"Xavier!" Vixen scream and tried to run to him, but a barrier was blocking her path. She hammered at it, but it wouldn't budge. "Take this barrier down!"
Ella looked up to see the wall of dark purple. I realized there were four panels, boxing him and Ella inside. Xavier suddenly tried to get up, and Rainer called out.
"What the hell are you doing?!"
"Doing...what I should have done the moment this damn voice began controlling my life," he whispered. His hand outstretched to Ella, and the sudden spike in magic made her eyes widen.
"Don't you da-"
"Retrieve what's been locked within this family heirloom. Suck in every stream of their essence, from myself and the woman before me. Seal their souls within its chambers and release every bit of magic they carry! IMPRISONADA TA WE!"
Ella's scream was a loud shrill as her back arched and a dark shadow burst out of her. We watched in horror as the dark aura morphed into someone that looked similar to Xavier, only he was older, and his eyes showed nothing but hate as they looked at me.
"DIE!" The command boomed through the ice walls as its spirit raced to attack me. Rainer was in front of me in seconds, but the black aura was tugged back before it could reach us. His spirit was tugged right into the ring before Xavier slipped it off and dropped it to the floor.
He wrapped his hand around the hilt of the sword that was in the middle of his chest, and we watched in sheer horror as he pulled it out with a painful grunt.
His blood poured onto the ground, spilling onto the ring before he slammed the sword into the ground, leaving it standing in place before he worked on the second one.
"X-Xavier!" Vixen was hammering the barrier wall while Rainer and I rushed to reach the wall, fighting desperately to break it with whatever magic we had left.
Xavier was pulling out the final sword, his body shaking as blood continued to pour onto the ground beneath his feet. The barrier that held us back was beginning to crack, but at this rate, Xavier would die from mere blood loss.
He slammed the final sword into the ground, the three swords put in a way that made a triangle with the ring in the middle. He dragged his feet back, fighting to remain standing as he breathed heavily while looking at the ring in disgust.
"Years," he breathed. "I read every book to get rid of you. To be stronger. To find someone or something that could finally seal you in the eternal abyss that you wholeheartedly deserve. All I wanted was to be accepted. To...have friends... To be looked upon as a good being who wished to grow powerful enough to relieve my parents of their duties. You masked yourself in me. Wired me to your tune. You controlled me...and were going to do anything to get what you wanted. To kill the heirs of the three kingdoms."
He pointed to the ring as tears spilled down his cheeks.
"You failed. Those centuries of plotting your act of revenge didn't work. You wanted the last laugh, but guess what?" he heaved and began to weakly chuckle. "I...I, Xavier Rose, got the last laugh. I played my role as a villain, and now...I'm a hero. I beat you...and if I die...so be it...for I protected what I was supposed to all this while. I...I..."
He fell to his knees, but he fought to finish. "I was able to make Rosadette's rose go to Rainer. Was able to save...save Ella from your grasp...and you couldn't kill...couldn't kill the one person who tried to understand. That one person...I actually liked. What a fucked-up mystery."
He lifted his shaky hand and closed his eyes.
"The blood of my past. A past regained in a few simple traits. Allow this blood with the dark swords of the King of Light's magic to seal him within this ring forever. May the tradition be broken...from...today onward. I...Xavier Rose...heir...heir to the throne...seal this spell with my blood. Dela RaVe Bloodana Rue."
We watched at the swords began to glow from black to pure white, and the blood boiled until the ring itself began to crack and then melt in the intense heat. In seconds, it was nothing but a puddle of melted metal, and that was when the barrier before us shattered.
"Xavier!" Vixen rushed to his side as he fell onto his side. I rushed over to him as Rainer quickly moved to check on Ella.
"Xavier?! Xavier?!" Vixen was shaking him, but he didn't respond, his eyes open but the light in them fading away.
"Fuck."
I looked to Rainer and I noticed Ella's wide, colorless eyes.
"She's dead," he revealed and slowly laid her down to the ground. He met my worried gaze before he got up and rushed to my side. We watched as Vixen called to Xavier, shaking him furiously while tears ran down her cheeks, but he didn't respond as the last specks of life seemed to leave him entirely.
Out of my entire life, this was the moment where I felt utterly hopeless. I stood there, with the ability to make the world itself shake, unable to save the man I thought was evil.
He'd brought me into this unknown world, to push me away into the direction he knew I was meant to walk upon. I'd grown from every experience, even the bad ones that felt like they would suffocate me. I'd found my heritage, learned that my mother was alive somewhere, and was protected by the spirit of my father. I'd found the roots of my creation, and now had a place to call home.
I was loved by a man who I'd experienced the good and the bad with, and was accepted by his family, who wanted me to embrace my strengths and achieve my goals.
All because of this selfish, cold-hearted man, who ended up being the true victim in all of this.
"Wake up!" Vix begged as she cradled him in her arms. "I...I won't yell at you. We don't need to do therapy anymore. I'll go away if you want me to! Just open your eyes, Xavier," she begged. "I'm sorry for arguing with you. Sorry for not trying harder to understand you. Don't do this. Don't die. You...you never deserved to die. We didn't know. No one knew. You have to live as the hero you were trying to be behind the scenes."
She pressed her hand on her chest, tugging on the broach until it ripped from her dress. "This has magic. Can't I retrieve your soul like you did with the ring? Can't I save you?" She pressed the golden rose to his wounded chest, but nothing happened as she sobbed heavily.
"I didn't tell you," she cried. "You should have had my rose next. Then you'd never be lonely again. Never be sad or afraid of the unknown. I'd understand you. Translate your hateful words. I'd get your language, so you wouldn't have to be misunderstood anymore."
She pressed her forehead against his. "I'm sorry, Xavier. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you straight up that I loved you. I'm sorry that I failed you. So sorry."
I walked around them to kneel down into the pool of blood, my arm outstretched to lay my hand upon Vixen's. "I'm sorry, Xavier." The apology left me as tears swarmed my vision. "For not seeing through it all. For not being willing to forgive. For turning a blind eye when I could have reached out to help you."
I sensed Rainer kneel next to me, and he reached out to place his hand on top of mine.
"Xavier." He struggled to speak as he blinked his eyes. "Way back when we were but children, we actually got along. You were mean at times, but it was your way of getting to know people. One day, that suddenly changed, and we became enemies. I never tried to see why. What the underlying problem could have possibly been. I should have tried harder to understand you, but I didn't."
He closed his eyes and whispered, "You lived a life of a villain, but now you've died as a hero. You're a man worthy of being a king...and I wish...I wish I had the power to bring you back to life, just so I could tell you that." He opened his eyes as tears spilled down his cheeks. "I'm sorry for not understanding you...and thank you. Thank you for protecting Rosadette in your own way so that I could be bonded to her."
The three of us sobbed quietly, and I looked to the alter as my eyes closed.
Is this how loss feels? As a Purely Divine, a being that's held up as a being of beauty and power, is there nothing I can do? Mother...you said I should believe in my power. Then...let that power prove itself right here and now. Bring justice to Xavier and reveal what we need to see. Let me prov
e that I can help change destiny. Give me the strength to change this reality.
Warmth began to swarm our extended hands, and we opened our eyes to see the golden trinket begin to glow brilliantly. The glow suddenly expanded, spreading along Xavier's body as the golden rose sank into his chest.
We pulled our hands back as a beam of power shot out from his body into the ceiling of the ice castle, and the spark of light was so strong, I was forced to close my eyes as the intense warmth washed over us.
It dimmed slowly, and we opened our eyes to see the castle was no longer frozen in place. The dark navy-blue walls were covered with silver sparkles, the very floors of black marble and the furniture around us looking fresh and new.
The sun shone through the stained glass windows, flooding the place with colorful light, and leaving me to realize this spot had to be a place of worship.
"Xavier?" Vix's quiet voice caught my attention, and I looked to see his chest move up and down as his eyes squeezed shut. His appearance was different, his hair now long white strands with blue highlights, and his skin a little tanner. His outfit was still torn from the fight, but his wounds were healed. All that was left was a golden tattoo of a rose against his chest, one that looked like the broach I'd won from the midterms.
"Xavier!" Vix shook him a little, and he let out a grunt before he poked an eye open to look at Vix.
"Why are you waking me up?" he whined. "So sleepy."
"You're alive!" she cried, which only made the poor guy scrunch his face in confusion.
"You're ugly when you cry."
"Fuck you!" she snapped and slapped his chest.
"Vixen!" Rainer and I hissed while Xavier groaned. "Abuse."
"Oops. Sorry! Dammit!" She pulled him into a hug, and we caught onto the rushing footsteps that came from behind us.
We looked back to see Seraphine, Emmanuel, Alicia, King Rose, and Camilla. All of them came to a dramatic stop before their eyes went wide in complete shock.
None of their gazes were focused on us, which left me a little confused, but a soft voice drifted from in front of us.
"To rule a kingdom, you have to carry a level of strength few individuals carry."
My head swiftly looked to where everyone else was staring, and my eyes widened at the sight of the woman from the dreamy flashback I'd just experienced.
"However, to be a ruler of kindness, you must learn to forgive, accept your mistakes, and strive for peace. Even if it means discovering what is hidden beyond the surface."
There stood a woman, an outstanding woman with long blonde hair, purple eyes with silver rings, rosy cheeks, and red lips. She wore a white dress, with roses that designed the trimming of the strapless material, and she wore a wonderful veil that was attached to a white crown decorated with various stones.
Her eyes locked onto mine as her lips further curled.
"The goal of Year Two was not solely combat. The purpose was to unlock the truth of what's been hidden from our kingdoms and bring us together in preparation for Year Three." She paused to look around at us before she nodded.
"Congratulations on passing Year Two at Fae Rose Academy. You've deemed yourself worthy of not only taking the throne upon graduation but preparing for Year Three. The year of truth, recognition, and preparation for war with our real enemy."
She paused to take a deep breath.
"The Lower Lands."
TO BE CONTINUED.
Coming Soon - Dec. 4TH. 2020
https://books2read.com/FAEROSEACADEMY3
TURN THE NEXT PAGE TO READ THE FIRST CHAPTER OF BLOODY ROSARY ACADEMY.
BLOODY ROSARY BLURB
Hail Mary, Full of Grace, let your powers grant me Safe Haven.
Blessed Art Thy the blood that courses through my veins, from the womb of my Fae Mother and blood from my Vampire Father.
Holy Mary, protect me, for I have two sides to choose from.
* * *
One of holy matrimony that calls to the world of perfection and grace.
* * *
The other, of darkness and bloodshed, the pulsating desire to grow powerful outweigh the temptations of tranquility and equilibrium.
Let me make the right choice, for I am bound to both, but can only be with one.
* * *
Please, do not forsake me.
I pray that this choice to attend Bloody Rosary Academy will benefit the hidden proposition within these very beads of thou rosary.
* * *
I offer my body, rare blood, and magic powers to seek the truth of my birthright within those very walls and find the culprit to my parent's demise and my orphan livelihood.
* * *
Shelter me at the hour of their death and let me the final victor.
Now, and for the next four years.
Amen.
PROLOGUE: Forgive Me, Father, For I Have Sinned…Again And Again
"Forgive me, Father, for I have sinned. It has been two minutes and forty-five seconds since my last confession, which wasn't in this tiny brown box but in my mind since I see no need of being here between a wooden separator and a priest who has probably committed more sins than me in the last twenty-four hours."
My bright red lips curled up in innocence as I blinked my golden-orange eyes at the furious man dressed in white, sitting opposite from me in the tiny confession box we were forced to enter once a week.
The poor soul had to deal with my sorry ass every week, always assigning me to be the last one in the small group of females that resided in this section of the church. Each week was the same as the last; this priest never gave up on his hidden mission to do more than listen to some young fifteen to eighteen-year-olds confess the list of unholy crimes they had committed within these stained glass window walls.
It was amusing because if it wasn't for my trust issues, I would have been just like the other girls, who did everything that these superior adults told them to do, brainwashed into believing that God would descend down from the heavens and deliver us everything we asked for.
Surely, they didn't read the fine print that states that God helps those who help themselves. That didn't include pleasing whoever asks to be pleased in the hidden corners, on the wooden benches, and in the confessional box that was designed for prayers of forgiveness and not screams of 'holy' pleasure.
I was reminded of the first time our priest, Hendrick, tried to convince me that he was going to perform the ceremonial Holy Kisses that would remove whatever demonic spirit had possessed me.
That demonic spirit was straight-up my personality, and you didn't need to be a genius to figure that one out. In fact, everyone in this building had known from when I was taken in at thirteen that I was a dangerous child who didn't take nonsense from anyone.
Did my circumstances mean I had to be treated like a slave? To many that were taken in by the church, apparently so, but I wasn't an ordinary orphan. I was a jack of all trades and these silly adults that fought secretly to tear me down were also afraid of my wrath.
Hendrick was still the boldest one in the ring of adults, and it just amused me because he really didn't realize who he was playing with. I wasn't into old men, and as much as the idea of having a man enticed me, the opportunity wouldn't be given to me in these walls.
I deserved someone who had the balls to strike back against the foolishness that happens in this sinful world and not someone who took a comfortable seat contributing to it.
"Lucinda Delphine." The vibration of his growl only made me sigh dramatically.
"Hendrick. We go through this every week. I don't understand why we keep doing this to one another. If you don't have the balls to withstand my demonic attitude, I don't see why I'm forced to carry on with confession," I explained. "Besides, you saying my full name like you're my parent isn't going to magically change my ways."
"You are an ungrateful bitch," he hissed.
"Now, now, Hendrick." I leaned in forward, knowing damn well how it got on his nerves. "This is the confess
ional box. You shouldn't be using such vocabulary. God's watching you now. And just as a reminder, between the two of us, you've lived longer and committed far more sins than I. Therefore, you'll reach hell a lot faster than me. So why not quit while you're ahead and really start to repent for your sins?"
The sliding part of the window revealed his red face. His eyes blared with fury, but I was shocked at the sudden movement, a blade slicing my cheek before the tip of the blade pressed against my neck.
Oh. That's new.
"I'm tired of you, Lucinda." His voice was venomous, but my focus was on the stinging of my cheek as blood began to reach the surface. "You think because of your heritage in that royal family that you can walk around these walls with your head held high. You're in our favor. You should be on your knees, praising us for our act of kindness in taking you in. We could have left you on the streets, and I assure you, that demonic power of yours would be put in her place."
His words made me snicker, and I felt the first roll of blood running down my cheek. My eyes closed for a mere second, and his gasp was followed promptly with the soft weight of something falling into my lap.
Opening my eyes slowly, I looked to see the silver blade below. My fingers wrapped around the hilt and I lifted it up to inspect its beauty.
"A very rare weapon indeed." My voice was lower now, a seductive nature to its harmonic tone, all while my tongue grazed along my upper lip, feeling the tips of my sharp fangs that came out to play.
I smiled, my piercing eyes that were surely red with menace now locked on Hendrick as he shivered like the fucking coward he was. The single drop of blood that had left my wound was now a replica of the blade I held and now poked his flesh, just above his jugular vein that pulsed rapidly.
Fae Rose Academy: Year Two (For The Purely Divine Book 2) Page 26