Chapter 52
- Chapter Fifty Two -
A Fate Of Love And Blood
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The Throne Room, The Black Castle.
Kyra.
From a fiery, blackened throne, a being of unfathomable beauty glowed.
Her skin was porcelain, as smooth and flawless as a crystal from Phaenon’s Summit. The mantle around her shoulders dripped to the ground like molten gold as she beheld her guests in the cruel abyss of turquoise eyes. A blue stark enough they might poison with a single look.
Such evil should never appear so breathtakingly exquisite.
Teeth threatened to break through the skin on Kyra’s wrists. The magic nulling effects of the potion was finally beginning to wean, but bound by those shackles, her power was useless.
Her forked tongue was all she had left.
And she wasn’t even sure she could trust that right now. Fear had frozen her where she stood.
Those black uniformed, horned-helmet monsters lined the Throne Room. A less menacing sentry squad in blood-red stood between them, seemingly uncomfortable in the former’s presence. Human and fae. An age-old contest.
No one spoke.
Rosary was tethered to the side of the High Wielder who had her mind, but Kyra forced her eyes not to wander. Forced herself to keep the Empress’ smouldering gaze.
At last, she spoke with the assured voice of a female who was scarcely challenged. ‘Welcome, Kyraena Daeiros. I have waited a long time for this meeting.’
Everything within Kyra wanted to recoil with terror. She took one singular breath through her nose and upon the exhale, found her heartbeat fractionally settling. Just enough for her to will some strength into her own voice to say, ‘I do hope I’m not a disappointment to you, Your Grace.’
The Empress gave a small smile. ‘You have your grandmother’s wit, I see. How does the infamous Winvara Daeiros fare nowadays?’ She gave a light, chiming chuckle. ‘I hear she grows more bitter as the years pass her by. Did she not rejoice when her granddaughter was chosen by Roheia?’
Kyra’s skin prickled. ‘She lives in bitterness because of you. You initiated the Earthling War. You are the reason Vrethian is divided.’
She’d expected the Empress to deny it. But she merely said proudly, ‘Indeed, I am. Was it Winvara who told you the truth of it, or her estranged mate?’
‘Naal told me enough.’
Empress Azar inclined her head. ‘Of course. I assume the Air Warden also attempted to stop you coming here once you received my gift?’
Her voice was so lovely. Too lovely, to be talking of things so awful.
Kyra couldn't help but look at Rosary then. And though her friend’s bloodied head was held high with as much defiance and pride she could manage, Kyra trembled at the sight of her.
‘I thought as much,’ Azar said quietly. ‘Naal’s movements are as predictable as the stars are immovable. So it seems, are yours, Kyraena.’
Kyra’s gaze snapped back to the Empress. Anger coursed through her, unchecked. ‘You mutilated an innocent just to get me here. Could you not have put whatever bullshit you want to spew in a letter?’
‘And have Naal Westerra intercepting it before it got to you? Or poison your mind with preconceived notions of what I want from you?’
‘I don’t need Naal’s influence to know a cunt when I meet one.’
Silence crashed between them. Everyone in the room appeared not to breathe at her harsh words, their eyes darting to their ruler, fearful of how she might react to such disrespect.
Kyra could have sworn she caught a ghost of a smile on the solemn face of the beautiful, noble female adorned in silver to the Empress’ left.
Azar simply cocked her head to one side.
An asp assessing its prey. ‘No… I do not imagine you to be easily influenced, Kyraena. Quite the opposite, in fact. If anyone is the influencer, it is you.’ For the first time, her burning attention landed on Gedeon.
‘Nothing to say, Gedeon? No empty words of undying loyalty for your queen this time?’
Beside Kyra, Gedeon was very still. ‘I have since learnt to reserve my loyalty to those who have earned it, not demand it.’
That irked her. More than any scathing words Kyra had flung her way. ‘Treasonous fool,’ the Empress hissed. ‘You too, are predictable, my son. I knew there was only one way I would get you back in this room. And that reason is standing right beside you.’
Kyra glanced sideways at Gedeon, and saw cold fury on his face. And something else, something… pained. ‘You knew I would follow her.’
‘I did.’
Mother and son stared at one another for a long while, as though some understanding passed between them. Eventually, Gedeon said tightly, ‘Why, then? Why are we here?’
‘I have never divulged information without purpose, even unto you,’ the Empress said. ‘But alas… the need to know has never been more crucial than at this very moment. Let there be no more secrets between us, Gedeon.’
She stood, the flames dancing on every inch of the famed Black Throne vanishing.
‘You may recall,’ she began, ‘that I have known of Kyraena Daeiros, and the power bestowed upon her, since her birth. That she would play an integral role in the unfolding of my plans. You may also recall that I told you, Gedeon, Prince of Fire, Master of Darkness, that your involvement was also imperative.’ A strange excitement emanated from her now. ‘Allow me to show you why.’
Wisping tentacles started around the Empress’ wrists, then distended toward them, unravelling into scenes that shifted with each prophetic line she uttered:
‘Four there are, connected as one,
But when Light and Dark come together, then will it be undone.
A male of Fire, of Night and royal blood,
Must await she who ignites an ancient spark.
For when the Earth cracks and the Sun hides behind the moon,
Then shall she of light and land be born.
Rage will blind and tear down what is known,
For her power to come forth to take its throne.
Bonded must Earth and Fire be,
For Light and Dark to once more be free.
Four there are, connected as one,
And the Fifth shall watch as it is undone.’
The words were kindling to a lost memory.
An ethereal voice had sung them to Kyra, desperate for her to understand.
As earth and sun barrelled and tore through her body in that alleyway all those months ago, had that voice been the Earth Mother’s?
Had it been Roheia’s desperate warning of what was to come?
Kyra had seen herself in the Empress’ strange smoking scenes.
She’d seen the day she was born, watched as a quake tore through Avaldale in the darkness of an eclipse.
She’d seen herself as a baby, cradled in her mother’s arms whilst a younger, firm-faced Win peered down at her.
Then she was older, spattered with mercenaries blood, breathing into the ground as power ignited every cell in her shaking body.
She’d seen Gedeon too. Not as he was now, not as she’d come to know him. But as the prince the world thought him to be. A young prince running away from his golden-haired brother. An older, adolescent prince wielding deadly flames, killing, killing, killing at his queen’s behest.
Another scene showed the moment Kyra had met him in the Council Room in Gallena’s Temple, just weeks ago.
She didn’t know what power the Empress possessed to be able to recall such things.
All she could do was stare at herself and Gedeon in that smoking scene.
Just stare and stare and stare as she watched their eyes lock.
Watched them look at each other as though nothing and no one in the entire world beyond them existed.
Dread, icy and merciless, sluiced through Kyra then.
The visions disappeared as Empress Azar’s tendrils retracted back into her body.
Her voice was a wisp in the silent air. ‘Do you see now, Gedeon? Do you see how important you are? You, and this female beside you, will bring about the beginning of a new age.’ Her excitement was mounting.
Those foul, peculiar shadows writhed from her skin like smoke in response to it.
Kyra’s pulse was a drum. ‘You killed every Earth Warden that came before me, didn’t you? There is no curse on the line. You were just waiting for me.’
‘The eclipse and quake happening on the day of your birth was no mere coincidence, Kyraena Daeiros,’ the Empress said.
‘I knew then that you were the one the prophecy eluded to. It was a sign from the Gods. Not those once-mortal pretenders who call themselves Mothers, but the divines of all creation.’ She gestured to the ceiling.
A depiction of Xados and Xusyn glowered down at the scene below with acute dominance.
As though they were the orchestrators of every moment.
‘I answered the call of duty bestowed upon me. I will be the hand that restores Them to glory. I will ensure Their deliverance. I will unite Droria as one as Their mortal consort. The Four Mothers will fall. Dohra will return. And the Old Gods will rise again.’
Betrayal rang true in Gedeon’s voice as he asked, ‘When was this prophesied?’
‘Not long before you were born,’ Empress Azar said softly.
Sadness etched itself into the lines of her face.
‘I wanted you beside me, Gedeon, when the Four Mothers fell. I wanted you to stand proudly by to witness the dawning of the new world. It is not too late to still take that place at my side. All will be forgiven, my son, once what needs to be done is done.’
She turned her attention to Kyra. ‘You have been the long-awaited key, Kyraena. The key to Droria’s salvation from these false Goddesses.
Do you not feel it now, pulling you to fulfil your fate?
Have you not guessed?’ She recited one line from the prophecy, one line that nearly made Kyra’s legs buckle beneath her: ‘“Bonded must Earth and Fire be, for Light and Dark to once more be free.’” Azar’s eyes gleamed.
‘Yes, yes, my dear girl… you understand, don’t you? ’
Kyra’s breaths were shallow now. There was no air in the room, no space in her mind, no fucking sense left in the world.