The Dark Fey Chronicles Throne of Glass

Chapter 10

It was almost as if time had stopped for one wild moment, Nakoma's words rang in my ears. Erik is dead.
Pain lanced through my chest and a sob threatened to pass my lips.
My hands went up to my neck and touched the Marks Erik had left on me. The smooth, raised teeth marks on my neck were soft and warm to the touch, my pulse thrumming under my fingertips.
"No," I said firmly, trying not to let the panic get out of hand. "That can't be-"
Nakoma sighed. "The truck that was transporting him here was found burning in the mountains, less then ten minutes from here. Whoever it was, they wanted someone to find it."
Liv was moving before Nakoma had finished speaking. "Where are you going?" I demanded no longer able to hold my tears back. "Liv!"
She ignored me and headed straight for the door. I watched her vanish through the open door way, my heart breaking, the pain in my chest flared. This couldn't be the pain that Dark Fey felt when they lost their Mate. It was to tame, to soft. I turned to look at Nakoma, my hands still around my neck.
"How can you be sure?" I demanded. "How do you know-"
Nakoma shook her head. "I sent four Drydalien's out to collect him. They have been radio silent for far to long!"
Her words echoed in my mind, cutting and stabbing through my skin. The jagged edges of her voice cut at my skin. "The truck that was transporting him had five bodies inside." A paralyzing pain spread through my chest, choking off my ability to breathe. I realized I was holding my breath , trying to keep it in. But it was to much.
Erik?
What was this feeling? This stabbing, pain in my chest, this tightening of my throat? Tears seared hot down my cheeks as I gasped for air, a hand coming up to cover my lips as the pain rocked through me, wave after wave.
Dead? I shuddered, hard, so hard that I slid from the spot where I had stood rooted, down to the hard wooden floor, my nightgown pooling around me as I clutched my chest. Pain seared through my middle.
I couldn't hold it back anymore. A desperate and shattering sound I didn't recognize as my own, left my lips as the pain in my chest flared. Tears, fierce and hot, stung my cheeks. It was only a matter of time now. I had to get my affairs in order. I didn't know how much time I had left. The Shifters would go to war with each other over the Power that the throne would provide them. I felt sick again. I groaned and clapped a hand to my mouth. I couldn't keep the little food I had in my stomach. I hunched over, bracing myself on my knees, the taste of acid and bile burning it's way up my throat as I discarded the contents of my stomach onto the polished stone of the library floor. I herd some commotion around me and looked up to see a Maid handing me a hand towel.
"You need rest," Nakoma said. "Your condition will only worsen if you don't!"
The Maid handed me a cup of water but I couldn't really form the words to thank her. My eyes were still on Nakoma. "My condition?" I asked her.
Nakoma narrowed her eyes at me thoughtfully. "I could be wrong," she amended. "Lukia, please take the Modori Queen back to her chambers and help her into a new gown."
The Drydaline Maid bowed before Nakoma and then turned to lead the way, not giving me a second glance.
"We will find who did this!"
We stared at each other for a long moment. "Why are you doing this?"
Nakoma raised an eyebrow. "Would you rather I didn't help?"
I shook my head. "It's not that," I assured her. "Erik mentioned... the Drydales don't make alliances easily-"
Nakoma shook her head. "Ours is a strong one. Now! Do you know how to ride?" she asked me, folding her hands together. I nodded.
"Good," she said. "Let's go then."
I nodded and walked to the door, turning to look at Nakoma who offered me a warm smile. "Jon and Liv-"
"Are already on the way there!"
I frowned. Jon! They couldn't have gotten that far. Liv?
I'm not waiting! Liv's voice echoed in my ear. These fuckers are going to DIE for what they have done!
I stopped in my tracks. Liv, you are angry and hurting-
Her loud, fierce growl echoed in my mind. Don't tell me what I feel! she snapped at me. You have no idea what I am going through- Declan-...
Her thoughts fell away. Perhaps I had been wrong. Perhaps it was just a very, very close friendship her and Jon shared. I sighed, knowing I was going to have to keep Liv safe one way or another. As your Queen, I for bit it!
There was a moments silence. Do not leave Thorn Court grounds.
Liv didn't answer so I kept walking, hoping, praying that Erik was alive.
I wondered how Dark Fey knew that their Mate was gone?
"Lexi!"
I turned to see Jon, jogging down the stairs, dressed in a dark silver outfit, a bow strapped to his back. "I'm going with you!"
I shook my head. "What about Liv?"
"What about her?" Liv said as she jogged down the stairs, not looking at me and proseeding to the double oak door that led outside.
I turned to face Jon, my face confused. He shrugged. "Cut her some slack-"
"Cut her some- are you serious?" I demanded. "Nakoma just walked into a room and told us that Erik is dead!" I reminded him. "Now is not the time for her to be losing-"
Jon stepped closer to me, his eyes warning me. "She's been through a lot in the last few days. She lost Declan-"
I growled. "You don't think I know that?"
Jon sighed. "All I'm saying is she needs some space!"
I sighed and looked back at her. "She can't have space right now. I need her help! And yours!"
Jon looked over my shoulder. "She is trying to serve you as best she knows how right now, Lex." His eyes darkened as he gazed at her and I bit my lip.
"Jon?"
He looked down at me reluctantly. "You know it can never happen right?"
He blinked, confused? "What?"
I sighed and crossed my arms. "You and Liv," I told him. "Erik would never allow it!"
Jon raised and eyebrow. "Who says we need his permission?" Jon demanded and I felt my face go blank.
"Jon!" Was he serious right now? "She is Crown Princess. Since Declan is dead, it falls to Erik to arrange a marriage for his sister. Surly you knew this already?"
Jon, his face having gone disgustingly surprised, stepped back from me.
"What are you saying?"
I shook my head. "Erik is now responsible for Liv's wellbeing-"
Jon turned away. "Lexi... Liv and I...-"
I cut him off quickly. "No!" I hushed him. "Stop! Don't say anything else!"
Jon frowned at me. "Why?"
I sighed. "Because, when Erik asks me, I won't have to lie to him!"
Jon sighed and I pushed passed him, stalking off toward the gardens, my four guards in tow.
Erik was alive.
My hands reached up to my Mark and a sense of urgency washed through me. The same feeling I felt when Erik touched me. He was alive. Otherwise I would know. My hand tighten around my neck a little, as if to help keep myself calm. I stopped when I reached the gardens, the cool night air biting into my already cold skin. The guards remained just outside the garden door so I was able to be by myself for a while.
Erik was alive.
A shudder passed through me and I huddled in on myself, wishing I had grabbed the jacket from my bedside.
Where it was fairly warm during the day, the Drydaline Realm was freezing after dark. Even so, never once did I see a Drydale in more then a summer dress or nothing at all.
It had come as a shock, passing the gardens to see Drydale females and small children bathing in a small creek just outside the main castle. I knew I was already in for a culture shock since we were headed to Japan so I really should not have been very surprised.
I looked down at my dress and sighed. Erik had picked out a beautiful black dress to present me to Princess Masako in. I had no idea what I was going to do now. I didn't want to ask Nakoma for help because she had already done so much for me. Perhaps I could go with Liv and Jon and get some cloths somewhere.
I wondered if Princess Masako knew if the events at Rose Court. I could only hope we had a home to return to when this was all over.
And then, of course, there was the issue of Diana. She had been sighted more than once in Quebec. Since the attack, no one had seen or herd of her. No one had anything to report. And if there were any other Court survivors, where were they now?
"You look worried."
I turned to see Jesper, his luminous brown eyes and sandy blond hair were glowing in the soft light shining from the moon above. "Jesper!"
I was running across the lawn and throwing myself at him with a relived sigh. Jesper, surprised by my advance, chuckled at me and returned my awkward hug. "My Queen-"
I didn't let him finish. "Where is Erik?"
I watched his face turn worried. "You mean he is not with you?"
I felt my heart sink. "No." Jesper bowed his head and sighed . "I stayed at Rose Court as long as I could without drawing attention to myself. There were only a few dozen Hunters there. We could have taken them, had we the men."
Liv scoffed at him as she jogged down the garden steps, dressed in a pink summer dress.
"That's not much to go on, you know?!" she pointed out.
Jesper rolled his eyes at her. "Sure," he said sarcastically. "Next time I will just walk up to the Hunters and offer myself up to them!"
I sighed. "Enough!" They both turned to look at me. "Liv, I understand if you would rather be else where-"
She smiled at me. "Yeah right. I'd never hear the end of it I let you out of my sight!" I smiled, and for an moment, Liv smiled back, a real, free of pain smile. It lasted only for a second though. Liv sighed and nodded to the door.
"Nakoma's idea of protection detail?"
I laughed. "Yeah," I said and looked over my shoulder at the four guards who were standing motionless by the double oak doors. "She said they would be practically invisible, but as you can see, here they are."
Jesper raised an eyebrow at me. "What does she expect to happen? For Aros or the Hunters to attack you here?"
I gestured around us. "It's happened before!" I reminded him.
Jesper sighed. "Where is my brother?"
I shook my head. "Your guess is as good as mine," I admitted reluctantly. "We were under attack just as we reached the portal. Erik just shoved be through. I still don't understand why he didn't just follow me!?"
Jesper sighed. "If my brother knows one thing it is survival," he assured me.
"He is alive!" I looked up at Jesper and reached to touch the soft, raised, scarred flesh of my neck, where Erik'a teeth had left their impression. "I'd know! He is out there. Possibly hurt!"
He frowned at me. "Why do you say that?" he demanded.
I shook my head and tried to focus again but it was like tuning a radio inside my head when I tried to reach for Erik and it was giving me a headache. "Because I haven't be able to reach him. At all."
I watched Jespers eyes focus and unfocus for a moment before he frowned. "Odd," he said. "How long had he been like that?"
I shrugged. "Since I got here." We stared at each other, wondering if that was the meaning of the odd, disconnected feeling we were feeling. I shook my head. "No!" I insisted. "No, I refuse to sit here. Before it was just me, before I had no choice. Now there are four of us!"
Jesper shook his head. "I don't follow."
I nodded and headed for the door again. "We are leaving to find Erik," I said. "Get Liv and Jon and meet me at the main gates."
Jeaper sighed. "IT's too dangerous-"
I rounded on him now. "No!" I snapped. "We are going!"
I watched a surprised look over come Jespers features and he bowed his head. "At once, My Queen."
And with that he vanished down the hall again. I senesced her before I saw her. "You know I can't let you go, right?" Nakoma asked me.
I sighed and turned to face her. "I will have two Shifters and a Drex with me. Besides, you can stop me. I am a Queen!"
Nakoma smiled. "Would you mind if I joined you?" she asked me, the same surprised look on her face. "Safety in numbers."
I nodded, her tone catching me off guard again. "Nakoma, is there something you need to tell me?" I asked her. "Anything?"
I watched her smile, her concerned face falling away, as of it had never been there. She shook her head. "Of course not!" she assured me.
I raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"
Nakoma sighed, her beautiful, heart shaped face concerned for and moment before she reached forward and placed her hand on my belly. It was awkward. I stood there, looking down at her hand on my belly, confused for a split second but knowing that exactly what she was saying.
"Did you honestly not know?" she asked me curiously. "You are at least three weeks."
I shook my head, not wanting to believe it. "That's impossible!" I argued, shoving her hand away. "We only did it-..." I stopped, knowing full well that timeline added up. "I can't be pregnant right now!" I turned to face Liv who was standing behind me, her body ridged. Her eyes had gone completely white and her lips were parted and her skin had gone incredibly pale.
"She has the gift of sight," Nakoma said. Jon growled beside me.
"Perhaps we should go now?" he said, not taking his eyes off of Liv. She blinked, her eyes and other features having returned to normal.
"Lexi is pregnant," she announced.
I sighed, my hands going to my belly again. Was it really possible?
"What?"
I turned to face my brother, my hands automatically dropping to my sides. I watched as my brother walked forward, his eyes fixed on my belly.
"Really?" His hands came up and touched my belly. "That's wonderful news!" I watched as my brothers eyes swam with light, his face becoming tender and soft.
I stood there awkwardly, wishing Erik was here. Anxiety filled me and my heart pumped in my chest. "Nakoma and I were about to leave to find Erik-"
Jon shook his head. "No, stay here where it is safe-"
I scowled at him. "Absolutely not!" I argued. "I am Queen and I will-"
Liv cut me off. "You will stay here because that is what Erik would want for you," she said and bent down to fasten her boot strap. "If we were to let you go out, ride, shift or whatever, and you were hurt?" I watched her eyes go big and she made a face.
"He would have our heads!" Jon said.
I sighed. "Nakoma spoke to you, didn't she?" I asked them.
Jon and Liv glanced at each other. "When we arrived, yes," Jon said and Liv sank her head in frustration. I frowned. "So you took the order and instruction from Nakoma over that of your own Queen?" I asked them.
Jon and Nakoma looked at me. "Erik-"
"Is not here!" I reminded them. "You both swore yourselves to me and yet you follow the Drydaleien Queen without consulting me first?"
They didn't answer. Betrayal washed through me, quickly followed by anger.
"Go!" I ordered them and my brothers brow furrowed. "Find him!"
"You want us to leave you here?" Jon asked me, glancing at Liv in disbelief. "Unprotected?"
I growled at them. "Yes," I insisted. "I'm am perfectly safe here with Nakoma!"
Jon and Liv looked at each other for a moment. "Go! Find him!"
Without another word, Jon and Liv turned and hurried away and sighed, leaning against the wall. My hands went to my belly as a wave of sickness washed over me. I closed my eyes, hoping that would help the dizzy feeling of nausea. Erik! Tears welled up behind my closed eyes. Erik, where are you? My mind remained cold and empty. The usual warmth and gentleness I knew from Erik was gone. A sob hitched in my chest and I grumbled in frustration as I scrubbed the tears from my eyes. My hands went back to my belly and I looked down at myself.
If Erik was dead, it was direct result of Aros' actions. Rage filled me once more. If I ever saw Aros again, and it couldn't come soon enough, he would die. I will personally kill him for all he had done. He had killed l Erik's father, Derek, my cousin Declan and Erik's mother, Katja. Caro gave her life and Krysta died trying to kill him. With so much blood on his hands, there was no possibility of Aros talking his way out of this one. Erik would kill him personally if he had to.
My heart sank. Not that it mattered because of the Mates Curse. No one was really sure where it came from. And no one really understood how it killed the other Mate. Some believe it to simply due to the pain of a broken heart. My heart thudded painfully in my chest. I didn't want that. Not for Erik. Not for myself. My hands curled around my belly. Not for my child.
Tears welled up in my eyes. Erik should be here for this. He should have been the first one to find out!
"I hear congratulations are in order," came a sweet-mocking voice from behind me. I turned to see Sunmer, as beautiful as ever, dressed in leather battle gear, a thick winter cape draped about her shoulders. Her long, thin hair was pulled back into tight french braids, adorned with gold twigs and brown leaves. "I'm sure Erik will be thrilled when he hears the news."
I sighed, frustrated she had caught me in a moment of weakness. "No one else knows-"
Summer shook her head. "I won't say a word," she assured me. "Nakoma already knows and so the secret ends there."
I nodded. "Jon and Liv know."
Summer sighed. "Had you not been so stuck up we could have been friends, you and I."
I felt a startled laughed leave my lips. "You can't honestly believe that!?"
Summer frowned frowned a moment and then laughed. "No, you're right. I still would have hated you!"
I had to ask. Not because I was hurt over it or anything. I was just curious. No rime or reason. "Why?"
Summer laughed at me. "Because you are a bitch!" she said and rolled her eyes. "Respectfully, you are stuck up and high maintenance. You were not as bad off as Liv and Erik made you out to be."
I raised an eyebrow at her. "Thank you?" I shook my head.
Summer rolled her eyes at me as she leaned against the railing behind her. It was odd to speak to her now, and being so calm about it. "My point being, I've seen Dark Fey who have been in worse condition during a way shorter stay then you ever did, even when you first arrived at Court."
We stared at each other for a long moment and then I sighed. "I'm sorry you had to see that."
Summer smirked at me and then nodded to the open door a few feet behind me. When I turned to follow her gaze, I found three girls standing in the door way, Drydalien girls, between the ages of fourteen and seventeen. They were all dressed alike, in the same soft leather hunting garb Summer was dressed in. "The girls I saved?" I watched a fond expression over come her face and she smiled. "They are with me now. My so called Valkyrie. My sisters."
I nodded. "Interesting."
Perhaps I was reading to much into it, but Summer did have a claim to Nakoma's throne. She was her little sister after all. Even being new to my power, I knew Summer would run the Vespari name into the ground and be the one who ends the Vespari bloodline were she to become Queen. Again, I knew I was reading to much into it but it was also hard not to look at every angle now days. Everything that had happened so far, since the day I stepped from my Pound cell and Liv stopped me in the doorway. Everything had happened because it was supposed to. Call it karma if you will. Perhaps this was my Karma.
My fingers traced my belly as I stared blindly at the ground before me.
If Erik really was dead, would I live long enough to give birth? And after that, would I be around to see my child grow? It was wishful thinking. My hands touched my belly again.
"Erik is fine," Sumner said as she turned away from me. "He always comes back."
I surpressed the sob in my chest as my hands tightened around myself, keeping myself together, praying that we could make it through this.