Having arrived the day earlier with the surviving elves from Delsni, Calyx busied herself, tending to their care and attempted not to think of Theodavian and The Elite Guard’s pending arrival by the evening. Her confidante and head of the Delsni's village guard, Aaron, who she had been catching up with that night the vampires attacked in Delsni, had given her a knowing look upon the walls of Silverd when the lycans appeared and attacked the vampires flooding in front of Silverd just awhile ago.
“I will tell you this night as I told you that night,” Aaron told her, watching the vampires flee as the violent assault from the lycans overpowered them without much effort. “Fate and destiny has caught up to you.”
Aaron was one of the few including Lady Crystobelle and Greer that knew about the details of that fateful night during the ball and what had happened after. It was Aaron that she had bumped into after leaving Pearl after witnessing the murder of her mother and attending the ball. He had also attended the ball after being in the city for business and was intent on leaving early.
Having known him as an elvish weapon's merchant, they were only acquaintances up until that point, but after that night, he had helped her navigate to The Great Willow Tree by traveling with her and they became fast friends. She was the one that encouraged him to become an elvish guard and he had trained for five years within The Great Willow Tree while he made certain she familiarized herself with her new life.
“It was bound to happen, Caly,” Aaron had told her. “He would return eventually. His role and your role are of both of great importance. You grew up together, gifted each other your innocence together… yes, it still does count even if he does not remember since you refused to allow destiny and fate to take it's rightful course.” Calyx just scowled at him as he continued: “You need to tell him the truth and take that blasted ring off.”
Calyx had only smirked before she walked down the steps leading to the front gates to meet the new arrivals. “I am not planning to divulge any of those secrets.”
“What do you mean?” Aaron questioned, grabbing her arm and forcing her to face him.
“I am not telling him."
Frustration marred her friend's face. “You will die, Caly.”
“So be it.”
With that, she had continued down the steps and waited until the beam to be lifted from the massive wooden doors and the drawbridge was fully down.
~
As Calyx stood in front of the main hall in Lord Kilburn's fortress, her eyes surveyed the twenty five lycans, watching her from their seats on the bench. She was not prepared for that moment her eyes met his without the guise of a hooded cloak to shield her identity nor was she prepared right now as she stared at the faces and eyes she knew quite well.
“As many of you know,” she finally forced out. “My name is Calyx.” There was a rumble of chuckles and she momentarily relished the slight breaking of tension. “It has been quite a long time since we have all seen one another.”
“I'll say!” Aiden crowed, causing laughter to erupt. “It's been fifteen years since anyone has seen you and you show up as this bad ass fighter. You've been holding out.” He looked toward Theodavian. “What was Greer teaching you two back then?”
Her eyes lock upon Theodavian’s cerulean depths and she swallowed as they searched hers before he smirked slightly. He remained unnervingly silent and she wished he would say something, but he did not to her dismay. She had heard his voice in the distance.
Quickly, looking away from her former best friend, she once again looked at the lycans in front of her. It was time. She knew this was something she could no longer hide from them.
“As you know, my mother was an elf.”
Now silence fell upon her and she hated the emotions that bled into her. Bowing her head, she did not need their pity. She knew they came upon the cabin and she knew what they saw. It lived in her nightmares as did the other nightmares of Theodavian loving someone else. That feeling pierced through her, shattering through her hardened exterior.
Theodavian Sagedeluna had grown into the man she knew he’d be. His size was what took her breath away the moment she saw him. There was no more wonderfully boyish looks, but instead, he was before her in all that his masculine glory. The breadth of his shoulders and bulges of his muscular arms – she had no doubts that both Pearl and the Earth Realm felt safe upon such shoulders.
Before Calyx could stop herself, she bitterly thought this sinfully handsome hybrid must’ve broken so many hearts. Her eyes noticed his big hands and her eyes narrowed, wondering what flesh he had gripped in his hands after hers. Did he have someone now waiting for him? Did he make love to her every chance he gets? Did he have children now?
All the while she avenged her mother's murderer and stopped the Vampiress even though it was foretold by many even in the prophecy that she would indeed fail. Her heartbeat seemed erratic and that meddlesome cough that seemed to itch her throat was frustrating her. Coughing out blood was not the best way to deal with this situation at hand.
Shaking out of her dark thoughts, she grabbed the goblet that sat in front of her on the table. It was a mix of wine and Seraphina's herbal tonics. She just needed to get through this and then life would go on as normal.
“I am also lycan,” she whispered out. “You all knew my father – Russell Heron. He was a great blacksmith.” There is murmuring of agreement. Most the Lycans constantly got their armory repaired by him. “And all of you I suspect are familiar with the Archer Legacy. The legendary Archer bloodline that was chosen has to slay the vampiress--”
“But through the daughters of the Archer bloodline.” Calyx gulped when she realized who spoke. It was Theodavian. She looked at him and nodded her head. He nodded and continued: “Yes, we’re familiar with the Archer Legacy. It’s also now been prophesized that the Slayer is a part of the Chosen Ones’ prophecy made by the great Shayla Seer.”
“I-I am aware of that,” she stammered. She flushed at her stammering and bit her bottom lip as she looked at her old friends.
Amos exchanged looks with Theodavian before speaking. “However, nobody knows who the Slayer is. Lysabet Archer was rumored to have died, but her body was never recovered. No known heiress has ever stepped up or out of the shadows.” He shrugged. “Well, that we know of. We believe she’ll show up when the time is right and she’ll announce her presence and existence.”
Squeezing her eyes shut, she took a deep breath then she exhaled and looked at her old friends. This was it. “My mother was Lysabet Archer. I’m her daughter.” She glanced into Theodavian’s shocked eyes and she held his stare. “The Archer Legacy was passed down to me. I am the prophesized Slayer.”
It was silent. Her eyes swept around waiting for the first lycan to react. When the reactions erupt, the numbness and pain shot through her and she could not breathe to utter a response to the series of questions. No, all she could see was Theodavian rising to his feet and making his way out of the Great Hall.
Forcing herself to stay in the present and not rush after Theodavian to explain herself, she realized she cannot even do that. Even before when they were just youths, she never told him the truth. She had too many lies and secrets between them. It was for the best, she reasoned as she forced herself to listen to the others. There was always supposed to be barriers between them.
It was no surprise when Amos was the first to pledge his allegiance then the flurry of allegiances followed.
“My men have spoken. As long as the vampiress lives, we shall be with you until the very end.” When Calyx looked over at Theodavian standing at the entrance of the great hall, their eyes locked and something inside her clicked, causing her to shudder.
The coldness in his eyes she was not prepared for, but she knew she deserved it. She deserved every ounce of it. She ripped her gaze away from his and she attempted to focus her attention.
*We're not done here,* his voice sounded in her head.
She frowned, glancing in his direction, but he was no longer there. Once again, she wondered if she falling into madness.