Chapter 51
Kaed had his fingers gripping through his hair, sweat pillowing at his forehead.
He hadn’t even realized he was down on his knees, the strength in them weak if not present at all.
There were several hands on him, trying to assist in any way they could.
Feeling nauseous, he put his hand over his mouth, trying to fight back the vomit that was threatening to show itself.
That witch, whatever she had done to him several days ago, still affected him nearly four days later.
After too long, the effects began to disappear, and he began to feel some semblance of normal. He pushed to his feet and stood.
“Commander Blackfyre, are you all right?” When he looked over, it was an officer with the White Cloaks, his hand gripping his shoulder. “We can alert—”
“No, I’m fine.” His voice stern and held no room for further questions. “Thank you.”
The last week had been trying, but none more so than having to hear her through his mind. Who had given her that right? After everything that she had done, why would she even try to attempt to convince him? Had he not made it clear to her by nearly killing her that she was unwanted?
After waking from being dead, to find himself back in the Kingdom with his mother and, who he now knew as Goddrick, waiting for him, nothing made sense.
It had all been too much to comprehend, but as they both began their tale of the previous year that seemed to be a complete fog, it all circled around one individual that had completely ripped away his life: Azahara.
Even just thinking about her name made him sick.
His fist knocked rapidly on the door at which was his destination.
“Come in,” a male voice called, and Kaed entered quickly.
Within the spacious room in the Keep, stood Goddrick, and to his right, a female Elf.
The room was lit by the wide-open window, the light bouncing off the gold accents in the room.
When the god turned to him, he smiled, “Ah—Kaed, thank you for coming. Have you met Zephyra?” The female turned and smiled at him.
While she was beautiful, long brunette hair that reached down to her hips, stunning slanted gray eyes and perfectly pointed ears, nothing sparked his interest.
“It’s a pleasure, Zephyra.” Kaed bowed his head politely, and she did the same. Her bright red lips stayed smiling as she took him in.
“The pleasure is all mine,” she tucked her hair behind her ear sheepishly.
“If you will excuse us, Zephyra.”
She nodded, and made her way around Kaed towards the door. He turned to watch her go, and something tore at his stomach for taking a second glance. A ripple thrummed through his chest, and he brought his gaze back to Goddrick.
“Beautiful, isn’t she? She provided us with some good information and has become quite the asset.”
“Yes, very much so,” He moved further into the room, and didn’t question the information. There was already too much for him to unpack, having every piece of detail broken down would only weigh on him more.
Goddrick took a seat, gesturing for him to take the one adjacent from him, and crossed his legs. While he had no interest in men in the slightest, Goddrick was quite the figure. He exuded ethereal prowess, and when looking at him, one would know he was not of this world.
“How are you?” Goddrick asked.
“Not well,” He answered truthfully, “Whatever she did to me by way of reaching through my mind is still plaguing me today. The memories you helped me get back, they are still so shattered.”
Goddrick clicked his tongue against his teeth and sighed, “I know, for that I am sorry.” He was so genuine, and the thought that the witch would try to spin every evil thing she had done on a god, astounded him.
They were there to protect the mortal realm, not seek its destruction.
“When she gave her blood to you, she had the power of not only a god but that of Death. It will be hard, if not impossible, for me to bring them back as they once were.”
He shook his head, “You do not need to apologize, ever.” Putting his head into his hand, he groaned, “I just want to understand what I am up against, and to make sure that she can’t slither her way back into my mind. Turning me back into her…puppet.”
The god held sympathy in his expression, “I, too, was once a slave to her seduction, Kaed, and I am a god. She holds more power than that which was given to her.”
“How, though? I just don’t understand.” He was angry, not at Goddrick, but at Azahara. “Why me?”
A pained expression crossed Goddrick’s face, “It was all to get her where she is now. You had connections that she didn’t. She played everyone like a fiddle, and no one would stop her. I mean, did you see her?”
Kaed hated that the moment he saw her, his knees felt weak.
She was the epitome of beauty and grace.
When she saw him, it was as though she was throwing herself at him, and he was ready to do the same.
His heart felt light, as though elevated beyond this realm.
He felt like he loved her, but Goddrick had warned him of the lingering effects of her power on him.
That she had seduced him into taking her to bed, Kaed, fuck—.
His head shook violently, a memory seeping through.
He felt Goddrick lean towards him, “My blood will counteract hers, all you need to do is drink it. I know that is strange but, it will help.” He was grabbing a glass from the table closest to them, his nail drawing a line across his thumb, drawing thick black liquid.
Draining some into the cup, he handed it to him.
Kaed took it, but just looked at it, “Will it ever stop?”
“Probably not,” he confessed. “Not until she’s dead at least.”
“I stabbed her through the heart,” Kaed spat, anger lining his words, “Yet she lived. What kind of creature—”
Goddrick cleared his throat, interrupting him, “She’s equivalent to a god now, no mortal weapon will kill her.
Death will not separate her from this existence.
” He leaned back then, looking out the window beyond Kaed’s shoulder.
“You are going to play a pivotal role in her demise, Kaed, but it will not be easy.”
He once again looked down at the glass with the blood of a god swirling in it, “How can I, a mere half-breed elf, kill a so-called god?”
“You can’t,” He watched as Goddrick laced his fingers together, “So, I will take her away from these realms, where she can’t hurt anyone ever again. Imprison her, as I was for centuries.”
Kaed felt a strange conflict build in him at her being imprisoned.
“Your role will be a bit different.” There was a brief pause before he continued, “She will come for you.”
He felt his nostrils flare, and his body trembled, “I don’t understand…” his grip on the glass felt too strong, and he feared shattering it in his grasp. “Why?”
“She loves you, in her own twisted way. She’ll try to convince you that what you had was real.
Try to make me out to be the source of her turmoil.
” Goddrick was so matter of fact that he didn’t need his elf trait of knowing the truth to know he was speaking it.
“She likely has done that with everyone around her, played the victim—played innocent to her darkness. They don’t understand that at the end of all of this, she plans to wipe them all out. Reshape this reality for a new one.”
His eyes widened, “What? Like—what Rah did nearly seven thousand years ago?!” His voice was raised, and he had to take a step back, or he would begin to lose control of his emotions.
“Exactly like that,” The confirmation was shattering.
“Why—this realm needs fixing, but it isn’t broken. Why would she—”
“Because, Kaed, she feels this world has brought down upon her only heartbreak and pain—”
“Okay?” He quickly cut him off, “Everyone has heartbreak and pain. She just murdered my mother without remorse, and I don’t want to completely wipe out millions.”
Goddrick nodded, staying calm, and Kaed wished he had his resolve, “You are strong and a male with a clear mind. Capable of controlling your emotions. She feels everyone has wronged her enough that this reality shouldn’t exist and should be rewritten with her in mind.”
While Kaed disagreed with Goddricks remark, he understood its meaning.
Goddrick continued, “I don’t believe why she is doing it matters, just that she is. All she needs now is Magic.”
When he had asked what type of Magic she used on Goddrick to subdue him, his confession that it was the might of Ilkiz, he nearly lost it. This world, Magic, Power—it was all too much. None of it should exist, especially when someone like Azahara could wield it for evil.
“Jaakobai is still recovering, and while they are attempting to reattach one hand, the other was not recovered.” Kaed had nearly passed out watching that huge Fae rip both of Jaakobai’s hands off.
“She warned you not to touch her.” Were the words he said just as they were torn from his person, as though nothing more than pulling a leaf from its branch. He, along with Azahara, terrified him.
“That Fae, the one that did that to Jaakobai, who is he?” He asked, not necessarily carrying, but when he came for Azahara after he’d stabbed her, the way he held her was—
“Another puppet in her play. Jayce, from what I could get from Jaakobai, is the oldest living Fae. Meaning he will be just as big of a problem as Azahara.”
“I don’t have much memory to speak of, but I don’t recall him ever.
I remember the lanky Fae, Illyan and the Vaeragi, but not him.
” He confessed, and even just thinking about the two of them, his head began to swim.
The glass in his hand lifted to his lips and he drank from it, not giving it a second thought.
“No, he showed up after you died.” Somehow, that did not make him feel better. “We were both easily replaced, Kaed.”
“Kaed, come on, we need to go—”
But why did he reach for me too?
“Kaed, please. Come with us.”
They both were reaching out for me… why?
“It seems so.” Kaed finally responded, the memories fading and returning was his anger. “Doesn’t matter. Beautiful or not, she’s still a monster.” Not realizing it until it was too late, the glass shattered in his hand and bounced on the floor.
Without reacting, he just looked at Goddrick, who met his gaze, “Tell me what needs to be done to destroy her.”