Chapter 45 Family
Family
It took us another ten minutes before we crept through the halls, because my stomach insisted I scarf down something beyond Alaric’s cock.
So, we sat across from each other and quickly ate our steaks and rosemary potatoes, with a generous side of red wine. The crimson alcohol was necessary after the king told me what his slightly dangerous plan was.
We were going to sneak into Adalina’s personal rooms.
“I didn’t know you had it in you to be so bad, breaking into mommy’s quarters and all,” I whispered, playfully shoving him with my shoulder.
He grinned, shaking his head at me like it was second nature at this point. His hair was slightly mussed from our research, a thick piece drifting into his eyes. Perhaps, I did what I did next because of the wine coursing through me or maybe it was because I felt free when I was around Alaric.
I planted my hand on his bicep, and Alaric halted our pursuit down the quiet halls. He turned his head slightly to look at me, and I took the opportunity to brush his beautiful locks out of his eyes.
Alaric’s breath hitched, his piercing green eyes fluttering closed as I raked my fingers through his hair. When I was done fussing over him, I let my fingers trail down his cheek as I admired the Serpent King.
“Perfect,” I whispered, bringing my fingers further down his neck to trail over the bare exposed bits of his chest. I reveled when my gentle touch made Alaric shiver.
With a small smile, I looped my arm through his. “Can’t have my king looking a mess on our secret little mission.”
I resumed our trek through the halls, but I caught Alaric smiling at me when he didn’t think I was looking. My heart nearly leapt out of my chest at the adoration clearly shining on his face as he looked at me.
I walked on the balls of my feet, forgoing my heels for once in my life.
Considering it was past midnight and Adalina made it a point to have few servants, we didn’t run into a single soul as we padded down the long halls.
When we passed a familiar painting, I knew we were drawing close to the god’s chambers, for it drew my attention now as it did earlier today.
It was an abstract painting, leaving the interpretation up to the eye of the beholder. The painting was within a rectangular, golden frame, and there was a clear divide on either end of the canvas.
The top corner was pitch black, while the diagonal corner was stark white, almost like no paint was truly on the canvas.
Towards the middle, the two colors bled together, creating a murky grey.
In this area, there were flecks of various shades, so that it took on a translucent quality.
Gold, green, and blue hues were splattered around the canvas, along with a particularly eye-catching splash of crimson red.
If given a cursory glance, it looked like a completely random blob of colorful, smeared dots.
However, I noticed something within the chaos—what looked like a pair of half-black, half-white wings.
“Seera?” Alaric’s voice called me back to the moment, making me realize I had stopped walking to admire the work of art.
He followed my gaze. “I never understood why my mother kept this piece so front and center. It’s rather dull, compared to the other pieces in her collection.”
I tilted my head, leaning to look at it closer. “This piece feels special. It’s different, in a good way. It makes me think and . . . it makes me feel.” I chewed on my bottom lip. “Not much makes me feel.”
A spark of cold brushed against my fingers, pulling my gaze toward the ground. Alaric’s fingers wrapped around mine as he claimed my hand in his.
“That was the past, Seera. You can feel things now, and I hope I make you feel something at the very least.” An uncertain smile tipped the edges of his lips.
While it was sweet of Alaric to try to comfort me, a pang of despair pierced my chest. We both knew if we were successful in our mission tomorrow, I’d have no soul once again.
It was everything I signed up for, and I only cared to hold onto my power, no matter the circumstances.
So, why did I suddenly feel so empty thinking about not having my soul?
I’d never get to feel everything I felt over the course of the past few days—I’d never get to fall deeply and madly in love with Alaric. I’d never get to experience all the jovial and frivolous things madly-in-love couples did.
Even though Alaric gave me an out, an opportunity to reclaim my soul . . . was it worth the risk? Could I really trust the man who brutally broke my heart?
Nonetheless, these were tomorrow’s problems, so I gave him the best smile I could muster and let him know how I felt while I still could.
“You make me feel more alive than I’ve ever felt in my entire existence, Alaric.”
His lips slightly parted, but he quickly remedied his look of awe by replacing it with a radiating smile of his own while squeezing my hand.
“Come on, we have a room to break into.” He pulled me into his chest and snuggly wrapped his arm around my waist while we walked in a comfortable silence the rest of the way to Adalina’s chambers.
The god’s gaudy, solid gold door came into view as we neared the end of the hall, and excitement whirled in my chest because Alaric and I were about to do something risky together.
This was the closest I’d ever come to having a true partner in crime.
My elation deflated, swiftly replaced with panic when I saw Alaric reach for the door handle, ready to barge straight in.
“What are you doing?” I furiously whispered, yanking him away from the door. “I thought we were breaking into her room through a secret portal or something, not fucking walking right in!”
He tried to act nonchalant as he glanced at me, but the way his jaw ticked signaled he was anxious deep down.
“It’s fine. My mother is probably still in her side room working late into the night on our clothing for Rime. If we are quiet, I’m sure she won’t hear us.” He turned back to the door, but I slammed my hand against his chest.
The Serpent King tossed an irked sideways glare at me, but I didn’t budge.
“What are you not telling me?” I asked, narrowing my eyes at the menace.
He sighed, rolling his neck side to side. “I didn’t want to worry you, but I can’t portal us into her rooms.”
“Why not?”
He could barely look at me, a wince flashing across that beautiful face of his. “Because I can’t transport us . . . my portal magic is gone.”
“For Serpent’s Sake,” I breathed, my knees growing weak. “Does this mean Isolde—”
“I don’t think she has completely severed our bargain, for I believe we would feel something the moment it broke.” He rubbed his chin, looking deep in thought. Then, his attention snapped to me as he scanned my face. “Wait, is your magic still intact?”
His question made a swarm of nerves buzz through my gut. If I didn’t have my magic anymore . . . dread roiled inside me, making me nearly puke for a third time on the Serpent King’s shoes.
Nothing terrified me more than being powerless.
With my eyes squeezed shut and panic frying my nerves, I attempted to summon my snakes in the nicest way possible, if only to spare me from Dante’s endless attitude for waking him at such an hour.
My darlings, if you wouldn’t mind waking up. It’s important.
No warmth spread along my arms, and I didn’t feel my serpents comforting weight fall upon my shoulders.
No—this couldn’t be happening.
I uttered a word I never used down the bond, desperate to feel my snakes slithering along my body.
Please.
Silence greeted me as dark thoughts pelted my mind. My snakes had to come back to me—I needed them. I sent one final plea through our mental channel.
Please, don’t leave me.
I had to smother the sob that wracked through my chest when they didn’t appear, when my arms were left cold with only a wake of goosebumps prickling my flesh.
My world as I knew it for the last seventy-five years completely shattered.
My snakes were gone.
My companions, who laid with me during my darkest hours, had been unfairly torn from my grip, from my mind. Even though Dante had an attitude that rivaled my own, he was mine.
He was my family.
And my sweet, Ember, who savored my compliments like they were precious rays of sunshine. Tears stung the corner of my eyes, eventually slipping free, and I desperately missed the way Ember licked away my tears when I was sad . . .
I couldn’t stand another moment of living in such agonizing despair—living in a world where my snakes no longer existed—and so, I gave up and let my knees buckle underneath the crushing weight slamming down on my chest.
Alaric’s strong arms caught me before I could fully collapse onto the tiled floor.
“Breathe, sweetheart. I’ve got you,” he whispered against my ear, my limp body hanging in his arms. “I promise we will get them back,” he reassured me, making a promise I was uncertain he could uphold.
If we didn’t kill the Ice Goddess, I’d never get to see my snakes again . . . but if we did kill her, I could lose my soul—my ability to feel joy, happiness, and above all, love.
In this moment, I was reminded once again how incredibly unfair life could be.
Although Alaric presented a rather appealing option of making a new bargain if we survived our mission, it was all just words.
If he betrayed me again . . .
I allowed myself a few moments to collect myself within his strong embrace, before I let the endless pit of anger lying within me awaken. My blood boiled with an all-consuming fire, and the time was approaching for me to finally burn this entire beautiful palace to ashes.
Leaning out of his arms, my eyes speared into his. “Isolde will pay for this, but to do so, we need to find something to destroy her.”
Alaric nodded, looking like he would willingly follow me down the pathway of destruction I was craving to create.
If there was anything that could destroy a god, what better place to hide it than in one’s personal quarters? Determination had me standing strongly on my own two feet.
I would not lose my snakes.
I would not lose my power.
I would not lose who I was.
I was the Serpent Queen, and I was ready to let myself bite back like the monster I was.
“Let’s fucking break into your mother’s chambers.”
His lips tugged up into a proud smile as he placed a finger under my chin.
“There’s my vicious serpent.”