Chapter 7 7
ARIA'S POV
I felt that curious sensation again, that I was being watched, and my first thought was it must be one of the kings had come in to watch me. My eyes were heavy, my body weak. Then the memories crashed back. The council chamber, the quake I'd managed to induce, fleeing like a craven from four such beings who hunched me.
I willed my eyes to open and meet Draven’s icicles or even Ronan’s gold. Instead, I saw an old woman who was seated, beside the bed and who's eyes looked like they've seen too much.
"You're alive," she said simply, her voice hushed. "Good. We don't have much time."
I groaned and put my hands on the ground to push me up onto my elbows, heart pounding in my chest. There was something oddly familiar about the woman, but I couldn't tell what. She was draped in ancient robes embroidered with symbols I didn’t recognize, her white hair drawn back in a single braid. But it was her face that got to me, the fine ones around her eyes.
She looked like Stevie Rae. No, but close enough that my chest constricted with unexpected emotion.
"Who are you?” I said, croaky. "How did you get in here?"
“I’m Meredith,” she said and folded her hands in her lap. “I'm a Seer, but I serve no king and belong to no court. I've been waiting a long time to speak to you, child.”
"A Seer?" I sat up all the way and pulled the blanket around me. "What do you want?"
Meredith's expression softened. "To warn you. To feed you information the kings would rather you never heard.” She glanced toward the door. "We have very little time, really. They're going to notice the chink in the wards soon.”
My mind raced. "What kind of information?"
"The truth about your death. About your return." Meredith leaned in, eyes burning. "Your reincarnation wasn't random, Aria. Someone orchestrated it. Somebody made sure that you died at the exactly right time in the exactly right way.”
I felt cold suddenly. "The car crash?"
"Was meant to kill you, yes. But also because we needed to wake you up, for you to return at the very moment when all these worlds were at their most vulnerable. The veil is thinning, that has been happening for decades and your awakening speeds up that process. You are both the weapon and a key, child.”
"Use for what?" I asked, even as a part of me was not sure I wanted the reply.
“To knock down the walls between worlds entirely. To remake the world." Meredith’s voice fell to just above a whisper. "the kings here think they are fighting over you because of a prophecy. And that's partly true. But there are pressures at play here that even they have yet to comprehend. They're each keeping a secret about your old life as Celsete. Don’t believe any of them entirely, no matter how persuasive they might appear.”
Before I could reply, a pain erupted in the back of my eyes. I gasped, my hands rising to grasp my head as the world began to tilt. It was as though someone had hit me over the head with a hammer, and I heard Meredith's voice from very far away.
"The memories are coming. Don't fight them, child."
“There was nothing I could have fought if I’d wanted.” The agony grew, and suddenly I was gone from my room. I stood in a garden, the sun warm on my skin, feeling truly happy.
There were four men with me, and I knew them. Not as the awful kings they had turned into, but when they were mortal. Draven chuckled, his eyes shining and warm. Ronan smiled, at ease rather than perpetually on edge. Kael seemed younger, somehow, and less sharply beautiful. And Lucien was smiling gently as he offered me a flower.
“You still think too much,” past me said, speaking in a lighter tone. "Stop worrying about tomorrow."
"All that matters is now," Draven murmured, bringing me close. "Today and every day after."
The others stepped right up, until we were all standing there together, and I suddenly was filled with so much love for them. Not one or the other, but love that spanned all four.
Then the memory shifted violently. The garden vanished – only chaos and blood. I was yelling as four men I loved tore into each other with animal viciousness. Blades crossed, spells crackled, blood spattered on grass.
"Stop!" I heard myself scream. "Please, stop this!"
But they didn't stop. One staggered away, bloody from a gash to his forehead.
"Please," he begged, his hand reaching out for me. "Please, forgive me. I never meant for this."
But the memory ended in a jarring way, and I was thrown back into my body.
I was lying on the ground next to my bed hyperventilating, tears soaking both of my cheeks. My whole body trembled.
"Meredith?" I whispered, looking around.
But the old woman was gone. There was something shiny on the floor where she had been sitting. I crawled over to pick it up.
It was a crystal pendant of no great size or weight, hung from a silver chain. There was a warm glow pulsating from the crystal. I wrapped my fingers around it and instantly felt more at ease. And some of the bad blood dissipated.
A knock at the door startled me. "Miss Aria? You've been summoned for breakfast."
I knew the servant's voice, young and agitated. I glanced at myself, dusty and disheveled in yesterday’s wear.
“Hold on, a few minutes,” I called. "I'll be ready soon."
I pulled on a plain dark blue dress, wetted my face with cold water. The crystal pendant fell around my neck and nestled against my chest under the neckline where no one could see.
The slave guide me through passageways to an enormous dining room. The room was themed as each of the four kingdoms. Vampire banners draped next to Lycan skins, Fae crystals beside Demon relics.
Seating was filled for all four kings. They all looked at me at once, and their combined attention was like a tangible thing.
"Aria," Draven said smoothly. "Please, join us."
He motioned to the seat at the end of the table. Two kings on either side. I stumbled ahead on legs made of slush. By the time I reached the chair, Draven was on his feet and pulled it out for me.
"You look tired," Kael observed. "Did you sleep poorly?"
“Sort of,” I replied, leaning for water. My hand shook slightly.
Breakfast was already laid out. Fruits sparkling with Fae magic, sot far flesh, soft pastries. I was queasy, but I helped myself to a little fruit.
“You need to eat, more than that,” said Ronan, gruffly. "You're too thin."
"You passed out twice yesterday," Draven reminded. “That sounds like you’re not O.K. at all.”
Kael leaned in, adding perfect pastries to my plate. "Please, try these. They're from Elaris. Very gentle on the stomach."
I bit in, and flavor bathed my tongue. It was delicious.
“Good girl.” Kael said, his tone something strange that made the hair on my skin rise.
Lucien laughed darkly. "Don't try to feed her like a little pet, Kael."
The dinner rolled on in an awkward silence. I made myself eat, knowing they all watched my every move. This was a test. They were all making these attempts to measure my responses.
I was biting into half a piece of fruit when my wrist started to burn. I gasped, my fork clattering and I struggled not to drop it as a jolt of pain rushed from the mark. I raised one arm in front of me, staring at the four sigils that glowed and danced around my skin.
"Aria?" Kael jumped to his feet.
But before his hand made contact with my skin, the crystal I kept tucked inside my dress shattered. I felt it shatter on my skin. A burst of light erupted from the spot, and all at once, a large holographic projection rose over the table.
Everyone froze. The projection had taken the shape of a figure standing tall, dark against the darkness. No features could be seen, only an outline that seemed to suck up light. But the sense of presence it was emitting was overpowering, ancient and powerful and awful.
When it spoke, the sound was all around us.
“The Fifth King has come, And he’s come for his.”
The gaze settled on me, and I sensed that the attention was focused so intently, I could not see eyes but it felt like a physical pressure.
"Hello, little soul thief. Did you really think you'd be able to hide from me forever?”