Hidden In Darkness (A Seven Realms Book Book 1)

by S. J. Stewart

  22

  MELAS

  Melas ran her hands over the wood of the table in the hallway outside Zura’s room. She paused, looking at the bedroom door, slightly ajar. It’d always just been the two of them against the world. Now, every day that passed someone else squeezed their way into their lives.

  Another person creating a little bit more space between them.

  Nothing would ever come between them, but that little bit of space sometimes made her feel breathless. It was far more space than there’d ever been.

  Pushing the door open, she let her eyes roam around the room Ridhor created for Zura. It was a beautiful room, in a beautiful house, set in a beautiful countryside. It felt weird to see Zura inside the room, a light smile on her face as she played with a fabric doll. Brushing its brown yarn hair back from its brown face.

  It hurt a little bit too.

  Nothing here was something she could give Zura.

  It wasn’t that she was jealous of Ridhor for being able to provide them with all this, more that it left her aching. A piece of her heart cracking, threatening to break away. Her heart had long since been whole, another fracture piece didn’t seem like much in the grand scheme of things.

  Letting out a long breath she wondered when the last time she could give Zura anything like this was.

  In the back of her mind, a scene played. They had a house with a huge yard surrounded by a white picket fence. The scenery around the house wasn’t as picturesque as here but there were lots of trees. The grass was green and in the tree of the front yard hung a tire from a rope.

  The two of them laughed together, running barefoot in the grass as Melas chased Zura, her cheeks flushed. She was hot and out of breath but wouldn’t dare admit she was tired. Wanting to drag out the moment for as long as they both could.

  Wrapping her arms around Zura’s waist, they twirled around together until they were dizzy. The world spun. Just the two of them existing inside that blur before they both came crashing down into the grass. Zura landed hard against her chest, not hard enough to be hurt. It would shake free another gaggle of giggles that would slowly fade as they lay together, hand in hand, looking up at the clouds drifting by in the sky.

  It wasn’t a memory, but she desperately wanted it to be.

  Probably a scene from a book or a movie she’d seen. Another useless thing committed to memory the magic hadn’t bothered to hide from her.

  Zura looked up, her gaze landing on Melas before a slow smile touched her lips. Her emerald eyes were alight. They always lit up when they saw one another, even if only a few moments had passed. “Hey, mama.”

  “Hi, baby girl. What are you getting up to in here?” She moved further into the room, dropping to the floor next to the little chair Zura sat in.

  She lifted the paper she was colouring. “Making a picture.”

  It was a drawing of Ridhor’s cottage. The sweeping green hills were perfectly captured with her green crayons, grey mountains in the background. A few crude renditions of the group were coloured in front of the house. Seven figures. Melas and Zura stood together. Ridhor was on the opposite side of Melas, his hair bright orange. Andrei and Orren beside Zura, while Cricket and Alette flew next to the house.

  She smiled. “Wow, what a beautiful picture.”

  “Did you see Nyx and Nox?” She asked, pointing to the two little girls she drew in the windows. The three of them had grown very close.

  Melas grinned. “It’s nice to see them inside the house for once.” She joked. The little girls often met them on their walks but never accepted their invitations to come in for lunch. Probably wise, she had yet to meet their parents.

  Zura laughed. “That’s what I thought. I thought maybe I would show them and they would come in.”

  “Good plan.” She pressed a kiss to her temple. It was nice for Zura to have friends, even if it meant Melas had to make space for them. Smiling, she looked over at her. “Are you happy here, baby?”

  She lifted her shoulders, her jewel-toned eyes piercing into Melas.

  “You can tell me, baby. I want you to be happy here, but if you aren’t, I would want to know that too.”

  Zura pushed a crayon into her cheek as she thought. “I like Nyx and Nox. I like that they’re my size.”

  Melas laughed. “Friends come in all shapes and sizes, but I know what you mean.”

  “It is a bit crowded here now. With Andrei, Orren, Cricket and Alette here.” She kept her voice light, letting the words tumbled right out of her head. “I liked it here with us and Ridhor. He’s very nice. He does a lot of nice things for us. Like a daddy.”

  Her heart squeezed. She asked Melas about daddies after the movie they watched the other day. Her father was just another thing hidden from Melas in the fog. She didn’t know if he’d ever been there or if he was just another thing forgotten.

  Would she have forgotten Zura if they hadn’t been together? Just another memory tucked away out of her reach? Or was Zura impossible for her to forget?

  She couldn’t imagine ever forgetting the beautiful little girl who sat with her. She was her everything.

  Ridhor had stepped into the paternal role in their little arrangement here. He spoiled them while trying to make them both feel safe. He was going out of his way to build a bond between them, doing little things like playing all the games Zura asked or convincing them to all watch movies together. It was a shame he couldn’t have children, it was clear he wanted them.

  He would be an amazing father.

  “They’re okay though. Andrei is silly.”

  Melas chuckled. “He is a bit silly, isn’t he?”

  It was the perfect word to describe him. It was hard to remember he was supposed to be this old, powerful Vampire. He seemed like a teenage kid, complaining about every minor inconvenience, constantly flirting, and doing whatever it took to get a laugh when tensions were high.

  “Did you see him eat the lemon earlier?” She giggled, crossing her eyes and scrunching her nose. “It was probably so sour.”

  Melas laughed. “Sure looked that way. His whole face scrunched up and he sucked his cheeks in. I think there might have even been tears.”

  Leaning off the chair, Zura slipped into Melas’ lap. “Yeah, he’s silly. Orren is very quiet but Alette is magic. She is always making me all sorts of flowers.” She smiled. “I wish I could make flowers.”

  “That would be very cool. I’d hope you’d give me flowers all the time if you could grow flowers out of thin air.”

  She pursed her lips. “Maybe.”

  “Maybe?” She gave a dramatic gasp, clutching a hand to her chest. “Is that any way to talk to your mother?” She dragged her fingers playfully across Zura’s ribs making her wriggle. She squirmed in her lap, trying to fight out of her grasp, overcome with laughter.

  “Okay.” She shot her legs out but Melas caught them in her hand. “Okay! I’ll make you all the flowers, mama. Any flower you want.”

  “You will?” She said the words against Zura’s cheek, pressing a kiss against her skin. “Are you sure?” She kept tickling her.

  A high squeal echoed through the room. “I swear!” She laughed.

  Melas paused her tickling. “Okay, okay. Now all I have to do is sit around and wait for you to get your flower powers. Any timeline on that? I’d like to start decorating my room.”

  “Hmm,” She made the sound dramatically. “Hopefully, in the next couple of days.”

  “That soon.” Melas grinned at her answer. “Well, maybe we can move out of Ridhor’s house and you can make us a house of flowers. That would be just lovely.”

  “Wouldn’t it?” She beamed.

  She loved seeing her this happy. “It really would be, baby.” Though she was done tickling her, she held onto her in her lap. She felt so warm and right in her arms. She missed little moments like these.

  Just the two of them.

  A quiet hum came from her throat as they rocked lightly on the floor.

 
A world with no children must be so depressing, maybe that was why everyone was always fighting. She could be in the worst mood ever, have flames shooting out of her ears, but if Zura climbed into her lap and nestled against her chest all of the pieces seemed to just slide right into place.

  She was her everything.

  “I want you to enjoy your time here,” Melas told her.

  Zura frowned. “What about being cautious, mama?”

  They lived the whole of their lives being cautious, now she wanted Zura to marvel at being carefree. “Let me worry about being cautious, Zura. You can just play. Colour pictures, watch movies, have Ridhor chase you around the yard, play with Nyx and Nox.” Do all the things kids were supposed to do.

  She deserved it.

  “Don’t you like enjoying yourself, letting your guard down a bit?”

  Another frown, her green eyes turning to meet hers as she twisted in Melas’ lap. “But if I let my guard down, how will I protect you?”

  “Zura baby, you don’t have to protect me. That’s not your job. It’s my job as your mom to protect you so you can do all the things you’ve been able to do here these past few months.” It pained her to admit she failed Zura. She could feel the fight or flight instinct in her practically burnt out from the life they lived, and Zura had been there with her.

  “I want to protect you too, mama. It’s not fair. What if something happens?”

  “Nothing will happen. I’m a mom. Do you know what that means?” She asked with a playful smile.

  Zura shook her head.

  Dropping her voice to a whisper, she leaned her head close. “It means I’m superhuman.” She whispered conspiratorially.

  Her frown melted away. “That’s true. You’re so strong, mama.”

  Not strong enough. This conversation was making her heart ache. She wanted Zura to have everything she ever wanted. Knowing she couldn’t do that right now without help was almost breaking her.

  She could swallow her pride so Zura could have as much of this life as she could before the walls came crumbling down around them. When they had to leave, and she knew deep down in her gut they would, it would be a hard pill for Zura to swallow.

  She was strong, but she was still a kid.

  Leaving would mean leaving her cool treehouse bedroom Ridhor put together for her, her two new friends, and Ridhor who felt like a dad to her. Her heart already hurt at the idea.

  Holding onto Zura, she kept singing to her until she felt her breathing even out. It was warm and so comfortable. Even when she was deeply asleep, she couldn’t bring herself to move out from under her. She wanted to hold onto her, enjoy being in her space for as long as possible.

  Getting up, she pulled out the trundle bed with her foot sinking onto it with Zura still clutched to her chest.

  The smell of Ridhor’s oils wafted in her nose as she buried her face in Zura’s hair and drifted off to sleep.

  23

  MELAS

  Having Orren, Alette, and Cricket staying in Ridhor’s house ignited the caution she used to wear like armour. Gone was the easy Melas who let herself fall into a comfortable routine with Ridhor in those first few months.

  Even Zura pulled back a little bit.

  They spent the majority of their time in her treehouse room, only venturing out to grab food. Often eating on their walks, not wanting to stay in the house. On their walks, they were sure to venture out far enough no one would seek them out.

  Often, Melas’ mind went to Thiriel.

  Whoever he was, he seemed an enemy to everyone. Alette was kidnapped and tortured by him, so her bad blood was the most obvious. Of course, Cricket, the little green fairy and mate, was practically foaming at the mouth whenever anyone mentioned him.

  The guys were less upfront about their grievances. None of them told her why they wanted their pound of flesh from Thiriel, not that Melas asked. She kept her distance from them the past few days, including Ridhor.

  Their hushed conversations told her they all agreed Thiriel being Zura’s father was the most likely reason he was searching for them. With that agreed, she knew they were trying to come up with a plan. Knowing that was enough for her to want to pack their bags and run for the hills.

  They all wanted their revenge, she didn’t trust them not to use Zura to get it.

  In her mind, she reversed their positions. As accomodating as they’d been, they didn’t owe them anything. Melas and Zura entered their lives like a whirlwind, knocking them off-kilter and disrupting their routine. The smartest thing to do was use Zura as bait so they could do away with Thiriel once and for all.

  She wasn’t sure if the thought crossed their minds. It would have crossed hers.

  They could be arrogant enough to believe they could keep Zura safe. She couldn’t fully trust that plan wasn’t on the table.

  Hand in hand, they walked over the hills making their way back. The sun would be going down soon. They picked up dinner in town so they wouldn’t be forced into dinner with the group. They liked to try to get Alette to talk to them. She was the friendliest face, and they knew how her magic drew Zura out.

  Sneaky bastards.

  Just knowing they were using a weakness against Zura had Melas grinding her teeth. Just who the fuck did these people think they were?

  “Hey!” A little girl bound over the hill. She was wearing a white ankle-length dress, neat and tidy. Long black hair hung down her back to her waist was pulled back at the temples, her bangs a tad too long, curtaining her eyes. She waved at Zura. “Zura!” She called out, closing the distance between them.

  They ran into this little girl a few times over the past few weeks. She would sit and chat with Zura, while Melas sat a reasonable distance away. She wanted Zura to have relationships with other kids. It was normal, and normal was a nice change.

  Zura smiled back, her hand wrapping around Nyx’s as they plopped down to the grass together, chattering away. She kept her eye on them, sitting in the grass several metres away.

  Melas picked blades of grass, ripping them to pieces in her hands as she let her mind wander. As empty as her mind seemed, it also felt incredibly full. All the dark corners and shadows filled with worry. Treacherous thoughts of what could happen ripping shreds of sanity from her mind.

  She sighed, hoping to expel some of the weight on her soul with her breath.

  Time slowed.

  Her legs connected. His weight fell hard to the ground as he landed on his back. He was quick, rolling to his knees. Dropping to her back, she threw her legs up, wrapping them around his chest. She grabbed onto his arm, pulling his weight over her’s and flipping him onto his back. She straddled him, her hand grabbing the blade at her waist, pressing it to his throat. His arm shot out, knocking the blade away. His hands hit her hard in the chest sending her back.

  They both scurried to their feet.

  A slow grin touched Orren’s lips, still in a fighting stance. “Damn, you’re quick. How did you know I was here.”

  “You smell like chamomile and sandalwood. It’s kind of funny when you think about it, an Incubus that smells like sleep.”

  He frowned. “I would much rather smell like sex.”

  She quirked a brow. “Sweat and bad decisions?”

  He laughed. “Something like that.”

  She dove at him, her fist connecting hard with his stomach. She kicked her foot, angling it at the side of his knee. When he buckled she flung her palm out to the base of his throat.

  Orren stumbled, struggling to get his footing. She could easily use her blade, as she had with Ridhor and Andrei but something in the unsaid challenge he always issued made her want to do this with her bare hands.

  His hand whipped out to grab her wrist. She swatted it away, her fist hitting him hard in his cheek once, then twice, before she kicked his legs out from under him again. Grabbing his wrist with both hands, she swung one leg across his neck. The other moved across his chest, pushing her legs away, she stretched his arm out and threw h
er weight back, arching her back as she pulled his arm.

  Orren winced, her grip tight.

  “Fuck.” He hissed.

  She wanted him to submit, wanted him to lose the arrogance he surrounded himself in. If he wouldn’t, she would break his arm. She was tired of letting him act like he was the one calling the shots. Especially since lately, she knew whatever he was planning involved her daughter.

  He winced but didn’t tap out.

  Arching her back further, she heard the pop as his elbow snapped out of place.

  “Sweet Lilith!”

  “Are you a little rusty, Incubus?” She held on for another moment before letting him go, getting to her feet. She didn’t turn to help him up. Ignoring him she walked towards Zura and her friend. “Hey baby, we’re going to head back now. Say goodbye to your friend.”

  “It’s Orren.” He was tiring of her referring to them as Incubus, Vampire and Pixie. It seemed the only one she referred to by name was Ridhor. Orren tilted his head, looking at them before getting to his feet. His eyes moved between Zura and her friend. “You can see her?”

  Melas frowned. “What?”

  “The little girl, you both can see her?”

  Confused she looked Nyx over. “Yeah. What do you mean? Of course, we can see her.”

  Cradling his arm to his side, he shook his head. “You shouldn’t be able to. Both of you are magic, you have to be. That’s not a little girl, that’s a Nightmare and no human should be able to see her.”

  The little girl threw her arms around Zura’s neck, embracing her before turning and disappearing over the hill.

  “A what?”

  Orren shook his head. “I’ve never seen one outside of the dreamscape.” His brow dipped in thought. “You shouldn’t be able to see her, she shouldn’t be here.”

  Ignoring him, she took Zura’s hand, walking past him.

  She left the Dark Realm hoping she could get some space from magic. She didn’t know how to navigate it. Magic seemed to follow them wherever they went. Even here, they were followed by Pixies and Nightmares.