Crown of Starlight

Chapter 22

AURORA

(Unedited)

I turned to Carmen "These two idiots thought it was okay to storm in on the meeting and kill eveyone in the room." I said through gritted teeth. Carmen pinched the skin between her brows. "They did what?" She sighed.

"Hey hey! Leave me out of it. I was just following his lead" Spike gestures to Azra.

"Like such a good little dog" I cooed.

Spike squinted his eyes at me and stepped towards me "You know" he tilted his head to the side "For a Queen, you're quite the little brat"

I smiled widely. Flicking my hair over my shoulder,

"Leave it." Azra growled and Spike stilled.

My smile faded as Azra silently stalked over to me and gripped my wrist. Before I could pry his hand off me, he jumped us both to the light realm border.

"You know, you really gotta stop with this whole kidnapping thing. It's getting boring" I pulled my arm but he tightened his grip and whorled me around. He gripped the nape of my neck forcing me to look up at the light realms still crumbling border.

"You see that. Your people are vulnerable. Your border is weak, your realm is weak." I attempted to look away but he gripped me harder. "Your enemies see that too and they're circling you like vultures waiting to attack, and from that meeting it sounds like they've already set a date and they seemed pretty damn confident that whatever they have planned will take you down." Tears stung the back of my eyes.  I was already feeling the pressure of having to keep everyone in the light realm safe, having him point out the reality of that didn't make me feel any better.
"They're going to kill your people, they're going to kill everyone you love, Yetta, Nuri, those two guards you love so dearly and their blood will be on your hands."

I seethed, my magic flared, skin glowing bright. Azra loosened his grip and back up a few steps. I stared at the border, angry tears now spilling down my cheeks.

"Because I'm a weak Queen." I gritted out.

"No, Aurora. You are not weak."

"Yes I am!" I screamed.

"You're angry. Good. You should be. Because when your enemies come they won't show mercy to you or your people. Use that Aurora. Use that anger and let go. The power in your veins is yours. It belongs to you....so claim it! He demanded over the roaring thunder in my head. I didn't realise it had started pouring with rain. The cool rainwater the calm to my storm.

"Claim it!" I felt a push down the bond. Forcing me to let go. The chains of magic unlinking one by one and bending to my will.

"Claim it!" He shouted over the torrential rain.

I focused all of my magic on the border. Willing it to mend the cracks and  protect the people of this realm. I reached out both hands. Light of raw power poured from my palms and began heeling the border. Doubt creeped in, there's no way I can fix the whole border, it spanned the length of the light realm, it was impossible.

Azra's voice came through the bond.
"You are stronger than you know Aurora. You can do anything."

With that I pushed on, surprised how my magic kept pushing on and on until almost all of the border was mended. Then I collapsed on my knees.Rain poured down washing my tears and my doubts away. My magic didn't even feel depleted. It still roared to life begging to be used. Azra knelt in front on me and  attempted to hold my arms but hesitated as my skin was still glowing. I met his eyes and he slowly placed his hands on my arms. I considered lashing out at him for everything he's done, I could kill him right now with this amount of power, I knew I could. After all my magic is stronger than his. But too soon, I would get my revenge one day but not before I make him trust me, not before I make him believe that I trust him again, and then, and only then, will I destroy his life like he did mine. For Xander.

"Your enemies are my enemies Aurora. We can take them down Aurora, together." His voice was almost a whisper now. Rain dripped onto his cheek from his  dark hair. I could feel him tugging on that stupid bond but I ignored it and nodded slowly reigning in my magic.

He helped me to my feet, not that I needed it I felt better and stronger than I have in well...forever.

"Callahan interrogated Melroy but he hasn't give up anything useful" I offered.

"Let me talk to him." He said.

I eyed him suspiciously. "Talk?"

"I'll get him to talk."

"And if he doesn't?" I questions

"He will."

I thought about it for a moment, weighed the options. Either way I couldn't let Melroy go. That weasle would run straight back to his superiors and blab. We need him to talk, to tell us anything that could give us a better insight as to what the hell was going on.

"Fine. But I'm not taking you through my palace looking like that." I nodded to him dressed in his fine black suit, his usually attire that would instantly get him recognised in the light realm.

"Like what? Like a handsome charming dark prince of the dark realm ?" He fixed the lapels of his suit.

I rolled my eyes. "The second you step foot in that realm you'll be recognised. Do you want this getting back to your father?"

"Good point." His brows furrowed and then he waved a hand. A gold clock appeared around his neck. "This better?"

I looked at him in horror. Him in light realm attire was hideous. "Errr...yeah." I nodded. "Shall we?" I motioned to the light realm beyond the newly fixed border. As we stepped over the border, relief washed over me, for now my people were protected.