The Queen of Elysium

Chapter 11 - Heart of Elysium

Anxiously whiling away time, Elissa flicks through music on her iPhone and comes across a song from a band Greg used to like. Her mind is taken back to her former life, living and studying in London.

Greg was a fellow veterinarian student; the year above her. He was her first attempt at romance, but it all ended so horrifically with the accident on her nineteenth birthday. Bile rises at the memory of his bloated, lifeless body.

Come on Elle. This really isn't helping.

Then on her twentieth birthday she was pulled into Elysium and started this crazy journey. Now, she is just eight days away from her twenty first birthday and she can't help feeling anxious. Somehow she is supposed to conjure up the Light of Elysium in front of the Royal Council. And if her grandmother, the elven queen has her way, she will also become engaged to Lucifer, the High King.

Cavall, picking up on his mistress's unease, places his head in her lap and gazes up at her with puppy dog eyes. She ruffles his head, warmed by his unconditional love.

The door opens and Lucifer walks in. Speak of the devil.

"Everyone is waiting." His voice is soft, yet does little to settle her nerves.

Her heart clenches at the thought of having to end things with Aren and her limbs freeze. "I don't want to do this."

Cavall gives a low growl, standing defensively between her and the king.

"Elissa." Lucifer holds out an appeasing hand. "I would save you from this if I could."

Standing, she refuses to look at him, not quite believing the platitude, for it is all so very convenient for him.

On autopilot, her feet take her to the conference room. Several men are hanging new oak doors, but she hardly notices them. Torbjorn and Leo, Aren's older brother, are already in the room, their faces pensive. She heard that they arrived last night, though had gone straight to their rooms.

"Elissa!" Leo's face lights to see her and opens his arms in greeting; his hug practically squeezes the breath out her.

It takes a monumental effort for her not to breakdown. It is the first time she has seen him since she left Arcadia. There is an icy clearing of a throat and reluctantly Elissa pulls away, noticing that Celestia is also in the room.

Lucifer manoeuvres her away from Leo and stands before the magic mirror. At his command the surface shimmers and when it settles, reveals two people who invoke completely different feelings in her.

The first is Aren and her heart leaps to see him, before plummeting as she takes in the sight of him bound in chains. His clothes are dirty and torn, and he is sporting bruises on his face.

The second figure is Nero, whom she detests, even more now at the victorious expression on his face. She glares at him, wishing him harm, but her attention is immediately drawn back to Aren when he calls out her name in a urgent tone.

She desperately wants to hold him and instinctively reaches out with her power, causing the surface of the mirror to ripple in concentric circles. With a magical caresses, she heals Aren's injuries and send his chains clunking to the floor.

Pulling back her power, the mirror resettles to show a much healthier looking man. Aren steps forward until he is practically touching the frame. His face is a mixture of awe and love.

"You have something to tell me?" Aren enquires, the hopeful edge in his voice making her dread what is to come.

"Nero has agreed to release you and allow you to go home, but..." Words fail her as her throat closes up and her sight blurs. How can I do this?