5: Darken Star

9: Betrayal

We had finally made it to the border, it should only be a few more hours until we made it to the lake.

"Robin." i stopped in my tracks. "we should part ways here."

"before that." he got close. "can i show you something first? proof that i was not lying about keeping your father safe."

"as long as it doesn't take too long." i agreed. "my mother is waiting for me."

"i promise it will be but a few hours." he kissed the back of my hand where the rose was etched, now a sign of our friendship. 

"okay," i agreed. 

he led me through the forest to a cave in the mountains before the lake. 

"what is in here?" i asked as we entered the cave.

"my family." he answered. 

i looked at my side, my sword was glowing. "i dont think we should go any farther." i stopped walking.

"why not?" he looked back at me.

"there are dark fairies nearby." i answered, drawing my sword.

"how would you know that?" he sounded almost scary, his voice going into a deep growl.

"my father gave me this sword." i answered, "it glows when dark fairies are near, and this is saying there is."

"Star." he took a step closer to me. "i will keep you safe." his eyes looked kind as he reached his hand for mine. "all will make sense when you meet my family."

"i thought you said your family were dead." i pulled from his hand. 

"they are, but these are the ones who treated me as family ever since." he reached and grabbed my hand again. "you can trust me."

i let him keep my hand this time. "fine, but i an keeping my sword drawn."

"that is okay." he smiled sweetly to me as we walked deeper into the caves. 

we came out into a large cavern. the ceiling looked like a lake, water moving above us. "we are under the lake." i muttered.

"we are." he answered. 

"wait, but that would mean...." my eyes went wide, i knew what that had meant. i looked around the cavern. dark fairies of every type flew in and out of caves around us. "you said you were not aligned with Oberon." 

"i am not." he replied, still holding my hand. 

"but this is his domain." i said as he led me down another cave. 

"how would you know that?" he asked, voice going to a growl once again.

"my father." i answered. "he told me where the dark fairies lived."

he stopped in his tracks ahead of me. "only James Heartfire would have that information."

"Astraea?" i heard a familiar voice nearby. i turned, realizing that there were cells holding people around us now.

i stepped closer to the cell. "mother?"

"What are you doing here?" he sounded worried.

"What do you mean by mother?" Robin sounded mad as he turned to face me. he pointed to my mother. "are you meaning to tell me that your mother is the Great Dragon?"

"she is." i answered, my heart feeling a bit of pain. 

"then your father is the false king, James Heartfire." he growled.

"he is." i answered. 

"i brought you where you wanted to go all along?" he took a step closer.

"Astraea?" mother sounded worried. "how do you know the dark fairy king?"

I glanced at my mother. "Dark fairy king?"

"you didnt know?" tears welled up in her eyes.

i turned to look at Robin. "you said your name was Robin."

"it is." he took another step closer. "my name is Oberon Robin Darkfire." he now lost any kindness in his face, he loomed over me. "i had known you were lying to me, but to this extent is unforgivable." 

"you knew i was trying to protect myself." i clenched my fists. "this whole time, you were the one who was holding my loved ones captive." i looked to other cells. "uncle Alexander, Aunt Alana, Uncle Thorne." they were all there, looking at me with worry.

"who are you?" Oberon asked. 

"Astraea Darken, queen of Drakaria." i answered.

"your name means stars." he sounded a bit surprised. 

"let them go." i demanded. 

"i cannot do that. i need them out of my way." he argued back. 

"you still owe me one favor, let them go." i got closer to them. "take me as hostage, mother and father will both do as you say if you do that. just let them free."

"Astraea no." mother cried.

he paused, hurt in his eyes. "i would never have made that deal with you if i knew what it meant." he waved his hand and my loved ones disappeared. "they are now where i had taken them from."

he grabbed my arm, pain in his eyes. "you should know, to kill James Heartfire, i need to kill a loved one of his. unfortunately, that will have to be you." he waved his hand. 

i looked and i was now in the cell my mother had been in. "i thought we were friends!" 

"i had thought so as well, my Star," i thought i had seen a tear form in his eye. 

"let me out of here." i begged. "i wont run." 

"i cannot be sure of that." he looked away from me.

"please." i fell to the floor sobbing. knowing that the end was close for me. "i am scared of closed in places. if i am going to die, at least keep me by your side until then." 

"on one condition." he leaned in close to the cell. "make a deal with me."