Darkness Whispers (The Darkness Series Book 1)

by Aubrie Nixon

  She rocked back and forth, coaxing a little movement from the rope that held her. She continued to swing like a pendulum, using her stomach muscles to increase the oscillation. Her body protested and her head spun as she continued to work, but she didn’t give up. When she finally got high enough, she used her momentum to reach for the rope that held her. Her hands grappled for the rope, but her grasp was too weak. The rope slid, burning her skin. Sephera growled angrily. She tried again, pushing herself as hard as she could and using all her strength to swing upward and grab the rope. This time, her fingers gripped the rope tightly as she pulled herself upright. She squinted at the knot that held her. It was a double fisherman's knot, practically impossible to loosen. She almost let go of the rope in anger. Her arms were beginning to shake as she held her weight awkwardly. She was going to lose her grip if she didn't act fast. Just as she was about to let go, she heard a grinding noise. Then the walls started to move inward.

  She grunted in dismay. Thinking quickly, she took one hand off the rope and began to loosen her boots. The walls were almost touching her. She had maybe one more minute before they crushed her like wheat in a millstone. Her foot slipped out of the boot, causing her to lose her grip on the rope. She screamed in frustration. She wasn't going to make it. She didn't have time to try to get her body back to the proper position to grab the rope again. Cursing Reina loudly, she wrapped her free leg around the rope, using all of her weight to yank the rope from its anchor in the ceiling. After a few agonizing, desperate seconds, dirt and debris rained down on her as she managed to pull the crumbling ceiling loose.

  She braced herself as she fell, rock and soil crashing down on top of her. She didn’t have time to think about the pain from the fall. She reached for her weapons and pushed through the pile of rubble she was buried under. Dust and dirt filled her lungs, cutting off her air supply. Grit burned her eyes.

  Just as she was about to surrender to suffocation, she breached the surface. She sucked in a breath, coughing out dust and black phlegm. She crawled towards the entrance of the tunnel and rolled out just as the walls slammed together, erasing all trace of the tunnel.

  Sephera sprawled on her back and groaned. She probably had broken a rib since it hurt like hell to breathe. She sat up slowly, the world around her dark. Her body creaked and cracked, and pain flashed everywhere. She wiped her face and felt something warm and sticky on her forehead. Marvelous, she thought. She was bleeding, too. She hoped the gash wasn’t too deep. She wasn’t particularly fond of the idea of dying alone in a dark maze. She sighed and stood up as carefully as she could. She felt the wall where the tunnel had been and moved her hands along it, feeling for the tunnel on the right.

  “Happy, Reina? The other tunnel it is, you crafty witch,” Sephera barked, her voice cracking. As if to answer her question, a small light flickered ahead of her.

  “Thank you, I think,” she muttered as she limped down the tunnel towards the light. When she reached the end of the tunnel, she sat down to rest. The room the tunnel opened up into was cavernous. She squinted at the shadowy walls and gasped. Thousands of skulls lined the walls, in varying states of decay. Some were cracked, as if whatever force had caused their deaths had been heavy and powerful. Others were tinged with black ash, as if their owners had been burnt alive. Others still had no visible signs of wear or decay. The skull walls were macabrely beautiful. She smirked. Perhaps she and Reina would get along after all.

  She pulled out the remainder of the small meal she had stashed away and nibbled on the dried meat. Zad was going to kill her if she ever made it out of this. She smiled sadly at the way her stomach tingled at the thought of him.

  Part of her didn’t want to leave these catacombs alive. She didn’t want to have to face her companions and tell them her true identity. Would they expect her to embrace her past and take on her new role? Or would they laugh at the idea of her, Sephera, being the key to reuniting the realms? Standing slowly, Sephera grabbed the torch that lit the room and limped toward the only other exit in the large room.

  As she stood at the new tunnel’s entrance, she closed her eyes and slowed her rapidly beating heart. Then she peeked into the darkness. The tunnel rose on a slight incline, which she hoped meant that she was getting closer to the surface. She trekked up the shadowy passageway, the torch illuminating her path. After several minutes, the ground began to even out. The tunnel dead-ended at a tall statue of a fox with nine burning tails. There was nothing else in the tunnel except the statue. She let out a frustrated sob. Angry tears began to fall as she sat down, releasing the torch. She dropped her head to her knees and let the emotions pour out of her. She cried for the impossible quest that they had been sent on. She cried for the treachery of Baleem, the only parent she had ever known and loved; for the mother she’d never known and the father she didn’t want to know; for everything she had learned about her past, present, and her uncertain future. She let her tears cleanse her of the pain until she had nothing left in her bones with which to cry. Then she crowed with twisted mirth at her tears. Reina was proving to be just as adept as Valessa at making Sephera lose control of her emotions.

  She felt the warmth of fire begin to kiss the air around her. She opened her eyes, startled. The torch she had dropped at the base of the statue had illuminated a ring of old magic, making the statue glow with life.

  She inhaled sharply as the statue began to melt, revealing the creature it was modeled after.

  “Hello, Sephera,” the creature cooed, its head cocked playfully. Sephera’s jaw dropped.

  The creature spoke, her voice as smooth as silk. “I am Vulle. I am the guardian of this path. Should you wish to continue, you must answer a question.”

  “Like . . . a riddle?” Sephera asked, still too shocked to do anything but stare.

  Vulle uttered a small, sweet laugh, her mouth opening to reveal two perfect rows of sharp, white teeth. “No, dear girl, I am not a Sphinx. They are tricky, fickle creatures. I am something far more dangerous. I am the judge of your heart, your soul. All I will ask is one question. Choose your answer wisely, dear girl, for if I find you to be deceptive in any way, I will devour you,” Vulle purred. Noting the look of horror on Sephera’s face, she added, “You can turn back now. Abandon your task, and I will let you leave. I do not think, however, that is what you will choose to do, is it?” she asked, her wide amber eyes blinking slowly.

  Sephera bit her lip. “If you must judge my heart and soul, so be it. Ask me your question,” she told the creature.

  Vulle bowed, her tails of fire making the shadows dance darkly around them. “Are you innocent, Sephera?”

  Sephera’s features scrunched up in confusion. “Am I innocent of what?”

  Vulle cocked her head and smiled. “Are you innocent?” she repeated. Sephera opened her mouth to reply, but Vulle interrupted her. “Choose your next words carefully, Sephera, for they could be your last.”

  Sephera nodded, her mind racing. Innocent? Innocent of what? I am a bloody assassin, and I take great pleasure in my kills. Am I innocent of dealing death? Have I ever cared if a mark was truly guilty before bringing their life to an end? It is not for me to deliver judgment. I deliver death, and I am very, very good at it. Am I innocent? I do not take pleasure in the pain or suffering of those who can’t help themselves. I do what I can to help those who need it. Yet, I could do more. Am I too lazy, or too tired? Am I selfish? There is always more that could be done to stop the corruption and hypocrisy that plagues our realm.

  Sephera was strong and powerful. She knew that only she could make the world whole again. Did her world even deserve to be saved? Did the Realm of Darkness deserve to be saved? She hated herself for it, but no, they didn’t. She wasn’t about to risk her life and the lives of her friends for a world that deserved to burn. Yet, for five thousand years her father had been casting his shadow upon this realm, twisting it and turning it to fit his needs. She shuddered to think what the Dark Realm was like, the innocent lives tha
t would be lost if she refused to act. She hated that she had to think about this, that she alone had to make the choice. She knew what Zad would do. He wouldn’t hesitate to give his life, if it meant saving their world. Even Daegan wouldn’t hesitate. So why was she? She was born of both worlds. She was Balance and yet she could not make the choice. Am I innocent?

  “No,” she heard herself say. “No, Vulle, I am not innocent.” She bowed her head and waited for the creature to attack. When the attack didn’t come, she looked up.

  Vulle was smiling. “You may pass, Sephera. No one is innocent, no matter how much darkness or light they may have inside of them. Your heart is pure and your soul is worthy. Go forth, child. Remember that whatever choice you make, it must be your own. Do not let others influence you to fit their needs.” The fox guardian jumped down off the stone slab she had been sitting on, revealing a small tunnel just big enough for Sephera to crawl through.

  Sephera turned to thank the creature but found that she had disappeared, leaving the torch to illuminate the room around her.

  Sephera grabbed the torch and carefully began to crawl through the tunnel. When she reached the other side, she stepped out into a large stone room. Pillars held up a glass ceiling. Sephera could make out the blue tint of the water above her. Nothing but the glass was keeping her from certain drowning.

  The room itself was an obsidian crypt. It matched the altar in the mountains perfectly. It was surrounded by seven small slabs of stone that held blue flames. This had to be the resting place of Sebastian. She walked cautiously toward the casket, trying to avoid disturbing the room. The air was thick, with a feeling of reverence about it. She didn't like the idea of disturbing the grave of a man who was nothing but a ploy in Reina’s game. He didn’t deserve to be used as a pawn in her maze of horrors. She sucked in a breath when she saw what was carved into the top of the obsidian coffin.

  Here Lies

  SEBASTIAN MIRRAROW

  495 LA- 545 LA

  Lover, Husband, and Friend

  The Light to my Dark

  That would mean that Sebastian lived sometime just after the Realms were split five thousand years ago. If Reina was Sebastian’s wife, that meant Reina was the First sent from the Dark Realm. It made a kind of insane sense. “All right, Reina. Ten points for surprising me yet again,” she muttered. She pushed on the obsidian lid, expecting it be heavy, but it moved easily.

  She crinkled her nose in surprise when she saw the body of Sebastian. It wasn’t a skeleton; it was a magically preserved corpse. He looked as if he was only sleeping. His silver hair hung perfectly against his shoulders as if it had just been brushed. He was wearing a striped suit, which Sephera thought must have been from his wedding. She gasped as she ran her fingers over his hand. It was warm to the touch. She cocked her head and unsheathed her dagger.

  She brought it to his left hand. “I’m sorry, Sebastian,” she whispered as she snapped his finger, breaking it. She grimaced as she cut through his skin. Warm blood spilled over his striped suit. The magic that kept his body warm had also kept his blood from coagulating. She gritted her teeth tightly as she continued to saw through the bone. She shuddered in disgust as she pocketed the freshly cut finger. “Again, my deepest apologies.” she murmured. Then she pushed the lid of the coffin back into place.

  She kissed two fingers and touched them to the coffin in a sign of respect for the dead. Letting out an audible sigh, she brushed her fingers through her matted hair. “Well Reina, I look forward to meeting you soon,” she said aloud.

  She had taken only a few steps when the room started to shake. Before she could reach the exit, the glass ceiling shattered into a thousand pieces, dropping water down into the burial chamber. The water hit Sephera like a tsunami, sending her tumbling toward the wall and dousing her in ice. She took an involuntary breath and choked. Her lungs seized up and her body locked. She couldn’t open her eyes, couldn’t try to find the surface. Panic flooded through her. She wanted to kick, to scream, to curse, but she was caught in the water’s lethal grip. She could do nothing to expel it. Every muscle began to tighten. She was dying, and there was nothing she could do about it. It hurt, and she was so tired. She gave up and floated towards whatever was pulling her, suddenly tranquil. She was willing to greet Death. It would be easy, peaceful—no more struggle, no more choice, no more sorrow. She smiled as her world ended.

  CHAPTER 27

  I can feel her. Our link is getting stronger, but I cannot reach her. I am not sure why. Brenner’s mental voice was full of worry, and his eyes were narrowed in confusion.

  What do you mean you cannot reach her? Daegan asked cooly, his face a mask of calm.

  We are so close, but she is not responding to me. I felt fear pulsating from her. It was so strong and overwhelming, I almost had to break our connection. But then it stopped, and the connection went dark. I can still feel her, barely.

  Daegan’s eyes narrowed as he gripped the sides of the boat tightly. They saw an island in the distance. A small rowboat was tied to a large rock on the shore. Zadkiel and Brenner rowed in silence as Daegan searched the horizon for any sight of Sephera or Valessa.

  Suddenly, they heard a large crash as something under the surface of the water began pulling their boat forcefully towards the island.

  “Bloody hell!” Zad cried, as the boat began to spin quickly.

  “HOLD ON!” Daegan yelled over the crashing waves as the sea around them formed a powerful vortex. Daegan closed his eyes tightly. What have you done, Sephera? Gods, please be safe. Then, as quickly as it had started, the waves calmed, and the swirling eddy straightened and faded away, leaving only froth and foam.

  “What in the name of all that is holy was that?” Zad breathed heavily, wiping briny water from his face.

  “I don’t know, but it could not have been good,” Daegan replied, his eyes scanning the island once again.

  Squinting, Daegan thought he saw a hooded figure in a red dress running towards the boat on the shore. Daegan sucked in his breath. “Valessa,” he murmured. Brenner and Zad turned to look at her. She stood on the shore, staring at them intensely before snapping her fingers and disappearing with a loud pop.

  Brenner’s cool laughter filled Daegan’s head. She is smart, porting away like that. ‘Tis a shame, for I would have liked to have greeted my old Keeper.

  “Where did she go?” Zad yelled out in surprise.

  “She ported. Meaning she used her magic to get elsewhere,” Daegan replied.

  “What? Where is Sephera?” he bellowed, standing up.

  “Sit down before you fall out, Zadkiel. She did not have Sephera with her.”

  Zadkiel was about to reply when Brenner grabbed Daegan’s shoulder urgently and pointed to the water.

  She's under there! She's dying! We need to move NOW! Follow the lights! Brenner jabbed his finger down in the direction of the strange blue lights that hovered near the ocean floor.

  Without a second thought, Daegan unbuckled his weapon belt and dove into the dark unknown.

  The brisk water stung his face as he swam swiftly toward the lights. He searched frantically for any sign of Sephera, seeing nothing but debris and an old obsidian crypt. Sephera! C’mon, buttercup, where are you? He could hear his heart beating loudly in his chest. Near the altar was an old stone pathway which lead to what appeared to be a small tunnel. Praying that she wasn’t stuck in the tunnel, he swam over to it, adrenaline pumping through his veins. He peered inside, and his heart sank.

  Sephera was floating, her shirt pinned beneath a large rock which was holding her fast to the floor of the tunnel. His eyes widened in fear as he realized she was not conscious. Cursing the gods, he grabbed the dagger that was strapped to his leg and began to cut the back of Sephera’s tunic. The dagger sliced through the linen quickly, and he pulled her loose. If she knew he was holding her in his arms while she was shirtless, she would tear out his eyes with her bare hands. He shook his head, thinking he must be getting oxygen-deprive
d to think of such a thing when she could be dying. He kicked off of the sandy floor, towing Sephera’s unconscious body with him as he swam upward.

  He sucked in a deep breath after breaching the water’s surface, filling his lungs with air. He pulled Sephera onto his chest, holding her tightly with one arm, and swam backwards towards the boat. Zad and Brenner reached into the cool water, pulling an exposed Sephera into the safety of the boat.

  Zadkiel laid her down on the middle bench and pressed his ear to her chest. “I can’t hear her heartbeat!” he keened, his voice cracking.

  “You need to get her heart pumping again,” Dagean said, sounding more calm than he felt. “Press firmly on her chest, with your elbows locked. You might break a rib or two, but that will heal.”

  Zad nodded as he straddled her waist and put two hands on her bare chest. In all his fantasies, he’d never imagined touching her this nightmarish way. He pressed down with all of his weight, rocking the small vessel.

  “One-Two-Three-Four-Five,” he counted with each thrust. He leaned her head back and opened her mouth. He breathed into her heavily. One. Two. Three. “Again. One-Two-Three-Four-Five,” he whimpered, his voice hoarse with desperation. Tears streamed down his face as he began to breathe into her mouth again, filling her lungs. One. Two. Three.

  He repeated this process three more times, each time growing more and more frenzied. He didn’t stop until Brenner put a hand on his shoulder and shook his head sadly, tears falling from his deep, grey eyes.

  Daegan looked away and forced himself to focus on the waves as Zad let out the most soul-crushing sound he had ever heard. It was the sound of a heart shattering. Daegan employed every ounce of his will to hold onto his composure. He was so angry. She was the first person that he had deemed worthy enough to call a friend in centuries. She was supposed to be his savior. She was supposed to free him and his people from their curse. She was so strong and ruthless.