When Blood Runs Cold - Chapter 237

“Does anyone have a problem with this preposition?”

Nobody says a word. Not even a single rustle echoes around the room as they stand in a shocked awe at what has been achieved in just a matter of ours: Peace for our kind. A few months ago, even I would have been sceptical over the possibility of such a behemoth feat being achieved, and yet here we all stand, united under one banner, preparing to face my scheming snake of a brother, or die trying.

Of course, that is not to say we won’t lose a few to the hands of doubt or the potent will of my brother- those who doubt my integrity, and the peace. But that at the very least is something I have prepared for such events (though my methods may not be as favourable as some of the angels would have liked).

Fortunately for them, however, I will not be killing anyone. But leaving traitors to fester over their thoughts in the dungeons is always a safe bet for wearing away at their resolve.

“We will ask one more time,” Serena calls across the sea of people, her fingers trembling in mine slightly. But her mind is elsewhere from this place, stuck in a vision of my brother leant over her, his hands on her body, his lips smeared with blood that is not his own.

And just like that, I know exactly what he has done.

Pressing down the rage for just a moment, I wrap my fingers tighter around hers, holding her there.

“If there is anyone that wishes to contend this agreement of peace, leave now. Because from after today, you will be known as traitors, and the only place we will have for you is a cell in the dungeons. So, does anyone wish to leave?”

There is a rough shaking of heads that tumble through the crowd in a frantic juggle of movement. Nobody is eager to stripe away the new liberties that have been granted, all content to be represented as they are now by an angel and a vampire alike.

At least, no one is eager to betray us  outwardly.

But there are a few that mill through the crowd (and only a few), whose hearts continue to flutter with unease. They are the followers of my brother, his women, his associates who can’t quite bring themselves to understand the gravity of the situation, cannot comprehend that their lord and master has fled and left them all to rot. I wonder whether the news of him wanting to remould the world is new to them or not.

Alas, I will have to keep a close eye on their position in days to come.

Clearing her throat, Serena calls for silence.

“Then on that note…” Serena passes down the flame to Lilyana and Fangorn, both of which clutch it in their hands like it is the most fragile thing in the world. And judging by the fact that this flame is no longer a symbol of war, but of peace, and finally out of Azrael’s grimy grip, their actions are certainly justified.

Peace has been achieved. But my brother remains.

There is some sort of bitter irony about that really.

Bowing to the crowds, Lilyana and Fangorn grin at each other as cheers arise from the courtroom, ringing with joy and relief, and just a smidgen of exasperation, as if they can’t quite believe the day has finally come. For times have changed, and the age for wars between vampires and angels has come to a close. Now, another war has begun. The war of the souls.

And we are going to need all the help we can get.

****

(Serena)

To the sounds of cheers and a long awaited rejoicing of the crowd, a tugging sensation begins to pull at my gut, souring my mouth with a bitter and distinctive taste.

Just a bit more time, I think to myself inwardly, my palms becoming sweaty against Soren’s. Even if I had been thrown straight into a situation I knew nothing about, it was nice to escape from a place where my movements were being watched like a hawk, where my every breath was monitored and my life depended on keeping a dizzy smile on my face and a blank look in my eyes. Here in front of the crowds, I could have no fear in being myself.

But now that is all going to be stripped away once more.

Noticing my distress as I clutch my stomach between my fingers, Soren turns to me. In an instant that gleeful light leaving his eyes as he realises that this revolutionary moment between us all cannot last. The disappointment is glaringly obvious- and the anger.

But not anger at me.

“Serena,” he says quietly, bowing politely to the audience before he cups his hands around me, leading me behind a curtain strung across the dais. Taking me aside and out of the view of the thousands of angels and vampires alike who watch me with a keen and devoted interest, he gives me a quick look over. However, as we leave, some of the crowds call us back, but Soren takes no notice. After all, I am their new Queen, it is only natural that I would have piqued their interest. If only that very interest wouldn’t have piqued when I wasn’t really here in person to celebrate it with them.

“Serena,” comes Soren’s voice again, pulling my conscience back to reality. “Do you need to..? Are you being..?”

He doesn’t need to finish his sentence for me to understand what he’s asking. Miserably, I incline my head, angling myself enough away that he might not see the anguish dripping from my features. A petty move really, even if he doesn’t see it, he will surely feel it.

“I’m sorry Soren, I can’t control it. I want to stay, I really do. Reshma is probably trying to wake me up before-”

“Reshma..?” he asks curiously, drawing himself ever closer to me to hide the breath of words between us from the scrupulous crowd. Through a gap in the curtains, Ithuriel catches my eyes. Even he looks on with a keen but concerned gaze, his fingers tapping nervously at his sides. But after a silent understanding, finally, he makes his way over to Lilyana and Fangorn, clapping their backs with an admirable smile.

I turn my attention swiftly back to Soren. How to explain things in such a limited time?

“Just tell me the brief details. Who is Reshma, where are you, what has Azrael done.”

The last sentence hits me like a brick to the face, but I puff out a breath anyway, ready to continue.

“Okay. Azrael seems to have taken over a castle somewhere, probably in the south. It used to belong to a faery named Asocrates, who so far is one of the only people in the palace who isn’t under Azrael’s strange trance. The whole place is filled with faeries, most of which have been bewitched by Azrael to do his bidding, and he thinks the same thing can be said of me,” I pause to take a breath, gulping down air. Soren takes this all in silently, but his eyes never waver from my form.

“And Reshma?”

“Reshma… She is one of the dark faeries but she is… conscious. I’m not sure how but-”

Another intense feeling tugs at my gut, causing me to bend double to ride out the pain, my fingers clutching tighter around myself. This isn’t good.

Whispers rise and die among the crowd as they watch the events unfold before them through the curtains, fear rippling through them as panicked voices start to make themselves heard. But none of them manage to reach my ears.

A shockwave of gold sparks fly from my body, sending my head reeling as I fold up into myself. Desperately, Soren clutches onto my arm, his golden eyes gleaming with worry that underlines a simmering rage. Pulling me close to his chest to hide me from the crowds, he whispers:

“As soon as I can, I will find you, Serena. Me and our people. We will find you, and we will stop Azrael. We must find the other soul first, but I promise, we will be as swift as we can.”

Gingerly, I shake my head against his chest, my breath escaping in small, breathy gasps. Struggling to breath from the pain, I add:

“Be careful, Soren. You must not be too hasty- you must not come to find me. Not yet. I need you to search for the other soul, and I need to find the soul of death- and find a way to get out of the walls Azrael has put up. Just, find the soul before Azrael does, and then you can look for me. I will keep myself safe, don’t worry.”

“Safe?” he asks incredulously, his hand tightening around my arm. A watery light sparks in his eyes. “Serena, I know what he did to you. He drank your blood. He tried to make you drink his. And more importantly, he almost raped you. There has to be another way that you can keep yourself safe. Or at the very least, let me help protect you.”