EDITOR WARNING: THIS CHAPTER HAS NOT BEEN EDITED SINCE FIRST DRAFT (2017). MAJOR PLOTHOLES OR INCONSISTENCIES
EREBUS
"Erebus; you're very distracted," Aspen remarked as the meeting began.
HELL!
How could I focus on anything but her.
Mon Lumière.
They were all destroying her; my Adrienne. I couldn't just watch them break her. Living in Asteaia was killing her slowly, profoundly.
Mon Lumière, who held such love in her heart. She was engaged and much too good for someone like me but hell- I couldn't stay away.
Having her wrapped in my arms was quite possibly the best feeling in the world. But her tears, each one of them agonized me like my heart was being ripped out, again and again. I always knew her family was bad, but this had passed the point of no return. At this point, not only her family, but Asteaia as a whole was hurting her.
And I would make them pay for every single tear that dropped from her eyes.
"Erebus!" Aspen's voice snapped me out of my reverie.
I jolted a bit, and focused my attention on what he was saying again. Cyan and Damian were shaking their heads and silently laughing as Aspen shot me an unimpressed look.
"Fine. Let this meeting dénouement, Our King has lost his focus." he said, giving me a long look. I just shrugged.
After everyone had left, Aspen turned to me.
"Erebus, something is clearly bothering you" he said worryingly.
Adrienne. That's all I could think of. The forced engagement, her unhappiness and evil fiancé. My mind reeled to come up with a plan, something; anything to get her out of there.
"Hello!?" Cyan waved a hand in front of my face as Damian laughed.
"Very funny" I replied smirking, then nodding to Aspen.
To this day, they still had no-idea where I went at night. They didn't know about her. But shit! It was time to tell them. I couldn't hide this from them any longer.
"In my lower chambers" I concluded, motioning for them to follow me.
We all, sat around the dining table in my lower chambers. I didn't ever take anyone to my upper chambers; no-one had ever been up there except my advisors.
"Erebus. We know something is different about you. Every time you come back late at night; you're different".
I gave Aspen a long look. It was long due that they knew what I was doing.
"I was visiting a girl; a human".
My advisors were all shocked.
"Erebus, do you even know the dangers!" Cyan protested.
"She could have Gafire, or worse!" Damian interrupted.
"How long have you been doing this?" Aspen asked inquisitively.
"Over ten years".
My advisors all exchanged a panicked look. Of course, I knew they all saw me as their son; Hell they had raised me.
"I don't think you should ever go back there again Erebus" Aspen concluded.
"No. Nothing will stop me from seeing my Adrienne"!
Rage began to fill me, as I felt the scar slowly etch its way back onto my face.
Aspen gave Cyan and Damian a knowing look.
"Erebus. You've fallen in love with this human girl? Adrienne was it"?
I paused.
Hell; I didn't even know what love is. There was no way she could ever have feelings like that for a monster like me. But when I held her; my past pain and uncertainty almost seemed to wash away. I was wanted.
"Yes." I choked, looking down in shame. I sounded pathetic, weak and more broken than my human self. I was supposed to be strong, a king and protect my kingdom. But instead I was cowering away in the castle like, a fool.
"She wants me. Asteaia is breaking her; and I'm the only one who will help her." I answered.
Aspen, Cyan and Damian looked at me sympathetically.
"You've always had the biggest heart son" Cyan muttered.
"She reminds me of my old self, that's why I'm so drawn to her. She's never seen me, but I've touched her; she has no idea who or what I am" I murmured, longing for her touch.
My advisors seemed to visibly relax at the thought.
Aspen smiled. "Anything that makes you happy Erebus. Because you deserve happiness my son".
CHIME!
The clock chimed in the wall, breaking the discussion. I noticed the time. I had better leave to see Adrienne.
"I must go, you can see yourselves out" I told my advisors before vanishing.
Reaching the clearing, I noticed Adrienne wasn't there yet. That was fine.
But I waited, and waited. Minutes ticked by yet she never came; and I began to worry. Did something happen? She had told me she would come yesterday.
Maybe she was spending the night with that fiancé of hers.
After waiting hours, I headed back to the castle, immensely worried. She'd never told me she'd come and then never show up.
I was probably worrying over nothing; she was her own woman, she could visit me as she pleased.
With that notion, I headed back to the castle; an eerie feeling in my blood.
YOU ARE READING
Angel of Darkness (DARKNESS #1)
Fantasy(Book One in the Darkness Series) Long ago, in a small town called Asteaia, a baby - very different from any other - was born. Discarded by his mother and shunned by the town he lived in, the boy grew up in misery, darkness and pain. One day, the b...
