A Kiss of Darkness (Gothos Series)

by Selena Wolfcastlin

  “Brena?”she called groggily. No answer came to her though. Once again her eyes focused on the mural and she noticed that the symbol on the chalice seemed to give off a glow. The torches were the only illumination in the antechamber. It took Sera a moment before she realized that the reflection was coming from the amulet around her own neck. Left in a stunned silence she reached down and touched the gemstone that glowed in the shadowed darkness. She did not have time to respond to this shocking turn of events when another one came upon her. The mural moved, giving a low hiss as it slid to the side reveal a dark passage way. Blinking she waded her way over to it for a better look. The amulet she wore lit up the secret hallway. It was strange to her that instead of fear she felt a strange sense of déjà vu and curiosity welling up in her replacing her feeling of shock. Quickly she went back to the side where she came in and grabbed up her removed gown. Holding it above her head she went returned to the tunnel and climbed into the entrance. It was tall enough for her to stand up fully. It was damp and dark, beads of moisture clinging to the empty stone walls. Mold had grown on the bottom and the top, but not so much in the middle. Sliding the dress over her body, it clung to her nude form causing her to shiver a little bit. A part of her advised her not to follow this strange dark passage, but the rest of her wanted to know the secrets that lay inside her natural born curiosity always won per usual. The stone around her neck lit the way down the dark corridor, taking her time to not slide along the moist stone floor, groaning as small insects shuttered over her feet. Sera finally found her way to the end of the corridor and ended up at the foot of long stairs. Turning her head she looked back at the way she came and was only met by darkness. The door she entered had closed behind her without her even realizing it. It seemed that the only way to go was up these stairs. Raising her foot she took her first steps and felt some victory. She let out a soft breath and proceeded upwards. “How long do these stairs go?” she wondered out loud as she continued to go up and up. Water dripped from the top of the caverns flowing down onto the stone floor making it treacherous. The caverns itself were hollow going up into the mountain. The healer felt the ache in her legs, but finally she was rewarded seeing two double doors ahead. They were made of Cyprus wood that was water resistant. It was carved with the image of a many branched tree with winged children sitting upon them. She exhaled a tired sigh, her hands wrapping around the handles and pulling them open not taking the time to study the piece of art. The door opened without resistance. She was admitted into a large circular room similar to the style of the House of Clothos. The walls were covered with bookshelves bursting at the seams with more books and tomes then she has ever seen in her whole life. There was a cozy hearth in the middle protected by built up stones around it keeping the scattered decorative pillows from being engulfed. A small stairway was leading to a hidden second floor. There were high windows that looked out at the Arcadian Sea. The mountain itself was hollow, having been carved out to be made livable. Her bare feet cool against the marble floor as she crossed the chamber and looked out at the dark sea. But who lived here in the mountain? Someone must be living there if there is a roaring fire. The books and tomes looked like they were well kept and cared for.

  “Who are you? How did you get here?” a soft slightly accented voice brushed her consciousness. Turning she saw vividly the man from her recurring dream. He looked equally baffled to see her standing there in his home. For a moment she couldn’t speak as she drank in his whole being in the firelight. “The way to this room has been sealed off with special magic. How can anyone, especially a human enter?” he said in her silence. The man’s golden eyes looked at her face then down at the amulet around her neck. “I see…”he murmured, a solemnness chiseled in his face. “Do not be afraid of me. My name is Argos Erelius, Prince of the Sythian race”he explained to her his hands moving animatedly, but trying not to scare her. Argos was exactly the way he looked in her dream, but very real. He stood in front of her his expression imploring for her not to turn away. Finally finding her voice she looked at him, shaking herself out of the large shock. “My name is Sera. I am the protector of the stone of healing. I was raised at the Hall of Clothos. You’re not going to kill me are you? “She asked with trepidation. Shaking his head he frowned even deeper at her question. “No, I have no desire to drink your blood. Humans think we cannot stay sustained without blood. We feed off the essence from the life’s blood, but the royal family has learned to go centuries without gorging ourselves on it.” He told her, folding his bat like wings around his form a bit. “I have to admit that I am glad to finally have company after the self-imposed isolation. That amulet you wear around your neck is from one of the same stones that the humans protect to this day. It was the stone of immortality that was hidden away and pieced off and hidden away during the conflict between my father and the humans”. Sera shifted in the spot she stood. “You have been hidden here this whole time?” she asked her voice being stronger then it was before. Argos sighed as he bowed his head, his shoulders hunching a bit. “I admit that I am a coward to be hiding here well the rest of my kind are hunted down. I have spent centuries reasoning in denial that I being the royal line had to stay and go on, but in truth it wasn’t noble. “he said quietly, his expression filled with shame. The look on his face broke her heart as she looked at this figure of the man again expressing absolute despair. “I don’t think you are a coward. I think you are trying to survive the worst of times. When I was a young initiate at the Hall of Clothos, I was told of the story of your father and King Ursa and how society broke down under fears and suspicion. What really happened?” she asked knowing that it wasn’t the best time to ask, but the questions rose in her and wouldn’t subside. She could hear the audible sigh that rippled through his body causing his long wings to shiver slightly. “It would take a very long time to explain the full truths that lead to the disillusion of humanity, and the thoughtless blood thirst of my kind” he told her and glanced toward the window. “Your library collection is very impressive” she said changing tact. In time she figured he would open up to her. He blinked at her words then his eyes golden eyes lit up. “You like to read?” he asked with a child-like curiosity. Seeing that they have a common interest made her smile widely. “Yes, I have always loved to read and learn since I was a small child” she replied. Argos seemed to be considering her words carefully, knowing that it would be dangerous if he made a miscalculation in welcoming her here. Her being able to come to this place using a piece of the Omeron stone was no mere coincidence. Another mystery that he would have to discover over time. “You can come and read from these tomes and books when it pleases you” he suggested and smiled at her warmly. Sera nodded her head and looked into his golden eyes feeling glad that she could change his mood so greatly at least for a time. “I would like that very much “she said after a long moment of considering what she said. She knew that coming here would be dangerous. If her husband and the others of the Golgothian Knights found out they would kill him and see it as the greatest victory. Reading her face he let out a soft sigh “You fear that you will put me in danger in coming to visit me. I know they are here. “He said softly. “They are searching for the ancient sword made by my father centuries ago. I wouldn’t worry too much about it” Argos waved his hand and walked to the window and looked out. “I want you to come and see me. The silence is almost maddening” he told her wearily. Sera walked up to him and placed her hand on his arm, feeling the muscles flexing under her fingertips. He turned his head from the image of the breathtaking scenery and looked at her. “You are like no other human I have met. You radiate a kindness from your very being, and you are beautiful. It humbles me with shame that I have judged your kind for so long. Perhaps you can teach me to forgive them.” Argo gazed at her thoughtfully. Her presence rekindled something deep within his core. It might be due to the loneliness he felt or something more. It wasn’t clear to him yet. Standing at his side she looked down at the land below and shook her head
a bit. “They want to kill you. Doesn’t that scare you?” she asked after a long silence. There was tightness in his cheek in response to her words causing him to turn his gaze away. “As I said before I am a coward to hide here. They think that killing me will frighten the rest of my kind into submission, but I don’t think we are so weak. I believe in my people and in the prophecies” he commented. This got her attention peaked as she touched his arm again. “Prophecies? “ she couldn’t help but inquire. He smiled slowly and walked to the books and ran his fingers along their bindings. “There is a prophecy that says that the man who is meant to find the sword will bring peace between the Sythians and the humans. This will change to the four territories. I believe in these prophecies that were foretold by our astronomer Mikanose, centuries ago. My faith is all I have left amongst this bloodshed.” Sera took that in and nodded her head. “I would like to learn about your culture. Your kind has attacked my people, but I understand that not all of you are monsters” she said softly. “I have trouble believing in the prophecies you speak of, but true or not I want to find some way to help.”

  5. Serpent’s Entwining

  Sera found her way back to the bathing area from the secret tunnel. Stepping out of the tunnel she found herself stepping into the water .Once again she removed her dress and held it up lest it get wet in her movements. Wading across the warm, steamy water she felt the coolness of the air contrasting against it. She reached the other side of pool and climbed the stairs. Pulling the wrinkled dress over her body she walked out of the bathing chambers, unable to find neither hide nor hair of Brena. Where was the girl? Yes, she was lazy but to not be on duty was almost unheard of. Sera walked to the side of the chamber and picked up the towel hanging from a single peg she ran it over her face. Feeling a bit disgruntled at the girl’s absence she held the towel to her hair and walked down the hallway. The longer she searched for the girl, the more annoyed she felt. A few rooms down she heard strange noises coming from behind the door. It sounded like an animal groaning. Still feeling a little nervous after the attack from the village she took her time approaching the door. Looking around for a guard or someone, not sure if she should handle this by herself. Finding no one around she walked to the door and touched the handle. Pulling her hand back for a moment she hesitated realizing that it might be something more obvious than what she first thought. Surely she didn’t want to interrupt someone in the throes of passion, but on the other hand this might be where her wayward maid is. Pushing on the wooden door, she eased it open a little bit. On the bed were two naked figured tangled in a sheet. The sound she was hearing was her second guess. Immediately she knew the woman, her head thrown up back in absolute abandoned passion. It was Brena with her arms and legs thrown around her lover’s strong body. It must be one of the guards from the strong arms and torso who must be shirking his duties to take a tumble with a disobedient servant girl. Starting to ease herself from the room she stopped when she saw a scar on the man’s back, it was a deep line going vertical next to the spine. Her heart dropped in her stomach as she stood unable to tear her eyes off of the man’s nude back. If she needed more evidence the man raised his head and she could see it was her husband, Captain Dominic. Sera felt the cold running through her as she stood frozen to the spot. She knew that it would make her feel even worst if she was caught standing there, gaping at the lascivious sight. Her hand clasped over her mouth she forced herself to steady her breathing and back away. Closing the door she ran to her chambers leaving droplets of water in her wake from her long hair. Rushing hastily to her room she closed the door. She went to her bed and could no longer hold back the sobs caught in her throat. The pain seared in her whole being as she laid down on the bed she shared with her husband, the one who betrayed her. The worst part about it was that there was nothing she could do about it. If she told her husband what she saw then he would remind her that she is his wife and had no right to tell him what he can do. She knew he might even blame her for his transgression, and remind her at her failure to get pregnant. As a child she thought that being a protector of a sacred stone made her immune to everything, but she wasn’t in the House of Clothos anymore and no longer a child. As a wife she has no power to wield. This knowledge made her feel even more miserable and lost.

  The next few months the knights had set up home fully at the ruins to continue their search. The hardest part for Sera was facing her husband and pretends she didn’t know of his betrayal. Sera went about her wifely duties, but she spent most of her time with her sister-in law and the growing daughter Melody. Aside from using her healing art to care for those in need, and giving the illusion of being the happy wife, she had a secret of her own. At night she would slip into the secret tunnel in the hot spring under the guise of taking a bath and went to see Argos in the mountain retreat. She didn’t feel it was on the same level as her husband’s infidelities, especially after that days after where she did further investigation. Squeezing information out of unwary soldiers and eager servants, she found out all lot of things her husband was guilty of. Most of them were rumors, but she wasn’t as innocent as she once was denying the glaring truths. When not doing these things she spent her time with Argos, learning from the ancient tomes, trying to take in as much as she could about the ancient kind and their prophecies, especially concerning the stones in the House of Clothos. It was an amazing secrets that they shared together. The Sythian prince was a well of information and stories of the centuries that he lived through. He revealed to her that he had a family of his own once, but they died as causalities of battle. It was the hardest part of his life, but he had forgiven those who did it seeing them as ignorant and what they have done. The massacre now was what pained him greatly and still haunted him. It was the horrors against his people in the present. It changed her perspective greatly. Even the event at the village was seen through different eyes .Over a roaring fire they talked for hours on end, studying and discussing, books scattered all over the marble floor. Some nights they just talked and laughed to gather, her husband spent most of his time away from her so he didn’t even notice. Argos first started as a mentor and friend, and then they became lovers. It was betraying her husband, but it didn’t feel like a bad thing.

  Sera sat on the marble floor with her winged lover, dressed in a simple silk wrap that clung to her body. She was sipping sweet wine looking over one of the tomes spread out carefully on the floor. A map lay next to it. “You’re telling me that the sword isn’t even here. That it is hidden away in some cave. Well the Golgothian Knights would love that information “she said lazily. “That is something they should never know. They have no concept of what that sword really represents” He said quietly and leaned forward and pressed his lips to hers. “I promise I wouldn’t tell them anything. Why should I give loyalty to the man who betrayed me” she replied with a shrug of her shoulders. The awe she had felt toward her husband had fallen away. It was really her own fault for marrying a man she thought was a guardian angel, when he was really a devil. The irony wasn’t lost on her that the Sythians who were considered evil were beautiful beings driven to be scavengers, well the humans who were vulnerable and led to do horrible things in their ignorance. “He did what was in his nature. The way a man treats others shows the true nature of his heart” Argos mused quietly. “Well, what is in my nature then? Being here with you?” she asked with her knee resting against her chest as she looked into his eyes. The Sythian man took a long moment considering her question. “I think you are a woman of good substance. You have been hurt so greatly and all you want is to be loved. Love is the most fundamental desire that surpasses all races, gender, and nationality.” Placing his glass aside he took her face in his hands and pressed his lips against hers passionately. She drew herself into his lap, sliding her arms around his neck, gliding her fingertips along his sensitive wings. Argos shivered in response and slid the bottom of her wrap aside, caressing her legs gently. A moan passed over her lips in their joined kiss, his touch so soft, ye
t filled with great intensity. She positioned herself on his nude form raising herself to join with him. Draping herself over him she slipped his member deep within her body. His groan of pleasure gave her great satisfaction as she started to roll her hips along his. Argos reached up and took her breasts into the palm of his hands, caressing her tender skin. Sera stroked his hair as she rocked her hips against his, feeling every inch of him stroking her insides. Moaning in sync with him she slid her legs around his waist, heels digging into his lower back. He placed his hands firmly on her hips and pumped his hips off the marble floor to meet her steady movements. Sera arched her back against him feeling their pleasure rising in unison. She looked deeply into his golden eyes feeling pure joy in his arms as if completed as a singular being. Moaning out his name she hit her peak, shuddering on top of him. Argos groaned and nuzzled his face into the hollow of her neck, joining her in pinnacle of passion. Breathing against her neck he felt the temptation of the vein in her neck, pumping against his cheek, but he would not do that. He adored her too much to bring her any pain even to satisfy his baser nature. “You need to go upstairs and get some rest before you go back to the waking world” he whispered softly always joking that being with her is a wonderful dream. Sera nodded her head and gave him one last kiss before getting up and went up the spiraling stairs to the huge bedroom on the second floor. It was a place she didn’t take much notice to until they got to know each other better. The first time she came into this room she admired the carved wooden pillars of the four poster bed. Birds and flowers seemed to come to life in the oak medium. The scent of sandalwood and vanilla permeated in the air at all times. A warm hearth laid in the middle with bricks surroundings it. Just like the room below, books laid on the shelves and tapestries hung from the walls. Smiling to herself she walked to the bed and slipped under the cool covers she closed her eyes and drifted asleep.