Page 28 of Beyond the Darkness

“You couldn’t have prevented it. The people were dying. They were so injured, I couldn’t let them suffer. It was my choice to go to the breaking point. I had to save them,” her eyes met his and she could see the pain in his gaze. She wished that he didn’t blame himself for her own decisions. It was out of his control. Nobody had made her do it, she’d made her own choices that day. Even when she was on the verge of death, she didn’t regret any of it.

“You’re too good for this world, Aerilyn.”

The words that left Everett’s mouth only warmed her chest. The smile that crept onto his face made her feel even better than the soup that had replenished her body. She ran her thumb over his jaw, trying to provide him any comfort that she could. “I love you, Everett Delagros,” she leaned into him to press a soft kiss to the side of his face. He smiled in return, moving his hands over her cheeks.

“And I love you, little thief.”

His mouth covered her own, kissing her more gently than he ever had before. It was too delicate as if she were about to crumble beneath his fingertips. She was thankful for the slowness of the kiss, wanting to savor every second of the way he tasted. The closeness to death that they have both come over and over was beginning to weigh on her. She wasn’t sure how many more times they could both face death in the eyes and survive it.

Aerilyn reminded herself that this was all her own doing. She had chosen to continue using her powers even when she felt drained. She had decided to save the other people. She chose to face death in the eyes this time, it wasn’t Azazel’s doing. As much as she wanted to blame him, she had saved his life. She had put herself at risk, and from the darkness under his eyes, she could tell that she’d put Everett through hell when she made that decision.

She pulled her lips away from his, taking a few deep breaths. She never wanted the kiss to end, but the exhaustion was weighing on her. “What are we going to do?” Her voice was too soft. She hated how broken it sounded. “You need to heal up. The moment you’re feeling better we need to get the hell away from this place,” a frown took over his features. She hated the worry that flashed in his eyes.

“Azazel will come after us, we won’t have time to look back. We’ll need to head straight for Orissia.”

Everett nodded in agreement, running his fingers through his messy curls. “I’ll talk to Blaise about a plan. The moment you’re feeling better, we’re getting the hell away from this place,” he kissed her forehead, trying to bring her comfort when she knew he was as terrified as she was.

A knock broke their conversation and the door opened as someone stepped into the space. Azazel was wearing a fancier outfit than his usual attire and had his crown on. Something must’ve been going on for him to change his appearance. Seeing him for the first time since the attack made too many memories come rushing back. She hated that she remembered the way his bare chest had felt under her fingertips and the way it had felt to curl into his chest before she had lost consciousness. He was a consuming force that occupied her thoughts more than she would ever admit. She noticed the way Everett tensed when he realized who had entered. The two men exchanged a look that Aerilyn could easily identify as absolute hatred. As much as she wanted to hate Azazel, a part of her cared for the king, in an odd fucked up way. He said horrible things to her and put her in shitty positions, but he still had done so much to protect her in all of it. He had been there to save her twice, she couldn’t deny her appreciation for the man.

“I’m not here to start anything,” he began, holding his hand to silence whatever Everett was about to say. She was somewhat thankful for that, not wanting to see the two men in an argument so soon after waking. “My council and I have decided to set off on a mission for the Sword of Aleksi. After the hound attack, we’ve tried to decide on a reasonable approach to handling this new threat. They’ve never come into Korth before and that’s worrisome for all of us,” he paused, moving closer into the room, leaning against the bedpost at the end of the bed. “The last we heard of the sword being seen was in the Ash Mountains. There’s a cave there that was infested with houndswhen my guards were traveling. Only one made it back alive, but he reported seeing a sword on display in the middle of the cave. He swore upon his soul what he saw,” Azazel explained, his eyes only on Aerilyn’s the entire time he spoke. Her mouth fell open in a gasp as the man admitted to having an idea of where the sword could possibly be.

“So, what are you saying?” Aerilyn began, pulling herself up into a sitting position against the headboard of the bed. “I’m asking for you both to join me on the mission. You’re both strong fighters and I wanted to use this as a peace offering. You’re a part of my kingdom now. I don’t hide things from my people,” he explained, keeping their eyes locked. The look in his eyes held something more.

What does he truly want from us?The thoughts began to spiral within her mind.

“Why should we trust you?” Everett spoke up for her, giving her the moments to process what the king was saying. “You don’t have to trust me. This is an offer that I’m simply extending to the both of you. Take it or leave it,” Azazel shrugged, looking down at his shirt as he brushed out each wrinkle to ensure its perfection.

“We’ll come.”

“Aerilyn, you’re too weak. You need more time to heal,” Everett tried to reason with her agreement to the deal. His concern was written across his expression, but she wouldn’t back down this time. “We need to get the sword. The longer we wait, the more lives are taken. I’m stronger than you think,” she explained, trying to find any words that would push him into agreement. “I never once thought you were weak. You just need to understand your limits and take care of yourself. I can’t watch something happen to you when you reach those limits,” his gaze lowered as the words fell from his lips. “Once we get that damnsword, then I can relax. Until then, none of us are safe,” she pushes further.

“We leave tomorrow, be prepared to leave at sunrise,” Azazel broke their conversation before he left them alone with the offer still lingering in the air between them.

Chapter Forty

Aerilyn

The Ash Mountains were a three-day hike away from Korth. Azazel had supplied them with backpacks full of essentials for the journey. Several other guards were joining them for the journey so that they had backup. Blaise opted to stay behind when Everett had asked him if he wanted to come with them. He had been quiet and stayed in his room since the ball. The loss of Brinley seemed to be weighing on him more than he had originally let on. Aerilyn had felt guilt for taking his lover away from him. She couldn’t imagine if the roles had been reversed and she’d lost Everett instead. The thought alone made her ache for Blaise and everything he had been through. None of them deserve the pain that they’d experienced. Their names had been drawn at random and they’d been selected for a death mission. They weren’t supposed to survive. There were three ofthem left which was more than they had originally expected, but it didn’t make the loss hurt any less.

Azazel had explained that the journey to the mountain would take a few days. It wasn’t as bad of a journey as they had previously experienced. With the large group of soldiers, it wasn’t as daunting. The exploration of more of the world was more exciting compared to the first time. The kingdom of Korth was surrounded by older structures. It was nothing like the emptiness that had been surrounding Orissia. The lack of life near her home, including plants, was confusing. The terrain they traveled was full of trees and seemed to be bursting with life. There seemed to be less darkness on this side of the continent. Though, she had no idea how far they truly were from Orissia. Sometimes she stared off into the horizon wondering if she’d catch a glimpse of the only place she’d ever known.

The group only paused at night, setting up tents to sleep in. The exhaustion of walking all day allowed her to sleep heavily each night. The constant watch of Azazel's guards was reassuring enough for her to rest peacefully. She didn't know why she trusted them, but it had something to do with the fact that the king of Korth was also with them. She knew that is guards wouldn't allow their king to be attacked.

On the second night, Aerilyn found herself rolling about the cot restlessly. She awoke, staring up at the roof of the burlap tent, unsure of how to get herself to sleep again. After several minutes passed, she slipped out of Everett's arms and joined the guards that sat around the fire they had started.

"Look who decided to join us." She knew the voice before she spotted him in the mix of men. She scoffed, rolling her eyes as she plopped down beside the warmth of the fire. "Why're you up?" He questioned, tilting his head as he studied her. "I couldn't sleep," she shrugged, giving him the shortest answer she could. He only nodded in understanding, but hisgaze continued to burn her skin. He didn't look away from her as she stared into the fire, trying to avoid the eye contact.

"So, what's it like in Orissia?" One of the guards questioned, breaking the awkward silence. "It's not the best, but I learned to live with it. Many people are on the streets starving and public punishment has become a popular way to keep control over the citizens. The fields there are beautiful though. As a Floral I spent every day growing crops and watching the sunrise," she smiled at the memory of it. She missed the comfort of the place she called home. Even if she had to return to being staving and barely surviving, she wanted to go back.

"That sounds shitty. I'm sure you're glad to be in Korth," the guard returned, giving her a small smile. It was supposed to be reassuring, but to her it felt like anything but that.

"Is there any other kingdoms out there? They convinced us in Orissia that we were all that remained. I didn't expect to find anything beside ruin beyond our walls," Aerilyn questioned to change the topic. "There are a few that I know of. Many of the other kingdoms keep to themselves and try to avoid contact with Orissia. I haven't visited any of them in a long time though," Azazel was the one to answer her question. She pondered his words, considering what that might mean. There was more in the world than she could even comprehend.

"I want to explore all of it one day," she blurted out, not realizing what she was saying. She blamed it on her sleep-filled brain. "We can make that happen," Azazel's voice was barely above a whisper. She gave him a look of confusion and he glanced down into the fire to avoid the eye contact. The king of Korth continued to confuse her every time he opened his mouth.

The silence consumed the group of them once more. She was unsure what to say after hearing Azazel's words. She began to imagine what it would be like to travel across the continent. She still felt so clueless to the world around her. She wanted tounderstand it all. She wanted to see what was out there beyond Orissia, beyond the lies that she had been told. At that moment, she decided that she would do whatever she could to allow the citizens of Orissia to know the truth of what was beyond the walls. Even if it cost her life to do so.

When they finally arrived at the mountains, Aerilyn was at a loss for words. She’d never seen anything like it. Several mountains stretched before her, their peaks disappearing above the clouds. The books she’d read about the structures would never do justice to what she saw before her. It was gorgeous in every sense. She was at a loss for words.

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