AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Sophia, it is so nice to finally meet you in the flesh,” he said, his voice dripping with just as much formidable, timeless wisdom as his gaze.
“I would say the same, but this is not a visit between friends, is it?” I countered.
He smirked knowingly, his eyes darkening several shades deeper.
From the woods all around him, several hooded figures emerged. Their hooded cloaks were so dark that it seemed like the fabric swallowed all the light around them. They were chanting in low, hushed voices, and the blood rushing through my veins suddenly turned icy cold with fear. I stiffened at the sudden threat, listening closely until I could make out their perilous words.
“We see you, Dark King,
We bow in the shadow of your darkness.
We are your disciples, Dark King,
It is our mission to free you from your cage.
We will unite the realms in your honor,
And you will finally take the one true throne.”
One of them pushed down her hood, and I stiffened, recognizing her. Mais stared back at me, her elvish features somehow muted but still reminiscent of the ethereal beauty she had taken on before this. I took a step back, watching her with rising suspicion.
“Sophia,” she purred. Her voice was somehow less elegant, and her irises glittered with a deep violet that almost bordered on black.
“Mais,” I greeted the changeling coldly. My gaze shifted back and forth from her to Malachi, keeping both figures in my field of view should either one of them try anything. I didn’t trust them, not even a tiny bit.
“You impress me, human. I’m curious how you were able to escape from my realm, especially after I placed you in one of the most secure dungeons in the kingdom,” she purred, cocking her head and appraising me with interest.
“My secrets are my own,” I answered, glaring at her with a vitriol I did not know myself capable of. She didn’t need to know that the seer had chosen to become my ally in that moment. Right now, it would help me the most if Mais thought I was more powerful than I actually was.
“Fine then,” she chided.
“What is all this?” I asked, my gaze searching over the hooded figures standing in a half circle behind Malachi. They were still chanting, their voices a soft whisper now, yet ominous all the same. Mais took a step towards me, and I took one back. Immediately, she held her hands up as if to say she meant no harm, but I knew better than to fall for her veiled kindness. I’d made that mistake once.
“This is the Clan of Eternal Darkness, the most devout sect in all of Helheim. I carry the highest title. We are the Dark King’s sword, while Malachi and others like him are his magic,” she explained, her pride visible from the way she pulled her shoulders back and held her head high.
“Why are they here?”
“We are here to kill you, should you not willingly go with Malachi,” she grinned maliciously, and I gritted my teeth as each member drew a curved blade off their back. They stepped inward, circling closer as they pointed the tips of their swords directly towards me in a silent threat.
I wanted to reach down and yank my own sword free, but I stopped myself, at least for the moment.
“The Dark King would prefer you alive, but he isn’t opposed to the taking of your soul,” she continued.
“You’ve already taken my blood,” I accused.
Her grin grew wider as she pulled the chain around her throat free from the neckline of her laced black dress. Three vials full of dark red blood clinked against one another, and I narrowed my eyes in her direction.
“One. Two. Three…One more remains…”
“Who were the others?” I pushed.
She chuckled, the sound eerily low. Instead of answering, she just stood there, smirking and laughing at my confusion. Seeing that pressing her for more information was clearly a dead end, I turned back to Malachi.
“You promised you’d remove your magic from Roken’s heart if I came,” I stated purposefully. I would not forget the reason why I was here in the first place.
“Should you travel through a portal of my making with me to Helheim, I will remove any trace of me from Roken for the rest of his days.” He smiled, and I could not help but feel as if there was a clouded threat hidden between his words.
“You will remove your magic before I go anywhere with you,” I replied curtly.
