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November 18 - November 23, 2024
This is the tale of how a chosen one falls. She does it screaming, clawing for her old life with broken fingernails. She does it slowly, over the course of decades. And in the end, she takes the whole forsaken world with her.
One day, the whispers would make legends of Raihn and Oraya, too, and I looked forward to hearing them.
I imagined Raihn’s and Oraya’s faces when presented with my head in a box. They would start a war for me, even though their shaky newborn rule couldn’t withstand it.
Not yet, a’mara. This is not the time. Wait for me.
“I have been the warden of Morthryn for more than a century. I’ve dealt with better liars, more charming manipulators, and more beautiful women than you. So don’t bother.” “More beautiful women?” I repeated.
“I will not, a’mara,” he said. “You will.”
“I was only a priestess,” I whined. “I have faith in your abilities,” Asar said, and unceremoniously pushed me out from behind the wall.
Asar’s eyes snapped open. Immediately, his face pinched into a scowl. He sat bolt upright. “What were you about to do?” I lowered my hand. “Nothing.”
“There is no light without darkness. There is no life without suffering.”
Besides, I was a missionary. This was my purpose. I found a broken soul. I helped them. And then I left. I had done it countless times before. Why would I stop now?
“Of course not,” he said. “You are mine forever.” He put down the apricot and lowered his mouth to mine, his lips still damp with another mortal pleasure.
But contrary to common belief, I wasn’t reckless. I just followed my gut. Some might even call that faith.
Gods, why did his blood smell like that? Better than human.
It felt indecent to be staring at the Wraith Warden’s feet.
But Asar, I knew, felt my nagging unease. He squeezed once, so quick I questioned if I’d imagined it.
“Ah.” Her lips brushed the crest of my ear. “He likes you. Even if he doesn’t know it yet. But don’t be fooled. He will ruin you one day, too.”
One minute, darkness enveloped him. The next, Elias went flying against the wall. “Do. Not. Touch. Her.”
I will, I promised. He kissed me, a scalding promise, and I prayed he couldn’t taste the blood on my lips.
“I’ll go,” I said. Asar looked at me like I was an idiot. “You certainly will not.” “It’s magic, not sunlight. It won’t kill me.”
“Oh, I’m not a lady,” I said around a full mouth. “No, definitely not,” Asar agreed, and I gave him a scowl.
“I don’t comment on décolletage unless invited,” he said coolly. “Men today!”
“not because of Asar, but because of you. Because you did not make it this far just to let yourself burn up like some pretty little candle. You killed Malach of the fucking Shadowborn, Mother’s sake. Have some self-respect.”
“I let you and your friend here into my home, and I, a lonely dead woman without a friend in the world, ask for only one thing—” “Oh, for fuck’s sake.”
“I just played the notes that sounded like you.”
“If what you claim is true, it would be a great tide turn in our blessed war against the darkness. It could change the world, a’mara. So this is my mission for you. Go. Go to Obitraes, the land of the damned. Give me a single vampire heart that can be shown the light.”
“Good girl,” Asar whispered. The words vibrated against my lips, serrated with a hunger sharp as mine.
“What are you doing?” I asked. “Praying with you,” he said. As if it were obvious. “I thought you didn’t believe in prayer.” “I don’t,” he said. “But you do.”
“And if you’ll take it, Mische Iliae, you will have me, too.”
“I’m patient,” he murmured. “A man can’t rush worship.”
I needed to believe that. I thought of the last time I saw Oraya and Raihn, standing on that balcony together, nose to nose. That was love. I believed that with my whole heart. And I needed to believe it could last for them.
No, I would never regret Asar. But I knew that one day, he would regret me.
“You are so foolish,” he said, “and so extraordinary.” I smiled weakly. “I’ve been told that before. Mostly the first part.”
