Chapter 26
The Council
Alexa's POV
I woke up to a bright light shining on my face that felt as if it was burning my eyelids. I stirred from my uncomfortable sleep on the rugged cot noticing the soreness in my chest. My body physically got up anyways to close the curtains, and hope that I could possibly get back to sleep, though it was unlikely. I walked over to the curtains on the other side of the room not noticing Damian's body beneath me, and before I knew it I toppled over him, landing on his chest.
"Ugh! Alexa!" he groaned while my body was still on top of him.
"Sorry I didn't see you," I told him truthfully still lying on his hard chest.
Damian gazed up at me and moaned covering his face from the light shining in," Do you enjoy waking me up in the middle of the night and plummeting onto my ribs?"
I blushed fiercely scrambling to get off him, but miserably fell again hurting myself.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to I was just trying to close the curtains since it was really bright out."
Damian sat up, and lifted me off his body easily which made me blush even more.
"Well...this is actually a decent thing. Not that you landed on me; that was painful. But we really should get going this is a good time to start heading towards Elderaana."
Elderaana? I thought we were going to see the Council!? I thought very confused.
"What happened to meeting the Council?" I asked defensively hoping that he wouldn't take it the wrong way.
Damian stood up, and stretched his hand towards me," Elderaana is where the Council lives," he said while I took his hand gratefully.
"Will I have to walk?" my voice dropped into a grave tone.
He smirked," I can only transport us...half way there."
I muttered random curses under my breath," I have to walk," I stated flatly.
Damian closed his eyes, and shook with the snickers from under his breath, while I just tilted my head back asking the air why I was stuck with him.
I took one last glance of the ritual house that surrounded me. The creaky wooden floorboards that squeaked every time someone would step on them, the royal purple drapes that blocked some of the light coming through the large windows, and the candles that illuminated the room as dark as it might have been in the omnipresent building. I had a strange impression that something important had happened in this ritual house, something that connected to me in some way, because I felt a presence of history that had to do with me in some shape or form.
It was an awkward sensation, but Damian squeezed my hand a little motioning that I should wake from my daze to get moving. I hesitated, still eyeing the familiar area around us, but eventually looked up to Damian's eyes meeting mine. We both turned away quickly to prevent the awkwardness that would soon come after that though our hands were still clasped together.
He didn't give me a sign or warning that he was transporting, because he must have figured that I would know the drill by then, which was true in a sense. So when I felt the iciness nipping at my feet and nose, I blocked out my eyesight as my lids closed. The only thing I felt was coldness and the electricity pulsing from Damian's hand that sent tingles throughout my whole body keeping it composed. Our feet landed instantaneously on a grassy surface that reached up to my knees from the ground. I observed the long golden grass beneath my feet. It wasn't the color of dead grass like that gross brown color, but more vibrant and more beautiful than green grass. It glittered in the dull sunlight that shined a rather reddish tint, which hurt my eyes at first from looking at it too long. The trees were not green like I expected them to be, but more of the coloring of a maple tree, except much bigger vertically.
In the distance I could see a large castle like the ones you would see in fairytale books, or in the medieval times that no one believed in. It was standing so close that it seemed unreal, and that I would soon wake up from that insane dream. The castle was a distance away like Damian had said, but everything around me made me forget about time. Time was not of the essence like the earth dimension was, I had an eternity.
Yet, that would all depend if Kairos would get to me first.
Damian hastily let go of my hand and walked ahead of me towards the dark castle. I followed intently still examining the magnificence of the dimension. About two hours later I still lagged behind Damian, and we had not said one word to each other. It worried me, because he was not acting like his normal, witty self.
I ran up to him," Something is wrong here," it was definitely not a question.
He kept up his pace," And what would that be?" he ridiculed tensely as he wandered ahead of me.
I stepped back up to his side," You don't seem to....thrilled about this," I motioned my hand towards the castle.
"Obviously," Damian set off, clearly agitated.
I stopped walking, and stared at him until he gave me the satisfaction of stopping himself. I saw him sigh, and turn his head towards my perplexed expression.
"I don't get it...we're doing this for you right? The Council will stop, so why are you all worked up?" I specified wanting to hear a clear answer.
Damian rolled his eyes, and put a hand through his hair," You don't need to understand it's too complicated, and you really don't need a reason to hate the Council."
I detested the sensation of being confounded when talking about important issues that Damian never appeared to explain. They would affect me in some way down the line, so I had a right to know. This was not the place and time to be sugar coating things from me.
"There's something you are not telling me Damian," I said sternly glaring at him in the distance seeing myself mirrored in his crystal eyes.
He fiercely scowled at me," There are a lot of things that I'm not telling you and frankly many of those things I'm not going to explain."
I didn't have the usual severe urge to argue with him," Whatever," was all that came out of my mouth as I trudged in front of him. I heard him exasperating my name from behind me, but I had already sprinted far enough away from him. We were already through the transporting shield that was surrounding the castle, so there was no way he could catch up to me. I looked back at his pleading face and ran as fast as I could to the castle.
My movements dodged the incoming trees blocking the way. Sunlight was fading through the branches lighting up the way for me. The ground felt as if it was sliding beneath my feet as I got closer to my destination. My name was faintly being called in a distance, but my mind ignored it gladly. I gazed ahead of myself finding a bridge leading over a widely built mote.
Alexa!? A voice shouted from a void within hearing distance.
I groaned, and turned my head back knowing that the chance of seeing Damian would be very likely. Only it wasn't him...it was a hooded figure with a terrified look on it's darkened face.
Look out! It screamed.
My mouth opened drastically to answer, but it was binded as were my hands. I twisted and shouted for help, though it only came muffled. I kicked around everywhere, but it wouldn't let go of it's death grip. Some kind of rough fabric covered my eyes and my sight was taken from once again. Arms tightly wrapped around my body barely cutting off my cirulation as the person transported us away.
Anxiety coursed through me at uneven speeds that let sweat beads form on my forehead threatening to drip. I was pushed to go farther than my legs wanted to take me, so I tripped multiple times hoping to fall and just stay there for awhile. The Shadow was relentless though; every time I tried to fall it picked me back up and scowled loudly. After that I decided to obey and not struggle anymore there was no point. Eventually the Shadow stopped and a door creaked open. I was dragged through harshly feeling the pain in my ribs again, and now in my arms. Something crashed against the floor, and then my name was called.
"Alexa Lilith my lords," a deep voice introduced.
Hearing my name sent shudders down my spine especially since it was being introduced to lords. I could feel the sweat stick on my face, and starting on my shoulders.
" Thank you Ivan, you may unbind her now and be on your way," another male voice that sounded seemingly pleasant.
My hands were untied first, and then my eyesight was freed from the bondage of the itchy fabric. I twisted my wrists, and opened my dilated eyes finding five men staring straight at me. I gazed wide-eyed at them for a moment not daring to say anything to them in fear of their reaction. Then another Shadow came bursting through the door angrily. She was a very beautiful woman with long, flowing jet black hair that came to about her mid back, and icy baby blue eyes that glared at the men.
"Draven who do you think you are binding her, and capturing her without an idea where she's going? Alexa is a seventeen year old girl I doubt if you told her where she was going she would have put up a major fight with you!" the woman spat frustrated.
One man from the five stood up," Emmalia I am the leader of this Council, and I will decide on who I bind, who I capture, and who I torture! So keep your mouth closed before I make you my demonstration."
I shuddered to the acid in his voice, so this was the Council. Damian said I didn't need a reason to hate them, but I already did.
"Stop..." I said loud enough for them to hear me.
Draven, the tall, handsome, leader stopped bickering with the woman Emmalia and raised an eyebrow at me. His eyes I then realized were icy blue at the edges, and red in the middle like Kairos's. I stared down at the ground for a moment, and then back up this time to the warmer looking Emmalia.
" Would someone like to explain to me what the hell is going on?" I asked a little more confidently than I had hoped.
Emmalia took me defensively by the arm," Honey, I'll explain everything after Draven speaks with you. It will be quick I promise."
Draven glowered at her, then sat back down," Alexa Lilith we were just recently informed that you were actually alive somewhere in the Earth Dimension without our knowledge or consent. Therefore, since we now have you here, you will be forbidden to leave unless otherwise notified for safety precautions."
I interrupted," You mean because Kairos is after me..."
Quiet chatter was a result of my statement," Precisely the reason that you will eat, sleep, and furthermore live here until Elderaana is not safe anymore," Draven stated.
I felt restrained and I didn't like it at all. It was as if the walls were suddenly closing in towards my body, and my oxygen was being cut off. I bit my lip to suppress a much needed scream. Emmalia, understanding my reaction, held my arm a little tighter stroking my shoulder in sympathy. I didn't mind, I needed someone right now even if I didn't know her completely. I nodded in return to Draven's wishes, but felt a sudden urge to smack his perfectly shaped face. Emmalia turned around ready to leave when Draven asked me another question.
"Alexa who brought you to the Shadow Dimension?" he asked suspiciously.
I was so close to saying Damian's name, but Emmalia tensed enough to make me rethink what was about to come out of my mouth.
" I transported myself..." I said unsurely, looking for the Council's reaction.
Drave glowered at me fiercely," Don't lie Alexa. Now the truth please."
Emmalia gazed sadly at me, but it didn't cover up the despise that she had for Draven. I refused to tell them about Damian. I sensed that in the middle of this dilemma was Damian, and that he shouldn't be mentioned. I was about to retort to Draven's accusation when there was a loud noise coming from the doors.
A boy, or rather young male walked through the large, bolted doors frustrated. His chestnut brown hair fell just over his eyes, but was falling longer flatly in the back of his head. He didn't look like a Shadow at all which was really odd considering I was in the Shadow Dimension. Emmalia and the rest of the Council started to snicker at his black, fire boxers and nicely toned chest. I just stared at him, wondering who he could have been.
"Alright...who in there right mind had the nerve to wake me up in the middle of the night for something...."important"? Hm...was it you Balthasar?" He shook his head," Nahh you like your beauty sleep." He stared down Draven for the longest time and finally said," I know it was you Draven, and you better have a really good explanation to why I'm up in the mere early hours after wasting all my energy on giving mental pain to some guy that I have never met."
The man, who seemed about twenty; maybe younger, tapped his foot waiting for his answer. I kept quiet knowing I was the reason he was called, and I didn't want anyone else getting mad at me today. So I hid next to Emmalia for support.
Draven sighed and pointed to me," That is why I had to wake you up from your sleep."
The man searched around the room and unfortunately spotted me. He raised a tired eyebrow," Who's the girl?"
The Council sighed, and Draven was obviously getting aggravated," That Kaige, is Alexa Lilith. The so called "dead" daughter of Leilani Aera, and Gabriel Kie."
Kaige...I thought while I stared back at him. Damian had mentioned him he was the hybrid, the only half human half shadow ever.
Kaige glanced back at me with wide eyes," Alright someone has to clue me in please!"
The Council started to argue with themselves when Emmalia held me close to her," That's enough," she declared," I will show Alexa to her room, and explain this whole mess to her. After she's settled I might let you interrogate her, but for the gods sake! Leave her alone."
I bit my lip, I would not cry I told myself. I looked towards the ceiling to hold back the unneeded tears.
Kaige still gazed at me like I was some kind of ghost as did most of the Council, and I couldn't take it anymore. So Emmalia transported us away from the whole mess, luckily I was beginning to trust someone.
She transported us to a huge room that looked untouched. It was higher up in the castle from the view, and whatever was left of the light of night was just fading. The walls were a deep purple, and hard wood floors were mahogany. There was a queen sized black silk bed in the corner close to the extremely large balcony outside of the room. To the left of the bed was a bookshelf filled with books that I probably never heard of, but the essence of them being there lifted up my mood.
Emmalia was sitting on the bed as I grew heavy in wonder," This was your mother's room..."
Every spark died when the words entered my mind. My mother...my real mother lived here. I stared at the floor," You knew her?"
She softly laughed at something that wasn't supposed to be funny," Oh dear...where do I begin hm? Yes your mother and I were best friends since before I can even remember. I helped her give birth to you, I was actually named your godmother. And seeing your face is like seeing Leilani all over again. It's scary really how much you two resemble each other. You have her high cheekbones, slender build, raven black hair, and I bet a little of her personality too."
Emmalia's hand brushed my cheek," But I also see Gabriel in you too, he was your father. Strong, independent, loyal, all the qualities a real leader should possess. Draven isn't a quarter of the man your father was. You have his nose, eye shape, and so far his ability to keep quiet unlike your mother," she chuckled remembering things I had never seen.
"So...they are both...gone?" I asked quietly already knowing the answer.
Emmalia exhaled painfully," I'm sorry...they died when you were only five months old. That's when I had to bring you to the Earth Dimension."
There was another hole in my chest then, one for my foster parents, and now one for the real parents that never existed in my life. I breathed in trying to keep calm.
"But why? Why couldn't I have just stayed here with other people like me, and not pretend or actually believe I was a human for seventeen years?" I tried not to sound mad at her, I truly wasn't. I was just upset that no one could have informed me sooner about this.
She rubbed my back," Oh honey...Kairos was after you here, and the safest thing I could have done for you was bring you there without a clue who you were. I'm so sorry Alexa, but it was what your parents wanted. They wanted you to be as far away from Kairos as possible, and I had to obey their last wish."
Hot tears were forming at the edge of my eyes," So....they really did care about me?" I choked up not being able to form most of the words.
She hugged me close as the tears threatened to fall," More than you could ever imagine."
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Emmalia stopped talking about my parents after that, seeing it bothered me so. I crawled up into the black silk sheets of the bed and laid there all day. I was in and out of shock and probably sleep deprivation, so everything real was like a haze in my memory. Sometimes I would think about them too much, and the image of those two people from the vision Kairos had given me would come up. I knew that they were my real parents. Leilani was the woman screaming for my father Gabriel as he was being taken away for good, and as I thought about it the hole in my chest deepened harshly. It should have been internally bleeding by now from the wounds I had suffered.
The sky was turning a orange, melon color when I heard another voice in my room that wasn't Emmalia's.
"How is she?" the voice asked concerned sounding distant.
"She's not taking it well at all. The poor girl has been lying there all day weeping silently," Emmalia sighed tiredly.
Footsteps were coming closer to where I was lying, and I attempted to open my eyes, but nothing happened. The floor creaked, and a cold hand brushed over my cheek.
"Alexa, honey open your eyes," said a sickly sweet voice that made my heart pound heavily.
My eyes immediately fluttered open revealing Damian's apprehensive face. A smile played on his lips when my eyes finally met his.
" There they are. I was starting to miss that color of lavender," he whispered, pushing a loose strand of hair behind my ear.
I wanted to smile widely back at him, but not the slightest smirk came about my lips. My head gazed down at the floor not daring to meet his beautiful gaze. Though just him being there for me made the pain go away a bit. He exhaled and got up from the floor. I thought he was going to leave, and almost freaked but he didn't; he just sat at the end of my bed. I sat up from my curled up position in my bed. I examined the room finding Emmalia looking tremendously tired. I felt guilty for my godmother to be staying up all day and night watching me like I was three.
"Emmalia I'm sorry for keeping you up, please get some rest I'll be fine," I insisted sincerely.
She stared at me exhaustedly, nodded graciously, then gazed back at Damian," Stay with her."
He nodded," I wasn't planning on leaving anytime soon."
"Good," she said then quietly trudged out of my room.
Then the room turned silent. I didn't say a word, and neither did he though it was contemplating in his head. I decided to be the mature one and start up some sort of conversation even if it turned out to be an apology.
"I'm sorry for running off like that," I said regretfully hoping it wouldn't strike up an argrument.
He shook his head," No...it was my fault. I...I keep forgetting how hard this is for you, and I've just been making it more difficult."
I scooted over closer to him," Damian...don't apologize you were just protecting me, and I thank you for that. This just makes me realize that life shouldn't be something you take for grantite even as a Shadow. But could you tell me one thing..?"
Damian brushed his fingers on my hand," What is it?"
I breathed in slowly," Did you know them...?"
He shook his head," Not personally, but they were everywhere. I would see them rioting, protesting, even fighting. You were very exclusive too when you were born. Then a couple months later your so called "death" was announced and here you sit," he tried a small smile and squeezed my hand.
I wiped my eyes making sure there wasn't any tears left on my face. As much as I made an effort to give Damian an answer or gesture nothing would come out of my mouth. I stared at our hands together again, it made me think of the future. Would I be able to have a real life under the watch of the Council? Or would I be stuck here until Kairos killed me? I shook it from my head immediately knowing that I had too much on my mind to begin with and my stress level was at a high for the day.
We didn't talk much after that, though Damian started to make a soliloquy. He rambled on about the first time he ever saw me. I was fifteen years old in my freshman year of high school. He had seen me get made fun of, and tripped in the hallway by little freshman girls. He said it made him so angry that he almost revealed himself to me right there and then, but he knew what his duty was and he wasn't going to be childish.
I snuggled up closer to him as he talked. His voice was like a lullaby soothing me greatly. The sky was turning an auburn color which meant night was ending fastly, and a new day was approaching us. Drowsiness swept my body finally as my head sunk from Damian's shoulder to his lap. I could feel him sigh and a light smile appeared on my face happily. I thought of this as a new start. That I should put the past behind me, keep my dearest memories saved, and live to the fullest. But I was tired and I would forget the next morning.
My eyelids drooped hoping to get some sleep when I heard a loud knock on my door. I grunted loudily and threw a pillow at the door. Damian snickered quietly and got up leaving nothing for my head to rest on.
" I have to go..."
I nodded sleepily," Will you be back?"
He sighed," Gods willing."
Then he disappeared instanteouly with another knock from the door.
"Come in..." I yawned exhausted hoping it was just Emmalia.
The door opened and to my surprise it wasn't Emmalia, it was Kaige. He stood almost six foot in sweat pants and a white t- shirt that his muscles filled perfectly, while his chestnut brown hair fell over his face.
" Hey...I was wondering if you wanted to take a morning run with me," he asked patiently, and calmly.
I suppressed a much needed moan, and swore I could hear Damian laughing at my misfortunes. I couldn't let him down; I needed at least one friend here.
" Sure." I exhaled deeply," why not?"
Hey guys! Took me long enough right? But I made up for it, it's longer than usual so give me a break, plus I had a major virus on my computer slowing the process down quite a bit. Please comment, vote, become a fan if you aren't already. Thanks!
<3 Rachael