Beguiled (Book 2 Immortal Essence series) (17 page)

“It’s true you aren’t a ferether. But, our species are kindred enough that mating with you won’t break any rules.
Not that the rules matter to me.
” Ramien threw opened the closet door and pulled the
same
dress he’d wanted me to we
ar when I first arrived from its hanger.
It was still beautiful
, delicate. The strapless silver bodice adorned with intricate flowers. Gauzy material went over one shoulder. It was long, the material sleek, like liquefied steel
. Next to him the
material
seemed frail
, almost imaginary.

My arrival in Helker
with Michael
seemed like a lifetime ago.
So much had happened. I realized I had
no
sense of time
here
. No moons, or suns to give any indication of hours passing.
“How long have I been down here?” I sat on the edge of the bed, suddenly so tired it hurt to breathe. My heart ached.

“Your prehistoric interpretations of time are of no value
,
”
he said, waving his hand dismissively.
He
handed
the dress
to Angela, which s
he laid out on the bed
.

I fixed Ramien with a needy stare.
“How long?”
I asked again.

He sighed. “Probably close to a month according
to the way kelarians calculate time
.”

“What?” I stood. “
No way
.” I figured
maybe a few hours.
A day at
most.
None of us ate, drank, or any of the other necessities
basic for human and kelarian existence.
My immortal body
didn’t require those things to survive, but we enjoyed them. “I don’t believe you.”

Ramien scoffed. “I guess it’s a good thing I don’t care whether you believe me or not.” He grabbed my arm
and shoved me toward the chair and vanity
. “Get dressed.”

I nodded
. Turning numbly, I
went to the chair Angela indicated, and sat.

The mirror
on the vanity
in front of me
reflected a woman
I didn’t recognize.
When I first arrived in Helker, Angela had braided my hair.
Now the braid hung lopsided along the side of my head.
My face looked like something out of a horror hologram. Black, maroon, and
red blood covered my face in splotches, spa
tters, and smears. My eyes
no longer
shone
a vivid blue (the w
ay Zaren described them), but
were
a
dull
, almost nonexistent color
. A long cut went through my right eyebrow and celestrum seeped from the wound.
The shirt I wore no longer appeared lavender, but dingy, covered in blood and guts.
One of the sleeves was gone, ripped away at the shoulder. The other
hu
ng in
a tattered mess
, shredded by either the snakes or the
dorvey
.
My fingers were covered in blood, the skin under the fingernails blackened.
Even my belt buckle, Tortevia, was drenched in all manner of
fluids.
The only item
that
remained unscathed was Michael’s medallion.

“Do you mind if I have a bath first? It’s apparently been ages since I was clean.”

His expression caught mine in the glass.
“
You
are
disgusting.
I suppose
a good washing would
be best
.
No sense scaring the guests.
” He went to the door. “
Several
of the wedding guests will be your loved ones. I
invited your parent
s
. They declined.
But the king and queen of
Alayeah
are coming.”

I gave him a puzzled look. “So my pare
nts will be there? Not
that
you’re giving them a choice, I’m sure.”
Despite the circumstances, excitement beat in my chest. I would see my parents. Though I knew they died, I longed to see them, hold them in my arms, and have them comfort me. I needed them.

He laughed. “True
. Zaren and his lover, Palamina, are also coming
,” he said with a cruel sneer.

At the mention of Zaren’s name,
my heart pound
ed faster
.
Zaren! M
y mind cried out in angu
ish. It hurt thinking of him with Palamina.

Ramien continued on with his guest list
.
“I
also invited Palmo, Dervinias, and the human, Cheverly.
”
While he spoke a huge
bathroom appeared to the
right
o
f the vanity
.

“Angela, help her. I’ll
return shortly
.”

He left, slamming the door.

I gulped in a huge breath of air, pushing down the
new wave of
pain threatening to burst.

Angela scurried over. “Highness, let’s get you
washed
up
.”

I wanted to laugh.
Ha! The blood might
come
off my skin, but it would never leave my soul.

Angela helped me out of the chair, and dragged me into the bathroom.
She removed my clothes and had me under th
e water within seconds
. My mind was like a blank screen. Empty. I couldn’t think. I didn’t want to. Any sort of
contemplation
would bring up
all that had
happened, and I wasn
’t ready. If I left my mind blan
k, I wouldn’t have to rem
ember what I’d done, those I
lost, and what was yet to come.

The hot
water
slapped against my skin in
stinging procession. Ducking my head in the spray, I closed my eyes, wishing the water would wash
me away
along with the dirt and grime.

Venus, come child
.

17.
Unbelievable

“Where,” I whispered.

“What
did you say
, Highness,” Angela asked, scrubbing my back with some sort of brush.

“Nothing,” I shook my head and closed my mouth.
Tortevia
. I said her name with my mind.

Very good, child
, she purred softly.
I must show you something
.
As
she spoke my mind opened up . . .

The scalding water
.
A
ngela scrubbing my back
.
The stifling fogginess of the air.
It
all
evaporated
.

I stood in nothingness. That was the only way to explain it.
Emptiness swallowed up my feet.
On all sides were stars, stars, and more stars.
A menagerie of them in bursts of reds, purples, and blues. Directly in front of me sat an irrihunter, like the gargoyles on old churches.

Tortevia
, I asked astonished.

She roared, extending her wings
out and upward, giving me a full view of how
massive
they were.
Hello, child
, she said with a soft purr. 

Where am I?
I took a hesitant step toward her. The ground, though I couldn’t see it, felt solid. I took another step.

She chuffed, her hea
d moving up and down in humor.
This is space. Di
dn’t the stars give you a clue?

I snorted.
But it
’s firm
.

Everything is substance.
Even the matter between objects.
But that’s not why you’re here.

Then why?
I reached her side, and longed to touch her fur.
May I?

Of course.

I s
a
nk my fingers into her lush black mane, ran my hand over her
furry
back, touching the
cartilage
where a wing extended
, and pressed my cheek against hers.
You are beautiful, Tortevia.
Being near her in this way made me long for Sadraden.

Tortevia
turned, her violet eyes glowing in pleasure.
As are you.
Now climb on. Let’s go for a ride.

My heart skipped
a beat
.
Hopping on, I situated my naked self
in front of her wings, so
my legs rested against her neck.

With two giant leaps
, her wings beat and Tortevia flew.
I let out a squeal of exhilaration. I missed flying almost as much as I missed my mom and dad. Together we went faster and faster.

How
are we doing this, Tortevia
?
I watched as planets, stars, moon
s
, and suns went by.

It’s possible because of what you are.

My stomach clenched in apprehension. Not Tortevia too.
First Ramien, then my sister, and now her.
I wanted
to shout, “I’m a kelvieri. Venus Carania, daughter to the king and queen of Alayeah.” But I didn’t.

What am I?

You are the
child of Ith and Ae
tha, which makes you an Eternal . . .
mostly.

I almost fell off Tortevia.
No.
That’s not true. My parents—

Aren’t your real parents,
Tortevia
finished.

We
closed
in on an enormous
violet
planet surrounded by many
moons, and
three
suns.

This is the planet,
Stiel.
Home
to the Gods.
They are called Eternals.
Aetha’s essence was born
there
.
Your father’s essence was created on Stiel as well, though his body
was born on Earth
. An unloving mother raised him until the age of eight.

My mouth fell open. I couldn’t believe it.
Ith’s mother sounded a lot like Michael’s.

Many millennia ago an Eternal by the name of Egan rose up against the Creator. He and his followers wanted to rule, wanted the Creator’s power. Fearing for his people, the Creator exiled Egan along with those who supported him. They became known as the fallen or ferethers. The
y
have no home, no soul. They are like cockroaches
, invading
other planets, tasting the essence of higher souls, but never consuming.
They don’t have the power.

I don’t understand.
How do you know so much?
The story
was fascinating,
but
it
still didn’t explain why Ramien needed me
or how she could know what I was
.

She roared, and said,
I am the God
s
’
Guardian. Anything and everything the Creator wants me to know, I know.

That made sense.
But why me?

Because you are
an Eternal.
And
w
hen you agreed to become Ramien’s wife, you willingly bound
your soul
to him
.
Essentially you gave him your soul. Since it was done by choice, n
ot taken, Ramien can consume
your soul.
Once the ceremony is complete, which won’t be a
marriage
but a sacrifice, he will
be
as powerful as the Creator.

How?
How can my soul
allow him to rival the Creator?

You are as the Creator. A goddess. The ferether was like you, like the Creator, until he wa
s stripped of his soul. Now
you’ve offered him yours
. O
nce he completes the ritual, your soul will be fully his.

What’ll happen to me?
I gripped the fur at Tortevia’s neck, fear pounding against my chest.