The Cursed Pharaoh's Bride

Chapter XXVIV

Carolina

I’ve been awake for a few hours now. My head no long we aches from when Cohen slammed it against the wall. I still feel a sharp pain in my chest every once in a while. I don’t know what time it is but I can only assume it’s night because the temperature has only continued to drop. It’s freezing. I can still feel Elijah’s anger and worry. He must be frantic. 

I run every scenario over in my head. These chains are too thick for me to slip out of. And there’s nothing around me that I could use to pick the lock or use as lubricant to slip my hands free. They haven’t brought me anything to eat or drink so I’m starving. And even if I could get out of these chains, there’s no way I can open this storage unit from the inside. I’d still be stuck here. 

I rub my hands together frantically in attempt to warm them up. Now would be a good time to find out if I have some magical ability apart from just healing. But there’s nothing around for me to even try to use magic on. 

My mind flashes back to the dream I kept having. So many signs from that dream ended up happening in real life: the crows, the chilly weather, the storage container, Cohen. I had dreamt about being held by the Hudson River. I wonder if that much is true, too. There’s no better time than right now to find out. 

I take deep breaths and concentrating on steadying my heart beat. That stupid grumpier said this was the best way for “beginners” to get familiar with feeling for heka and getting it to flow through their body. I think—or rather hope—it’s working because I feel a strange sensation throughout my body. I feel a force enter my body; the closest thing I can compare the feeling to is that of a flame igniting on a gas stove. 

Without thinking, I feel my hands move on their own. I slowly lift my hands up but it feels like there’s resistance—I’ve got something. I try to lift whatever I’ve grabbed a hold of upward. The resistance to my control is strong but I still haven’t given up yet. I keep going until my head starts to ache and my arms start to feel sore. My body is not covered in sweat. I finally let go of my control. I find myself panting, trying to catch my breath. 

I yank at the chains in frustration. I’m still stuck! I think I used magic but for what?! It did nothing. If I was controlling water, it didn’t even make it to where I am right now. Or maybe I’m just kidding myself; I barely know how to heal anyone. Why would I have any other magical power? 

The sweat that has formed on my forehead and back are now cooling down. Great, now I’m going to be even more cold than I was before. What Cohen said in my dream and in real life must be true: I’m never getting out of here...Elijah won’t find me. But if he doesn’t, then what will happen to him? He has to find me, right? But if he does, why didn’t I dream about it? 

I sit in my prison for what feels like hours with nothing to do. I try to relax enough to maybe nap but I’m too cold and uncomfortable to fall asleep. There goes hoping I’d dream of my escape or rescue. 

After what seems like forever, I hear something slam against the outside of the storage container causing it to shift. I fall over as I feel the full force of the blow. What was that? Are they moving me? Are they moving the container? I hear men yelling and more loud bangs and crashes. 

“Hello? Anyone there? I’m here!” I yell at the top of my lungs as I try to stand. The commotion outside doesn’t die down. In fact it sounds like it’s getting louder, closer. 

The metal door suddenly screeches open. Very little natural light pours in, indicating it’s nighttime already. I notice a silhouette of a built man in the doorway but I can’t tell who it is. “Who’s there?” I call out. 

The man steps back from the door a bit and turns towards where the chaos seems to be ensuing. “Your highness, she’s here!” A familiar voice exclaims. 

“Charles?” I call out, tears starting to form in my eyes. 

He remains silent and waits outside. Before another word can escape my lips, another large figure fills up the doorway. This one has a faintly glowing golden sword in one hand and an open flame floating in the palm of his other hand. The warm light fills my prison, giving me a good look at my savior. Elijah. 

“Elijah,” I sob softly. 

“I’m here,” he says lowly, his voice strained. He rushes over to me. He easily slices through my chains with his sword. The second I’m free, I throw myself onto him. My arms wrap around his neck and burying my face into his shoulders as the tears start to pour. Elijah receives me on his knees. I can hear the clang of his sword hitting the floor. His now free hand is placed on the back of my head, smoothing out my hair and bringing me closer. 

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” I sob softly. I run my hands across his broad shoulders and through his hair. I trail gentle kisses from his shoulder up his neck. 

“You have nothing to be sorry for,” he chokes out, his grip on my hair tightening as if I just might disappear. 

“I knew you would rescue me. I trust you. I really do,” I choke out. His hot hand continues to run up and down my back soothingly. He then abruptly pulls away a bit before his lips instantly capture mine in a searing kiss. And I really mean searing. His skin is so hot that it feels like I’m kissing the sun. Though, the only thing I’m focused on is the hot emotion and safety and relief I feel being poured into the kiss. 

We pull away out of breath. When I open my eyes, I see that it’s dark again. Both Elijah’s arms are wrapped securely around my form, and the flame he was holding is now gone. “You’re freezing, my love,” I hear him whisper as he trails kisses up and down my neck. The feeling of his hot skin gently brushing against my skin is making me heat up in more ways than one. “How dare they treat you this way. You could have gotten sick,” he adds. 

“Y-your skin feels hot. It’s like you’re burning up,” I choke out. I hear Elijah let out a curse through clenched teeth before he loosens his grip on me. I grip onto his leather top urgently but this only seems to motivate Elijah to push me off of him even more. 

“Charles,” he calls out. Charles immediately walks into the storage container, holding a flashlight this time. He seems serious and stone faced. 

“Yes, your highness,” he says stoically. 

“I need you to take Carolina. Take her to one of the cars and warm her up. Make sure to get her out of here safely,” Elijah commands. 

“Wait, why can’t I go with you?” I protest. 

Elijah lets out a sigh. “I can’t control my powers. If I keep holding you, you might get burned,” he explains. “Besides, I have some things I need to finish taking care of.” 

With that, Charles firmly grabs my arm and pulls my up with him. I immediately move closer to him, hoping I could cling to his body heat. But the second I do, he tenses up. I look at him curiously but he doesn’t even spare me a glance. What’s wrong with him? Why is he acting this way? I thought Charles and I were getting passed this. 

He walks me outside of the container, Elijah behind us. As we leave, I look back and notice that I was being held in a storage unit at the edge of the pier. But that’s not what caught my eye. It’s the sight of what looks like seaweed and vines coming out of the water, latching itself to the side of the storage unit that has me in shock. Did I do that? 

I feel Charles keep a hand over my head and actively try to shield me with his body. Elijah parts ways from us and Charles starts to lead me towards what looks like the exit of the pier. 

There’s men in dark trench coats fighting men in the same leather outfit Charles wore the night he saved me and Jay. Fists, blades, shields and even magic were flying. This is the Eye versus the Dark Sand. Charles keeps me close as we quickly try to make it through the battlefield. 

Just before we could make it to the gate, I feel my footing slip. I’m now being dragged backwards. I try to pull my legs free from the force that’s grabbed onto my ankles. Charles runs after me and grabs onto my upper body. He swings his sword, cutting away the black sand that has surrounded itself around my ankles. 

“Stay behind me,” he growls as he helps me up and gets in front of me. 

“You’re not going anywhere,” Cohen says as he approaches. 

Before he can take a step closer to us, a blast of fire comes at him from behind. Cohen gets pushed onto his back. He is just barely able to block off the fire with a wall of black sand. 

“No, you’re the one who’s not going anywhere,” Elijah growls, his hands set ablaze. Charles scrambles to his feet to block another shot of fire from Elijah. 

“Get her out of here,” Elijah yells at us as he keeps Cohen busy. 

Charles didn’t need to be told twice. He takes me in his arms bridal style and starts running towards the exit. I grip onto him, looking back at the fight that’s ensuing behind us. Elijah seems to be keeping a struggling Cohen on the ropes. I see some members of the Dark Sand Society run after us but they get intercepted by members of the Order of the Eye.

Charles doesn’t stop running until we’re a few streets away from the pier. He turns into an empty, dead end alley way. He quickly puts me down and walks deeper into the alley way. 

“What are we doing here? They’re going to find us,” I pant. 

Charles glances at me before making a movement similar to opening a car door. My eyes widen when I hear the click of a door opening. I walk over to where he is. My jaw drops at the sight of the inside of a car. 

Charles pushes me in before sliding in after me and shutting the door. “Take us to the pharaoh’s palace,” he tells the driver. 

The invisible car screeches as it pulls out of the alley way, though I doubt anyone would know where the sound came from. I rest my head against the window as I watch the sun slowly start to rise, the morning sunlight peaking through the buildings. I feel myself start to nod off as my erratic heart beat starts to calm down. Elijah found me. Everything is going to be okay. I stop fighting off my drowsiness as I let my consciousness fade to black.