Beneath the Darkest Night (The Etherealm Duology)

Prologue

The King

Another day passes by slowly, mocking me as it goes.

Each one able to leave every time, and I am left to stay.

Bound to the same place, bitter and hallow. A place where my own grief swallowed me whole, long ago.

I have done what I needed to do for this kingdom. Securing it in every way and setting it up for success for what the future may hold.

But now, I cannot take one more second of it.

I do not want to leave the boy, but what choice do I have?

Two hundred and forty-two years of agony raising a child, alone. A child that I barely even know due to the distance I put between us.

I know him by his actions, but I do not know his soul. Although, I would assume it is the same as hers.

Afraid that if I get too close, I will have to constantly look into his familiar golden eyes. Even a quick glance causes immense pain. They plague me with the reminder that I will never see her beautiful face in front of me again.

His face is a direct replica of hers. Down to the straight tip of his nose, so achingly like her own. One would not know that I had any part of making him.

I miss her every day. My Lily of the valley, the fairest flower of them all.

Her absence and the constant agony of the fact haunts me, time never healing what has been lost.

Quite like the moon used to chase the sun, I chased her warmth knowing that she could never stay.

My heart is nothing but empty by now. No emotion ever fully settling within me. They sit on the surface instead, never able to break through. I have learned long ago to hide my numbness and pain behind malicious words and actions.

She softened me with her devotion and kindness, so now that she is gone, I have none of it left.

I am ready to go, but not ready to leave him.

He walks around the castle like a ghost, empty and alone. I have made no effort to repair it, but it is not too late.