Sphere

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From the balcony, Zeena finally saw him.

Harold was approaching across the castle grounds through the thinning smoke. Even from a distance, there was no mistaking his tall, broad-shouldered frame or reddish-brown hair.

Zeena was already moving before Natalie could say anything. She hurried down from the balcony and out onto the castle grounds, the knife clutched tightly in one hand.

Harold spotted her approaching and slowed. They met halfway, with Zeena stopping directly in front of him and staring up at the man who towered over her.

Zeena’s gaze travelled over her husband from head to toe, hurt and betrayal unmistakable in her dark eyes.

Harold said nothing, but seeing that expression on the face of the woman he loved was harder than he had expected.

“Why did you do it, Harold?”

Harold opened his mouth, but Zeena slapped him across the face before he could answer. His head barely moved.

She struck him again, then drove her free fist against his chest.

“Why?”

Another blow followed, then another. Harold simply stood there while Zeena continued hitting him, each strike becoming weaker until her breathing turned ragged and her hand finally came to rest against his chest.

“Do you know what the hardest thing I have ever had to do is, Harold?”

Her voice shook as tears gathered in her eyes.

“To stand against the man I love most in this world.”

She looked up at him.

“Do you have any idea how hard this is for me?”

Harold reached towards her, but Zeena immediately raised the knife between them.

“Do not come any closer.”

He stopped.

“You have already committed treason. Please, Harold. Do not do something you cannot return from.”

Her grip trembled around the knife.

“I can still get Andrew to pardon you. Whatever you have done, stop now. Come with me.”

More tears slipped down her cheeks.

“We can still fix this.”

“Pardon me, dear Zeena?”

A faint smile appeared on Harold’s face.

“By now, Mariana and her soldiers will have taken the battlefield.”

Zeena shook her head.

Harold took a careful step towards her, stopping when the knife rose slightly higher.

“You do not have to stand against me, Zeena. Stand beside me.”

“No.”

“You will see Rowland wear the crown again.”

Zeena’s face crumpled.

“I don’t care about the crown!”

Her voice broke.

“I care about you.”

For the first time, Harold had nothing to say.

A hand rested lightly on his shoulder.

Harold froze and slowly turned.

Sybill stood behind him. Her long black hair had returned, and her enormous lavender eyes were calm once again.

A sphere rested in her hand.

She held it out to Harold.

He stared at the glass orb before slowly taking it from her. Then his gaze dropped towards the movement within.

The colour drained from his face.

Mariana was trapped inside the sphere , pounding both hands furiously against its glass-like interior. Her mouth was open in a scream, but not a sound escaped.

Harold’s eyes widened.

The sphere slipped from his fingers and landed in the grass.

Footsteps approached behind them.

“Harold.”

Andrew crossed the castle grounds with Leo and Erasmus beside him. Several palace guards followed close behind.

Harold slowly turned towards the king.

Andrew stopped in front of him.

“Duke Harold Longbottom, you are under arrest for treason against the Crown.”

Harold looked at Andrew, then towards Zeena. Her knife had finally lowered to her side, but she could no longer bring herself to meet his eyes.

He did not resist.

The palace guards moved forward and took Harold into custody while Leo and Erasmus remained beside Andrew. As Harold was led away, Leo’s attention shifted towards the glass globe lying in the grass.

He bent down and picked it up, slowly turning it between his fingers as he examined the unfamiliar magic from every angle.

Inside, Mariana glared furiously up at him.

“Interesting. I have never seen anything like this before.”

Leo gave the sphere a small shake.

Mariana went tumbling from one side to the other.