The King of Darkness | ✔️

Chapter Twenty

I stay on my knees until my home is nothing but a pile of rubble and ash. My tears have dried, brandishing my cheeks for evermore, and my heart has numbed. I have nothing to live for. Everyone I cared about is gone. None of this feels real.

I hear the sound of heavy feet padding along the gravel but I don't have the energy to turn to see who it is. As soon as I feel those soft feathers brush against my cheek, I know exactly who it is and my cold heart instantly sparks to life.

"Manora," I whisper, my voice scratchy. She sits beside me and nudges my head with hers. I wrap my arms around her and cry into the crook of her neck. Her feathers dampen slightly from my salty tears but I can't seem to let her go.

I've never savoured someone's embrace so much - I have never needed it so badly.

"Nova," his voice speaks but I can't find it in me to turn to face him, to find any sort of comfort in him. "Nova... I am so sorry," I hear his voice break but I don't feel the need to care anymore.

If he would have let me see my mother, at least I would have seen her one last time, gotten to spend just a few more moments with her - even if they were minuscule. But no, I was taken away the gift of seeing her and my home and now it's too late.

"It's too late for apologies," I deadpan, letting my heart and mind freeze over, all warmth ceasing to exist. But I find that I prefer it this way, things don't hurt me as much as they did before.

"Let me take you home," his voice flies through the night air, almost masking the sound of the remnants of the crackling fire but not quite enough for me to forget the sound. I hear his footsteps nearing but I make sure I am standing as far away from his reach as I can.

"My home is gone," my voice doesn't sound like my own. Darian's eyes drop to the floor, as though he doesn't know what to say anymore - I don't blame him.

"I'll make you a promise, Nova," he starts and my eyes meet his. I nod for him to continue. "One day, whether it's a few months from now or years even... I will rebuild your home. I won't be able to give you your family back but I can do my best in trying to help you find closure," he suggests and if I weren't so numb, I'm sure I would be jumping for joy.

I give him a simple nod before I begin to walk towards the rubble. This doesn't feel real at all. I continue walking until I'm in the midst of all the chaos. Something glints in the corner of my eye and my head snaps to the side.

But before I can decipher what it is, the glint dissipates.

"How did you know?" his voice slices through the silence. I will never forget the sound of the crackling fire or the feeling of smoke invading my lungs, my family's flesh burning-

I cut my own thoughts off by throwing up into the singed grass beside the debris. When I finally get the thought of my family dying amid the flames out of my head, I speak. "A note from Agnis. I was going to ignore it at first, I thought it was you. But, when I finally looked..." I trail off.

"Why didn't you tell me? I could have gotten you here safely... been here," I hear his voice nearing and I slowly turn to face him.

"I couldn't, Agnis she... she threatened..." I find that I can't even finish my sentence. "Besides, you being here has no benefit. Just leave, I don't want you here," I can't help the malice that laces my tone.

"Want and need are two different things," I find him closer than he was and I step back, not sure of his next move. Though, my step back only causes him to take two steps towards me.

"Stay away from me," I say through my teeth. "I'm not sure what you're trying to insinuate but I sure as hell do not need you. I was doing perfectly fine until you showed up and ruined my life because that's what you do. You ruin everything, you ruin everyone and you are so ignorant that you can't even admit it. It's just who you are," I spit.

"You are speaking out of anger. Do not forget who you are talking to," Darian's threatens, grabbing my wrist but I snatch my hand away.

"Here you go again - using your position because you can't handle the truth. You're only proving my point," I begin walking away, wanting to get as far away from him as possible. But he only clutches his hand around my wrist, yet again.

His eyes are darker than they ever have been before and I look at where his hand meets my wrist. "I'm sorry," he apologises but there's no sincerity in it as though he was apologising to thin air.

"What are you doing?" I ask breathlessly, as though my panic is forcing the air out of my lungs. Darian averts his gaze before he pulls me towards him and I already know what is about to go down.

"Manora, fly back to the palace," Darian says and she slowly nods her feathered head before taking flight.

My eyes meet Darian's and I can't help but let them widen at how he looks so content about this as if he isn't stealing me away from my home at a time where I need to be there most.

"No!" I push against his chest with as much strength as I can muster but not enough. I'm hitting and pushing his chest as the world goes black around us and the wind picks up. "I will make you regret this," I swear.

Before I know it we are back in my chambers at the palace and it feels as though my body has been drained of every ounce of energy it once retained. Back to the prison, forced to leave my home once again.

"I will get a maid to bring you dinner and find someone to be a source of company for you," Darian begins but I only walk towards the bed - needing more than anything to sleep. It feels like I am being dragged to the core of the Earth as I get into the bed, letting the warmth of the covers soothe my frozen veins.

"I will accept the food but I wish to be alone," I mutter and I hear him slam the door behind him. Good riddance. I wrap my arms around myself and wish that my dreams will take me to another place, far away.

My eyes snap open when a knock at the door sounds. I look over my shoulder to see a wondrously familiar face step through the threshold. "Serene," I whisper.

"I'm glad to be back," her smile is just as kind as I had recalled. Serene crosses the room, setting down the tray before I take her into my embrace. I've never needed someone so much.

"I'm glad," I say softly and hold her tighter.

"I'm so sorry for..." she trails off and I pull away from her embrace. Darian told her, how many more people has he told? How many people now know? "No, no... I'm the only one who knows, well the only one Sire has told," she confirms and I exhale deeply.

"I'm sure the news is already spreading like a wildfire," I huff and pinch the bridge of my nose and walk over to where the tray is placed. I find that I am hungrier than expected. Taking the tray into my hands, I sit on the small armchair and let Serene continue as I dig in.

"That's the problem, m'lady..." Serene trails off and I prepare myself for the worst. But, I quite clearly hadn't prepared myself enough as I took another bite of food.

"What is it?" I ask hesitantly, not sure if I truly want to know the answer.

"Your court... they're blaming... they're saying that Your Majesty instigated the attack," the pain in her voice is so visible that I am shocked she cares so much.

"Well, we didn't..." I say, not understanding what she is getting at.

"Don't you see? They already had reasons to be against us and rid us of our court to leave it for the taking, to gain Merthia as their own. Now, now they have even more reason to take us down. We are merely sitting ducks waiting for them to attack," when she finishes, she is so rattled that she has to regain her composure.

Well, when you put it like that...