Palace Of Flames (Book One of the Damnata Series)

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Night Of The Hunter

Damnatan Chamber, Damnatalia

[Silvano]

"Nothing could have possibly prepared me for this moment." Clemente sighs. "How did this not work?"

"I do not know, brother." I snarl. I mean, was this not supposed to work? It all seemed to play out perfectly. In my head it did! I did everything I told myself I had to: I found a way into her unconscious thought, into her dreams, and then did all I could to scare her out. I had learned, hundreds of years ago, that a trauma in the subconscious can bring a being back into consciousness. So I tried everything I could to scare her out.

Obviously something went wrong. But what...?

"What could have possibly gone wrong?" Mitsuru drawls. "There was no fault within such a plan. It was practically foolproof."

"Obviously, Mitsuru, it was not." Venus looks up at our sister from her kneeling position in the middle of the chamber. Ever since news of the Oracle came forth, we seem to have spent almost every second of every day in the Damnatan Chamber. Venus claims that it is because the Soul Wavelength and Spirit Energy is stronger in this spot than in any other part of the Damnatan Palace. "There is a reason for all occurrences. And so all we must do is discover the reason for this particular occurrence." Her voice is quiet, timid, a slight whisper.

"Ah. Of course. Because that makes sense." Mitsuru mutters; Clemente shoots her a Look, and the Werrwulfen just snorts.

A few minutes pass with just idleness and trivial movements taking place, and then I hear a loud crash. Everyone turns to look towards the large mahogany double-doors, which have been burst open. Aryx, the young Werrwulfen Alpha whom Mitsuru has befriended, is standing in the doorway, hands balled up into fists, eyes wide, face paler than it was the last time I encountered him.

"Aryx." Mitsuru smiles slightly at him. "Whatever is wrong? It must be rather urgent for you to come here unannounced."

Aryx walks silently into the hall, and is soon standing before Mitsuru, his eyes hard and cold.

"Werrwulfen." I snarl. "What news do you have of the Oracle?"

Aryx turns his head to look at me. "Conscious."

"Excellent!" I grin darkly, and for a second, everyone looks startled. Everyone but Clemente.

"She is conscious. Excellent, indeed." Venus smiles down at the floor. "And what of our sister? Does she plan on returning?" I can hear the hope in her voice, but Aryx leaves her clearly disappointed as he shakes his head slowly.

"She doesn't plan on returning, as far as I've heard. She seems to have attachment issues with a young Werrwulfen that is a former member of my Pack."

"Really? Who?" Mitsuru barks out. I narrow my eyes at the young Werrwulfen, and then I hear a loud, booming, familiar voice.

"Alex Illingworth. An ally of the Nocturna, my former coven. A wasted creation of mine, I'm sure you'll understand."

I grin suddenly, turning my head quickly to face the doors again. Mikhael Damnatan, the brother we so stupidly disowned so many years ago, is standing in the doorway, arms folded across his chest, head cocked to the side as he smiles subtly. His dark eyes are dancing with amusement.

"Mikhael. My, my, how long has it been? Two, three hundred years since our last encounter?" I walk slowly towards him, still smiling.

"Yes. It has been too long, brother. And to think, we parted on bad terms. A parting of brothers should never be remembered in such a way as my departure. I pray there are no hard feelings...?" He walks slowly towards me, and stops a few feet in front of me.