Reborn In Vengeance

Don't fall in love!

~Sona’s POV~

I scrolled through the details carefully, making sure everything had gone through exactly as Nima had intended. It was still hard for me to believe that our company had returned to the number one position. With the stiff competition we had been facing, this was something that would be greatly appreciated by every member of the board.

“Yes, Norah,” I said, looking up as soon as I saw her enter my office.

“Mr. Rollins said he is tired of waiting. He wants all the details about the increase in sales before the board meeting,” she said, her eyes barely meeting mine.

I wondered when she would ever stop being so shy. She was timid around everyone. She always made herself look so small and nervous that, at times, it made her seem strange.

“Oh, go and inform him that I will be sending everything in a few minutes,” I said before returning my attention to the laptop.

“I’m afraid, Miss, I won’t be leaving unless you give me a hard copy of the document. If I go back without it, the boss might fire me. He was very furious when I left,” Norah said, sounding completely panicked.

“Is it really that serious?” I asked, trying to ease the tension in the room.

“How I wish it were not,” she replied with a small smile.

That surprised me. It was rare to see Norah smile. Most of the time, she looked like someone carrying the weight of the world on her shoulders.

“I wonder why everyone is so afraid of him. He is just like any of us. There is no need to treat him like a god,” I said.

I did not know where the sudden courage inside me had come from, but I felt stronger than usual. Fear no longer seemed to control me.

“I have also noticed that his eyes never leave you. He must like you,” Norah said, sounding much more relaxed now.

“Okay, here you are,” I said, handing her the printed file.

“Tell him the soft copy has already been sent to his computer.”

“Thank you, Queen,” she murmured as she turned to leave.

My heart nearly stopped.

What had she just called me?

“What did you call me?” I asked quickly.

Norah froze, but she did not turn around.

“Norah,” I called again, walking toward her.

Why had she called me queen? Did she know something?

“Why did you call me Queen?” I asked, gently touching her shoulder.

She flinched.

“You are beautiful. I mean... you are so beautiful, anyone could call you a queen,” she replied in a shaky voice, still refusing to turn around.

I narrowed my eyes.

Something was not right.

“Okay. Take the files to Mr. Rollins before he gets angry with you,” I said.

She rushed out immediately.

I stood there, staring at the closed door.

She was hiding something.

Something important.

**

“Lord Shaghan, I need you to show me who my true enemies are and who my true friends are,” I recited at the temple altar.

I was in my full serpent form.

Fear filled my heart.

My revenge should have already begun, but my powers were still weak. I could not yet tell who was loyal and who wished to destroy me.

Suddenly, lightning flashed across the temple.

The air shifted.

It felt as though rain was about to fall.

Someone was approaching.

I immediately knelt down in respect.

“Welcome, my daughter. You have done me a great service.”

A deep, hoarse voice echoed from within the lightning.

“You must use the blue eyes you have been given to identify your enemies and your allies.”

I listened carefully.

“One thing you must know is this. Both good and evil are closer to you than you realize. You must use your eyes wisely.”

The voice paused.

“Do not forget one more thing. As the Crown Queen, you must never fall in love. Love is weakness. It will weaken your powers and pull you away from your mission.”

Another bolt of lightning struck.

Then the voice was gone.

Silence filled the temple.

I looked around, confused.

I had received guidance, but how was I supposed to know who was good and who was evil?

How was I supposed to find those responsible for my father’s death and the destruction of my kingdom?

And most importantly..

“Where am I supposed to find the Black Stone?” I asked aloud.

“I will help you.”

I turned sharply.

Someone was moving toward me.

The sound told me instantly that it was another serpent.

Either from my kingdom... or another.

“Who are you, and what are you doing in the Temple of Lord Shaghan?” I demanded.

Before me was a brown serpent.

I had never seen it before.

“I said, who are you?” I asked again, losing patience.

The brown serpent remained silent.

I could not take chances.

If I died now, my entire race could be wiped out forever.

I needed the Black Stone.

It was our only hope.

Since the serpent would not reveal itself, I prepared to strike.

Just as I was about to bite, the serpent transformed.

A human form appeared before me.

My eyes widened.

“Norah!”

Shock flooded through me.

This was the last person I expected.

Norah was a Nagin.

“At your service, my Queen,” she said, kneeling before me.

“Why didn’t you tell me before?” I asked, thinking of all the times we had worked together.

“We are not allowed to reveal ourselves. You must discover us on your own,” she replied, still bowing.

“I am one of the good ones. I have been assigned to protect you and help you complete your mission.”

My heart pounded.

“There are others,” she added. “But you must find them yourself.”

She lowered her head.

“Permission to leave, my Queen.”

I nodded.

“You may go.”

Immediately, she transformed back into her serpent form and disappeared into the shadows.

I stood alone in the temple.

It was finally clear.

The mission had truly begun.