Chapter 15: Twelve

Play the song when it says to pls!!

And that was when I felt it.

The tingling sensation along my mental walls. Begging me to let it in. Begging for me to look. The cold sensation all around the atmosphere. You couldn't see it, but you could always feel it.

I would never forget the feeling of the Bogge's influence. When I fought it in my trials, I had to look. And it was the most terrifying creature I'd ever encountered as it used its long claws to make slashes across my back and used its teeth to rip open my calves. I killed it. But by the end, my body was barely recognizable.

I knew that if we were to stay here for longer than ten minutes the Bogge's influence would eventually make me let it in and look.

I distantly heard its wretched voice from outside my mental barriers.

Let me in, Danika, It begged, we can have fun as you did with my brother.

I didn't look. I didn't react. I didn't do anything.

Look at me, Little warrior. It whispered, Look at me! It screamed that time.

I wouldn't. Not when I was defenseless and going into a fight that would be impossible to win without weapons.

The cold disappeared into the brush, along with the unwelcome presence in my mind. The Bogge seemed to terrorize even the plants as they recoiled from the direction it went.

Only after the Bogge was a safe distance away, did I exhale in relief. Soon followed by Lucien who waited an extra few seconds after me.

"What was that?" Feyre asked as she brushed tears from her face.

I let out another shaky breath, "A Bogge," I replied and Feyre gave me a look of shock as she probably remembered me telling her about my first trial. I nodded in confirmation to her thoughts.

"Why can't I look at it?"

"Because once you look at it, or acknowledge it, is when it can kill you. The Bogge's body is incorporeal until you look, then it becomes real." I explained again. I didn't care if Lucien was disturbed by the fact I knew, but Feyre needed to understand to stay safe.

"I heard its voice in my head. It told me to look."

It was Lucien who answered this time, "Well, thank the Cauldron you didn't. Cleaning up that mess would have ruined the rest of my day."

"Could you be any more egotistical?" I ground out.

"Probably not." Lucien answered. At least he's honest.

"So you are old," Feyre began speaking to Lucien again, "And you carry around a sword, and go on border patrol. Did you fight in the war?" I snickered at the question. He was way to immature to be that old.

Lucien winced, "Shit, Feyre- I'm not that old."

"Are you a warrior, though?"

Lucien laughed, "Not as good as Tam, but I know how to handle my weapons." He patted his sword, "Would you like me to teach you how to wield a blade, or do you already know how, oh mighty mortals? If you took down Andras, you probably don't need to learn anything. Only where to aim, right?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?" I replied. He could take that as a confirmation or a denial. Didn't really matter which to me. Either way, he'd be curious. He'll most definitely still underestimate me, as will High Lord Tamlin, but he'll be a tad more paranoid this way. And I love to play with my new toys a bit before I get rid of them.

Lucien fell silent for a moment, "I suppose you humans are such hateful cowards that you would have wet yourself, curled up, and waited to die if you'd known beyond a doubt what Andras truly was." Was that his attempt at acceptance? Well, I suppose it was better than nothing. Even if he's entirely wrong.

"Do either of you ever stop being so serious and dull?" Lucien added

"Do you ever stop being such a prick?" I asked sarcastically.

Lucien grinned at the two of us, "Much better."

I snorted, "I was always fun. I just don't like you."

"I'm impossible not to like." He claimed.

I raised my eyebrows, "And that, my friend, is exactly why people don't actually like you."

"I hate you."

"Right back at you, Bud."

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

It was Mid day when we got back. Lucien and I argued most of the time, and Feyre was the mediator. Honestly, if we weren't here under such terrible circumstances I think Lucien and I would be friends. He'd fit right in with Astrid, Flynn, and I. I'd be scared to see the damage Astrid and him would reap, I'm almost positive they would cause the end of the world.

I decided that tonight I would get my daggers back, and maybe a few additional weapons for safe keeping. Then I'd go into the woods and figure out what that odd feeling I got when I entered the woods was. It's been nagging at me since I got back. Like after I felt it, it wouldn't go away until I found what I was looking for.

Currently, I was walking down one of the longer corridors on the other side of the mannor, careful not to be seen. I found the armory a few minutes ago and spotted my daggers on the far side of the wall.

I would get them after dinner when everyone was asleep, then i'd head out. Maybe once I found what I was looking for I would go through some of my training moves. Going to Prythian was not the time to become out of shape.

I was still wandering the green hallways when I saw a door slightly ajar. It was a dark wood door. There honestly wasn't anything special about it, it looked virtually like all the other doors. But I opened it anyway. I took a few steps into the room before stopping in my tracks.

It was a music room.

While I was with The Flame I was required to have at least 2 skills I perfected that weren't killing. I chose dancing and instruments. I'd loved music for as long as I could remember, so it was natural to me to select two things revolving around it.

I play the pianoforte, Violin, and harp. I learned the harp as a joke between my friends and I, but found it fun. I'd always had an interest in the violin and I turned out to be quite good at it. But the pianoforte, I fell in love with the instrument immediately after I began. I wish i'd had more time to play than I did, but I tried as much as I could whenever possible. I haven't played in months.

But, I suppose since no one is around right now...

The pianoforte was in the corner of the room, three large windows behind it looking out to one of the rose gardens. I suddenly realized why Feyre liked to paint so much.

I walked over towards the seat and and sat down. I didn't see any sheet music, but I already had a song in mind. I memorized it the moment I heard it.

I held my hands so they were hovering over the keys. I took one last breath, and began.

(Play the song now!)

The first few notes were rough as I tried to find my own rhythm. My fingers began to move on their own creating their own symphony while I just listened. The notes began to pour out of me as I felt the music in my bones.

The sweet memories I only allowed myself to remember in these fleeting moments where I could relish in them finally surfaced. The sound of my families laughter in those small moments where we could forget about our problems. The day I went home from the academy and was reunited with my sisters with open arms. On the days my friends and I went out to restaurants and clubs just because we could.

And in those few moments, as I was caught up in the music, I pretended I was free. Free from the shackles I was forced into when I was eight. Free from Prythian. Free from everything. And all I was, was an extension of the music in the air and nothing more.

I hit the chorus and the music swept around the room like a river of sound, and I was carried along with it. It carried me all the way up to the sky, where the shining stars were hidden by a veil of blue, but would always come back when the sun was gone at dusk.

I was taken to a place hidden deep in my heart, that I don't let myself see unless it sneaks from my dreams. Of a city with people who are happy and the stars shone more brightly than anywhere in the world. A city by the water surrounded by the biggest mountains I'd ever seen. I always wondered if I made the city of happiness up, or if maybe one day I'd see it.

And when the song sang its last note I was yanked back into my own body away from the hidden stars and city of dreams, back to my small seat at the piano. Alone again, and surrounded by nothing but empty space.

I pushed everything I'd let surface back down inside me and stood from my seat. Making myself remember that I was a monster and that I was not free, or ever will be.

I remembered what I was going to do tonight and what I had to prepare for.

So I set out to the other side of the house and prepared for dinner, so I could steal back whats mine, and find out what was calling to me.

─── · 。ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

Hope ya liked this chapter. ❤️