A/N: Sorry this took so long. Hope you like it. :)
Chapter 11
While those in Corona waited anxiously for the results of the spell to become obvious, back in his stolen lands, Malik paced the floor in the castle's throne room.
"He had help!" He shouted at the guards who were waiting for their next instruction.
"My Lord, we know that it was one of the servant girls, Amelia. She has not been seen since that night," his second in command, Robert, explained.
"What of the guard who was supposed to be watching the door?" The warlock demanded.
"He's in the cells, awaiting punishment but really he cannot be blamed for this entire affair," Robert said. Malik stormed over to the man and glared at him. At six foot five, Malik towered over Robert who stood at about five feet ten inches.
"What do you mean?" Robert could feel his boss' hot breath on his face, the smell of dinner on his breath.
"Merlin and Amelia were locked in the room. Somehow they escaped without using magic as you would have sensed the use of it. Somehow they got keys," the shorter man told him. Malik backed off and continued pacing. There was another mole somewhere in his staff.
"We move up our timetable then. Have your men pack tonight. We leave at dawn," the wizard ordered. Robert nodded and quickly turned around. The man standing at the door opened it for him and followed him out.
"So what do you think?" Amelia asked from her seat inside the doctor's main office after an hour had passed and Rafe had not awoken.
"I think until he wakes up, I don't want anyone going near him. If the spell fails, he will die and continue to spread the disease. Princess, you said that you believed his wife could be infected as well?" Merlin stopped the pacing he'd been doing for the last half hour and turned toward Rapunzel.
"Yes, Doctor Caldwell had has her isolated from the rest of the group. I believe he and Doctor Lebowitz are visiting with her right now," the brunette nodded.
"I shall like to visit with her. It is quite odd how the spell is working," the wizard said.
"What do you mean?" Eugene asked.
"Well normally a sickness infects everyone it touches in one way or another, I'm sure Doctors Caldwell and Lebowitz have explained this," Merlin hoped he was right.
"They have and Doctor Caldwell said that some people wouldn't get sick but would carry the virus around," Rapunzel nodded.
"Right but that would make every other person who has come in contact with one of the sick people a carrier as it were. That is physically impossible," the wizard explained.
"That means the spell Malik cast was a target spell. He told the virus to only attack the kitchen worker, the King, and anyone wearing a military uniform," Amelia filled in the words no one had wanted to say.
"Exactly, which makes him all the more dangerous. A spell of that caliber is not one that an everyday schmuck can cast," Merlin shook his head, not liking the turn things had taken. Eugene looked to Rapunzel who looked incredibly relieved. She looked to him and gave him a smile which made him smile. The possibility of becoming a father had frankly scared him. He wasn't a role model that was for sure and he had no idea how he and Rapunzel could bring a life into this world and give it life lessons. She'd been a shut-in and he'd broken the law more than once and in very big ways. However he could tell she was scared too. Pascal had been all excited and he would guard the baby with his life so there were no worries there and that had seemed to calm Rapunzel. Perhaps the scared feeling was more nerves than anything else.
"Earth to Eugene, wake up Eugene," Rapunzel teased him and he snapped out of it.
"Come on, we have to go talk to the wife," she told him.
To Be Continued…