Palace Of Flames (Book One of the Damnata Series)

Chapter Twenty-Two: The Final Episode

[Kristy]

As I open my eyes, the first thing that springs into my vision is darkness. Nothing is visible past this thick expanse of shadows. I sit up slowly, feeling the cool, hard surface of concrete flooring beneath my hands.

"Hello? Is anyone there?" I call out; my voice echoes eerily, but I gain no reply. I slowly push to my feet, looking around me at the foggy darkness, my vision seeming to blur and twist in on itself as I look around me.

After a few minutes of silently studying my surroundings, I hear a low chuckle of mild amusement.

"Ah, the Oracle has awoken." A vaguely-familiar voice, one that I have perhaps heard once or twice.

Slowly, the foggy darkness fades out, and I can suddenly see my surroundings again. And then I see the bars. Thick. Silver. Mocking. The old feelings of paranoia and hyperventilation return to my clouded thoughts, and all of a sudden I want to puke.

"Who's there?" I ask; I gain a quiet chuckle in reply. I see a dark blur out of the corner of my vision, and then I see the blond-haired, brown-eyed innocent features of a faintly-familiar face, once painted with fresh young innocence, but now splattered with rough, etched malice and pure, untainted corruption and evil.

"Aryx? What are you doing here?" I step closer to the bars, studying him suspiciously, and he smiles slightly. I've never really spoken to Aryx; he's always been more of a background extra when it comes to the Diurna.

"Serving my purpose, of course."

"What?" I narrow my eyes. It takes me a moment to process his words.

And then I get it completely.

"You're betraying the Diurna, Aryx. They would never forgive you for serving the Damnata."

"Who cares what they think? They wouldn't even accept me as the new Alpha anyway."

"New Alpha? But that means-"

"Yeah, Kristy, I killed Damon. The former Alpha."

I just gape at Aryx in horror, and then take a step away from the bars.

My horror and disgust aimed at the Werrwulfen before me is interrupted momentarily as I hear a snarling, familiar feminine growl sounding out.

"Aryx! Silvano is finished with the Helyer boy, he is ready for the Oracle."

I suddenly freeze up as I see the blaze of red hair and the demeaning emerald-green eyes of Mitsuru Damnatan appear from the shadows. I gulp. And then she looks to me, and her humoured gaze turns colder, harder than before.

She looks like she could rip my head off and laugh whilst she does it. And no woman that does that willingly is sane.

What did she say? He'd...finished...with Laurence? Does that mean...they killed Laurence?

And then a sudden coldness and sourness fills my entire being, and I feel inclined to rip out this woman's throat.

And Aryx's too, if I happen to have the time.

"You... You killed my Guardian...?" I feel my palms tingling unannounced, and then I feel my skin heating up, and I feel like I'm burning. Even so, I don't tear my stone-cold scowl from Mitsuru's bemused, smug gaze.

"Perhaps we did, Oracle. Just what exactly are you going to do about that?"

As Mitsuru studies me, Aryx quickly unlocks the door to the cell, stepping inside. I take a step backwards, and then something seems to grab hold of my actions completely. I clench my jaw, my hands balling up into fists, and then my movements are a vague blur as I move quickly past Aryx, flying out of the cell and grabbing Mitsuru by the throat. I can see the slight hint of panic in her eyes, but other than that, she remains simply bemused, no other emotion crossing her face.

"What do you think I'm going to do about it? I'm the Oracle. You killed my Guardian. It's only natural that you perish, much like my Guardian." I find myself squeezing down on her throat, and she looks suddenly terrified. My surprise seems not to show as I see dark purple flames leaping from my hands and wrapping around Mitsuru's pale throat.

"Wait!" She gasps. "He...he's not dead! We'll take you to him! Aryx...!"

I let go of Mitsuru, leaving her to drop to her hands and knees to gasp for air, and turn to face Aryx, who is just grinning madly and mockingly.

"Sure, we'll take you to him."

The first thing I see as we enter the large, intricately-decorated hall that I instantly assume is the Damnatan Chamber, is the bloodied and beaten figure lying crumpled on the ground, motionless and silent.

"Laurence!" I gasp, moving quickly, the cold, hard feeling of superiority leaving me as I kneel down next to Laurence, worry filling me in its entirety.

"Laurence, it's Kristy. Come on, look at me, tell me you're alive."

He turns his head slowly to face me, and I see bruises, gashes and cuts on his face. The blood is still streaming down from his mouth, nose and around his eyes, as well as various other cuts on his once-beautiful face. I feel like ripping someone's throat out for doing this to him.

"I'm alive." He smiles weakly, reaching out to take my hand. He squeezes it gently, reassuringly, but it looks like it hurts for him to do so. I feign a smile, for my own sake if not his.

"Thankfully." And then I hear a low chuckle, and I glance up to see Silvano Damnatan standing at the front of the hall, loosely gripping a sword in his hand, the cool silver resting over his shoulder. A smirk is splayed across his dark, prominent features. And his eyes are full of menace, his face dancing with maleficence.

"Ah. My Oracle. You have finally regained consciousness. I hope my sister and her Consort did not scare you too much? I know how fragile an Oracle can be."

I snort, letting go of Laurence's hand and standing up slowly. My scowl is cold, hard and threatening, but his gaze is demeaning, and - I hate to admit it - stiflingly, inhumanly beautiful. It makes me want to spit in his face and kick him in the balls.

"Fragile? Me? You obviously don't know a thing about me."

"Oh, I know a great deal. I know of your weakness for your Guardian, as well as your growing weakness for your second Protector, Seth Coma. I know of your psychological issues, and your premonitions. I know of your-"

"Enough!" I snarl, and then see the strange flames leaping from my hands again. "Why did you do this? What did he do to deserve this?"

Silvano smirks even wider. "He is getting in the way of my prize, my dear."

"I am not your prize. Think again; I would never become a Mate for the likes of you."

Silvano's jaw clenches slightly. He looks like he is struggling to keep that cocky approach in check.

"Besides, I do not care for violent, insensitive beings such as yourself."

"Oh really?"

Before I can move to stop his actions, he flits forward, and is with me in a second. He grins, grabbing me by the hair and yanking down on it as his lips swoop down over mine.

My movements are swift, expertly quick as flames leap from my hands, flying right into the Vampiire's stomach. He grunts, flying back and back-flipping through the air, landing weightlessly on his feet at the other side of the hall.

And then it finally dawns on me.

This something inhabiting my body is not me.

This something inhabiting my body is not human.

This something inhabiting my body is the Oracle.

* * *

[Video: The Final Episode by Asking Alexandria.]

[Picture: Max Helyer, who plays Aryx.]