The Dark Fey Chronicles Court of Roses

25

The sound of sirens and traffic woke me from a dead sleep. I sat up straight in my bed, looking around the unfamiliar room. It took me a moment to remember what had happened and I felt my heart sink.
Erik? Erik can you hear me? I waited for him to answer me, my heart pounding in my ears. I looked around, the room around me was pure white. The walls, the floor, the bed, the curtains. Everything.
I looked down at myself. My evening dress had been swapped for a pair of sweats and a Cotton shirt. Both white.
I shoved the sheets back and stood to my feet. My head throbbed as I staggered to the door. I tugged and pushed at the door.
"Hello?" I called as I banged my hand in the door. Was it stupid of me to call out? I didn't know where I was or how I had gotten here.
"Erik?" I called out and pounded on the door. I jumped back when the door buzzed loudly at me and started to open.
As I stepped back, I held up my hand, my first erupting into flames. The door swung open and on the other side stood Aros.
I growled at him and he held his hands up.
"No need for any of that, dear daughter," he assured me and folded his hands behind his back. I stared at him, somehow my mind was still trying to process. Part of me understood what was happening here.
Aros was indeed alive.
He stood tall, his dark heart still streaked with gray, the thick dreads coiled into a knot atop his head. His beard was thick and as dark as ever. I watched as his almond shaped eyes took me in, judging me. I narrowed my eyes on him. "Where is Erik?" I demanded.
I watched Aros' face turn sour at the mention of Erik's name. "You won't be seeing him again," he assured me. I felt my heart sink. But Erik was my Mate. "He is not good enough for you and never will be. Instead, you will be Mated to Lucian-"
I felt my jaw drop. "Are you out of your mind?" I demanded.
I watched Aros raise a hand. It really didn't make sense to me. He stood at least a few feet away from me. Certainly not close enough to reach my face. However, all the same, I felt an invisible hand slap me, hard, across the face. The flames in my hands went out as I gasped in surprise, not expecting to be struck so suddenly. I turned away, angry tears burning in my eyes as I held my cheek. Aros cleared his throat.
"Do not interrupt me when I am speaking," he said. I turned back to look at him now. I watched him as he adjusted his cufflinks. "You may have been privileged whilst living with that... King, but you will now do as I say, do you understand?"
I turned to glower at him, the tears streaming down my face. "You killed Krysta," I almost sobbed. "You killed our Tribe- you killed Erik's dad! His Mother!" I closed my mouth to keep my growing panik and frustration from boiling over. I watched as Aros folded his hands behind his back.
"Come," he said. I watched him turn away and leave the small room.
I didn't move. I tried to think of a way out of this.
If I sat here. I would never know if I could get out.
If I tried to make a run for it, I would surely get caught. I found it. I needed to know where I was. I turned and looked back at the room behind me. Nothing here was of use to me. I didn't have a phone, and I was clearly too far away, wherever I was, from Erik to try and get a read on him or anyone else in the Tribe. I closed my eyes, already regretting my decision and followed Arous out into the hallway. Aros was already halfway down the hall when I joined him.
"So why did you do it?" I demanded. I had wanted to ask him if he had really done the things people said he did but after seeing how he had murdered Krysta right there in the middle of the throne room, I knew better. Everyone had been right.
Aros was a monster. And sadly, I hadn't even seen what he could do yet. Aros sighed. "I could tell you I did it for some great political reason, because I was trying to rid the world of all the corrupted Dark Fey that worked with the black market and sold weaker Dark fey to the Hunters-"
I scoffed at him. "Oh, like you did me?" I demanded.
Aros nodded. "I will admit, some errors were made," he told me. "I should have sent you away with your brother-"
I scoffed at him. "Yeah, well you didn't!" I reminded him. "I sat in a Pound for two years-"
"Well then, your Mother has been in there longer than you have," he told me.
I felt my face go blank with shock and I was rendered speechless. My mother was alive?
"You didn't know?" Aros asked me. "I would have thought your King would have told you he knew she was in the system somewhere."
I narrowed my eyes on him. "You're lying!" I snapped. "Erik would have told me-"
Aros laughed at me as he turned and walked down the stairs. "Are you sure about that?" he asked me. "Why didn't he tell you about the Drex then?"
I nodded. "You mean the Drex that you killed?"
Aros burst out laughing. "So he did tell you!" he said and clapped his hands. "Kid has more balls than I thought!" I watched him place a joint between his lips and light it.
"So tell me about your Mate," he said.
I scoffed at him. Did he really think that I was going to sit here and make nice?
"We are going to be together for a long time, Alessandra, so you better get used to it!"
I narrowed my eyes at him as he puffed on the joint. "Erik will come for me," I told him.
Aros laughed at me. "He would need a Drex for that and seeing as you are the last living female and I have you in my possession, I doubt your beloved Mate would be able to find you."
I watched as Aros turned the corner and walked into the kitchen. Leaning against the sink he laughed at me.
"If your brother were alive to see you today," he sighed. I did the best I could to keep the shock off of my face. Aros thought John was dead? How? Why?
"Who's fault is that?" I demanded.
Aros raised his hand and I felt the pressure of an invisible slap crush my cheek. "If you can not fix your tone, I will fix it for you." he told me and sighed.
I flinched away from him, but Aros was persistent, to touch me. His hands reached and grabbed my shoulders, his hands like ice, piercing through the thin cotton shirt.
"You will see that the way of the Dark Fey will fade away-"
I shook my head. "We are Dark Fey!" I reminded him crossly. Aros shrugged.
"Define Dark Fey, for me sweet daughter."
I felt like I was going to vomit. "Dark Fey, Mørk Fey , are offspring's off goddesses or gods and humans," I said.
Aros nodded. "Very good," he congratulated me. I rolled my eyes. Aros smiled and released me. I staggered away from him and walked to the window.
"Where are we?" I ask him.
Aros opened the fridge and grabbed some orange juice. "Berlin," he said.
I spun around to look at him. "Germany?" I demanded. "How the hell-"
Aros slid a glass of juice across the table. "Portals," he told me. "As part Drex, you should know this already!"
I frowned. "I didn't know what I was until recently, as you well know!"
Aros shrugged. "Well now I can teach you the right way-"
I shook my head. "What makes you think I want to learn anything from you?" I demanded. Aros pursed his lips for a moment.
"What can I do to make you trust me?" he asked me after a moment.
I raised my eyebrows, amazed that the answer was not obvious to him. "Take me back to Erik!" I told him.
Erik would be freaking out by now. Aros had kidnapped me. He had gotten what he wanted. I frowned as Aros put the joint out quickly. "Did that mutt ever get you a teacher to train you?" he asked me.
I scowled at him and Aros raised an eyebrow. "Watch your tone!" he warned me. "I
won't warn you again."
We stared at each other and then Aros smiled brightly.
"Let's go get some breakfast!" he said and headed for the door. I watched him swipe a keycard over a small screen and pull the door open. The keycard disappeared back into his pocket. I needed that card if I wanted to get out of here. I knew that much. Erik?
I waited for his voice to vibrate in my mind and fill me with the familiar feeling of him. I longed for him in a way I never had before. I missed him. And it tore at me.
I was suddenly regretting the decision to not let him mate me. Had I let him Mate me, i'd be able to touch his mind right now. Even when I was halfway across the world. I refused to stop trying.
"So what is you grand master plan-"
Aros laughed at me as we stopped once in the hallway. We were in a hotel, high up on the top floor. "Now why would I tell you that?" he teased me. "That would ruin the fun-"
I growled. "Stop acting like this is some kind of family reunion!" I snapped at him and Aros just sighed and walked down the hall to the elevator.
"Once you see what good I am doing-"
"You killed an entire Race!" I said outraged. "Why the hell would I ever-"
I fell silent, my words being choked off. Pressure closed in around my neck. "I can crush your windpipe as easily as I did that bitch Krysta-"
I gagged and gasped for air, my hands closing at my neck now. Aros smiled at me and the pressure vanished. Air swept into my lungs now, and I coughed.
"I won't harm you as long as you stay loyal to me," he said.
I glowered at him. "I am loyal to Erik Modori!" I snarled at him. I really should have just kept my mouth shut. Aros didn't bother with Magic this time. I watched him lift his hand and he slapped me as hard as he could. I stumbled back against the wall of the elevator. Lexi!
I froze when I heard his voice. Warmth spread through me and I gasped as the elevator door behind me opened.
"Go," Aros ordered me.
I didn't argue. I was too distracted. Erik?
I reached out, trying to feel him in my mind but the warmth that had been there was now followed by a rush of cold, deafening silence. Tears filled my eyes as I stepped through the elevator door and turned to follow Aros out of the lobby.
I scowled at myself, as I raised a fist to my cheeks and rubbed the tears from my eyes. I couldn't afford to give Aros anymore information about myself to use against me.
"We have places to be," he said. "First we will be going to Thorn Court to pick up some friends that have been waiting for you-"
I looked up, shocked. "Me?" I demanded.
Aros laughed. "I told you," he reminded me. "You are the last living female Drex and there is a line of Suitors-"
I felt my jaw drop. "I'm already Mated-"
Aros nodded. "That is why we are on our way to Thorn Court to see the Drydalien Queen-"
I raised an eyebrow. "You mean the Queen you killed last night when you invaded
Rose Court?" I demanded.
Nakoma's startled face flashed before my eyes and I felt my heart sink. Aros had killed the Drydalien Queen.
"Once you see what a difference I am making in our world, the rest of the Dark Fey will follow!" he assured me.
I shook my head. "Again, I guess you can't just show me how you plan to get the rest of the Dark Fey-"
Aros turned left, banking off to a closed door. I looked at the etchings on the door. It was scribbled in letters I did not recognize. It hurt my head to look at them for too long. "I am not the only one who wishes this new order to be gone and dealt with." I looked up at Aros who nodded toward the vast room before me. Hundreds of people had gathered in this room, staring, seated, all looking up at us. They were all dressed in black and gold robes. "And you have the power to do it-"
I shook my head. "I can hardly conjure a flame in my hand!" I reminded him. "I have no control-"
Aros turned to face me quickly. "That is your problem!" he argued. "You think you need control. You have it set in your mind that your powers are something that need controlling when in truth they should be set free!"
I shook my head. "And why on earth should I listen to you?" I questioned him. "You are a convicted murder-"
Aros burst out laughing. "Says who?" he demanded. "We can talk about that later. Now I need you to perform."
Aros shoved me forward and I fell to my knees in the middle of the room. A few people actually laughed. I stood to my feet and turned to look at Aros but had disappeared into the sea of black and gold cloaks. I felt my heart sink. What was I supposed to do?
"What is your name, child?"
I turned to look at an elderly woman. She was short, her gray hair was pinned up in a tight bun. I frowned. She looked oddly familiar. "I asked you a question!" The woman leaned forward. I felt something slam into me but I was able to stay standing.
"So disrespectful, Aros," the woman sighed.
Aros, from somewhere in the crowd, laughed with her. "I apologize, Countess, my daughter has been in the Court of Roses for far too long. I should have fetched her from the Pound sooner."
The Countess nodded, her beady eyes locked on my face. "She looks sickly," the woman said and wrinkled her nose.
"As I said, she was there for two years, Countess," Aros reminded her again.
I glowered up at her and she smirked.
"The Modori have completely brainwashed you, Child-"
I scoffed at her. "I think the brainwashing is about to begin!"
The woman rolled her eyes at me. "Tell me about the Modori King," she ordered.
I shook my head. "Never!"
The woman made a face, as if agreeing with me. "Very well," she said. "Have it your way!"
Two armored men stepped forward and gripped me by the arms. "Take her below. Have her processed and chipped."
I felt my heart sink. There was no way that was happening. I raised my hand and herd the words flow from my lips.
"Lys!"
My voice echoed around the room and a bright light shot from my hand. I watched as the orb of light shot forward and hit the robed man and was knocked backwards.
"Stop her! I heard Aros about.
I turned toward his voice and spotted him in the middle of the room at the edge of the circle. A fierce growl slipped past my lips and I threw my hand out and another orb shit from my hand hit a guard in the face.
Something heavy landed in my shoulder but before I could turn, something hit me in the face, hard, knocking me backwards.
I cried out, a hand going to my face as blood ran down my lips and chin. I gagged on the blood and a sob hitched in my chest.
"Take her below," the Countess said.
I felt a shock go through me, and then someone was tying something around my neck. A shock went through me and everything around me became a blurred, muffled mess. "Put her in quarantine until we say otherwise."
I tried to look up. The cheering and screaming around me faded in and out as I was dragged to the back of the room and toward the back door. The last thing I remembered was the searing pain in my neck as the darkness overtook my vision. Erik. Erik, I'm sorry!
My heart throbbed painfully in my chest and a sobbed passed my lips. I would never see Erik again. Whatever Aros had planned with me, I was sure I would not live long enough to see him again.
Lexi! Lexi, hold on!
My eyes fluttered open but my mind could no longer make sense of what I was seeing. A woman, long dark hair, half of her face was withered, great and dead looking. The other half, untouched by age and the picture of everlasting beauty. I had seen a depiction of her before. At Rose Court.
Before me stood the Goddess Hel.
"That little bitch is a hell of a lot stronger than we have her credit for," I heard the Countess say. "The Drydalien Army is now under our control and we can move on Thorn Court as soon as daybreak!"
My legs become heavy as the voices fade in and out again. Hel, dressed in a revealing, floor length dress, smiled a small smile at me.
Do not be afraid, Touched One.
The world around me flickered and darkened. Touched One? What did that mean? Didn't I already have enough going on? Why did the Gods have to burden me with more? Hadn't I paid my dues?
I felt my legs give out and I rolled back onto the floor. A whimper left my lips.
"Erik."
His name left my lips, my chest searing. Give yourself over to emotion, Alexsandra.
I growled at the growing pain in my chest and everyone around me started to scream.
Some foul smell reached my nose and I wrinkled my nose as the desperate screams grew louder and more ear piercing. By the time I had opened my eyes, everything around me had burnt to a crisp. The walls and floors were covered in black char, broken, burnt furnishings littered the grounds and burnt, black corpses surrounded me. I was now standing in the middle of the room, looking around .
Spinning around to look at the door, I felt my heart beat erratically in my chest as I set her for the shadow of Hel in the doorway. She was gone.
Without another thought, I headed for the door, stepping on and around the still
sizzling bodies on the floor. I dusted myself off and walked to the hotel receptionist.
"I'm sorry, but I left my key card in my room, could I have a spare?"
The receptionist looked me up and down for a moment. "Where iz zhe man with you?" he asked me in his thick, broken English accent. "Will he be joining you?"
I shook my head. "No, thank you."
The receptionist smiled and handed me the spare key card. I felt the slip coming. I just needed to make it to the elevator.
As soon as the doors closed I sank to my knees and let out the sob I had been holding in. Was Aros really dead? And what the hell had that been back there? I had burned everyone alive? How?
I reached for the phone and dialed Erik's number. It rang once before he answered.
"Hello?"
I breathed a sigh of relief as a sob hitched in my chest. "Erik."
His name left my lips in an uncontrollable sob. "Lexi, where are you?" Erik demanded.
"Are you hurt?"
I shook my head quickly. "No, I-I'm OK," I assured him and sniffed. "I'm in Berlin-"
"Germany?" he demanded.
There was some kind of commotion behind him. "I will get the passports," I heard Katja say. My heart throbbed.
"Is it safe to come here?" I asked Erik as my attention caught the ding of the elevator in the hallway. "Some woman called The Countess was here-"
Erik sighed. "What hotel are you at?" he demanded. I looked around, spotting the stationary by the phone.
"Hotel Adlon Kempinski," I read aloud off of the paper. Erik sighed.
"Where is Aros now?" he demanded.
I swallowed, my mouth suddenly feeling dry. "A-Aros is dead, Erik," I said.
There was a moment's silence, even the commotion in the background came to a stop. "I'm sorry, what?" he asked me.
"He's dead," I said again. "I-I think I killed him with fire magic-"
"Open the door," Erik told me. "Nakoma just arrived at your door."
I shook my head and turned to the closed and locked door of the suit. "How is that possible?" I hissed at him. "Aros killed Nakoma-"
"Her wounds were not as bad as you think," Erik assured me. I shook my head and looked through the peephole. It was indeed Nakoma, dressed in a tight catsuit, lace poncho and knee high combat boot. Her bleach blond hair was in its usual thinly dreaded hairstyle, her purple eyes staring at the door, waiting. "We patched her up and she was about to Portal back to Norway-"
I shook my head. "When you say Portal-"
Erik laughed. "Yes, Nakoma is well versed in magic and has the ability to Portal anywhere she desires in an instant. I asked her to go."
I sighed and unlocked the door. When I pulled it open, Nakoma immediately bowed before me. "Min Dronning," she greeted me. I returned the bow to her and stepped back to let her inside.
"You look incredible for someone who was just stabbed," I told her.
Nakoma smiled at me. "I am immortal, just like all Dark Fey. However, I have the blood of The Old in me. I walked this earth before the Dark Fey. I heal fast."
I stared at her. She was of the Old Ones? Erik cleared his throat and I held the pine backup to my ear. "Lexi, Nakoma can't Portal out of Berlin so she is going to escort you home-"
I shook my head. "What about Hunters?" I asked. Before Erik could answer the phone went dead. "Erik?"
Nakoma pulled her phone from her pocket and shook her head. "We have to go," she warned me. I watched her turn and opened the door, looking both ways before she headed out into the hallway.
"Keep close," she warned me.
I didn't like this. "Is the Hotel suddenly on-"
Nakoma pulled me onto the stairwell and turned to face me.
"That stunt you pulled with your fire magic got the attention of every Hunter in Berlin and the attention of the rest of the Council back home! You put out so much lower, we felt it all the way back in Quebec!"
I shook my head. "How is that possible?" I demanded.
Nakoma shook her head. "I promise to try and get you to the rendezvous point but know that if things go badly, I will Portal us to Norway. Erik can meet up with us there!"
I shook my head.
"Erik said-"
Nakoma nodded. "I know what he said,'' she assured me. "But I am telling you now, I have my own people to worry about. They think their Queen is dead and my troops are spread too thin! I need to be home-"
I shook my head. "I understand," I assured her. Before either of us could say anymore, the door behind us exploded. My hands went up and the debris bounced off an invisible shield. Nakoma laughed and nodded in approval. "Nicely done," she commented. I didn't have time to think about her. Hunters suddenly flooded the hallway.
Time seemed to slow down.
I watched Nakoma throw an arm out and grab me by the front of the shirt. The world around me heaved and spun around, jerking and tugging at my limbs. The world around me turned to a blur, the circles and shapes becoming one distorted mess. My belly heaved and I watched everything go dark.
The last thing I saw was Nakoma, sitting on a crystal throne, surrounded by vines, birds and pure sunlight. It was a picture of pure beauty. And then, in a flash, it was nothing but blood and bone, death and decay everywhere. Nakoma sat dead on her crystal throne, Erik dead at her feet and a small, raven haired, green eyed child lai at her feet. My heart sank as I looked down at the white dress that was covered in my victims blood.