Wake of Darkness [1]

Chapter Thirty-Three

♕ Daughter of Shadows ♕

Aubrette had returned to her room feeling exhausted and ready to go back to sleep and hopefully wake up with more motivation and bravery to leave the castle by herself. It'd be a long trip, longer than if she had been allowed to take a horse with her, not that she'd asked. Maybe she'd steal one just to make things easier.

She tried to do anything to keep her mind of Asher, a small part of her had expected him to come back, but maybe it was for the best that he hadn't. Maybe it was for the best if she did not see any of them again, even if it killed her not saying goodbye to Vereena or any of the Aureums.

She sat down on the edge of the bed holding her legs close to her chest, feeling as if the slight movement would make her disappear. It was probably a bad idea, she needed to rest, but she couldn't let herself exactly stay another second. She'd done all that she needed to do. They'd find the stardust, Izabella would be healed soon and now all that was left was to make sure Deirdre never saw the light of the moon again. She didn't need to be in Goldcrest for that.

A part of her wished she could go seat on the top of the roof and enjoy the view of the city form up there one more time. That maybe Asher would get over himself and let her take him there and tell him all the stories she'd heard about the moon in her childhood, she'd tell him how she got lost in the woods, how she had found the crooked tree, how it always seemed to be there when she needed someone. She would tell him about all those times she had felt like her life didn't belong to her, that her magic wasn't hers to use the moon had made her feel safe.

Aubrette stayed there in the silence of her room tracing her finer over every shadow she could distinguish and enjoying their company. Doing her best to avoid walking out of the palace forever. She would allow herself this, just a few more moments of peace, before she had to leave them all behind.

It wasn't until hours later when she saw the shadow standing in front of her door. Aubrette waited for the familiar knock, held her breath as she waited for him, for his voice to tell her that they would figure the rest in the morning. Aubrette reluctantly stepped of the bed too anxious to wait until he made up his mind and opened the door.

"Aubry" someone whispered, and Aubrette felt everything slow down.

"Mason?" She whispered back at the dark. It couldn't be... and yet he was the only person in the world that called her that.

"Could you at least sound excited to see me?" he laughed, and Aubrette had no doubt left that it was him standing in front of her.

"Mason!!" Aubrette felt a tear slip from her eye as Mason took a step forward. Aubrette laughed grabbing Mason's wrist and yanking him forward into the room, both of them falling to the floor. Aubrette laughed, wrapping her arms around Mason's neck, and bringing him as close as to her as she could.

"I'm so glad you're okay" He whispered in her ear before giving a kiss on her temple. Aubrette wanted to scream, cry, and laugh all at once as she felt the strong beating of his heart against hers.

"How did you find me?" Aubrette said trying to lower down her voice. Finally, she let go of him trying to see him better.

"I've been looking for you from the second you disappeared the night the king got to the castle" he said, grabbing her face with his hands. Almost like he couldn't believe she was real. "You don't know how hard it's been Aubrette." He whispered, hugging her again. "I thought maybe I'd lost you." Aubrette felt a knot on her throat forming.

"You could never loose me Mason" she said, realizing how true that was. He had always been a part of her, and he was here. That's all she could ask of him.

"I know" he said, letting go and getting both of them off the floor.

"How's Sybilla?" Aubrette asked, not really prepared to hear the answer.

"She's safe. She's still at the castle. I promised her I'd look for you first, tomorrow she'll be waiting for us and we'll run away." Aubrette felt her soul coming back into her body as she heard him. If Sybilla was safe, then maybe there was a chance that they could get her out of the castle. Get both of them far away where Deirdre wouldn't harm them. "You'll never have to see this people again Aubrette I promise you that." He said. Aubrette frowned.

"What?" Mason looked around the room, tracing his finger along the golden details on the edges of Aubrette's covers.

"This people took you away from us Aubrette."

"No, they didn't" Aubrette shook her head, trying to make him look at her. "They didn't know who I was until Deirdre came here and murdered Luna knows how many sun marked, Mason." Mason looked down. "What?" she asked, her voice slightly shaking.

"She didn't murder them Aubrette. She is working for the king now. Her and Nerezza." Mason tried to reach out for her but Aubrette took a step back. The king?

"What are you talking about?" Mason sighed.

"The king is the one doing this Aubrette" he said with anger. "Him and the little prince" Mason said the last word as if it was venom, and Aubrette felt her blood freeze.

"No..." she said, gasping as her voice cracked. "Asher didn't know... he couldn't have known" Aubrette tried to think, but there was no way Asher had known about this, he had locked Deirdre, he had locked the city down when she'd escaped... Had it all been so she wouldn't discover the truth? Was that why he hadn't wanted her to leave? So she wouldn't find out?

"So, you're defending him now?" he said a small laugh coming from his lips.

"No!" Aubrette said, then regretted the clear defensive tone her voice had shown. "Deirdre, she has magic now... dark magic that's not a coincidence." She said trying to explain herself. "She said she..." Aubrette felt the room spinning. "That my mom..."

Mason just stared at her. "The king helped her do it Aubrette." He said. "They all knew that was the reason why they invaded Blackstone" he said keeping his voice emotionless. "The king wants magic on his army. They are not killing them Aubrette. They are turning them."

Aubrette remembered the grey lady, the black inside his eyes, what had Deirdre said? So easy to manipulate.

Aubrette thought of her mother, she'd never trusted anyone, anyone but the two young girls that worshiped the ground she walked on. And they had delivered her to the king in a silver platter to feed on her magic. "Aubrette." Mason said grabbing her hand. "He was gonna make Asher do the same to you. That's how I found out you were here" Aubrette felt tears slowly fall from her eyes.

"No. You're wrong." She whispered. "Asher wouldn't do that he... he didn't know... he..." She trusted Asher, trusted him and Taj and Vereena even if they didn't trust her. They were good, they had shown her kindness even when she hadn't deserved it. They had given her a place to live when she didn't have anywhere to go and all of that was supposed to be a lie? Had he kissed her just to confuse her? Had that been a lie as well?

"I overheard the king talking when I was trying to get to you. Asher knows." Mason said, gripping her hand tighter just when Aubrette had been about to let go.

"There has to be something else Mason" she said, wiping the tears from her face. "You don't understand"

"When have I lied to you?" He whispered. "Look at me Aubrette." He said, placing a hand beneath her chin. "We have to go, now before they find out I'm here." Aubrette looked into his eyes, who looked so unfamiliar, and yet she couldn't find a single reason why she shouldn't believe him.

"Okay." She whispered. Mason gave her the tiniest of smiles.

"Take us outside the city edge. I have two horses waiting for us there." Aubrette nodded closing her eyes. Picturing the place where she'd first met Asher and wishing she could go back to that moment instead.