Chapter 75
CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE
Erebus teleported to the clouds right above the cloaked army. That way he could watch their movement and be ready.
Damn that witch. What did she know? Nothing! She had no idea how it felt for the person you admired to never look your way. And when he did, it wasn’t because you were special. You were the butt of his jokes.
No one could ever understand how it felt. An eternity of wanting someone you couldn’t have because they didn’t want you. It was enough to make someone jaded over one lifetime. But this … was infinite. This pain … it would never stop.
In the beginning, his feelings were sweet, and he treasured them.
He told himself he was content just being close to the Kraken.
At least this was how he felt at first. Then he told him to call him Ken.
It was another level of closeness, and he found himself wanting more.
The years rolled by, and nothing changed between them.
Ken liked to tease him, but he never closed the gap.
Still, even Ken’s teasing was attention … and he didn’t mind it. At first.
It’s impossible to understand what it’s like to always be watching and wanting someone who never reciprocates.
Not once. Erebus wasn’t who he wanted. He was completely overlooked.
As if Ken was too good for him. In Erebus’ eyes, Ken was actually too good for him, but he hoped they could have something together.
That maybe Ken would turn around and really see him.
One day, Ken gave him a gift. It was a special shampoo.
He remembered being so happy. Ken had finally noticed him.
He’d given him a present. He remembered how it made him feel.
How his heart had beat faster … how just looking at Ken had made him blush.
He was so excited he couldn’t wait to try it out.
He recalled how stupid he’d been. How he’d excitedly showered, getting ready to see Ken. Like the lovesick fool he was. But his heart broke that day.
Having finished getting ready after the shower, his heart skipped in anticipation to go see Ken.
He’d walked up to the mirror to make sure his hair was perfect.
He remembered looking at his reflection and just staring in shock.
His hair … his hair had been dyed completely white.
He reached up and touched his locks, running his fingers through them …
tears began to stream down his face. It was a prank.
A cruel joke that had played on his affections.
Did Ken know how he felt and used it to manipulate him?
He remembered frantically trying to redye his hair, but the effects of the magic were permanent. Even with new hair growth, the color remained white. And Ken laughed …
It was all a joke to him. Couldn’t he see?
Did he really not know how he felt? It was then that Erebus began to drown in the cruel reality that Ken would never want him.
He’d put Ken up on a pedestal and no one could bring him down or replace him.
Sure, there were others, but they weren’t Ken.
Erebus couldn’t bring himself to tell Ken of his feelings after that incident.
Would it even matter? It would be another thing for him to tease him about.
The pain of knowing he couldn’t have Ken was indescribable.
At first, he tried to fight it. But as time passed, he became bitter.
He couldn’t stand not being able to have who he wanted.
When he’d caught Ken talking to a dryad named Ivory, he immediately claimed her.
He took on a harem that could never really satisfy him.
But they were women that Ken couldn’t have now.
Ivory started to make him feel again, though. The beautiful dryad was his and not Ken’s. And for once, he started to feel like he had worth. Maybe with Ivory, he could find a path to healing. Of course … it wasn’t to be.
He found Ivory visiting Ken late one night.
She was completely naked just standing in front of him.
Ken’s eyes traveled over her in a way that he would never look at him.
Ivory had betrayed him by going to another man, but not just any man.
Ken! He was furious, and in his rage, he killed Ivory.
It was never about Ivory, though. She was now dead because of Ken.
A poison began to spread inside him that he couldn’t stop.
This was the moment he began to turn evil.
He became a twisted monster of envy. And he vowed that one day Ken would see his worth.
He’d felt the contempt radiating through him, and he promised himself he would destroy Ken. He wanted him to know what despair felt like. He wanted him to know what it was like to want someone so bad and not be able to have them.
This was why he wanted Alexa. He wanted her to look at him, to desire him. Because he knew it would hurt Ken even more. But she’d refused him too. That didn’t matter. So long as Ken couldn’t have her …
Erebus looked down at the cloaked army as they began to march toward Elysia.
It was finally time. Alexa needed to choose him, because he wanted Ken to know the pain.
For eternity, Ken would never have the person he wanted.
His brows furrowed as his lips thinned. The only way he could accomplish this was with the nembrant glass.
Of course, there was always another way. Erebus’ lips curled upward as he pondered over his new idea. Ken would never be able to be with Alexa … if he killed her.
Elysia was chaos. People were running everywhere, seeking shelter. Warriors were coming toward the front where they held their positions inside the barrier. At the front of the assembling army were Asher, Lita, and Grayson.
“Mom!” Reiya ran through the army with Brody and Chelsie at her heels. “I heard the cloaked army is almost here.”
“Yes. We don’t know what to expect. We’ll wait inside the barrier where we can divide the army. Only those of fairy blood will be able to enter freely.” Lita looked up as more of her friends and family took their positions among the crowd.
“The guardians have the power to handle the dark fairies.” Grayson looked up as Hunter, Freja, and Chasen approached.
“Justice is staying behind with Lucie, Derrick, Destiny, and Harley,” Chasen informed them, and Asher nodded his head.
“Good. Lucie, Destiny, and Raine shouldn’t be anywhere near here. Where is Raine?” Asher looked over at Brody, who shook his head.
“She was with Alexa right before the chaos broke out,” Brody turned and looked at Reiya. “How is she doing?”
“She is doing just fine.” A commanding voice echoed through the area as someone parted the army. Alexa walked through with a powerful aura swirling around her. Not far behind her was Nita.
Who dared to pick a fight with Elysia? With the mood Alexa was in, she was ready to bring her strength to full force.
Her mother had told her about Mikah and about him being a titan, but it felt like her mother was still holding something back.
It didn’t matter. She didn’t care what they wanted to call Mikah.
He was her guardian. End of discussion. If Mikah had gone dark, she was certain she could pull him out of it.
She needed to handle this cloaked army so she could go to him.
“Where is Raine?” Chelsie asked, and Alexa smiled at her.
“She said she was going to check on Lucie and Destiny.” Alexa felt a strong breeze swirl around them. She glanced up and saw her Aunt Jin’s green hair swirling in the breeze above them. She landed next to Chasen and looked over at Hunter and Freja.
“The shadow is upon us,” Jin said, and everyone turned their attention forward.
“Reiya!”
Reiya turned her head to see Xander running over to stand beside her. He placed his arm around her shoulder and winked down at her.
“It’s better for your Gemini twin to be beside you. We learned this after the last crazy war.” Xander beamed down at her.
“Hopefully this won’t be as intense as last time.” Reiya gave him a weak smile, and he squeezed her shoulder lightly.
“The dragon army is here as backup. And not just any army.” His lips curled upward as he nodded toward the distance. “The royals from all the kingdoms have come to answer the fairies’ call. We are bonded for life.”
“Thank you, Xander. There will always be a safe place here in Elysia for all of dragon kind.”
Xander studied her and leaned his head down to her ear. In a barely audible voice, he asked, “What is it?”
Reiya looked up at him and chewed on her inner lip. “I can’t reach Lee. It’s like … well, it feels like before, when he was locked away from me by the deities,” she whispered.
“I’m sure he’s just fine. Don’t worry about him.
After we settle things with this cloaked army, we’ll try to reach out to Levi.
” Xander watched as Reiya nodded her head.
Inwardly, though, he didn’t like the sound of that.
Levi would never block his link with Reiya.
Whatever was going on, he would leave communication open to Reiya. No wonder she was anxious.
Grayson growled lowly as he fixed his gaze on the barrier.
A few shadows crept closer and then suddenly took form.
In the center was a tall man with obsidian eyes who stared at them.
He had black transparent wings on his back, and his skin was the same color.
His black hair shone as the sun’s rays touched it.
He wore a black trench coat with gold buttons, black gloves, and heavy combat boots. The back of the coat flowed behind him as he looked over everyone in front of him. A blue flame showed in his dark eyes as he stared at the fairy royals.
“An Unblessed Wisp,” Grayson snarled quietly. A wisp was a type of elemental fairy spirit. It was one that was associated with blue or red fire, depending on its strength. There were both Blessed and Unblessed Wisps, and among them, the blue flame was the strongest.
“State your business!” Lita commanded, her eyes narrowing on the Unblessed wisp.
“I am here to represent the Unseelie Court. The Unblessed fairies. You call us kin, and yet there isn’t a section of Elysia that is a suitable home for us.
You clearly only favor the light. And we’ve had enough!
” The wisp flapped his wings slightly, his peers behind him providing small affirmations.
“You’ve had enough?” Alexa scoffed as she stepped forward.
“And how have you ever been mistreated? You haven’t.
If there isn’t a suitable home for you here in Elysia, it’s because you haven’t created one for yourself.
You know better. Elysia is magical. It adapts to those who live here.
We have kelpies here who have made Elysia their home.
Are they not fairies that belong to the Unblessed Court?
” She watched as the wisp eyed her curiously.
But she just wasn’t in the mood. Because of them, she wasn’t able to look for Mikah.
She pushed her aura out, blanketing the area in a warm yellow light with cool black streaks.
It covered the sky as the colors intertwined.
“The fairy princess … is also a dark fairy?”
“She’s a dark fairy too!”
“She’s the one we’ve been waiting for.”
“Cal, we can’t go on with the plan.”
Murmuring voices rose from the dark fairies behind the wisp. The wisp slowly lowered to one knee, and the rest of them followed suit.
“Forgive us. You’re the one we’ve been waiting for.
There is a prophecy about you among the Unseelie Court …
” The wisp paused and cursed under his breath.
“I am Cal. I’m sorry. Please take your anger out on me.
” He glanced up at Alexa. “There is a demonic army under the cloak, mixed with creatures … that should not exist. There are wrathens, shrieks, dranvors, faceless … but they can’t enter here.
You will be safe behind the barrier. The only ones you need to worry about are the demonic fairies.
They are the only ones who can enter Elysia. ”
Alexa looked over at her grandmother and mother. They’d been waiting for her? It was prophesized that she would have dark powers? She was curious about what this prophecy said. But there wasn’t time for that. A high-pitched shriek echoed from behind them.
“What’s going on?” Jin raised herself higher so she could see better. She noticed Destiny and Lucie on the patio, with Harley, Derrick, and Justice. Jasper and Terra were sprinting toward them, and she flew herself over with her wind.
“It took her!” Lucie looked around.
“Something just sucked her into the ground!” Destiny was beside herself.
“What happened?” Jin asked as she hovered above them.
“Something took Raine,” Justice growled, looking up at Jin.
“But what could have …” Jin scanned the area frantically as she moved higher, but she couldn’t see anything. She quickly returned to the front of the army. “Something took Raine!” She listened as Brody growled menacingly.
“Damn it. It had to have been the shadow serpent. It has fairy blood … I didn’t think it was enough to get entry.” Cal watched as Alexa glared at him.
“Who sent you here?” Alexa asked, already knowing the answer. But Cal didn’t have a chance to reply. A sinister laugh rang out above them. They all looked up. In the clouds was a figure who was dangling Raine in the air.
“I’m simply heartbroken you won’t invite me in, so I brought a friend out to be with me. Of course—I am willing to trade.” Erebus grinned as he stared at the ground beneath him.
“Alexa, you can’t!” Lita grabbed her granddaughter’s arm. “The premonition—”
“Fuck the premonition! I’m not going to let something happen to Raine.” Alexa glared up at Erebus. What was the point if keeping her alive would mean she had to watch a family member die? Besides, Alexa was the only one there who had a chance against Erebus. No one else would be able to save Raine.
And maybe … maybe the premonition couldn’t be avoided. Maybe the purpose of it was so they could all be prepared.