Solstice sisters

Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Ivy's POV

The elegant white marble of the main hallways were more blinding than ever. I walked through them in silence. The whole palace was still. My long, floaty, white dress flowed around me like air as I padded down the halls barefoot. My dark hair cascaded, loose, down my back. Tickling my skin. I didn't know where I was going, I just let my legs take me where they wanted to go. The veined white flooring felt colder than ever under my feet. The buzz I'd been feeling all week had disappeared. Damon had told me that it was my powers going haywire so close to my sixteenth birthday. They were preparing. The fact that this buzz was gone was the first sign something was wrong. The second was the image of Blight sprawled across my fathers old throne. The room was starker than usual, the only colours in the whole room were the purple velvet of the chairs and the colours of our eyes. He shared the same dark hair and pale skin as me. I tensed up the second I saw him thrown haphazardly over the throne. He examined his cuticles a second longer before turning his attention to me. He wore an all white suit, not a speck of dirt on it.
'What are you doing here?' I asked confidently, I was tired of being scared of him.
'It's been months' he said plainly, not moving from his place on the throne.
'Months since what?' I asked 'since the last attack?'
'Since your last chance to join me' he answered sharply 'you've had since the start of November to decide whether you'll join me or not. It's December nineteenth have you made your decision yet?'
'My decision is still the same as it was all the other times you've asked me, and will remain that way' I snapped. He shook his head.
'So many people have died Ivy' he said slowly 'you could've saved all of them'
I looked down. He's trying to guilt trip you, I thought furiously. Remember what Zack said, don't fall for it.
'I could've given up on you by now, you know, started a war that would've slaughtered thousands. But I haven't. Do you want to know why?'
I stayed silent, glaring at him.
'Because we're the same, you and I' he continued with a grin.
'I am nothing like you!' I spat 'I'm not a murderer'
'Oh but you are' he said matter of factly 'just think of all the creatures you've slain with that sword of yours'
'That's not-' I started 'it was self defence'
'What if I said I did all of this for self defence? See Ivy it doesn't justify killing'
He's trying to get in my head.
'You're two days away from your sixteenth birthday, you're going to receive unimaginable power. You could be feared, you could rule all of Eremay on your own'
'I don't want to be on my own' I whispered
'Then I'll rule with you, we could do it together'
'I want to rule with my sister!' I yelled. He looked slightly taken aback.
'If you don't join me you won't have a sister to rule with' he said quickly.
'What' I stuttered as my heart skipped a beat 'what do you mean?'
Blight let out a cold, mocking laugh.
'Tell me!' I screamed 'what have you done?'
'Let's put it this way, Princess Summer doesn't have much time left. But if you join me we can put an end to the bloodshed and your sister will remain unharmed'
'You're blackmailing me' I said in anger
'Not necessarily blackmail' he said casually 'more, using the ones you love and innocent civilians to sway your decision in my favour'
'Still blackmail' I snapped
'Call it what you will but this is for the greater good' he insisted.
'There would be no need for a greater good if you would just leave me and my people alone!' I shouted 'what do you even want from us Blight? Is this about your father?'
'Please, I'm not petty' he laughed 'I got my revenge for my fathers death years ago when I set fire to your parents Manor House. What I want is to rule, I want to rule over all of Eremay. Tavina, Draycott, Scorchfall even Shadowfey will remain under my reign'
'You're deluded' I said in disbelief.
'Last chance Ivy' he sang 'or you'll have to fight me alone'
'I think I'll take my chances' I replied.
'Fine; if you change your mind I'll have some of my men stationed in Fowlmere forest. But only for the next twenty four hours, after that I will declare war on the throne'
'I won't change my mind, don't worry' I said and stalked out of the room.
'We'll see' I heard him call faintly as I began to surface from the dream.