Before Althya got the chance to resume her questioning, a girl entered. Her long tawny coloured hair was tied atop of her head and tumbled down to below her chest, bouncing with every stride. A peach-coloured backless dress hung from straps too thin to trust and above her knees, leaving her cleavage on full view. It was entirely unfit for the early spring weather. Cassandra looked like her usual self.
Celest jumped up, as a wide grin spread across her face and she sped to her. "Cassy!" Celest wrapped her arms around her. "I missed you."
Cassandra hesitated before placing her hands on Celest's shoulders.
Celest overlooked the stinging feeling. Her sister had indeed remained the same. With a sigh, she broke the embrace and backed a step, and hid her disappointment with a smile. She had hoped it would please Cassandra to see her, but maybe that was too much to ask. She didn't spot the ghost of a sentiment a sibling would possess for its younger sister.
"You haven't changed a bit," Celest said, the lightness in her voice covering the bitterness.
Cassandra offered a tight-lipped smile that didn't reach her honey-coloured eyes. "I'm just surprised you're here, thought you were on the run with that human lover of yours."
Celest pressed her lips into a thin line, her body stiffening. Althya shot Cassandra a warning glare.
The last thing they needed was the Lord to witness the two sisters fight. Celest returned to her seat and gracefully sat down. Instead of glaring at her older sister, she settled on glowering at the coffee table.
Cassandra ignored the rest and walked towards Nikolus and stopped before him. "My Lord," she chirped and bowed deep. She might as well had kneeled, giving an unrestricted view of her cleavage.
Nikolus shifted with discomfort, accompanied by a curt nod of acknowledgment before setting his gaze on the wall behind Celest's parents.
It took Celest's sheer willpower to not burst into giggles. A quick glance in Arthur's way ensured he wasn't doing much better either, with his head hanging low, shaking with silent laughter. Celest bit her lip and covered her mouth.
Cassandra rose to her feet and sauntered to an armchair on Althya's left.
Celest kept her grin hidden beneath her palm. It amazed her how her family made a High Lord that had the royals and lords in the palm of his hand, the man that the entire realm feared and respected, so discomfited.
Cassandra positioned herself in a manner that displayed the most skin possible without staining her modesty, hiding Elliot from Celest's sight. Oberon glowered at her eldest daughter, but she paid him no heed and propped her elbow on the armrest, her eyes fixed on Nikolus. "Lord Nik, it's so lovely to have you here again, although I do wish to see more often of you."
Nikolus nodded, "I appreciate your kind words, lady Cassandra."
She parted her red painted lips to speak, but Althya's hand shot up, the golden bracelet twirled around her wrist caught the light as she signalled her to stop. Cassandra glared at her mother before leaning back in her chair with a huff.
"My questions weren't over," Althya announced, the golds glinting in her eyes.
"Mum," Celest groaned. "How about no more interrogation?" she suggested with a pleading stare. She had to end it before matters got out of control and she'd lose Nikolus' friendship.
"Oh Cel, I'm just merely curious. In fact, I'm certain our good lord won't mind. He must be conscious of how I interrogate my targets and how easy information finds its way to me," Althya smiled sweetly at her. She turned to Nikolus, "Where is our young prince?"
He took his time as he deliberately moved his glowing green eyes to meet Althya's blue ones. "Where he is needed or wanted," he answered slowly.
Althya frowned, her smooth forehead creasing.
Oberon furrowed his brows as he leaned forward the slightest. "What is Al doing these days?"
"And don't tell us you don't know, because we're aware you do," Althya added.
After a long pause, he replied, "He is exploring."
"What?" Althya quirked an eyebrow.
Nikolus drew a sharp breath. "Power and possibilities."
A sense of unease washed through Celest. Something about his answer wasn't right, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Her lie-detecting magic didn't help either.
"Isn't he planning on paying a visit? Or is he waiting for my funeral?" Althya grumbled.
"I-I" Nikolus stammered. Celest watched him with wide eyes. She had never seen him at a loss for words. He shifted in his spot.
"Inform him I wish to be in contact with him," Althya said, not allowing him to form a sentence.
"That won't be possible, but you can give me your message and I will deliver it to him."
"I was very clear the first time, but I'll repeat myself. Notify Alastar, Althya and Oberon want to see him."
"Lady Althya, with all due respect, I cannot do that. I'm a Hi-" Nikolus began, but she interrupted him.
"And I am the Grand witch of this nation and Oberon is the High Warlock of Night's Blood empire, and we are demanding it."
Celest rubbed her temple. Her annoyance got the best of her, and for a moment her patience's string slipped from her grasp. "Why is he so important to you?" she snapped. "Why are you constantly trying to meet him? Or gain information about him! You think if you talk to him once it'll prevent him from killing me?" she shouted.
Althya pressed her lips together, unimpressed by her outburst.
"There are a lot of things you're unaware of," Oberon stated calmly.
"I know!" She yelled. "Thanks to you, I'm clueless. The only thing I'm aware of is something I definitely don't need reminding. Tell me why you're trying so hard to get in touch with the only man alive capable of killing me and will with the first given chance?" It took Celest her entire willpower to prevent herself from standing up and pacing the room. Instead, she fisted her hand, nails dug into her palm as she glowered at her parents.
She was sensing everyone's gaze on her and wanted to blame her sudden outburst on them, but knew most of it was her own fault. She had a long way ahead in order to master her temper and figure out all the matters that were hidden from her.
Busy joining the pieces, she ignored how pathetic she ought to appear in front of them. Like a child. A twenty-year-old kid.
It was challenging to wrap her mind around this newfound knowledge. For almost twenty years, they had led her to believe she's untouchable. Only four months ago that illusion's bubble burst as her family explained there was a vampire out there -a vampire Primous- far stronger than her, able to harm and kill her.
She recalled the time Nikolus sat on this same spot as he told her about this prince, Lyonaurd's younger brother. She also remembered her mum adding she could nullify his magic too, that they are equal opposites, but that information had done little to ease her.
"I understand Cel," Althya cooed and continued in a firmer voice, "but I'm trying to protect everyone and most of all you."
"Protect me?" Celest scoffed and rolled her eyes.
The wounds caused by the sole statement of 'I was trying to protect you,' were still too raw and deep for her to see clearly and perceive her mother.
Althya sighed and glanced at Oberon as though asking for help. He gave a single nod to her.
"I've heard there's another Primous lurking around," Althya announced.
Celest's eyes widened, and her breath hitched. Another Primous? Someone other than Alastar? Her blood froze in her veins. There was somebody else who possessed the power to end her? Or as her mother would say it, nullify her powers.
Nikolus shifted in his seat, drawing Celest out of her spiralling thoughts. He moved to the edge of the sofa, his eyebrows furrowed, and focus fixed on Althya. "That's impossible," he declared, holding his head high.
Althya smirked. "As I said, I must meet Prince Al and discuss these matters with him." Nikolus forced a tight-lipped smile, before opening his mouth to argue, but Althya beat him to it. "It seems like you are determined to keep him out of contact for whatever reason, so I'll give you the highlights. Maybe then you'll grasp the urgency of this situation and deem it worthy enough to inform Al," she spoke harshly.
Nikolus clamped his hands. Althya was annoying him, Celest realised as his fingertips turned white from the force of keeping his fingers tangled together.
"As I told you before, Liberal lands have become unsafe. The primary reason for that is, Lilithia has helped Seith to regain and enhance his powers. By the looks of it, they've been having fairly good progress at it too. I'm not sure, but my guesses are, he has reached far beyond his full power, and it's only a matter of time now before he learns to master it."
Nikolus shook his head in disbelief. "That's preposterous, Seith died."
"No, he did not," replied Althya with a smile.
"I k-" he halted and cleared his throat. "I know he did. Alastar killed him."
"Al's sloppy in dispatching. Seems like he didn't go for the killing blow when he was at it," Oberon drummed his fingers on the couch, raw power radiating off of him. The inky blue Psyligolapis on his finger was on full display.
Nikolus pressed his mouth into a thin line, as though it offended him, but then straightened himself. Celest could almost hear the engines turning in his head as he tried to apprehend this newfound information. Nikolus wasn't handling it much well, he fidgeted, eyes darted from one side to another, his breathing uneven.
With a sharp exhale he began, "Fine, let's assume he's alive. But Seith is the weakest of the thirteen Primouses, he can't be a danger to anyone, let alone wage war or oppose threat to Celest or Al."
"He was. Over two decades have passed," Althya arched an eyebrow and leaned into the sofa.
"But it doesn't matter," Nikolus interjected with exasperation and added, "No supernatural can grow its magical capacity."
Althya smiled; a real, satisfied smile. The gold in her blue eyes glinted.
Nikolus' disoriented behaviour was unnerving Celest. She had never seen him like this before, nor was she fond of it one bit. She couldn't understand why her mother found comfort in his lack of knowledge.
"Frankly, I wasn't expecting you not to know this," Althya admitted, a smirk still gracing her features as she clasped her hands over her lavender coloured dress.
"It is possible, Nik," Oberon said, drawing everyone's gaze to himself. "Lilithia has been after power for over millennia, perhaps her entire life. She has discovered methods to not only grow her own powers but also Seith's too."
Nikolus jerked back, as though the blow of realisation had hit him hard in the gut. His eyes, wide and frantic, glowed more intensely but a shade darker than usual.
"The wars happening in East," he breathed out. "All these humans, vampires, and werewolves dying... it's all to complete the rituals," he spoke as if he struggled to believe whatever he was uttering.
Oberon nodded grimly.
"The bad news doesn't end here. Lili has Beastya and Vaghor's Psyligolapises. Once Seith is powerful enough, he'll free one of them from the stone with Lilithia's help and then the two Primouses will restore the other one too. Afterwards, they'll declare war with Night's Blood empire and give their everything to tear apart this kingdom and its people." Althya informed.
"But how? Valeryker destroyed them himself," Nikolus argued.
"It's not possible to destroy a Psyligolapis, not to mention, Val didn't even try. Lilithia offered him to spend a night in her bedchambers. He gladly accepted the offer, and she used it to her advantage and stole the stones."
Nikolus' mouth hung open. After a beat, he ran his hand through his hair.
It worried Celest to see Nikolus like that. The sudden urge to lean over and assure him everything will be fine and work out, he'll find a way to fix things and needn't worry himself swept over her, but she suppressed it.
"I suggest you keep a close eye on these activities. We can help if required. Most importantly, you must command the royal guards to remain on constant high alert, should they decide to surprise the royal family," Oberon advised.
Nikolus nodded. "Indeed."
"I believe you have a lot to do, don't let us hold you back," Althya said, and he nodded again. His eyes were unfocused, mind occupied with matters much bigger than anything Celest has ever encountered. He rose to his feet in one fluid motion.
A shiver raced down Celest's spine. Are we on the verge of war?
Dread clawed and gnawed her insides, the word war was enough to send unpleasant chills to crawl across her body.
The future was uncertain. Death loomed ahead.
Celest did not want to be a part of this. At moments like these, she wished she was a human, unaware of everything. She desired a simple threat-free life, but it was a luxury she could never afford.
She wondered what Nikolus was thinking as she stood up and scanned his features. To her dismay, she located nothing.
Elliot walked to the door, never glancing back at them.
Althya wrapped her arms around Celest and she returned the hug with all her might.
"Take care and be careful, honey. And please don't trust anyone," Althya whispered in her ear. Celest felt her mother's power cocooning them, blocking their voice from everyone outside the shield. "We'll soon be entering a dangerous phase, be mindful of your decisions to not regret them later on," she hurriedly added.
Speechless, she nodded. With a final reassuring squeeze, they parted.
It didn't take long to bid their farewells. No one teared up, only they exchanged kind and comforting words, save for Cassandra who only gazed at Nikolus.
Celest memorised every detail of each of her family members. She engraved it in her brain, to cherish and hold on to it in the world of shadows she was about to return to.
And we officially have a war coming on! =) Tell me what you think about this chapter? =)
Thank you for reading this chapter, I hope you enjoyed it.
I really wanted to update this story more often, like twice a week or even more (since it's going to be one hell of a long book xD) but ugh uni assignments are crushing me, and unfortunately, I won't be able to update more than once a week until my summer break, till then, I hope you don't mind the slow updates.
Next chapter will be up on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Stay safe, happy reading! <33