Dark World (Book I in the Dark World Trilogy) (36 page)

Malus.

“
Everyone,” Vrill called for
attention from a podium at the head of the room. “I’d like to thank
you all for coming this evening to welcome our newest daughter to
the family, Aura.” Pride filled his eyes as he waved a hand to his
side. Aura beamed, her short blue hair bobbed over her ears, a
silver feather pinning back her bangs.

The crowd clapped, the ambiance of the
room bursting with good spirits.

Fate took a long look around, the
decorated ballroom stealing her breath. Silver and baby blue swags
hung from the ceiling, swaying and wavering like an ocean. A strobe
light, flickering white and gold, pulsed in the center of the domed
ceiling.

The lattice of bones extended all the
way up the walls and bowed with the arc of the roof, leaving Fate
to wonder how on earth they’d accomplished such a feat. And with
just bones and gold twine.

Just…magical.
She smiled to
herself.

“
Hello, Fate,” chimed a
voice from behind her. Spinning around, Fate was suddenly face to
face with her favorite former Zombie, Aura.

“
Hi!” A grin spread across
Fate’s lips. “Congratulations,” she said, hoping that was the
appropriate gesture for the situation.

Aura nodded, a glint of sadness lurking
behind her swirling, galaxy-like eyes.

“
Are you okay?” Fate
queried.

The necromancer nodded again, though
slowly and unconvincingly.

Aura sighed, hugging herself. “I feel a
bit…Surface sick.”

“
Surface sick?” Fate
frowned.

Her blue hair glistened against the
soft lights twirling above them like a seventies disco ball. “You
know, like homesick, only I miss the Surface,” she
admitted.

Confused, Fate said, “But I thought you
couldn’t remember anything from your former life. That’s what Vale
told me.”

She paused, then responded, “That’s
what they told me too, but something inside of me knows that this
existence is different. Almost…wrong.” She stopped, glancing
around, then whispered, “I don’t think I’m supposed to remember…but
I do.”

Fate’s insides grew cold. So she wasn’t
the only one who felt like…an abomination. Something
unnatural.

Fate gave her new friend an encouraging
smile, uncertain as to how to ease her discomfort. She linked arms
with the necromancer and the two moved towards a long buffet table
draped in white linen.

Bowl after bowl and platter after
platter stretched the length of the table. Foods of every color,
shape and size lay in waiting for some hungry patron to dive in.
Fate eyed the food with envy, her human side wishing she could
participate. A growl from the dark side of her soul reminded her
she should visit Vrill’s Nexus again. And soon.

Worry clouded her thoughts. Her hunger
had come on so fast this time. She’d only touched the Nexus a few
hours before yet she was already nearing famishment. Her thoughts
shifted to the promise of finding a cure. Finding something to
satiate her morbid hunger. Elder Goretus thought there might have
been a way. Hope rose inside her. Glancing at Kane, who stood stoic
across the room with his gaze locked on her, she realized she was
likely welcome within the walls of the demon city again. She could
go back, speak with the old shaman, and maybe…

A thunderous
boom
tore through the air, followed by the
floor shuddering. Aura clutched Fate’s arm as they watched the
entire south wall of the ballroom pulsate violently. Heaving to and
fro as if out of breath, bits of the wall of bones began to burst
forth, spraying and shattering upon the marble floor.

Necromancers and shades staggered with
the earth quaking beneath them, fleeing to the opposite side of the
room, expressions of shock painted upon their faces.

Fate shielded Aura from falling rubble,
pulling her across the room towards the gathering patrons. As
frightened as Fate was, she guessed that Aura would be far more
terrified, a newborn to this violent world.

The wall gave one final exhalation,
spewing chunks of debris in all directions. Dust and sand rolled
into the room, obscuring the cause of the ruckus.

When the cloud settled, all Hell broke
loose.

Reunion

Kane shoved his way through the
panicked crowd, his eyes locked on Fate as she guided a frightened
necromancer from harm’s way. He had to get to her. Had to protect
her. Nothing else mattered.

Splinters of debris rained down, biting
at his face, his shoulders, and back. Pushing the pain aside, he
tried to ignore the cries of fear and chaos around him. They all
knew what this was. They all knew who was coming. Only one being
had this much power. Only one being had the motive.

Most of the patrons fled the room,
rushing the French doors, pushing their way through. Kane didn’t
blame them. Part of him wished he could follow their lead.
Escape.

But he couldn’t. He had to
face
her.

Everything had been leading up to this
moment. He realized it was futile to resist. Destiny had a way of
finding those who ran from it.

With the wall torn apart and gaping like a
deep crevice, Kane waited. Knowing who was going to cross that
ravaged threshold at any moment. Reaching Fate’s side, he breathed
a quiet sigh of relief. The Queen was here for Fate, he was sure of
it. At the very least, he would fight to keep her safe. Or die
trying.

Fate tried to still the tremble occupying
her body, by the expressions of those surrounding her, it was
obvious they knew who was coming. She didn’t want to see. Didn’t
want to acknowledge the truth. All of this was her fault. If she’d
only gone to the Queen, maybe all these people would still be
safe.

Aura wept quietly beside her. Her life
possibly over before it had even begun. A painful lump formed in
Fate’s throat, tears pricking her eyes. She could have prevented
this. All of this.

Maybe she still could.

A cool wind kissed her cheek, Vale
suddenly behind her. He’d wisped to her location, silent,
undetectable. Kane growled beside her, his blue eyes firing at the
shade.

“
Calm yourself,” Vale hissed
at Kane. “I can get Fate out of here.”

Kane stiffened. “You? How?”

“
I can wisp her to another
location,” he stated.

The demon prince contemplated a moment,
then ordered, “Do it.”

Vale moved to slide his arm around
Fate’s waist. “No!” she yelled, pushing his arm away. “I can
fight!”

A wistful smile pulled at his ebony
lips. “Fate...you have to go, you are too important. She can’t get
her hands on you.”

“
Me? What about you? She’ll
kill you just for being her son! For being alive! You have to live,
if not for me, than for the demons,” she cried. Panic held fast
around her heart, her anger towards him evaporating in the midst of
the chaos. She didn’t want to leave him. He was part of her
now.

His arms folded around her, chin
resting on her head. The beat of his heart throbbed against her
ear. She couldn’t leave him. She wouldn’t.

From the gash in the wall, the sound of
rubble crunching beneath feet sliced through the stillness of the
ballroom. The shades and necromancers, those that remained, braving
the unknown, held their breath, their eyes wide and full of
fear.

From within the midst of the dust
clouds parting like a misty white curtain, a figure
emerged.

“
Kane,” Fate whispered beside
him, her voice quivering as she wrapped herself around his arm. “Is
that…
her
?”

Kane frowned.

It was not his mother.

The shadowy figure stumbled forward,
cloaked, hunched and ragged. Loping through the rubble, she made
her way to the center of the room—where she immediately fell. Face
shielded by the hood, her breath came in rasps.

Fate heard Kane suck in a staggered
breath, then he uttered, “The Oracle.”

Fate took a step towards her, to help
her, but was halted when another presence loomed within the abyss.
Larger, louder, it thundered into the ballroom. Out of the swirling
dust emerged two enormous cats. The saber tooth felines, hulking
and twice the size of an elephant, entered through the torn portal,
their lengthy claws clacking against the marble floors. Crimson
dripped from their pointed canines, eyes of ember panning the room,
narrowed and gleaming with predatory malevolence. Steel harnesses
upon their backs, they moved forward, pulling a formidable golden
coach.

Fate glared as the coach glided into
the center of the room. All eyes were upon it. Even though the
windows were draped in dark fabric, she was certain she knew who
was inside.

The Oracle scuttled out of the way, the
gilded spokes of the coach nearly slicing her in two. Now huddled
against a large slab of rubble, the prophetess cradled her head in
her hands.

The cats growled and snarled at the
crowd, scarlet drool sliding off their teeth and
tongues.

Then the coach stopped. Two shades,
dressed in royal tunics, approached the door and released the
stairs. Eight more shades appeared, weapons in hand, positioning
themselves four on either side of the door, their eyes cold and
cruel as they focused on their duty. Movement around the other side
of the carriage caught Fate’s eye, dozens upon dozens of shade
warriors stood guard, waiting for any sign of trouble.

Fate’s heart beat wildly against her
chest. Why was the Queen here? What did she want? Was she there to
collect her heir? Sidling herself closer to Kane, she held her
breath as the shades nearest the carriage door reached out—and
opened it.

Her eyes slammed shut. She didn’t want to
see the Queen, this wayward underground mother that so desperately
called to her. Fate yearned to cover her ears, not wanting to hear
that voice again. That dark temptation.

The coach stairs protested as someone
descended them. Fate had to look. Forcing her eyes open just a
slit, she peered around Kane’s hulking body.

She stifled a gasp.

It was Ever, but older. Radiant and
sublime.

Her ocean blue eyes sang to Fate.
Called to her. The calm that resided within them soothed her.
Beckoned her.

There was no resistance. Fate felt herself
fall with every step the Queen took towards her.

“
Come to me, my daughter, come
to me!”
the
velvet voice rang through her thoughts.

“
Yes,”
Fate’s consciousness replied.
“Yes,
mother.”

A sense of completeness overwhelmed
her. The hollowed out crevice where her soul had been torn from her
body suddenly pooled with purpose.

She’d found her way home.

She’d found her master.

Kane took in a breath, readying himself
to confront his mother. There she stood, before him, her long hair
trailing to the floor like a silver veil. Blue eyes twinning his
own, she scanned the ballroom with a regal air. Her sight swept
over him once, then quickly returned. Their eyes locked, and for a
moment, he saw relief in her stare.

“
Kane,” she spoke, her voice
embracing him like velvet, stirring nostalgia from the days of his
youth. “I’m surprised to see you…alive.”

He forced a nod, unable to find his
voice. She didn’t appear as he’d expected. Her skin was supple,
soft and beautiful, not the aged, corpse-like complexion she should
have if she’d indeed touched the scroll and aged one thousand
years.

But she didn’t look old, she looked
radiant. Her ivory skin, the luminous, albino skin Ever had
inherited, gleamed as though she were no more than two hundred
years old. Snow white horns wrapped round the sides of her head,
coiling into perfect seashells. She was lovely. Just as he
remembered her to be.

Her lengthy golden gown trailed behind
her as she glided towards Kane. Warm cerulean eyes searched him,
bore into him with a sense of fascination. His mother’s arms
enveloped him, her familiar scent winding around his heart. His
memories.

The Queen then pulled away, turning to one
of her shades. “Maxim, take two guards and search the palace…find
the scrolls.” A devious smile played on her lips. “And bring them
to me.”

Maxim nodded, gathering two guards and
leaving the ballroom through the French doors.

Weakness moved through Kane. They’d most
certainly find the scrolls in the upstairs room. His mother—the
Devil—would soon be in possession of four of the pages of the
Devil’s Bible.

“
How did you find us?” he
asked, referring to Fate and himself.

His mother waved a nonchalant hand towards
the Oracle lying broken on the floor. “She struggled valiantly, but
in the end, I got the information I needed.” Her smile was sweet,
eyes ice-laden.

How?
Kane wondered,
How is it that she has done
such evil things?