Dedicated to: Lyvectra
You've honestly been a driving force to getting book 3 finished. Thanks for not giving up on this.
Last update of the week. Happy Friday y'all.
//song: let me follow- son lux
Thunder broke overhead and lightning filled the sky.
I could feel and smell the moisture in the air. I looked up at the cloudy sky and felt the small droplets of rain on my face.
I groaned. Great. Just what I needed.
I hugged my arms close against the bitter cold. The wind picked up suddenly making my hair whip wildly.
I began to walk in an arbitrary direction and soon after, the rain intensified. Large droplets fell over me and soon, the clouds opened and it began to pour.
I didn't recognize where I was.
At first, I thought I was in the woods behind my parents' house. But the trees didn't look familiar at all.
At home, there were pine trees and fir. The trees around me didn't look like either of those despite the darkness of the night.
We also didn't have mountains...
How had I managed to get to the forest alone?
It was magic-- there was no running away from it.
Somehow, I'd teleported.
I slowed my fear. Maybe I could teleport back?
I imagined the room I was just in.
I thought of the banquet spread, the people there waiting...
And nothing happened.
I shut my eyes and tried again.
Still, nothing happened.
With a steadying breath, I stepped forward looking around and studying my location.
I carefully moved around the puddles but still, my shoes sunk and came off my feet. I cursed, pulling my foot free from the muddy hole as I leaned on a tree.
A light in the distance made my heart leap.
I ran towards it, finding a rocky, small hill to climb for a better vantage point.
I moved my drenched hair from my eyes as I studied the view. The light from the city in the distance was dim and unfamiliar. The orange light didn't look like the familiar hue of a human city. The buildings that I could make out looked old, almost ancient.
My heart sank.
I was lost.
Utterly and truly lost.
My heart beat violently. My breath hitched. Panic bubbled. I felt it threatening to rise, to take over.
I let out a long breath in an attempt to keep calm. "Don't panic, Emmy," I whispered to myself. "Don't panic, don't panic, don't panic."
I looked at the city ahead. It would take a while to get there but maybe someone there could help me. I let out a long calming breath. "Just one foot in front of the other." I turned, moving carefully down the hill and stopped when I recognized a figure in the darkness.
I looked up, moving my hair from my face.
The man almost blended into the night. He seemed to be molded by it. Everything from his jet black hair to his long coat over his broad shoulders was as dark as the forest around him.
He stood in front of me, watching me with a small light dancing in his hand. It cast unusual shadows across his handsome face.
He was undoubtedly fae.
And I knew him.
I'd seen his intense, dark eyes in my memory earlier.
"I know you," I interrupted.
He had been about to say something before I interrupted him. He shut his mouth slowly. "Yes, you do."
"How?"
"We have worked together in the past. Damien told me what happened to your memories. I am his cousin, Asmodeus. I am here to help you."
I remembered Damien mention that name during the conversation I had eavesdropped on.
"Asmo?"
He nodded then extended his hand. "I can take you back. I just need you to take my hand." I looked at his hand and hesitated. Dread felt like a heavy in my stomach. Something about the Keep unsettled me. Did I really want to go back?
Did I want to go back to the fighting? Did I want to go back to lies and secret meetings?
If I went back, what guarantee would I have that no one else would lie?
Was I ready to hear everything?
The only one that seemed like even remotely interested in telling me everything - ready or not- was Julian. Would I be guaranteed to see him again?
I wanted to.
The rain came down even harsher and pelted us from every direction.
Asmo's hand slowly lowered. "But you left on your own," his voice had a hint of realization. "Without Mehnit. You spectered away from them." He paused. "Whatever Damien did, he only wants to help you. Whatever he did to make you specter, don't hold it against him. He's young, he doesn't know any better." He raising his hand again. "But we can go somewhere else, somewhere safe where we can talk- out of the rain."
I didn't move. I only watched his hand. "You have my word I only want to help you."
"Can you take me home to my parents?"
He hesitated and I could see him weighing the options in his head. "I can but I don't think it's the best decision for you right now. You just did magic - you spectered- but do you know how you did it?"
I couldn't answer him.
"What happens if you hurt them?"
He was right. I closed the space between us and slowly, I nodded. "Okay." As soon as our hands touched, my surroundings changed.
The thundering of the storm ceased immediately and was replaced by the quiet roaring of a fireplace.
We appeared in a modestly sized room, a study, I imagined.
Exotic statues and books lined the walls. The deep mahogany wood gave the room and old school feel.
He let my hand go and gestured to the fireplace.
"Warm yourself by the fire. Make yourself at home."
He didn't wait for me to respond before going leaving through door and disappearing into another room.
Leather lounge chairs and a sofa were positioned in front of the fireplace. An old grandfather clock quietly ticked in the corner of the room in unison with the water dripping onto the floor from my wet clothes.
I cursed, trying to move to another part of the room where I couldn't be so destructive.
A large piano sat close to the fire. The black surface reflected the richly decorated room and the small fire nearby in its hearth.
My fingers graced over the ivory keys as I approached it. I pressed one of the keys and the single high note broke the silence.
A large drop of water from my dripping hair fell on the hardwood floor. I cursed.
Asmo's footsteps thundered as he returned. He handed me a towel.
I took the fluffy towel and nodded over at the damage on the floor. "Sorry about your floor."
He shook his head. "Don't worry. Fae magic." I looked at where the water had been and to my surprise, it was already gone. I began to dry myself-off, starting with my hair. I wrung my hair within it, letting the fluffy towel absorb as much of the water as possible.
The silence in the room was stifling.
I cleared my throat and spoke as I twisted my hair in the towel. "If you're Damien's cousin, does that mean you're in line for the throne?"
I watched him as he made his way to the opposite side of the room. He'd taken off his large coat, and set it on a nearby chair. It looked like his coat had protected him from most of the rain. The dress shirt he wore was dry.
He sat on the lone leather lounger next to the sofa. "I used to be. Not anymore."
I looked at the books along the shelf and read their titles. All were old, some in Latin, others in languages I didn't recognize. "And this is your new place? You don't live in the Keep anymore?"
He laughed, lounging back in his chair. He stretched his arms on the back of the chair. "No, I've never enjoyed the Keep. I would only go for business. I despise it entirely."
I shared the same feeling. I turned to him. "You have a lovely home."
He smiled. "Thank you."
"Do you share it with anyone?"
He chuckled under his breath, looking away. He looked heaven ward and mumbled under his breath. "Gods help me." He met my eyes. "I wanted to once."
I frowned.
He leaned forward and rested his elbows on his knees. He couldn't meet my eyes. "I was selfish and ambitious," he paused. "And I hurt her." He shook his head. It seemed more at himself than anything else. "Despite what I did to her--she saved me." He chuckled quietly under his breath again and mumbled. "Destroyed my demons."
The words demons came up again. I sincerely hoped it was a metaphor for his inner turmoil or something.
He finally did look at me. The intensity of the gaze I had seen in my memories was gone. He was humble, sincere. "I didn't deserve it, but she gave me another chance at life."
I watched him as he sat in the chair. His shoulders were slumped in defeat. He didn't give off any negative energy or intensity.
At least not like in my memories.
"Hmm," I only said. "She probably thought you did deserve it." I tried to lighten the mood. "Better not screw it up this time, then."
He laughed under his breath and I found myself smiling too.
His eyes met mine and I saw a glimmer of happiness there. "I don't intend to."
I watched the fire in the hearth. The flame was unnatural, it didn't seem to need the wood it was poised in order to continue burning. Despite this, the fire was warm and helped return feeling to my numb fingers. My voice was low when I spoke. "How did you know where to find me?"
When I looked back at him, I saw his dark eyes look up from his hands. "I felt your panic."
I was afraid to ask. "How?"
"We exchanged our magic once."
I had magic. I was magic. The revelation didn't shock me. At least not like I thought it would. Somehow something in me knew it to be true.
I had spectered like he said. While my mind raced for an explanation, I knew I couldn't deny it. I might as well deny the color of my eyes. Magic was a part of me. I was a part of it.
I thought of how Damien had given me his magic to safely take me to the Underworld.
He had kissed me. That was how he transferred his magic to me, he told me.
Had Asmo and I done the same?
Damien had said 'they'd spent months together,' were we those 'they'?
I touched my lips. Had he and I...?
"You are fae, Emylin. It's how you spectered to Skryen tonight. It is how I found you."
I couldn't meet his eyes. "I just wanted to go home," I whispered. "I wanted to feel safe. I needed to feel safe and I was just there..."
He chuckled under his breath. He ran his hand over his face in what felt like frustration. "You feel safe in Skryen, then."
I set the towel in my hands aside on the coffee table between us. "Asmo, are we-"
He stood from his seat.
My voice shook. I couldn't look at him. "A-Are we- "
With my eyes fixed on the floor, I watched his feet step closer as he approached. His steps were slow, purposeful. "What is it, Emylin?"
I looked up as he towered over me, meeting his eyes.
"Asmo, are we together?"
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