Crimson Black
Page 23
Alphard wasn’t too devastated about finding out she was a Demon. However, it was more than obvious that she didn’t want our night to end. Our love-making continued until morning, and she drained me with every pleasurable moment we spent in each other’s arms.
I didn’t want it to end until dawn’s early light peered through the balcony window. Alphard was fast asleep next to me with her arms embracing me in passion. The strong hold made me sigh in sorrow because it was time to go. Poseidon would wait for my arrival at the island border around this hour and the Queen would await in the great hall. I detected her presence for a brief second near the construct of the door before she fled.
I slipped Alphard’s arm aside, so I could sit up. She didn’t awaken from me struggling to get out of bed. After getting up on to my feet, I pecked her on the cheek and whispered in her ear.
“My beautiful Dark Princess. Please find it in your heart to forgive me one day. I hope you remember no matter what happens that I will always love you. It doesn’t matter how much time will pass between us.” I kissed near her lips. “I love you.” I walked away, breathless. “Goodbye.”
I forced my way down the tower, through the hallway, and down into the great hall where the Queen stood waiting for me, wearing just a silk black cloth around her waistline as if she was still indulging in Luna through the morning. Her long dark hair was tousled and tangled, and her face with no glamor as she gawked at me.
“You have served well,” she had a smirk of contentment. “Alphard will survive because of this.”
“Ugh.” I nudged her shoulder with mine, walking by.
She snatched my arm. “If it were different, I wouldn’t resent you being here.”
“It’s no different from my heart breaking with hers,” I replied struggling to force my arm away from her grip. “It’s done.” I dashed toward the exit and ceased after hearing the Queens tone echoed.
“Thank you.”
The gratitude caused me to feel ill in my chest. The air became rougher the further I staggered on the marble floor, arriving at the exit. My heart plummeted at the gate and I collapsed to my knees. This was not a dream come true. Alphard will loathe me till the end.
I stood to my feet and made my way down to the sea where I swam to the border to meet Poseidon on his water chariot. His hair black and curled as coal. His sapphire diamond eyes flared with the essence of a higher being when he grabbed my hand and yanked me on the carriage. I didn’t like the atmosphere of being with him, but this had to be done.
Alphard meant more than my own body. The wedding with Poseidon was as distasteful as our consummation afterward. His thick heavy body never satisfied me, but I knew Alphard could sense what was transpiring. The change inside her was happening as expected. The rage filled her heart, and the blood drowned the love she had for me. It stung my chest like blades, cutting under my skin. I gazed at the blood moon in the night sky. Alphard was blood thrilled by this moon.
The darkness clouded around me in my chamber where I felt Alphard’s hate directed her arrow towards me. Its blade slashed near my cheek, leaving a scrape before it plunged into the wall with the Aqua gem I’d given her. I didn’t mind the blood, rushing down my face. I picked up the stone and carried it against my chest, keeping back my mourning. She will never forgive me.
***
Time has passed since the day of Alphard’s transformation into the Dark Princess. The title held no comparison to the Harpy she had become. Her lust for victims piled up out of spite with every hunt. She never knew I would follow her in the shadows, traveling through the reflections of mirrors and water. It was a new trait I developed as a Goddess, to use reflections to take me to a destination I desired the most.
Alphard’s first contract devastated me when I watched her drain the life of that innocent girl and ordered Phyla and Pharah to slaughter the entire house. The screams alone were difficult to fathom. I could have stopped her, yet I didn’t. I stayed hidden in shame, watching the rage drive the woman I love to kill. She murdered all the children and slaves under her command and all she did was step in their blood with no remorse. I knew then, all the goodness in her had disappeared before my eyes. She wasn’t the Alphard I knew anymore. The rage flared in her eyes and in the crooked grin she wore, watching the hounds devour the slaver. She had embraced the darkness.
The Queen couldn’t even convince her to settle down, approaching her in the streets. Alphard’s demonic self-emerged and went rogue that night. Celaeno sensed me in the shadows after her daughter left.
“You might as well show yourself, Amphis,” she called out in grief. Her jaw tight and gritting her teeth. “She doesn’t care if you’re here or not.”
I stepped out of the shadows. “Your majesty.” I bowed my head.
“No formalities, Goddess,” She snapped at me in anger. “You knew of this?”
“Knew of what, your majesty?”
“That you and my daughter have the twin soul link?”
“Of course, I knew, your majesty,” I frowned. “I thought you knew everything. I guess not.”
“Don’t play with me, girl!” She became livid and stomped towards me, grabbed my face and forced me to look her in the eye. Her breath puffed in my face like an angry dragon. “You need to be honest with me. How long have you known of this bond?”
I smiled in content from her rage. “Since we first met.” I smacked her hand away from my face. “Do you think you know Alphard right now, being her mother and all?" I pulled out a blade from the black shroud that hid my body. “I feel everything she feels every day. All her victims etch away at me and I know it’s just the beginning.” I place the blade against my chest. “Your daughter is rogue. What is the rule for rogue Angels, your majesty?” I slowly pushed the blade about fingernail deep into my skin before the Queen grabbed it from my hand.
“I will not apply the law to my daughter, since she has her grievances to resolve.” She threw the blade into the street away from us. “I would love to see you die, my dear. Believe me I would enjoy doing it myself. But now you need to stay alive for my daughter’s sake. Your death will mean her end.”
“What if your family found out about this?” I asked. “Touch me like that again or threaten me, I will hand myself over to your sisters. There’s still hope for them to gain the throne if they knew.”
“Dear you are making enemies with the wrong kind.” The Queen smiled like it didn’t shed one ounce of fear.
“Alphard is the only thing that matters.” I stood close to her face. Our eyes blazing at each other. “You will no longer interfere with her life. She decides what she wants and how she wants it. If you don’t like what she chooses, it doesn’t matter. You don’t say a word.”
The Queen laughed. “You have become quite the persuasive young lady, Goddess.” She bowed her head. “Poseidon has quite a fiery one under him. He’s a lucky man. If Hades allowed my kind companions, I would have seen you fit to be my daughter’s bride. It’s unfortunate, isn’t it?”
“Her companion or not, I’ll continue to watch over her!” I felt the pain in my chest from another victim Alphard had slain. I shut my eyes and grabbed my chest.
“For the sake of your devotion, I do hope you learn to withstand my daughter’s rage.” She summoned a dark portal. “Since you will go through suffering for the rest of your life, I’ll honor that agreement. Alphard has free reign to do as she pleases. I will not interfere any longer.” She entered the black mass, and it disappeared behind her.
I sighed in relief at her brief exit, and I breathed deeply as the feeling in my chest continued to ache with victims of Alphard’s vengeance in the night. The crescent moon shined above me with a solitary star next to it as if the sky was winking at me. The solitary star shone as bright as the moon in the darkness.
Oh, Solitary One...
If only you knew I’m still here.
TO BE CONTINUED…
son Black