Dance of Fate

Chapter Fifty Nine

There was no one around me. Nothing around me, aside from bright, blinding light.

And it.

Asteria. Come, the Cauldron whispered, its voice a seductive purr that promised power and death and destruction. I wanted to run from it. But I could not. The way it said my name, the way it made my blood thrum and my power sing...

Every cell in my being was pulsing with the need to move towards it, devouring my every thought, until I could no longer remember who I was or where I had come from. There was nothing else. Only it.

I took a step towards it. Then another, and another.

We are the same, it sang. I peered into the tub- the tub I knew to be filled with darkness and agony, death and destruction.

But I did not see that- or I did. I saw my own reflection- only my eyes were hollowed out, glimmering with horrible, pure, power.

We are one.

I saw nothing.

Felt nothing.

Only death and darkness.

Only the power of the Cauldron.

...

-Hybern-

I rubbed my eyes as I walked to the throne room, exhausted after not having slept at all.

I was too terrified to sleep. Three days had gone by since the spy had almost blown my cover. Since I had risked everything by sending a warning to the Night Court that there would be an attack on Adriata in two days. I was hovering dangerously close to being caught, and destroying everything. And what sleep I had gotten, had been plagued by nightmares so horrifying that rest was not worth it.

"You summoned me, your Majesty?" I said as I reached the foot of the dais, where the King of Hybern lounged on his throne. The male played with a small knife, not so much as looking down at me. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes or scowl, exhaustion making it all the more difficult.

"I did." He said flatly, his voice not failing to make me cringe. "You never asked me anything about what I said when your brother and his lot where here."

I froze, praying that my voice was steady, that I hid my fear well. "Your Majesty?" I said, unable to think of anything else to say.

Hybern slowly trailed his gaze to me, his dark eyes as unforgiving as ever, shimmering with malice- and rage.

"The prophecy." He states simply. I pursed my lips, casually clasping my hands shaking behind my back. "The One Who Was Promised," he drawled. "To destroy, or to save."

I desperately searched for something to say, but opted to stay silent. Luckily, Hybern went on. "You possess raw magic- did you know that?"

I swallowed. "No, I did not."

"You could forge it into just about anything- shields, glamours. Fire, lightning. There are few limits to what you can do." I didn't let his words sink in. I would think on them later- what was more pressing was why he was telling me this now.

Hybern snapped his fingers, and the Cauldron appeared beside him. I couldn't hide my flinch as it screamed at me.

Asteria-

"Your abilities, as you know, include nullifying this Cauldron." My nails dug into my palms, and I couldn't keep my eyes off the Cauldron as it called to me, louder and louder, almost as loud as my power as it thrashed against my continuously weakened hold.