A Kingdom of Bloodshed (A Crimson Court Series)

*¬*Chapter Twenty Eight*¬*

        "I love you Kazimir. Endlessly." Time seems to have paused, frozen over as I stare at her. The words are not quite sinking in just yet. I thought she was dead.

I thought she was gone. I felt it snap, the bond. I felt her fading from me until there was nothing but ash where a golden string used to be. I didn't quite know where I was after that.

The world had fogged over, everything became muted. The only colour I could see was red. I remember charging at my brother, threatening to take his life when suddenly Ryder was yelling at me to look.

So I did. I looked. And there she was, sitting on her butt in the dirt staring at us in shock. I couldn't believe it, I couldn't understand how this was possible and I didn't have much time to understand before I was throwing myself towards her, reaching for her.

Our fingers had just met when we vanished. One minute we were in the ruins of camp, the next we were at a different type of ruin.

Time began to speed up after that, as Thea opened the tomb door and walked inside as if in a trance. The minutes it took for her to get in, find the Crown and walk back out felt like years. I had never been more terrified. I was anxious.

Everything blurred again after that, Thea came out holding the crown, my brother bursting through the trees, the chase. I remember the feeling. That dread that sunk into my bones as I watched her battle against Tara before diving into the river to keep that Crown away from them.

I remember the cold that washed over my body as she sent me a goodbye message before sinking beneath the water and sweeping outwards towards the open sea.

Now? Now she's here. Alive, well. Beautiful. She's here and she's just told me she loves me. Upon entering her room after Arrow rushed to me saying Thea was speaking madness, I felt something splinter within me at her stillness. At seeing her on the floor staring at the melting sun. So I joined her, I sat next to her and didn't say a word.

I gave her a silent companionship as she absorbed whatever it was she needed to heal from. She's staring at me. Her eyes are gentle and questioning, wondering if I feel the same way.

I do. I need to tell her now, before it's too late.

"Althea..." Why is this so hard to say? Just do it! "Yes?" God her eyes are so hopeful, so bright that I don't know how to process it. "Who's coming?" Foolish bastard. You don't deserve her. The disappointment on her face is clear.

I release her chin and she lets go of my hand, our precious moment now over. One second. That's all it takes to change the course of time forever. One second.

She pushes to her feet before striding for the edge of her bed, sitting down on it and staring aimlessly at the wall. "A great terrible evil."

"Who? I thought Xavier was the evil?" She looks at me now, something has closed off behind those eyes. Something has begun to seal shut. "He is. But something worse than him is also coming." Something worse? "Tell me." She shakes her head, the colour leaching from her face as she whispers, "Myra said his name was Sauron... and that Augustus is going to awaken him along with Xavier."

Feeling drains from my face. Panic begins to flood my system as that name clangs through me.

I must have looked panicked for she rises and reaches for me, "It's ok. We'll figure it out." But I'm shaking my head, tingling begins in my fingers and then up to my cheeks. "I don't think you understand just how severe this is. Sauron cannot be awakened. EVER." She's gripping my cheeks, trying to get me to look at her but I can't.