She listened quietly as he moved closer to her. She sent a calming spell out with what energy she had left, hoping it would help. This was it. If this didn’t work, then war would be all her people would know for eternity. Every ounce of her prayed to the Fates her plan would work, it had to.
Sinow strolled across the lawn toward the woods. He laughed at the amount of damage such a small woman’s body had caused. Trees were downed clear through the woods. Why hadn’t she stopped herself? He had hit her hard, but she still should have been standing before him by now.
“Violissa, come out and play, my love,” he said, his voice deep and menacing. “I can smell you, so I know you’re still here.”
It was the truth; he could smell that damned lilac scent that clung to her, but it was different now, mixed with another smell. He stopped and sniffed the air. What was that? It smelled like blood, but that couldn’t be, immortals didn’t bleed that much; they healed far too quickly. What game was she playing?
“Violissa?” he asked as he came closer. He felt his voice waver and shook his head again. He would not let that weak part of him come out. He had to push it back in, but it was fighting and struggling hard within him. He felt that weak side screaming to get out, screaming at him to leave so he could find out what had happened to her. Anger raged through him, but it didn’t have as much power behind it. Then he spotted her mangled body against the rock. Blood ran along the ground and pooled around her as the rain washed it from her skin. He took a deep inhale and tried once more to maintain his control, but the sight before him gave that caged part of him strength. No…he couldn’t…let it…. take… Sinow breathed in pain and doubled over as he took over his body once again. He was back; he almost smiled in relief, but then he remembered what had brought him back and ran toward her.
“Vi!” This couldn’t be happening; how could she sacrifice herself for him? He wasn’t worth it. Nothing was worth her doing this. “No,” he whispered as he got closer, seeing just how much damage he had done. He kneeled beside her and gathered her up in his arms. “I won’t let you give yourself to the Fates for me.” She was so weak and limp, he was terrified that he’d been too late. “Vi? Vi!”
Violissa heard the change in his tone, felt the change in the air around them. Inwardly, she smiled to herself; it had worked. She couldn’t lift her head from the pain but felt him kneel next to her. He pulled her into his arms and brushed the hair from her face. He whispered something, but she couldn’t make it out over the rain and her heavy wheezing.
“Vi? What have I done? Talk to me. Please heal yourself. I’m back, you brought me back.” He held her tight, and she groaned at the pain then opened her eyes and found she was looking right into those soft endless black eyes. Gone was the menacing look, the harsh, soulless blackness they had carried. She brought her good hand up to his face. “Sinow, you’re back.”
“Yes, thanks to you. Can you not heal yourself? What’s wrong? Why are you so damaged?” he asked worriedly.
She smiled at him. “Don’t worry. I was just waiting for you to return to me.” She closed her eyes and sent a healing wave through herself. The bleeding stopped, the arm mended, and the branch evaporated from her chest. She sat up, hearing the mud squish below her as she did.
“You did that purposely? Why?” he asked, a slight irritation to his voice.
“It was the only way to get to you, Sinow. I knew you couldn’t be reasoned with, not in the state you were in.” He helped her up, and as she brushed the leaves and mud from her hair; she laughed inwardly, knowing that she must look quite a mess. She looked up at the sky and stopped the rain. One last thunder clap echoed across the land and then all was silent.
“Sinow, I need you to end the war, my people are suffering.”
He cringed slightly. “You’ve found a way to end the impending union?”
“Yes, it will end as a means to end the war. I was too distracted with the fighting to think of it earlier.”
“I lost control, Vi. I’m so sorry. I tried to keep it contained, but the anger and the emotions took over. I warned you of the damage I would cause if you didn’t move swiftly.” She watched as he ran his hand through his hair. He looked defeated and tired. The weariness of his internal battles reflected on his face.
She knew he was being sincere. “Just make it stop, Sinow. Redeem yourself and end it now.”
He closed his eyes, silently calling his Council home, pulling his troops back. She felt the sudden calm from her realm. It was finally over.
Forty-Three
Tynan closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. No, no, this couldn’t be good. There was only one reason his idiot brother would call off the war. Something had happened with that dopey Light Queen of his. Sinow was much more likeable when he acted like a true Dark King instead of the whipped puppy of the Light Queen. He spat as he thought of her. He hadn’t been expecting this, had thought everything was in place. Things had changed so quickly, and he needed time to think, but he knew he didn’t have it. Sinow and his Council had been destroying the Lightbearer Council and their damned people, slowly chipping away at their defenses and their energy. The way Sinow and Violissa had been going at each other had him thinking they’d just rip each other apart, and he wouldn’t even have to get involved. He’d known Sinow would finally give in to the madness within him, let the Dark powers overtake him and with that would come Tynan’s welcome back to the realm. It had come quicker than he’d expected and since then he’d been bending Sinow’s ear, stirring up that Darkness to his advantage. Tynan played on Sinow’s lack of control with every chance he was given. After all this time, Sinow still had no idea what Tynan’s true powers were capable of, and Tynan had been planning to leave it that way.
He’d been so close to breaking the secret of the book. He was almost there and had thought that by the time he discovered how to use its power, both Sinow and Violissa, if they hadn’t already destroyed each other, would be so weakened that he could just step in and finish them off. He’d found just a spell that would fit his plans perfectly. It was truly unique, a spell to kill an immortal. Never before had there been such a spell, no one had even thought such a thing existed, and now Tynan had it in his hands. He had been planning to wait to use it, had wanted to sit back and enjoy watching Sinow fall apart as his only weakness destroyed him.
It was all too easy. He hadn’t been expecting today’s news that the bitch had turned Sinow so easily back to a doting idiot again, but he had prepared himself for just such a thing. He had a backup plan that he’d now have to use. He’d found the death spell when he’d first started studying the book but was having too much fun playing to invoke it. It seemed perfect for Violissa, but he hadn’t known when or how to use it. This change in tides presented him with just the perfect time. This would be the end of his tiresome brother and his whore. When the mess was over, Tynan would step in and take the throne. Yes, it was time for the final act to begin, and Tynan was prepared to be the only one standing in the end.
Forty-Four
“It is done,” Sinow told Violissa.
“Thank you. I will make the announcement when I return. Please give me some time to take care of my people. There are still many wounded, and we need to repair their towns and their land.”
Sinow winced as she spoke. “How long?” he asked, concern crossing his eyes. “Vi, I need you. You’re the only one who calms the beast within me. Without you here, I fear I’ll lose control again.”
“It won’t be long, I can’t just leave them, and they need me, too.” She ran her hand along his and fought to keep from falling in his arms. She wanted him so badly in that moment that it hurt, even after all he’d done she couldn’t stay angry at him. He was himself again, and that part of him she could never turn her back on, no matter what past was behind them. The Fates could be cruel at times. “Embrace your powers, Sinow. You struggle against them, always trying to subdue the
m, don’t. They are meant to be a part of you. Accept them and be as one rather than divided as you are. Trust me, Sinow.”
She stepped back from him. “Do you trust me, Sinow?”
He looked at her questioningly. Then replied, “Yes, I do. I’d trust you with my life, Vi.”
“Then trust me now, Sinow. I need you to do something that is going to go against your instinct. I want you to let your powers go, let the Darkness within you lose, but this time willingly.”
“What? Are you crazy? I barely managed to gain control again. It took your pain to make that happen, and I won’t risk you going through any of that again.”
“Sinow, you need to trust me. You won’t be losing control, you’ll be willingly handing it over. There’s a difference and that difference will complete your ascension. Don’t you see? You never fully handed yourself over to the powers you gained when you ascended. You fought against them, buried them and feared what they would do to you. Feared they would turn you into your grandfather.” She saw the irritation pass over his face, but knew she spoke the truth. “I’m going to move closer to you again, but this time I’m going to do so with my powers active. As I do, you’ll need to let the magic within you free.”
“Violissa, that’s a big mistake. You know what will happen…” He ran his hand through his hair as he backed further away from her.
“I know what will happen, but do you? Trust me, Sinow.” She moved a step closer to him, releasing just a bit of power as she did. He started to back away. “Sinow, look at me, don’t stop looking into my eyes. Please trust me. This is the only way we’ll ever get to a union. You have to be at one with the Darkness for that to happen.” She took another step and watched as his eyes started to darken. She saw the strain of the muscles in his arms, the tight grip of his hands. “Relax, Sinow, don’t fight it, simply let the power wash through you.”
She took another step and in the back of her mind, she wondered if he was right. Maybe she had gone crazy. This could go horribly wrong, and she could lose him forever to the Darkness she was asking him to set free once again. They would be at war again, and this time she would have no way to bring him back. Violissa took a deep breath, eyes still locked on his, and dared another step forward.
Sinow breathed small shallow breaths sharply into his lungs. He couldn’t believe she was asking this of him. What was she thinking? Had she lost her mind? Maybe she’d hit her head too hard when he’d attacked her, and it hadn’t fully healed yet. He watched in horror as she took another step toward him. “Relax” he heard her say as if it were that easy. The madness within him was rearing its ugly head, trying to free itself again. He’d just managed to take control, had finally been able to be himself, and now here she was asking him to go through it all again. He shook his head and briefly closed his eyes.
“Sinow, keep looking at me and please trust me,” he heard her say softly.
He opened them again and met her eyes staring straight back at him, so intense they sparkled a deep green hue. He sighed and tried to relax the grip of his hands. “By the Fates, Violissa. If you’re so keen on seeing me spiral back into my former self, then by all means, I’ll cooperate.” He took a deep breath and tried to relax.
“I have no intention of ever meeting that man again, Sinow. It’s you I want, so be sure to listen closely to me,” she replied slyly, with a half-crooked smile. He would have laughed, but the force of power within him ran through his core. He tightened his breathing and started to strain his muscles when he heard her say, “Relax, Sinow. Remember, it’s you inviting the power in. Let it run free through you. Let it fill your veins, your limbs, and your mind. Let it become one with you.” Her voice was sensual as if the very experience of that power were something sexual. He felt his pulse race at the thought of the two of them together. Then he did just what she said. In his mind, he welcomed the rush of power, the burning fire ran through him just as she had said it would. He felt it deep within him, running through his veins, coursing along the blood within them. It ran through his organs, through his limbs, down to his fingertips; coursed its way up through his heart, causing it to race even more, and finally wove its way through his head. The sensation was ecstasy, like a hand painfully caressing every inch of him from the inside out. He felt the blackness of his eyes and saw the dark haze build around him, stronger than it had ever been. All the while, Violissa kept walking closer to him, never wavering, never fearing what she was witnessing, and never once looking away from the eyes he knew would terrify even the strongest willed person. He took a final deep breath and realized she was standing right in front of him. She brought her hand up and placed it on his chest.
“Better?” she asked, raising an eyebrow questioningly as she did. He closed his eyes and willingly brought the power back down. She’d been right. For the first time since his ascension, he felt at one with the Darkness that ran through him. He no longer feared it, but welcomed it as if it had just returned home. He no longer needed to control it, for it was part of him now. He shook his head and rolled his neck, letting the power course through him. When he opened his eyes again, he knew they were no longer the menacing black that struck such fear in his people but a lighter shade closer to the darkest brown imaginable. This would be the color of his eyes whenever his powers were dormant from this time on. There was a softness to them that spoke to the completeness within him.
“Better,” he said and noticed that for once there was no other voice inside his head fighting for dominance. He smiled at her and swept a curl from her face, gently twisting it around his finger. Their eyes were still locked, and he felt completely lost in hers. For the first time, everything felt right. Being near her felt like being home and not the constant struggle it had been for so long. He took her chin in his hand and moved closer to her. “Marry me, Violissa.”
He felt the catch of her breath, the speeding of her pulse as he drew her to him. He leaned down, moving his face through her hair first, breathing in the scent of her that always lingered on him after she’d been near. She brought her face to his and moved her hand to his cheek.
“Yes,” she said breathlessly. Their lips hovered near, barely brushing. He waited momentarily for the interruption that had always happened up until now, but this time none came. Time seemed to slow as he brought his lips to hers and finally kissed her. The blood rushed through him, time came to a halt and nothing existed but the two of them. It felt so right, like everything he’d been waiting for had finally come to pass. She tasted of pure sweetness, her soft lips opening partially, allowing him in. He ran his hand through her hair and pulled her in as tightly as he could. Her heartbeat met his, and they pounded in unison as the kiss lingered. He knew then that everything the Fates had written, everything he and Violissa had fought against for so long was truly right. He loved her with every ounce of his soul, a soul that finally felt complete. He was lost to her in that moment and he knew there was no going back. Then, as suddenly as it had begun it all went wrong. She quickly pushed him away, the look in her eyes nearly breaking his heart. It was one of surprise, pain, and hurt all wrapped in one.
“Vi, what’s wrong?” he asked, although he feared the answer.
She backed away from him, her hand over her heart. “What have you done? How, how could you? I thought…” She backed further from him, her hand moving over her mouth to stifle the anguish he saw clearly on her face.
“Violissa, what are you talking about?” He heard the anger starting to rise in his voice. Before he could get an answer, she was gone, she had shifted, leaving him in a state of confusion. What had happened to make such a moment go so awry? Then he felt it, the disturbance in the balance of power. It wasn’t huge, but it was enough. Whatever had happened had shifted the balance to him. He felt the Darkness rise around him just slightly, felt the rise within his own powers. What in the Fates was happening? Concerned, he followed the trace of her shift to see what had turned her mo
od so drastically, although deep down he didn’t know if he truly wanted to find out.
Forty-Five
When Sinow had finally kissed her, it was everything Violissa been waiting for and more. The heat rose within her, and she wanted nothing more than to remain there in his arms forever. It felt so right, as if there had never been another way. This was what she’d longed for, he was what she’d longed for, and now she finally felt fulfilled, like her soul was complete. She knew then that there was no turning back, she loved him with all her essence and would willingly give him everything. She ran her fingers through his hair and ran her other hand over his chest, feeling the solid strength of the muscles within it and the heartbeat below. She was lost in all that he was and all that she realized he meant to her when something tore at her core. At first, she was too lost to know what it was, but then the pain of loss ripped through her. She stopped kissing him and pushed him back. This couldn’t be happening, couldn’t be real, but she knew it was. She could no longer feel any of her Council, their power was gone, which meant that somehow it had been bound. But that didn’t make sense, only a king could bind powers and only those of his own Council. She backed away from Sinow and heard herself asking him the questions that had welled up inside of her with the realization of what it could only mean. She’d been deceived, but that couldn’t be because it had felt so real. Deep down she registered his confused look, but the pain of losing her Council’s power was too prominent. Then she felt it. Her power, someone was binding it, somewhere. She had to find the source and destroy it, then she would deal with Sinow. Her energy was being drained, but she felt for the source of her distress and shifted to confront it without even muttering a single goodbye to him.
Ascension (Unbound Prophecy Book 1) Page 33
