Awakening the Dark Flame (The Dark Throne #2)

26. Chapter 26

Chapter twenty-six

A fter only a few hours of sleep, morning stretched out her arms and was upon me. I got up feeling completely exhausted. The past week was wearing on me. I had barely slept or eaten since Gen had disappeared, and even now that she was alive and just down the hall, she still wasn’t safe.

I took a shower, attempting to wake myself. I had to be alert to find the male that posed a threat to her. I came back into my room to find Otar standing in the doorway. I pulled on a pair of pants and walked towards the ugly creature.

“What do you want?” I spoke.

He tilted his head and smiled. “Wicked one had a vision,” he said in a low, growling voice.

“Tell her I am on my way,” I replied, reaching for a shirt.

“No. She doesn’t want to see you,” he said with a vicious grin.

I stopped, turning my attention back to him.

“She is finally through with you, and I couldn’t be happier about it,” he said proudly.

I felt a small sting, but I pushed it down. “The vision? ”

“She saw a blur of the male we are searching for. She couldn’t make out his person. She said he was surrounded in a fog. He was at court though. He is here among us. The demons cowered as he approached them.”

“Not much to go on, but at least it confirms we’re looking in the right place.”

“Indeed,” he said.

“Have you fed since you were revived?” I asked.

He narrowed his eyes. “What does it matter to you?” he snapped defensively.

“You can’t feed on her. She’s been through enough. She was eaten alive while they tortured her. If you were to drink from her, it could trigger a reaction.”

“What do you suggest I eat then, hmm? She has commanded me not to harm another humanoid unless she instructs it. I do not have another option.” I sat in the chair, grabbed the dagger from my belt, and made a deep slit in my arm. He looked at me as his eyes twitched with hunger. “Why would you offer me your blood? What are you up to? Is it poisoned?”

“As I said, she’s been through enough. From now on, you will come to me to feed.”

“Why not just let me wither and die?”

“Because she cares for you. She’s lost enough,” I said as the blood spilled from my arm.

Otar slowly approached, sniffing the air, his eyes narrowing on the blood. He brought his lips to my arm and clamped down. His skin felt wrinkled and stiff, like the hide of a wild animal. I could feel him sucking his bloody nourishment from me. I tried not to focus on what I was allowing the creature to do. The sucking feeling slowed as sharp teeth buried themselves into my skin. I flinched back with a painful groan.

He brought his eyes up to me with a smile, my blood still dripping from his teeth. “Oops, apologies,” he said, giggling. The prick bit me on purpose. I wiped away the blood as Otar disappeared.

I headed out into the hall with my list of suspects committed to memory. I rounded the corner to see Gen leaving Lady Fellwood’s quarters, our other court seer. Gen was dressed in a soft blue dress that hung on her body freely. It didn’t reveal anything besides the top of her chest. The long sleeves went to her hands where her fingers gripped the fabric. Her hair was loose, dark curls tumbling down her back. She didn’t wear makeup or her crown. She was simple, yet exquisite.

She nodded and smiled at Lady Fellwood before she turned towards me. I froze, not wanting to make her uncomfortable. It pained me knowing that when she looked at me, she only saw what those demons had done to her. Had taken from her. From us.

She looked at me with heavy and sad eyes and nodded. I approached cautiously.

“Hello, princess,” I said softly.

“Good morning, ambassador,” she replied.

I looked behind her at Fellwood’s door: at the eye that had been carved into it. The memory of the secret Fellwood had offered Gen before the hunt flashed before my eyes.

“I need to ask you a question?” I said.

She looked at me, unimpressed. “Is this a personal question or one regarding the individual who wants me dead?”

I calmed myself, remaining cool and collected. “Before we left for the hunt, Lady Fellwood whispered something into your ear. What was it?”

Her masked slipped only for a second, revealing the sadness she kept bottled up inside. She was getting good at hiding her truth ... too good.

“That is something I would rather be kept between Lady Fellwood and myself,” she answered, moving past me with haste.

Instinctually, I reached out, grabbing her arm in an effort to stop her from leaving. She turned on my in an instant, lighting her flame in a defensive manner. I dropped my hand, taking a step back.

“Gen, please,” I whispered softly. “All I am trying to do is protect you and to bring the person responsible for our loss—” I stopped myself, taking a breath. "—for your murder to light. Any small detail could help.”

She allowed her dark flame to absorb back into herself, taking a moment to calm her rage and fear. “She told me that I would find peace and the happiness I had been looking for soon. That I shouldn’t give up on the life I wanted. That everything would be as it should be and I would no longer know pain.” She took a moment. “I thought she meant that the war would be over and I would be able to be with—” she stopped herself before admitting what I already knew.

She thought Fellwood’s vision meant that we would be together. Raising our child and ruling her kingdom side-by-side. The guilt tore me up inside. It took everything I had not to take her in my arms right then and there, but I knew that wasn’t what she needed, even though it was what I desperately desired.

I smiled, bowing before her. “Thank you, princess. I will inform you if I find anything worth report,” I said before turning down the hall giving her the space she needed. I couldn’t focus on us. Not now. Priorities dammit, I thought to myself. First, find the threat, then worry about these feelings later.

The list of potential masterminds. First, the king. Even though he was her father and seemed to truly love her, I couldn’t eliminate him from the equation. She would eventually take his throne and his power. To most alfar, the thought of an heir brought discomfort and unease. They would take what their predecessor had built and claim it as their own. I had to check him out, just to make sure.

Then, her uncle and cousin Toreon, for obvious reasons. Next was Gaelin and Levos. They may say they cared for her, but they could be working an angle to get revenge for what she did to their court. The rest of the list consisted of members of the council and high lords from our own court that did not wish to recognize her as the heir. They were against the removal of the clause sentencing half-breeds to death.

I met with my team and gave them marching orders. I trusted these people with my life, which I did not do lightly. This was to stay between us. No one else could know. I sent Evinee to Toreon’s room. I would take the king. Zerrial would take Prince Rythlayn, and the others were spread out among the rest of the list of candidates. I assigned Firel to Levos. I needed someone with a strong mind to combat Levos’s clever wit.

Though Firel wasn’t much of a fighter, he was brilliant, almost in an unsettling way. He was the only one, besides Gen, that I had ever considered my equal intellectually. He could read something and commit it to memory. He could look at a picture and remember every detail. He was truly gifted. That was why I recruited him to my team.

With his unique brain came other tendencies others had seen as weakness. He was socially awkward and didn’t do well in large crowds. I never saw him with a female. He would shy away from others and preferred to keep to himself. He didn’t trust easily, which made our relationship valuable to him. He was a loyal soldier and a secret weapon.

I met with the king to discuss the upcoming meeting between the fairies and nymphs. I avoid the topic of Gen and the demons altogether, and so did he. Her pain was wearing on both of us, but we chose not to acknowledge it out loud. The fairy ambassador was arriving tomorrow to go over the new treaty we would present to the nymphs. I had my work cut out for me.

I checked the king’s quarters as casually as I could, looking for any sign of blood or anything that could connect him to the demons. He wore a formfitting jacket and pants. I couldn’t make out any jewelry on his being. The vial of blood could have been hiding under his clothing or in a pocket, but I had no way of finding out. The only resource I could rely on was my ability to read people, which meant I would have to bring up the demons. A topic we were both trying to avoid.

“Your Highness. If I may, I would like to discuss the four demons we have tied up in the basement,” I said casually. He didn’t look at me. He only nodded as he went over the notes for the treaty. “I am familiar with my history, but I am still puzzled as to how the demons returned to our world. Have you any idea who would have the power to get them here? ”

He sat back in his chair. His face was heavy as his brow scrunched in distress. “The only thing I have been able to come up with is the rift. This Alaric character. He is a collector of creatures from different worlds, realms, hells, and times. A demon hasn’t set foot in our world for 3000 years. It can’t be a coincidence they show up now, when the problem with the rift is so prevalent.”

The rift was also my best guess, but according to Otar, Alaric wouldn’t risk losing control of the demons and he hated them with a passion.

“Do you know of another way to create a rift or tear in between realms?” I asked.

“Knowledge of that type of magic and power has never been my forte. Ask my brother. He was fascinated with other realms and gods when we were in school. He would have the answers you seek,” he said, closing the folder in front of him. “That is enough for today. Please, show yourself out,” he said with exhaustion. I bowed and took my leave.

Another strike towards Prince Rythlayn. I quickly headed to the library to see if there were any books that referenced realm jumping or portals. If I was going to catch Prince Rythlayn in a lie, I needed prior knowledge of the subject.

After two hours of searching through the book stacks, I finally asked the keeper for assistance. I waited for what seemed like forever. My patience was wearing thin. Finally, he approached, with only a single piece of paper in his hand .

“What is this?” I asked as he handed it to me. There were eighteen book titles on the page.

“These are the books you are looking for, but they are all missing,” explained the keeper.

“What do you mean missing? Where could they have gone?” I asked.

“No one seems to know.”

“Who was the last person who had access to the books?”

“All records of anyone who has ever checked them out has disappeared as well. I’m sorry, Ambassador Lyklor, but that is all we have.”

I grumbled in frustration as I stormed out of the library. Great, another dead end. Whoever had done this had thought of everything. Now, I would have to face Prince Rythlayn blind; something I did not like doing. I was setting myself up to get caught, but he was the best lead I had.

I called for Zerrial to come to my private chambers. He had observed Rythlayn for the better part of a day. I needed an update on his movements. I only had thirty minutes before I was supposed to escort Gen to a council meeting. Zerrial and the others came into my room and we shut and locked the doors.

None of them had anything of use to report. Zerrial reported that Rythlayn went about conducting his business as usual. He was friendly and respectful to the members of the council he met with. Zerrial was unable to make out if he had the blood on him, but there was nothing out of the norm to report. He had visited Gen and brought her a stack of books to keep her distracted while she healed—ever the doting uncle.

I told them my findings and instructed them to be on the lookout. I gave Firel the task of digging up anything he could find on portals and realm jumping. I dismissed them, heading for Gen’s room. I may not be able to touch her or speak to her freely, but at least I could look upon her and listen to her heartbeat, signaling she was indeed alive.

I rounded the corner to see Tryverse Feynar exiting her quarters, the male Evinee had introduced to us before the hunt. Gen was showing him out. He turned back to her and bowed with a smile. She thanked him and whispered something into his ear. What could she possibly want with the young alfar? I quickly added him to my list to check out before I approached.

“Tryverse, good to see you again,” I said, standing tall with authority. My hands were folded behind my back as I flashed him a suspicious smile.

“Ambassador Lyklor, always a pleasure,” he responded casually.

“If you were looking for Evinee, I believe I just saw her heading down into the city. If you hurry, I am sure you can catch up with her,” I said, baiting him to find out why he was in Gen’s chambers … alone.

“Thank you, but that won’t be necessary. I found who I was looking for,” he said, turning back to Gen, smilingly softly. His tone was possessive and too arrogant for my liking. Yes, I would definitely be checking into this prick.

“Princess, the meeting,” I said, redirecting the conversation.

“I haven’t forgotten,” she replied, closing her door as she exited. “Thank you for your help, Tryverse. I will call on you again soon,” she said, placing a hand on his arm. I had to hold my breath to calm myself before I lost control and sent him to his knees in excruciating pain.

“I am at your service, Princess Genevieve,” he responded. He locked his eyes on me and smiled before moving into the hall. Don’t ask, don’t ask, don’t ask, I kept telling myself. Focus on the mission. Not her. Just the mission.

We walked silently to the chamber where the council waited. Usually, her arm would be wrapped around mine. Her fingers would unconsciously rub along the fabric of my jacket as we walked. I would say something snarky to make her laugh. She would occasionally bump her hips against mine as I fought not to pull her closer, but not this time. She kept her distance while I tried to keep my hands to myself and not reach for her.

I pulled the door open and she entered the room. The council, along with her uncle, cousins, and father were already seated. She made her way to the chair at his right. I took my seat across from her as the meeting began. I took note of any jewelry the council members were wearing. Family sigil, gold chains, diamonds. Nothing that could hold a vial of blood .

The meeting progressed as normal. No one mentioned the newly resurrected princess. We spoke of the light court, who was leaving this evening to finally return to their hellhole. We spoke of the findings we had discovered with the new creatures we had recently killed, the rift, and the negotiations between the races. The last topic listed for discussion was the upcoming tournament for the hand of the princess. The winner would get the privilege of marrying her and becoming the next King of Doonak. The king exhaled as he approached the topic. I watched Gen for any sign of what she might feel, but she just sat stoically.

“As custom calls for,” said the king, “the tournament for the hand of my daughter is scheduled to take place seven days from now as the new year approaches. The three candidates include Therosi Servi, Avalon Flarion, and Soddram Yositru. They will be tested in three categories: intelligence, skill, and willpower. I have constructed the tournament myself with the help of Ravion Sterling.”

Ravion was what we called a Visitor. He could travel into someone’s mind, see through their eyes and also memories from their past. With a touch, he could transfer what he saw to another alfar.

“After the tournament, the normal gifting ceremony between the bride and groom will take place along, with the customary night of silence, and then the wedding. All will take place within three days from the conclusion of the tournament,” finished the king .

The table was silent. I couldn’t imagine what Gen was feeling. After all she had been through, another male was going to be forced upon her. The night of her wedding, I knew a part of me would die. I had to protect her. I couldn’t let her endure another moment of pain.

“Your Highness, if I may,” I said softly.

He nodded at me.

“After the recent situation the princess has overcome, may I suggest we postpone the tournament until a respectable amount of time has passed, allowing everyone to mend from what has happened? I am sure the court will understand if the princess needs—”

“That is not necessary, Ambassador Lyklor,” interrupted Gen, stone-faced as she looked across the table at me. I swallowed hard, taken aback by her objection. She turned and faced her father. “I know what my station requires of me. I am ready to fulfill my duty on schedule.” She swallowed, showing the first sign of emotion I had seen from her in days. Pain. “The faster I can conceive an heir, the stronger our kingdom will be. Which requires our schedule to be kept on track.”

I dropped my eyes, thinking about our child. The one that would have sat on the throne next. It took all I had to not destroy everything around me. How could something, someone, I had never seen, never held, never known, cause me so much pain? Her father looked to his daughter in surprise.

“The princess makes a good point,” added Rythlayn. “The tournament and a royal wedding will show her strength and commitment to the kingdom. After everything the court has witnessed, this will work in the princess’s favor. It will also raise the spirits of our people with the continual attacks we’ve endured due to the rift.”

“Thank you, uncle,” said Gen.

The king still said nothing. His eyes met mine for a brief moment before he turned back to his daughter. “As you wish,” he said, standing from the table.

We stood out of respect as he left the room. Dammit! She was so unpredictable lately. Something I used to admire was now a thorn in my side. Nothing I did was good enough for her. She just kept spoiling my attempts to help her.

The next two days were much of the same. The court prepared for the tournament and then the wedding. With every day that passed I became more anxious and annoyed. I was getting nowhere. Firel had come up empty-handed with the portals, and my team had discovered nothing useful the other suspects on my list.

On the third night, just four days before the tournament, Otar appeared in my room, erratic as ever. He pulled at his ears and stomp on the floor, yelling and tossing whatever was closest to him. He finally calmed, his breathing unnatural. I just sat on the other side of my desk watching the thing act like a child. He stormed over to me, pointing one of his long black fingers in my face.

“You fix her! You fix what you broke! Make it stop! Make her happy again!” he yelled, sliding the papers and objects on my desk to the floor in rage.

“Are you hungry? Is that what this is about?” I asked calmly, reaching for my dagger.

He stopped me. “No, you idiot. I want you to fix her! There is so much pain and darkness. I can’t take it. Not from her. Not when she used to be so shiny and bright. Now she is dull and dead inside. I feel it. I feel it every moment. No matter what I do, I can’t bring it back. The shiny part of her. I can’t find it.”

“I thought you enjoyed pain?” I asked.

“When it is my own, yes. Not when it is hers. It doesn’t fit. It feels … unnatural. And then there is the screaming at night. The nightmares and the torture she sees when she closes her eyes. She just screams, and screams, and screams. I try to fix her, but she is afraid of me. I don’t know what to do with her, but I can’t stand this. I may kill myself and just wait until this passes. That would be better than every night of this.”

I didn’t know what to say to him. “She doesn’t want my help. I’ve tried. There is nothing I can do,” I said softly. The new knowledge of what she was going through each night ate at me.

“You made her happy once. I felt it. It make me sick, but she was happy. Do it again. Take away the pain. You must do something. Don’t just sit here like the worthless piece of shit you are,” he said, grabbing me by the shirt and pulling me into his face.

I removed his hand, grabbed the dagger, and slit my arm. “Eat,” I demanded.

“I don’t want your blood. I want you to fix her!”

I looked at him with anger as my whole body tensed. “I said eat,” I yelled.

He slowly brought his mouth to my arm, never letting go of my eyes. After he was done, he disappeared. I got dressed and made my way to Icici’s room. If Gen was having nightmares, I had to make sure Icici wasn’t responsible. If she was, I would kill her myself.

I knocked, trying to gather my composure. She opened the door in sheer black lingerie. Her elegant hair was loose around her face. Her eyes were deadly as her mouth smirked with excitement. She leaned against the door, pushing her breasts out towards me.

“Well, well, well. It’s been a while, Lyklor. Though, I can’t say I am not pleased to see you,” she said, moving out of the way so I could enter. She closed the door just before I wrapped my hand around her neck, pinning her to the wall. She gasped for air, but I only tightened my grip. She flailed and fought, but I was stronger and more determined.

“Are you fucking with her mind again?” I growled as I brought my face to hers.

She wrapped her hands around mine, trying to pull free as she shook her head no.

“You better be telling the truth. If I find out you’re lying, I swear to Azeer I will come back, dismember you slowly, and serve you up to whatever is desperate enough to eat you. Or, maybe I will just give you to the demons. Actually, that sounds more entertaining. Let’s see how you like getting fucked and shredded to pieces at the same time.” I said coldly, dropping her to the floor.

“You filthy lowborn. How dare you touch or speak to me in that manner. I will have your head for this,” she said, grabbing her neck in pain.

“Please, like anyone would believe a lying whore. Your uncle is just looking for a reason to dispose of you. All I have to do is mention that you might be messing with the princess’s mind and he would have your head. Who do you think he’ll believe, hmm? You or me? I am not usually a betting male, but if I had to, I’d place the wager on me.”

She stood to her feet, eyes wild. “What has happened to you, Erendrial? You’ve allowed her to consume you. All it took was one night in her bed and you’ve lost yourself. What are you hoping for? That she wakes up and will love you again? That she will talk her father into making you king? That you will live happily ever after? Please. I know you better than you know yourself.

“She would never be enough for you. Right now, she is a challenge, but once she gives in and you’ve had her completely, you will tire of her and look to another. You would break her little human heart. You are incapable of giving her what she wants. You would devour her light and destroy her, again, in the process. And for what? A few more rounds in between her warm legs?”

I took a breath, not able to look at her. “I would stop talking if I were you,” I warned, gritting my teeth together.

“That’s fine. I don’t have to talk,” she said, making her way over to me. She dragged her hand down the front of my chest until her fingers reached for the clasp on my pants. She pushed her soft and supple breasts against me. I grabbed her hand with force, removing it from my pants as I stepped away. She gave a small laugh in disbelief as she shook her head.

“That … will never happen again,” I declared.

She smiled, arching her eyebrow at me. “We will see.”

I turned to exit her quarters.

“For the record,” she said, “I’m not as evil as you give me credit for. I saw the report of the examination Vena conducted. Genevieve is annoying and inconvenient, but no one deserved that. I wouldn’t make her relive those moments. No matter how much I hate her.”

For the first time in over 150 years of knowing her, Icici sounded sincere. I left the room, not looking back.