Manea, her mother, was born a death bringer, an unnatural ability to destroy armies with her outstretched hand. She absorbed their energy, feeding herself and extending her life. The Darken princess, however, did not rely on her ability in battle but fought with strength and cunning, creating a name for herself.
Zorin valued all who were able to advance in battle. For his daughter, he made no concessions, making her earn the respect of her position. It was not just this world, but all worlds, her grandfather wanted to conquer. It was with his mighty army that he would make it happen.
“Zorin would want Arel’s safe return and the safe delivery of her child. We all want them both to survive the birth. Whoever returned our lost sister to us would be,” said Jolon looking at Sebastian. He spoke to him, trying to reason with the young Cadell heir to assist in aiding in him.
“What would you promise Jolon? Would they be welcomed into the ranks of the Darken? Would they be greatly rewarded by Zorin,” interrupted Arel.
“They would be,” Jolon continued.
“Free,” laughed Arel. “Are you free Jolon, is your father? Was my mother? Her brother? There is no freedom in the Darken. It isn't even an illusion.”
“Those who do as Zorin asks are always rewarded. Rewards beyond,” stated Jolon.
A new vision emerged into her mind that of Dmitri's life, an alliance forged between him and Jolon. Jolon's words gave him the answer he sought. Aligning himself to the Moruka, he would secure the power needed to overthrow Aeron and the Cadell clan. His seat as the head of the families would be established under the Darken.
“And what happens when they decided they no longer want to follow Zorin's rule? What happens when they say no? Should we tell them about his son? Should we tell them how Zorin personally tortured the woman who carried his grandchild after he sent his son off to the conquer a new enemy? Should we tell them how her fire-engulfed body lit up the night sky as Zorin threw her out the window? She was an example, wasn't she? A reminder not only to his only son but all to never disobey his rule,” demanded Arel.
She knew the answers, but the questions were not for her benefit. It was so the others in the room could learn of the destiny of those who trusted in Zorin. The stories of the fate of the inner Darken circle were never shared with outsiders. The Vampires would know the terrors of their own histories, but many of them believed the Darken cared for themselves.
Arel wanted them to know the truth within the Darken cities. There was no protection, no freedom, only fear. Those who aligned themselves with him lived in a different type of prison, one with shiner uniforms and a different view. Arel hoped their hearing of the fate of those in the Darken fold would encourage them to rise up together.
“It's futile to fight this battle, you will lose. No one who has stood against Zorin and his armies has survived. He will wipe all traces of you away like you never existed. Before the ground is soaked with their lifeless bodies, he will take what he wants. Arel, you can save them by returning to him, do as he wills. Your rightful place is at his feet. They will be your reward; their lives will be yours to command. You will earn their freedom. All you have to do is return home, sister. Let your child rise in the ranks of our armies; claim his place among his people.”
“How did he reward my mother, who carried out his will, who enforced his laws? Was Manea not loyal, was she not the leader of the Moruka? Did he give her my father as a reward? Did she enjoy her place at his side, free? What of the Queen who bore him his best weapon? How is it that she is almost wiped completely from the histories? What did she do that caused Zorin to even abolish her name from the books? What happened to his Queen?”
Jolon remained silent. Arel had struck a chord, no one had mentioned her grandmother since her mother's birth. It was forbidden to talk of the Queen. There was no way Jolon would freely talk about the monarch, but she hoped it would catch him off guard. Tired she hoped she would be able to access the upper levels of the core through him. Jolon would not answer untruthfully as he knew she would be able to tell he was lying.
Blinking her eyes, she broke the staring battle they had been engaged in. Deciding to change her approach, she took a softer tactic. The Vampire elders remained silent, letting the two of them argue amongst themselves.
“Jolon,” said Arel as she stretched her hand out to him.
It was the way the Darken communicated with each other, the way she would lower herself in an attempt to reach him. Placing his hand in hers, he closed his eyes, waiting to receive the information Arel would share with him. Eyes closed, she remembered her life from the time she was found in the woods until the day she met Kimi, purposefully stopping. Pushing the information to him as she attempted to retrieve the answers she sought from the core.
Jolon chuckled as he came to the block in Arel's mind. Removing her hand from his touch, she placed it out of Jolon’s reach.
“We already know you lived with the Resistance, who do you think you are protecting,” asked Jolon.
“There is no one to protect. Teraya already lives within your walls, and the Resistance is dead.”
As she thought of Teraya, the nightmares that had haunted her childhood emerged. Slowly the hope of defeating the Darken trickled into her thoughts; immediately she regretted not blocking it.
“Sister, trying to stand up against Zorin is a death sentence, you more than anyone else knows what he is capable of.”
“I cannot change who I am,” she whispered.
“Who is that? Arel, granddaughter of Zorin, daughter of Manea, sister of Teraya. Who is it that you believe you are? You cannot believe what the resistance has told you,” said Jolon.
“Jolon,” she replied.
“You are a princess of the Darken, but you know not what that means.”
“I am not a weapon,” demanded Arel.
“You are far more than that,” commanded Jolon.
Grabbing Arel’s hand, he held it tight within his grip. Scrutinizing her with his intense brown eyes, she could feel him moving beyond the block.
“You may lie to yourself, but you cannot lie to me. I know exactly who you are. You feel the power rushing through your veins when you hold someone's life in your hands. When you held my body in the air dangling unable to move, you felt the power. You gain your strength through the death of others. What do you fear that keeps you from admitting the truth to yourself? It is something you fight against, why? Zorin would never have you deny who you are. At his side, you would be free to feel that energy over and over again. Your lifeforce would never diminish, you are a Darken!”
“I will not kill them to appease him. I will not,” yelled Arel.
“But you will kill them to save him,” interrupted Jolon. His eyes rested on Sebastian, who stood by her side.
“No,” whispered Arel.
“I know you would kill each and every one of them if it meant saving him. They don't understand it. You don't understand it for that matter. How could you? Stolen from your people by the resistance; they lacked any knowledge that could truly help you be what you were meant to.”
“What do you know of me,” demanded Arel.
Yanking her hand away, Arel leaned in closer to Jolon. He did not attempt to block her from prying into his thoughts. Readily he pushed information to her, visions of what her life could be like in the Darken city. Repeatedly his mind told her it was where she belonged.
“Return home and have the answers you seek. Have protection for you and the child. With our help, I can assure you will both survive. You will take your rightful place; Sebastian will be by your side. We will find a station for all you desire to save in the confines of our kingdom; they will have our protection,” said Jolon.
“All I have to do is go with you to the Darken city, and you will protect them,” asked Arel.
“Yes,” smiled Jolon.
Resting his back on the chair, his arms resting on his lap. An air of satisfaction emanated from him. The guard stood at attention nearby.
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Arel looked over at the elders, her eyes briefly observing the hope in their expressions. Those gathered around the room waited for her response. Looking to Aeron, she sought an answer, his face expressionless. Sebastian held her hand, looking down at her shaking his head.
“Jolon did your father ever explain where he received the scare on his face,” she asked, changing the subject.
Arel could not give the answer they all hoped she would. She knew if she agreed it would not be as simple as Jolon made it seem. They would not be free nor would the other species that lived their world.
“It happened when he was trying to rescue you from them.”
“He didn't know there were two of us, did he? He thought it was Teraya that gave him the scare, didn't he?” Arel smiled at Jolon.
“Sister,” interrupted Jolon.
“When you see him and tell him you found me.”
Arel's eyes twinkled as the thought of seeing Jolon's father again. He was the monster in her nightmares, the source of her childhood fear that left screaming in the darkness. Now, her memories restored, her people no longer a mystery, the panic had been replaced. Embolden, she sought revenge.
Arel would have justice for not only the members of the Resistance, her family who he had ferociously murdered. She could not change who she was, and she would seek justice for all Zorin's victims, including her parents. She would have peace from the terrors of her nightmares by facing her fears.
“There's no need for Jolon to tell him, everything we see and do is transmitted to our command,” Wilex interrupted.
Arel thought it strange that he spoke now when he had remained silent like the others.
“Well, I guess I'll tell him directly. The next time I see you, I will give you a scare on the other check before resting your blade into the place your heart should be. I will avenge my family.”
“You are a Darken,” Jolon chuckled. His laughter filled the room. “I offer you peace, and you want blood; you thirst for it. Unlike them, I don't fear you, my sister. I welcome the day you come home and take your place among us. I accept you, who you really are, death bringer. Let the blooding begin. Yes, let the blooding begin!”
Jolon laughed heartily, slapping his leg as his head jolted back. Standing up, he faced Arel, his eyes wide, smiling. They exchanged a moment, Jolon again let her know that he would keep his word if she returned the Darken.
“Let the blooding begin,” he repeated, the laughter absent from his tone.
Turning around, he walked past Sebastian, through the elders that stood in the background. Pausing, he stood in front of Dmitri looking a moment before Dmitri moved to the side allowing him to pass. She saw the momentary pause before he proceeded through the wood doors into the hall, exiting the through the front. The others followed silently all but Wilex, who stood watching Arel.
“What are you,” she asked, staring at the man whose mind she could not pierce.
“Will you come with us?”
“I have questions I need to be answered before I go to the Darken.”
“Perhaps the answers you seek are not the ones you hope to find.”
Removing something from his pocket, he placed it in her hand before closing her fingers around it. Unsure if her decision to stay with the Vampires was the right one, she looked to Sebastian. Once she heard the door close behind them, she opened her fingers, revealing the object in her palm.
“What is it,” Sebastian asked as they looked down at the half-moon item in her hand. It was cold and smooth, like a well-polished stone, shimmering as the light danced off it in her palm. Although it was thin, it had an unnatural weight. Arel examined it looking for any seams or markings on the manufactured object.
“I don't know.”
“It could be something they'll use to spy on us,” Marcus responded, standing in front of the couple.
“They don't need to spy on you, you're not a threat,” responded Arel. She knew her comment was unnecessary, but she tired of Marcus' continually interrupting. There was no need for a spying device as the Darken had Ramla.
Marcus let out a grunt at the dismal to his idea.
“He only allowed you to live because he hopes it will convince me to return with him.”
“Arel, there is no need,” said Sebastian.
“Do you wish for me to lie? They make examples of others; your lives are best served as an example to remind the others to continue following Zorin's commands. Chindi knows you are unable to pay the increase, which was just a reason to exterminate all of you. If Sebastian weren’t important to me, and by extension all of you, there would no longer be any Vampires. Jolon will offer your lives for my loyalty.”
Arel continued examining the crescent, determined to find its secrets. Focused on the object, she tried to understand the Darken technology in her hands. Wilex waited to give it to her in secret, leaving her wondering why.
“How do you know this,” asked Marcus.
“Why would the Moruka, the elite guard, be sent to negotiate an increase in tribute? The Moruka are the example makers,” said Arel.
Jolon had provided more useful then she realized. His access levels at the core, although higher than Ramla’s were still not high enough to access the information she sought. From Jolon, she was able to understand the inner workings of the Darken, but no new information was obtained in regards to her mother or grandmother.
“What have you decided,” Aeron asked. The strength of his voice startled Arel from her thoughts.
“As long as I have not given a decision, you are all safe. How long Jolon will wait for an answer, I do not know.”
“Why should you not agree,” questioned Marcus.
“If she does not agree, they will eliminate all of us. If she does," said Sebastian.
“They will take my weakness to control me. Nothing with the Darken is straightforward. Although I am a lost daughter, my value is only in how far it will serve the Darken. If I serve them well, I am rewarded well. If I fail to serve, I fail to live.”
“Sebastian,” sighed Catrin.
Arel looked away from the others, her eyes watching the floor. The thoughts played over and over as a plan formulated a strategy that would prevent the outcome they feared. No matter how Arel looked at the variables, it seemed inevitable she would find herself aligned with the Darken. Jolon was right; she would not be able to defeat Zorin, especially without an army.
“They will wait for my answer. The best gift I can give you all is time. As long as I delay, you will not be harmed. A scout is waiting for me not too far off. Everything he sees will be reported to the Core. He will follow me wherever I go,” Arel whispered.
It was to Aeron she spoke. As the leader of the families, it was for him to decide if he would assist in her plans. Aeron had remained quiet, not expressing his opinion on her and the matter of the Darken. Many of the elders, like Dmitri, wanted her to yield to Jolon if it meant they would be free from their debt.
"Why should we trust you, Darken," Dmitri demanded from the far corner of the room.
Arel turned, facing Dmitri who still stood in the corner. Sebastian held her hand, preventing her from moving closer to the Emil heir. Turning, he pulled Arel slightly behind him, facing the approaching Dmitri. Ignoring the rising danger, Arel stood her ground, unafraid of the immediate threat.
"What did he tell you, Dmitri," she asked, ignoring his question.
"Who heard him speak," he replied, looking around the room at the other Vampires.
Dmitri walked from the corner of the room, stopping a few feet from Arel. The sleeves of his dark sweater pulled up, exposing his family crest tattooed on his forearm. His fangs exposed, he smiled as he looked around the room at the others. A few other members of the Emil line stepped from the shadows, flanking their brother.
“Dmitri, answer her question,” demanded Sebastian.
“I know he told you something, just for you to know. What was it Jolon promised,” asked Arel.
Arel clutched the shiny silver object in her hands, her fists taunt. Moving towards Dmitri, she stepped to the side of Sebastian into the line of danger.
“What you two talked of is the more important question to be answered. There was a time when you communicated without the rest of us hearing what you said. We should concern ourselves as to what else you have been hiding from us," demanded Dmitri as he glared at Arel.
The others gathered closer around, forming a circle around Arel and Sebastian who stood by her side. Several of Aeron’s men moved in closer to the pair. Catrin and her father remained on the outside of the circle looking in. Doubting the Vampires would attack at this moment, Arel stood her ground. Sebastian pulled her behind him, blocking any direct attack, while his men stood to her side.
“You look for me as an enemy, but I am an ally,” she responded.
“Ally, yet you won't take the chance to make us free. He has given you a choice to save all of us, but you refuse. We all heard him promise the one child for all of our freedom,” interrupted Dmitri.
“This child CAN NOT end up in the hands of the Darken,” she yelled.
“What is one Darken child to save the entire Vampire species. What is one child for all of us? Our laws ruling us, since Emi and Iona, require we sacrifice. It was Cadoc himself that signed our children over as promise to them. Should not his heir give his seed as his father before him! Is Sebastian greater than us that his child shall not be given in tribute?”
“Enough! You don't understand what you ask,” commanded Sebastian.
His eyes wide, the anger seething under the surface. Until this moment, Arel had thought Sebastian would have given their child, now she knew the truth.
The others remained silent determining sides as they watched the quarrel unfold before them. Arel could tell more were siding with Dmitri. Jolon's promise dazzled before their eyes. Those who witnessed firsthand Zorin renege on the Vampire protection, wiping out two of the lines, were not so easily swayed. Frustrated at her inability to reach them, convince them to trust her.
Sadness replaced anger at the possibility she would fail. The interaction with Jolon wore on her, she had expended more energy than she intended in surveying their minds. She wished the night would end, but she convinced herself she needed to find a way to persuade them she was on their side.
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