The King of Darkness | ✔️

Chapter Twenty Three

"Stop," I declare and something in me breaks apart as I watch Easton choking on shadows. "Stop, right now," I want to throttle Darian but I know that I could never even come close to the amount of power he bestows.

Easton's hands shoot to his throat and he tries tearing away the invisible force choking him to death. "The filthy mortal deserves it. He's lucky I haven't already sent him away to be hung, drawn and quartered," Darian spits.

I seethe with anger as I watch the colour drain from Easton's face. "Let. Him. Go."

Silence thickens in the room, the only sound being Easton choking - a sound I am sure I will not forget any time soon or ever for that matter.

I am standing, pleading with my eyes for Darian to please just let him go. When I finally hear the sharp inhale sound from across the room, I have to use everything in me not to break. Easton only begins laughing, a cackle that doesn't even sound human.

My gaze snaps back to Easton as he slumps to the floor, gasping for breath. "What did you do?" I sigh, already knowing that Darian is up to something.

"Only a little something that will ensure our safe departure," and with that Darian holds out his hand. But, I simply cannot look away from Easton. "I'm completely woeful to admit that he will be fine," Darian insists, his hand still for me to take.

I step across the room, my heels clicking with every step and besides my better judgement, I take his hand in mine. I'd rather have Darian take me to another deserted island than stay here a moment longer.

Whatever happens, I will know at this very moment in time that I tried everything that I could to save him - to help him get out of here. But, everything wasn't enough.

"Promise me that he will not come in harm's way," the world fades away around us as the wind picks up. I have come to find that every time he does this it seems to faze me lesser and lesser.

I completely forget the words that have left my mouth when I realise where we are. The palace gardens stretch for miles in every direction. Rows and rows of different kinds of flowers and shrubs.

"I'm not one for making promises," I can't seem to tear my eyes away from the garden that lays before me. I have never seen something so beautiful in my life.

"You don't say," I mutter, too encompassed in my trance to even comprehend the words falling from my lips. "This is beyond beautiful," I whisper, not believing the sight before me.

"There's something I want to show you," when I feel his hand wrap around mine again, I notice that I never knew he had let go. I look down at our adjoined hands, scared that something in me may change soon.

"Only if you promise that Easton will be out of reach from your guard's fists," the words feel like poison on my tongue, words I would have never imagined myself saying.

"I promise," he huffs before tugging me along but I fear that he doesn't truly mean it.

The moonlight is bright in Darian's eyes as he pulls me between hedges and down rows of night tulips. Everything about it seemed perfect, despite the war raging around us.

"Where are you taking me?" I asked breathlessly as he leads me down another gravel path.

The sound of the gravel crunching beneath my feet brings me back to that night. I can't think straight as my hand slips out of Darian's and I have to stop - not being able to bear the sound of the gravel grinding.

"What's wrong?" Darian stops and turns to face me but I turn away, wiping profusely at my eyes. Of course, my mind wants to relive those memories in the moments that I can't shy away from them.