“Come, Arden,” Dusk said, placing a hand on his ward’s shoulder. “I’d like to speak with you upstairs.”
Arden wasn’t sure he wanted to speak with Dusk after the way their last conversation had gone, but the Queen unnerved him and so did Elan. He nodded, following the man up the winding staircase and past the array of curious stares.
Once they reached the end of a tiled hallway, Dusk opened the door to a bedroom that looked like it had never been used. There was a huge canopy bed covered in plush pillows and a window cloaked in heavy blue drapes made of fabric that shimmered in whatever light was coming in.
Dusk closed the door and turned to Arden, looking him over worriedly. “Are you alright?”
“I’m fine,” he said, frowning. Sure, the fact that Elan had practically handed him to the Queen on a platter was a bit uncomfortable, but nothing had happened that warranted the man’s concern. “I take it I’m not welcome.”
“It’s not that,” Dusk said quickly. He sighed, leaning against the door. It was a strangely casual gesture for one so graciously adorned. “It’s not safe for you to be here. Not without supervision.”
“Elan doesn’t count?”
“Until tonight, I thought he did.”
“What’s so dangerous about being here?” Arden asked. “Your mother seems intimidating, but not dangerous.”
“You don’t know her like I do,” he muttered. “But she’s not the one I’m concerned about.”
“What do you mean?”
“You’re a chimera, Arden. To say you’re a rarity would be an understatement,” said Dusk. “There are people who would do anything to get their hands on you and the unlimited power that flows through your veins. You’re a direct line to the Chrysalus core.”
“You said the energy has to be given willingly,” Arden reminded him.
Dusk hesitated for a long, uncomfortable moment that made Arden question everything he’d been told.
“That wasn’t the truth, was it?” he demanded.
“No,” Dusk said quietly, looking away as if he was ashamed to admit it. “Not all of it.”
“Then what is?” asked Arden. He didn’t know whether to feel betrayed or hurt. Neither one seemed like something he should feel. Not where Dusk was concerned.
“The Chrysalus energy will not willingly lend itself to one unworthy. That much is true,” Dusk answered. “But there are circumstances in which the unworthy may obtain it.”
“Circumstances like what?” Arden asked. He had to know, even if he wasn’t sure he wanted to.
Dusk seemed reluctant to meet his eyes, as if merely saying the words repulsed him. “All chimeras are an extension of the Chrysalus. It nourishes you with its life force, and in return, you allow it to exert its presence in the material world, returning more energy through that link in a symbiotic loop. As long as you are living, the Chrysalus will flow through you, but your will is the gate that keeps that energy within your vessel. It can only be unleashed in one of two ways, and the first is by you making the conscious decision to open that gate to share with another through the act of intimacy.”
“And the second?” Arden asked hoarsely.
Dusk frowned, a dark cloud coming over him. “The second is to break you. In a word, torment. The death of the spirit, keeping you alive in body alone. The Chrysalus will not abandon you until death, and if your will is broken, there will be nothing to stop it from flowing freely to another.”
Arden’s body went cold at the fae’s words. The gravity in them left no room to doubt that he was telling the truth. “Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“You already fear me,” Dusk said quietly. “I did not wish to give you more reason.”
The answer took him by surprise. He already had a hard time understanding why the fae bothered keeping him around, but he’d assumed Dusk was just trying to work on him, despite his claim not to have any interest in possessing a chimera for ulterior motives. Now that he knew Dusk didn’t even need his consent—that the fae was free to take what he wanted of Arden’s power at any time—his benevolence made less sense than ever.
If it was Eric, Arden knew he would have tried to break him from the moment he’d laid hands on him. There would have been no question, no hesitation, no attempt to do things the “hard way.” Eric saw power and he did whatever it took to make it his, no matter who got in the way.
“Why?” Arden finally asked. The confusion on Dusk’s face suggested he needed a bit more context.
“Why what?”
“Why do you care what happens to me?” he asked. “I’m the enemy. Why does it matter?”
Dusk frowned. “Arden… you aren’t the enemy, and even if you were, taking something so sacred without consent is the most vile act one can commit. I’d sooner die than perpetrate such a crime against my worst enemy.”
“You really mean that,” Arden muttered in disbelief.
Dusk gave him a sad, patient smile. “Come. As long as you’re here, the damage is done and you might as well enjoy the evening.”
“You’re letting me go down there alone?”
“No,” Dusk laughed. “But I am without a date this evening, so I thought you might do me the honor of accompanying me.”
“I heard Leopold isn’t allowed in the palace,” Arden said, following him out the door. “That must suck.”
There was that small, pained smile again. “It does suck,” he admitted. “But he understands. We both have our roles to play.”
As Arden followed the Prince downstairs, he couldn’t help but wonder… What was his role in all of it going to be?
Chapter 13
VOX
Arden had been gone for an hour already, and Vox was struggling to remind himself that he had no business following him to the castle. His personal feelings toward Elan aside, the vampire was an equal part of the Brotherhood and there was no valid reason to mistrust him. He’d gone through the same trials they all had and he’d proven his loyalty over the years.
Then again, there was nothing logical about the attachment Vox had formed to the chimera. Nothing remotely acceptable, either.
The fact was, Arden could never be his in the way he desired and even if he was willing to be, Vox knew he couldn’t meet the needs his nature imposed. Ghouls weren’t even supposed to crave intimacy. Like food and drink, it was a vice of the mortal. He was neither human nor vampire, trapped somewhere in the wasteland between.
He’d made his peace with it. He still cursed his maker with every breath he didn’t need to take, but he had found a way to give purpose to his existence. A way to justify its continuation, one day at a time.
Arden made him want more, and that was just about the worst thing that could happen. So why did it feel so good to be near him? To hold him and to touch him, even if it wasn’t the way he wished he could…
Here he was, putting holes in a hanging bag and telling himself it was for training. Not that his damn muscles could either grow or atrophy. Like the rest of him, they simply were what they’d been at the point he was turned.
“Training to knock out Apollo?” Leo asked, walking into the room.
“Your references are getting a little stale,” Vox shot back, throwing another punch at the bag. “You should get Dusk to take you out more.”
The elf chuckled. He’d always had more patience for Vox’s sarcasm than most did. Helped that he was a smartass himself. ”I heard Elan took Arden to the party.”
“And here you and me are waiting by the phone on a Saturday night.” Another hit, and this time the sand leaked from the bag in a thin trickle. Time for another one. “It’s a damn shame.”
“I’m sure it worries you, knowing his history with vampires. Namely vampires from Ark.”
Vox glanced up. Sometimes it was hard to tell if Leo was trying to piss him off or just naturally good at it. “If you have a problem with him going, I’m surprised you didn’t stop it.”
“That’s between Dusk and Elan to work out.
I’m no one’s babysitter.”
“And yet here you are, giving me the third degree.”
“I’m not trying to hound you,” Leo said, folding his arms. “But I couldn’t help but notice you’ve gotten close lately.”
“If you remember, your boyfriend assigned me to watch him. Close is a guarantee.”
“Maybe, but fooling around wasn’t.”
Vox froze with his fist halfway to the bag. So he did know. “If this is about your shampoo, you can put it on my tab.”
Leo snorted. “It’s not about that. I’m just worried about you, that’s all.”
“Stick to not being anyone’s babysitter. You suck at it.”
The elf sighed. “I’m just not sure how much you know about chimeras. Or what that’s going to mean in the very near future.”
“Well, I know you’re not supposed to feed them after midnight... or is that gremlins?”
Leo gave him a knowing look. “I just don’t want you to expect something that can only lead to disappointment. Chimeras aren’t known for monogamy.”
“And you think I had an engagement ring picked out or something?”
“No, but I know you. You don’t do anything halfway, and he’s not someone who has all of himself to give just one person.”
“Right. Because all chimeras are what, supernatural consorts? And I’d know nothing about that.”
Leo’s gaze softened, infuriating him even more. “Your past is part of it. How much have you told Arden?”
“My past doesn’t matter. And even if it does, it’s mine to tell, not yours.”
“Of course it is. But if you intend to pursue any kind of relationship with him, he at least deserves to know the connection you and Eric share.”
“We share nothing,” Vox spat.
“You know that’s not true.”
Vox threw another punch and the bag came off its hinges. He spun around to face the elf, barely able to restrain his rage. “What do you want from me, Leo? A promise that I won’t touch your precious little pet?”
“You know that’s not what this is about,” he said, lowering his voice. “I care about Arden, but you’re the one I’m concerned for. I just don’t want you to get hurt when he finally realizes who and what he is.”
“Your concern is duly noted. Now, are you interested in training or are you just here to run your mouth?”
The elf smirked. “If you’re looking for a sparring partner, then sure. I’ll play.”
“You know I’d never pass up an opportunity to beat your ass,” Vox muttered.
In reality, it was more than an equal fight, but he couldn’t help being agitated. Leopold knew him better than anyone. He was, after all, the one who’d found him after Eric had grown tired of playing and condemned him to the reject pile.
Chapter 14
Arden
Once they reached the party, Arden fell back to the familiar role of arm candy as Dusk greeted his guests and listened to each of them talk as if he actually cared. He was better at it than Eric had ever been. Or maybe he actually did care. Arden wouldn’t have put it past him.
The fae gradually seemed to grow used to his presence, but Arden was still the object of both fearful and lustful glances. None of them looked at him like he was actually a person rather than a repository of energy. No one except Dusk.
As the evening began to wind down, Arden could tell his chaperone was growing weary. Dusk glanced down at him with a tired smile. “How would you feel about some fresh air?”
“Great,” Arden said, following him outside. The garden surrounding the palace was filled with flowers, some with blooms that reached well above their heads. One cluster of flowers in particular drew his attention. The massive bell-shaped petals drooped with some glimmering dew, their vivid red stems aglow in moonlight.
“What are those?” Arden asked, instinctively drawn to the sweet scent.
“Chrysalus blooms,” Dusk answered. “They grow wherever there was once a core sprout.”
“What’s that?”
“The core creates and sustains all life within Teros,” he explained. “The creation process begins when shards break off and fall to the ground, springing new lifeforms. These blooms indicate that this was once the landing site of a very powerful spore.”
“Is that why you built the castle here?”
“My father did,” Dusk said with a fond smile.
“The one the elves killed?” Arden asked hesitantly.
“Yes. He was a good man,” Dusk murmured thoughtfully, looking up at the sky. “Far from perfect, but he cared for this world. And the surface.” The glow behind the fog seemed to have darkened, casting a beautiful twilight over the realm. The crystal buildings glowed against the hazy backdrop of the sky, making the whole world seem magical.
Then again, it was.
“Is that why you’re the way you are?”
Dusk laughed at the question. “I suppose it is,” he said, taking a seat on the edge of a beautiful fountain that seemed to be made of diamond. Maybe the substance wasn’t as rare below the surface.
“You said shards fall from the core,” Arden said, looking up at the sky. “From where?”
“Up there,” Dusk answered, pointing up. “Behind the fog. The core generates a protective atmosphere around itself, which is the haze you see right now.
“It’s just hanging up there?”
Dusk seemed amused by his astonishment. “You’ve never heard the story, have you?”
“No one talks about the fae much,” Arden admitted.
“I suppose not. Would you like me to tell you?”
He nodded, surprised he actually wanted to know. So much about the fae was surrounded in mystery. He only knew what the elves who worked with the vampires said and even before he’d come to know Dusk, he had assumed their account of things was biased at best.
“Legend has it, the core was the first thing in the universe to exist,” Dusk began. “The singular particle that began it all. Energy in its purest form. One day, it grew bored of being alone and sought to expand. To push existence to its very limits.”
“Bored?” Arden echoed, arching an eyebrow.
Dusk gave him a knowing smile. “Not all consciousness lives and breathes. Some merely exists.”
Arden shrugged. “I’ll take your word for it.”
“As the core grew beyond itself, new worlds began to take shape,” Dusk continued. “Endless stars and galaxies, all spawned by unbridled imagination. The core began to wish to be part of its own creation, so it cocooned itself in crystal and stone until the surface world was formed around it. The new world both drew sustenance from the stars around it and protected the core from their radiation. It was a mutually beneficial arrangement, until the beings living on Teros began to realize that a wealth of untapped power lay just beneath the surface.”
“Humans?” asked Arden.
Dusk nodded. “Their ingenuity allowed them to craft tools that would drill into the surface, leaking radiation from the core that began to mutate the beings above. That’s how shifters and vampires came to be.”
“Seriously?”
“Or so the story goes,” Dusk said with a twinkle in his eye. “What they didn’t realize was that if they succeeded in piercing the core, they would destroy it along with all life on Teros. To protect itself and the world it had created, the core birthed two species to be its emissaries on the surface and gave them a home below. To both, it gave access to its lifeblood along with the sentience to understand the creatures above. The fae were gifted with special attunement to the natural world, while the elves were gifted with technological knowledge that would benefit the surface dwellers. And so, the first journeyers breached the surface to spread the knowledge and warnings the core had sent them with.”
“And then everything went to hell.”
Dusk chuckled. “I’m getting to that. Once they arrived on the surface, the world of humans, vampires and shifters was overwhelming to creatures accus
tomed to such a pure and simple life. The fae and the elves both realized they became weaker the further away from the core they ventured, and their message was not well received by all. A few wise humans were willing to listen, but the vampires scoffed at the idea of leaving a new world unconquered. Especially one that held the promise of such power.
“In the end, the elves were swayed by their way of life. The vampires taught them they could replace the power they had lost by drawing on the residual Chrysalus energy found within human blood, while the fae, for the most part, remained true to their mission. Once they realized it was destined to fail, they decided to cut their losses and run, taking with them many of the human prisoners they pitied. They eventually managed to convince most of the elves to return, but many remained, choosing the surface world over their own.”
“Is that why the core kicked them out?” asked Arden.
“It’s more complicated than that,” Dusk said sadly. “There was strife among those who returned. All were changed. Many of the elves wished to go back, and some had only returned because they’d made alliances with the vampires and promised to help smuggle them below the surface. The core’s most loyal servants uncovered their plan, but by then, it was too late to avert bloodshed. Countless lives were lost in the war, and our species would likely have purged each other to extinction if the core had not intervened and stripped the elves of their natural connection to it. With no choice, they retreated to the surface and the world has been in its current state ever since.”
That certainly wasn’t the version of history Arden had been taught, but he couldn’t deny that it made more sense out of the relations between their species than the vampires’ truth.
“So basically, everything is the vampires’ faults.”
“Reality is rarely that black and white. Certainly not in this case,” Dusk sighed. “There were mistakes made on all sides.”
“So why do chimeras exist?” asked Arden.
Dusk hesitated. “When the surface was pierced, those bits of Chrysalus energy had to go somewhere. The core couldn’t allow the seeds of creation to spread out into the universe, so it had to contain them in living vessels. Chimeras.”
Puppet/Master (The Vale Chronicles Book 1) Page 12
