A Court of Shadow and Melodies

Chapter 6

"I'm glad you are having fun on your tour. How many performances do you have left before your break?" Helion question after swallowing some of his meal.

"Honestly Thesan, you have to tell me where you found her and show me. What an amazing female." Eris said with his eyes slowly moving down my body. I squirmed from discomfort which made him grin. I turned my attention back to Helion.

"I only have four more performances before we are done for this season. We will be taking a break to come out with a whole new show for next year. We have two more shows in Summer Court, a show in Spring, and then we will have our last traditional one in Dawn." I glance around to those whose focus was on me.

"It is truly a shame that there are no more shows in Day, I would have loved to get some more VIP treatment in one of your shows." Helion said for all to hear. I laughed at the honesty and bluntness of his flirting tone.

"Down boy! Maybe next year we will have to organize a show at your castle." I smiled at him.

"If I could get everyone's attention!" Amarantha said while standing at the table. Servants came around and took the empty plates from the table. "I would like to make a toast."  Glasses of red wine were passed around the table. "To the High Lords of Prythian, may you rule over your courts with wisdom and prosperity. May your reigns be as great as your predecessors before you!" She said with a smile that held mischief and danger underneath. I lifted up the glass in my right hand and smiled over to Thesan. I put the cup up to my lips and started drinking it. (Loki Green Theme – Natalie Holt)

I only took a second before I new something was wrong. As I gulped, my throat began to close. I stood up pounding my fist into my chest like I was choking as breathing became difficult. Glancing around the table, everyone's eyes were filled with worry and distress. Not about what was happening to me, but what they each were experiencing. I backed down the steps dropping my glass on the floor, shaking my head at disbelief at what was happening, I could sense it. Anyone could. A shift of power that started so small, I almost didn't feel it, but it only grew. I watched as every high lord's power fed into her, including my own.

"This has all been too easy." She grinned lazily with evil behind her eyes. "I honestly thought it would have been more of a challenge to get you here and take your power for my own." I slowly backed away from the table into the crowd of people that were now focused on Amarantha. Tears started to flow down my cheeks. Doors on the opposite side of the room opened, and these horrid creatures came walking into the room.

I took that as my chance to run back to the dressing room. I barely made it there with my vision going fuzzy. She was taking everything; whatever strength or power from anyone who had the wine. I couldn't hold myself up any longer. The door slowly opened, until they realized it was me. Reuel carried me into the room and placed me on the couch.

"She took it. She TOOK it, all of it, it's gone! She took it!" I whispered with tears flowing from my eyes and I clung to Reuel. I couldn't help myself from repeating it.

"Who took what Ari! What happened?" Reuel begged. I looked up into what I hoped were his eyes.

"You all have to leave, please, leave while you still can. She took it, she took mine!" I tried pushing out even though it was hard to breathe. "Amarantha, she took the High Lords powers and controls them, she controls Prythian now. She took it. She took mine." I whispered to him.

"Deo, you take Aoife and Renna, and leave right now. Go back to the Dawn Court, hide with Ozias and Estelle." Deo started to object. He let go of me, "If you do not take my mate and sister out of here in the next ten seconds, we will all be trapped here do you understand me?" He grasped Deo's shoulders together. I tried to stop the tears, but I couldn't. I hadn't used my powers in over a hundred years, it shouldn't hurt this much.