The Devil's Warrior Queen
Chapter 360: That Which Does Not Exist

Chapter 360: That Which Does Not Exist

They stopped moving as they hovered above another corpse similar to the few others that lay scattered on the cold forest floor.

"Their souls were sucked out and we know there was use of dark magic." Draco noted.

"That said, there are a few rogue witches on the loose, they make use of dark magic, which would have made them a perfect suspect, but then there are also a lot of reasons why they couldn’t be suspects." Draco added.

"And why do you say so? For all we know the dark witches could have conspired with Lucifer again, they did it once, and they can do it again." Rama implied strongly.

"It wasn’t the dark witches. The culprit feeds on the souls of the victims, dark witches don’t feed on souls and moreover, they have no reason to attack us, it would be suicide and this time, they’d become extinct if they were to cross me again." Draco pointed out with a tepid countenance, his eyes fixated keenly on the corpse.

"Still, maybe it’s the dark witches and they may not be feeding on the souls, there could could be a possibility that they’re using their souls for something treacherous." Rama remarked, trying to make sense out of the implausible statement.

"Let’s say Malika was the culprit, she’s alive with the use of forbidden sorcery and only she has a reason to feed on souls, it makes her stronger and it prolongs how long the entities can stay in her body." Draco reasoned out.

"That is a completely absurd assumption, how does feeding on souls helps the entities to live in her?" Rama scoffed, unwilling to believe.

"You refuse to see the truth because it’s Malika. The entity feeds on souls to prolong its stay, because apparently Malika isn’t enough, but now, it’s getting out of control, just a few victims should have been enough." Draco said, unbothered by her nonchalance.

After all, when the time came and all trace fell to Malika, he would have to make the ultimate decision to get rid of her, despite how Rama would feel. It would be heartbreaking, but he couldn’t jeopardize the safety of his kingdom for one girl, no matter how precious she meant to Rama.

"You don’t know that, besides she might not be the culprit, we’ll find out the truth soon." Rama hastily chipped in.

"We would have found out sooner if your little diviner hadn’t run off for a cure." Draco mumbled in displeasure.

"She didn’t run off, she went on an errand I sent her." Rama corrected.

"An errand to find that which does not exist." Draco scoffed.

"What errand? To find a cure for Malika?" Zamiel queried, his brows lifted slightly in curiosity.

"Yes, to find a cure for her. Isn’t it funny how I’m doing all the work for you, when you’re her mate? You just sit around on your ass all day after the danger you’ve caused for both her and probably, everyone else." Rama snapped, her fiery eyes glaring hotly at him.

Zamiel turned to face her, his crimson eyes burning into her, the muscle in his jaws ticking and for the first time, she saw an emotion flitting through his orbs. Anger.

Approaching her with slow and daunting steps, his menacing presence engulfed her as he moved closer, while she shifted her feet back, refraining from cowering in fear or being intimidated by him, mostly because Draco was beside her.

"If I hadn’t taken any chance at all, she would have been dead, because of you, because she tried to save you by risking her own life. Talk of finding a cure, it doesn’t even exist, so you better kill your hope or it will kill you." Zamiel hissed between his gritted teeth.

But he wasn’t done there, instead he continued as he said, spouting the words like acidic venom burning through her skin "If we had left when we made the plans to leave without you holding us back, she would have still been alive, without dark entities feeding on her every second, she would never have died like that. Maybe you’re the problem, Rama, because everyone around you dies. Your entire kingdom perished because of you, then Malika and Dalen. So don’t you dare try to tell me how to take care of her, you have no idea what I went through when she died and you don’t have the slightest idea of the desperation I went through to being her back to life. I didn’t care if she became the devil, as long as she was alive."

She could see his veins pop in his head, his desperate filled eyes yet intimidating scoured the inner depths of her soul as they pierced into her eyes.

Every word that rolled off his lips were induced with bitterness and suppressed fury that he was finally releasing out, but he wasn’t enraged at her, he seemed to be enraged by himself and his inability to control their fate.

As he approached closer, Draco suddenly stopped him from coming any closer to her as he placed his hand firmly on his chest.

Zamiel halted "You are the reason Malika is dead," he said, his voice laced with accusation and sorrow. "Your presence brings death wherever you go, like a shadow that taints all it touches." He said, giving her one last fiery side eye before turning away as he walked away, leaving them in the unnervingly silent forest.

Being hit by his bitter yet true words, it felt as though a bomb had detonated within her, her heart squeezed painfully, as if clawed fingers were piercing through it repeatedly. The sting of his words hurt like a thousand stab wounds, more because he was right and as he spoke, she couldn’t even bring herself to speak in her defense.

Rama recoiled at his words, feeling as though a dagger had been plunged into her heart. How could her presence, her love for Malika, be the cause of such tragedy? The weight of guilt and despair threatened to consume her, leaving her adrift in a sea of anguish.

"You made Zamiel say more in a minute than he’s ever said in a week." Draco said, trying to lighten the air around them, but she was already lost to the torment of guilt that held her captive in it’s wicked embrace.

"Rama." He called softly, his voice no longer laden with lightness but now it was heavy, somber and comforting.

"You shouldn’t take his words to heart, it wasn’t your fault. Zamiel would never think of it as your fault, he merely just spouted those things in anger."

"No, he was right." Her voice broke as she turned away.

She used to recall memories of her and Malika together, but now, those reminders were tainted by the specter of death that haunted her. She felt like a pariah, shunned by the very world she once knew and loved.

And amidst the chaos of her grief, a single question lingered in her mind, was Zamiel right? Was she truly to blame for Malika’s death?

His words echoed like a haunting melody in her mind, each syllable a dagger plunging deeper into her wounded soul. "You are the reason Malika died," he had accused, his voice dripping with venom. "Your presence brings death wherever you go."

Rama’s mind reeled with disbelief and anguish. How could he say such a thing? Malika, her dearest friend, her confidante, had gone from this world unexpectedly, and now Zamiel blamed her for it. She had only ever wanted to protect Malika, to shield her from harm, yet now she was being accused of being the harbinger of death itself.

Her hands clenched into fists at her sides, nails digging into her palms as she fought to contain the torrent of emotions raging within her. Tears streamed down her cheeks unchecked, their salty taste mingling with the bitter taste of betrayal that filled her mouth.

Memories of happier times flooded her mind, moments shared with Malika, laughter ringing through the air like silver bells. They had been inseparable, two souls bound by a bond stronger than steel. And at that painful moment, Malika was gone, torn from her grasp by the cruel hand of fate.

But it wasn’t just Malika’s death that tore at Rama’s heart, it was the accusation, the implication that she was somehow to blame.

She had always tried to be there for Malika, to support her through every trial and tribulation. And yet, now she was being accused of being a bringer of death, a curse upon all those she held dear.

A sob escaped Rama’s lips, a raw, guttural sound that echoed off the cold night air. She felt as though she were drowning in a sea of despair, the weight of Zamiel’s words pressing down upon her like a leaden cloak.

But amidst the pain and the sorrow, a flicker of defiance ignited within her. She refused to believe Zamiel’s accusation and refused to accept that she was somehow responsible for Malika’s death, but she couldn’t. As much as she was determined to believe it, the self blame overpowered her.