31

THIRTY-TWO

Willow

Ronyx dances and skips as we follow her to the family dinning hall. I’m at a loss for words in regards to this psychopath storming into my room earlier and going unpunished for the intrusion. I have to remain calm in order to keep Ronyx from acting rash. She seems like the kind to lose her composure on the flip of a coin.

As we finally enter the dining hall, I’m confused to see Amara seated with my sister Roserra. I didn’t think she would be invited to this, let alone my father made aware of her presence here at the Lunar Palace. We had a strict goal of keeping her far away from this tyrant.

Everyone is silent as we stand in the doorway. I take in the personal guards of every family member lined up against the far right wall, including Artie. He gives me a nervous nod.

“Welcome,” My father greets us with unusual cheer. My brothers make quick eye contact with me which tells me something is off. My mother is back to her lifeless self, barely expressing the faintest of emotions around my father.

The king stands and claps his hands together. “Ah, now that everyone is finally here we can enjoy our meal in peace. Please, come, have a seat.” He raises his glass towards us which is full of red wine. “Let us cheer for the newly mated couple.”

Everyone in unison raises their glasses and toasts to us as we find our seats at the table. We sit closest to my father and my brothers are seated near my mother this time.

“Thank you, father.” I grind out through clenched teeth. “Do you mind explaining to us where you’ve been? And who this fucking imposter is?” I say nodding in the direction of Ronyx, losing my cool as Ember places a calming hand on my thigh under the table. I can feel her magic pour waves of calmness, peace, and resilience over me. I let out a slow breath.

“In due time, son. For now, let us eat and cheer for new beginnings.” His father shouts even though we’re all seated relatively close. He’s being preposterous today.

“This really couldn’t have waited until we got dressed?” I ask my father as he takes in our appearance for what seems to be the first time.

He clears his throat. “This won’t take long, then.”

His happy demeanor quickly fades and he slams his wine glass down on the table and looks to Ronyx.

She blushes and smiles back at him.

What the actual fuck is going on here? I hear Ember whisper through the bond.

Ronyx stands from the table and smiles at all of us. She quickly backs away and leaves the room. We sit in silence for several minutes before she returns with a strange box. She rounds the table and sets the black carved box down in front of my father. His eyes glisten with power and hunger as he slowly opens the lid.

“This, my dear family, is our salvation.” he says as he diabolically stares at whatever is inside the mysterious box.

Slowly, he raises what appears to be a blood stone. I’ve seen them at the black market on very rare occasions.

Have you seen a gem like this before? I whisper to Ember.

Yes, but that is not an ordinary ruby. It’s a soul stone. It’s estracted from a creature or fae prior to their last heartbeat and holds their magical essence.

Shit, he’s got something we didn’t know about which puts us even further in the dark regarding his powers and abilities.

My father is a fire pixie, but with the strange powers he’s acquired recently, he’s also gained the ability to manipulate shadows and air. He’s capable of walking through shadows, allowing him to move from one space to another in the blink of an eye. It’s an ancient but lost magic that allows fae to bend space and time to their will and travel anywhere within seconds. I’ve only seen him do it at the winter solstice ball, when he lost his temper in front of the entire lunar court and hung me from the ceiling.

Honestly, I haven’t seen my father since that night.

What exactly has he gained from this stone?

My question is quickly answered as I watch him wave for a young guard to be ushered into the room. He’s chained and being tugged around like a wild animal, when in reality the guard looks like he’s scared shitless.

“Father, what is going on?” Aspen shouts down the table. “That is one of my guards!”

“Well, you should feel grateful that one of your men has been chosen to sacrifice themselves for the sake of our kingdom.”

“Excuse me?” Aspen shoves his chair back and tries to run to help his guard. He doesn’t make it far since the king is using air magic to restrain Aspen. Forcing him to take his seat again, my father uses more power to shove Aspen’s chair back to the table. Locking him into his seat.

My father growls at the room. “Now that the dramatics are over, let’s get on with it. You’re all just a bunch of fucking children if you can’t see how this will change the fate of our world forever.” The king says while waving at Ronyx and taking his seat once again at the head of the table.

The young strange woman focuses on the guard who is fighting for his life, kicking and screaming, trying to save himself.

“Please!” The young guard screams but his voice is cut off as Ronyx raises her hand and casts black shadows that zap and pulse like lightening, wrapping around the guard’s throat, cutting off his air supply and suffocating him in seconds.

Ember flicks her attention back to the king and screams, “What have you done?!”

My father ignores my mate and it makes my blood boil even more.

We all turn to face the king and wait to see what his next move is. We’re frozen in our seats, locked and restrained by his strange magic. It feels wrong as it tries to caress and kiss my skin like an unwanted lover. I don’t know entirely what’s going on yet, but Amara and Ember are trembling with rage and disgust and we all stare at the king. Unable to move.

He’s a despicable excuse for a king. He’s no king at all.

We need to rid this world of his tyranny immediately. I don’t give a fuck if he practically donated sperm to create me. He can burn and I hope its by my hands.

If not for all of the fae and humans here, then for my fucking mate. I won’t let him ever touch her, look at her, be around her again.

Before I’m able to jump from my seat and charge my father, he holds the glowing red stone in his hand and begins to chant something in a language I’ve never heard before. He paints symbols in the air, casting red smoke and black sparks that hover above the center of the dining table. I watch as his body absorbs the magic, accepting a new horror into his body.

What the fuck is this? This is not of our realm.

We all watch in disgust as the cloud of red and black swirling smoke is cast towards the victim and engulfs the dead guard. His limp body is sprawled on the floor and his limbs are bent in unnatural ways. I can barely hear Ronyx cheering and laughing as the guard begins to twitch and move.

“What the fuck?” Amara whispers and makes eye contact with me from across the table. I raise a finger to my lips and remind her to stay quiet, it’s better to be unseen and unheard by my father. You never want to gain his interest. Her eyes widen with fear.

The guard’s limbs slowly snaps back into place. Hearing bones crunch, crack and pop is nauseating. He begins to crawl on his hands and knees towards the king. I steal a glance at my father and his face is as hard as stone as he stares back at me.

“This, my son, is what true power looks like.” he says to me heartlessly. “This is only the beginning of a new era for the fae.”

“What?!” I shout at him. My body trembles with rage as I’m still locked under some unmovable spell. “How is this supposed to help our people? The fae are dying out there because you’re failing to uphold this kingdom. You wish to fail our people in death as well?!”

He ignores my accusations and continues on about restoring the peace of our lands. “We are working on creating a new race of fae. Something that rivals the primes from our day and age. Something rather… superior. I trust that you will understand the need for this, considering we need to evolve in order to survive this dreaded Decay.”

My thoughts stop and I hear a ringing in my ears. “Why? You’re telling me there’s no other way? You’re slaughtering people in order to get what you want!” I growl at the king.

Ember chokes on a scream next to me and brings my eyes back to the newly born monster being displayed at the head of the room.

“That, my son, is not relevant. You’ve been assigned. Now that you and your mate are bound, you’ll be accessing your full magical capabilities soon enough.” The king says nonchalantly. “It’s going to be your job to enlist, capture, and facilitate the participants in our transformation trial. We need 100 adults, ages ranging from 19-25, in order to properly begin the creation of our next race.”

What? That’s genocide! Ember whispers through the strings of our bond.

I know, little dragon. Don’t panic, we will stop him somehow. He’s absolutely mad.

This is evil, corrupt, and otherworldly. I don’t know where he found this, but it’s not good. Ember’s worry floods me through the bond and I can feel her muscles tensing as she watches the dead guard convulse on the floor.

My attention turns back to the corpse that’s struggling to stand on the far end of the room. He’s walking with jagged and abrupt movements, his skin is tearing as spikes and talons grow from his arms and legs. That’s when I see his eyes. Black and red, veins sprouting from them and covering his pale face.

He reminds me exactly of Brooks. As the realization sets in, I see Ember and Amara register it as well.

Ember lets in a soft gasp, and Amara starts to scream.

My father killed Brooks.

THE END