Shade Academy

Chapter 39

I stared intently at Ashe through the path the fairies had left for me, too scared to even breath as I watched for any changes in him. His breathing was still slow and steady, I could feel his heart beat as well as my own at a calm and easy pace. So far nothing has seemed to change and I felt myself deflate. Even the fairy couldn't wake him, did that mean his condition was worse than we originally thought? Would he ever wake up? 

I closed my eyes and sighed willing myself not to cry, not in front of the fairies. I couldn't show weakness in front of them, not as their queen. "Mourning or feeling saddened is not a weakness queen. Our greatest sorrows bring us our greatest strengths, and our lowest of lows bring us to our highest of high." I smiled weakly at the fairy. Her words made sense, but nothing seemed to be able to penetrate the pain that had built in my chest the past few days. 

Movement from the corner of my eye caught my attention. I snapped my head to the side, fully intent on giving whoever it was hell for entering the room without announcing themselves, but what I saw made my heart race. Ashe sat bolt straight in the bed, looking around the room with a wild and frantic look in his eye. When they finally landed on me he was up out of bed and across the room in a blink of an eye. He wrapped me tightly in his arms, holding me to him as if this would be the last time he would ever get the chance to touch me again. 

I pulled away from him and looked up into those gem blue eyes I loved so much. Caressing his cheek I smiled as tears welled in my eyes. "I was so scared I'd lost you." I said in a whisper. "You almost did." His words struck fear into my heart, the knowledge that I was so close to actually losing him terrified me. "Do you remember anything?" I asked him, still not willing to let him go. "The last thing I remember was you showing up and freeing me and mother." His tone went dark, scarily dark as the memories flooded back to him. "Where is he?" Ashe demanded. 

"Come and sit down Ashe, that is a long story." I told him. He followed me back to the bed where I placed myself on his lap, still wrapped in his arms. "I found out what your father done to you and the others through the girls. When they told me I became so angry and so scared for you I used my magic to force our bond open. The pain I felt coming from you fueled my already growing fury. My body was covered in blue flames, scorching and burning everything and everyone in my path. A few guards tried to stop me but burned to ash before they could get close.

After opening a portal to you and seeing you, the condition you were in, the blood. I saw your father rearing back to take another swing I snapped and it was like I was someone else. I grabbed the whip reducing it to ash and freed you and your mother and placed you both under a protective barrier. I stripped your father of his title and banished him to the empty. But when I stripped him of his title a light came out of him. Your mother told me I needed to appoint a new king, to give the light somewhere to go. So, since you were the heir I made you the king. 

Something went wrong during your fathers banishment though. After opening a portal to the empty he said something. He said I may not die physically but I will die, he said the rebellion would kill me. Before I could ask what he meant Axel threw him through the portal. I tried to catch him, to ask him about what he said but I forgot I was still covered in flames and I killed him. After that I healed you and had you brought here where you've been the last five or so days." I finished explaining. 

Ashe looked dumb struck. He was shock, that much was clear. "Ashe? Are you ok?" He didn't answer, just kept staring at me blankly. I looked over my shoulder to the fairies "I think I broke him." I said to them. Their tiny laughs trilled in the air. "No queen, he is in shock." They assured me. I knew that already though. "Ashe? Ashe answer me." I pleaded. "Anna, why?" He asked in a low voice. "Why what?" I questioned. "Why did you make me king, do you know what this means?" I furrowed my brow. "You were next in line Ashe, it was only logical to make you king, it is your birthright. And no, other than you being king I don't know what it means." I said growing irritated. 

"Anna." He said cupping my face firmly between his hands. "This means I can't go back to the Academy, I can't leave the realm. At least not for a little while, not until things have settled." My eyes widened and I jumped from his lap. "No, that can't be true. No one knows about this except a few, and they have all been threatened into silence. We can keep this quiet, you can run the realm from the Academy." I rambled as I paced the room. Ashe got up and pulled me to a stop. "Anna, you must know I can't do that." He said gently, his eyes pleading with me to understand. And I did, I did understand. I mean logically I understood, but emotionally, I couldn't accept it. 

"You are not permitted to leave either queen." One of the fairy spoke up. I snapped my head towards the fairy who spoke. "What do you mean I'm not 'permitted' to leave?" I asked. The fairies all huddled together. "You are queen of the fairy people and soon to be queen of the fae, two kingdoms who need their queen and their kings. You must show the kingdoms your bond, show them the union between the five of you." 

I looked into Ashe's eyes panicked. "The decision is yours love." Ashe said. I could see the hopefulness in his eyes, could feel his emotions pleading with me. "Ashe, the Academy needs us, all of us just as this realm does. With the rebellion growing stronger and more bold they need us to help keep them safe. Ashe we can't leave them to defend themselves. The students aren't strong or experienced enough and there aren't enough professors. Is there anything, anything we can do? Maybe go back and forth?" 

Ashe seemed to be contemplating the idea. "Fine. But only until the rebellion is dealt with, alright?" I heaved a sigh of relief. "Agreed. Is that alright with yall?" I asked the fairies. They seemed to talk among themselves before agreeing, though they seemed to do so hesitantly. I walked over to them "I promise, I will not abandon you, any of you. We will deal with whatever is to come together, all of us. Me, all my mates, the fae and all of you. As long as we all stick together, we can handle whatever is to come." 

The small fairies smiled and agreed eagerly. "Now, Ashe, I think it's time we let the guys and your mother know you're awake. They have all been worried about you." Ashe smiled brightly. "She's ok?" I nodded. "She is fine, and fully recovered." Ashe's body slumped as if he had been carrying a heavy weight this entire time. "Come on love, you can see for yourself."