Chapter Two

Chapter Two
Arianne Knight
 
   Her people labeled her a murderer and threw her into Exile for a crime she could never have committed. Arianne Knight, the supposed Queen Killer, was tortured for something she knew without a doubt she had not done. It had been her hand that drove the silver dagger into the depths of Rayanne’s heart but the person controlling this action was not Arianne herself. She could not explain how it had happened, could not tell who the person was that had been controlling her body though she knew for a fact who it was. The only person that would have a reason to kill Rayanne, the girl that should have protected Rayanne, her sister Tempest, was the one controlling Arianne’s body the night she murdered Rayanne Satirra Blakefield.
   Arianne watched Colt and Rayanne’s happy reunion with a heavy heart. Rayanne could never know that her own sister had killed her. It would destroy her to know that truth. She would go on believing that her best friend had murdered her, she would believe the lie that Tempest herself had created. It would destroy Arianne in the worst of ways, would shatter her very soul, but it was best for Rayanne that she never find out the truth. Rayanne had always loved Tempest the best out of her five younger sisters and the knowledge that Tempest had once taken her life would shatter her.
 “This time, when you kill her, it will be for good. If she returns this time I will destroy both of you.”
   Tempest’s voice was dark, the rage she had managed to keep hidden for so long bubbling to the surface. Arianne felt the sudden – and familiar – urge to slap the Sorceress but refrained from doing it. Instead, she turned slowly to look at her and stared at Tempest. Tempest stared back, evil written all over her face.
“I will not kill her.”
   The sentence left Arianne’s lips before she had time to rethink it. Still, as soon as the words were gone, Arianne knew she had meant them. She would not kill Rayanne, not this time. If Tempest wanted her dead, she would just have to find a new way to get it done. Tempest was probably going to destroy her now but Arianne cared little for her own life. What she cared about was Rayanne’s. Keeping Rayanne safe and alive was the only thing Arianne truly cared about at that moment.
“It doesn’t matter what you think you’re going to do Arianne. You are going to get rid of the Queen once and for all.”
“No. I am not going to kill her. Not this time. If you want her killed that bad you’re just going to have to do it yourself.”
“You think you can refuse me? If I say you’ll kill someone you’ll do just that.”
Arianne glared at her before replying.
“I will not kill Rayanne. You are not the only Sorceress in the Immortal Kingdom, remember? I can refuse anyone I choose to refuse and I am choosing to refuse you. You cannot force me to do what I do not wish to do. Not this time.”
   Tempest smiled suddenly, her face alight with the evil that lived in her soul. Arianne knew what that smile meant and knew that, although she would not be relying on Arianne to kill her sister this time, she had another way to get the job done.
 “Looks like I’ll have to get the job done myself. Stop me if you can but I promise you that you will not succeed.”
“You’ll succeed in destroying only yourself Tempest. Remember this: I am the daughter of two of the most powerful Sorcerers in our world. I have the power to tear you into a million tiny pieces.”
“You’ll not destroy me before I’ve killed her. I can promise you that.”
Arianne turned away before speaking.
“We’ll see about that…won’t we Tempest. In the end…we’ll see.”
   Her words were met with silence. Turning, Arianne saw that Tempest had disappeared. She had always been a coward, Arianne knew that first hand, but there was more to this than cowardice. Tempest had a plan, one that she would no doubt use someone else to carry out. She would never do her bidding herself, at least not when it came to destroying her sister. No one would do it willingly either, Arianne certainly had not. Tempest had willed her to do it, using the darkest form of Magic that existed: Soul Possessing. She had taken possession of Arianne’s soul and used that to control her actions. It had been Tempest controlling Arianne’s actions when she brought that dagger deep into Rayanne’s heart.
   ‘She will not touch a hair on Rayanne’s head this time. Not this time.’  Arianne thought as determination set into her heart. She still couldn’t tell Rayanne the truth, not yet anyways, but she would go back to Midnight Island and keep a close eye on Tempest. That way, if Tempest tried something, Arianne would be there to stop it.
“I’ll save you Raya…I promise.” Arianne whispered, turning back the way she had come.
   She had a lot to do before she could leave and very little time to do it in. The first thing she had to do was the hardest thing she’d probably ever have to do: call her soulmate, Rayanne’s twin brother Ryder, and tell him the truth. They hadn’t spoken since the night Rayanne had died but she could clearly remember the pain in his eyes as he heard the Enforcers say what she’d done and she knew that more than likely he wouldn’t believe her. Still, she hoped he would believe her, that he’d know she was telling the truth. After all he was her soulmate…if he didn’t believe her no one would.
   As soon as she was in her own house again, the door locked behind her, Arianne walked into her office. It was a large room with a computer screen completely covering one wall. This computer screen was what she’d come in there for. It was the only link she had to the Immortal Isles. Using it she could talk to people in the Isles simply by touching a button on the side panel and saying the person’s name into a speaker. Arianne hesitated for a second before pressing the button and saying, ‘Ryder Blakefield’  into the speaker. After what seemed like forever Ryder’s face appeared on the screen. They stared at each other for the longest time before he spoke, his voice filled with pain.
“Arianne? What do you want?”
Arianne struggled for words for a few moments before speaking.
“I have to tell you the truth Ryder. I know I don’t deserve for you to listen to me but…but I need it.”
“The truth about what?”
“It wasn’t me controlling my body the night…the night I killed…the night I killed Rayanne.” Her voice was a whisper now, tears building in her eyes.
   Ryder stared at her, shock filling his face. At first, he didn’t believe her…why should he? Then he looked closer at her, saw the tears she was holding back, glimpsed the agony that was written all over her face and knew she was telling the truth. A tear slipped down his cheek as he realized that she was telling the truth. Still, he said nothing, he just stared at her, suddenly overtaken by the sudden urge to pull her into his arms and hold her. After another long moment he took a deep breath and spoke, his voice filled with acceptance.
 “Who was it? Arianne…why didn’t you tell me?”
Relief filled her as she heard his words. She let a few tears fall before speaking again.
“I didn’t tell you because I didn’t think you’d believe me. It was Tempest. Tempest has hated Rayanne since your parents named her their heir. She wanted her gone because she thought she’d get what should have been Rayanne’s. She started studying Dark Magic…she found the Soul Possession spell and used to make me kill Rayanne. Then she watched as I was tried and convicted of killing her sister. I left Midnight Island and didn’t see her until today.”
   There was a pause in which Ryder took in everything she’d been saying. A part of him didn’t believe that Tempest would do something like that. After all, she’d always been the closest to Rayanne. But after giving it some thought it made sense. In the months before Rayanne’s death Tempest had started acting weird. A lot of people had noticed it but many had just put it out of their minds after Rayanne’s death. Looking back now though, he remembered Tempest’s behavior at the funeral was a bit off. She’d been crying, yes, but it was more forced than the rest of his sisters’…like she was only going through the motions. And then she’d left the Isles after the reading of Rayanne’s will when it came out that Rayanne would return…in 300 years. Looking back at Arianne he knew without a doubt that she was telling the truth.
“When are you coming home?” was all he could say.
“Tonight. I need a place to stay…where I won’t be found. I don’t think it’s a good idea to tell Rayanne just yet. I mean, she just remembered everything this morning…is it really safe to tell her so soon?”
“We’ve got to tell her. As soon as you come home we’ll sit down with Colt and Rayanne and tell them everything. Rayanne is your best friend, Arianne, she’ll believe you. I know she will.”
   Arianne thought about that. If Ryder thought she could do it she’d do it. It made sense to tell Rayanne everything that way she knew what Tempest was planning now. She looked up at Ryder and nodded.
“I’ll be there tonight. I have to get my  things together and finish things over here. I’ll call when I’m on my way.”
“No, don’t call. Just come. I’ll be on the beach, at our spot.” Ryder told her.
“I love you Ryder.”
   His heart clenched at the sound of those words. He’d longed to hear them for so long. Tears blurred his vision again but he fought them back, not wanting her to see them. Pressing his hand to the screen he whispered the same sentiment back to her. She pressed her hand against the screen over his and smiled tearfully. They stood like that for a long time, staring into each other’s eyes.