Chapter 187 ~Chosen by Darkness~
Chapter 187 ~Chosen by Darkness~
(Fiona’s POV)
The Dullahan approached us, but surprisingly, it showed no signs of violence. It walked with the same lazy saunter as earlier today at Wintercrest. The Dullahan continued moving forward.
“Free my friend,” I said, even though Valkyr was nudging me to keep quiet. “Ziva Whitaker. You took her, and I need her back.”
“One name was called,” the Dullahan said. “One soul was taken.”
What did that even mean?
“What do you want in exchange for Ziva?” I asked desperately. “Anything. I'll give it to you."
The Dullahan made a weird, eerie sound.
As a matter of fact, now that I had the time to have a chat with one of these monstrous creatures, I had better ask the questions I really wanted answered.
“What do you all want?” I yelled. “Why can't you all leave us the fuck alone?”
Fury was growing in my chest.
“And what the fuck do you mean by ‘One name was called. One soul was taken’?” This time, I sounded frustrated. “Whose soul do you want?”
The Dullahan made the weird sound again. Then, slowly, it pointed at me. “Yours.”
My heart sank instantly.
Of course.
How did I not suspect it? There was no way this cruel creature would release Ziva unless someone else took her place.
I stepped toward the Dullahan.
“You want me? Take me then, just free these other people; they did nothing to you. Please,” I begged. That was, if this creature even had a conscience.
“Fiona, what are you doing?” Valkyr looked like he wanted to murder me. “Do you even know what you're saying?”
“Yes,” I said to him, and then turned toward the Dullahan. “I'm ready for whatever it takes.”
“Fiona!” Valkyr scolded.
Where had my stubbornness gotten me so far? A special kind of catastrophe.
“Be careful what you wish for,” the Dullahan warned.
I was willing to exchange my life for Ziva's. If that was the one price I had to pay in all of this, so be it.
“Very well, then—” The Dullahan suddenly stopped, turning toward the forest as its body went stiff. “Something is approaching my lair.”
I could feel it too; something was indeed approaching. Something powerful. I moved closer to Valkyr in fear.
Suddenly, Ziva stirred, mumbling. “Fi… Fiona?”
“Yes, Ziva.”
“Fiona! What are you doing here?” Ziva spoke sharply now, all signs of sleep was gone her eyes.
I didn't get the chance to respond because the next thing I heard was a loud whoosh, followed by a heavy breeze, followed by a dark presence that glided past me; the force almost knocked me to the ground.
At first, I thought it was a shadow demon, but this creature was large and fierce, like nothing I'd ever seen before… reminding me of the Thrall I'd seen captured at Wintercrest. This must be a Shadow Thrall… a powerful one.
Shouts of terror erupted from the people locked in the prisons.
Even Valkyr looked terrified, as did I.
From what I remembered, Thralls spoke through a mindlink, but what I didn't know was that they could mindlink multiple people at the same time allowing everyone to receive the message.
I watched in horror as the massive creature knelt on one knee before me. “My king awaits you, his queen,” he spoke through the mindlink.
I nearly hyperventilated as I stumbled backwards.
Ziva slowly stood up, her face drained of color. “What queen?”
Me…
Apparently.
I watched in silence as two strong men grabbed each of my arms and dragged me out of the Dullahan's lair. The last thing I saw as I was whisked away was the Dullahan unlocking Ziva's prison cell, and that was when I realized the truth.
The attacks… they weren't random.
The creatures weren't simply trying to kill us. No, they were trying to isolate me, break me, and exhaust me. To make me desperate enough to accept the shadow king's offer.
What this meant was that, all along, the shadow king had been working behind the scenes, manipulating the entire situation…
But tonight was where the battle line would be drawn.
This was the night it would all end.
This was the moment I would make my decision: accept the Shadow King's offer or dare him to his face.
Tonight, I would finally meet my arch-nemesis.