Chapter 48
CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT
High-pitched screams echoed through the dark forest. Closer. Closer. Closer. The cries drew closer, wailing in the wind.
Mikah turned and stared in the direction of the sound. He didn’t move or flinch as he braced himself for the approaching evil. Alexa chuckled and walked next to Mikah.
“You aren’t afraid of the shrieks, are you?” Alexa scoffed and turned as the shrieks arrived en masse.
Instantly the shrieks stopped, and their screaming ceased.
It was as if they sensed the unnatural energy swirling around the woman in front of them.
And for the first time ever, the shrieks retreated, deep into the forest. Entities of evil retreated from the dark fairy princess, because what was in front of them was an untouchable creature.
One that didn’t fear death but welcomed it.
Alexa shrugged. “I guess they didn’t want to play.” The world was quiet now, and even the birds didn’t dare to sing.
Mikah stared at Alexa as he tried to adjust to her new personality. He did what he had to do back at the castle. He made sure that Alexa allowed him to stay close. He would protect her no matter what, and he hoped he could reach the real Alexa that was deep inside.
“What is the plan now, Xi?” Mikah asked casually when he noticed her gaze landed on him. “Are you going to turn into Elsa and let it go?” He chuckled and watched a wry grin spread over her face.
“That’s not a bad idea.” Alexa walked into a small clearing in the middle of the forest. Then she spread her hands out and began to build her fortress.
Mikah watched with a sense of dread as Alexa’s beautiful ice magic was now dark.
Black ice sprang from her hands and rose from the ground.
A black-ridged crystal tower reached for the sky.
It branched out from the center like limbs from a trunk.
Sharp dark ice spikes spread out in an imposing warning.
Two thick, round towers branched out from the center but remained connected by obsidian ice walls.
A set of small, icy stairs led to the center of the ice building, which had two thick frozen doors.
“I’m disappointed. Elsa’s castle was way cooler,” Mikah chided and listened to her snort at him.
“Elsa was a crybaby who built a large castle to hide herself inside. I’m not hiding from anyone. If they want me, they can come for me.” Alexa shrugged as she walked up the steps of her ice palace.
“Xi, you wouldn’t really fight against your parents if they come, right?” She snapped her head in his direction, studying him with her dark gaze. Her eyes were almost black now and completely void of the beautiful blue that often lit up when she smiled. A red hue flickered across one dark eye.
“Why, Mikah? Is that a problem for you? Who am I to you? Am I Alexa? Or am I Xi?” Alexa’s face turned cold as she set her icy gaze on Mikah.
She’d brought Mikah with her thinking he’d accepted the person she had become.
But if he was only following her because he still viewed her as Alexa, this was a problem.
Yet, when she heard him ask if she planned to fight her parents, her insides froze.
She felt her emotions begin to tear like a piece of paper.
It was like that part of her as Alexa wasn’t her at all.
It was a distant memory of someone familiar that she could no longer relate to.
There was a dark cloud in her mind that had raised a barrier around that part of her.
She didn’t know why, but it made her frustrated.
It was confusing to think about. Painful.
But Mikah made her feel like she wasn’t lost. It was like he was part of her.
He also had a darkness inside him and belonged by her side.
Alexa watched as a gentle smile spread over his lips.
He stepped over to her and wrapped her in his embrace.
She didn’t push him away. Instead, she felt his acceptance embrace her, and she sighed with relief.
Why was she relieved? Did she really need Mikah that badly?
This was something she wasn’t going to analyze any further.
She decided she would refer to before as her past life, and maybe it was her past life that needed Mikah so badly.
“Xi, it doesn’t matter to me what you call yourself.
I’m the one who will always be by your side.
If you need me to slide into some leather pants and a leather jacket, just let me know.
You are my princess no matter what. I won’t allow myself to be apart from you.
Remember, it’s us. I need you.” Mikah felt her tension ease after that, which gave him hope.
Xi wasn’t all bad. She was still Alexa. He just needed to remind her of that.
But he would bide his time … no matter how long it took.
“So, did you set me up with a hot tub? Or something cool in my room?” Mikah teased as Alexa backed away from him. He could see the confusion in her eyes for a moment before they returned to darkness. Maybe being near him could help the light find its way out.
“Be thankful I made you a room.” Alexa gave him a dark smile.
Mikah’s smile faded slightly at the new coldness she was showing him. He swallowed the pain down deep. “Lead the way … Xi.”
Ken flashed into the upper level of the castle in the dragon kingdom with Terra by his side. As soon as he found her, he quickly teleported back so he could be with Alexa. But he didn’t sense her there.
“Ken! Thank the gods you’re back.” Brian jumped up from his seat in panic and Bella stood up beside him.
“Where’s Alexa? What happened?!” Ken felt sheer fear wash over him. He could see the apprehension on Brian and Bella’s faces.
“Erebus entered Elysia and killed Alexa’s great grandparents Alice and Nathon, and their guardian Dylan.
Something inside Alexa snapped and she …
changed. She isn’t our Lexi anymore. She even attacked Reiya and demanded we call her Xi.
Levi told me to send you to Elysia.” Brian watched an eerily dark expression form on Ken’s face.
“They might have more information there.”
“Where is she now? Is she in Elysia?” Ken asked, his voice cold.
“No. She teleported in a black smoke that was untraceable. It was—demonic.” Brian watched Ken clench his jaw, his knuckles whitening as his fists tightened. Terra took a timid step away from him as she watched him cautiously.
“I told that damn reptile that the glass needed to come out right away. Damn it … I shouldn’t have left her.” Ken shifted his weight from one leg to the other as he tried to think what to do.
“Levi said—” Brian began but went silent when he saw Ken’s irate glare.
Ken took in a deep breath in order to calm himself. He would get his mate back. No matter what, he was collecting what was his. Even if he had to lock her up. It didn’t matter to him. He would protect her from herself if he had to.
“Where’s Mikah?” Ken growled lowly.
“Mikah’s with her. When Levi pushed her darkness back at her to protect Reiya, Mikah defended Alexa.”
Ken’s shoulders sunk in relief.
“Good bear. Alright. I’m going to bring Alexa back.” Ken could feel his rage swirling inside him. But above that was fear. His sweet mate was lost inside herself. That damn piece of glass was clouding her mind. He needed to get to her before it was too late.
“Erebus was trying to kill Asher in order for the curse—” Brian listened as Ken growled.
“Oh, I know what that bastard was thinking. Even now, he’s still a coward. He’s afraid to face me. Instead, it was easier to reactivate the curse. Well, I’m not going to give him that opportunity. It’s time I claim my mate.”
“Levi is waiting for you in Elysia,” Brian said once more.
“And that means what to me? Serendipity can handle whatever business he needs to handle there. Alexa is my business and the only business I care about. I will find her.”
“Through your mate connection?” Bella asked curiously.
“Perhaps? But it isn’t consistent enough. She wears a necklace with my essence in it, and that is something I can easily track.” Ken then turned to look at Terra. “Stay here until I return.” He glanced at Brian to see him nod his head, letting him know he understood.
“My lord, I can help.” Terra watched as Ken shook his head.
“No, not this time. Just stay here and wait for my orders.” Ken then turned to look at Brian. “When Levi comes back, tell him I’m bringing back my mate and to leave it to me. I don’t need him coming and making matters worse.” Before Brian could respond, Ken vanished.
Ken moved instantaneously through space, connecting with his own energy. As he got closer, he could feel a new pull. He felt his connection to his mate. And if he could feel it, Alexa would be able to feel it too.
Ken appeared in a familiar forest, one he had visited before when he’d protected Lucie from the shrieks. Through the trees, he could see a magnificent, black structure. It was beautifully made, the shiny ice like a black pearl in the forest. It was exquisite, and so was the person who made it.
It was in that direction that he could feel his heart pulling him. As he approached, his breath caught in his chest. Standing outside of the black ice palace was Mikah, and next to him, Alexa. Her eyes were dark, and they stared at him like he was a foreign existence.
“What exactly do you want?” Alexa snapped at him in a cold tone.
Ken chuckled and leaned back on his heels. “Well, that’s an easy question to answer. You.”
Alexa scoffed. “No thanks. I’m not interested.” She stared at this man, her memory foggy. All she could remember clearly was the pain and sorrow. He never came for her. He was always hiding from her. Her emotions were swarming and intertwining with darkness.
Mikah looked over at Alexa. “How does he look to you? Does he look like Erebus at all?”
Alexa looked at Mikah and rolled her eyes. “No. If he looked like Erebus, I would have killed him already.” She wasn’t sure why, but she had a deep-rooted hatred for Erebus.
“Does he look like—” Mikah started, and Alexa clicked her tongue.
“Just a person, Mikah. A person that I don’t feel anything toward.”
Mikah looked up and met with Ken’s green eyes. Alexa probably no longer feared Erebus, so she didn’t see his face. But the fact that Ken looked normal to her meant he was no longer her heart’s desire. That, or she didn’t have a darkest nightmare anymore.
“Lex, I’m—” Ken started, but Alexa immediately snapped at him.
“Xi. I’m not this ‘Lex’ you speak of. It’s Xi.”
Ken grinned and tilted his head to look her over. His eyes trailed over her body very slowly, her body tensing under his gaze. “No, you’re her alright. You’re mine.”
“I belong to no one. Least of all a god who left Alexa alone her whole life. What? Now you’ve had a change of heart? Well, Alexa is dead. She isn’t here now. You don’t have a mate anymore.”
Ken stared into her dark eyes and watched as a red hue swirled through one of them. She didn’t remember things clearly, and she was obviously trying to warn him off. But he was certain he could reach her. No matter what … he was going to bring her back.