17. ~Orpheus~

17

~Orpheus~

This absolutely was not what I’d expected when I’d deduced that my father had been the one responsible for kidnapping Alena and holding her captive.

I knew well how he dealt with threats to the Realm, how unapologetically brutal he could be in the name of protecting the Dark Fae Realm and his rule.

And this most certainly didn’t follow suit with that.

I couldn’t actually believe what I was seeing.

I’d allowed him to lead me here, intending to use it as an opening to catch him off guard then grab Alena and flee the DFR like bats out of hell.

I’d actually been surprised when he’d offered to let me see her so easily, without me needing to lay down threats or force the issue like I’d been prepared to do when we’d first arrived here. He knew me, I’d had little doubt he would have expected me to pull something like the snatch-and-escape I’d been planning. I’d even mind-linked the guys to instruct them to follow out after us at my signal.

But now there was this.

I’d thought the most unsettling thing was the way my magic had felt like it had been zapped from my body the moment I’d stepped over the threshold because of the magical vacuum he’d employed.

That was before I’d taken in the rest of the space.

The kaleidoscope of colors—so much color—was astonishing enough and a complete break from the rest of the palace and most of the Realm actually, which was a dull blend of black and silver through and through.

All except this new space he’d fashioned.

The walls were covered with damask wallpaper boasting a baroque-style pattern with a blend of purples, blues, pinks, reds, greens—almost every color under the sun. Cozy shag rugs covered the gray hardwood floors. There were vibrant-blue and purple couches and armchairs in a seating area that faced an impressive entertainment unit with a mammoth flat screen television hung on the wall, along with numerous video game consoles.

He caught me frowning at the latter and explained, “She’s half-human and spent a lot of time living amongst them, I determined she’d enjoy them and possibly find comfort.”

Well, if she didn’t, there was always the floor-to-ceiling bookshelf on the opposite wall stuffed full of books.

There was an open door that gave way to a bathroom that I could only partially see into from my current position, then a walk-in closet right beside it with so many clothes within that all seemed to match her bohemian type of style perfectly.

And then at the far end of the room was a massive four-poster bed with multicolored silk sheets that complemented the wallpaper, the posts themselves gold with flowers carved into them and leaves encircling them.

I zoned in on her there fast asleep and tucked up in the sheets, her beautiful pink hair fanned out over the mountain of pillows.

Instinctively, I went to go to her, but my father snagged my arm, pulling me up short.

“Not yet. There’s something else you need to see first.”

“Father,” I protested.

“It will take but a moment, then I vow to you that I will allow you time with her. She will be rousing awake by the time we return, so you’ll be able to actually speak with her too.”

“Fine,” I muttered, allowing him to lead me back out of the room.

The moment we stepped beyond the magical vacuum, heat rushed through my body as I thankfully felt the reassuring and fulfilling sensation of my magic again.

He kept hold of my arm and teleported us to a space that was familiar to me.

His lab.

Or so I thought, until I took in what was happening within.

Usually, he kept the space to conduct magical experiments, always trying to push the boundary of his power and abilities, and to also create things to assist with his rule.

But this time there were a dozen Dark Fae beings rushing about from various stations that had been set up. They each had a grimoire in front of them on the silver table tops along with beakers full of numerous solutions, Bunsen burners, thermometers, test tubes, a whole lot.

“The top magical scientists in the Realm,” he told me.

I walked in further and took in the long stone stable that was usually reserved for his experiments.

This time it was full of beakers containing what appeared to be blood, along with vials of shimmering gold.

“Alena’s magic,” I breathed.

“Just small amounts,” he assured me. “Enough to experiment with.”

I noted the silver vials over at the far end. “And yours too?”

“Correct. Functioning as the dark magic element needed in order to test with.”

“The beakers… you took her blood. That’s why your hands were covered with it on the bridge.”

“Yes, one of the tests didn’t go to plan and the beaker exploded all over me.” He shot me a look. “And here you actually thought I was torturing her? The woman you love? Absolutely not, Orpheus. I would never do her harm.”

“You extracted blood and her magic, Father.”

“In a completely painless way.”

“It’s still a violation.”

“An unfortunate necessity. It’s also for her own good. If I can create a failsafe, a way to control this ability of hers that’s striking terror—and anger—into the hearts of all dark magical beings currently, she will be safe. They won’t hunt her. And we can all rest a lot easier.”

It hit me then. “You’re doing this for me.”

He smiled. “Of course.”

“It’s definitely not your usual approach when it comes to dealing with a threat.”

“No. But she’s important to you. You’re in love with her. I won’t take that away from you. I know how rare it is to find that even in several lifetimes.” He laid his hand on my shoulder. “You are my son. I will always go out of my way for you. Your wellbeing and happiness is paramount to me.” He grimaced. “And I’m sorry we spent the last three years estranged. We had such a wonderful relationship and now we’ve reunited I want to recapture that. I’ve missed it. I’ve missed you dearly.”

“I’ve missed you too.”

I took some time then looking around, watching the magical scientists at work.

“Do you really think this is possible? Fashioning a failsafe?”

“I do. We just need more time. Alena will be safe here from those hunting her, even Exemplar which will want her locked down too, until we’re able to create such a thing. Her being here also buys you time with your project. Elliot won’t be expecting you at Exemplar now because the consensus is that you were the one who spirited Alena away from Electi Academy grounds earlier. He’ll believe you are hiding her, keeping her safe. It will also stop him from conducting a search for her, because he believes she’s with you and therefore in no danger.”

“But if you’re right and Exemplar wants her locked down—”

“He’ll conduct a fake search for her to appease them. It’s what I would do under such circumstances. The alternative of going after you to really seek her out is definitely not in his best interests or that of Exemplar. It would make an enemy of you and, by extension, me, at a time when allies are vital with Constantine still out there.”

I took his words in, all of it, analyzing the complications, the many complications of it all.

Rationally, his strategy was sound, an optimal plan, really.

But rationality wasn’t all that was at play here.

My love for Alena was.

Our love for Alena.

It couldn’t be denied and because of it, her wellbeing trumped everything else.

She’d already suffered through so much with Constantine, with being forced to remain somewhere against her will, to do things against her will.

I’d sworn to myself that I’d never allow anything like that to happen again. More than that, that I’d do everything in my power to ensure nothing of the sort would ever come to pass again.

My next words to my father were me staying true to that. “I can’t allow you to keep her here against her will. No matter what.”

“Then talk to her. Make her understand.”

“I won’t make her understand anything. I’ll explain the situation to her without any bias attached and she’ll come to her own understanding.”

“Orpheus—” he started to protest.

“That’s a compromise. Especially compared to what I’d originally planned to do, which was to blast my way out of here with her without a fucking word.”

Clearly he’d realized that too, because he only took a moment to nod along. “As you wish.”

He took us back to the room and let me go in alone, agreeing to give me time with her.

I shuddered as I felt my magic sucked away with the vacuum again.

Fortunately, that awfully unsettling sensation was offset by the sight of Alena shifting in the bed and rousing awake.

My breath caught in my throat as her eyes opened, those stunning blue orbs of hers shining out into the room.

A whole lot of confusion passed over her face for several moments as she struggled to take everything in as quickly as possible.

I saw the moment it turned to panic.

And I was there in the next second, settling onto the edge of the bed and taking her hand in mine. “It’s okay. It’s all okay, I’m here.”

Her eyes shot to mine. “Your father, he—”

“I know. That’s where you are now. In the Dark Fae Realm.”

She frowned. “It sure doesn’t look like it.”

“It sure doesn’t. My father made this room for you.”

“I don’t… I don’t understand.”

“You exposed your special ability during that battle with Constantine’s sorcerers and all hell has broken loose since.”

She cursed and shoved her hand through her hair. “I had no choice.” She gritted her teeth. “They made sure I had no other choice.”

“I know.”

“He did this to sideline me, didn’t he?”

“We believe so, yes.”

“And your father? He brought me here because he sees me as a threat now?”

“He’s concerned.”

She gave me a look. “I sometimes forget how diplomatic you can actually be when you try.”

“Yes, it’s not exactly my go-to.” I smiled and gave her hand a squeeze. “Generally, only for you and the boys.”

She looked around again and then she ran her fingers over the golden chemise she was clad in. “This thing is unbelievably soft and luxurious.”

I nodded. My father had certainly made sure she had the best. In every way.

She screwed up her face as something obviously occurred to her.

“What is it, little angel?” I asked gently.

“Did your father… I mean, he didn’t… dress me, did he?”

It was my turn to screw up my face. The very thought of it sickened me.

“No. He wouldn’t have touched you like that. He would’ve had his female staff attend to you.”

“Okay, good. That’s a relief.” She frowned as she shifted in the bed, telling me, “I feel strange… weaker… colder.”

“This room is in a magical vacuum.”

“That’s… intense.”

“You may also feel a little off for a while because he took some of your blood and a little of your magic as well.”

Her eyes widened. “If he thinks he can use that to wield angel magic as a means to protect his kingdom from my ability, he can’t. At least not without dying in the process. The toll it would take on a non-angelic being is horrific. They would never survive it, Orpheus.”

Miraculous.

Through all her pain, anger and desire for vengeance lately, all beyond justifiable after what had been done to her, what she’d been put through, I hadn’t seen it much from her… that which I’d first noticed about her when I’d drawn closer to her.

And there was the angel in her.

That care in the face of horrendous things.

That purity of heart.

She hid it behind a defensive and forthright approach, because she was definitely no fool, but that softer side was clearly still there, and strong at that.

It was what I’d thought about her months ago, what I’d admired about her.

More than that, it had given me faith that goodness could exist even when surrounded by badness and darkness.

She’d unknowingly given me hope.

And here she was doing that again, being so concerned for my father’s wellbeing to urgently warn me of the ramifications of attempting to wield celestial magic. Even though he’d kidnapped her and he was effectively intending to keep her here, and he’d also taken her blood and magic to experiment on. Yet she could care about him like this, through all of that? Possibly, it could be because he was my father, and her care was borne from that, wanting to spare him for me. Either way, it was still staggering and incredible of her.

“Thank you for the warning, but he’s aware it can’t be done safely. Despite his issues with your mother, he also spent time around her and studied her. He’s not using your blood and magic to attempt that. He wants to create a failsafe that would protect dark magical beings from your ability should you ever lose control.”

“A failsafe? Wow, can that even be done?”

“He believes it can be.”

I stared at her, absorbing her reaction to it all.

“There’s no anger, no indignation. What’s going on, Alena?”

She sighed and eased away from me, slumping against the pillows. “Taking that without asking me shows how fearful your father is about this whole thing. He clearly didn’t think I’d give it of my own free will and he knew it was the only way to run this experiment of his to try to fabricate a failsafe. I know what it’s like to be afraid of my power. You’re aware I spent years like that. I don’t want others afraid of it, afraid of me. I don’t want to hurt anyone—the exception being Constantine, of course—but I could. Something might occur at some point that takes that option from me or supersedes my control. Knowing that hurt could result in taking people’s magic from them, I can’t stomach it. Especially after what happened to Xavier. So if this is what needs to be done to put everyone at ease—and me—so be it.” She smiled out at me. “Besides, if we have people hunting me, how can the four of us build our futures together?”

I stared at her in awe.

And sadness. A whole lot of painful sadness.

“I’m so sorry it’s come to this, Alena.”

“It is what it is. And the good news, something we absolutely can’t take for granted right now, is that we’re all well. No matter what’s come at us, we’ve survived it. Through all of this, Orpheus. It counts for a lot.”

“My father wants to keep you here in the meantime.”

“I figured with the magical vacuum. Although, he has discounted my angelic strength. That doesn’t come from magic, it’s my physiology.”

“He hasn’t.”

She cocked an eyebrow.

“He knows he can overpower you. You’re Nephilim, not a pure celestial being like your mother was. The King of the Dark Fae possesses physical strength greater than yours, because of your human side.”

“Oh.” She eyed me curiously. “Your abilities rival his now, does that mean you do too?”

Yes. “It’s not something we’ll ever put to the test, so it doesn’t matter.”

I could see her urge to push it more, but then she shook her head to herself, thinking better of it. “You’re not afraid of my ability, are you? Xavier thought you would be when we first found out about it, and then Constantine had me believing you were too. But I see it now with the way you’ve been, the only fear you had for it was in regard to what it would do to me, how I’d be hunted from the fear of others.”

I reached out and cupped her cheek. “I love you, Alena. I could never be afraid of you.”

“Even though I could extinguish your magic, the thing you hold most dear?”

“Even then.”

“I don’t—”

“You’ve had so much trouble with it and I know sometimes you still do, but I trust in all your abilities. I trust you’ll always end up on the right side of things, that you’ll do what’s needed without going too far in the process.”

“Even with my vengeance crusade against Constantine?”

I smiled out at her. “Even then.”

“Orpheus, Xavier told me what happened when I used necromancy that night when we found some new acolytes of Constantine’s. You thought I’d lose control for real.”

“What happened that night wasn’t what it seemed where I was concerned.”

She arched an eyebrow. “How so?”

“We’ll get to that once we sort out the situation here.”

“There’s nothing to sort out.”

I frowned. “I’m not going to allow my father to keep you here against your will.”

“It won’t be against my will.”

“What does that mean?”

“Bring the guys here and your father. I know what needs to be done.”