Page 112 of The Dark Rising
It’s hard to believe I’m in the position I am right now. My cozy life at Eridian is gone. The Highers know I’m alive and the most deadly one could be right beneath my feet for all I know, right now. My pack is scattered to Gods knows where, and we are uncovering more devious acts the Highers and the Elites have committed.
Anything is a lie at what they portray, you can’t trust any of them. The fact we are in a keep full of Elites that could come and stab any of us in the back at any moment doesn’t help my sleep whatsoever. The constant worry of some of them coming to this wing and spotting one of us is terrifying. Then there is Sarah. That’s probably why Charles is here, to let Darius know she’s missing. I doubt Darius thinks Charles is stupid enough to not suspect something’s going on. Damian and Zaide spoke with my aunt Selena and took her away from home. My aunt would have told them that when they realized Sarah was missing.
Darius knew it would come. That he would be questioned about his Elites’ presence there and that Damian and Zaide would be questioned. I have to trust they know what they are doing.
I just hope Darius can appease Charles enough to get him to leave. We can’t face him right now, even though I want nothing more than to go down and rip him to shreds. To demand he give me back Kade and tell me where my other pack members are, along with those he has stolen.
Who knows how many Elites are on his side inside the keep that will turn on their Alpha though. Darius is strong, but against Charles and how ever many Elites? It’s a death sentence. No. We can’t attack now. If Charles suspects anything, he will have them moved somewhere else. I’m sure of it.
And then he will turn on us.
He’s Higher Charles for a reason, more powerful than the rest, yet no one knows the extent of his power. Just that it’s strong.
I shiver at the memories forcing themselves into my mind, of the way he used some of that power on me.
I remember my blood slowing in my body. Every pump of my heart driving pain through my ribs that stole my breath. He also likes fire, lots and lots of fire. The bottom of my feet will attest to that. Though his fire isn’t normal.
I get up and pace the length of the room. Back and forth, back and forth. Shaking my arms out, I try to banish the reminders that my body will never look the same unless I spell it to do so. That I will always have the reminder of what they put me through.
Never escaping, never leaving. Just, always there.
I pass the windows again, but instantly stop, clutching the carving of a lilk tree. My heart beats erratically as I press my face to the glass and look far out into the distance. Black dots emerge. There has to be hundreds of them scattered over the grassy hills there. I press my palm to the window, swallowing hard as more and more come into view.
Then I realize exactly what it is.
Rogures.
So, so many of them.
My heart aches knowing that there will soon be an attack on a village somewhere and it will extinguish so many lives.
And all I am able to do is nothing.
Just watch as they move and pray to Zahariss that whoever those rogures come across, they run.
All they can do is run.
Forty One
Darius
Imakemywaydown the stairs after grabbing a quick shower, making sure Rhea’s scent is completely washed off. I loathe it.
Heading to the main hall where I know Charles will be waiting for me, I steel myself for his presence. Maverick came and informed me that Charles ported to Vokheim Keep with some of his guards and Maize, just moments before I went looking for Rhea. I knew he would come eventually with what he said to me when we last spoke. I just didn’t think it would be this soon.
Leo waits for me at the entrance to the hall and gives me a small nod, his jaw clenching, letting me know he’s pissed at something. No doubt Charles has run his mouth. He opens the large, double doors and moves to the side to let me pass through, following behind me. My Elites sit on the bench seats of the long tables, and their chatter quickly dies down at my entrance. I walk down the middle, my boots heavy on the stone floor with every step I take.
Keeping my mask firmly in place as their Alpha, I look over the ones who are meant to be loyal to me and me alone. Yet some meet my eyes, a swirl of defiance in them and I keep a mental note to tell my brothers the names of the ones that defy me, that disrespect me by meeting my stare. I release my dominance into the space and some sit up straighter, my strength making their focus intent on my every move as I make my way down the aisle.
Charles sits at the largest table in the hall at the end of the room. It’s raised on a small platform where my brothers and I sit when we hold meetings here or dine. I nearly snarl at him taking my seat at the center of the table, but now that I know what he has been doing to his own people, unbeknownst to them apart from those involved, it’s even harder to keep Drax in check with his possessiveness of our place.
I walk up the two small steps to my table and stop directly in front of him as he lounges back in my seat. Maize, sitting on his left, throws a flirtatious smile at me as she leans forward to give me a view of her tits that are spilling out of her top, that I have zero interest in.
“Alpha Darius,” she purrs. My back teeth grind. “I have been waiting to see you. Come, sit.” She gestures to the empty seat next to her while I just stare blankly. When she realizes I’m not moving, she pouts and slumps, crossing her arms and looking around the room.
My eyes move to Charles. “What are you doing here? If you needed to speak to me I would have come to Wolvorn Castle.”
He takes a sip of wine,mywine, swirling it in his glass as he gives me a hard look over the rim. “I have news I need to share with you immediately,” is all he says as I wait for more.
