Chapter 49
Aurora
It is nearing dawn by the time Aurora and I return from the cave and slip into the palace. I creep into my room, grateful to find Caelum breathing slowly and softly as I settle under the covers.
I gaze upon his serene face, captivated by his almost nauseating beauty. A scowl slices across my face as I think of how I’ve never seen him in the outside world except for my brief visit to Ni’haan. I wonder how the fae women react to his looks. I grow bitter with jealousy.
A deep rumble shakes the bed and Caelum’s voice slips into my mind. I never took you for the jealous type.
I roll my eyes as I turn to face him, his eyes still closed. I never really had a reason to be.
His eyes stay shut and if he wasn’t speaking into my mind, I’d be sure he was asleep.
Well, my Little Dreamer, I can tell you that you have no reason to be jealous. And if you haven’t looked in a mirror in a while, you should because you are breathtaking.
A scowl crosses my face. I think I’ve withered away. I don’t feel beautiful or sexy.
This makes his eyes flash open. His amber gaze flares to life and he grips my chin between his fingers.
“Your time here has not been easy, and we are working to change that. But as you regain your strength, I want you to know that you are always beautiful. Your body is merely a vessel. One I enjoy looking at and touching.” One of his hands slides to the center of my chest, while the other caresses my forehead.
“But it is here and here that I find the most attractive.”
I smile as I gaze at his face. “It’s strange to think how just a few months ago, you were a stranger. Someone who stole me away in this wild world.” My smile fades and Caelum’s eyes turn sad.
“I know,” he whispers. “I know you hated me, and you have every right to.”
I shake my head. “I never hated you. I didn’t understand you. You were kind to me, seemed to care. It made me not know why you would bring me here.” I graze my hand across his cheek. “I forgive you for the choice you made. Because it brought me to you.”
A single tear slips from his eye, and I watch it shimmer across his skin. He grasps my hand with his, halting me. “I’m not deserving of your forgiveness.”
My lips curve into a half grin. “Maybe. But that’s not going to stop me from giving it.” I brush my lips softly against his and then tuck myself into the crook of his arm. He curves his arm around me, holding me snugly to his side.
Get some rest, my Dreamer.
I slide up my mental shield so that Caelum doesn’t slip into my dreams. I may be able to forgive him for bringing me here, but I would never forgive myself if anything happened to him because of me.
“I wish you’d let me in,” he whispers into my hair as he realizes my mind is off limits.
“It’s safer this way. I don’t want to exist in a world where I can’t share the same air with you. Keeping you out of my dreams lets me know you are here, safe and sound.”
He plants a kiss on my forehead and hugs me tighter.
I listen to his steady breathing and must doze off because the next thing I know, I’m standing in the gardens, under the pearl blossoms of the moonflowers. The velvet sky is clear and the moon full and bright. I run my fingers across the silky petals, releasing their aroma into the night air.
A breeze pulls strands of hair from my braid, dancing them in front of my face.
“I’ve always had a fondness for what shows itself under the cover of darkness.”
I leap at the unexpected voice and whirl on my heels. My face freezes as my eyes land on the icy gaze of King Caledor. He stands less than a dozen feet from me, watching me intensely.
He looks so much like Arc. Tall, slight, but broad shouldered.
Instead of platinum blonde hair, the king’s is an icy silver.
His features are sharper, his chin more pointed.
His eyes are the same light blue as Arc’s, but lined with a thin rim of silver.
He’s ethereal and beautiful. But utterly terrifying and haunting.
“Hello, Dreamer.” His voice carries on the wind, trickling into my ear like icy water.
I step back, gripping my cloak around my shoulders. “What do you want from me? What are you doing here?”
His lips curve into a malicious grin. “I only want to make your acquaintance, my dear. After all, when I left my kingdom, there weren’t any Dreamers left. So I’m curious who you are and where you came from. And I think we can make quite the pair.”
Anger and disgust rise in my throat. “It’s none of your damned business who I am, and I will never serve you.”
He tsks slowly at me while taking measured steps. “One should not speak to their king in such a manner.” He glares at me. “But I will give you a pass this time for your naivete.”
“You are not my king. And you won’t win this war. You will die, and Arc’s curse will finally be broken and all will be free. Free of you. And you will be nothing.” My eyes harden on him while my heart pounds in my chest.
He chuckles. “Oh, silly girl. I see my son and the traitorous fae of my realm have misled you. Filled your head with such foolishness. Do you know who I am? What I have done?”
I shift on my feet, suddenly feeling not so confident.
The king takes another step closer. “I am the one who brought Silverveil to life. The Cauldron blessed me with the magic and power to create this world. Everything you see here is because of me. Do you truly think my pathetic excuse for a son and your little band of misfits will stop me?”
He’s close enough now that I can see the mist of his breath as it clashes with the air. He stops less than an arm’s length from me and I take a step backward. A devious smirk spreads across his face, pleased with his effect on me.
I tip my chin up. “But the prophecy. You were so afraid of being overthrown. What changed?”
He leans forward, his grin deepening the fine lines of his face. “You.”
I recoil in shock. “What do you mean?”
He straightens and exhales. “Yes, at one time I feared the prophecy, the half-blood who could cast out the darkness. But then, a few months ago, I laid down to sleep and something else came to me in my dreams—hope. That hope is you, Dreamer. The only Dreamer left in the realm. I no longer need to rule Silverveil. I wish to punish this traitorous realm, but I no longer need to rule it.”
“Why,” I whisper.
“Because, my dear, you and I can cast a new world of our own imagination.” He watches me process his words. “Do you care for this land and the people here?”
I stare at him for a moment before nodding my head.
“I’m not an unreasonable man. How about I make you an offer?”
Blood pounds in my ears. I don’t know if I want to hear what an evil king has to offer.
“If you align with me and agree to create a new world for us to rule, I will leave Silverveil as you wish and not harm those you care about. Arc and his people can be free.” His eyes lock onto mine.
“But if you choose to fight against me, you will watch as I tear this realm apart and kill everyone you care about.”
My chest heaves and I clench my trembling hands into fists at my sides.
“The choice is yours, Dreamer, and I am so eager to see which you will choose.”
I gape at his sneering face, frozen where I stand.
And then he’s gone.
A furious scream ruptures the quiet of the night. Mine.
Then there are hands on my skin, a deep familiar voice flooding my senses. “Camryn! Wake up!”
My eyes bolt open to see Caelum’s terrified gaze. I gasp for air as his hands frame my face. “It’s okay, you’re okay,” he chants, pulling me to his chest.
I want to tell him everything. But my voice catches in my throat as I think about what the king told me. The choice he gave.
I close my eyes, burying myself into Caelum’s warmth and safety as he strokes my back.
There’s only one person I can talk to. The one person who can give me some sort of clarity. Rory.
I sigh, Caelum slowing his soothing strokes. He tips his head down to look at me while I gaze up at him. “Is it him?” he asks.
“Yes,” I breathe.
His eyes search mine. “What happened?”
I swallow. “He wants me to join him. To create a new world to rule.”
Caelum’s face flashes with anger. “I won’t let him anywhere near you. He won’t touch you.”
Tears well in my eyes as I gaze upon my handsome warrior’s face. My mate’s face.
A sob racks my lungs as I hold back the rest of what the king told me.
I can’t be the reason Caelum and everyone I love here dies.
I can’t. But can I really help King Caledor do what he wants?
Create a new world together? Whichever choice I make, I will lose the people I love. But I can’t condemn them to death.
Caelum wipes the tears from my cheeks. “I will get Aurora. She can help you rest, like before.”
I nod, though I feel empty as soon as he slides from the bed. He slips from the room and I lay back, trying to steady my breaths. The sun has started to rise, trickling faint light through the window.
A moment later, Aurora appears in the doorway with a worried look she tries to mask. Caelum gives me a soft smile before shutting the door, leaving me and Rory to ourselves.
“The king?” she asks as she strides to the bed.
“It’s bad, Rory. Really bad.” A sob cracks my voice and I tell her everything. She listens quietly, gripping my hand as I sob about not knowing what to do. How I would rather die than be the death of Caelum, her, and everyone else.
Her face hardens, and I know the look in her eyes means she’s analyzing every single possibility. When her eyebrows relax and she looks at me, my heart cracks.
“Camryn, I know you love Caelum. I know it. But you can’t align with the king. You don’t know what he will do to you. Or what he will force you to do to other people.”
I shake my head. “No. No, Rory, I can’t. I can’t lose him. Can’t lose you.”
She gives me a half smile and squeezes my hand. “He could be lying for all we know. He’s trying to sway you to his side. We just need to stick to the plan, okay? Promise me.” Her eyes plead.
I swallow, meeting her gaze. “I promise.” But doubt sticks in my throat. I wish I could choke on it. Take away my choice. Choosing to save Caelum and the others means losing everything else. Can I live with that?
Luckily, I won’t have to wait long to find out.