Page 26 of An Empress of Earth & Darkness

The happiness in her heart was short lived as she noted the bruises on his face and the cuts on his lip and above his eye. His cheeks were swollen and his eyes were distant, vacant, his thoughts gone to someplace she dreaded to even conjure in her own mind. He looked tortured.

He had clearly refused a healer, and Naya would be furious with him.

But he had come like she had asked.

A swell of hope formed in her heart as she took in his silvery-grey guard uniform, and her gaze travelled where he did as Torin walked across the centre of the room, reaching a seat a few feet in front of Emara at the opposite side of the hall. At the opposite side of Viktir.

It was a telling tale that he did not sit with his clan, with this commander, but on his own.

Torin was in direct view of her but not too close either.

She swallowed the thickness in her throat as their eyes met for a few seconds, her heart screaming in her chest, then he clasped his busted hands in his lap and looked towards the prime.

Oberon, King of Fae, had taken his seat, as had the Chief Commander, Aerrick Stryker, and Emara had to admit it was strange for the supreme to not be sitting amongst them.

Suddenly, the room was too warm and sticky sweat began beading on her skin. Her heart started pounding, and it felt like the ceiling of this huge mansion was falling. The supreme wasn’t sitting on her throne because Emara had been the beginning of her end. Her death.

Rumours had circulated around Huntswood about Emara being the next supreme, which was entirely ridiculous. No wonder Rya had pulled her aside at the previous meeting to warn her about the fire witch’s intentions for the crown. Emara was struggling to keep above water as it was, never mind adding the title of supreme onto her shoulders. It was just rumours. No jolt of instant power had happened, no awakening, no Rhiannon, Goddess of the Moon and Dreams, had appointed her to the Five Covenal Throne. Nothing…

Nothing but a growing darkness.

If Emara had to take a bet on who the next supreme would be, it was Rya Otterburn; she had already mastered every element, strong in every single one. Maybe a witch with dark blood in her veins couldn’t be the supreme. The king issss coming for youuuuu. The demon from the Ashdale Forest flashed into her mind.

Balan of The Underworld.

Her father.

Emara would do anything to keep him in his cage, exactly where her mother had put him, but she needed the stones that her mother had worked with to guarantee that he stayed put. However, the problem was, she didn’t even know which ones her mother had used.

Suddenly, her chest felt too heavy—heavy with her blood, her secrets, her grief, her guilt…

Emara needed air. The prime could wait—or start without her. There would be other people to voice their requests today, not just her. Before she could rise, Artem Stryker placed a hand on her arm.

“Take a deep breath. Everything is going to be okay.” His golden eyes found hers, and he gave her a friendly smile. “You’ve got this.”

She did as she was told, breathing in through her nose and out through her mouth.

“Sybil,” was all Artem said before the earth witch’s calming hands were on hers, wiping away the distress.

Her friend whispered as she squeezed her hand, “Stay calm, I am here. You have so much support today.”

Emara nodded, acknowledging the steel in her heart and the truth of knowing her support was there.

“You are powerful and in control.” Sybil’s soothing voice sent vibrations of calm through her.

Artem, Naya, Gideon, Marcus, Sybil, Breighly

They wouldn’t let her fail.

She looked up to see Torin’s icy gaze across the room, studying her face.

She could tell he knew something was wrong, something in his eyes giving that away. It was like he was fighting with himself to go to her or stay seated.

He wouldn’t want to highlight her panic or cause for concern, so he stayed in his seat, his eyes burning through her soul. His lips parted, and Emara caught a glimpse of his straight white teeth under his full lips. He gave a wink that had less swagger in it than normal. He was there too. From a distance.

Her heart squeezed. It wasn’t enough. She wanted more from him. But she knew for certain that right here, in this setting, she wouldn’t get it.

Torin had always painted her in a light that was strong and courageous, always pushing her to make bold decisions and own who she was. She had been trying to be that person these last few months.

---