"Did you find it?" Em casually questioned whilst picking at her nails. She didn't look up to know that Zal-Kath was storming towards her. The thud of his boots beneath the gravel was enough.

"Only to have it turn to dust in my fingers!" He snarled glaring down in her direction. Dastan and the others returned to the courtyard. Dastan felt guilty without replacing the lid back on her father's coffin. He knew when this was all over he would have to beg for forgiveness.

"Well it has been centuries, not everything lives forever." Em shrugged glancing up at Zal-Kath with a slight smirk. Smoke would be pouring out of his ears, his face was bright red as he snarled at her.

"The answer is right in front of me. Princess Emerald, the heir to the Asreldion throne, or should I call you Queen?" Zal-Kath demanded as he yanked her onto her feet by her forearm. Em refused to say a word as they continued to glare at each other.

"Queen?" Dastan whispered unsure he had heard Zal-Kath correctly. It hadn't sunken into Dastan's mind that the woman who had been accompanying them this whole time was royalty. Not just any royalty but the Queen of Asreldion. Em knew full well what it meant to bring Dastan and his men into her home and he failed her.

"Only the reigning monarch can hold the power of the jewel! You did put up a stunning display all those years ago. But daddy isn't here to save you." Zal-Kath promised.

"How did you survive for so long?" Em demanded to know curiously. Em herself was over two thousand years old, how on earth was Zal-Kath even alive?

"Just a little trick I got from your books. You remember the Qhathki Arknonth spell don't you." He smirked causing her to scrunch her nose at him in disgust.

"You passed your soul down into each generation. So you would always remain in power." She cringed causing him to laugh.

"You always did you have an equal share of brains to beauty. It's a shame you rejected my proposal some many years ago." He admired holding her chin once again to gaze upon her face. She was quick to jerk out of his grip, hating the feeling on his skin on her face.

"I would gladly do it again!" She threatened.

"I will enjoy seeing you fail the world twice," Zal-Kath whispered in her ear causing her to pause.

"How do remember?" Em asked him slowly, her breathing hitched whilst her eyes narrowed.

"Dark magic has a wonderful way of undoing your work. But possession of that stone, granting me immortality and the gods power. I can almost taste it." Zal-Kath muttered in a dreamy state.

"You may just have to wait a little longer!" Em warned as he grabbed her by the collar and lifted her up. Dastan went to struggle against Męrt and Tœm but it was no use.

"Give me that necklace!" He snarled glaring at her. Em held her ground even though his nose was almost touching hers. She wouldn't be intimidated by him. Almost smiling she knew he would never get what he wanted.

"You will never get it. You and I both know there is no way it's coming off my neck" Em snarled watching his face slowly glow red. He knew she would never give it to him and physically forcing it off her wouldn't work. Zal-Kath knew that he needed the jewel off her throat to destroy her and gain immortal power. He needed to tie his life to the stone but it only ever had one master at a time.

"You will give me what I want otherwise I will execute your friend over there." He demanded. Snapping his fingers the two soldiers holding Dastan shoved him down to the ground, raising a sword and placing it against his neck. Pressing down into his skin, he automatically winced.

"No!" Em cried out automatically and went to lunge forward only to be pulled back. Zal-Kath slowly stood straighter, his smirk growing wider as he looked between the two. He started to laugh evilly unable to believe his luck. Em stood still, eyes wide, breathing heavily hoping what they both suspected what false.

"Oh don't tell me it's that easy? It is!" He teased with a sneer. Watching as Em gulped uneasily she wasn't sure herself. But her heart was pumping loud in her ears. She was afraid he could hear it. The jewel could only be removed for two reasons. Firstly if it was being passed to the next heir to the throne. Secondly, if their heart no longer belonged to them. If they grew to love another and wished for them to share their fate.

"Dastan! I have one final job for you." Zal-kath sneered with joy. Snapping his fingers the men lifted him roughly to his feet. Dastan knowing exactly what he wanted shook his head and glared. Spitting in his direction, he gained a sharp punch in the gut. Em winced closing her eyes as he coughed.

"Forget it." He wheezed. Dastan was unaware of the consequences of removing her necklace. However Zal-Kath was beginning to get frustrated with constantly being disobeyed.

"If you don't, then this flea bag dies!" He shouted angrily pointing in Edvard's direction.

"Fleabag! Did you just call me---"

"Oh shut up!" Zal-Kath shouted as black lightning flashed through the sky. Everyone grew quiet as they could see a faint black glow around Zal-Kath. His fists were clenched and sparking with electricity. His dark eyes watched Dastan and Em waiting for any signs of changing. Em stood with her head held high like a Queen should. Dastan just glared, lifting his chin up in defiance almost pushed Zal-Kath over the edge.

"I'm getting impatient" He growled deeply. Staring straight ahead at Edvard, the old man squirmed under his gaze. Nodding to the man holding him tightly he began to slowly squeeze his throat. Gasping for air, his desperate cries for air made Em and Dastan's hearts ache.

"Alright!" Dastan cried out. Edvard breathed in sharp gulps of air glaring at the man who had just saved him life. Dastan couldn't have Edvard's death on his hands, he was too much like a father figure in his life. The guards holding him firm slowly let go as he slowly walked towards Em and stood in front of her.

"Forgive me." He whispered as he gazed upon her. There were faint trails of vulnerability and fear lurking in the depths of those beautiful irises.

"Dastan please don't do this. I beg of you." She begged to him as his palms began to sweat beside him. His heart grew heavy as it thudded harder against his chest. Slowly lifting his hands to her neck, his fingers trailed against her soft skin. He was surprised when he found a clasp at the back, he was positive there hadn't been one before.

it easily unclipped in his hands. As the necklace was removed from her neck a wave of green light pulsed through the sky, a sign that her magic was becoming undone. Gently holding the stone in his palm, the pulsing beat was fast and uneven, making his hands shake nervously. He gazed at Em watching as a tear strayed down each cheek. Slowly holding it out Zal-Kath tore it from his hands with joy.

"At long last! It is mine!" He cried out. Holding it out to the air a bolt of lightning struck the necklace. The skies darkened as the winds began to pick up. The once beautiful necklace transformed into a black ring, glued to his finger on his right hand. Laughing loudly to the power surging through his veins, his clothes began to melt away.

With a cloak of black velvet, his dark armour began to mould his body. Dastan watched the transformation in fear, the tales of the monster under his bed slowly coming to life. Once the transformation was done, Zal-Kath smiled to be back in his old attire. He had missed the power and familiarity of his armour. Glancing at Em, he smirked to see her wobbling slightly on her feet, the warm glow in her skin slowly draining away.

"You look tired my dear, can you feel your power weakening?" He teased as Dastan was quick to catch her as her legs gave way from under her. Taking a deep strangled breath, she started to grow cold under Dastan's fingers.

"What have you done to her?" Dastan snarled protectively as he clutched her to his chest, hoping to provide her with some warmth.

"Oh Dastan, it isn't what I have done. It's what you have done." Zal-Kath chuckled at the innocence of the man before him.

"I don't understand?" Dastan frowned as he looked down at Em, her eyes now closed and taking in shallow breaths. With a slight skip in his step the King circled around behind Dastan, gripping his shoulder tightly and bending down.

"She no longer has her immortality. This power has kept her alive all these years. You just gave me her heart." Zal-Kath whispered in his ear, before chuckling darkly. It was only then, did Dastan realise what he had done. She was dying and it was all his fault.