song: animal (stripped) - missio
I watched Asmo.
He was unaffected by the request--the same request that made my heart beat madly. The same request that made my magic want to cry out. Another Light Fae cut down before his time.
Another Light Fae dead--
Asmo was unfazed-- like we were all just friends talking about the weather and anything else that was unimportant. Was he used to hearing execution orders? Had he given any himself as Head of the Council?
He looked at us aloof, indifferent--like he truly didn't care. "I am not a dog. You cannot beckon me to do whatever you want."
Runith laughed loudly.
The hair on my arms stood on end from the sound. It was unnatural, like nails against a chalkboard. His yellow eyes glinted in mischief.
Gods, I hated to see Damien's form used like this.
"What I want?" Runith shook his head. "This is what you want, half-breed. Don't deny it. This has been what you most desire, isn't it? Now that he stands between you and your," he snickered, "happy ending."
Runith smiled widely, he was genuinely happy of what he was seeing before him. "The woman you love loves him."
Asmo's shoulders winced.
Runith continued with glee. "Doesn't that make you mad?"
Asmo's eyes turned to me.
The reaction excited the demon even further. He was excited at the mayhem. "Doesn't it make your blood boil?"
I said nothing.
Asmo sighed deeply and looked towards the ceiling like he was bored, almost like his old self. "Yes, of course. Kill him and then Emylin will hate me even more for the rest of her days." He looked at Runith. "How does this benefit me?"
Runith's smile fell. He wasn't expecting Asmo to resist.
Instead of admitting defeat, he continued. "Kill him or I will make you watch me torture her."
Asmo didn't flinch.
Runith looked at me. "Making her kneel before Mal is easy."
He lifted his hand towards me and as soon as he did, I dropped to my knees so hard, I felt my knees crunch under me.
Julian yelled out my name.
Pain burst through me and I bit back a scream. Tears crowded my eyes and my stomach rolled.
I looked at Runith again, not tearing my eyes away from his as I watched him with pure rage.
Fascination glinted in his eyes at my response. He continued to speak but kept glinting yellow his eyes on me. "But that means nothing if she doesn't give up the throne willingly." He looked at Asmo again. "The easy way to have her give up the throne is through him. She would do it to save him instead of herself."
When none moved, Runith sighed. "Fine. I'll just do it myself."
Runith's fist clenched and when it did, I felt I felt my wrists were on fire. The iron burned and seared the sensitive skin against my thin wrists. Waves of agony washed my nerves like lightning through my arms and chest. I bit my bottom lip against the pain, trying to focus on something else trying to push my mind frantically away from what I was feeling.
Where would I be if not in the Underworld, if I had never found out who I really was? I'd have a job, maybe I would be planning to go to a concert with Damien. Would Damien and I had dated, would I have actually had the feelings I claimed to once have?
Maybe we would have just stayed friends. Would I then meet a human that I loved and married? Would children then follow? Would Damien watch me grow old and die?
I never would have met Julian.
Would I have known someone like him, that loved me as intensely as he did, that would build me up and love me as wholeheartedly as he did?
Would I find someone that would share a connection like how Julian and I did?
No. Deep in my heart, I knew I wouldn't. What Julian and I shared was unique, I would never find something like that with anyone else.
I would have been ignorant of who I was-- what I was capable of.
And what I finally realized my destiny would be.
The fire intensified. The iron began to dig into my skin. I groaned as the pain grew and I felt my body began to shake. My strength was buckling and, while still on my knees, I fell forward.
"Asmodeus!" Julian's voice was urgent but far away. "Do as he says, just do it!"
I wanted to shake my head but couldn't. I shut my eyes against the pain. If Asmo did anything now, everything we'd been working towards would be useless.
The pain ceased suddenly. I coughed, feeling the familiar nausea creep again.
A squeal of laughter broke through the silence and when I looked up, I watched Julian hover over the floor, his legs and arms spread apart. His eyes were shut tightly in pain.
I turned to Asmo and saw his full obsidian eyes were transfixed on Julian. One of his hands at his sides slowly clenched as he watched him.
My heart plummeted. I turned again and watched in horror as black ink snaked through Julian's skin, following the lines of his veins. It quickly spread under the skin of his hands and feet, up his arms then neck and face-
I felt my veins constrict as I watched him. It was as if the black ink that was spreading through him was spreading through me, too. It iced my veins, filled my lungs--
The familiar sound of the large throne room doors bursting open echoed through the room.
Julian fell to the floor, coughing as Asmo released him.
Mal groaned, annoyed. She turned suddenly looking at the doors, her long black hair whipping around her. "What is it?"
The mercenary that pushed his way through the doors was bloodied and bruised. There's an army attacking us from outside the Keep-"
"What?"
The man was barely able to catch his breath. "They're being led by one of the guards that got away--"
My heart fluttered.
"There are large dogs, Hellhounds. Valkyries. A-And a queen. Winter, if I were to guess."
Runith laughed. "Deploy all of our forces against those outside." He looked towards the men that previously held Julian in place. "We have this all perfectly handled. Go defend the Keep and your queen."
They all nodded and without hesitation spectered, the yellow glinting in their eyes when they looked at me with smug satisfaction.
Thunder rocked the stone floor of the room and when I looked up at Runith, he was smiling again. "Now, where were we?" His yellow eyes turned towards Asmo. "Continue."
When nothing happened, Runith took a step forward and as he did the ground shook. "Continue now, half-breed!"
Asmo's dark eyes turned towards me. There seemed to be regret in his eyes. He realized he had passed the point of no return.
He knew that he had to harm Julian if he didn't want Runith to kill me.
Asmo looked up at Julian behind me and slowly, he raised his hand again.
I took a steadying step forward., the iron on my wrists moved and when it did, I bit back a scream of pain. "Wait!" I shook my head, and looked away, hiding my tear-filled eyes. I swallowed my fear, knowing full well I would stop myself if I didn't continue. "I'll do it," I whispered. "I'll take you to the Seals myself."
Mal scoffed. "That won't be necessary."
Asmo watched me intrigued.
I hung my head in defeat, moving slightly to make the iron on my skin slightly bearable.
Gods, how long had the iron been on my skin?
"I've been to the Gates and the Seals," I whispered. "I can open them. They are not being protected. The dogs he mentioned is the Hellhound. He is here, and so will its Keeper."
Mal scoffed again, finally walking forward from her throne. "We don't need you. I can do all that myself."
I shook my head again. "I can't make you queen. Dark magic won't let you. You will try to open the Seals and the Underworld will collapse from your effort."
My eye's met Runith's amber ones. He watched me in fascination.
Mal blinked.
I didn't move my eyes from Runith. "Dark magic has forsaken Robyn's magic and his line for what he did to Light magic. Their magic is fractured."
Runith's lip twitched slightly.
"I will take you to the Seals, open them and renounce the throne. Just let me and my friends go, leave the Underworld untouched."
Runith looked at me with suspicion.
He seemed to think about it. "Why?"
"For the first time in my life, I have meaning. I found my place. Not as queen but here in the Underworld, in Skryen. I don't want that taken from me." I looked at Julian who watched us from where he was, still hunched over as he coughed. "I want to live my life here in Skryen, with him."
Mal scoffed again. "She's lying. You can't possibly believe anything she's saying!"
I looked back at Runith. "I'm not willing to take that chance. She will destroy the worlds beyond repair."
Runith looked at Asmo. "You cannot lie to me. Is what she's saying true?"
Asmo looked between us. "Emylin is the one closest bound to dark magic since she's queen. She would know more than most. I can't speak to whether or not Robyn's line would have fractured magic." He swallowed. "However, when he took over Damien's body, he didn't have his original magic. That much is true."
An explosion within the Keep rattled the closed doors. Screams of pain echoed throughout the room.
"It's the old king," someone yelled. "Take cover!"
The doors shook again as another deafening blast shook the foundation of the floor we stood on. It was even closer this time.
Runith looked towards the doors, calculating.
Mal looked between us frantically. "Runith, I can do this-"
"I've seen her soul, Runith," I interrupted calmly. "She is losing her grip and you know it. I am not risking the people I love."
More screams continued around us and immediately Runith's hand was on mine. The iron shackles fell to the ground and I felt an overwhelming sense of relief.
"Half-breed," he pointed at Julian. "Grab him. He will be collateral." He looked at Mal. "If any of them betray us, kill them. I will make you queen of the Underworld once she renounces." He pulled on my arm roughly. "You will take us all there and open the seals."
Please don't kill me.