The Darkness in Me

by Diane Nortje

  Once he has made his point, and shown everyone here who I belong to, he pulls away from my mouth, I want to let out a whimper of the loss, but I’m pretty sure if I did, he would take me too the floor and fuck me right here for everyone to witness.

  “They touched what is mine.” Jacin growls out at me.

  “I’m okay, Jacin, I’ve known them for years.”

  “I don’t give a fuck if they were there from the day you were born, you are mine!” He snaps at me.

  “No need to go all fucking caveman Jacin, next thing you know you gonna have your fist in my hair and drag me out of here.”

  “The only time my fist will be in your hair is when I’m fucking you hard from behind.” He snaps at me again.

  “There is nothing PG rated about you, is there?”

  I get a growl as a response, and I know that comment of mine means that this conversation is far from over.

  A gasping weez and a struggled moan, brings my attention back to the men laying injured on the floor.

  “Shit, guys. I’m so sorry.” I say to them as I rush at them, trying to help them up.

  Another growl comes from behind me, another warning from Jacin. But I choose to ignore it. I’ll just bite him again if he gets out of hand once more.

  “Stupid question here, but are you guys okay?” I ask both of them.

  Elgan just nods while still laying on the floor, his hand is holding his neck like it needs the support. Valen is sitting on his knees, letting the remainder of the blood drip from his body. “That fucker is a lot meaner than I remember.” Valen says while spitting the blood from his mouth.

  “I’m sorry, I’m guessing that is my fault.” I say to them, while giving my hand to Elgan to help him off the floor.

  “Yeah, you definitely the reason his pants are in a knot.” Elgan rasps out.

  I hear another growl pierce the silence as Elgan grabs onto my hand.

  “Oh, stop it now.” I turn and say to Jacin. “You made your point.”

  “They better not fucking forget it.”

  “Cover in blood again Nay, it seems like its becoming a habit.” Valen says to me as he stands.

  I look down to my clothes, and I see small amounts of Jacin’s blood that must have fallen from my lips. I just smile at him instead of answering. Seriously, who can even explain what just happened five minutes ago.

  “Come on, I’ll lead you to your rooms, you can get cleaned up, then we can talk about this prophecy.” Valen says to me.

  “So, you know why we are here?” I ask them

  “Of course, we have been waiting.” Elgan says in a matter of fact way. Like I was supposed to have known this all along.

  ~ ~ ~

  The small room we are all clustered in is starting to make me hyperventilate. I really do hate small rooms, and these men are just driving me nuts. None are budging on their demands, we are clearly not leaving until Jacin gets what he wants, and Valen and Elgan are demanding some sort of call. I of course just get ignored when they are bartering with one another. It’s not going well at all.

  “We want your call, Jacin. Before we go any further. You have clearly heard the rumours.” Valen says for like the thousandth time

  “I have, but that doesn’t mean you will get my call.” Jacin says back. Not seeming to give two shits that we really need this dam prophecy.

  “So, you expect us to help you, aid you, cover for your woman and not get anything in return.”

  “Ah, and there the truth is. You knew who she was.” Jacin snaps at Valen.

  “Of course we did, we didn’t think what went down would happen. It did. Damage control was needed. You wanted her dead, so when your men came knocking, we covered and the Fae as a whole took the blame.”

  “I will not give my call. You have my word, when the time comes, my men will fight beside you, and of course the ban will be lifted from the Fae.”

  Valen and Elgan pause, and stare at each other in that funny way they do. I now know they are communicating with each other, in that weird way that they do. But this is the first time in hours that they seem to think an offer over. Hopefully we are making some sort of progress.

  “Fine and what of Nerissa?” Valen asks Jacin.

  “What the fucking hell has she got to do with anything?” Jacin barks out.

  I look to him, someone looks a bit touchy over the mention of Valens sister. God, I don’t even want to think what could possibly have happened between them. By the sounds of it, Jacin doesn’t age, but I never really asked how old he is, but I’m pretty sure there are more than a few notches on his bed post. Anger, hurt, and a bunch of other emotions come swarming through me, I try to hide it. But Jacin notices everything.

  He is looking at me, ignoring the men around him, assessing me, in the eerily still way he has. He lifts his eyebrow in a silent question, and I bat my hand at him in response. Let’s just not even go there.

  “We believe she had some sort of part in what happened to Natalie.” I hear Elgan saying, breaking the communication that was happening between us.

  “What?” Jacin snaps out, his eyes start to glaze over red once more. Here we go again.

  “She has been dealt with, but you know we can’t end her existence, the balance will be off.” Valen says to Jacin, trying his best not to cower in Jacin’s presence.

  “You have Elgan for that now Valen. Why the fuck are you fucking around, and why wasn’t I told of this sooner?”

  “She is my sister, Jacin.” Valen sneers at Jacin.

  “There is no love lost between you two, has been like that for over five hundred years.” Jacin says dryly.

  “Irrelevant.” Valen states.

  “Look I don’t want no one killing no sisters or whatever she is. She has a problem with me, I never understood why, but just leave it be already.”

  “Oh, I wonder why she has a problem?” Elgan asks.

  “Fucking drop it.” I growl at the boy.

  “Fuck, fine. You have a deal.”

  I look over to Weyland, who is leaning against the wall, beside Jacin. That seems to be his spot he likes to take when Jacin is dealing with people. Weylands eyes catch me, but he gives nothing away. Doesn’t even blink. What in the ever-loving hell am I dealing with here?

  But I need to change the topic, talking about this woman is just irritating me, and I might be tempted now that my crystals have been forcefully removed, to teach her a fucking lesson. Just breathe. God, please just breathe, I can’t lose my shit.

  “So where is it?” I ask Valen, distracting me from my violent thoughts.

  “Same place it has always been, inside the old oak tree.”

  “In the what?” I ask him again.

  “The oak tree. It holds everything inside it. The past, the present and the future.”

  “The tree tells the future? That’s awesome!” I say out in awe.

  “Not so simple, Nay.” Elgan replies to me.

  “Lets just get this over with already.” Jacin grumbles out.

  I make my way over to Jacin. I watch as he watches me walk, his eyes traveling the length of my body, and I know exactly what is going through his mind right now. “You are being moodier than your regular self.” I tease him.

  An animalistic growl is the only reply I get, and I feel the tension in the room sky rocket. I look to the men in the room, they look worried. I think I have to learn what that growl means from Jacin.

  “When you growl at me, its not a good thing hey.” I whisper into Jacin’s ear.

  “When I growl at others, they know their death is most likely to follow. But not you little one.” He whispers back while placing a soft kiss on my ear.

  “Oh goodie.” I tease back. It should bother me, that he has ended more than his fair share of lives. But I’ll reserve that judgement for another day, when I know what I’m dealing with.

  “Come on, follow us, the tree is in the garden. And Jacin.” Valen says to Jacin.

  “What?” Jacin barks b
ack. Can’t these boys just play nicely?

  “Bring something sharp, will you.” Valen says and leaves the room along with Elgan. I guess we are meant to follow them.

  I stand with Jacin to follow the men out, but before I can take a step, he grabs my hand and holds on. I look down to the joining of our hands, and smile. I never would have thought I’d see the day that I would be holding hands with Jacin.

  “What?” Jacin asks me as we follow after the Princes.

  “Nothing, you are just a bag full of surprises.”

  He laughs at my joke. It sends shivers down my body, this man doesn’t laugh much, and I guess I’m happy to be the one to make him do so.

  We walk in an easy silence while following after the Princes, and I take the chance to take in my surroundings. Everything is earthy, clean, fresh. The air smells of freshly cut grass everywhere you go, and everything that surrounds us is either in brown, yellow or green with small pops of colour of flowers growing literally in the middle of nowhere.

  “Its so beautiful here.” I murmur out.

  “Deadly Natalie, it’s an illusion, don’t let your guard down.” Weyland says to me.

  I nod in response as we leave the castle and make our way down the steps and onto a cobble stone walkway which leads directly to the garden. Its beautiful walls are overgrown with vines and moss, wildlife run through the garden freely, wait- no is that a person? Actually, I don’t want to know. I hear water running off in the near distance and the gentle rustle of leaves being blown around by the slight breeze. But smack dab in the middle of the garden is a massive oak tree.

  Like a larger than life, like Eiffel fucking Tower big. I look up into the trees branches, where more wildlife can be seen running along its massive branches. Small animal houses can be seen in between the branches, which are mostly cover by the thick foliage.

  “Come, come. We don’t have all day.” I hear Valen saying to us as we make our way over to the large tree.

  “What did you need something sharp for?” I ask Valen.

  “Well Jacin needs to make a sacrifice Nay, and only he can do it.” Valen says as we reach the base of the tree.

  “What kind of sacrifice?” Jacin asks.

  “Most likely a blood one.” I say before anyone gets a chance to reply.

  The men look at me in stunned silence. I shrug it off. “What? I had to do it in the library.” I simply say.

  “How much blood are we talking here?” Weyland bites out.

  “Not much, so relax little puppy. Not enough for us to do any damage with either. The tree will absorb it all anyways.”

  “Wanna call me a puppy one more time?” Weyland bites out, and I see the other silence five men move in closer.

  “Enough, lets just do this.” Jacin snaps out to the bickering group.

  Before I can process what is happening. Jacin runs his one finger in the other palm and blood starts to pour from his hand.

  “How- how did you do that?” I ask him in shock.

  “Another day Natalie.” Jacin murmurs out to me. “Where must I put my hand?” Jacin asks the Princes.

  “Place it on the tree. It will then tell you what you need to know.”

  I watch as Jacin walks over to the tree, and calmly places his bleeding hand over the bark of the tree. Instead of the blood dripping to the base of the tree or onto the sandy ground, his blood seeps into the tree. And everything comes alight.

  ~Jacin~

  I feel the magic enter through the wound on my hand. My hand is now firmly in place on the tree and even if I fight its grip, it will not let me go. And right now, I don’t have time to regrow my fucking hand back. Not when I have Natalie to protect.

  The blinding light blurs the people surrounding me, and I can barely make out anyone’s form anymore. The searing pain runs right to the back of my head, and if this is a trap, blind or not, I will fucking end what I started with those Fae fucks. I have to just trust the Five and Weyland to protect her while I can’t. Her being my weakness at this moment is an understatement.

  I feel the whispers of the magic before I hear them, they want entry into my mind, into my thoughts. But I never came here for my future to be told. Come what may. But the more I fight them, the more whispers batter at my shield. So, I let them by. This won’t be over until they say what they need to say. Fucking fae. Despise the lot of them.

  “Dark one. Dark one.” The tree whispers to me inside my head. Clearly this is a conversation only for the two of us.

  “What?” I answer back in my head.

  “Do you think you will be able to protect her?” They whisper to me. “Even what you are has no guarantees. What happens when death himself comes knocking?”

  “He would first have to get my approval.” I bite out at them.

  “Yes, yes, he will wouldn’t he. The game of power and the game of death are being play dark one. Many, many games. Your beast holds her to tight, if she is lost. He will be so too.”

  “Who?” I ask them. “Just give me a fucking name and it will be over.”

  “No, no dark one, it doesn’t work like that. You of all should know that better than anyone.”

  “No one will dare touch her.”

  “So you say, dark one. So you say.” The tree whispers out to me, and then disappears from my mind and releases its hold on me.

  I slowly move my hand away from the tree as the light that was blazing out from the tree, slowly starts to retreat back into the bark, and words come ablaze on the bark itself.

  Slowly, ever so slowly, the words start to form, the light is almost blinding and most of the people look away from the light, but my eyes adjust to the blaze and I start to take in the words the tree is burning onto itself.

  One darkness will wear a crown of gold,

  The other will wear a crown of thorns and bones.

  A demon, a nightmare; an angel, a dream.

  A thread is spun for those who feel it,

  A thread is spun for those who seek it,

  A thread is spun for those who keep it.

  To reign is to be challenged,

  To reign is too be hunted,

  To reign is to bring death.

  Everything wished for can be taken, all that is granted, is not always forsaken.

  When bare trees are set alight by blazing fires.

  What sun will you turn to once it has burned and returned from once it came.

  Will you fly with scorched wings or will you set free what you desire?

  Once white turns black, once a crown now cracked,

  More the darkness is spread, the more it will end.

  Listen for the silent visitor, for nothing they will take.

  Beware the solo visitor, for a life they will take.

  I read and re-read the words on the bark. They will forever be ingrained into my memory. And fuck. Natalie being my weakness was never the problem. The problem was how she could be used against me. Because if one thing will bring me too my knees, it is her.

  “What the hell is it on about now?” Natalie says from behind me. I turn to look at her, her hand is covering the glare from the light as she tries to read the second part of the prophecy.

  “Little one.” I murmur out to her.

  “Don’t tell me not now Jacin.” She bites out to me.

  “No little one. Its not good.” I simply state and turn to Weyland, who has taken in the words as well. The look he gives me, is all I need as confirmation. Fuck.

  “Can someone explain to me what is going on.” Natalie says again.

  “They are coming for me little one. They are coming to challenge me, and they are gonna use you to do it.”

  “Challenge you for what?” She gasps out. “And over my dead body, they will use me for anything.”

  “That is what I’m afraid of.” I simply state. “Come we must go.”

  “Jacin, I know this isn’t good news, but we are going to hold you to your word.” Elgan says to me.

  “You have my wo
rd. My men will defend your crown.” I simply state, while pulling Natalie to the portal I just formed.

  “Um, bye guys, don’t be strangers now.” Natalie says over her shoulder as I pull her towards the portal.

  “No, don’t you be a stranger Nay.” Valen says, before the portal takes us back.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  “I’m a starving man.”- Jacin

  ~Natalie~

  I’m thrown back out the portal and back into Jacin’s house, and land with a thud on the floor. That’s definitely gonna leave a bruise. God I really don’t like this whole portalling thingy. There simply must be an easier way.

  “This portal nonsense sucks balls.” I say to Jacin as he gracefully steps from the portal and leans down to pick me up off the floor.

  “Well you could learn to do it yourself and then maybe you won’t have this reaction to it.” He simply states.

  “I can do that?” I ask with surprise while pointing to the portal.

  “You are an Enchantress, you will be amazed with what is in your power little one.”

  “Wow, okay! Where do I sign up to learn?” I ask Jacin eagerly.

  “I will speak with Bishop.” He simply states.

  “No thanks, he is so moody and pushy and grumpy and bossy.” I whine out. “And I get enough of that from you.” I tease.

  “Oh, is that so?” Jacin teases me. Laughter coming through on his words.

  I smile back, whatever happen by the fae is momentarily forgotten.

  “Jacin, we need to talk.” Weyland says, interrupting out little banter.

  Jacin looks to him and nods his head, and I watch as Weyland walks off and then disappears into nothing. I stand and stare at the spot for a moment longer. I’m in awe every time I’ve seen them do it. I want to learn how to do that as well.

  “Maybe you should have a chat with Bishop then.” I murmur out to Jacin.

  Jacin’s laughter knocks me from my trance, and I look back to him and smile. I never thought I would see this side of him. And I never could imagine what it would be like to be with him. If only I had never run all those years ago.