Sinister Secrets

To Us? To Erebus? It Was Beautiful

The doors to my room were thrown open causing me to spring forward in bed. I couldn't find much sleep after the Dark Lord left, so I stayed up watching the rain for hours. I wasn't sure exactly how long I'd watched, but it was certainly longer than had I slept. By the time I woke, it was already well into the morning. Even though it was always dark and to the untrained eye, any time of day would be questionable, I could still feel it was morning. My eyes immediately went to the window where I noticed the rain was gone and instead, the smell of wet leaves carried through the open window on the tail end of a breeze. I wasn't sure if the lack of rain indicated the Dark Lord had woke feeling better about the situation or if the rain had run it's course and his anger had been on simmer now instead. 

Ezra was the source of the abrupt wake-up call. It didn't escape me that I was more worried about the rain outside than I was the person barging into my room during the morning hours. I'd immediately felt safe in the Dark and that thought, that security, wasn't lost on me. Ezra rummaged through my armoire for clothing that he haphazardly tossed on the bed—just a pair of black pants and a matching fitted black shirt. The wardrobe in the Dark matched its ambiance. Dark and sleek. Though most of the people in the village below seemed to match, the fabrics in the Dark Lord's manor were ones made of dreams. 

"Get up." Ezra said coldly.

"What's happening?" I whispered, my voice groggy and hoarse.

He lifted his eyes to me. "This isn't a vacation, Human, we have things to do."

I gave him a look indicating he didn't have to tell me how serious this situation was and how time was limited. I understood it. And for the first time since I'd become a resident of the Dark, I thought of Iriana. I wondered how much time I had to find her. I hadn't thought of it before, but if they suddenly found her useless, what did that mean for Iriana? And how much time did I really have? 

I felt a little guilty, she was out there somewhere being used as a test subject and probably living a shallow version of a life- possibly in pain and here I was, traversing lands among the Dark Lord and his General. Experiencing new things, new places- the things we wanted to do together once we left The Wall. I was yucking it up while she was... lost.

"The Dark Lord has been summoned to the village." Ezra said, his voice breaking my thoughts of Iriana as he rummaged around the desk where I'd left thoughts regarding the Ouroboros. "You're going too."

"Why?" I asked. "After our little disagreement last night, I don't think he wants me anywhere near him."

He lifted his eyes to me and frowned. "First of all, there are parts of him that you need to see and understand." He said. "As for your disagreement, don't let the coldness he sometimes has be mistaken for anger. When it comes to Reginald and Fredrick, he has a hard time letting it go. The more he learns, the harder it gets. He knew that he was part of Reginald's why in all of this, but being reminded is like poking an open wound with a dirty stick. Secondly- should you decide to be a Lady of the Dark at any point in your future, you should know who your subjects will be." 

I nodded. "I wasn't... I didn't mean to defend Fredrick like I did. Every time something new comes up I'm left more confused than when we started. None of this fits together perfectly. Fredrick, Reginald, Erebus, the Elders, the Ouroboros, Relm, my friend Iriana. None of it makes sense and I'm lost. I thought the dreams were helping."

"I think things will start to make sense the more we investigate where the Ouroboros has been. Something has to give." He said. "But as for Fredrick? He had a lot of people fooled. Fredrick was kind of known for being a teller of tales. That's why him being the Protector really didn't make any sense." He headed toward the door. "Get ready and meet me downstairs in five."