The Price of Freedom

  As the fire crackled and burned, Maxwell took a seat closest to the fire place. He closed his eyes and let sleep wash over him. The discussion he’d had with Elizabeth replayed in his mind, for tonight he’d sleep soundly knowing that his victory was at hand.

  “What did you say?”

  Elizabeth couldn’t believe what she had just heard. Just a moment ago she had been exposed and criticized by the great hero, Maximus Luminose, and now he’d just offered her his help with the murder of her twin brother, Midas.

  “You said you’ve thought of taking Midas out, I said that I can help you.”

  He spoke so nonchalantly, as if helping to take another’s life was just another chore to be done. It was true she had thought about making Midas pay, he’d been dead to her as a brother for quite sometime. But even so, thinking about taking a life and actually doing it were two completely different matters.

  “Why are you hesitant? You want him dead don’t you? He killed your father, he leads your kingdom down a destructive path, he spreads lies about you, he…”

  “He’s still a person! He stopped being my brother the moment he murdered my father but he is still a person. I may wish death upon him and all who follow him but I can’t just kill him.”

  “Why not? He doesn’t seem to have a problem with doing the same to you. Why do you think he sent me and Rei to find you?”

  Elizabeth’s blood ran cold. “He didn’t.”

  “He sent us to investigate the woman living in the forest, a woman he claims is the goddess of destruction, Kalilo. He gave us specific instructions to bring you in alive or kill you if necessary, though I doubt he plans on sparing your life if we bring you in.”

  Elizabeth was frozen with fear. She knew Midas had despised her, she’d known that since birth. He’d often tease how when he was king he’d throw her in the dungeon. She never believed in his half hearted threats until he’d killed their father. After that, there was no telling what he was capable of.

  She’d run that day, she’d run and never look back. To hells with Dulciena, she’d hated it anyway and to hells with her family she’d hated them even more. The cottage had been abandoned and so she would build herself a new life. A life free of Dulciena, of her family and most importantly, free of Midas.

  “It doesn’t have to be this way.”

  “What?”

  “I’m saying your life doesn’t have to end just because he wills it so.”

  Elizabeth wasn’t even listening. The quiet life she’d build for herself was crumbling under her feet. She’d never escape from Midas. He would always be apart of her, inside her mind and within her blood.

  She felt her legs give out from under her as she fell to the ground before an arm reached out to balance her.

  “Listen to me Elizabeth, I will not let Midas hurt you.”

  “How? By taking his life?”

  “No, by helping you take his life.

  Elizabeth nearly fell over again. “I already told you, I can’t do that.”

  “But you can, a person can do anything with the proper motivation.”

  “Motivation?”

  “You like your life you’ve built in this forest? Then fight for it. You’ve run long enough. Eventually we all must fight for what we want in life. And right now I’m offering to help you get what you want most.”

  “What I want most? How would you know what I want most?”

  Maxwell smiled. “I know because what you want is the same as everyone else, you want to be free. Free to live your life however you choose without the fear of Midas. This cottage gave you a taste of that freedom, what if I were to tell you there’s more where that came from?”

  Elizabeth wasn’t sure what to think anymore. She was terrified of losing the life she’d build but equally terrified of what Maximus was asking of her. But what terrified her most of all was how his words seemed to make the most sense.

  Midas deserved to die, and who better to take his life than her? She’d never wanted this but it was Midas who made the first move. If he’d just left her alone, let her remain as his beloved sister who’d been spirited away by a witch, then she would have played along as a phantom.

  Elizabeth stood strong as she looked Maxwell in the eye with a new found conviction. She hungered for the freedom he’d spoken of, and that hunger needed to be satiated.

  “Tell me more.”