Post by StoryGirl83 on Apr 21, 2011 10:56:14 GMT -5
Chapter Ten – The Snake Prince
Flashback
Max shimmered into the McInnis house and looked around. The first person he spotted was Brianna since she was directly in front of him. He looked around, quickly taking in the rest of the room. His eyes stopped on Wyatt and Seth and he looked at them with surprise. “He’s a Halliwell, but not the one from the restaurant.”
“Brilliant as always,” Aka retorted.
“Don’t mess with me, Akalia,” he returned.
“Such a loving bunch,” Seth whispered to Wyatt.
Wyatt smirked.
Toby sighed and shook his head. “You want to see that, you’d have to see Brianna with her cousin.”
“I don’t know you,” the girl informed Seth. “Are you one of Brianna’s friends?”
Seth frowned, not sure what she was talking about.
She sighed. “You have no idea who Brianna is, do you?”
He shook his head. “’Fraid not.”
“I saw you shimmer,” she added.
“I see,” he asked, question in his voice.
“Brianna’s friends can shimmer,” she informed him.
“Really.” Though he seemed to be trying to hide it, there was clear interest in his voice. He was curious as to whom this Brianna was and why this girl was so intent on connecting him to her.
“Her boyfriend is a prince,” the girl continued.
“Prince of what?”
“Snake Lord.” She watched him carefully for a reaction. She wasn’t disappointed.
Seth took a step back at the words. He’d heard of the Snake Lord. Despite a lack of magical powers over the last couple of decades, he had still managed to gain many followers over time and was not someone to cross lightly.
The girl laughed in delight. “Looks to me, you are just the sort of person Brianna would hang out with.”
Seth looked down into her eyes. “And what sort of person is that?”
“The sort who’s got demonic powers, but doesn’t like demons.” And then she walked away toward her house, leaving Seth confused and more than a little curious about this strange little girl.
Seth looked at Brianna with wide eyes. If he was right and this was the same Brianna that girl had been talking about one of these was the son of the Snake Lord. He sighed and looked at them. “Which one of you is the Snake Prince?”
Toby’s jaw dropped.
Brianna gaped at him.
Aka’s eyes widened and she slapped her hand over her mouth to keep a giggle from escaping.
Max scowled at him. “What did you call me?”
“Bad idea,” Brianna whispered to Aka.
“I can’t believe he said that,” Aka returned.
“Where did he even hear that?” Toby wanted to know.
“I second that question,” Wyatt informed his best friend.
Seth shrugged. “When I was trying to track down info about that demon, James Thomas, I came across this girl. She said that ‘Brianna’ was friends with the Snake Lord’s heir. The official phrase in the Underworld for the Snake Lord’s heir is the Snake Prince. I guess he doesn’t like that phrase.”
“You think?” Wyatt asked wryly as Max stalked toward them, his face growing red.
“I guess not,” Seth returned as he stood. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to insult you.”
“Are you so completely ignorant that you think my father would claim me?” Max asked in a growl.
Seth’s eyes narrowed. “Are you so completely ignorant that you think it matters if he claims you or not? If it really matters, maybe you can lead an entire demonic race out of evil, because like or not unless he outlives you they will be yours when he’s gone.”
“I don’t want that,” Max informed him. He frowned and looked at Seth. “Where on earth did you get the idea they would follow me?”
“You are his heir, right?”
Max nodded. “And highly despised by all.”
Seth looked at him for several seconds a look of surprise slowly growing on his face. “You aren’t full Snake demon, are you?”
Max shook his head, slowly. “How?”
“Just your reactions,” Seth admitted. “You don’t know much about Snake demons, do you?”
“I know enough.”
“Find out more,” Seth suggested. “You might learn something useful. Especially find out about your roll. It may save your life someday.”
“Oh, I know my brothers may challenge me for the right,” Max informed him. “I have no intention of dying to any of them.”
“There’s more to it than that,” Seth informed him. “I only started doing research on it after talking to that little girl, so I don’t know a whole lot, but I have a feeling I know some important things you don’t.”