Prisoner of Darkness

chapter 4 part 1

Chapter 4

Later that night, mother woke, and we dressed for dinner, we headed to the dining room. I had attempted to explain the event of the day, but I do not think she believed me. It was not until we arrived at the table and Zavier sat opposite the Fowlers. ‘Lady Ronan,’ he stood and pulled out a seat for her she turns to look at me as if to apologies. I smiled as she accepted the seat next to him. Stephen pulled out the seat for me to sit opposite him.

Lady Fowler had begun telling my mother about the events of this morning, as we ordered dinner and began discussing things.

‘What was your business on Coralline, Master Soren?’ my mother asked.

‘Personal I came to collect something of value to me, I spent my summers on Coralline when I was young with a great uncle who used to live there, he has something of value to me when he recently died, I went to collect it.’

‘And what do you trade?’

‘Whatever is needed in Nicosia spices and silks, in Arcelia Furs and jewels, Halloran information and gold.’

‘And what of Terrin do you trade there?’

‘Not yet, my lady. I have been thinking though about opening a market stall there. Try my luck.’

‘Do you have samples of your wares by chance?’ Lord Fowler asked.

Zavier smiled and pulled a fine bag from his pocket and poured precious gems out of the bag. Emeralds, Topaz, and a bluestone I have never seen before. It was beautiful with flecks of gold in it.

‘What is this?’ I asked.

‘Lapis Lazuli. The Stone of Truth,’ he replied.

‘It is so beautiful. It's like the night sky.’ He smiled as it had as I handed it back to him.

‘You have a talent for acquiring rare stones, Master Soren. Any chance you are acquiring a wife of your own travels?’ My mother asked.

I was mortified that she was so obvious. ‘Mother,’ I hissed. She shrugged. Zavier smiled before responding.

‘No, I am not married, nor do I have anyone in my life, but I have hopes to meet them soon.’

Dinner was served, and the rest of the night was easy. We departed after a long dinner together. Zavier said goodbye to us in the hallway to our room and left.

I waited until midnight in the library like we agreed. He did not show at first, but a few minutes after midnight. He walked into the library still dressed in his clothes from dinner without his jacket and tie, his shirt was partially undone, and his vest was unbuttoned. He looked more like the Zavier I knew.

‘When you mentioned last night about not being able to get to the island, that you were stopped by someone who was it.’ I asked. He rolled his eyes and sighed.

‘Draeil,’ he responded. ‘She is our protector, at least while we are still children. After our power will fully emerge, she goes back to sleep until she is needed again.’

‘When I first found you, I messaged Draeil that I had found you and I was meant to return to her immediately after, but I refused. I stayed for five years and never left your side. Then I heard about your brother talking about bringing his friend to the island. William Cobalt, another name, of course, kept coming up being connected to the council. I left that night to go to Draeil, begging for her to help, to take you off the island. She refused. After he had left, I was barred from setting foot on the island again. She thinks she is being smart but keeping us apart, but it is only torture for us.’

I walked closer. ‘I am sorry for what was done to keep us apart. If it is any consolation, I have missed you terribly. If you had stayed, I might not have had this opportunity. I needed to save my mother. I needed to keep my family safe. And right now, I can do that by marrying William Cobalt.’ He shook his head.

Ari, by doing this-,’

‘By doing this, I am saving more than one life that could be destroyed. I want more than anything to go and be with you and be what we are. But I cannot yet. But what I can do right now is compromise.’

‘And what of your husband?’ he rolled his eyes.

‘We can fake my death; pretend I died in the carriage accident on the way to mother's funeral.’ He began pacing the floor, studying me and every turn.

‘At least think about this.’ I got more than I thought I would get. Without Zavier, blatant rage coming through.

‘One problem,’ he pointed out. ‘We do not have six months.’

‘Why not?’ I asked hotly. He smiled. ‘The eclipse, on the Shortest, coldest day of the year. A lunar eclipse is set to occur. This is a once in hundred-year opportunity to receive your full powers. After that, we will need to leave. Your powers would become painfully obvious to all who see you after that.’

‘What will happen? Do I grow horns or wings or something?’ He smiled.

‘You know, you can never quite tell the form we will take until it occurs, so who knows, possibly?’ I stared at him. My mouth opened wide; Zavier was struggling to keep a straight face. I picked up my chin and punched him in the arm while he laughed.

‘That was a horrible joke.’ Went to hit him again, and he dodged out of the way. He laughed.

‘I must have some fun somewhere. Not everyone is as straight lace as you.’ I shook my head.

‘What else will occur after the eclipse?’ I asked. He controlled his laughing before continuing. ‘We will no longer age. It will be centuries before you even start to change, and humans will never notice.’

‘How long can we live?’ I asked. ‘If left to our own devices, A thousand years or more, but we never get that option to find out. The last Guardians barely made it into their three hundreds before being slaughtered.’

‘That the council?’ I asked. He nodded.

‘The last Millenium they have taken turns eradicating us. Last three hundred years, they have been quite good at it. They have turned our once loyal followers against us by convincing them we abandoned them, but in truth, they killed us. Left our bodies to rot and decay away, no one to mourn us.’ Coldness ran through my body. I could feel it building, and it began to torment me.

‘Ari, stop,’ Zavier stood in front of me, placing my hands between his. Warmth filled them. He sealed it with a warm breath. To take the cold away.

‘I'm sorry,’ he started. ‘I wish it were easier to explain our story, but it is not, ours filled with pain and regret. But I would not change a second of knowing you.’

I smiled, resting my head on his shoulder while he warmed my hands.