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And only ten minutes ago did my life change forever.
“The Prince of Dragons is dead!”
“Dreven is dead! The elf killed him!” another dragon shouts. “Murderer. Betrayer!”
My sentinels take my side as dragons fill the sky. “We are going to need more soldiers. Call everyone. We are at war.”
“Yes, Prince,” he says, lifting a long, thin ice whistle that lets out a high-pitched frequency only elves can hear.
I drive an ice spear through a dragon, killing yet another I called a friend.
But I made a promise, and if that promise kills me, then I will die an honorable elf.
Present Day
There isn’t enough time in the day to try and explain the ache of the heart when it bleeds from unseen wounds. Any attempt is a waste of time because the explanation is simple: There are no words for a heart in agony. It’s almost as if silence is weighing down on your chest, forcing you to drown in the absence of what used to be.
Or perhaps the absence of what never will be.
“Rarity?”
I shut my eyes when I hear my name, annoyed with the therapist my brother, Alexander, is making me see.
I look out the window of the Veiled Library, watching different species walk to and from the main entrance on the long bridge. It’s a beautiful thing to see, but for some reason, the only person I want to see is a tall, elegant, ice elf.
And I won’t.
It’s only been two days, six hours, twenty minutes, and sixteen— seventeen— eighteen— seconds since he left to go home.
I didn’t go with him.
“Rarity, I can’t help you if you don’t talk to me,” he says gently, his voice soothing and calm. The soft baritone makes me relax. My shoulders sag as stress escapes me.
I lift my head, causing tears to break free from my eyes. Vampire tears are sacred. They are life-changing. They can heal and even give longer life spans to humans. There are creatures out there that would kill and torture us for a simple vial, so it’s important we never let our tears fall.
I wipe them away quickly, not knowing this man well enough to trust he won’t kill me for them.
He lifts his hand in reassurance, leaning against his desk. “I have no use for your precious tears, Rarity.”
“Why not?” I ask him, pulling my shoulders back to stand up straight. “They give life.”
He narrows his eyes at me and smirks. “I am life.” He spreads his arms and gorgeous red and gold feathers take their place. Flames engulf his body, and his eyes hold the heat of fire. Ashes fall from his body and onto the floor. “I can be born a million times, Rarity. Your tears are just as valuable as my ashes.”
“You’re a phoenix,” I gasp, taking a step forward. “I’ve never met one of your kind before.”
“We keep to ourselves,” he lifts a brow. “You understand why. The Veiled Library is the safest for my kind.”
“Of course, I do. Your secret is safe with me.” It dawns on me, why I felt at ease suddenly, then narrow my eyes. “You used your powers on me.”
“I simply eased your emotions. I can’t help it sometimes. When I sense someone who needs help, my heart must answer the call. We are spiritual in that sense. Not religious, but in tunewith a body’s spirit.” He tucks his hands in his pockets just as the ashes on the floor disappear. “Apologies, Rarity.”
I lace my fingers together as I feel my anxiety begins to rise. “It’s alright, Dr. Almenara. I do feel better, so thank you.”
I glance to the window again, the unease of being in the veil has my heart racing. It’s always me easing everyone’s pain or freezing their painful memories, but when it comes to myself, I can’t do anything.
“You don’t like it here,” he states. He doesn’t ask. “Your brother told me that you and a few members of your family were stuck in the veil. Not here at the library, but in the veil, between worlds.”
Anger ignites in my chest, and I let out a cool breath, the air freezing with my exhale. A reminder of how I’m so different from the rest of my family. I have more in common with my beloved than I do with my brothers, my father, and even my mother. There’s so much I’m bitter about while being so sad over it as well.
