In the dark corridor, the black panther was staring as Marath locked Sienna between his arms and the wall dominantly. Marath's red eyes were shining in the dark, he looked happy, entertained, and somehow wild, but Xander did not feel any intent to hurt. So he stood a bit frozen and watched.
Sienna gulped and looked into the shiny red eyes, "What are you doing, Marath?" she asked innocently.
"Do you know what I will do to you when you fall into my hands?" he rasped sweetly.
"No, please just tell me on the day."Sienna bit her lips.
"You are so cute. I will f*ck you till you drop!"He chuckled entertained.
"Well, me or you!" Sienna puckered her lips jokingly.
"How dare you! Little wild thing!"Marath laughed amused and let her go. "You are so lucky I'm busy today." he chuckled again and shook his head. He went back to his laboratory to check on Cosimo in an even better mood!
Sienna ran to the garden. She breathed in relief when she saw he is not coming after her!"What was that Xander?"She panted a bit bewildered leaning on the blooming tree.
"Exactly what I want to do to you as well." the panther sighed."And I promise I will not drop in a long time..." he chuckled and brushed his big head against her hips.
"What?"Sienna stared at him.
"I'm sure you will like it, hm?"He looked at her with his sparkly eyes and blinked.
"You are impossible!"Sienna shook her head and chuckled. It was no point to get upset with him. He was a wild panther after all!
Meanwhile, Cosimo checked the crystal on the top of the dome first, it was stuck hard in its place, but it was broken inside, and the cracked veins were shining brightly in it.
Cosimo opened the stuck door and walked inside the crystal dome. He looked at Sarcos's armour and sword but did not touch them.
"So, how is my weapon son?" the old scorpion asked."I made it to kill you and now I want you to overcome it. Am I not the worst of all fathers? The crystal has broken lines inside, which is a good sign, you will possess its power now. You have to concentrate on your wants and your body will come back visible again. "Cosimo nodded.
"By the way, you survived only because you are the golden scorpion. The crystal moved you level up. You will be a crystal scorpion now. Invisible and crystal powers are yours. You will be able to talk to stones. They will show you anything you ask them and open in front of you like the oldest book. You will be their new master! The most powerful sorcerer, the new shiny monster coming back into our world."Cosimo sighed.
"If you can put yourself together, otherwise your soul will be scattered in the wind over the land. Good luck son. I'm going to see your queen. You have only three days left till Mathyas will mate with her!"
Cosimo sealed the door back, so no one will get an idea, that he was inside. " I will not make it easy for you son and keep the door open. I lost my queen for you and you should know the feeling."He smiled coldly."Let's see if you are strong enough to break out!" he chuckled. He went out with his head down, hiding a smirk!
Marath was waiting for him in the corridor already. He just tapped Cosimo's shoulder." Is anything else I can do for you, past friend?"
"May I see my son's queen?"Cosimo asked Marath carefully."I did not meet her yet."
"Yes, you can. Your daughter-in-law is beautiful. I just saw her on her way to the garden. I'm thinking to take her myself actually. Imagine you can be my father-in-law?"Marath chuckled a bit wickedly.
"Well, you are a lot younger than me."Cosimo nodded entertained." You are still a man in full strength, but don't you have Thyasse already?"
"Well, I can have two, no? Am I not powerful enough? "Marath smiled cheekily and took him to the garden.
Sienna was drawing the flowery dress design under the pink and purple blooming pergola sitting comfortably on the soft cushions and the huge black panther was laying at her feet, keeping them warm. She was deep in her thoughts when Xander growled quietly.
Sienna looked up and saw Marath coming her way with the charming older man with silver long hair. He looked like old knights from medieval legends, but he wore very light white and silver scorpion armour!!! Sienna stared at him. He reminded her of Sarcos!!!
The two men came to Sienna. She stood up and curtsy to both of them politely.
"Sienna, "Marath came familiarly to her."You look much better, the fresh air is really working for you." he pinched her rosy cheeks a bit. He acted as if nothing happened, so Sienna did the same and smiled sweetly."Thank you, it is thanks to your son, he made this lovely garden for me, "she nodded politely but was clearly distracted. She couldn't take her eyes off the older man with silver hair and flicked eyes!
Marath noticed her gaze and smiled."Here, your father-in-law came to visit you finally. Well, a bit late to meet him, but still." he chuckled. " The old Scorpion King Cosimo." he introduced the charming older man.
"Cosimo?"Sienna flinched a bit." The father who designed a weapon to kill the son." Mathyas's words flashed in her mind.
Sienna looked at Cosimo curiously." Father-in-law...we never met." the tears came into her eyes. "Would you care to play chess with me?" she asked politely. She decided to be nice to him because he reminded her of Sarcos. "And he might know more of his weapon!" she thought a bit frantically.
"I will leave you then."Marath chuckled and went.
Cosimo stared at the beautiful queen."My son's mate. I can't believe he was able to share her." he thought. He sat opposite Sienna on the cushions. Sienna took out the chess figures from the small table. It was from her treasure cave. She gave him white ones and she took the black ones. He was watching her thinking.
Sienna felt her heart throb painfully looking at Sarcos's father. She put the figures on the desk for both of them. Her hands were shaking a bit and she try not to stare into his face for too long.
"Do you hate me?" he asked her in a soft manly voice.
"We never met before."Sienna whispered."You are Sarcos's father, how can I hate you?"She looked into his sparkly dark eyes. It was fascinating how much Sarcos was similar to him! She reached her hand and touched his cheek gently."Will he look similar to you when he gets old?"
"He will not really get old," Cosimo noted coldly.
"Do you think so?"Sienna burst into tears."What I'm to do?" she sobbed. "Please, ask Marath to allow me to visit him at least, in that room."Sienna sobbed."Mathyas said only he can agree to let me in."
"I will." Cosimo nodded and leaned closer to her. "Did you not figure out that my son can come back?"Cosimo whispered to her gently.
"I did, but I'm still waiting. I'm not sure if he is immortal. Can he come back then?" Sienna whispered.
"Yes, it is a chance he will come back if he can put himself back together. Otherwise, his soul will scatter in the wind." Cosimo nodded.
Sienna's face lit up as if the sun come out in the dark day."When? she whispered excitedly.
"Well, I told him he got 3 days, till you mate Mathyas, so the latest it should be midnight of the 3rd day from now."Cosimo chuckled. "He should not come later than that or he forfeits you. He and Mathyas swore never to be brothers with each other. They will not share you at all." he said calmly.
"What? You mean if he comes after that, he will just leave me to him? "Sienna felt her heart breaking again. "This is a betrayal!!!"Sienna thought raging inside."I can't accept Mathyas under any circumstances!" she swore in her head. Her eyes shone brightly in her rage.
Cosimo liked the cute queen. Her eyes were really like a tiger's ones! "Yes, you will stay with Mathyas here. He is a good man anyway."Cosimo nodded.
"What? "Sienna asked shocked," I hope Sarcos will come back." her voice broke a bit. This was too much!
"In case he will not, you need to mate Mathyas," Cosimo said seriously again.
"Why?"Sienna whispered.
"My son ordered you, no? You need Mathyas's protection and if you are not his mate, why he should risk his life for you? "Cosimo noted coldly.
Sienna stared in disbelief. "I did not ask him to do it, he can just let me go."
"He will never let you go, he promised to Sarcos. It is my son's last wish. You have no other choice." he said."Be careful with Mathyas, he is not so lenient as my son was to you. It would be a pity if you end up in his dungeon. Mathyas has his limits. Don't provoke him much."Cosimo nodded.
"Dou you want me to live in fear of him father?"Sienna furowed her brows." I did not beg him to keep me!"
"But my son did! He did everything to keep you alive."The old scorpion said seriously." My son sacrificed himself for you. If my son's soul scatters in the wind you will mate Mathyas and give him many children. Your second son will inherit Sand City."
"What! My second son? I'm not ready for children yet."Sienna stayed pale." And definitely not ready with Mathyas." she whispered shocked.
Cosimo grinned at her a bit cruelly."If you try to run, I will bring you back to him by myself from wherever you will go!"
Sienna felt her heart clench."What are you so scared of father-in-law?" she shook her head.
"Death, the death of your pretty self."Cosimo nodded."My son's sacrifice will be not in vain. You leave with him or stay here, love Mathyas, give him kids and be happy. That is what my son wants."
Sienna stayed pale. It was no point to argue with an old scorpion!
Cosimo took her quietness as an agreement. He touched her cheek gently."Be a good girl if you love my son." he stood up and was ready to go. Sienna looked after him. Her heart squashed in fear. Sarcos's father was ferocious. She could see how he will drag her back if she ran and the bitter taste came to her mouth. Sienna swallowed hard. "They are not joking here." she sighed.
"I will wait at least until midnight of the 3rd day. "she thought."Then I will call the dragon. He can't be worse than Mathyas anyway." Sienna was planning in her head. She stood under the blooming pergola and looked at the steep dark rocks enclosing the garden. The flowers were wild and beautiful, but she felt let down suddenly. "How could he do this to me?" angry tears were going down her cheeks.