15. Nothing

15

NOTHING

L ucca goes cold to his very marrow as Alleno gives us the news that his father, Archivolio Bellari, has outed him to the Summer Fae. As the announcement hits us that the King has not only revealed to his populace that Lucca is Dark Fae, but also cut Lucca from the line of succession and threatened any of his supporters with death if they’re found helping him, I have no words.

Fury churns inside me, and a dark wrath seethes from Quinn; Lucca feels strangely empty, however, as he sits between us. As if his father just reached right in and plucked out his beautiful heart, I feel Lucca’s bright love and his stalwart do-goodery fail.

It leaves nothing in its wake. Nothing but a cold, vacant sort of emptiness.

That makes me shiver, even as I pull him close to me by the waist.

Both my father and mother look grim at the news, though I can see they knew it was only a matter of time before it happened. I’m wrathful, churning with a livid hate now for King Archivolio Bellari and everything he’s done to Lucca. Quinn seems to weather everything the best, however, as he sits up now and heaves a deep sigh .

“I think we need some time to regroup, and process what’s been said,” Quinn says as he gives a cordial nod to both my parents. “Would you mind terribly if we retired to a guest room and had some rest?”

“Of course, Prince Incendari.” Even as my mother speaks to Quinn, rising from the couch to show us to some rooms, I see her catch herself. She doesn’t flush at her slip, at just calling Quinn by his old Summer Fae name and title, but flashes a quick, battle-ready smile as she shows us all to the door.

My father and mother look tired, however, as we egress from the study, then follow my mother up the wrought-iron staircase in the front hall. I want to spend more time with my parents, but know both Quinn and Lucca need me right now, as my mother leads us along the second floor to a beautiful wing of guest suites.

These suites are all connected by inner doors on the second level; as we step inside the made-up central room, even my mother doesn’t protest as Lucca, Quinn, and I all enter the room together. My father and mother only give us quiet words to make ourselves comfortable and settle in, and that lunch will be down in the main hall at noon, before they kiss my cheeks and depart.

But as they leave and Quinn shuts the door, I see our ample breakfast spread has already been moved up here to our rooms. Clearly, my mother and father use some Fae magic for daily tasks, as there’s no way the human house help could have gotten the food up here this fast ahead of us.

As Quinn heaves a sigh and heads to the table, I watch him swipe up the heaped trays of food and coffee, balancing them like a professional server on his hand and arms. Lucca watches him emptily as Quinn heads through the main room, into the opulent bathroom adjacent.

I hear the bath water start, thundering into the ample clawfoot tub within. As I move to the bathroom, Lucca follows me like he’s in a trance. Inside the lovely Italian marble space with its vaulted stained glass alcoves and wealth of potted plants, Quinn is already stripping down from all his Novakitsk clothing .

Stepping nude over the rim of the massive porcelain tub and settling down with a sigh.

“Well?” Reaching over the rim of the tub to pour himself some coffee and drink it in the bath, Quinn lifts an eyebrow at us as he settles against the sloped backrest. “Are you both joining me?”

The massive guest suite tub is built for far more than two people. I shake my head that his question was so very Quinn, though Lucca only stares sort of emptily at the tub.

I’m amazed at Quinn’s seeming resilience today, however. He’s only just come back from being a Revenant, he lost his entire Dark Haven in a single day, and we barely escaped Florence with our asses—and now Lucca’s received this news about being outed as Dark Fae, losing both his revolution and his position in Summer Fae society.

Yet, Quinn is already onto the next thing, taking his coffee and plotting our next move as I feel him churn with a million possibilities at all the information we’ve just heard. Something about it makes me amazed—as I feel a spark light once more inside Lucca, that Quinn seems to be so much back to his old self.

As I feel Lucca back away from that dark, inner emptiness that took him just now, I’m startled as he strides to the ample tub, stripping down.

Stepping in and sinking into the tub with Quinn, to simply enjoy some breakfast and a bath together.

I’m still reeling from all the changes in Quinn and Lucca just now, not to mention everything I’ve just learned about my own life. But seeing the almost strange normalcy of Quinn and Lucca together now has me moving towards them; stripping down also, I’m naked as I step into the wide clawfoot tub and Lucca helps me to a seat beside him in the water.

Quinn’s mind is moving a mile a minute as I join him and Lucca in the bath. Though we’re all naked in the filling tub, it’s almost like Quinn doesn’t even see Lucca and me now as he sips his coffee, then takes biscotto from the tray and some scrambled eggs, eating like a ravenous wolfhound .

I’ve never seen Quinn eat like this. Apparently, Lucca hasn’t either, as he lifts an amused eyebrow.

And shuts the water off before it overflows from the tub.

“Slow down, Quinn. Chew a little,” Lucca says now as he stretches out in the ample tub. I’m relieved to see some humor back in Lucca; something in me eases to see at least some of himself returned at Quinn’s antics.

Stretching out beside Lucca, I revel in the warm water, and the ease of being naked with my men in a much-needed moment of relaxation. I’ve always enjoyed this tub; built for at least four people, the porcelain clawfoot behemoth is more like a jacuzzi sans bubbles as Quinn and Lucca both stretch out facing each other now, resting on the sloped backrests at the opposite ends of the tub.

Reaching out, Lucca pulls me into his lap as he finally unwinds to the heat of the water. I peck him a kiss, then reach out over the rim of the tub and help myself to some eggs and bacon.

Ravenous, just like Quinn.

It’s Lucca who eats less right now after the news he just received, only having coffee and a cherry almond biscotto as we revel in our moment of rest. As Quinn finally returns from wherever he goes when he plots and plans, his onyx gaze fixes on us.

Intense—but also with a vivid brightness in it.

“How are you, Lucca?” Quinn asks now, checking in with everything we just heard.

“Not well. Better than I could be, I suppose,” Lucca answers. Through our bond, I feel how he’s relieved that we’re alive today, but also annihilated by what his father’s done. His energy churns in a tight knot behind me as he holds me in the water. “My father outed me as Dark Fae to my people today. He probably only kept it secret all these years because he thought people might find out about the Gold Eyes if they learned what I was; thus, he tried to keep me from developing my power and finding out what I am, rather than kill me outright. After your fallout with the Vampire Council, however, he knows we’re no longer useful to him, for him to make a run on reclaiming Rome for the Summer Fae. And now the entire Summer Fae rumor mill is churning about me, supporters dropping away from my rebellion like dead flies.”

“I know,” Quinn says, as he takes a deep sip of coffee. His dark eyes are a thousand miles away again as he thinks. “And Council Vampires are probably crawling all over my alliances, if Novakitsk was any indication, to tear them apart before they can help me rise again in Vampire society. Even if they don’t know for certain what I am, no Master has wielded the Music of the Spheres like we do, other than secret Dark Fae ones like Master Ilyov. Even if the Vampire Council isn’t sure what I am, they know what Ariana is. And they know I was bound to you, as well: an incredibly powerful source of Light, and part of why our magic went haywire during that demonstration. It’s enough for them to want me dead. True death… even if they don’t precisely know I’m Dark Fae.”

“So your ambitions with your Vampire Council are moot,” Lucca says, as a terrible chuckle takes him. “And so are mine, now that my father knows we no longer have the power to return Revenants with the Music, to get him an army to retake Rome for the Summer Fae.”

“A dire situation, truly,” Quinn says, as he nods.

“And the Dark Fae don’t trust us, so my ambitions among them are moot as well.” I sigh now as we digest our situation. “We may have power and we may do something with the Music of the Spheres in the Ascendant Realm. But we’re far from controlling it, or liberating our Music from the Gold Eyes’ taint and secret ambitions, so we can truly help our people.”

“It feels hopeless, yes… but I do not think any of this bodes ill for our people, or our missions,” Quinn says. He is alert now as he glances at me, then Lucca, sipping his coffee.

“How could you say that, Quinn?” Lucca looks at his biscotto, then sets it aside, only having coffee now as he cuddles me on his lap in the water. “We’ve lost everything. Everything we ever hoped for.”

“But for the first time in centuries, we know the truth.” Quinn lifts a dark eyebrow at Lucca. “Adicus Briarwick and Illyria Amati know our true origins; they know the relationship King Bellari has with the Gold Eyes. It drove them to side with the Dark Fae… saving Ariana and countless innocents in the process. People who might support us now in toppling the reign of your most heinous father and even the Vampire Council, who still kill Dark Fae on sight.”

“The Dark Fae don’t know us; we could never convince them to get involved in overthrowing my father and your Vampire Council.” Lucca snorts now. “We were treated well as guests at Novakitsk, but that was all. We know nothing of Dark Fae culture, Quinn, and what their people have gone through these past centuries. We might convince some of them to help us, but not enough to throw down King Bellari, or take back Florence from the Vampire Council.”

“You both recall the Music of the Spheres can create not just physical power in the world, but it is also feared because of how convincing it can be,” Quinn says now as something shines in his dark eyes. “Changing minds, overcoming opposition?—”

“My father is immune to the Music, Quinn.” Lucca interrupts now, dark as a thundercloud. “And the Vampire Council are incensed we burned up a good half dozen of their ranks recently. I don’t think our ability to wield the Music is convincing anyone right now.”

“Without sneakily doing the Gold Eyes’ will. Whatever diabolical will that is,” I say, as Lucca cinches his arms tighter around me in the water, stroking my hip.

“Agreed, we do not have enough mastery over the Music to convince anyone of our aims, since we are not free of the Gold Eyes’ taint yet,” Quinn says now as he studies me and Lucca, a subtle smile upon his lips. “But we have assets we have barely even explored. Ariana’s parents, for instance, who hate Lucca’s father with a burning passion, and are now also defending the Dark Fae they traffic from the Vampire Council. Now that we have kicked the proverbial hornet’s nest and brought it right to their front door. ”

“You want to rope my parents into all this?” My eyebrows rise as I blink at Quinn’s insinuation.

“They’re already a part of all this, Ariana.” His voice is quiet. “You heard them: Adicus Briarwick and Illyria Amati were involved in all this long before any of us were even born. The memories of Fae are long, and their passions run deep. Your parents were committed to seeing Archivolio Bellari ousted from his throne even before he sat upon it. They only need to see their daughter is protected… to rise up and join the fight once more.”

“They’re retired, Quinn. Give it up.” Lucca waves a hand. “Their fighting days are over. You heard Adicus; they protect people now, not fight anymore.”

“In any case. I believe we have assets we have not even begun to explore yet.” Quinn backs down slightly now as he settles in the water, swirling his coffee. He knows he can’t push Lucca on anything; and the subject of roping my parents into this battle we’re all fighting now is more than a little uncomfortable for me.

But he’s put a bug in our ears now. For better or for worse, Lucca and I are both thinking as possibilities churn inside us. Quinn watches, knowing what he’s done as we all ponder our future, trying to find a way out of our current predicament.

When something suddenly hits me—making the truth blaze inside me like the sun.

“Rock bottom.” I sit up alertly now in the bath, knowing I’ve found our solution.

“Excuse me?” Quinn frowns, not understanding, though he feels my sudden illumination through our bond.

“Rock bottom.” I look at him, then glance around at Lucca. “Master Ilyov said we’d have to give up our ambitions of power to create the Music from our true hearts. He said that was the only way to actually create Ascendant Sigils with the Music, free of the Gold Eyes’ influence. We had to give up everything we ever wanted, every ambition we ever had. We had to become humble… hitting rock bottom to find our true hearts. As I see it, we’ve already hit rock bottom. And are sitting in a bathtub in nothing but our skins now, trying to figure out what the fuck we do next.”

“Ariana.” Quinn’s Summer Fae fire flares in his dark eyes as he cocks his head, getting it. He slides towards us in the water, intrigued. “By Levennia and all the gods…! We have been stripped down to nothing but our hands, hearts, and skins. I’ve already lost the Dark Haven of Florence, and my ambition of ever sitting on the Vampire Council of Rome. Lucca has lost his rebellion, now that his people know he’s Dark Fae, and his ambitions of ever sitting on the Summer Fae throne thanks to his father’s pronouncement. And you never had any clout with the Dark Fae, since you’ve been hidden by your parents as a human since you were born.”

“We have nothing.” I nod, as a strangely liberated sensation flows through me. “We have only us and the people we love, supporting us as we fall. As we hold each other… and all our worlds burn.”

“The only place we could start,” Quinn says with cunning now as he looks at Lucca, “to master the Music of the Spheres. By just being in our hearts, loving each other… and creating Ascendant Music out of true love. Free of the Gold Eyes’ taint at last.”

As something darkens and brightens inside me all at once, I know we’re right. Because our true love for each other and for the people we care about is the only thing we have, now that we’ve been stripped to our barest selves at last.

For the first time, we’re simply living for each other, trying to stay alive, and keeping close everyone we hold dear. Now that everything has crumbled to ashes, all we have is our hearts.

Living for each other—and truly loving each other, at last.

“But… how are you not upset about all this, Quinn?!” Lucca growls now as he throws up a hand. With everything he discovered today about his father, he’s not ready to let this conversation go yet, as I feel a hot flash of dissension come from him through our bond. “Your Dark Haven has been taken and people you care about are currently being turned over to yo ur enemy! I feel like my entire heart has been ripped out by what my father’s just done, and how it’s ruined the rebellion I worked so hard to build. But you… you just sit there plotting and planning, like always. As if everything with the Vampire Council, your Revenant state, and losing the Dark Haven of Florence never even happened!”

As Lucca hits the nail on the head with what’s wrong about Quinn’s responses this morning, I look at Quinn, wondering the same thing. Lucca is right; Quinn has been acting like nothing has happened, in a way that makes me wonder now if he’s dissociating from all the horror he’s been through in the past week, and especially the past twenty-four hours.

But as Lucca and I both watch Quinn, I see how the Master Vampire in him is still very much alive. Though he’s discovered he’s Dark Fae, there’s an utterly ruthless side of Quinn that has been there all along.

And comes out in spades now, as he stares us down with something cold and certain in his eyes.

“Oh, I am upset—of that, you can be sure.” Quinn is decisive as he regards us, terrible. “I will rip Florian Delano limb from limb for what he’s done with the Council’s help, and gain all my people back. In all my hundreds of years, I have become wise enough to know that Florian wants me to suffer. He has only taken my Dark Haven because he wants me; to become his willing slave in the bedroom once more, and have me as he did of old. But what he does not know is how much stronger I am now than I was then. Bonded to you both, knowing what I am now, having become a mad Revenant and returned from it… all of this has changed me, into something Florian does not know. But I do. And even if I have to march right into the Dark Haven of Florence naked and turn myself over to him unarmed and alone to get my people released, I will do it. Because I hold you both in my heart now… and that power is unimaginable, compared to dark atrocities like Florian, who would try to mimic it. Florian Delano has never known true love. And I have, twice. And no matter what we three do from here on out, I carry that with me—that true love returned me from my darkest place. Your love showed me the man I want to be, which is w hy I can be so calm now in the eye of the storm. I know who I am now; the Mentale Dark Fae who loves the both of you. And no one can ever take that from me. Only myself—which I will never do again. Even though my copious self-hatred tempts me, every day.”

As Quinn ends this tirade, Lucca and I stare at him, astounded. As Quinn bares his deepest heart and Lucca and I experience it, I feel something between us suddenly tune.

Like a massive symphony of sound, we hadn’t even tried to raise the Music; yet there it is, surging all through Quinn now as he comes clean to us about everything he’s feeling.

As the Music races through Quinn, it pours out to Lucca and me, surging through us, as well. As something so beautiful opens inside me, feeling how Quinn loves me, hearing it all around me now in that chiming, incredible sound, I feel the same thing happen with Lucca.

The Music rises in Lucca also now, pouring through the bathroom in the morning: I see a sigil flare to life in my other-sight. It burns through the darkness of the void, flaring like a sun going supernova as it blazes through to the physical world now.

Seething and curling with the most intensely beautiful sigils and script.

As that Ascendant Sigil writes and re-writes itself in a powerful wave of heat and Light all through our troubled morning.