Chapter 35 Starless Sky
Chapter Thirty-Five
Starless Sky
NORA
I peek over my coffee cup and take a sip.
Ere does the same as he watches me watch him.
He winks and throws me his most charming smile then sets his mug down.
The table is laid out with fresh fruit, pancakes, and bacon, all the color of poison of course, but neither of us have really eaten anything.
Some days coffee is enough. There are new strange things at the table, though, things he said will help me heal if I’m hurt and make me stronger if I need to fight today.
Ambrosia and Nectar. They even look semi edible, the shadows unable to block out their golden hues.
I force down a bite of the sweet fruit and a few sips of the even sweeter drink, but the anxious energy taking up so much space in my stomach leaves no room for much else.
Leaning my chin on my hands, I return his smile as I admire the curve of his black horns and the warmth of his golden eyes.
I’ve learned that when his eyes are this color his mind and power are calm, but the second the red glow sets in, his shadows are dying to come out and play.
If you’re an enemy of his, it might be smart to run when that crimson glow takes over.
But I’m not an enemy. Ere would never hurt me.
I can’t help but wonder what his shadows might do to enemies after discovering what they’re capable of doing to me.
Surely there’s another use for them than pleasure, though I’m not complaining.
Kairos and Mio, I can imagine, would take one look at him and judge him harshly or possibly try to kill him on site.
He told me he looks like her. Nyx. The moment she cursed him to a life as her slave in The Underworld, the curved horns and leathery wings appeared.
In a way, he looks like the demons, too.
But to me, he’s anything but terrifying. He’s beautiful.
“So, todays the day, then?” My eyes are calm and steady, but my heart thuds loudly against my ribcage, the rush of blood vibrating within my ears like a warning bell screaming within my head.
His smile fades, his eyes darkening as he nods.
“It is. We have no choice. The soldiers out guarding are getting restless as they wait. They know she will make a move soon if we do not.” He takes another sip from his mug, gripping it tight as his eyes stay on me.
“You do not have to do this if you don’t want to, Nora.
As much as I would love for you to know the truth, it will be risky.
” His knuckles begin to pale from how tight he grips the mug, but he doesn’t release it when he lowers his hands to the table, as if he needs something to keep him grounded.
He’s nervous, too. I reach for him and take his hands in mine.
“I don’t care about the risk. Living a life being haunted by darkness and used in Nyx’s games isn’t something I’m willing to do any longer.
I’m done hiding. I want the truth, and I want her to pay for what she has done to me.
And to my parents and you,” I spit, releasing his hands as mine begin to tremble.
I clench them into tight fists in my lap.
Closing my eyes and taking a deep breath, I lean into his shadows as they embrace me.
They caress my skin with that icy scent that only exists in a wintery midnight breeze until sweet numbness takes hold of my mind and then my heart.
He’s right. For now, I need to remain calm, but when I face her, I’ll let my anger and my fire tear into her cold, dead heart.
I relax my shoulders and unclench my fists as Ere’s soothing touch erases the lingering pain and torment from my scattered mind. I’ll save my anger for her.
He leans forward, stretching his arms across the table and opening his hands, so I place mine within them.
“In person, Nyx is more vicious and cruel than you can imagine. When she wants something, her voice is innocent and alluring and her deceptive charm naturally sways others into believing she is nothing but a delicate flower.” He caresses my hands with his thumbs, staring down at them blankly.
“Her power to seduce the mind into giving her what she wants is hard to resist. You must see through her facade and fight it the way I do. You can’t let her into your head.
” He meets my gaze, his features shifting to what I believe is fear.
“She is far from a delicate flower. Once she has her claws in you, she’s a rose dipped in poison, her fragrance capable of ending you with a single breath. ”
I should be scared, but I’m not. Not with his shadows holding me tight and enveloping me in a soothing calmness that embeds itself into every part of me.
I know he’ll do what he can to keep me safe, All I can do is fight for my memories and freedom the best I can, and hope and pray it doesn’t end in permanent death.
At least he’s giving me the chance to try.
Better than laying low and staying helpless and human like Kairos and Hekate preferred.
She would have become angrier and angrier, and people would have died.
“I appreciate you helping me. I couldn’t do this without you.
I wouldn’t want to.” I smile, gazing into his glowing eyes and wishing I never had to look away.
“She’s not just going to hand over the amulet.
She has me right where she wants me. She knows I’ll come for it, and she thinks she’ll win.
We could both be hurt. Or worse, we could be killed. I hate even dragging you into this.”
“We will not be asking her for permission to take it back, my love. We are taking what belongs to you whether she likes it or not. She believes I have been under her spell and that soon you will be, too. What she does not know is that I have been training my army for this very moment, an army of powerful celestials and witches who she thinks I tossed into the pit. We will not be alone. And you are not dying today. Neither am I.” He stands and grabs our empty mugs, stretching his wings out wide and then tucking them tight behind his back, his shadows staying behind to keep me company as he walks away.
He wants this just as badly as I do. Maybe even more so.
I’ve dealt with her torment and games for a year, and it has been pure hell.
I can’t imagine going through this for an entire century.
If he truly has been stuck down here just waiting for this very moment, then I’m certain he’s ready for it to be over.
He deserves a new beginning, too. I head down the dark corridor, waving a hand and lighting the black flame candles in the bedroom as I enter, and it brings me comfort that at least today I seem to be able to control my power.
I haven’t accidentally set anything else aflame yet.
I need to be in control, at least for today, not only in control of my power, but of my mind.
My thoughts have been quiet. I’ve heard no cryptic whispers or dark thoughts about ending my life, but I know she’s still in there.
She’s just waiting for the most opportune time to try and take over.
I cannot, under any circumstances, let her.
I quickly change into black fighting leathers, running my hands down the Dark Legions wings and sword emblem on my chest. Thoughts of Kairos and what he might be feeling or doing in this very moment crash into me, ricocheting through my mind.
My heart aches and my chest feels heavy thinking about the hurt he might have felt after I gave myself over to Nyx’s demons.
I can’t even begin to imagine how much more it will hurt him to find out Ere is my fated mate and the one I’m meant to be with.
I collapse to the edge of the bed, putting my head between my knees and forcing myself to breathe.
It fucking hurts. If Ere is my fated mate, then Kairos isn’t.
I place my hands against my chest, trying to hold my heart together, to force it to not think or feel, because guilt eats at me when I do, because I hurt him.
I kissed him and then chose to leave him.
Fuck. If Ere is mine and I am his, then it means someone has lied to Kairos, but not just to him, to an entire realm of people.
Why? And how? It doesn’t make sense. Maybe he chose to lie to me himself for his own fucked up reasons that I don’t understand.
No. Kairos loved me, didn’t he? Loves me.
Gods, is this his pain or my own? Him falling apart, or me?
It’s too hard to tell. I never wanted to hurt him.
And I’m going to hurt him again, aren’t I?
I’d rather end up broken hearted myself than for either of them to ever feel pain.
Are you ready, my little flame?
Ere’s whispered words within my mind are like a velvety, warm blanket wrapping around all the wounded, broken pieces of me, and suddenly I can breathe again.
Yes. I’m ready.
I’m not sure how I force my words to not quiver even within my mind, because no, I am not ready for this.
I’m not quite sure I ever could be. Right now, I’m more afraid of finding out the truth than I am of Nyx or her demons, but that fear is fading as I stand and face the shadows trickling into the room from the hall.