The pounding headache is still there when I wake to someone tapping on my door. The right side of my head feels like I've been kicked down a flight of stairs after having a stone bashed into my skull. I throw my nightshirt on and open the door. Something brushes my leg when I look down, I find Snowy standing on his hind legs paw raised.
"Well, there you are," Snowy says hopping in, "hurry and get dressed you're already late."
"Late for what?" I manage to ask before collapsing.
###
"Master, master she's fallen," Snowy hops out of the room worry in his brown eyes as he chews on his ear.
That stupid girl, what did she do now? Elisa lies on her side onyx hair covering her face.
"Go get the Healer," I pick the girl up and set her on the bed, "fuck," when did she do that? Her left leg is black and blue, prick marks mar her skin. It was those damned shoes she was wearing; I don't understand why females insist on wearing something that provides no support or cover. She had to of gotten poisoned after I healed her hand.
"What's wrong with her?" Mrs. Owl rushes in tsking when I hold up Elisa's leg, "how is she still alive?"
"I'm not sure myself," I set the leg down and step to the side.
Mrs. Owl gets to work extracting the poison and feeding the girl an elixir. She remains unconscious beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"I've done all I can for her," Mrs. Owl sets a porcelain jar on the side table, "when she wakes, have her take one medicine pellet, after four hours give her two more."
"Mrs. Owl I…
"No excuses Prince," Mrs. Owl shifts ruffling her feathers before flying out of the room leaving me alone with the girl. Why should I be stuck with her?
"Snowy keep an eye on her when she…
"Thorn," Mother cuts me off, Snowy curtsies and hops off. Traitor, "she's your responsibility."
"I still don't see why it has to be me."
"Your fated," she steps into the room closing the door behind her. Mother throws up a barrier to keep prying ears from hearing, "such nuisance," she yanks the chain Elisa wears and melts it.
"Why can't one of the others…
"Ryan," Mother rarely uses that name, "I named you after our ancestor for a reason, never forget that."
"Yes Mother," ever since I can remember Mother's believed I was born under the star of the last Dark King of the old Era. So, she named me after him the only ones aware of this are her my father and grandparents who like mother agree.
Grandfather once said every hundred or so years the Deity of the Underworld and the Empress will be reborn. They undergo trials and tribulations not just to be together but to help the people.
"Why did you change her hair?"
"It wasn't her natural color," I changed her hair after extracting the poison, I do wonder if he noticed. She seemed to just be going through the motions when Snowy led her to Owls Nest.
"And this is?"
"What does it matter?"
Mother raises a brow but says nothing, instead, she lifts the girl's nightshirt and places a piece of quarts between her breast. The quarts changes from red to violet and back to red just like her aura.
"When she wakes, place the crystal in the fire," Mother runs her hands down her violet dress fixing any imperfections, "you'll know what to do after that."
"Yes Mother," I walk over to the bay window and take a seat, there's no use in arguing.
###
I'm hot then cold but my head doesn't hurt anymore. The scent of night blossoms and winters breeze fills my senses. Something's pressing against my chest then it's gone. I open my eyes to Thorn standing over me.
Black flame dances at his fingertips when the flame dies down two tiny stones rest in his palm. One the laborite is shaped like an eye the amethyst like a teardrop, within an instant, he's pressing the amethyst between my brows. I try to move back but something keeps me in place. He presses the laborite right above the amethyst.
A tingling sensation washes over me, followed by a coolness, "what are you doing?" I manage to get out, my throat feels parched.
Rather than answering he shoves something into my mouth and holds it closed until I swallow. Whatever he gave me is bitter.
"I've never seen anyone require two conduit stones," he says, "who are you?"
I glare at him and move back bumping into the side table.
"So careless, why didn't you tell me?" he peers down at me with a disapproving look.
"Tell you what?" I bring my hand up to my forehead the stones somehow adhere to my skin. When I try to pull one of the stones out it hurts.
Thorn smacks my hand away, "what are you doing?"
"What are these?"
"They'll help you adjust," he takes a seat at the edge of the bed, "we call them conduit stones. They're mostly used on children with volatile magic. Only a few adults wear them."
"Why?"
"They usually need something to store the excess magic."
"But I have no magic."
"That's where you're wrong, all creatures have magic regardless of mortality. Think of it as your life essence."
"Why are you here?" I rub my forehead the cooling sensation returning.
"I was tasked with part of your training," his eyes follow my every move, "unlike the others you won't have to take the placement test. You have already been placed in Night House."
"What's Night House?"
"It is where children of the Dark Court or anyone with a particular skillset, are placed. There are eight houses to represent the eight original tribes."
I must look like an idiot blinking at him several times.
"What?"
"Dark Court like the Dark King, Shadow Fay and…
"Yes," he cuts me off, "like that, where did your Uncle get his books?"
"I don't know, and I never asked," I say running a hand through my hair. Why is it longer and why is it black? "you did this?"
Thorn shrugs, "It's a side effect of the poison."
"Bullshit," I move towards him catching his sleeve my head spins with the sudden motion.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he pries my hand off him and lays me back down, "sleep I'll wake you for your next dose."
"Dose of what?"
"Medicine," he stands and walks over to the bay window. Picking up a book he takes a seat one leg stretched out before him the other dangling free.
I try to stay awake but it's useless whatever he gave me earlier makes my head spin forcing me to close my eyes. I dream of lavender fields and honey green eyes that turn crimson then onyx. Of Shadows and Darkness, wolves howling at the moon. Not a single dream revolves around my family and for some reason, I find it reassuring. Perhaps they've found peace.
Sure, enough Thorn pulls me from my slumber and feeds me two more little pellets. They're quite bitter but my head doesn't hurt, nor does it spin when I try to get up.
"Get dressed," he says, "I'll take you out to eat."
Thorn points to a bundle of clothes atop the trunk as he walks out of the room.