⊰ chapter twenty ⊱

"Thank you," Era held the papers in her hand, trying not to tear them down as she bowed towards the people from the ministry before her. A letter of warning was sent by the government on suspicion of false pranks. Era sighed, "Is there any news about my parents?"

"No, the laws remain the same for them. You must know the issue of black money is serious, so is the kidnapping," they were about to leave again, but one of the ministers paused and looked at Era, "Try not to pull pranks as such on the Princes's wife. We do not need another excuse to bail his sibling out and put you in jail."

"Sibling?" Era gasped, "Sam is in jail?"

"Yes," the ministry frowned, "You are becoming quick with the situation before even mentioning it. Did someone tell you?"

"No, no!" Era denied at once, blinking innocently and waving her hand in denial in front of their faces, "Sam has just always been the trouble maker so I made a wild guess. Very ill-mannered, she must have done something injustice. Very well, then. The government took the right initiatives."

The minister glared at Era for a few seconds, carefully studying her before she walked them out on her own, closing he door behind their backs. Era exhaled heavily, her throat dry as she pressed her back against the wooden door. In front of her was the Old house that belonged to her grand father. The government seized the Winters residence from them.

Era grinned on her own, leaving the door side before walking towards the kitchen table, pouring herself a glass of water. She put the glass away harshly, "Sam, you very well know what happens when you behave that way with me."

"I should make dinner," Era dragged out a large pot and filled it with water, putting it across the kitchen table as she walked towards the fireplace to adjust the coal, "Dara Koveski, you are smarter than most people think you are. Don't worry, I will make you repent the letter you sent through the ministry. How dare you lock up me—AHH!"

The girl flinched when she turned around, screaming on the top of her lungs as she found herself frozen, completely heart-stopped and as if chocked to her lungs. Era tried to breath but nothing helped, her fingers were cold.

She saw nothing.

Just the shadow of the cloaks on the back door. Era gathered herself up before walking a bit further into the house, her heart beating against her throat. She calmed down once she saw nothing suspicious inside the house, going back to the kitchen table to carry the pot full of water to the fireplace. Before she could lift it up, Era felt her head pushed into the pot. Her lungs became small before she felt herself being pulled out, someone grabbing her hair as they let her breath the air again.

Era was going to scream upon seeing her predator but a knife was held against her drenched throat. Era only inhaled and exhaled, not a single word escaped her mouth.

Dara sighed, then sarcastically chuckled, "Look at the things you have provoked me to do, Era. You think I am enjoying this?"

"If the government knows about this—,"

"That is what you are good at," Dara grabbed Era by her jaw, holding the knife away before pushing her towards the wall until she was dragged against it, "You are only good at complaining, crying and whining. And because of you, three innocent lives are in danger—,"

"They have crimed!" Era screamed.

"So have you!" Dara screamed back, "Do you have any idea what your punishment would be adjourned by Northern law for invading a royal relationship? You would be dead for the prank itself!"

"I don't care!" Era looked into Dara's eyes, words plugning out of her greeted teeth, "You took my parents away from me, I will take away your family away from you, I will take away Jungkoo—,"

Dara slapped Era.

"You ungrateful girl. You leak the papers and try to trap Sam and think you can get away with it, Era?," she sighed and turned to let it go, her eyes closed. Era held her burned cheek while remaining still, "You have a lot of guts for an eighteen year old—,"

It was fast. Dara lost track of words.

Era ended up picking up the knife and went for a stab at Dara's forehead before Dara could open her eyes to confront her once again. Era then shoved Dara to the ground. Dara attempted to throw Era off her body but grasped Era's arm instead, pulling her head aside just in time to avoid the stab. However, Era locked Dara with her thighs since she threatened to kill the one underneath her.

Dara knocked her right arm against the kitchen table and fell over the water pot on the brick of falling. Era was taken off guard for a moment as there was a huge thud against the floor and all the water spilled over Dara's head.

"You will die today!" Era screamed as she fought Dara's strength, holding onto the knife before it plunged out her eyeballs. Dara almost thought it was over for her eyes when the knife stopped in motion, millimeters away from her forest-green orbs.

The door to the house clashed open and ran in the ministry once again, off-guarded and terrified to see the young girl on the verge of stabbing Dara. There were immediate actions; people started to run to get Era off Dara. Era dropped the knife at once, her eyes huge upon the realization of what actually was executed here.

She felt her body shake at the thought of it; again, Era was trapped in between Dara's rivalry. She regretted it at once, all of it. Everything moved slowly, Era saw her hands being cuffed.

"Miss, are you alright?" asked one of the ministry, "Are you hurt?"

Dara's eyes quivered at once, "I only came to deliver the cookies, she drowned me. On that pot! Then tried to stab me!"

"She drowned me first! She broke into my house...," Era's heart dropped when she looked down at her hair; it was dry. Just the way she put it with pins in the morning. Era looked at the kitchen table, a basket of cookies and a bottle of milk. There came the wave of panic, her heart thundering as she cried out, "This is a lie! I did not drown her! I did not—,"

"You are under arrest for an attempted murder," the ministry grabbed out a pair of cuffs, "In the attempted murder of Dara Koveski. The Court will decide what happens to you. Tell us where the house keys are, we need evacuate your residence—,"

"To hide her from Jungkook?" Dara grinned savagely, "If he hears what Era had tried to do, you do know that the Prince will tear every Court you have, no matter where you hide her?"

There was a sick silence among the ministry. No, this was fear.

They feared Jungkook.

And Dara used it to her full advantage, "Very well. I will not inform Jungkook about it. I do not want more havoc before my battle. But in that case...."

Everyone paused, the ministry expectant to hear the condition and make it applicable anyhow.

Dara looked at Era, no ounce of mercy for her, she took pleasure in saying, "Juvenile. Place Era Winters in the Juvenile."

Dara grinned as she noticed Jungkook cleaning the pointed spears near the wooden crates. Without a top, Jungkook was adjusting to the weather nicely. Dara intended to use the heavy snowfall as a justification for skipping the workout. She began to back away from him, and Jungkook heard her footsteps, "Hmm, you are back?"

"Yes," Dara rolled her eyes, taking off her cloak.

Jungkook looked back to find the woman, her short hair damp wet, her jeans dark green, her top black and tight. Jungkook grabbed a corset from the top of a wooden chest and handed it to her, "Seems like you taught Era a good lesson."

"I did," Dara smiled proudly, "She is none of our problems anymore. Sent to the Juvenile, at least six months there."

"What did you do?" Jungkook observed Dara intently as she struggled with the corset. Of course, she had a silver spoon in her mouth her entire life, so how else would she know how to dress? She let go of the corset, and Jungkook grabbed it, "Turn around."

She sucked on her breath when he tight it underneath her breast, gradually making his way down till her lower waist, "I drowned her."

"What?" Jungkook pulled tighter, Dara's breath fastening, "Sorry, hold it."

"Yeah," Dara groaned, sucking on her own breath, "I drowned her. She tried to stab me, I almost lost my eye though. Yoongi informed the ministry at the right time. I did use a bit magic, it was a quick plan. I am surprised you did not deny it, nor did you try to stop me."

The Prince stared at Dara as she faced him, then he answered, "I would have done worse to her for what she had done to my sister. I am surprised you stayed in your limits and did not kill her."

"I did drown her to death, though," Dara stated.

"Should we start training?" Jungkook asked.

Dara swallowed hard.

That was embarrassing. Dara stared at her arrow, meters away from the red target spot on the wood then slowly back at Jungkook's disappointed eyes. She had never been great at archery, she lost hope for it a long time ago, "Look, I think we should switch to spears, I am probably—,"

Jungkook grasped Dara's arm and pushed them forward, "Tighten your arms."

Dara had no idea what that meant until Jungkook clapped his hands on her shoulders, making her spin straight. Jungkook pinched Dara's waist, making her squeak from pain. She suffocated on her own as he fixed the posture of her arms holding the bow, pulling back her left hand which held back the arrow, "Grab yourself. Keep your arms tight, don't lose focus."

"Okay," Dara's voice came out as a whisper.

"Close your left eye, aim for the target," Jungkook stood behind Dara, letting go off her arm, "Keep still. Don't lose posture."

Dara stopped breathing, an eye closed as she made her target.

"Let go," Jungkook said.

It didn't hit the target. But it was closer.

"Seven points. Not bad," Jungkook nodded.

Dara gave Jungkook a look, "That was fun if you did not pinch me so hard."

"Hmm, careful, not your soldier," Jungkook murmured ironically, his doe eyes large and round, "Let'd do it again, come on."

****

The residence loud. Dara and Jungkook had returned an hour ago from training, the house was filled with the aroma of fruit pie and tea, served among the family. Though Wineri couldn't think straight since Sam was in prison, it did not stop her from feeding everyone great dinner to celebrate the dismissal of Era. Dara liked to believe she was a savage herself.

"Dara was fantastic," Yoongi commented, "I was really confused when she told me about it first, but the execution of her plan went very smoothly. Never thought I would be seeing the strongest politician family behind bars."

"You talk to the biggest gambler in Zisk, mind you," Dara bragged.

"Truly, I never asked, Dara do you have a religion?" Namjoon asked, "I have heard means of people praying for you in the past, and that it worked. You really reincarnated because your previous lover prayed for you?"

Dara set her tea down, Wineri took her seat across her to hear out, "I don't have a religion. But I believe in trueness, they say my previous husband was true to the love he had for me, so the Curve heard his cries and excused my return. Many say he Cursed the Curve with decades of lockdown until my return, so the Curve cursed him back with the summoner's return."

"Wasn't the summoner's return prayed by another person present during Illari and Aevi's manifestation for your rebirth?" Adona asked.

Dara nodded, "It's a part of the Curve's curse. The only way to revoke the Curse is to win it, generate it back. If I cannot do it, I will keep re-birthing every two hundred years to complete the same quest. By that time, the summoner would destroy most of Zisk."

The room gasped. Wineri was stunned to hear it.

"So I must defeat the summoner before earning the Eastern spirit too, that way the Curve can be lifted from lockdown," Dara leaned back on the couch, her body tired, "And it does not seem like an easy job to defeat....ah,"

"Dara?" Wineri frowned upon seeing Dara holding the back of her head, her eyes squinted as her face revealed signs of pain, Dara kneeling a bit to hold her head down, "Dara, are you alright?"

Adona tried to touch Dara but Dara screeched backwards, "Fuck."

Yoongi and Namjoon stood up at once upon seeing Dara's eyes turn gold, electric specks sparkling against her eyes as she too stood up and ran towards the door, the family calling after her. Dara ran out into the snow to look up at the sky, the back of her head hammering against her skull, her body folding with pain. When the pain stopped after a while, Dara blinked her green eyes back open to realize the terror.

"Dara, what happened—,"

"The shield is broken, it came inside," the summoner way more powerful than Dara thought for it to be, "It shredded my shield. That's why my head was aching. Ask everyone to lock the doors of the house, the windows and—,"

There was a thud at the main door. Dara and Yoongi looked behind to find themselves locked outside the house. Dara looked up at the window of their chambers.

Before closing the window's curtains and carefully leaving the room, Jungkook took a peek down at the two. Dara's heart was torn out of her chest by the glimpse of his eyes. Dara sprinted for the door and jerkily kicked it. Yoongi saw as the house's windows automatically closed, keeping everyone within. Dara slammed the door harder as she heard the terrified screams coming from within the home. When the door split open, Dara saw Jungkook's eyes, which were as white as snow and were framed by his black lips, scarlet eyebags, and purple fingers.

He took off the locket from his wrist and went to sleep. The summoner entered through his dreams again.

"Yoongi, protect Adona and Theodore. Take the children away," Dara carefully stepped inside before standing before the family, spreading her arms like a safety board, "Jungkook, my love, can you hear—,"

"SHUT UP!" that was not his voice. That was the voice of wrath and revenge, the voice was full of scars, "One word and your soldier dies."

"Jungkook," Dara whispered.

"Leave my son alone," Wineri cried as Yoongi tried to pull her out of the scene. Yoongi grabbed Wineri by her shoulders but she refused to leave. Namjoon hid with the older children in the kitchen, shaking with fear.

"Jungkook," Dara said again, "I am here. You need to snap out of it—,"

"He cannot hear you," grinned the voice, Jungkook's lips stretching into a viscous looking smile, his teeth purple blooded and his face wrinkling, "Deborah. I have waited for you, darling. I have waited long years for you."

"So have I," Dara whispered, "Leave my soldier out of this, summoner. The fight is ours. Do not make me tell you who's body you take, you will leave with your ashes."

"They say you know what he looked like," said the summoner, walking around the house, Dara moved too, so did Wineri and Yoongi behind Dara, "His blood is still fresh on the Curve. But when it dries, Deborah, I will use your flesh to keep the memories, deal?"

"You will leave with your ashes, summoner," Dara said, "You will regret messing with my family. Leave my husband before I—,"

"I will not leave!" Dara was unable to hear Jungkook or, even once, see him clearly. Was he excluded? His physique appeared to be stronger, and his eyes had a silvery gleam to them, "I may leave, if you sacrifice yourself to me right now, Deborah. Let us end it here."

Dara heard the voice the first time.

"I will let your husband live, I will spare the entire family. Give me your heart and blood, right here," said the voice, "Your death will make no difference, it will be as if you never existed."

"Can you make them forget me?" Dara's voice quivered.

"Yes," Jungkook grinned, excited, "Come here, give me your heart and I will make them forget you, no one will remember about you!"

"Dara," Wineri cried, "Don't do this to us. There must be another way—,"

"You need your son back more than anything, Wineri," Dara let her body loose, eyes locked with the summoner's soul, "There is no other way."

"Come, dearest," Jungkook clapped his hands together, stepping back to make space for Dara, "Come quick before I kill everyone here."

"Dara," Adona whispered from the kitchen, Theodore in her arms, "It's lying. It cannot make us forget—,"

She gained a look from Jungkook's white orbs, making the entire kitchen scream before he went for them, but Dara screamed right on time, "Hey, I am here! I am here. Do not touch them."

Jungkook eyed Adona's frightened face carefully before he looked at Dara and smiled. Adona's cry loud and clear, Wineri falling to her knees as she wailed. Dara's eyes circled with tears, "Jungkook, darling, you are not doing this alright? You cannot kill me."

"He won't remember a thing," Jungkook smiled wickedly, "Give me your hands, Deborah."

Yoongi stared at the sacrifice.

Dara raised her hands and was ready to touch Jungkook's. She raised an eyebrow at his vacant brown doe eyes. There is no warmth. Her fireplace had disappeared. Dara closed her eyes and took a deep breath. With rage, Jungkook clenched his teeth, "Give me your hands—,"

Dara flashed her golden eyes wide and kicked Jungkook in the chest and jaw. Dara ran to Jungkook as he flew to the opposite side of the house before flying for her throat. Dara smacked her head against his before he clutched her neck, causing him to recoil. Dara yelled, "FIND HIS LOCKET!"

Securing Yoongi's way up with a little guard around the room, Dara found herself running back to Jungkook, locking his body against the wall with her arms against his throat, "Jungkook, I know you are in there. Listen to me, listen to Dara. I am here, you need to bleed yourself—,"

"You think I am a fool?" Dara endured a slap from Jungkook before being grabbed by her hair and slammed onto the hardwood floor. As soon as Dara started spitting blood out of his lips, Wineri and the kids screamed. He continued to slam her face on the ground. Dara grabbed Jungkook by the head to cause him to fall down as she tasted her own blood running down her nose. Before pushing Jungkook to the opposite side of the house, Dara grasped the back of his head, "You are only hurting Jungkook...I don't feel a thing, Deborah."

The nasty laugh made Dara's blood boil, but to think of it, she was hurting Jungkook. It did not affect the summoner.

"You have no idea who's body you are in, do you?" Dara asked, "You don't want to know...."

"Come and fight me then, come kill your own husband. It is the only way out," he stood up on his feet again, his ears bleeding, his wounds fresh again. Dara's heart ripped into two when she realized what she had done to him, but her state wasn't any better either. She was smudged with her own blood.

"Dara, please," Wineri begged.