Chapter 26 TALE OF THE LOST KINGDOM
The words rang in Haven's mind, and she realized she had let the asshole kiss her. Worse, she enjoyed it.
She pushed him away and slapped him across the face. “How dare you do that without my permission?"
Auren chuckled. He knew she had some fire in her. She just needed the right amount of fuel to erupt into flames. “You don't fear death? Hitting your king is treason, you know that?"
She swallowed. How could she forget that? He could order his guards to have her executed for treason. What did she just get herself into?
“Relax, Little Flame." She almost jumped from the entire shock of his voice in her mind. He had been staying out of her thoughts ever since she woke up after the ritual, that she actually forgot he could listen to her thoughts.
She glared at him and he chuckled, the sound wrapping around her consciousness, awakening something in her. Something terrifying, something she wouldn't dare name.
“Get dressed," he said, grabbing a shirt from the wardrobe and putting it on. “We have a lot of things to talk about."
In the next thirty minutes, both of them were seated in the library, opposite Imogen who had a big dusty book open.
“Your Grace, can you remember manifesting anything strange while growing up?" Imogen asked, placing his hands on the table. “Like during your childhood days, did you experience any of the things you are experiencing now? Think carefully."
“No," came her response. There was no thinking carefully about it. She never manifested anything like powers or magic.
“So you are saying all these symptoms started when you first stepped foot in the palace?" He asked again.
“Yes. That's why I think I'm losing my damn mind."
“You are not losing your mind, Your Grace." Imogen rose to his feet, stood facing the wall and with a snap of his fingers, a huge map materialized on the wall.
Haven's lips fell open in shock. “What…”
" That,” Auren began. " Is a map of the whole Elarian continent.”
Haven stared at the map wide eyed. She knew the continent was huge, but this? She had never imagined it like this.
“The continent is…or was rather, made up of four kingdoms. The dragon kingdom known as Drakorath,” Imogen began explaining, all the white indicating on the map. " The human kingdom of Grandcrest, the elf Kingdom of Tir'Narel and the fae kingdom of Vaeleria.”
" O…kay," she replied, processing the information gradually. Was the continent really that big? That means there lay a lot beyond her small village of Edenvale.
“Vaeleria was surrounded by the forest, separating it from the rest of the realm," Imogen continued. “They had beautiful magic and the kind of peace that had them envied by all the other kingdoms. Their magic was pure, beautiful and mostly used for healing and growing.”
" What happened to them?” she asked. " If you keep using ‘’was’ then something must have happened, and they either no longer exist or are no longer peaceful."
A proud smile graced Auren's lips. His queen was catching up fast, and he loved it. Training her to use her powers might not really be a hassle after all.
“Well, My Lady, their Kingdom was destroyed and they went into hiding so as not to be hunted by the elves.”
A look of utter confusion and pure horror flashed across Haven's face.
" You see, Little Flame,” Auren began, taking over their little storytelling. " Their princess doomed them to a fate worse than death itself. Desperate to save her dying lover, she sought the forbidden magic hidden in the heart of the forest. But the magic was too strong, too dark. She was unable to wield it, so it took her soul, turning her into a beast who had no problem feeding on her people.”
" That's…" she trailed off, not knowing what to say. Terrible didn't cut it. A princess turning against her own people? That was catastrophic.
“The faes asked for help to defeat her. Drakorath and Tir'Narel sent its soldiers to help the faes fight Athalia. After a fierce, long and bloody battle, the princess was defeated and sealed away in a highly protected temple called Eurion.” Imogen explained. “But the fae never recovered. Athalia had weakened their magic, causing the elders to seal the kingdom away and take the people into hiding.”
" Why are you telling me all this?”
" Because, we have every reason to believe that you are the daughter of Princess Athalia,” Auren explained.
Haven couldn't hold back her laugh. She laughed so hard that tears formed at the corners of her eyes.
Her? The daughter of the fae princess? It was either Auren was drunk or not as smart as he claimed to be. She grew up her whole life in the village baking and delivering bread.
All of a sudden she had become some cursed princess's daughter?
" We have every reason to believe that, My Lady,” Imogen said calmly.
" Do tell me, please,” she replied, voice filled with amusement.
“The king had us test your blood after the glass incident, and it was discovered that you possess the Ethereal Essence, the very first source of magic, the only one that can rival the dragon fire and the same one that was sealed in the temple as forbidden.”
“That's…that's insane.”
" Insane, yes. But it's the truth,” Auren said. He knew accepting this was going to be hard for her. He could hear her thoughts racing with doubt and uncertainty. But if she was going to master her powers then she would have to accept them first.
" Listen, Little Flame,” Auren said, taking her hands in his, his voice calm. " Before we sealed her away, Athalia foretold her daughter to inherit her powers. She would use it to save the continent or destroy it. No one has wielded the Ethereal Essence in over a Millennium. It only makes sense that you are her daughter.”
“But…I don't know how…”
" Shhh,” Auren placed a finger on her lips, shushing her. " No need to panic. We all are going to train you so you can master your powers. There's a battle ahead, Little Flame, and I will have you well prepared.”
Before she could say anything, the door opened and a woman burst in.
“Auren!!" She squealed, throwing herself in the king's arms and planting her lips on his.