Two Hundred-Ninety-Six

I struggle against his hold, trying to push him away from me until he tightens his arms around me and whispers in a low tone,

“Now, now, my Queen. I am only here to congratulate you and to remind you that you can avoid all the bloodshed to come if you will just say yes and come with me now…”

Even with the anger and conviction in my voice, as I say,

“Never…” 

He just laughs, then moves one of his hands to my cheek as he takes a deep breath and says,

“Mmm… So much fire… Just a few more weeks, my Queen and you will be mine.”

He then holds me tighter against him as he presses his lips to mine before disappearing into his tentacles of grey smoke, leaving me to collapse to my knees as the smoke disappears. Zachariah runs over to where I am and helps me back to my feet as he whispers,

“What happened? One minute you were there dancing in my arms, the next you were gone