Song of Blood and Reign

Chapter 17

Chapter 17

As soon as they landed on the grassy hillside behind the Keep, she wanted to pull both of her blades on him, but they were back in Filwey, lying in the street forgotten. The conduit's blade was missing, too, but with one look a dozen feet behind them, she saw it laying in the grass.

The female had taken over her, which never happened before. As soon as they were through the shadows, she'd gained control, but she could still feel her smugness as she hid, holding onto her light magic even more tightly.

Maybe this was what the female wanted, for them to know she was trying to learn the darkness. A double play. She couldn't touch her, though, not with that light fighting back every bit of darkness she threw at it.

The female's laugh echoed in her head. She tried to silence her, but the image of a rude hand gesture followed.

The conduit pushed himself up beside her, black eyes meeting hers and narrowing. "You've killed us both."

"It wasn't me," she growled, standing and wiping off the grass and dirt that stuck to her. The shadows formed around her, feeding off her rage and reveling in it. "It was her. She took over somehow."

"I've always told the mistress she was so much stronger than she herself ever was or will ever be. Both in willpower and magic. And I'm sorry to say that I don't hate to say it, but she's a lot stronger than you, too."

"You could have killed the shapeshifter in an instant, but you dragged it out and gave them time." She pointed at him, lips pulled back from her teeth in a snarl. "So, you'd better watch it or else I will tell the mistress he's growing stronger with every day, too."

With his next blink, she could have sworn she saw hazel and pain and anger.

She pushed past him, the grass turning to stone as she made her way to the Keep. The stone fortress had aged without anyone to take care of the upkeep, the stone discolored, vines and shrubbery overgrown around it, its view of the see the only thing beautiful about it now after a century of abandonment.

Wind whipped around her coming in both directions, carrying the sounds of the waves crashing off the rocks below, the whispers of the dark creatures that waited in the mountains beyond.

Once they were inside, they walked the silent hallways, bootsteps echoing off the walls until they reached the double doors leading into the formal dining room, a favorite of their mistress and the human queen. Night was quickly falling, which meant it was dinnertime for the females, who always shared their elaborate meals there.

Once she pushed opened the doors, the conduit striding in behind her, the sound of silverware scrapping against plates ceased. The human queen, who always looked uneasy around her, looked up to meet her gaze. Even she had recognized the female she held captive inside was growing stronger.

Their mistress looked up and met both their gazes, wineglass in hand and filled with dark red that reminded her of blood.

"You did not succeed in my orders," she stated quietly, dangerously, to the conduit.

"That's because..."

But the mistress raised her hand...and he silenced. Shadows creeped around him, wrapping around his chest, legs and arms, locking him into place. His black eyes widened, mouth opening and closing as he tried to gasp for air.

"I will deal with you later," she growled, and waved dismissively.

The conduit disappeared into the shadows with a silence scream.

She turned her gaze upon her then, slowly standing with wineglass still in hand. More shadows appeared, curling closer and closer to her. Not only did she watch them, but the female's conscious began to panic, too. She tried stepping back...but the shadows locked around both ankles as her mistress walked closer.

"And you," she started. "You do realize the shadows talk to me, tell me everything. That cuff isn't the only way I have control over you. How do you think I knew the real Lyv was learning more about the darkness you harbor inside?"

She swallowed hard. "I..."

Again, the mistress raised her hand to silence her. Not with shadows, but with the rage that rolled off her. Even the human queen shrank back in her chair at the dining room table, watching the exchange.

"You know," the mistress started, then lifted her wineglass to take a sip. The red liquid clung to her lips before she licked it off, making it look like she was drinking blood. "I thought having this dark consciousness inside Alyvia would make her turn dark herself faster, but it seems I was wrong. It's only making her stronger."

She swallowed hard. "I can explain..."

In a flash, the mistress's hand was around her neck, tightening as she pulled her forward, her face just inches from hers. She tried to gasp for breath, but couldn't. Even the female inside her began to panic.

"No, you can't explain, my love," the mistress whispered, the sweet aroma of her wine on her breath, which held just a hint of copper as well. "If you can't keep a handle on her, then what use is this consciousness? I would rather wait and watch my niece descend into the darkness herself, no matter how long it takes. I'm a patient female, you know. My time waiting in my bitch of a sister's dungeon should illustrate that."

Her hand tightened, nails digging in. The shadows continued to swirl around them, waiting for their mistress's command.

"So now, I must be patient. Thank you for showing Alyvia what she is capable of...but now I have no use for you anymore."

She wasn't able to speak as the mistress's glittering black eyes blazed into hers. The shadows tightened around her, almost cheering when they were commanded to enter her.

It was the opposite of when this dark consciousness was born. Instead of planting the seed that took root inside Crown Princess Alyvia Deverell, the heir of Asturia, Princess of Escarral, and mate of Crown Prince Jai Ayveri, the shadows ripped it out of her, root and stem. The fiery pain laced through her, making a scream echo through the dining room that sounded foreign in her ears.

Dark and light went to war with each other inside her body.

The light was winning.

But it had just a hint of shadows in the far corners, which fed on the chaos.

Black eyes turned emerald as it did. Stayed that way.

And Lyv blinked, still feeling the dark magic inside her, but not her other, darker self. She was gone.

Corliss's sneer turned into a sweet smile. "Welcome back, niece."

***My last Dark Lyv chapter.  I have to admit I'm going to miss them!  

And the next chapter...well, let's just say I'll definitely have it up by this weekend.  I've been waiting for this chapter forever!  

What are your thoughts?  Comment and vote!

Happy reading!

- Ansley***