Chapter 28 The Hunger Within
"You're the key."The only person who could thwart the Council's plans. But was that right? Or was Elara just using her like the Council had always done? Her fingers shook as they touched the scroll in front of her. There were strange runes on it that she couldn't read, thus it was a map or at least part of one. It was all that was left of the old books that her mother had given her.
The runes, the secrets concealed behind her collar, and the feeling that there is something more out there. Something bad.The First Queen's power was still there, but it was just out of grasp.Sienna closed her eyes and let the feeling wash over her. There was a strange, scorching energy swirling just under her skin, something raw and basic.
It throbbed with a force that made her blood feel like it was boiling. The First Queen's voice was clearer now, more urgent, and more demanding. The voice appeared to tell you to accept it. Sienna's eyes opened . The energy grew again, this time stronger, and she could feel it pushing at the limits of her mind, looking for an invitation and waiting for her to give in. She gulped hard, her heart raced, and she stretched out to steady herself against the desk. What was going on with her? "Focus," she said in a voice that was hard to hear.
"This isn't you." But the hunger inside her developed, a deep, gnawing longing for something she couldn't put her finger on. It clawed at her insides like a wild animal trying to get out. The walls seemed to be closing in on her as the minutes went by, making the room feel smaller. And then, just like that, the murmurs start again. They don't know how strong you are. More than they want you to think. Sienna's breath stopped in her throat. She didn't want to hear it. She didn't want to let this power take over her, but she couldn't help it. It felt like being on the edge of a precipice and feeling the pull of the void below.
Could she say no? Could she refuse the power that was rightfully hers? She slammed her hand down on the desk to settle herself, but the energy came back, hot and violent. It seemed like a fire was burning inside her, lighting up every neuron in her body. She gasped and held her chest, feeling her heart pound against her ribs. The voice spoke again, this time louder and more clearly. Let it go. As the room around her started to move and the air got thicker, her vision become blurry. The hunger inside her twisted and turned, begging to be fed. She could almost see it, a black shape just outside of reality. It was waiting for her to give up. Sienna took a deep breath and closed her eyes.
"No," she said in a low voice. "I won't do this." I won't turn into what they want. But the power didn't care that she was being rude. It beat harder and faster, like a drumbeat telling her to give up. Her hands shook, and she felt the pull of the forbidden magic, the old power that had been locked away for hundreds of years. The First Queen had too much power. It was everything she had ever dreamed of. But Sienna wasn't ready to give up yet. Not all the way. She resisted the hunger with all her strength, pushing it back. She attempted to focus on something, anything, that would keep her grounded. What her mother taught her.
The burden she had to bear. She wouldn't be like the rest. She couldn't afford to be. Things changed just as she believed she might be winning the fight. The door to her room creaked open, and a low, familiar voice came in. "Sienna?" She stopped. Ryder. Her heart stopped for a moment. What was he doing here? After all of that? "Are you all right?" As she tried to calm down, her heart raced and she pushed the darkness that was still there back into the back of her mind. "I'm fine," she said, even though she didn't feel that way. But Ryder's eyes stayed on her.
He knew that something was awry. The situation got even more tense, and for a moment, neither of them said anything. Sienna swallowed hard and tried to get back in charge. She couldn't let him see how upset she was. Not right now. Not when everything was going apart. Ryder, on the other hand, wasn't fooled. He furrowed his brow and took a careful step forward, his voice calm but firm.
"You wouldn't need to tell me the truth." I can feel it. There is something distinctive about you. The hunger has come back, slamming upon her like a wave. Sienna clinched her fists at her sides, trying hard to keep it from happening. She didn't want him to see her like this, especially when everything was going wrong. "I'm fine, Ryder," she said again, this time with more confidence. Ryder, on the other hand, wasn't sure. He moved closer to her, keeping his eyes on her face the whole while. "No, you're not." And I don't think I can help you if you won't allow me. His words hung in the air, and she felt a great weight on her chest. The hunger came back, stronger this time, as if it had been waiting for this moment. Sienna's eyesight was blurry, and she grasped for the desk, her hands shaking. Ryder was quite close now, close enough for her to feel his heat.
She could feel how much he cared and wanted to assist her. But she didn't want him to feel sorry for her. She didn't want him to know what was going on with her. She tried to move away, but her body wouldn't let her. The hunger tugged at her, begging her to feed it. Her heart raced as she drew a fast inhale. She had to face the truth since her ideas were drifting away. "I can't control it," she said, her voice breaking. Ryder stepped up and reached out to her with his hands. "Sienna," Before he could say anything else, a powerful wave of energy came from inside her and knocked both of them back. Sienna gasped and tried to stay upright as the energy shook the room. Ryder fell back, his eyes wide with surprise.
"Sienna!" She wanted to talk, but her throat was dry and her vision was blurry. She couldn't stop the hunger from taking over her now. She could feel the First Queen's presence again, a dark, evil power wrapping around her thoughts. The voice said,
"You are mine." Sienna reached out, her hands shaking, attempting to hold on to the last bits of her sanity. But it was too late. She was trapped by the power and didn't know how to get out. And then, as suddenly as it had come, the energy surged one last time, strong and relentless, and everything went dark. Ryder stayed still and stared at the dark room after the stillness. What just happened? Did she leave? Was the blackness going to take her forever? He didn't have a clue. But one thing was clear: he couldn't let her go through this alone.