Prisoner of Chaos (Redemption Book #4)

Chapter 41

Kyla

"Mother, it's not what you're thinking," I quickly say, walking past Rift and running to embrace her. "But I'm so glad to see you!"

Mother's embrace is stiff. I can tell she's focused on Rift and nothing else. She remembers all too well what happened the last time my father saw Rift.

"Rift is no longer possessed by the Dark Lord," I say.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Mother says, she pulls from my embrace with a worried look on her face. "What do you mean 'possessed'?"

Rift steps forward and gets down on one knee, bowing his head at my mother in respect. I know how much Rift doesn't like being in submission to anyone so I confess that gesture makes my heart flutter a little.

My dark mage, being all noble for me.

"My queen," Rift says somberly, "I apologize for all the torment, pain, and fear I caused you. What the princess says is true. I was possessed by an ancient entity, an entity that once sought to cause darkness in all of Axus and destroy it. It was defeated and laid dormant by your husband's ancestor, but not without a price. The essence of this entity never was fully extinguished, and this is where King Alvar's Curse came from. I believe the only way to prevent the destruction of our world is put a stop to the chaos in Axus. If your husband is truly recovering his mental state, perhaps he can help us."

"What he's really saying is, we have no clue how to defeat this Dark Lord entity, because even when this mage was possessed by it, he literally couldn't kill himself to defeat it," Kalvar mumbles, crossing his arms over his chest. "But we do know that Erlund is about to attack us and cause even more death and chaos that will empower this entity further. So basically we're screwed."

"I thought Kyla was meaning to marry Wes to bring peace there?" Mother says, closing her eyes and rubbing her temples, obviously overwhelmed by stress.

"That did not work out," I say coldly. "Wes placed a Fe Collar on me and it is only because of Rift that I'm free from it."

"Holy crap," Mother murmurs, shaking her head.

This Earth expression has always disgusted and confused me since mother explained that the word "crap" is another word for shit. A combination of the word "holy" which means pure and faultless, and a word for excrement seems quite disturbing.

"Maybe with this knowledge your father will deign to forgive him," Mother says, nodding down at Rift. "And you can get up off your knee, mage."

"His name is Rift," I say.

"Of course it is," Mother mutters, and suddenly she's laughing, but not because she's happy, it's the kind of laughter one does when they know there is nothing else but to find humor or cry. "Rift, I'm assuming there is something romantic going on between you and my daughter."

"I don't like to use that word," Rift says, furrowing his brow deep in thought. "Romance would infer grand gestures and gifts. I'm more of a--"

"Yes, we're together," I interrupt him with a roll of my eyes. It's not a romance that's going on between Rift and I. It's more of a finding my mate kind of thing. Something I've still not discussed with my father as being a thing for him. But I'm not going to bother my very human mother with details on how Rift and I's relationship works.

"Fill me in on everything that has happened since we've left," Mother says. "I don't want you to leave out any details."

"Wes already was with someone when he and Kyla were engaged, he calls her Diana, but those who follow the darkness call her the Blood Queen. She's originally from Earth around the time you arrived here and she claims to know you," Rift says. "She said she wanted me to kill you."

"What?" Mother's eyes get wide, I can tell she's searching her mind for an answer to who this person could be.

I know my mother's story and I'm beginning to wonder about who this Blood Queen is as well. "Mother, could it be possible--she's you're old friend, Emily?"

"Emily?" Mother's face gets pale and she covers her mouth. She finds a bench to sit down on. "How could Emily be alive? Saul killed her. Mike told me she was found brutally murdered."

"My mother must have brought her back with a pact made through the Dark Lord," Rift states. "But she's still got it out for you."

"If I had known she was alive!" Mother's eyes get glassy. "She made my life difficult, but she also gave me the knowledge I needed to get back and trick Saul into thinking he could kill me with fire, and thus finding a way to defeat him."

"So that's what she meant when she said she saved everyone," Rift murmurs.

Mother gets up. "I need to talk to her."

"That would be stupid," Rift says. "She's a very powerful sorceress now and would love being in a room with you long enough to kill you."

"I still can't believe she's alive," Mother says.

"Mother, I saw her, and whoever that person was, or whatever is left of a person," I say, recalling how sadistic Diana--or Emily--had been when I'd seen her. "She's not one to negotiate with."

"Agreed," Rift says. "Now where do you think King Alvar will return?"

"He should arrive shortly, but maybe you shouldn't be present," Mother says with a sigh. "Just wait until we can explain everything to him."

"I was hoping to check in on my father anyway," Rift says, he leans it and brushes his lips against my cheek. "Would you like to come with me, Princess?"

"I'll be right there," I say. "I want to talk to Helle."

"Meet me at the Sanctuary," Rift says, he looks to Kalvar. "Be a king, and get your army ready. An attack is coming probably sooner than we're expecting."

"Noted," Kalvar mumbles, nodding his head at Rift. "All I can say is I'm glad to have you fighting on our side, even if I don't like you."

"The feelings are mutual," Rift says. "Once this is over though, I can't say I'll continue to fight for you."

"I hope to never see you again once this is over," Kal says dryly.