” Why don’t you figure it out yourself… Phoenix? ”


    Phoenix’s eyes broadened and her heart almost jumped out of her chest.


    Did stair just call her Phoenix?


    She gulped nothing, deciding to y cool.


    ” Erm… excuse me? ” She chuckled nervously and stair mmed the door tight, startling her.


    ” A daughter pretending to be her mother.. what will I call that? ” stair raised a brow at Phoenix whose heart digested into her stomach.


    Shit! He knows. She’s busted.


    ” How did you find out? ” She tried not to stutter. Her question made stair crack up in augh, much to her surprise. And just like a fading wind, hisughter was wiped off and reced with a fierce re.


    ” What were you thinking, Phoenix? That I won’t be able to differentiate between Ashley and someone else? ” He scoffed, stepping closer. Phoenix bit on her lips, keeping her head up to show she wasn’t deterred by his re.


    ” I’m a wizard if I’d dly remind you of that. And I know Ashley more than anyone else. She died 25 years ago after giving birth to you ”


    ” You know, I mustmend you on your great acting skills. You’re just like your mother and I almost fell for it but… you seem to have missed some crucial points and information which ended up blowing your cover ”


    Phoenix frowned a bit. What is he talking about?


    ” For example, Ashley wouldn’t ask me where the Golden Dagger was because I already gave her ess to it… 3 decades ago. And also, she is allergic to grapefruit ” stair pointed out and Phoenix tightened her fist.


    ” Damn it! Why didn’t I know about that? You fucked up, Phoenix! ” She cursed under her breath.


    ” You should try better next time, Phoenix ” What stair said made Phoenix scoff.


    Yes, he caught her but she isn’t giving up yet and she isn’t leaving this ce without that dagger.


    ” Fine then, you caught me ” She raised her hands in a form of surrender.


    ” And I know that you know why I’m here then. Give me the dagger, stair ” It came out rude as she scowled at stair. She wasn’t scared of him and is ready to fight him which kind of surprised her.


    ” Why? To save your mate, Axion? ” stair snorted and her face fogged in a deep frown.


    How does he even know all that?


    ” As far I know, a wizard has a limit to his knowledge. So howe you know I have a mate and also his name without me telling you about it? ” She demanded.


    ” I know more, Phoenix. I know that he is a Dark Genie ” stairughed slightly, an evil grin creeping up his lips.


    Seeing those grins, Phoenix knew instantly that someone must have told him everything. Someone was here before her and had informed stair about hering.


    But only Axion and Glinda knew and they wouldn’t betray her so who else knew about their n?


    Her question was answered when a hand raised a hefty rod and smacked it hard against her head. She went stiff in shock as a sharp pain ran down her. She slowly reached out and touch the back of her head. Bringing her hand to her face, she was shocked to see the blood on her fingers.


    She looked up at stair whose grin drew wider. Everywhere went ck in her eyes before she dropped to the floor with a thud and passed out.


    The face of the person who struck her became visible and it turned out to be none other than Corbin, who had a wide smirk up his lips.


    He nced at Phoenix on the floor before looking up at stair whose grin had vanished.


    ” Good job, stair… good job ” One could see the fear and terror in stair’s eyes as he gaped at Corbin.


    FLASHBACK


    After receiving the letter which actually came from Phoenix, stair was overjoyed thinking it was from Ashley.


    But then while he was still rejoicing at having to meet his long-gone lover… a visitor came. It was Corbin, standing by the entrance.


    ” stair ” He called and stair’s face squeezed in a grimace, hearing a hoarse voice. He swiveled quickly and was shocked to see Corbin who shed him a grin, walking in.


    As far as stair could remember, he made sure no one knows about his secret n except for Ashley but one thing he wasn’t aware of is that many now know about his hideout and Corbin was one of them.


    ” Who are you? ” He threw the question at Corbin.


    ” Oh sorry, I’ve formed a bad habit of not introducing myself to people. My name is Corbin by the way. Nice to finally meet you ” Corbin reached out for a shake and stair red at him in suspicion. Withdrawing his hand,


    ” I’ve heard so much about you, stair ” Corbin smirked but then stair gasped with widened eyes as he spotted something that made his heart skip in fear… Corbin’s eyes turning dark and fierce purple.


    A realization hit him. The man standing before him was a Dark Genie… his worst enemy. The one supernatural beings he is truly terrified of.


    How did a Dark Genie find his n and what is he here for?


    He gulped down in scare and stylishly took his wand.


    ” Azarath Metrion Zinthos! ” He eximed and pointed the wand at Corbin, trying to cast a spell on him but Corbin was fast enough to use his power to snatch the wand from him.


    Smirking in satisfaction, he fastened his grip on the wand and it turned to ashes.


    This was one thing stair was sacred of, the fact that his power is nothingpared to that of a Genie. He covered himself with his cafe and made to vanish but Corbin using his power and without much effort grabbed him by the neck and hauled him to himself.


    He gripped his neck and pinned him to the table before him. His finger extended to sharp ws and he dug it into his stomach. stair screamed in intense pain as Corbin twisted his ws making his stomach tear and blood oozed out.


    ” Trying to run away, oh wise wizard? ” Corbin taunted.


    ” What do you want from me, Corbin?! ” stair yelled in pain and Corbin yank his ws out of his stomach.


    ” Good you asked ” He snorted, letting go of his neck, and stair lowered to the ground like a weakling.


    ” I need you to help me out with something ” Corbin began. With his legs wobbling and his blood still oozing, stair managed to stand.


    ” I’m here for that useless Golden Dagger. I want you to grant me the ess to it ”


    ” Forget it! I would rather die than give a Dark Genie that Golden Dagger! ” stair snapped. Corbin’s anger red up and his eyes grew even darker.


    Without looking at stair, he sent many pen knives to him which carried him and pinned him roughly to a shelf, digging into his body. Another cry of anguish left stair’s lips.


    ” You don’t have a choice here, stair!! ” Corbin bellowed, sending him the most petrifying re he had evere across.


    Staring at his hand, Corbin made a sword appear and he slowly walked up to him. He ran the sharp rim of the sword down stair’s face, using it to tilt his head up, his purple eyes boring into his.


    ” No one goes against my order. I won’t hesitate to split whoever it is apart and you aren’t excluded ” He positioned the sword in the middle of stair’s face. He raised it and was about to split him into two.


    ” Please don’t kill me! I’ll do whatever you want, please! ” stair screamed at the top of his voice and Corbin stopped abruptly.


    He busted out, his evilughter reverberating the whole cave.


    ” Coward! ” He snapped and the sword vanished. Hisughter came to halt swiftly reced with a fierce look.


    ” Now listen to me carefully, if you want to live ”


    END OF FLASHBACK


    Axion can be seen pacing to and fro in his room, restless as ever. He couldn’t stop thinking about Phoenix and having a bad feeling that she was in danger. He couldn’t even sleepst night.


    He ran his hand through his hair letting out a groan of frustration.


    He just can’t take it anymore. He is going to stair’s n right away. He grabbed a random shirt he saw and put it on, dashing out of a room.


    The ringing of his phone made hime to halt. It was a video call from an unknown number which made him hesitate before finally answering it.


    Then the face of his one enemy popped up on his phone’s screen making him almost hiss.


    How did he even get his number?


    ” Little brother ” Corbinughed seeing the anger in his face. Axion rolled his eyes and made to end the call. He doesn’t have the time to talk to this fool.


    ” I wouldn’t do that if I were you ” Corbin as if knowing what he wanted to do, halted him.


    ” What do you want? ”


    ” I want us to talk ”


    ” Why will I even want to talk to you? ” Axion scoffed.


    ” Well, maybe because I have something very precious to you ” Corbin grinned making Axion frown. He didn’t like the way he sounded saying that.


    ” What nonsense are you talking about? ”


    ” Take a look, little bro ”


    Axion’s eyes almost yanked out of their socket when Corbin showed him Phoenix, tied to a bed and unconscious. He immediately brought the phone closer.


    ” Surprised? ” Corbin asked and Axion’s face turned red in furry.


    ” Don’t youy a finger on her Corbin! ” He vibrated in anger.


    ” Or else what? ” Corbin scoffed. He ran his finger up Phoenix’s leg to her knee and stopped.


    ” She look so tempting right now Axion, I can barely stop myself ” He was only adding more fuel to Axion’s anger. He made to slide his hand into her thigh when,


    ” Corbin! ” Axion howled and he stopped, chuckling lightly.


    ” I… will… kill… you Corbin if you even think of touching her! ” Axion breathed out in rage.


    ” Chill little bro. I will surely have her but not now ”


    ” So instead of you fuming about me touching her, why don’t you worry more about this ” He showed Axion the buckets lined up just right above Phoenix.


    ” Inside these buckets are acids… hot… bubbling acids to be precise ” He disclosed and hearing that Axion’s eyes widened in shock.


    ” Just one snap of my finger and they’ll pour directly on her. She… will be smitten to nothing but mist ” Fear gripped Axion immediately and his face died down. His anger vanished instantly.


    Before he could fathom what was going on, he saw himself already in the same room with Corbin and was now beholding everything live.


    Seeing his Phoenix lying lifelessly on the bed with the buckets of acid hanging above her and Corbin sitting beside her, shivers of terror went down him.


    ” Phoenix… no ” He mumbled, nodding negatively. He was about to rush up to her when


    ” Don’t even think about it ” Corbin halted him immediately. He looked up and their gaze locked.


    Seeing the fear in his eyes, an idea popped up in Corbin’s head.


    He raised his hand and pretended he wanted to snap his fingers. Axion could feel his soul literally leave his body because of fear and his heart almost popped out of his chest.


    ” Corbin, no, stop! ” He cried out and Corbin grinned in satisfaction.


    Finally, he has gotten him. His n was falling just into ce.


    ” This is between us Corbin, keep Phoenix out of this! ” Axion snapped.


    ” Don’t you dare raise your voice at me! ” Corbin growled at him. He raised his fingers again.


    ” I will just snap…”


    ” No… please don’t do it ” Axion pleaded, panting heavily.


    ” And what if I want to? ” Corbin raised a brow at him.


    ” I’ll do anything you want Corbin, please don’t hurt her ”


    Hearing that, Corbin’s evil smirk only grew wider.


    ” You’d do anything I want? ” He demanded just to be sure and Axion nodded firmly.N?velDrama.Org ? 2024.


    Corbin stood up from the bed and gracefully strode up to Axion.


    ” Fine then… GET ON YOUR KNEES AND BEG ME, AXION…