The Darkness

Dark Queen

Her long blond hair was tucked up neatly into a mass of voluminous curls, accenting the dark cape and tight fitted leather and black outfit. If her eyes weren't so terrifyingly dark, I would have thought she looked like the Champion she was destined to be. Her top was intricately laced with a sort of black mist that I initially hadn't noticed, but as her fingers tapped on the arm of my throne impatiently, I noticed a wispy substance seep from her hands. A large crown set on her head, looking much bigger and menacing than the crown I wore on a regular basis. Spikes sprang from the top of it, making the crown look more like a weapon than an accessory.

Something about this crown demanded attention and screamed aggresssion. Her once dainty pink lips curled in disgust as she looked at me, all hints of my sister now gone and this beautiful dark demon sat in her place.

I swallowed the bile that rose in my throat. I turned away, not able to control the way my heart was breaking and the anger bubbling in my veins.

"Allie, what happened to you..." I whispered, tears threatening to fall as I attempted to move closer to my twin.

"I took back what is mine." Her eyes filled with darkness. "Bow before your Queen."

"Allie, please... you're scaring people." I pled, trying to make her acknowledge the terrified guards in the room. I felt Paeris' energy on the floor above us, attempting to get everyone he could out of the palace while I distracted my sister. "Let's discuss this."

Her eyes lit with anger and bitterness as she stood, the darkness licking her fingers and dancing along her skin as she moved closer to me. "They should be afraid."

My heart sped up as she walked closer to me, watching me in a way that reminded me of a predator stalking their injured prey. I was no match for her now that I was so weak from helping Paeris. I couldn't help anyone. She seemed smaller than when I had seen her last, visibly having lost weight and her eyes sunken into her skull. Although she was still gorgeous and hauntingly elegant, there was a weakness about her as well. It was as if the darkness was eating her from the inside out. The closer she got, the more she looked like our mother, ghastly and dying.

"Allie, I think you're dying." I whispered, noticing her chest rising and falling as she panted from the exercising of just walking. "Let me help you."

"The only thing that will help me is killing you!" She screamed, stamping her foot like a child throwing a tantrum. The darkness began to swirl around me, sucking the breath from my lungs. Unlike when I had surged my power before to save Paeris, the void seemed to be suffocating me, drowning me with inky darkness.

"Ray!" I heard Laurel scream somewhere in the distance.

Barking exploded down a far hallway, the sounds of Guardians racing toward me as if I were the enemy. Allie chuckled maniacally as she watched realization dawn on me. She had full control.

'I'm coming! Run! We need to get to Spiris!'

Paeris' voice whispered through my mind, slightly easing my fear. There was a calmness that flowed over me as I stumbled to run to the entrance of the palace, my mind screaming at every scenario for escape. How much control did Allie have here? Is the High Wall surrounded?

'We will have to fight our way out! Pae, I'm too weak!'

The barking grew louder as I fled from the main room, feeling Paeris' energy coming closer. It was like a silver string leading me to him.

'Where is Leena and Cage and Laurel? Where are our parents?' I mentally called out to Paeris, my eyes widening as my former packmates chased closer to me. At full strength, I could outrun them. I could defend myself - but the darkness that absorbed their eyes told me that they had no control of themselves. They were innocents. Even at full power, could I fight my own Pack? My own family?

I braced for the pain as I stumbled away, sucking all the breath I could fit in my lungs.

They could easily kill me.

A loud crack echoed through the room followed by whimpering. I had heard enough Guardians whine in my life that I didn't need to turn around to see the picture. My heart hurt for the friends who had no control, who were only a danger to themselves. Packmates I had grown up with and spent my childhood with were now writhing on the ground in pain. Jonas and Paeris materialized then, a flash of lightning illuminating the hallway. Since when did Paeris manifest Atmos? It was the first time I had seen Paeris manifest any magic since going Dark. I knew stunning the Gaurdians was the most effective way for us to get away without causing death. I was too weak to defend myself, just as Demi had predicted.

It struck me then, the mighty realization that she was the reason why Allie knew she could come in and take over. She knew of my plans; she sucked the information right out of me. With all the death and destruction caused by Lorelei, I had always assumed that everyone in the other Regions hated her. Never once had I considered that she would forge an alliance with Allie behind the scenes.

It explained everything: why Braun had adapted my mother's idea of the Guardians protecting us, why Fern was so eager to get Leena out of there and how she could solve our problems by taking my place as Champion and taking Cage as a mate. Of course Demi wouldn't willingly let us take Leena away without retaliation. How could I be so blind? She had told me she would bring a war if I helped Paeris!

"Demi. She planned this whole thing. We're not safe. We have to get word to Spiris and Fluvis!" I called to Chel, reaching for her.

She hadn't thought I could do it. She didn't know that Paeris would come back from this stronger than he had ever been. I hadn't realized that giving him a piece of me would make him so strong. If we hadn't returned, Allie would have taken over and gone mad while Demi sat in the wings, preparing to take over. In her mind, me saving Paeris was a win-win situation.

"Come out and play, Ray! It's just a little sibling rivalry!" Allie's voice ricocheted off the walls, darkness oozing down the hallway. My knees threatened to buckle as I turned from her, my eyes darting for an exit. Could I leave my people behind to be under my sister's control?

Whispers came from the darkness, encouraging me, welcoming me. I felt the darkness sink into my very essence, holding me, filling me.

The whispers eventually faded into the background as I fell in a heap onto the floor, fresh air filling my hungry lungs and causing me to gasp and sputter. I swallowed it hungrily, my throat burning as someone lifted me.

My vision turned dark and the world slipped away as I felt Paeris' thundering heartbeat against my ear.