Court of Nightmares and Ruin

Chapter 47

Kohl

"Kohl, you have to stop this. Gregorian cannot take much more."

I heard Athen shift nervously behind me, but I do not turn away from the window. This was where I had been since Icelyn was taken from me. Always watching, always waiting.

"You know just as well as I do that if she had survived, your mist would have found her by now."

I growled under my breath and heard Athen step back. A lot had changed in a very short amount of time, she didn't trust me, and I didn't trust myself. Grief-stricken was putting it mildly. I felt as though I was reduced to nothing more than a corpse. I was alive, I still had my dark blood pumping through my veins, but my heart, my very being, was gone.

To make matters worse, my mist had also been unable to locate Isadora. There was no telling what kind of evil she plagued upon Gregorian at this very moment, but honestly, I did not care, and it was probably no worse than what I was doing right now. No, I wanted to find her to make her pay for what she had done to Icelyn.

"Kohl, please..."

I stood up so suddenly that Athen ducked and covered her face with her massive wing. I gripped my heart and looked towards the horizon.

"Icelyn?" I breathed.

"What is it, Kohl?" Athen asked with fear lacing her voice, but I was gone long before I could answer her.

I materialized on a beach north of the palace. My eyes desperately searched my surroundings until they landed on a figure covered in seaweed.

"Icelyn...?"

In a flash, I was kneeling before her. It was her! I could not believe my eyes. Tears gathered in my eyes as I looked down at my mate. She was covered in cuts and bruises and gently cradled a severely burnt and puckered-skin hand to her chest. I carefully picked her up and cradled her to my chest. Her eyes fluttered open.

"I knew you would come." She slowly reached up and placed her hand on my jaw.

"I'm taking you home," I whispered, afraid she might disappear if I spoke too loud. Like all this was a dream, and waking up would land me back into a nightmare.

"No!" She shifted in my arms and grabbed my shirt collar in desperation.

"Recall your mist, Kohl. Do it now, please."

Tears slipped down her cheek and caused my now beating heart to crumble. Still holding her tightly with one hand, I reached my other hand up, and my mist slowly started to return to me.

"Promise me, no matter what happens, you will never sacrifice all of Gregorian for me."

Her oceanic eyes bore into mine, and I inhaled deeply. My mist was the only reason I found her. If she was ever taken from me again, I would not hesitate to do precisely the same thing, but the way she pleaded with me now...

"You have my word." The words left my lips before I could recall them.

She smiled at me, laid her head on my chest, and closed her eyes. I whisked her away and into our room. I sat on the bed, situated her on my chest, and held her there. She would rest more comfortably if I laid her on the bed, but I could not bring myself to release her, not yet, anyway.

My swirling emotions had been in chaos these last few days, but they now eased with each steady breath she took in her sleep. I looked down at the gnarled flesh of her hand and instantly panicked. This had to be healed quickly. It could easily become infected as a human, and she could die.

Get over here, now! I yelled in Leon's mind.

There was a big possibility that almost killing him the other day would make him reluctant to come, but I would give him exactly ten seconds to appear before me before I went looking for him. In a flash of light, he appeared at the foot of the bed with a scowl. His features lighting once he saw what I had cradled in my arms.

"What happened? How did she..."

"If you wake her up, I will finish what I started the other day by the lagoon," I hissed, and he instantly shut his mouth.

"Fix this," I whispered and motioned to her hand.

"Cover her eyes," he spoke softly.

I did, and he waved his bright light over her entire body, healing her hand and every visible cut and bruise. Her skin glowed when he was through, and so did my heart.

"I don't know what she has been through, but judging by the amount of my power she just took from me, it was a lot."

I nodded at him once and looked down at her sweet face. So she had been through much more than what my eyes could see. I intended to know everything my little snowflake endured, but I would let her rest for now. She shifted in her sleep, and my arms instinctively tightened around her waist.

"Kohl? Her eyes fluttered open.

"Shh... you are safe. Rest, my Queen."

"Queen, not snowflake? I must be dying," she said with a sleepy smile.

"No, but I thought I was when Isadora threw you over the balcony." I brushed her ebony hair from her face.

"Please don't make me hurl," Leon interrupted, and Icelyn shifted towards him, just now realizing he was in the room.

I opened my mouth to tell Leon exactly where he could go, but Icelyn ran her fingertips over my lips, igniting a tingling sensation where she touched me.

"Thank you, Leon, for healing me." She smiled at him, a genuine smile, and the thought of killing him right where he stood crossed my mind.

I wanted her smiles and happiness just for myself, but I realized that was selfish and she would disapprove of my brutish attitude, so instead, I endured my swirling emotions. Icelyn moved to get up, but I pinned her to my chest.

"Where do you think you are going? You need more rest," I argued as she uselessly struggled against my hold.

"Kohl, don't be ridiculous. I feel much better thanks to Leon. Now all I want is a bath and some food and wine."

I unwillingly let her go, and she stood up. My hand struck out and grabbed her elbow when she swayed slightly on her feet.

"I'm fine. I promise." She smiled to reassure me, but I could tell she was not fine.

"I'm going to wash up and change. Will you have some food and wine brought out to the outer bailey?" She turned to leave, but I caught her arm and stopped her.

"I don't want you going outside," I warned.

"It's still inside the grounds, Kohl. My head is still spinning. I need to breathe in some of this sweet night air. Maybe it will make me feel better." Her eyes twinkled this time when she smiled, and yet again, I was helpless to deny her.

"Be quick about it. I do not want you out of my sight for long."

She disappeared through the doors, taking my heart with her. I unconsciously rubbed my chest where my heart was.

Leon had a sly grin when I turned back toward him. "You have it bad, brother."

"Is there a reason you are still here?" I sneered at him.

"I'm going to stick around for a while, just in case you need me."

"I don't," I assured him.

"Regardless, I am staying. Now let's go get that food and wine for your queen."

We walked outside, and with a flip of my hand, a table full of food appeared. Icelyn walked out not long after with Jen latched to her arm. No doubt the human was happy to see her as well. I held out a chair, ushered Icelyn into it, and then motioned for Jen to sit next to her. Icelyn started reaching for the food when a soul-clenching voice interrupted the peacefulness of the moment.

"Hello, my pretty. You just refuse to cooperate and die."