Children of the Fallen: In Cold Blood (BOOK #2)

Chapter 21: Obsidian

Morgan Sinclair

15 Years Ago

Todays the day.

4 long years of training getting me to where I need to be, cutting out any weakness in me and I'm finally ready. My fathers methods may have been less than pleasant but if that's what it took for me to reach my full potential then so be it. Really, I thank him for it. I'm everything I was born to be. Those 3 months where everyone told me that this- being what I am is wrong, I can't see why they all were adamantly against it. After accepting it all I've never felt more alive. Over 20 years of feeling defective, weak, powerless. I will never feel that way again.

I used to feel worn out and in a haze from the moment I'd wake up to the moment I'd go to sleep, graced with a few hours where I could dream that I was strong and simply comfortable. Then I come to find that I was completely in the dark about who and what I am, at the mercy of the unknown. Eventually I started to feel secure with myself, I was beginning to feel powerful. But then I get the rug pulled out from under me, finding out I was never completely out of the dark.

People- or more so a person was working against me. He spent the whole time we were together smiling and flirting, looking at me with those eyes that promised the world. He convinced me that he was worth me lowering walls and surrendering myself to my own emotions, all the while he sharpened the knife he planned on driving into my back. And once again I'm powerless. Completely at a loss and floundering around in the dark, and I can't begin to describe how viscerally angry that made me.

Time after time it's a common theme in my life for my power to be taken from me. Physical power, status, knowledge, etc. Never again. Never again will I be so weak as to throw down my guard for another person. Never will I let another make me feel powerless.

My father once told me he freed me and he's right; I'm free from limiting myself on the account of others, I'm free from unnecessary human ways of thinking. I'm free from weakness. I spent too long viewing what I am through the eyes of a human and today all that I was meant to be will come to a head.

Today I take my rightful place on my throne. In my city. My territory. I will officially be a High Royal.

I will finally have my crown and my ring. Obsidian. My father was confused by my choice but one, black matches with everything, and two, I enjoy the fact that I'll be brandishing the stone that was made to kill us. Take a rock everyone is so afraid of and wear it as a ring. In my crown. A nice pair of earrings. I like the humor of it. My ring should arrive any minute now. I picked it out months ago, oval cut stone, semi thick silver band. Large enough that if I punch someone it'll leave a mark but it won't break.

"You chose obsidian as your stone?" Victoria says behind me as I finish up my eyeliner. I look over my shoulder to where she stands. I haven't seen her in almost 4 years, she looks the same.

"I did." I respond, my eyes shift to her hands- where she's holding my ring.

"Can I ask why?" She asks as I excitedly rush over to her.

I take the ring from her hand with a smile. "I like the idea of wearing the stone that's supposed to kill us." I say, enthralled by the sight of it. I slide the ring on the middle finger of my right hand.

"Interesting take. Are you... prepared for tonight?" She asks pulling my attention away from my ring. Her eyes are examining me like a doctor would their patient. Her eyebrows are tilted upwards and her lips are parted.

"More than." I say as I turn and walk towards the tiny bar cart I had Greg put in my room.

"Are you ready to turn someone tomorrow? Your first noble."

"Yes I already have her." I grab the bottle of tequila sitting on top and a glass. "She's actually present here tonight."

"That's-."

"Not what normally happens. Yeah I know." I shrug pouring myself what I think is my fourth or fifth glass. "She should know what she's getting into and if she freaks out and tries to run I'll just kill her." Scarlett won't, between how we first met and how she's handled everything since- this won't faze her in the slightest. Maybe she'll be a little nervous standing in a room full of vampires and to that I wouldn't blame her.

The last couple of months have been just preparations for this. I moved into my palace with my father present so he can oversee things. I started to get to know servants, guards, people who just live in my city. I also got to know the surrounding areas- mainly Chicago. That's where I met Scarlett and Greg- my bartender/ mixologist. Not an official title but here it's going to be. Through my short time with Victoria and my time with my father I learned a lot about how things run. What works, what doesn't, what could be better. I have a lot of ideas on how I'm going to rule over my territory and a huge part of that involves Chicago.

"Oh." Victoria shrugs staring at me.

"Have you been downstairs?"

Her throat bobs. "I have, yes."

"I was assured that Kendrick and his children along with Kellan wouldn't be here. Was I being told the truth?"

"They're not here don't worry."

"I'm not worried I just don't want annoyances tonight." I say. Although I know that Grayson will be here so there will be one possible annoyance. I can handle him, he can be my play thing for the night.

A knock at the door- despite it being already wide open stops Victoria from saying whatever she was about to say. "Come in!" A couple of my soon to be official servants walk through my door carrying a blow drier and various brushes along with a garment bag. My dress.

"Are you ready Your Highness?" As the tall one brunette one in the center utters the words 'your highness' I feel a smile on my face.

"I am." I say, I turn my attention to Victoria as they walk to my bed taking my dress out of the garment bag. "I will see you down there."

She doesn't say anything, only nods before exiting my room. Looking over my shoulder at my dress now laid out on my bed from the garment bag, the sight of which has me smiling wide.