Esmeray (Queen of Darkness)

26

I wake with a quiet jolt. Scrambling upright, I grasp at the sides of my head and spin around as I frantically try to place where I am. All around me lay people. They are everywhere. Clutching at my chest I gasp as I look from dead body to dead body. How come I'm the only one alive? Did I....did I kill them? Hiccuping I look behind me and see a man, tall, and handsome with his mouth slightly parted and one arm resting where I once laid. Raising my arm, I shut my eyes and listen for heartbeats. There are hundreds. Opening my eyes a relieved quake rolls over my body and I sit back down next to a teenage boy with one hand clenched tightly against his blanket. They're alive. All of them. Shifting sideways, the man's hand fumbles over the blanket and then his eyes fly open. Jerking around the sleep falls away from his face and I watch him slowly meet my eyes and quietly get up so he's crouching. Holding his hand's out he breathes out of his mouth.

"Ariel." he says, "it's me." he touches his bicep and I gasp as a pulsing heat flies over my body and I blink away the remnant of my dreams.

Damian. I'm in the library. I know these people. "Damian." I breathe.

He nods and falls back down so he's sitting, "You okay?"

Nodding I make my way back over to him and he hugs me tight against his chest, "It's tomorrow." I mutter.

He hums, "Yes. Tomorrow is your birthday."

Panic flares in my chest, I see him grimace, "We're not ready. I still have to-"

He lightly cuts me off with a kiss to my lips, "Stop. Let them have one more day of normal. Let them be together one more day."

Pursing my lips I nod and twist around as Cayden groans, "I think you kicked me last night." he mutters as he rubs his arm.

"Sorry."

Shrugging his shoulders he stands to stretch then nudges Alexander with his boot. Waking up with an angered growl, Alexander rubs his eyes and waves as a morning greeting. Getting up I pop my knuckles and moan as my stab wound aches with the rest of my body. Cursing I slip the sling off and Damian gives me an angered shout as I release it. Ignoring him, I use three fingers to rub around the area and a maid comes over with a sack of ice. Thanking her I hold it against the wound and watch Cayden wake everyone else up.

We only have today. When the sunrises once again Erebus will come. Behind me Damian gets up, plants one last kiss to my temple then leaves the room while I scoot over to the fire that the maids and servants have started. I wanted to spend the day training the men harder but Damian and the royal family have told me not to. Just like Damian said, let them be together one more day. Today is their last day in a world that has yet to be filled by blood and grief. Hanging my head I drop it against my knees and stare at the twisting flames. This is it.

Making an announcement the maids tell everyone breakfast is being served and I hear everyone start hungry chatter as they leave. Lurking close by the door Jared meets my eyes, gives me a grim nod, then follows his sister out. I wonder if I will see him beyond just the battlefield. I wonder if I will see any of them. Sitting down beside me, Cayden and Alexander give me the comfort of their presence as we share a moment of quiet together.

I don't go to the dining hall, much to Caydens dismay, and instead slip into my room. Searching through my chest, I find the few belongings I came here with and set them out on the floor in front of me. Cassian's dead flower he put in my hair, Adeena's old flower necklace, the beaded bracelet Tesha gave me, and her dagger. All things of home. Putting the necklace on I clench my hand around the charm and bow my head. It's a necklace that now commemorates a dead princess. Adeena. Next I put on the bracelet and twist the wooden bead with the carved letters facing the inside of my wrist. I won't need the rest. Packing it all away I shove it at the very bottom and grab a new pair of pants, long sleeve shirt, and jacket. All new clothes supplied by the maids. Quickly changing, I sigh as the soft fabric of the clothes wraps me in warmth and comfort. Doing my hair next, I drag a brush through it then run my fingers through the raven black strands. I wonder if my hair has always been this color. It does match my power though. At least, that's what Damian told me after I lost control the first time I came here. He said the sky around me turned black, later he added that it matched the color of my hair.