavy heart and slowly removed her palm from his mouth.
Her words triggered Zagan as his eyes got filled with heavy tears. But still, he swallowed them. He didn’t want to show anyone his weakness but his body betrayed him as it started to shake.
Rose knew he wanted to cry, so she turned around and looked at Zachary who also looked remorseful.
“Forgive her Zac. I know she did wrong but all her life she only loved you. Her ways were wrong but I know that if you forgive her, she would die happily. I think she deserves that much.”
Zachary looked down. He closed his eyes while reminiscing the moment he had shared with that obsessed girl. Rose was right, she may be worse still her soul needs to remain guilt-ridden. Only then she can finally sleep peacefully and embrace her new life.
Opening his eyes, Zachary walked toward Kiora who was murdered in cold blood. Crouching down to the ground, he opened his palm which soon ignited a dazzling golden flame. He then caressed her forehead gently, curing the gashes and erasing the blood stains from her body.
Taking a deep breath, Zachary looked at her glowing face for a while before speaking in his heavy voice.
“I forgive you.”
With that, a hot tear trickled down his left cheek which he made no attempt to wipe, and continued staring at her sleeping figure.
That’s when a heart-wrenching sob escaped Zagan’s throat. He fell to the ground on his knees with a thump and began wailing out loud.
That sight was truly heartbreaking.
Rose couldn’t hold back her tears anymore. She covered her mouth and began to sob out loud. Calix quickly rushed to her and pulled her in his arms while she cried on his chest.
All of a sudden, a thick, purple flame started oozing out from Kiora. Zagan panicked and tried to go near her but that smoke eventually mushroomed and draped the whole room. Calix and others quickly moved back in shock. They could hardly see anything, unlike Zachary who calmly watched how that smoke slowly engulfed Kiora and evaporated her in thin air.
He then clicked his fingers in the air. The thick smoke disappeared within a blink of an eye turning the room back to tidy. Rose, Calix, and Zagan who were still catching their breaths finally came to ease. Once their visions cleared, the trio gasped in shock simultaneously and snapped their heads to Zachary who was already looking at them impassively, prepared with their answers.
“She is finally at peace.”
Zagan froze on spot but soon a painful sob escaped his throat. All the memories of Kiora started replaying in his mind like a broken recorder. She may be cruel but still, she was his sister. Though he was angry at her for hurting him, he can never hate her.
Slumping to the floor, he began to cry hysterically while punching his chest repetitively.
Rose couldn’t see him in this state so she detached herself from Calix and walked toward him. Bending to his level, she stifled her sobs and wiped her tears.
Rose then extended her hands forward and tried to hold him but her hands froze midway when Zagan lifted his head and glared at her.
Her breath hitched when she looked into his fiery eyes that were glistening with rage, hatred, and vengeance. Gulping, she again tried to comfort him but a scream left her mouth when Zagan abruptly punched the floor with full force. The impact was so powerful that the walls of the room shook.
“He is responsible for everything. He is the root cause of all the problems.” Zagan sneered while grating out each word.
Rose was scared to her core still she tried to comfort him but Zagan didn’t give her a chance as he abruptly stood up on his legs. Marching towards Calix, he roughly snatched the venomous weapon and turned to Zachary.
“I lost my sister but I can’t afford to lose Jasmine. That bastard Theodore has to die and I will kill him. No matter what happens.” He growled; his voice had a hidden caveat that was clearly directed toward Zachary. It was because Zagan knew that he would definitely prevent him from doing something like that.
Zachary simply watched him raging like a bull. His countenance was composed and his expressions were poised. It was because he had anticipated his reaction.
After Kiora’s death, Zagan was heartbroken and vulnerable so it was obvious that he would implicate Theodore for everything.
Clutching the bayonet, Zagan turned around only to bump into a soft figure.
His jaw dropped after confronting the pair of blue eyes that were looking at him sternly.
“You won’t kill Theodore.”