Slipping inside Zareen has always been a tricky business unless you can warp space, time and reality.
With his full weight leaning on me, we both collapse on the floor of the chamber that lies at the heart of Zareen.
It doesn't take long for the pillar of light to sense our presence and flood the room with its soft white light. As expected, it billows on the floor, creeping in, avoiding me and making its way to Mason.
Releasing a relieved breath, I place the blade on the floor, disturbing the light coming off the pillar and watch as it moves away as if the blade and I repel it. I suppose I'm an anomaly after all, by all means. If the stories I've been told are true, then I carry the powers of my eight sisters.
Only one way to find out.
" Apple," I call and Apple appears inside the chamber looking slightly worried for a fraction of a second, until his eyes fall upon the pillar of light.
" Mistress," He bows, and I give up. I hate the name and I hate that it is so on point.
" The Daioō?" I ask, and he nods.
" I'm afraid that have chosen to flee. I will find them again, Mistress. Leave it to me," He says calmly, but lacking the usual smile.
" Worried about something?" I venture a guess, and he doesn't say anything for a good few seconds.
" No, Mistress. These have trying times for you. You have come out victorious, but Bartholomew was right. The Daiō would never bow to a half-breed," He whispers the last part, as if afraid that it would upset me.
" I know," It became very clear the moment they all aligned themselves with my brother. Shay has chosen his side rather than mine, even though he knew me before all became common knowledge.
" I would hate to disturb these peaceful moments, but a plan must be put into action to corral all the remaining Daiō and bring them into submission," I plan on doing nothing of the sort, and I know that Apple might disagree with me on this one.
" Before we do any of that. I need to know the truth about what happened when my mother decided to eradicate an entire family of Ephemerae just to free herself from Ifrims control?" Apple takes a deep breath at my question, proving that the truth might be a bit hard to hear. But I want to hear it nonetheless.
" Is it true that my mother has stripped my sisters of their powers and placed them inside me?" I continue just as he is about to open his mouth to speak. At this point, I don't trust anyone, anymore. I've never been one to blindly trust someone, but so far life has bent over backwards to show me that I'm right.
" To some extent yes," He answers, and it feels like the truth," But you cannot make use of them, not fully. They have yet to fuse with your own. It's a process that takes time, and usually, only Er'Shala can absorb another's Daiō powers. You have yet to ascend. For that to happen you must receive the blessing of every Daiō alive. If one stands against you then, I'm afraid that you'll have to surrender the place to another. Should you choose to do so, I will explain the steps you must undertake," He licks his lips, his eyes flit from one place to another anxiously.
" You look worried, Apple?" I push myself off the ground and stand to face him.
" The right to replace the current contender for the right to ascend is done by combat," He presses his lips in a thin line," The victor must take your life to deem himself worthy of the seat," Fantastic. No matter how I turn this, I still end up dead.
" Right. Aren't you full of good news today, Apple," I give him a small smile and he shrugs.
" The rules have been set since the dawn of time. You may choose a regent for your resting time, but he will only follow the instructions you have left. The regent cannot make changes, without your approval," Quite rigid, but still doesn't help my case.
" What if I choose to be stripped of my powers?" He'd explained this to me, but it is worth a try.
Horror sets in his eyes for a brief second before he gathers himself, by shrugging his tiny shoulders," Mistress, that is something no Ephemerae has ever attempted. The risk of dying outweighs the reward. Especially now," His eyes drift down to my belly and I follow his line of sight.
" Right," I press a palm to my still flat stomach and wonder what Mason would make of all of this.
Time to put my thinking cap on.
" Thank you, Apple. Please let me know as soon as you manage to find the Daiō. I need to speak with them, and Mason before I make a decision," I pick up the sword off the floor and look at its bloodied edges.
" Very well, Mistress. I'll be waiting for your call," He bows and with that, he takes his leave in a ball of black light.
I look at Mason's body engulfed in light, and I can't help but worry. The last time we did this, it didn't take this long for it to heal him, so I lowered myself on my heels and poked the light around his face.
It shies away from my touch, allowing me to see his face. The bruises have cleared, and I watch as a cut on his cheekbone closes right under my eyes. Never been one to believe in the divine, but this shatters my belief system from its foundation.
Pulling my hand away, I stand up and begin to examine the room. My mind goes to the Kormon standing over my dead brother's body as if keeping vigil. Strange that it refused a free meal.
I open the palm of my hand, and I find it there, gloriously glowing, shining its light upon me. It feels strange and I can't help but wonder if the Whiteheart would absorb it. It doesn't seem to like me very much, so I place the marble on the floor at my feet and take a step back.
The light covers the empty spot my feet have left behind, engulfing the marble. It blends with the light coming off Whiteheart, so I lose sight of it almost immediately.
Curious, I lower myself on my heels push my palm against the floor, and watch as the light pulls away leaving behind nothing. The marble is gone.
I look up, fascinated and yet confused. The Daiō were children of Tenebrae, so why was the Whiteheart so happy to accept it?
Another question among many. Apple should know the answer to this one. I'm sure, it has been recorded in the annals.
That thought puts a smile on my lips, as the memories of Mason having a fit of giggles over it springs into mind. Behaving like a proper schoolboy.
After a few hours of waiting the light retreats back, revealing a completely patched-up Mason. He stirs awake, groaning and grumbling something about cold, damp floors.
Kneeling next to him, I wait for him to open his eyes before I help him up. He blinks a few times, trying to clear his vision but eventually his gaze falls on me.
A smile tugs at the corner of his lips, just as I offer him a hand to help him up.
" Hi beautiful," He murmurs the moment he sits up.
" Trying to butter me up?" I quip, smirking and meet him halfway as he leans in to peck my lips.
" Do I need to?" He whispers against my lips, and I nod as I pull away.
"Hmmm…I suppose I should, shouldn't I ?" He groans as he pushes up to stand, and I stand with him. He wobbles a bit on his feet, but quickly regains his balance.
" Maybe later," I suggest as I look up at the ceiling, and sigh, " Time to go home now," I slip into the pocket before he has a chance to argue with me. We need food, a bath, and sleep. Lots of it.
We emerge in the foyer of Northernhay, finding the house completely empty. With Enid gone, the house has lost its charm. Her absence pervades the air, the energy that usually felt welcoming, and inviting, has turned these old walls into something that feels like a relic of a past I wished I never knew I had.
We both trudge towards the kitchen, drained, and barely standing.
And from there, Mason takes the lead as I slide into a seat, and throw the blade onto the kitchen island. Dropping my head on the table over my folded arms, I watch Mason as puts together the tea, and rummages through the fridge for some edible food. Nobody has been in the house for God knows how long. I doubt that there is anything in there that wouldn't give us food poisoning.
" Harriet is in charge of keeping the fridge stocked up these days," Mason supplies as he places the two cups of tea on the table.
" Did my brother tell you why he took Enid?" I dare to touch the subject, and Mason stops what he is doing for a fraction of a second
" Whoever that is, isn't Enid anymore," He says as he turns around with two plates. Sandwiches, enough to settle a grumbling stomach.
" Did she speak to you?" I ask as I reach for the sandwich on my plate.
" Yes," Mason takes a bite out of his sandwich, " She was the one that tortured me," I stop chewing, and watch as Mason stares at the sandwich in his hand with a vacant expression. It is futile to deny that this isn't my fault. Every life that has been lost, every drop of blood that has been shed, weighs heavily on my shoulders. I should have raised the flag a long time ago and all of this could have been prevented.
I don't dare to speak in the ensuing silence that settles over us. I focus on eating my food, and grieve the loss of a good friend, a mother, and a sister. She was all of those things to me, and now she is gone. Even though she is still alive, she doesn't belong to us anymore.
I curl my hand around his, to offer comfort, he squeezes back without taking his eyes off the sandwich. A sheen of tears glistens in his eyes, but he blinks it away before the tears roll down his cheeks.
Admittedly, my appetite wanes, so I turn my attention to the tea, leaving a half-eaten sandwich on the plate.
All of that is greeted with absolute silence. Mason, is lost in his thoughts. I know he is trying to make heads or tails of all of this, but I think it's neither here, nor there.
The truth of the matter is, that ancient history, no matter how deep you dig, if you weren't there to witness it yourself, the truth will remain just out of reach.
Once we both finish our teas, we trudge, halfheartedly towards the bedrooms, following the familiar corridor I've spent more than two years of my life, going back and forth in.
A surge of nostalgia hits me, as memories flood my mind, with good and bad days. All of this will have to stay behind. I look up at the ornate woodwork hanging over heads, the exquisite craftsmanship, preserved over time. The low light washing over the dark wood, giving the house a very eclectic atmosphere.
Mason slows to a stop once we reach the bedrooms. Naturally, my feet take me to my former bedroom, but he tugs on my hand dragging me back to his side.
" I think that we should spend the night in this one," He opens the door, and I am slightly taken aback to see that he has kept the purple curtains, and the setup of his bedroom is not much different than the one I had.
" I see you have a soft spot for purple," I hum quietly, as he walks by and heads to the bathroom.
" It may or may not have become my favourite colour. I've been staring at it for long enough, now," He leans against the door jamb and watches me explore his bedroom.
" Why here?" I ask curiously, as I look at the carved wood that rides up the wall and spreads on the ceiling depicting some sort of leafy plant. It is beautifully intricate, the detail is meticulously carved into the wood, and it makes me think that it came with the house.
" It's safe," He pulls on the curtains to reveal no windows. Right, that would never stop a creature like Shay. He needs to be let out of the cage.
Nodding," We need to let Shay go," I take my eyes off the ceiling to look at him.
Sighing, he turns and walks inside the bathroom. Shortly after I hear the shower running, and I follow the sounds like a bee follows the scent of nectar.
Once I reach the bathroom, it's my turn to admire; Mason peels off, layer after layer of tattered clothing, exposing his imperious body. The hurdles that have been thrown at us, have had an impact on him, physically speaking. Although he still has a fairly lean frame, he is more muscular and stiffer than his usual nimble self. Still handsome enough to hurt my eyes.
" Are you just going to watch?" He taunts with a cocked brow, a sly smile tugging at his lips, as his eyes stay fixed on mine.
We need to talk but for now, I choose to leave behind all the questions that I might never get an answer to, and will forever be lost to the mists of time. Pushing off the door jamb, I close the short distance between us and undress at the same time, leaving behind a trail of dirty clothes. Shedding the tribulations of a convoluted past, and stepping into the next stage with a clear vision of what I want my life to look like.
Once I reach him, we are both naked as Mother Nature intended. We look at each other, and for the first, I see another version of him, I'd like to think that he is seeing this version of me, and will love it all the same.
Slowly his hand slides up my arm and settles on the side of my neck. A thumb slides under my chin tilting my head back, just as he leans in to brush his lips against mine. It's soft, and reverent, just enough to entice me but not enough to satisfy my appetite for more. Our hot breaths mingle, as I slide my feet between his and wrap my arms around his shoulders, bringing us chest to chest, heart to heart, body to body.
Steam from the shower shrouds us in its mist, moisture clinging to our skin, as our lips continue this mating dance. His free hand wraps around my waist, his fingers digging into the soft flesh of my waist. Although we are silent, the testament seared in our gazes is clear and unequivocal.
" I'm pregnant," I whisper against his lips and watch with rapt adoration as the light in his eyes turns from a flicker to a burning flame.
Slanting his lips over mine, he plunders my mouth without mercy, his invading tongue wraps around mine, and the scrape of his stubble against my skin is fanning the flames smouldering in my belly. Mason with a scruff is a different beast altogether.
My body hits the glass, pulling me out of the spell he put me under, and we both stop and pull away from the kiss. Lips tingling, heavily panting, and on the verge of combustion, I meet his wide eyes, and the grin he is sporting as he looks down on me.
Dropping his forehead on mine," Thank you," He whispers as he pulls away, his thumb caressing my jaw almost anxiously.
" You need to rest," He changes tack and drags me inside the shower. I don't have anything in his house anymore, not that it matters. He places himself between the shower stream and myself, allowing just a little water to get past him.
" Turn around," He commands me, motioning with his finger, for me to do one-eighty. I do as I'm told, and turn my back to him, and I feel the stream of water on my hair. After that, he dedicates himself to thoroughly washing my hair, raising it out before moving on to wash my body.
Sliding to his knees at my feet, he grabs my hips and places his forehead on my belly before pressing a tender kiss on it.
He begins to whisper loving words to a creature that is probably no bigger than a pea. I slide my hands into his hair caressing it as he speaks, and blink away the tears, but to no avail. They mix with water, and I hope he doesn't notice it. I hate feeling weak, but I know I can be with him.
He stays there for what feels like an eternity and yet at the same time a blip in time.
When he rises to his feet to stand in front of me with red-rimmed eyes, the sob that rips out of my chest feels more mournful, rather than joyful. It's both.
He folds me in his arms and drops his cheek onto my head, and we both cry. Our bodies shook with the sobs wracking through us and carried away by the water going down the drain.
Eventually, our sobs subside, slowly fading into sighs of sorrow.
I pull away, and turn off the water, just as Mason leans in to drop a kiss to my temple. We don't say anything, as he wraps a towel around me, before wrapping one around himself. For now, we are safe. Without my brother at the helm, the Daiõ would be confused, and he was the one who rallied them against me. There is a good chance that there is another contender for the Er'Shala, but none as strong as my brother. At least that's what I hope.
We slide into bed, the exhaustion finally registering with a magnitude I didn't quite expect. By the time, Mason wraps himself around me, cocooning me with his body, I'm already half asleep.