Forty
Callum
Sleep did not greet me. I stayed up all night watching Kallie sleep soundly in our bed. Anxiety eats away at me as morning approaches, thoughts of fleeing the realm and starting somewhere new run rampant through my head.
I don’t want to wake her, knowing when I do, this bubble of peace and solitude we’ve immersed ourselves in will pop, and I don’t know if we’ll ever be able to regain it. That’s the thing about time: there’s never enough of it. The clock keeps ticking down, even when you don’t realize it, and before you know it, it’s all gone, and there’s no going back.
“Princess, it’s time to wake up.” I kiss her temple, but she turns the other way. Chuckling, I snake my arm over her, breathing in her scent of lavender and vanilla, committing it to memory. I bite her earlobe, and the soft curve of her lips reaches my cheek.
“Too early. Must get more sleep,” she says robotically.
My heart constricts, seeing her at peace, maybe even happy. I’ve thought about whisking her away in the middle of the night, not leaving a trace behind, making a life for ourselves somewhere nobody would find us. But that wouldn’t solve our problems, only for a little while. Until the guilt eats away at me.
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. It was supposed to be easy, a simple mission, and I fucked up. The lingering gazes and slow touches started thawing my ice-cold interior, and now I’m lost, succumbing to the light she shines in the darkest corners of my mind.
I take a deep breath before allowing the mask to slide over my face, letting all emotions melt away and settling deep in my stone-cold interior.
She’ll hate me, but I can live with that.
“Get up. I’m not fucking around. We’re leaving in five minutes, and if you’re not out that door, I will carry you out, kicking and screaming,” I promise, rolling off the bed and striding out of the room.
I wait for her in the living room, staring at the colors in the artwork above the fireplace. The bedroom door creaks open, and her footsteps are agonizingly slow as she heads down the hallway. She stops at my side, admiring the art piece with me.
She lets out a yawn, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as I turn on my heels and walk out the front door.
“What are we doing today?” she asks mid-yawn.
“Out,” I clip.
“Are we going to town? I’m starving and would kill for a forest bun.”
I shake my head and let my wings free, the wind weaving in and out of my feathers.
Her eyes roam over my wings, tracing the curve on each before bringing her eyes back to mine.
“We’re not going to town, but we are leaving,” I inform her, holding my arms out, indicating for her to hop on.
Her arms cross over her chest, and she pops out a hip, raising her eyebrow in question. We enter the ultimate stare-off. Her stubbornness will be her downfall. Still keeping my arms outstretched, I stalk toward her with a snarl on my face, fully intending on keeping my promise from earlier.
Understanding flashes over her face before she finally relents. “Fine!” she says as she rolls her eyes, and her arms drop dramatically to her sides. Scooping her up in my arms, she tries to loosely keep her hands around my neck. Letting a smirk spread over my face, I keep my eyes on her as we launch into the sky. She lets out an ear-piercing scream and clings to my neck with an iron grip.
Most of the flight is silent. Kallie sits rigid in my arms as she takes in the scenery. The leaves change color as we get near, the autumn-colored leaves transforming into lush green ones the closer we get. Meadows flank us on both sides with perfectly trimmed grass matching the color of her eyes.
We pass through a barrier identical to the one we enter when we go see the dragons. Goosebumps scatter over her skin. “I don’t think I’ll ever get used to that feeling.” Her eyes are closed, and her head is kicked back, letting the breeze wash over her.
“If you would have told me we were traveling, I wouldn’t have put up a fight,” she states.
“Where’s the fun in that?”
“Can we go see Voraxis later? I tried reaching him, but he hasn’t responded,” she asks, concern evident in her tone.
“I’m sure whatever he’s doing, he can take care of himself.”
She lets out a heavy sigh. “Yeah, you’re right. It’s just not normal for him to be silent for this long.”
The castle comes into view, the stark-white stones glistening in the sunlight, gleaming brighter as the sun rotates.
“Whoa.” Kallie’s eyes are trained on the structure, taking in its beauty. “That’s where we’re going?” Excitement is laced in her question, smiling ear to ear as she swings her gaze back to mine.
“Yes.”
She begins pelting me with questions. “Where are we? Who are we meeting?” Those are the only ones she says aloud, the rest are left to bounce around inside her mind. I don’t answer any of them. Instead, I let her go on about the possibilities and watch her face stay in a constant state of amazement.
Landing at the front of the steps, I set her on the ground and hold her steady while she regains her balance.
“So you’re just going to let me go in there blind? I hate surprises.” She keeps fidgeting with her fingers, nerves getting the best of her.
“We better get going. They’re expecting us.” If she notices me bypassing all her questions, she hasn’t called me out on it. Hesitantly, she turns toward the stairs, taking them one at a time, like she’s afraid one wrong step will send her into a trap door.
My mask is still firmly in place as she knocks on the wooden door. Seconds tick by, and I’m about to walk in when the little pipsqueak finally pulls the door open.
Ramon greets us on the other side, and his face changes to confusion when he sees Kallie standing in front of him. He looks behind her and meets my gaze, cold and hard. Quickly, he steps to the side without a word. Kallie looks over her shoulder at me with her brows furrowed, but I give her a curt nod, indicating to enter.
She doesn’t introduce herself to the little rat standing inside the doorway. Instead, her focus is on the artwork lining the walls, the marble floor beneath her feet, and the chandelier hanging above her head.
I don’t pay any mind to him as I pass, letting him close the door behind us. I keep her moving, letting her ogle as we make our way to the dining room.
Kallie stops suddenly and turns to face me. “Callum, what are we doing here? You’re really freaking me out,” she admits.
“We’re almost there,” I tell her, trying to nudge her forward a little farther. She plants her feet, not moving, and she has a challenging look in her eyes—those breathtaking vibrant green eyes I’ve become so fond of, the ones I could get lost in for hours, the orbs that hold the key to the life I’ll never have.
Voices echo behind the double doors, but Kallie doesn’t make any moves to open it. Standing at her side, I give her one last glance before pulling the doors open. She follows close behind me as we turn the corner and are met with a table full of people. Instantly, they all quiet, every pair of eyes trained on me.
Ambroyss breaks the silence. “Callum, how nice of you to join us.”
Keeping my eyes glued on him, I reply, “I said I would be back, my king, and I did not return empty handed.” I side-step to reveal Kallie standing behind me. I watch Ambroyss’s face slacken, stunned with disbelief. She needs no introduction. He knows exactly who she is.
“Callum, what’s going on?” Kallie asks.
I look back at her and see she’s several paces back. I should have insisted on her walking ahead of me. I’m a fucking idiot. Eating the distance between us, I grip her arm, not hard enough to bruise but enough to get my point across.
“Behave,” I growl, and her mouth pops open in shock. Hauling her forward to where I was standing, her head frantically searches side to side. I let go of her, taking a few steps back, ready to grab her if she decides to run. She might be fast, but I’m faster.
Ambroyss abruptly stands, his chair toppling over. “Kalliope?”
“Who’s asking?” she retorts. This will be interesting.
“It’s you! It’s really you!” He rushes over to her, and I can see the wheels turning in her head, trying to decide if she needs to prepare for an attack.
Ambroyss’s steps don’t slow until he’s barreling into her and wrapping her up in a hug. Kallie instantly goes rigid, her body ramrod straight, too stunned to move or talk, completely paralyzed.
“I can’t believe you’re here!” He pulls away, keeping his hands placed on her upper arms.
She tries to step out of his embrace, but his grip tightens, halting her movements. She shoots him a warning smile, then Ambroyss yelps in pain. Quickly releasing her, he stares down at his palms that are covered in bubbling blisters.
“Keep your hands off me.” Her words come out calm, but her body screams caution. He stares blankly at Kallie, in complete and utter shock.
I keep my composure, wanting nothing more than to let the full belly laugh out, but I smother it down. That’s my girl.
He gives her a nervous chuckle then offers her a seat at the table. She doesn’t move.
“My apologies, I didn’t introduce myself,” he starts. “I’m Ambroyss, king of Astralis.” Her triumphant look disintegrates, and she whips her head to me. So many emotions flicker over her face—hurt, pain, betrayal.
“You’re—”
“Your father,” he interjects. She looks like I’ve struck her, flinching back an inch before pivoting her attention back to Ambroyss.
I try to talk to her, send a message, but she’s blocked me out, leaving my words to die in the back of my mind.
“Now, don’t be rude, and come sit with me,” he orders, effectively dismissing the people lingering at the table. They scatter like rodents, scurrying out of their seats and out of the room as fast as they can.
My shadows nudge her forward. She would normally sink into the touch, but instead, she recoils, shrinking away until she’s at the farthest chair from Ambroyss’s seat.
I want to pull her in, let my arms engulf her, and smell that lavender-and-vanilla scent. The urge to comfort her is so strong. I want to protect her and tell her that everything is going to be okay. But I can’t. And I never will.
I fell in love with the one person I can never have, and that is something I will have to live with for the rest of my life, doomed to be tortured with her presence and the lingering thought of what could have been—if this was another life.
I stay standing behind her and slightly to the right. She doesn’t know the castle, but she could run, bolt out of any of the exits, but I would find her. I will always find her.
“This isn’t quite the reunion I was anticipating,” Ambroyss comments, nursing his singed palms.
“What exactly were you expecting?” That fucking mouth of hers. I wish she would open the gate, let me in, so I could tell her to shut the fuck up. But she doesn’t. She’s so fucking stubborn I feel like a desperate adolescent, relentlessly knocking on the door, trying to gain access.
“I surely wasn’t expecting my flesh to be burnt off,” he says dryly. “Where have you been hiding all this time?”
“I wasn’t hiding. I was living.” Her statement rings true, and I can almost see smoke coming out of the king’s ears.
“Callum, you never mentioned the mouth on this one.”
“It’s a nervous tic,” I reply.
“Yes, well, it will need to be rectified.”
“Why am I here?” Kallie’s question is directed at Ambroyss, but I know she begs for me to answer.
“This is your home, Kalliope. You’re here because you are the sole heir to my throne. You are my daughter. Is it such a crime that I would want you here?” “I was happy where I was. Now, if you’ll excuse me.” She begins to stand, but I place my hand on her shoulder and shove her back down.
“You were not excused.” She doesn’t turn to face me, only the whites of her knuckles giving away her agitation. My palm starts to burn just like her father’s had, but I can handle the pain if it means letting my touch linger on her skin a moment longer.
Reluctantly, I pull away, letting the searing pain from the blisters forming be the only reminder I had touched her at all.
“So am I supposed to play the role of obedient princess? Play dress up and wander around this place with nothing to do?” Her arms fold across her chest.
“You can do whatever you’d like.”
“Perfect. In that case, I would like to go home.”
I assess the room, noticing the guards closing in slowly—in hopes to go undetected. My hackles rise, and I’m on high alert. The faintest hint of a birthmark shows at the base of one of their necks. I know that birthmark. What is he doing here? The question crosses my mind, and in a split second, the table is on fire. Flames lick up Kallie’s arms, and I have no idea what changed.
Guards swarm the room, armor of different symbols and colors. Kallie makes a dash for the nearest exit, but she only makes it a few steps before Ambroyss snaps his fingers, and everything around me stills.
Time slows, moving at a snail’s pace while I watch as her body hits the floor with a thunderous thud. The sound rattles in my ears, like a category five hurricane just smashed into me, tipping my entire world on its axis. Fear encompasses my whole body, ice sealing it in my veins. A war wages within myself as I try to tear my gaze from her lifeless body as movement on my left threatens to break the connection.
They knew we were coming. And I will burn every inch of this realm to find out how.
I will slaughter every last creature that dares to stand in my way. Slowly slicing, puncturing, dismembering each into a slow, agonizing death until they beg for my mercy, and even then, the Reaper will not meet them. They will be forced into an excruciating, endless life in Mortis Regnum until the day the realm is torn apart at the seams.
A shift on my right pulls me from my unrelenting thoughts, and all I see is red. In a single second, shadows spew from every ounce of my being, enveloping me and every traitorous soul that surrounds me in endless darkness.
I will get her out.
I will save her.
This is not our end.
We have only just begun.
Screams sound around me, but they’re slowly snuffed out by the noose lassoed around their necks.
“Ambroyss!” I roar, the sound shaking the walls. I feel them before I hear them. Guards flank me on all sides, caging me in. A wicked smile plays on my lips as I string out shadows around their ankles and hoist them up. Snatching a knife off the table, I send it flying, severing all three of their heads with one blade.
The sound of the headless bodies thumping to the floor is music to my ears. I move the shadows away, showcasing them to the others still in the room, and wails erupt.
I’m so focused on the picture in front of me that I don’t feel it until it’s too late. My legs threaten to give out, but I persevere. Sluggishly moving forward, I concentrate on the lives I’m snuffing out, relishing in the symphony coming to an untimely end.
My time is running out, my movements getting more lethargic with each step. I’m hit again, the same indescribable feeling, before I’m crumbling to my knees, unable to keep standing.
As my body hits the floor, my shadows start to recede, letting me see Kallie still lying perfectly still on the marble floor. Her eyes are closed, like she’s in that blissful sleep she can never get enough of.
Violence is bred underneath my skin, my hands permanently stained red with bloodshed that I have no regret in creating. I would rather my flesh have a never-ending sea of crimson attached to it than have her know the truest evil that is carried in her veins.
I don’t know when this changed. Perhaps it never did. The feelings continuously growing, blossoming, always lying in wait for the time to manifest when I could give her everything she ever needed—wanted.
The darkness she carries will be morphed, contorted into something so magical it will have no choice but to blend with mine. Until we are one and we have no idea where either of us begins or ends. A continuous thread of pure, ruthless power that will threaten everything and everyone that dares to stand in our way. Power so poisonous you won’t know you’re infected until the traitorous shells are withering at our feet, a path of destruction left behind in our wake.