//song: wicked streets- j bernardt
There was once a time where I didn't see Damien worry.
We would only laugh at our jokes and watch movies together.
But now it looked like anxiety and worry was something weighing heavily on his shoulders.
I never remembered him acting that way even when he was made King. He was always proud and strong, his chin lifted high in pride.
The Damien that led me away to his office wasn't that same Damien.
He looked like he had aged decades since we last spoke even though he still had a young appearance.
"Em." He said my name quietly as he led me to the room he had just come out of. "Please, can you stay here while I get some friends?" He signaled to a chair behind a large desk. "You can sit there if you want, I'll be very quick."
I nodded. "All right. I"ll stay."
Damien turned to leave the room but not before turning to the lion. "Mehnit, do not leave her sight."
The proud lion that had just been following gave a small nod - she nodded?- and sat down regally between me and the only door in the room as Damien stepped out.
I turned from the door and stopped when I caught my reflection.
I tsked as I ran my fingers through my brown hair to somewhat comb it. I stopped dead and grabbed fistfulls as I studied my reflection.
My hair was short?
I frowned again when I noticed I wasn't wearing my glasses but could see clearly without them. Had I fallen asleep with my contacts on? I shook my head. That was impossible.
I looked again at my features.
Something was...off.
Was it the magic that Damien had given me? My features were softer almost near-flawless. The scars and freckles that peppered my nose and cheeks were almost non-existent. I touched my neck, looking for the mark that had left such a deep bruise just a few days prior and found nothing.
I shook my head, stepping away from the mirror. Maybe I hit my head harder than I thought.
My eyes fell on the clothes on me. Dark leggings, dark shirt streaked with dirt and ripped beyond repair.
I shook my head. I needed a shower and to change.
I looked around the room, astonished at the amount of books and board games on the shelves. The room and woodwork of it was breathtaking, I couldn't tear my eyes away from it. I followed the etched wood with my fingers, following the carved vines in the bookshelves.
I walked behind the desk towards the chair but was distracted by the breathtaking view outside of the enormous windows. The floor in the Keep where we were was high. High enough where I could see the homes in the town below and the little children running around a fountain near the gates of the Keep.
The sight was familiar. I tried to concentrate and search for the memory.
I signed a document. I felt longing, sadness like I didn't belong.
Dark eyes watched me.
I stopped, wincing from the headache I suddenly felt. I put my hand to my forehead, frowning.
A flurry of movement and the thundering steps of a group of people approaching made me turn.
Damien was in the lead with both Kymra and Leah behind him.
They were all dressed in comfortable clothing, one that I assumed was used to lounge in with a large castle. The clothing was not at all modern but resembled more the dresses I'd seen at the renaissance festival I used to enjoy visiting. The fae fabric seemed to change color the more I looked at it. I knew I wouldn't find that in any regular store back home.
They all looked worried, almost frantic. Kymra, the very essence of quiet strength seemed a little off.
"You're awake," Kymra breathed as her eyes looked me over.
I frowned. "How long was I out?"
Kymra and Damien looked at each other. Kymra gave a small nod.
Damien turned back to me and stepped forward. "A couple of days. You used your-" He stopped, unsure. "You hit your head pretty hard. We weren't sure you'd come out of it."
I frowned. "Did the Tattoo Man take me? Did I miss the wedding?"
Kymra stole a glance at my right hand.
I looked down at the hand she looked at and found the most precious dark stone I'd ever seen sitting on my finger. The ring was beautiful and looked as ancient as the castle itself. The colors shifted the same as it had on the throne I'd seen once.
"How are you feeling?"
I frowned. "Fine. I mean, I have a headache. Why?" I looked at Damien. "Can you tell me what's going on? You're all acting very weird."
Kymra looked at a book on the desk in front of me. "Can you specter that into your hands?"
"Specter?"
Kymra and Damien exchanged looks.
"Is it what you and Damien do? Teleport objects? No, I can't do that cause I'm, you know," I looked out of the door to see if anyone was there, when I saw no one, I said the next word in a small whisper, "human."
Kymra smiled but it didn't reach her eyes. It was only the slightest quirk of her lip. "Of course, silly me."
"So, did you get the Tattoo Man?" I looked at Leah. "Is that why we can be in the same room again?"
Damien smiled too but I could tell it was pained. "We did. You probably don't remember. We had a trap for him and you sprang it." He cleared his throat. "You were gone for a little bit but we got you back. You had us worried."
I let out a breath of relief. "Well, that's good news!" I looked up at him as he let me go. "Does that mean the wedding is still on as scheduled?"
"Cancelled," Leah said a little more cheerfully than I thought was needed.
She cleared her throat as Damien shot her a stern look. "It was mutual." She smiled. "And for the best, really."
"Wait," I turned back to Damien. "Does this mean you lose your throne?"
Damien shook his head but didn't look at me as he spoke. "It was all fake, the Magister made it up. He and the Tattoo Man were working together." He was about to continue but stopped as if thinking better of it.
I let out a long sigh, laughing. "Wow," I scratched my head. "I really missed all of that?"
Damien nodded with a small laugh. "Yeah, you really did."
"We should celebrate!" Kymra chimed. "Now that you're awake we should all celebrate together." She grabbed the lapel of Damien's jacket with her fingers and gave him a knowing look. "All of us." She turned to me with a smile. "It might help jog your memory. You should go on, shower and change. We'll all have dinner."
"A party?" The idea seemed ridiculous.
Kymra smiled but it was forced. "That's what we Fae do."
I didn't miss the looks between the three of them. They exchanged nervous glances. I felt like I was being left out of a secret everyone else knew.
They wanted to talk about me without me in the room. Despite the uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach, I nodded. "I am a little hungry."
Kymra smiled. "I'll walk you to your room."
I moved to the door. "Is it the one I woke up in?"
Damien nodded. "Yes." He followed me as I started out the door. "I'll take you."
I waved my hand dismissively. "I know where it is, I don't need a nanny." I didn't stop even as he yelled out the door.
"Take Mehnit with you!"
As soon as I was in the hall, I immediately pushed myself against the wall next to the door.
The lion followed then watched me curiously when I pressed myself against the wall to eavesdrop. She cocked her head when I pressed my finger against my lips.
She purred quietly then suddenly turned into a small house cat. She meowed quietly and pressed her small body against my leg.
I only blinked. "You could do that the entire time? You just wanted me to have a heart attack, didn't you?"
"What does this even mean?" Damien's deep voice was undeniable.
I pressed myself as close as I could.
"How did this happen?" He continued.
"Everything since she was Unbound is gone," Kymra responded.
Unbound?
Leah's voice was so soft I could barely hear her. "Do you think it happened when Mal was made human--"
Damien interrupted. "A ploy by Runith?"
Was Runith the name of the Tattoo Man?
"If it is," Kymra continued. "It's an entirely cruel one."
"Asmo?"
"No," Leah spoke up for the first time. She sighed in frustration. "Don't look at me like that. Just trust me on this."
"We should still ask," Damien almost growled. "They spent a lot of time together these last couple of months. We'd be stupid to not at least consider it."
There was a long pause and for a moment, I though maybe they had stopped speaking.
Kymra's voice was barely above a whisper. "There was just so much power."
I frowned.
She continued. "Who knows what kind of consequences that could have. Maybe this happened because the demons were Sealed away."
I felt my heart beat wildly. Demons?
Damien's voice was impossibly low almost like he was afraid to say his next words too loudly. "Is it permanent?"
"It's too soon to tell," Kymra answered. "I-" She stopped and I could hear pain in her voice. "I don't know, Damien. This is beyond what anyone has ever experienced."
I gripped my neck with a light touch in a small panic.
"Peace at last," Damien's voice sounded disbelieving. "She defeated the last of our enemies and she won't be able to celebrate it like she should."
I heard someone let out a long breath almost like they were steadying their nerves.
"I'll tell Julian." Kymra sighed in disappointment.
I heard the sudden movement of purposeful steps towards the door I stood right next to.
I sprinted as quietly as I could back to the doors of the room I should have been in so I wouldn't be caught.
Mehnit pressed herself against my leg and in the next moment, I ran into a large wardrobe. I yelped as I fell over afraid the enormous wardrobe would fall over me. I only managed to knock the doors open slightly and make a lot of noise.
"Meow."
I looked at Mehnit where she sat next to me.
I was back in the room I had to be in all along.
I chuckled and scratched her behind her ears where I lay.
She purred and rubbed her head against my hand.
"You can teleport too, huh?" I smiled. "You're a great partner in crime, Mehnit."
As if she could understand, she straightened where she sat.
I smiled and laid back against the floor again.
I looked at my hand then at the ring again.
What I could do, they said. What I did do. They spoke of demons and seals and a Julian.
I frowned trying to find my memories.
Pain like lightning struck through my skull. I winced and Mehnit was at my side instantly.
I sighed, giving up. "What is going on, Mehnit?"
Please don't forget to check out the winner of the Fanfiction contest Daughter of the Cursed!
It can be found on my profile in the Underworld Series reading list.