Page 31 of Areyna's End


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I have hope though. Raynie has always loved with her whole heart and knowing her, I doubt she’s changed that much in the past four years.

Areyna screams and I turn back to her, shocked that she’s not only stopped transforming but has reverted back to her humanoid form. I’ve never seen anything like it. She appears to be confused over what happened and I step back into the cell, prepared to comfort her when she remembers, but I hear a shout coming from the cell to our left and cross the corridor.

I’m so distracted, wondering if perhaps the final cell in this block might hold someone of interest, that I forget for the moment that Areyna is dealing with the aftermath of a partial shift. When my gaze lands on none other than the Dragon Prince Ossias, I feel my temper flaring, all other thoughts going out the window. His last words to me echoing in my mind, “My parents were wrong to fight the Chancellor on this. Our Dragon blood is strong enough to withstand anything and my sister and I will remain standing once the Vampire King finishes his experiments. Don’t bother searching for her again or I’ll end your life myself.”

My girl flies past me while I’m lost in the memory of the day her own brother betrayed her. “Ozzie.” She cries, reaching for the bars of the cell he’s currently trapped inside of. I grab her hands, holding them to my chest as I hiss, “He’s the reason you don’t remember our past. He sided with the asshole who put you in here. Don’t let him out.”

“Ozzie?” She questions, turning her stormy eyes to her brother. The two of them are like mirror images of each other, both with blue-black hair and blue-grey eyes, but where Ossias has cold steel grey, she has stormy eyes that remind me of the deepest depths of the ocean.

“Oh for fucks sake, don’t look at me like that Eliza, you would have done the same if you were in my shoes.” The asshole walks over to the bars and then straight through the illusion. Rourke steps up to my side, grabbing Raynie from me and pulling her behind him, “What he just said is true, isn’t it?” He hisses at Ossias, while nodding his head at me before glaring at Ossias again, “You let them take her memories of us and you allowed them to run their fucking experiments.”

It’s not a question, but Raynie’s brother answers all the same, “I did what was best for all of us.” He’s so adamant that what he did is the right thing, even though it’s put Rayne through hell.

“You did what you’ve always done. Put yourself above everyone else and to hell with the consequences.” Rourke snaps. I can see him struggling, caught between wanting to pummel Ossias and wanting to stay close to Rayne to keep her away from him.

“Forget him, let’s get the fuck out of here.” Remington Salvis says, pulling Raynie into his arms. She goes to him without question, leaning her head against his chest. I’ve never seen an incubi acting so affectionately towards a woman before. It’s fascinating to witness. As I’m watching the two of them, something flies past my face, embedding itself into Raynie’s chest. The small object doesn’t appear to hurt her but she slumps within Remington’s arms. He cries out, panicking as her eyes close.

I turn to follow the trajectory the object came from and my mouth falls open in shock.

“None of you are going anywhere.”

THIRTY-FOUR

Richard

The sedation dartpierces my little lamb right in the chest, but it’s my voice that makes the group turn to face me. “None of you are going anywhere.” I wait for them to say something but they all just stare at me like I’ve grown a second head. “Back in your cells.”

“Yeah, cause you know cells are useful without doors or bars.” Torren laughs. “We’re not going back in there.”

Out of the corner of my eye I see Remington pick up my little lamb, cradling her close to his chest. “We’re leaving and taking Areyna with us.”

“I can’t let you do that.” I point the gun at Remington, but he doesn’t even flinch. I’ve half a mind to just shoot him, damn the consequences, but if I do that I’ll be on my father’s shit list again and I really don’t want that.

“Bring them this way, we have everything prepared.” My father’s voice makes me jump, but I keep my indifferent mask on as I usher the group towards the door my father is holding open. “Put the girl on the gurney.” He doesn’t even use her name, neither of them, which makes me hesitate; he promised that once he was ruler, I would have free reign to choose who I want, but I’m beginning to think he will never allow that person to be my little lamb. “Father, I was hoping we could talk before you went ahead with all this.” I hiss as I close the distance between us.

“After the preparations have been made, we need to move this along. After all, I have a very important meeting to get to once we’re finished here.” The final step to becoming the High Chancellor is today, not that I know what that entails, but he’s expressed on several occasions that I will be in attendance with him when he gets instated.

“I’ll need those coins now.” He says to the hybrids lined up along the wall with guns trained on them. To my shock they all reach into their pockets and pull out a single gold coin each. The guard standing beside Eliza withdraws a coin from her pocket as well. My father places all the coins on the table in the middle of the room, along with two others and I watch on in rapt fascination as the coins begin to glow. After a few seconds they all slide together glowing too bright to look at directly. Several gasps from both the group of hybrids and the guards echo around the room making me look back at the coins on the table. Only, they aren’t coins anymore, in their place now sits a crown with a single rose at the front and a simple gold band forming the circlet.

“Ten years it’s taken. Ten long fucking years but I finally found them all. No experiments are going to take the place of me. I’m the ruler of the breeds, not some fucked up little hybrids who wouldn’t even be here if it weren’t for my splicing skills.” My father’s laughter rings out around us, making Eliza stir. She shouldn’t be waking so soon after being tranquilised, yet she tilts her head towards the crown as though able to sense its power even in her slumber.

My father lifts the crown then pauses, “A job well done Richard. Such a shame you couldn’t turn your brother to our side.” He glances at Torren. I open my mouth to say something, I’m not even sure what, but the moment passes when the closest guard asks, “Sir, what about the curse?”

“Curses are nothing more than witch's spells, I’m immune to all.” My father lifts the crown, placing it upon his brow before turning his back to the room. Smoke begins to curl around his head, growing thicker by the second. It becomes so dense that within seconds I can’t even see my father.

“What is happening?” Torren asks, glancing towards me.

“No idea.” I whisper beneath my breath. An ear-splitting scream deafens me for a moment before the room falls silent. I creep closer to my father, curious but unsure. He’s kneeling before the only window in the room, his head bowed. “Father?” I call out, taking another step towards him. He doesn’t move, doesn’t even seem to be breathing. “Father?” I call once more.

The crown tilts to the side, sliding off my father’s head, it hits the ground with a soft clang. My father slumps to the side, landing before me, his lifeless eyes staring at the ceiling.

“Only the true heir can wear that crown. There hasn’t been a sole ruler of the supernaturals for centuries, what made Mr Talon believe he was the one?” Remington asks, skirting around the stupefied guard and coming to stand beside me. He leans down and plucks the crow from the floor, turning it within his grasp as though studying it. “I’m curious if this thing is truly cursed or just bespelled.” He tosses the crown towards Jason, who catches it in mid-air before moving his fingers over the shining surface. “It’s spelled alright, but not with a curse, it’s a consequence spell, only one with a pure heart can wear it.” He says, cocking his head to the side. “I’m not sure anyone like that even exists anymore.”

“Sorry for your loss, Richard.” Remington says, placing a white lab coat over my father’ face.

“Loss?” I ask, staring at him open mouthed.

“Your father died.” Remington walks over to Eliza, gently lifting her back into his arms. “It’s time to leave.”

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