To The Ones Who Can't Dream

chapter 76 - Do What Must Be Done

     They were back in the Archeron sister's manor once again, waiting for the human queens to show up. Seren twirled a dagger around her fingers as she waited impatiently for them to arrive. She looked up to find Elain staring at her in horror and she hid a smirk as she watched her refuse to meet her gaze. On the other hand, Nesta was glaring at Seren and she thought Nesta might say something. But as she met her eyes, Nesta kept her mouth firmly shut. Seren shot a sweet smile at Nesta, but her eyes were all predator. Although Seren was still pissed off at the way Feyre had been treated, she had to admit that she did enjoy Nesta's fire and how she wouldn't back down.

     A knock sounded on the door and Seren slid the dagger back onto her thigh holster underneath her dress. The five human queens who showed up last time showed themselves, Briallyn giving Seren a hard stare. But before Seren could ask what her problem was, the one who seemed to speak for the group said, "Have you come with proof of this city?"

     Rhys nodded before shifting aside and revealing Veritas. "What is that?" one of the queens asked.

     "This," Rhys said, "Is Veritas. It has the power to show the truth of whatever you ask."

     As he spoke, the Veritas lit up and a perfect replica of Velaris sat inside of it. Briallyn scoffed, "How do we know that this isn't just one of your party tricks."

     Seren bristled but before she could lay into her, Mor stepped forward. "You may not recognize me but I am Mor, the Speaker of Truth."

     Although Seren had no clue what Mor was talking about, the Queens' faces lit recognition. Apparently, Mor's name meant something to these Queens. Mor continued, "With my power, I can assure you this speaks the truth. It has been in my family for many, many years."

     "There is not enough evidence to prove to us this city you speak of actually exists. It appears you have wasted our time, and we will be taking our leave now," one the Queens said.

     Seren gritted her teeth, realizing that the Queens had never intended to give them their half of the book anyways. It has all been one big set up. But before anybody could contradict them, they were gone. Rhys sighed in frustration, "What are we supposed to do now?"

     But all of a sudden, an ancient voice rumbled inside of Seren's head, "White Death, my creator. Our fates entangle again."

     Seren's head snapped down and her gaze landed underneath the chair that the youngest Queen had sat in. Low and behold, the other half of the Book of Breathings was there, just sitting on the floor. She scrambled over to it and took it between her hands. Mor gasped and Rhys straightened with surprise. "That youngest Queen left us that half. But why?" Cassian questioned.

     Seren shook her head, words not coming to her. The Book pulsed with ancient power that she suspected only she could feel. After all, like calls to like.

     As they arrived back into the House of Wind, Amren sat up on the couch, "Did you get it?"

     With a grin, Seren held up the book. Amren sucked in a sharp breath. "Can you hear It?" Seren asked curiously.

     Amren nodded slowly, "I'll go get the other half then."

     As she walked away quickly Seren turned to the rest of the Inner Circle, "You might not want to be here for this. It could get pretty messy. I'm not exactly sure how the Book will react when we combine the two halves after so much time has passed."

     Everyone in the room exchanged a look before Cassian said, "There is no way in hell I'm missing out on this."

     They all nodded and Seren looked back at them in worry. The truth was, she was terrified to bring the two halves together. It had been forged with the might of Amren and hers power in their true form, and it could be extremely volatile. She didn't want any of them to get hurt in the process but one look at their faces told her they weren't going anywhere.

     "Fine, but stand against the wall and no matter what, do not come near us," Seren relented.

     They all nodded their heads in determination. And at that moment, Amren returned with the other half of the Book. Seren could feel her power urging them closer and closer but Amren held her ground, not wanting to bring the halves together until they were completely ready. A voice pounded through her head, "My Creators. It has been a long time. It is your duty to unite us."

     Seren sensed that both of the pieces of the Book were speaking to her simultaneously. It was beyond weird. She clamped down on the shudder that threatened to roll through her body. She didn't want the Inner Circle, her friends, to worry.

     As she made no move to close the gap between her and Amren, she felt a mounting pressure trying to force her closer. She gritted her teeth as she held her ground. One look at Amren told her that she was struggling also. Seren's legs shook with the compulsion to walk forward. But she needed to do this on her own terms so they could combat whatever would come out of the Book once it was complete.
"You have to be ready to shield the rest of the room!" she shouted over the roaring power to Amren, "I have a feeling the Book is going to release its pent up energy after so many years apart."

     Amren slowly moved to the center of the room, forcing herself not to run straight to Seren and her half of the Book. Seren pulled on the deep well of power in her and took a step forward. Cautiously, she made her way to the center of the room to meet Amren. Seren could barely hear anything over the mounting power in her ears and she suspected the same for Amren. "Hand me the other half of the Book when I tell you to. Then I need you to lend me your power. It will take our power combined to contain it," Seren bit out.

     Seren closed her eyes and centered her breathing. She could do this. She had to be able to do this. She forced herself to think of all the fae in the room. She wouldn't let them be hurt.

     With that thought in her mind, she opened her eyes. Seren shifted her half of the book into one of her hands and held out the other one, "Give me the book."

     Amren gently gave her half to Seren and quickly placed her hand on Seren's shoulder. Seren could feel the deep well of Amren's power as it flooded through her and combined with her own power. Taking one more deep breath, Seren gave into the Book's magic and brought the two halves together.

     Silver light exploded from the Book of Breathings, the same color as their eyes. Just before it could hit the Inner Circle, Seren slammed her power against it. She created an impenetrable wall around it, caging the Book's power inside. Seren trembled with the amount of power it was taking for her to control it and she felt Amren shaking besides her. But she kept her hand on Seren's shoulder, allowing Seren to suck her power out and use it on the wall. The magic slammed against the wall but soon realized it had nowhere to go. And at that moment, Seren felt the shift.

     The magic turned inward as if realizing that the thing keeping it inside were the two fae. It hit them both, and Amren crumpled to the ground. "Amren!" Seren yelled in panic.

     But she was helpless in the face of all the magic. She could only focus on one thing, she couldn't release her shield. Seren was forced to pull deep inside herself to try to wrangle the magic. It slowly started to steep back into the Book and Seren gritted her teeth. She was running low on power, having lost Amren as her other Source of magic.

      Pressure pounded everywhere on her body, as if the Book was trying to force Seren to loosen her grip on the shield. She couldn't hold it for much longer. Her full power hadn't been restored yet and Seren cursed those Illyrians for throwing her into the Cauldron. She glanced up as if involuntary and met Rhys's eyes from the other side of the shield.

     Time seemed to slow and she watched in almost slow-motion as Cassian and Azriel were fighting to hold Rhys back. His eyes were full of panic as it seemed like Cassian and Azriel were yelling at him to stop fighting, that he would only make it worse if he tried to go help now.

     Seren had to save them, the whole group. They had given her a new purpose in life and she wasn't about to let them down now. She squeezed her eyes shut and screamed as she forced all of her power onto the Book's magic. Her knees hit the floor, as she continued to pour more and more into trying to contain the Book. She could feel it retreating faster than before and she forced even more magic into it.

     And finally, the last of the Book's magic slammed back into the Book. She dropped the Book of Breathings with a loud thud and slumped over to the side. Something like the star's fate seemed to whisper across the universe to her, For the Greater Good, sacrifices must be made. Do what must be done.