The King of Darkness | ✔️

Chapter Thirty Seven

When the battle finally dims and comes to a close, I can't help but stare at the several corpses lying around the very few of us left. All of the witches are down but so are almost the majority of Darian's people.

I scan the area for Manin and my heart thunders against my chest in vicious beats. Where the hell is he? My eyes meet his and I physically sag in relief.

Darian is beside me so I know that he is okay - well he would inevitably be okay. His shadows are what keep him so safe. If only we all had such protection.

Manin strides towards us. "We must be getting back. News will be out soon and you both need to be as far away from here as possible. You are both uninjured?" Manin questions then eyes my head.

"I'm fine it should heal itself," I explain and Manin nods his head. Manin's eyes seem to snap everywhere like he can't will himself to look away from the sorry sight that surrounds us. But, I can't seem to blame him. His court, his friends are now mangled corpses.

"Let's get going," Darian says and rests his hand on the small of my back. I begin to walk away from the death site but immediately stop.

"Agnis... I didn't kill her. She's still lurking in the woods somewhere," I say and search the area for any signs of where she could have fled. I cannot believe that the one person I came here to watch the demise of managed to flee uninjured.

"You'll be fine. If she even manages to survive the night... she will have no power or strength to even make it safely to the palace," Darian says and I realise that I am just overthinking. Without, her coven she is nothing... nothing but frail.

We continue following Manin's lead as he keeps his sword drawn, ready to pounce on any attacker hiding in the shadows. This night really has been one for the books. I hadn't expected the amount of death to occur... I'm not sure I have even processed any of this yet.

The walk is silent - Darian's spell is still in full effect. I'm sure we're all just thinking and trying to sort through everything that happened.

I never thought in a million years that my marrying Darian would cause such a vast amount of blood-filled events to occur. So much blood had been spilt tonight and it is safe to say that I will not be partaking in anything like this again for a long time - if ever.

Palace lights can be seen shining through the gaps of the trees and I finally feel like I can breathe again. I was constantly on edge in the woods... waiting for Agnis to jump out at any second, despite Manin being there and ready for anything that may be thrown his way.

All I know is that I feel disgusting and that I am tired out of my mind. I have no clue how Darian has such stamina to do all of this with his old age and all. I know he isn't truly old but for how long he has been around... immortality must become a bore.

That has to be the biggest insult you have ever given me. I am not old thank you very much, he speaks into my mind as we come to the clearing in the woods that reveals the gravel road.

I can't help but laugh to myself. You are old and you know it, I retort and I notice him hold his hand over his heart in the corner of my eye.

You pain me, Nova. Who knew such a pretty mouth could say such insulting things, Darian acts as though it has physically pained him to hear such words. I roll my eyes at his comment but then place my guard back up... I hadn't realised it had ever gone down.

As soon as we enter the palace, I let relief wash over me and let myself relax completely. Yes, we took down the Fortuna coven but that doesn't mean that it's over. With our luck, someone else will be after us tomorrow.