The Dark Fey Chronicles Court of Roses

6

His smell was all around me. It filled me and made my head swim. I was drowning in him. And I felt warm. And secure. I hadn't felt that way in a very long time. If I was dreaming I wanted it to stay that way. I didn't want to wake up. I was happy in my warm little bubble, filled to the brim with Erik's scent.
Only when I tried to breath, it hurt. It was excruciating and I wanted to cry every time I tried to move. The pain came and went as did Erik's scent. I groaned and forced my eyes open. I was in my room, and it was dark outside. My mouth was dry and I was covered in sweat. Heaving myself up into a sitting position, I looked around the room. I was hooked up to a blood bag and then I remembered. I had been stabbed by a Hunter. That had been waiting here. In my room. I looked around, suddenly feeling like it was too dark in my room.
I swung my legs out over the bed and stood up. I wobbled over to the wall and flipped the lights on. I sighed when my room lit up and everything was as I left it. My bedding had been changed and there no longer was any blood on the floor. My dress was missing as well and I was now dressed in a silk shirt and shorts set. I inched back to my bed and sat on the edge, slowly lifting my shirt up to look at the wound. It was still healing. Perhaps my body was worse off than I had realized. I felt an overwhelming feeling of dizziness wash over me.
There was a soft knock at my door as I leaned on the bedpost for support. The room was spinning. My ears were ringing. And the floor was getting closer.
"I would get back to bed if I were you," came a deep voice from the corner of the room. I spun around, a deep growl erupted from my chest. As my eyes adjusted to the darkness around me, a shape in the corner of the room moved.
"Who are you?" I demandedThe figure move and flipped on the lights. It was the tall, dark haired man I had seen Erik talking to at the feast. He was dressed in leather fighting gear and there was a gleaming dagger strapped to his hip and he stood there against the far wall of my room, his hands behind his back.
"My name is Regor," he told me. "Beta and second in command to the King!"
I looked around the room a little. "Why are you here?" I asked him.
Regor narrowed his eyes. "The king asked me to stand guard here, until you woke," he answered me. "He is on his way here now."
I looked down at the crumpled dress from the night before and sighed. "Where is Liv?"
Regor shrugged. "She has been on patrol this morning since before breakfast," he told me. An odd silence settles between us. Before long I could hear footsteps coming closer, and I panicked. I jumped up from my bed and ran to the bathroom, suddenly feeling self conscious. I'm sure I looked horrible. When I saw myself in the mirror I was horrified. My hair was tangled, my makeup was smeared and I looked pale.
With a sigh, I grabbed up a washcloth and started scrubbing at my face, my ears straining as the footsteps stopped at my bedroom door. Had I done something? Had I given up a secret? I chewed on the inside of my lip and turned the forest on, creating noise, the illusion that I was busy getting cleaned up. I tip-toes back to the door and listened. There was a soft knock at the door and Regor moved to answer it.
"Where is she?" I heard Erik ask.
"When she woke, she went straight to the bathroom," he answered and then I heard the door close again. Heavy footsteps retreated down the hallway.
"Lexi?" Erik's voice was low and muffled behind the door. "Won't you come out?"
I looked in the mirror and then tugged a brush through my dry hair. After a moment I had my hair somewhat presentable so I just threw it up in a bun. Smoothing down the front of my dress, I pulled the bathroom door open and looked up at Erik who was leaning against the doorframe with one arm. When he saw me, he straightened and offered me a smile. "Good morning," he said.
I bowed my head at him and I heard him sigh in annoyance. "Good morning, Erik," I told him. He smiled again and stepped back to let me pass.
"Are you feeling better?" he asked me.
I walked over to the edge of the bed and sat down. "Much better, thank you," I told him. Erik walked around the room, his arms folded firmly behind his back.
"I came to apologize," he said and stopped at the window. "I told you that you would be safe here, that I would protect you and then you were attacked-"
I sank my head. "It's not you," I reminded him. Erik sighed and walked slowly back around the room. "Aros sent those men here. He knows where you are!"
I felt my heart sink. If he knew I was here, he would find a way to get me. I stood up slowly. "I can't stay here," I said, my voice barely a whisper. Erik cocked his head to the side, his face curious.
"I'm sorry?" he said.
I shook my head. "I said 'I can't stay here!"
I watched his hard face falter a bit. "This is the safest place for you!"
I nodded. "That may be," I agreed. "However, I can not stay here and out people at risk-"
Erik walked up to me now and made me face him, his hands sliding up the sides of my neck. "Lexi," his name rolled off his tongue as easily as any other name. As if he was used to saying it. "I am trying to be respectful because of what you have endured at the hands of Aros," he admitted and I felt my heart throb. So he knew? He knew I was touched. Dirty. Not fit to be his Mate. He knew? And yet still, here he was. Perhaps he had not realized. Perhaps he had not been told of the extent of my stay at the Pound.
"I am trying," he whispered to me. He was towering over me now, his hands resting on my neck and cheek. "I am trying to give you space. I know we don't know each other well, but I'd like to change that!"
I watched his eyes swim in darkness. It was like an abyss, one he controlled, one only he knew how to escape from. "But it's very hard!"
I swallowed remembering how I had been seeing him nonstop before arriving here. I had only been here two days. "I'm sorry," I said quickly. My heart sank even further. Perhaps I had angered him again.
Erik laughed and his fingers found my chin again and made me look at him. "Why?"
I blinked, not sure what he was asking. "Why are you sorry?"
I felt myself blush and I leaned away from his touch. What was I supposed to say? "Lexi, I know it may be hard for you, but at some point you are going have to trust me-"
I shook my head. So did this mean he accepted me as I was? Who I was? Did he already know? I sighed.
"Erik, there are things you don't know about me- things that would make you hate me-"
Erik leaned away now. "If you mean about Aros being your father-"
I shook my head quickly. "No," I assured him. "It's not that!" Erik sighed and leaned away, turning back to the window.
"What do you remember from the night at the Mountain?" he asked me, changing the subject. But I wished he had picked any other topic. Just not this one. Pain ripped through my chest and I looked down at my hands, folded in my lap. "I remember everything," I admitted.
Erik sighed. He did not turn to face me. He just stood there, staring out the window. "I wish I could have been there to help you," he told me in a low voice. I could hear the pain. I sighed.
"There is nothing you could have done," I reminded him. "Had you been there, you would be dead!"
Erik turned back to face me now. "You survived!" he reminded me.
I nodded. "I may have survived but I will never be the same girl I was before Aros betrayed his family. "
Erik nodded. "Had we already met and mated, we may not be here right now," he agreed. "But we are here. And you are alive and safe!"
I looked down at my folded hands in my lap, my skinny legs hanging off the side of the bed. "Lexi-"
The words slipped from my lips before I could stop myself. "Erik, I'm half Drex," I told him. A deafening silence settled between us. Here it comes! I thought to myself. He was going to reject me. Why would Erik, a King, what a Mutt-Mate like me? It was rare for a Wolf and a Drex to Mate. But my father had found his Mate in a Drex, married and then had me. I had shifted when I was thirteen but never showed any signs of Magic. There are only a handful of Drex left in the world. And I was one of them.
I risked a glance up at Derek but his face was confused, his eyes unfocused, as if he was talking to someone other than me.
"Get dressed," he instructed me and turned away. Without another word, Erik turned and walked out of the room. Fear and dread washed through me.
Was he angry? Was he going to reject me? Was he going to throw me out? Well, it was nice while it lasted. With a sigh, I slid off the side of the bed carefully and walked to my dresser. I didn't have Liv here to help me get dressed and I was too chicken to call for a Maid. So I dressed myself in a long, floor length black lace dress. The sleeves were wide and the chest cut was deep, shoving off much of my chest. However, I was flat as a board. I didn't have much to show. I tossed my long black hair up into a high ponytail and slipped on some flats.
With one last glance in the mirror, I wrinkled my nose at the dark circles under my eyes and my pale skin. I needed some sun. Sooner rather than later. Once in the hall, I set off down the corridor at a slow pace. My heart was racing, throbbing in my chest. Perhaps it was good he hadn't Claimed or Marked me. Perhaps Liv had been wrong. Or perhaps, the revelation of my being had made his decision for him. In any case, Erik had no real reason to hold me here. As I walked, I could hear shouting and arguing coming from the dining hall. My eyebrow furrowed and I sped up a little. As I rounded the corner, I was suddenly knocked back and hit the cold stone floor. Pain lanced through my side and I pressed my lips together to keep myself from screaming.
The massive figure before me turned to face me. When I looked up, I watched Regor turn to face me. "Miss Lexi!" His voice came out surprised and concerned.
"Are you alright?" He reached a hand down to help me up. I nodded and took his hand, dusting off my dress.
"Yes, thank you," I said and peaked around his massive frame. Regor was much bigger than I had first realized. He was built and very tall. I wondered what kind of Dark Fey he was. However I knew it was rude to ask.
"You should be in bed resting," he reminded me. I shook my head and nodded toward the yelling in the room behind him.
"I'm fine," I told him. "What is going on?"
Regor sighed. "Jax may not make it and the scouts want to go hunt down the Hunters that did this to him!"
I looked down at my bandaged hand and sighed. "Perhaps I can help?" I asked him.
Regor turned back to face me again.
"Our best healers have done all they can for him. He won't survive another day. He is too far gone."
My heart sank. I should have followed the guards when they took Jax to medical. I stood in the doorway, looking around the room. Derek was seated on his wooden throne, his fist under his chin, his face calculating. I inched closer.
"And what about other healers?" he was asking. "Not to disrespect your abilities, Helbreder, but your treatment does not seem to be working!"
I looked down at the cut in my arm and sighed. I had told Erik what I was but now I was wondering if he knew I was a Helbreder. A Healer. I had told him I was part Drex, halfling. A crossbreed. Or, as some Dark Fey liked to call us, Mutts.
My father was a Wolf, my mother had been a Drex. So far, the only Drex power I had shown were defensive skills. It had been extremely hard to keep that secret in the Pound.
"You only have one Helbreder?" I asked Regor in a hushed voice.
He sighed. "We used to have six of them," he told me. "We lost five of them two years ago."
The wind left my lungs. Erik had lost four healers because of my father? I backed away and turned to face the way I had come, suddenly feeling like I couldn't breath. I felt sick. How many other people had Aros killed? And had he found me, would he have killed me too?
"You look pale," Regor noted.
I looked up when he walked around to look at me. "I'm fine," I assured him.
But I wasn't. I was far from fine. How was I supposed to walk into that room now and look the King in the eye? My father had killed his father. How could he be OK with that? Erik had said he wanted to Claim me.
"You don't look fine," Regor commented.
I sighed and turned to face him. "Do you know why the King wanted to see me?"
Regor raised an eyebrow. "He wanted to see you?" he asked me. He did not look pleased. He looked rather bothered that I was looking for Erik.
I opened my mouth but no words came out. "Well, if he wants you, here he comes!"
I turned back to look at Regor but Erik was already beside him. "Everything OK?" he asked me. I nodded.
"Lexi, if you are up for it, I would like to take a walk with you through the gardens?"
I felt my heat sink. "Sure," I said.
Erik was smart. He was going to reject me. Erik held out a hand, allowing me to go first.
Outside, the gardens were dying, the fall weather bringing in the cold. As we walked, a maid hurried over to me and handed me a black poncho. I thanked her and then pulled it in quickly.
"How is Jax?" I asked him as we walked.
There was plenty of space between us and I hated it. For some reason I wanted to close that gap and take his hand. But I clasped my hands together under the poncho. Erik sighed, his face grim.
"Without the proper treatment, he will die. Silver is toxic to us and the Dark Fey have yet to find a cure for it," he said.
I sighed. "I'm sorry," I told him.
Erik offered me a sheepish smile. "You have nothing to be sorry for, Lexi," he said. "We knew Hunters were nearby, we just couldn't find them. We hope that they will soon lose interest and leave!"
I felt my heart sink again. If Aros was still alive, like Erik had said, those Hunters would be going nowhere. "They won't," I assured him. Erik looked down at me, his hands behind his back.
"Why do you say that?" he asked me.
I sighed and shook my head. It was all tied together. All of it. The death of Erik's father, me going to the Pound, the Hunter waiting for me in my bedroom. Aros was a greedy man. He always had been. I didn't know much about my fathers affairs but I knew he was up to no good when he closed his office door back at home.
Sorrow washed through me as I thought of my home. I missed my old house. I missed my old room, my friends, my mother, my brother. Aros had taken that from me. But why? For what? What was the point when you already had everything? Then it dawned on me. I looked up at Erik who was now looking out over the darkening lawn.
"You figured it out, didn't you?" he asked me. When he turned to look at me, he smiled. "I knew you would!"
I felt my heart thump unevenly in my chest. "Aros wants to be King," I said.
Before Erik could answer Regor jogged up to us, his eyes bright, two guards with him."Erik, Hunters were spotted in the east woods!"
Erik sighed, his eyes locked on my face. "I'm on my way," he said after a moment of silence. Erik turned away and followed Regor back into the Manor. The two guards that stayed behind bowed before me.
"Miss Lexi, please come with us, back inside, where it is safe," the one to my left said. I nodded and followed them inside. Liv was standing by the door, waiting for us, tapping away on her phone. When I saw her, I jogged up the steps and gripped her hand, pulling her along.
"Where is Jax?" I demanded.
Liv shook her head and lowered her phone and looked at me, her face confused. "In the infirmary?" she said. "Why?"
I looped my arm through hers and we set off down the hallway. "Because I am going to heal him."
Liv dragged me to a stop but I tugged her onward. "There is little time for me to explain that I can help Jax. Please, take me to him."
Liv turned to face me, her eyes wide.
Jax was poisoned with Silver! There is no cure-"
"I know that," I said with a frustrated sigh. "But I can do it!"
Liv shook her head. "Have you done it before?" she demanded.
I took a deep breath. "No," I admitted. It was true I had never healed anyone other than myself. Liv stopped me again. "Then how?"
I sighed. "Liv, I'm not like the dark Fey!" I told her. I wasn't sure if I should tell her. She may have saved me, but that didn't mean I could trust her. If she ratted me out, we'll, that would be it for me. Erik would either kill me himself or banish me.
"I kind of figured that," Liv said to my astonishment. "Your mother was Drex. I know what you are. I have seen it!"
I stared at her. "Why didn't you tell me?"
Liv waved a hand. "I don't see anything wrong with it! Now, do you want to help Jax?"
I nodded and we set off down the hall together. "Liv?"
"Yes?"
I didn't look at her. I kept my eyes on the hall ahead of me. "You can't tell anyone else. Not a soul!"
She nodded, a curious look on her face. "Does Erik know?" she asked me.
I nodded. "I just told him! So I figured I should try and see if I can save Jax."
There was so much that could go wrong with this. So much. I could kill him if I didn't succeed, and I could kill him if I did. Or I could kill myself. Either way, I could die. Perhaps that would be best for everyone involved. Would Erik be angry? What would he have to be angry about? I would be dead and no longer his problem. I looked down at my bandaged hand. If I didn't die and I killed Jax, I could be executed for treason to the King.
When we reached the infirmary, Ajax was alone on his cot, his chest rapidly raising and falling. Sweat beaded his forehead and dark circles shadowed his eyes. His breathing was shallow and he looked like he was already dead. I shook my head. I wasn't sure if I could do this. What had I been thinking? I knew I had the gift but I was so underdeveloped that I should not even be considering this.
"Lexi?"
I looked up at Liv. "I'm scared," I admitted.
She smiled at me. "You would be a fool not to be!" she told me.
I sighed and nodded, walking over to Jax's bedside. His eyes were still closed, his breathing heavy. I had no idea what I was doing. I raised my hands and held them over Jax's body, closed my eyes and took a deep breath. My fingers hovered over his body,m trembling. I pictured him whole, healthy, cured. I pictured him breathing normally. I opened my eyes when I felt a warmness in my hands. A golden light was shining through the right hand only. My bandaged left hand throbbed, so I lowered it, my eyes fixed on the light that was shining from my fingers. Darkness fuzzed around the edges of my vision and I braced myself against the cot frame and groaned, trying to stay upright and focused.
The darkness started to cloud my vision. It was strong, aggressive, pressing against the inside of my skull. It was reaching in my mind, showing me things I didn't want to see. Death. Blood. More death. A sob escaped my lips and I sucked in a breath, pushing back at the darkness.
"Lexi-"
I shook my head quickly. "Quite!" I snapped.
The light flashed once in my fingers and I yelped in pain. I jerked my hand away when Jax suddenly gasped for breath, the color flooding back to his skin and he sat up straight, gasping for hair like he had been suffocating. Liv jumped forward and caught his arm as he reached for her and tumbled out of bed in shock. His gasps and shaking breaths filled the room.
"It's OK, Jax, it's OK!" Liv assured him as she held his hand in hers. I sighed in relief and leaned back against the wall behind me. I couldn't keep the darkness away anymore. It growled and rumbled around me and I closed my eyes, letting it take me. It was almost as if a darkness was surrounding me, swirling in blacks and grays. I didn't have any fight left in me. It was like I had given my life force to Jax. Perhaps that's what I did. I closed my eyes, a soft sigh escaped my lips and the darkness swallowed me whole. I had heard that dying was like falling asleep. It was true. Tiredness washed over me.
I found myself wishing I had been more honest with Erik. He had been nothing but kind to me since I arrived here. And I wished I had thanked Liv. She had freed me in more ways than one. Too bad I would not be able to say it all to them, to their faces.Another sob hitched in my chest and I watched as the darkness washed up and all went black.