Chosen Darkness (Chosen Series)

by Fawn Atondo

  They offered her a seat next to Harold and across from Simone, who poured her a drink from a silver pitcher but did not pour one out for anyone else.

  “Drink.” Simone’s tone was more of an order then a request.

  Falyn played with the cup, watching the faces of the Lycan Elders. Then she quickly got to her feet, still holding the cup. She started to walk around the table. The Elders got up hastily but she stopped them with her words.

  “No, sit. I wish to offer a toast to the Lycan Court,” Falyn announced with a forced smile.

  Apprehensively the Elders stayed put, there posture stiff as they watched her.

  “To the Elders of the Lycan Court, who are not above doing anything for their race, whether it be murder to start a war or holding a fellow Lycan captive while they try to think of ways to take what is rightfully hers.” Falyn hissed the last part into Simone’s ear as she was now behind her.

  “I beg your pardon!” Simone snapped.

  “No, I beg yours!” Falyn growled as she dropped her cup, pulled her dagger free and, with a quick flick of her wrist, brought the blade down across the woman’s throat.

  Blood sprayed across the table as Simone slumped forward. The other Elders stumbled to their feet, their faces white.

  “I forsake my blood ties to the Lycan Court!” Falyn cried as she tossed the dagger.

  “You are now cursed!” an Elder snarled at her.

  “So be it, but I am also free of the Court’s bidding and its laws!”

  Falyn turned to leave smacking into Daniel’s chest.

  “You need to get out now!” Daniel said urgently, pulling her along.

  “Not without the books!” Falyn cried.

  “I’ve already sent them through the portal,” Daniel assured her as he led her by the arm. “I only hope you know what you’re doing, Falyn.”

  With those words he pushed her through a shimmering clear wall back into her world.

  Falyn stood on the dirt road leading to West’s home. Her heart was racing. Her hands were still stained with blood, she could feel the curse! It was like ice running up her spine and spreading through her body. As it reached her heart, the pain made her gasp. The choice had been made and there was no going back. She had chosen Darkness!

  Chapter twenty-five: Unmarked

  Alex stared at the note Falyn had sent back. He had read it over and over so many times he could recite it word for word. But each time he was shocked at what it said. No “how dare you,” no “don’t worry, I’m fine – I understand why you did it.” Simply a few short lines and nothing more.

  As he glanced down at it once more, he could not stop from reading it again.

  Alex,

  I will stay at the Court and work on my power. If you happen to learn anything about the Druids of Light, please send me a letter about it right away.

  Falyn

  Alex crumpled the thin paper in his hands before tossing it to the floor. It said nothing about how she was feeling, but he figured she didn’t need to tell him anything when the removal of her life mark on his shoulder said it all.

  She no longer claimed him! He’d felt the tingle on his arm the night before the letter. He looked in the mirror and was shocked to see the mark no longer there – that dark swirling symbol had become part of his assurance that Falyn still wanted him.

  Guess that’s a good sign right there she no longer does!

  He had messed up. It was clear he should not have stepped in and forced her into the hands of the Lycan Court, no matter how safe she was there. If he had known she would react like this, he wouldn’t have been so rash. At least, this is what he told himself. But even as he’d made the call, he knew he chanced Falyn never trusting him again or forgiving him. However, he’d been sure she would see the reasoning behind it.

  Lark was wise enough not to bring up the subject of Falyn unless Alex did, and West spent most his days away, only returning at night. He check in with his friend for news of Falyn but most days there was nothing.

  Alex continued looking for information on the powers of the Light Druid, hoping he would unearth something useful. His means where limited. Pointless even. No Light Druid had used their gift in so long no one had made any record of it, for as far back as he could trace. Meaning whatever record there might be would indeed be very old. If it had made it intact to this era at all it would be a miracle, but it’s what he needed right now: a freaking miracle!

  When days turned into weeks, Alex grew desperate. He turned his focus from finding records of the Druids to seeking out alliances among the werewolf packs. He quickly found getting one wolf pack to work with another pack of a different bloodline was like pulling teeth. The Bitten Packs all refused outright to help a full blood. They didn’t care about Falyn being a Druid of Light: half of them didn’t even know what that was.

  When Alex tracked Flint down, the ex-Alpha told him Falyn was already their leader. So it seemed Falyn did have a pack all her own. Flint was short with Alex, and if he’d still had the power of an Alpha, no doubt he would have sought revenge for their first meeting. However, he did promise that he and the pack would stand behind Falyn, even though a pack made up of forty members was hardly big enough to give her enemies pause.

  Alex was starting to wonder if it was even possible for Falyn to fulfil her fate. At every turn, something was blocking her from wielding her birthright and blood right. Without the magic of the Druids, she couldn’t bring the Lycan Court under her rule. Without uniting the other werewolves she could not stand and face the enemy, which was what the Druid power was meant for. It was a bloody nightmare and one Alex was sick of trying to decode.

  He had only on source left old enough to maybe have some insight into the Druids. Break had been among this world for a long time. Even if most of it had been spent under the sea, she was one of the most ancient souls he knew. He decided to go pay her a visit. Lark would have to accompany him. After all, the elf was the only thing between him and death at the hands of the Lycan Court.

  Oddly enough, West was home during daylight hours for once and had some news on Falyn.

  “She has taken the Court up on their offer to help her in unlocking her Druid magic. She has also been working on her fighting skills,” West told him.

  “In all this time, has she asked about me?” Alex hated having to delve for information like this.

  “Sorry Alex, not that I have been told, anyway.” West gave him an apologetic smile.

  “No, it’s fine,” Alex told him absentmindedly.

  “I’m leaving tomorrow for Break’s. If you learn anything worth passing along from the Court, let me know.”

  “Of course,” West promised.

  Alex didn’t have to search far to find Lark. The elf had made a habit of hanging out on the large back deck watching the forest below.

  “This land reminds me of my own,” Lark said, as Alex came to join him at the rails.

  “I’m guessing you’re starting to miss your world?”

  “Perhaps the Green Forest, but really there is nothing for me there.”

  “Well, Elf, I hope you like the ocean!”

  Lark looked at him questioningly.

  “I’m going to see an old friend and she lives along the sea.”

  “And what friend might this be… the mermaid?”

  Alex wasn’t sure he liked the look that came into Lark’s eye at this possibility.

  “Yes, as it happens that is who we are going to see. Her name is Break.”

  “Odd name… Break.” Lark said it as though he was testing the way it sounded.

  “Trust me, it’s far less odd than her real name which cannot be pronounced by anything without a tail”. Alex assured him.

  “We shall see. I’m rather good at foreign tongues,” Lark said with a crooked grin.

  Alex rolled his eyes. If Lark wanted to try and make moves on Break, then that was up to him. Break was a big girl she cou
ld handle herself, even with someone as charming as Lark!

  “We leave in the morning,” Alex muttered.

  Dusk was already here, and with nothing else to do but over-think everything connected with Falyn, Alex headed to his room. A good night’s sleep was what he needed. His body may not need sleep like a human’s, but it was still welcome refreshment for his kind. Kept the mind keen and focused.

  The night passed without issue and, come dawn, both he and Lark were on the road. It was only a few hours’ drive to Break’s home so they arrived before noon. Break met them on the front porch wearing her normal white dress. Lark was too busy staring at Break to say anything, but Alex had enough to say to keep his rudeness from being noticed.

  “Alex, I can’t fathom why you gave Falyn to the Court!” Break was now lecturing him on his actions.

  “It seemed like a good idea at the time. Besides, she’s safe there, in their custody. I couldn’t promise the same if she stayed here.”

  “Oh Alex, I know you did it for her own protection, but can’t you see that it is up to her how she wants to face her own fate?”

  Break’s words washed over him like ice water. Of course he knew this, but honestly, when it came to Falyn his emotion out ruled his logic.

  “Yes, but I can’t let anything happen to her even if I have lost her trust. It will be worth it to keep her alive!”

  Alex didn’t understand why everyone thought he should just let her go carry out her foolish plans and die at the hands of either her father or the Dark Druids.

  “She’s an Immortal, Alex. Death is not something easy to come by.” Break took his hands into her own small ones. “I know you only want what is best for Falyn, but you have to let her walk her own path, fulfil her own destiny. You cannot do it for her.”

  “She won’t talk to me anymore but at least she agreed to stay at the Lycan Court... I’m not sure she will ever forgive me.”

  Break gave his hands another squeeze before letting them go. She then turned to Lark, who was still staring at her like a lovesick fool.

  “Hello,” Break said.

  Lark just stood there smiling. Alex wasn’t sure if he’d heard Break; he seemed to be dazed by the sight of her.

  “Lark, stop being an ass!” Alex barked.

  “I’m sorry… Hello,” Lark finally got around to saying.

  “Let’s go inside and finish this chat,” smiled Break, leading the way.

  Once inside Break led them over to her dining room table and they all took a seat. Break was always ready for company. It was one of her many gifts – she could always tell when she would have drop byes. Three cups of hot tea sat on the table and a loaf of honey bread.

  “Alex, I’ve been hearing horrid gossip about the Immortal world and its doings. What did you find over there?”

  “The Guard is gone, Break, the rumors are true. The only Gargoyles left are the ones held in stone at the Gateway, and little use they are to anyone.”

  Break nodded. Her eyes kept going to Lark as if she was trying to see what role he played in all this. Break was never one to lose her smile, even in the worst of times, but staring at Lark she was close to a frown.

  “Lark, I can’t seem to get a read on you. What is your bloodline?”

  Lark looked up at her with his violet eyes and ever so slowly moved his dark hair back from his face till he showed his ears.

  “Ah, I see. Of course, an elf. A master at emotion.” Break was back to smiling now after solving the mystery that was Lark.

  “Yes, his powers are amazing, but can we get back to the issues at hand, like Falyn?” Alex snapped.

  “Touché,” Lark whispered, taking a sip of his tea.

  Alex chose to ignore the remark. Fighting with Lark was not going to help him in his dealings with Falyn.

  “What I came here for was to see if you knew anything about the Druids of Light,” Alex told her.

  “I know as much as you do about the Druids. I’m sorry, Alex.” Break knew he was hoping she held the key to what he sought.

  “Then we’re back to square one,” Alex sighed as he fought with overwhelming feelings of failure.

  Then his cell phone started to ring. Picking it up he looked down and saw it was West. He’d said he would call if he had any info on Falyn.

  “Hello?” Alex said.

  “She’s here, Alex… Falyn! I found her in the driveway. She won’t wake up.” West’s voice was close to panic.

  “I’m on my way.” Alex hung up the phone, his heart dropping to his stomach as fear overran his mind. He needed to get to Falyn: that was his only thought.

  Three hours later Alex stared down at Falyn. Her face was pale, her hands stained with blood. He had looked her over a dozen times but found no wounds on her body. The blood was clearly someone else’s and West wasn’t able to get hold of his informant. The Lycan Court was on lock-down.

  “Any change?” Lark asked from the doorway.

  “No, she’s still sleeping,” Alex answered.

  “She will wake, Alex, I can feel it,” Lark assured him.

  But despite Lark’s words, Alex still could not help but feel dread as Falyn stayed shut in darkness. Alex had flipped through the books that where sent through before her arrival. However, his mind was not on anything other than Falyn, so he quickly gave up trying to read them.

  Lark, on the other hand, was up to the task so he took the books from his friend.

  “Anything in them?” Alex asked Lark after he’d been perusing them for a while.

  “I would say so. Seems Falyn found what she was looking for.”

  “Meaning what exactly?” Alex wanted to know.

  “Meaning she found info on the Druids of Light and how to work her power, and also got a very tasty history lesson on the Lycans and the vampires,” Lark told him with a wink.

  “So she has the tools now,” Alex murmured, as he squeezed her hand.

  “Yes, I believe she does,” Lark agreed.

  “Alex!” West called from downstairs.

  Alex got to this feet and went to the door.

  “Will you sit with her?” Alex asked Lark.

  “Of course.”

  West was in his living room, his face pinched tight.

  “What’s going on?” Alex demanded.

  “Daniel finally got me a message. It seems the Court is in an uproar!” West told him breathlessly. “Falyn killed one of the Court Elders, Alex. She’s cursed now… she’s a Shadow wolf!”

  “She… what?!” Alex whispered.

  “You heard me. She’s a Shadow wolf… a cursed Lycan only able to change at night, and damned to be pack-less.”

  “Why would she do that?” Alex cried.

  “As a Shadow wolf the Court has no hold on her. She does not need to follow their rules. She can’t be tracked!” West told him with a slow smile.

  “So… it’s actually a brilliant move… except, if she can’t have a pack, how will she lead the Lycan race?” Alex asked.

  “A Shadow wolf is only packless because there is no Alpha Shadow wolf. The Court usually takes that power from them before cursing them. However, Falyn escaped with her Alpha powers intact. She can lead the Shadow wolves. If they all unite behind her, she’ll have a pack that will outnumber even the Lycan Court,” West told him, still grinning.

  “Well, damn! It looks like she’s done it. She’s solved her biggest issues with one out-of–the-box move.” Alex was once again mesmerized by the woman-child he had come to care for.

  “Yes, she really is rather smart. I don’t think you need to doubt her actions in the future,” West teased.

  “So it seems,” Alex nodded.

  Alex was still processing all this new information as he returned to sit by her side. If Falyn had found the key to her fate, then she would be able to go to war with both her father and the Court. While this was what he wanted for her, Alex was still worried: worried about what she would
say when she woke up.

  The mark on his shoulder had gone but he was holding out hope she would forgive him and still want him with her. Alex took her hand in his and closed his eyes, praying somehow Falyn would trust him again.

  Chapter Twenty-six: Heartbeats

  Falyn woke with a pain in her chest and her body as cold as ice. Sitting up she stared at the unfamiliar room. At first she was confused, but then she felt a hand holding her own. Turning her head she saw Alex asleep in a chair. And it came back to her in a rush: the Court, the choice she had made. She was free now, but Falyn could not shake the darkness filling her soul at the moment.

  It was not something she could put into words because it was like nothing she had ever felt before. Her heart was still beating, but instead of a warm feeling it was like ice stabbing at her chest, sending shivers racing through her veins. She was cursed. While the words sounded silly, the feeling of it was anything but amusing.

  Yet there had been reasons for this choice. She quickly called those to mind in order to calm her breathing. Pulling her hand free from Alex’s, she stared at it. It looked pale in the moonlight but it was still her hand.

  Sliding from the bed, she walked to the window. Pulling it open she jumped to the ground below, landing with a soft thud. The ground was moist with a kind of wetness that was never really dry or fully damp. She could smell the life running through the north-west forest she had come to know so well. But that was not what had pulled her from her sleep. No, it was the sound of her own kind howling through the trees.

  Falyn walked toward the creek bed below at the ridge, in the clearing, a person she knew well. Flint. His eyes were glowing a soft green.

  “Flint!” Falyn called to him.

  “Falyn, what’s happened?” Flint asked her as she neared him.

  “I was taken by the Court, but I’m free now.”

  “Is this why we feel like ice has been put in our blood? Why none of us could change in the day?” Flint asked, almost hopeful.