Forty
By the time I arrived at the temple, all of our guests were in attendance. The castle itself was surrounded by thousands of Skin Seepers who wanted to witness the event. Everyone’s magic was on full display, with many taking on different forms. Cain sat by Jade in his favourite bird form, a clear statement that we were an alliance; however, I didn’t miss the way he fluffed his wings, scraping her shoulder as if trying to disguise a caress. Jasper was covered in greenery, Sienna wore her Wiccan robes and Everett wore the white robes of the Nomadie. Though they had been long forgotten, many would not know what the colours meant, but some would, and they would know we had powers on our side that they did not, though we needn’t disclose those powers were limited. Mattias stood by the altar, waiting for my arrival. As I entered, every head turned toward me. Gasps rang out across the room as they laid eyes on me. Viv was smirking out of the corner of my eye as she wrapped her hand around Prince Acheron’s. His sister, Lejla, was annoyed by the touch of affection, but no one paid her any mind.
As I moved deeper down the aisle, everyone noticed Demir walking behind me, dressed as though he were my king. Murmurs began, and people finally believed the rumours thathad undoubtedly spread about our bond. A few of those closest to us smirked at the sight of the others looking appalled, but to me, nothing had ever felt so right. Finally, I had someone by my side, there for me and only me. I didn’t care if it was forced upon us by the bond, this life had never done me a kindness so I would latch onto this and take it for what it was. A consolation prize.
Demir stepped closer to me, trailing his fingers along the back of my hand. Out of the corner of my eye, I could see his smirk as Lejla became enraged. He liked to play games and so did I. Lacing my fingers through his, we walked the final steps up the dais together, mischief sparkling in his eyes as he placed a chaste kiss on my ring that contained my royal crest. Cain looked almost as angry as Lejla as he ruffled his feathers at the blatant display, but deep down, I knew he was just cautious; his nature never let him be too trusting of anyone.
Mattias stood next to us, the only beings that could stand above me being the dragons and the gods.
‘Welcome all to the Ascension of the Souls. Tonight, we honour those we have lost in the last year and help them pass into the spirit realm. Queen Skylar Azdaja of Maureia will lead the Awakening and act as the conduit between our world and the next.’
I stepped forward and around the dais until I looked down at the filled room. Before me was a bowl of swirling energy. As I raised my hand to the sky and brought it down towards the bowl, I chanted the words I had learned at my own ascension to the throne.
Nobody except Mattias could decipher them; for when they fell on a layman’s ears, they sounded like otherworldly hums and notes akin to music. Slowly, dark smoke seeped out of my skin and blanketed everyone's feet. Some panicked who had never been to a ceremony before. Others remained stoic and calm. Slowly, the smoke grew, as did the volume of my chanting. I stayed like that for hours without a break in concentration,allowing the smoke to build and grow, reaching every corner of my lands and grabbing hold of every errant soul that was hiding, looking to escape what was to come next.
Time moved differently for everyone else; it was only seconds before the smoke instantly vanished, replaced by a blinding light as I dropped my hand into the bowl of energy, pulling on every soul to follow through me and into its mystic waters. One by one, I felt the souls of the dead enter my body and mind. I felt their deaths, watched their final moments and screamed their last words. Those in attendance began to sob as they relived their pain and heard those final words from their loved ones for the last time. Demir moved towards me, but if he touched me, it would break the flow of energy. I shot him a look that warned him against it. It would be okay; I was made for this. I held on a little longer, needing to see if I could pull anything back with me. I called on Axia and Ember, the long passed dragons who had helped thwart the Mrak last time, but nothing responded. I had hoped the connection would not be one way but the deafening silence from the spirit realms told me all I needed to know.
The light dimmed, as did my screams, unknowingly. The energy was bursting at the seams. I felt faint, as though my legs would give out from under me, but there were powerful people here whom I needed to make my allies; they could not see me waver. As if hearing my thoughts, Demir stepped up beside me, holding my hand as we walked down the dais. I turned to look at the bowl that now contained all the lost souls and gave the final chant as a black rift opened up in mid-air, consuming the bowl before vanishing into nothing. The sobbing grew louder, and I could hear the wailing of broken-hearted mothers outside; it was done.
Mattias closed the ceremony as I headed to the dining hall. I needed a moment to rest before the others joined and the dreaded war discussions began. Demir was close behind me.
‘You’re incredible,’ he breathed as he stood behind me,slipping his hands around my waist as he pulled me into his chest. Demir inhaled deeply as he nuzzled himself into my long dark hair. ‘I don’t know how you do it, where you find the strength. When there’s nothing left to give, you just dig deeper. I could feel it through the bond, the toll it took on you. Anyone else would have been broken to pieces trying to do what you did, but you walked out of there with your head held high, exuding power. I have never found anything… sexier.’ He grazed his teeth over my ear. Want flashed through my core. I pressed myself against him until he let out a groan of deep desire.
‘I take back everything, Sky. No more space between us. Give in, because I know you want me the way I want you. I need you. I have never known anyone like you. The kindness, the mercy, the need to protect, the need to be everything for everyone around you at all times. The softness within you that you try so hard to hide. It is all made more beautiful as it emerges from such pain and darkness. No matter how many times it pulls you into its depths, you fight your way out. I knew you were a fighter, but it’s more than that; you are the fight. It’s as though if you stopped, this world would tilt on its axis. Your sheer will and determination keep this realm and world running. I don’t think the gods could have picked a more incredible woman for my soul. I am… unworthy of you. I have always wanted change, fought for it in my own ways, but I was too small minded; I was a coward compared to you. Skylar, my queen.’ Demir pulled his arms back, leaving me cold until he stepped in front of me and dropped to his knees, clasping my hands.
Forgive me.His thoughts blead into me with such sorrow. Images of our past at the Academy stirred, but I didn’t feel the anger I once had.
‘Demir,’ I said, pulling him to his feet.
His eyes heated. ‘That’s the first time I have ever heard my name from your lips. God, it sounds so sweet. Say it again.’
‘Demir. I forgive you.’ Something snapped between us, fire filling my chest raging with heat until it felt as though my fleshwas melting. My vision clouded but as I hit the floor I could make out Demir in the same excruciating agony as me clawing at his chest. I heard more shouting and footsteps thudding closer, but they barely registered as I crawled my way towards Demir, panting through the pain. He reached for me as our eyes locked, and as our fingers brushed, white searing light erupted from us. As it dimmed, we found ourselves on the floor, panting, sweating and enthralled. A grin was plastered across each of our faces as we finally stood circling each other. The hall was filled with every potential ally I had invited, but their presence did not register.
I can hear you; I can feel you, your emotions. How?Demir spoke into my mind without me touching him.
Our souls have fully connected. The bond is complete. Touch me again.
Obliging me as we still circled each other almost in a dance, he traced a finger across my arm. Everywhere he touched, blue light radiated from my body. Gasps rang out in the room.
I need you to know me, Sky, the way I now understand you.Demir sent images to my mind of his entire life. In a matter of seconds, I experienced every joy, pain and shred of anger he had lived through. We stood still as I held his hands and closed my eyes, sinking deeper into the memories. I lingered on the ones with me, tapping into the emotions he had felt. All those taunts at the Academy; there wasn’t anger behind them—it was frustration, obsession and confusion. He had been drawn to me even then but didn’t understand why; however, once he found me at the ball, it all began to click into place for him. He never thought I would ever feel anything for him, and even now he knew I didn’t feel the same. So, he had pushed me away with cold words and inconsistent actions when he first came here, but he had wanted me this entire time. He was scared of me. Not because of who I was, but because of what I could do to him. I had the power to hurt him more than anyone else. If I ever betrayed him, he would not live another day on this earth. Hewould end it all. Shivers rattled my body as a glow radiated across my skin.
I did the only thing I could, and showed Demir my life through my eyes. The few good memories that were consumed by wave after wave of pain, hurt, betrayal and grief. It went deeper than the Awakening with Sienna ever did. I needed him to see all of me, how there was no end to the darkness. I was a bottomless pit of broken pieces, but somehow, against my will, he had turned into a spark of light for me.Hope.
Demir succumbed to the emotional weight of my pain and dropped to his knees, tears flowing down his face. I brushed them away with my thumb and knelt in front of him, pressing my forehead to his. I showed him how scared I was that I could not love, even though it was the one thing I craved in this life. How I didn’t think I was capable of something so pure. My version of love was chaotic, messy and confusing. I would disappoint him, hurt him and myself in the process but I would try. I wanted to love him the way he deserved because I already did, in my own fucked up way.
The white light around us turned blue, and as I opened my eyes, Demir opened his but gone were his honey-coloured eyes. Instead, blue eyes met mine. Our souls had merged, and so had the eternal flame.
More gasps rang out across the hall as the flames around us grew, engulfing us but not harming us. They lifted us into the air until we floated inches from the ceiling. Shouts came from the ground below, but all I knew in that moment was Demir, this feeling of bliss and the captivating smile that matched my own. I wanted this moment to last forever. Nothing else mattered—politics, war, the threat of the Mrak; none of it existed for a brief moment. The flame turned fierce as thunder cracked overhead. The foundations of the hall shook, and the chandeliers clattered to the ground, smashing into pieces as I kissed him like I had never kissed anyone before. Fierce and assertive, wholly open to what was happening between us. Terrified, but willing to fall intoits depths. Kissing him, I consumed him—his every want and need—and I could sense the moment he felt my love through the bond, because that’s exactly what this was. This man had somehow buried himself deep inside my soul and laid claim to it, along with all the pieces of me.
We broke apart, panting, as a voice boomed through the hall—one my soul recognised immediately. The voice of the first dragon, it called to me like it was home.
‘I have been waiting for you.
The time has come.
Meet me where this story began.
For now, it ends.’
