ZEDKIEL.
I stare at her, my heart rate quickening. Of all things, I wasnât expecting her to say that⦠but her words shook me and not because of the reason behind her fear of me, but because it aligned with what occurred in the Chamber of Truth. The ominous warning that took place at my B***d Ritual, to kill the woman with hair as dark as night, skin as pale as snow and eyes the colour of the bird of nightâ¦
I would end up killing her? I scrub my hand down my face, trying to remain emotionless.
I look at her as she sits there, trying to stifle her tears; I canât imagine myself killing her⦠Not her. Anyone but her.
But Iâve already hurt her before⦠My Lycan is always fighting to come forward when she is around, wanting to devour her⦠but I know that despite that, I wouldnât have hurt her the other night. When I drank. her b***d, it was her ripping away that had caused her that injury.
I push the thoughts away, needing to focus on what she had just said. These dreams, my omen⦠There. has to be more to this, a way to stop that from happening.
A part of me wants to reassure her that itâs going to be ok, that I wonât hurt her, but can I guarantee that? Deep down I couldnât, regardless of everything that has or hasnât happened I couldnât give her my word. I slowly crouch down in front of her, placing my hand on her knee.
âEvangeline.â Her heart thumps as she looks at me, sheâs smudged her eye makeup, and she looks even more like a panda now⦠âLook. I donât know what to make of your dreamâ¦. but I know I wouldnât intentionally kill youâ¦â
The flash of fear in her eyes tells me sheâs thinking exactly the same thing as me. Who knows what Iâd do when I wasnât in my right mind?
I sigh quietly, watching the black marks of her makeup mixing with her tears as she wipes her face, making them even worse. It is obvious she doesnât wear makeup much because sheâs either forgotten. about it or she just doesnât care. âNothing I say will reassure you when even I donât trust myself⦠however ⦠thereâs something about youâ¦â
That makes me want to keep you close forever, but I donât say that to her. I canât.
âYouâre not angry?â She asks, almost as if that in itself shocks her. She watches me as she wipes her tears away.
Can you be angry at a panda in a red dress? I smirk slightly and stand up.
âNo, I appreciate you sharing that. We need answers⦠I feel your dream connects to my Ritualâ¦â
âRitual?â She asks.
I didnât tell anyone about that night. We arenât really meant to discuss it in detail⦠but why do I feel like thereâs more to us⦠between usâ¦
I look down at her as she stands up, still clutching her dress to her. âWe need to find out why you have those dreams repeatedly. Have you ever told anyone?â-
She frowns and shakes her head. âI vaguely remember telling Grandmother Philomena once, but she said it is just a silly dream and I should pay it no heed.â
âOnly it keeps happening, and you saw meâ¦â I reply.
She nods and I look her over. âGo change, Iâm going to take you somewhere.â She looks surprised but
nods as she hurries to the closet taking some clothes. âOh, and you might want to wash your face.â
She looks at me, confused, before hurrying to the bathroom. I hear her gasp and I smirk, but it only lasts a moment as her words replay in my mind.
Kill her⦠just the thought leaves a bitter taste in my mouth. I walk to the closet and remove my suit and instead pull on some sweatpants and a hoodie. She steps out of the bathroom; her face is now free of makeup, her cheeks are flushed, and strands of her black hair are stuck to her face.
âMy make-upâ¦â
âSuited you.â I finish, tossing her one of my hoodies. I love the clothes they had picked out for her, but tonight I want her to keep a low profile.
âThank youâ¦â She murmurs before pulling on the hoodie over the red blouse.
Shame those t*ts had to be covered upâ¦.
âWhere are we going?â She asks when I pull my hood up and lead the way to the door.
âNot to the middle of the woods to kill you. So relax.â
Wrong joke. Her heart rate quickens, and I hear her gulp.
âThat was a joke,â I mutter, locking the door after us.
âI didnât know you joke.â She whispers, our eyes meet and I try not to focus on her lips. Reaching over, I pull the hood up over her head.
âYou donât know a lot about me. Maybe if you didnât always run, you might figure out a lot more.â I whisper back. My eyes are still cold, but my voice isnât.
I see her eyes soften before she tenses. âYeahâ¦â She says half-heartedly.
Glancing down the hall, I try to listen if anyone is close. I take her wrist leading her down a side hallway. Weâd take one of the back entrances. I didnât want anyone to see where we were going. I donât even know if this is a good ideaâ¦.
âSo, you wonât tell me where weâre headed?â She asks again.
She has begun to come out of her shell. Slowly but surely. I look away and answer her. âYouâll see.â Fifteen minutes later we are walking through the woods and the trees are getting tighter, making it harder for her to manoeuvre. She hasnât shifted, which means her sight is equal to that of a human.
âIsnât it a little foolish that you came out here so willingly when you can barely see anything?â I ask quietly. âI have done a lot of stupid things in my life lately⦠but youâre hereâ¦â
I am⦠but am I not the same person who you think will kill you? I donât reply until I slowly come to a stop. The trees open a little and she tenses. I watch her sharply, wondering if anything will affect her.
âDo you feel that?â She asks in a hushed voice.
âDo you feel something?â I counter.
Thereâs something in the airâ¦.
Hmm⦠how does she feel that? Wasnât that something only one of us Lycans could feel? I brought her here to see if sheâd feel more at ease as I tell her what happened in the Chamber of Truth⦠the chamber that was right beneath this very area.
The rule was that we cannot utter what happens beyond the chamber to anyone. Not that I think an omen such as mine could get any worse.
âItâs a powerful energy⦠but it isnât⦠bad.â She murmurs.
I frown sharply but I donât say anything, this is strange⦠there are so many who cross this area but donât know what is beneath it, but here is a wolf-less woman that can sense the same energy as one of us royalsâ¦
âInteresting⦠between us⦠the chamber of truth is right beneath our feet.â I say quietly as I approach her.
Her eyes widen before she looks around sharply. âWhy have you brought me here?â
âI brought you here to tell you about my ordeal. What we see and experience in the chamber must stay in. the chamber itself.â
âThen why are you going-â
âMine was an omen. There is nothing to jinx, anyway.â I reply coldly.
She frowns in concern as I look at the ground beneath my feet. âThe darkness which is beyond the reach of the moonlight will devour every living soul. The filthy b***d of the impure is like a poisoned dagger into the heart of the realm.
Son of darkness, away from my descendant, heed this omenâ¦â I began, repeating the words I had never repeated before. âThese were words spoken by the shadowy wolf that appeared before me, before the moon disappeared from sight and the night lost its lightâ¦â
That night changed everything, the way I perceived myself, from the man who wanted to be the Lycant King- a powerful and just ruler to someone who was reminded that I am not a pure b***d. Someone who begun to question everything. âAway from my descendant⦠He reminded me that I am not a pure b***d⦠that Iâm away from his kindâ¦â
âYour b***d and heritage do not define you⦠but how you portray yourself, how you actâ¦â She murmurs looking at the ground once more.
âMaybe⦠There was a second part to what he said too, and this is the part that I feel aligns with your vision or nightmare whatever you want to call it.â
She watches me curiously. âWhat did it say?â
âWhen the day comes that you yield to the woman with hair as dark as night, lips the shade of cherry blossoms, with eyes the colour of the bird of night, and skin like milk; when you allow herâ¦.â I trail off, frowning as the words now take on a different meaning. Or I suddenly feel like they hold some clarity.
Allow her evil to bleed within youâ¦. pay heed, for then, shall you bring doom to the world.
I didnât utter those words aloud, not wanting to worry her. What did it even mean?
âWhat else?â She asks, but I frown, shaking my head.
âNothing. That was it.â I say quietly. Yield to her⦠in what way?
âOh⦠it makes no sense.â
âNo, but perhaps the oracle can shed some light on it. Somehow, though, itâs obvious that whether we like it or not, there is a connection between us.â I say quietly, looking down at her. Our eyes meet and time seems to stand still.
She frowns, but nods slowly. âThen how do we find out?â She asks.
âWe visit the oracle,â I say, my eyes flashing in determination. She tilts her head up, peering at me with curiosity in her eyes, but thereâs also a determination there and she slowly nods.
When I allow her evil to bleed into meâ¦
âI hope it isnât something to worry about.â She murmurs, gazing up at the moon from under her hood, her eyes full of worry and concern, her plump lips set in a pout.
What evil can someone so innocent hold?