Time's Mistress

My secret keeper

"Cassidy, I need you to do me a favor and keep it between us two."

Cassidy looked at me with a raised eyebrow but then nodded for me to continue.

"I need you to take me to see the gatekeeper. The guy that we first saw when we entered into the city."

"You mean Blake?" Iris nodded her head.

"I feel like he will have information that I need to know. Especially about myself and my past." Cassidy looked me over for a moment and then nodded.

"I will take you to him. I'm sure that he could use the company."

"Can we take the kids?" Iris asked, stroking Genesis's soft furry ear. "I don't want to leave them for too long, and I don't know how long we will be gone. So if we can, I want them to come with us."

"Well, maybe I could have him come here. It would make it easier to hide your animals. People in the city don't even know that there are still animals like this because they've been sheltered here all of their lives. They only know if they were here from the before time, but even all of those people are almost gone. Hell, I've only ever really seen horses. Only you brought these two home. So I can probably arrange something here. It would probably be safer that way anyway."

Iris nodded while petting the top of Lucifer's head. "I can accept that. How long do you think it would take to get him here?"

"A couple of hours at most." Iris nodded her head.

"Before you go, can you send for lunch? I don't know what it is, but ever since I woke up, I've been starving." Cassidy laughed at her.

"Of course, little sister. Do you want some company? I could send Sae to you."

"Honestly, I want for someone to bring me the books on the weapons that father was talking about. I want to read them and see what I can find out." Cassidy nodded.

"I can do that. I'll have a servant bring them right away." Iris smiled at her sister.

"Thank you, my sister. You have been a big help with everything that has been going on. I'm happy that I can at least trust you in this mess." Cassidy smiled and hugged her sister close.

"We were inseparable once, and we will be again, my sister. We protect each other, and that's how it will always be." Cassidy drew back and walked to the door. She exited, closing the door softly behind her. Iris laid back on her bed and sighed. Her hand absently went to rub her neck, where the mark was carved. She only realized it when she felt a spark erupt through her body. A soft groan escaped her mouth in surprise.

What was that? I don't understand what that feeling was. She rubbed the side of her neck now and then sighed. She was going to have to ask her beauty what the deal with this mark was. Iris started to play the memories in her head that she had of her love and the nights that they had shared. A strange sensation spread in her body as the memories passed by. She felt her mind starting to race, and her head started to ache as her eyes closed. What is this feeling? As soon as her eyes closed, she was transported to a different time and place.

*********************

Iris paced back and forth as she fumed. She was in a room that was decorated in gold and marble. There was a four-poster bed with the sheer canopy tied to the posts, so it stayed open. Three steps led up to the bed in the middle of the room that was oversized. The balcony doors were thrown open to reveal a beautiful sunny sky. Her anger was filling the room.

How could her father force this on her? Why was she to be the one to marry that fool for a stupid treaty? She was destined to be the most powerful God in the universe. Not be stuck with a dirty God from the underworld. She was to rule alone and do as she pleases. The doors opened to her room after a soft knock. She looked up in furry at being disturbed at this hour.

"My lady," a maid said softly. "I am sorry to interrupt you at this hour. But your father is demanding your presence in his rooms. There is someone that you must meet." She looked the beautiful woman over before nodding her head.

They both walked out together in silence. The maid smiled at her lady before disappearing down the stairs to go about her duties. Iris threw open her father's door without bothering to knock. All of the eyes turned to her. She looked directly at her father with anger in her eyes.

"What have you summoned me for in such haste?" She practically spat out. Her father raised an eyebrow before pointing at his guests, who were sitting across the room. The man looked slightly interested in what was happening. His pale skin and piercing eyes were following her movements. She narrowed her eyes at him as he smiled at her. She turned her eyes to the woman next to him. The woman looked in the other direction with a very bored expression on her face. Iris stopped instantly and stared at the woman. Her features had hard lines but looked soft to the touch. For some reason, she wanted to see what her eyes looked like. In that moment, feeling the eyes on her, the woman turned and froze. Her gray eyes were baring into Iris's own. They clashed as they held each other's gaze. The air charged between them. It was subtle at first until you could slowly start to see the magic of their energies start to clash in a dance. Iris's father cleared his throat before speaking. But the two kept their eyes on each other.

"Iris, this is Lucifer, the dark lord and his first born. Also, the strongest of his children as you are the strongest of mine. This is his daughter, and the next dark lord of the other relam, Aurora." There was a pause. "She is to be your bride in this arrangement. As you are to be hers."

The word bride snapped Iris out of her spell that she had been in. She looked at her father. "She is here to spend some time with you until the ceremony that will take place when your mother arrives in two moons to marry the two. She is the one to over see all of the marriages after all." Her anger spiked again.

She heard movement on the other side of the room. She looked to see Aurora approaching her. She followed her with her eyes but refused to budge herself. She stopped an inch away from her ear.

"I must say, at least you're attractive. Too bad that you will never be able to handle a goddess such as me. This treaty will not last long, but I will make sure to take you to my bed before it is broken." She licked Iris's ear before she was pushed away. A blush present on Iris's face.

"You will never be able to do that. And you have no idea who you are talking to. I will destroy you." Iris gritted her teeth while Aurora smirked.

"We will find out very soon about that."

Iris turned and grabbed her by her shirt.....

**************

The door to her bedroom opened, causing Iris's eyes to fly open as her head pounded. She put her hand over her head as she tried to see who was entering her room. It was her sister and the man Blake from the wall. She sat up, clutching her head in pain. She groaned before forcing herself to stand. Cassidy dropped the books in her hand and ran to her sister.

"Are you okay, Iris?"

"Yes, just a headache that's starting to disappear now."

She released her head once the pounding stopped and stood up straight. Her eyes met that of Blake's, and she smiled softly before looking at her sister. "You really do work fast, Cass." Cassidy chuckled.

"I told you, sis, I will always have your back, just like you always had mine. That will never change, no matter what happens." Iris nodded her head and smiled. She looked back over to Blake, who looked around in disbelief in her room.

"Can you leave us for now, Cass? I want to talk to him alone." Cassidy looked over her sister, then looked at Blake with narrowed eyes.

"You better keep your hands to yourself, sir." She said in a threatening manner. She looked at her sister. "I'll be waiting on the other side of the door if you need anything." Iris nodded her head, watching her sister before the door closed behind her. She turned to Blake with a serious look.

"We need to have a conversation about the past and everything that you know about me." Blake smiled and nodded his head.

"Well, when it comes to you, I know everything that there is." She looked him over with determination. "After all, I am your keeper of secrets. And they live inside of me, just like when you created me, my friend."