A L M I R A

Chapter 19
Almira Davenport

It was late at night and I couldn't sleep. I had laid in the bed and tossed and turned for what felt like hours. I lit a candle and used it as light to make my way through the castle. Maybe if I roam around and just look at stuff, I'll get tired and go to sleep. I glanced at Calix to see him laying there peacefully. I smiled and walked out of the room.

I scanned the area for anybody that would send me back to my room and smiled when I realized I was alone. This was a good thing, for once. No guards breathing down my back, no Calix bossing me around, no Ambrielle checking on me, no Ashli asking about her wedding.

I was alone. Just me, myself, and I, walking the long, dark, gloomy hallways. It was odd, but it made me
feel a sense comfort knowing I could just do nothing.

I looked at a painting and slightly smiled. The painting was of two little boys, an older woman, and an older man. They all resembled each other, but it soon hit me they were the royal family. Cole, Calix, their mother and father, that was their painting. How long have these pricks been alive?

I walked to the next painting and it was of a teenage Calix and a beautiful girl. She was smiling and so was he. Their eyes showed so much love for each other, it was beautiful. That must have been Circe and Calix.

I continued to look at the other paintings, some of Calix and Cole, others of Calix and his other late mates. One painting caught my eye. It was Calix, but grown up. He wasn't smiling and his eyes were void of emotion. The golden crown was sitting on his head, his hair still perfect nonetheless. He was wearing the royal ceremony clothes, so my guess was it was his coronation painting.

I stepped closer to the next painting which was of only Calix. I felt a draft of cool air come from behind the painting and it caught my interest. Was there something behind the painting? I held my hand up to look for handles or knobs to open the door with. There wasn't anything to hold on to, so I opted for pulling around the golden frame of the painting. Luckily, it opened up and revealed a dark passageway. I debated on going in, wondering if it was something I shouldn't mess with.

Footsteps echoed through the halls and the illuminating light from a candle or lamp lit up the hallway. A shadow of a man was seen through the light and I panicked. I couldn't risk being seen, not now at least. I quickly stepped into the passageway, closing the door behind me. I turned around and followed the little hall to where it was headed.

I stepped into this room and looked around. There were paintings of beautiful women and a smiling Calix to go beside them. An old, wooden desk was in the corner with journals and books sitting on top, and a burn out candle sitting in a candle holder beside the the books.

I took the candle I was holding and lit the other lamps in the wall to brighten up to the room. I sat my candle down and picked up a journal, prying it open. It was old, as the pages had started to turn colors and stiffen. I sat down in the chair behind the desk and began to read the scribbled words on the page.

Circe,
What to say to the love of my life? My beautiful, beautiful mate, Circe, you have changed me as a man. I will admit that. However, words cannot be said about you remaining the same. You, my dear, have changed as well. You used to be so happy until you tasted your first human. I must admit, I often regret turning you. Your bloodthirsty rages are quite the task to handle. Your mesmerizing grey orbs lose their color without warning as you submerge into your hunts for humans. They're as crimson red as blood of those who you seek to slaughter. Enough said about that, I pray you overcome this. I truly do.

I stared at the page for a moment. Calix turned Circe? I thought she was already turned long before Calix and her met. She was a mere human who met her mate and asked to be turned. I escaped my own thoughts and flipped the page to read the next one.

Dear Jezebel,
I thought my world had ended when Circe died. I thought she meant everything to me but I was wrong. She was just a person in my life to show me what love and giving love was like. So, my beloved and precious Jezebel, what would you like to hear from me? Would you want to hear that I can't get you off my mind? Would you want to hear that the way your silky black hair shines under the light never ceases to catch my attention when you're baking? Or maybe you would want to hear that your pastries and desserts are unlike anything i've ever tasted? It puzzles me how you're unaware of all of your beauty and the things you to do to me.

This was all cute but sickening come from the latest mate, me. He must have been deep in love with these women.

Dear Arwen,
What would I do without you? I believed so hardly after living through the pain of losing my other two mates that I would never be happy again, but your stubborn ass proved me wrong. Although sometimes I'd love nothing more than to tie you up and leave you for the rats in the cellar, I couldn't live life without you by my side. Not a single battle or fight would be worth winning if I didn't have you to cheer me on and jump in.

Arwen must have been the warrior one Cole told me about. Calix seemed so fascinated with them. Telling them of how he lost the previous and moving on anyways. Why couldn't he do that with me? Why couldn't he get over their deaths and accept me?

I crumpled to the floor, tears racing down my face. I sounded selfish. I was resenting women I had never even met. How low could I possibly get? I was growing bitter because of all this and I hated. I wanted to be the better person and be fine, why can't I do that?

I turned the page and read the last note.

To my darling Seraphina,
Among all of the other late mates I've had, you've managed to surprise me the most. When I look at you, I don't feel the pain of my other mates. I see you and I'm happy. I'm happy you're carrying our baby, and I'm happy that you're as excited as I am. You never cease to amaze me with your surprises and joyful attitude. I think I would be completely and utterly shattered if I lost you.

Ain't that the truth, I thought. I closed the journal and grabbed another one. I was curious, and after the way he's treated me lately, I have the right to at least snoop around a little bit.

I opened the journal and read the date before looking for a 'dear..." and followed by sappy love stuff. However, I didn't get that.

June 11th XXXX,
Part of me regrets not being completely honest with Cole. Other parts of me remember that I'm doing this so he still has a reason to smile everyday. I don't want him to bear the same burden I have to, not now anyways. He's only been told half the story to my curse, and parts of it aren't even true. He doesn't know that Mother's dark magic affairs are the reason I'm like this, or that Father's choosing of his mate and mimicking the mate bond got me like this. He thinks I was cursed from birth. That's not the entire reason to my chaotic ways and poorly-fated mates. I was cursed from birth, but not just for the hell of it. It was our parents who are to blame. That damn witch said I would suffer an endless amount of times until I felt even a slight chance of what the Goddess felt when our parents betrayed her in more ways than one. I've lost all of my mates to my enemies, is that not suffering enough? The next one will only have the same terrible fate, I can feel it. I might as well just give up on love and happiness. Rule the kingdom and I'll be fine. That's all I need to worry about. That's it.

I set the journal down and sat in the floor for a while, pondering what I just read. What Cole told me wasn't the truth about Calix's date. He doesn't have five chances, it's until the one who ends it all comes along. The one who breaks his curse, until then, they all die.

I feel bad for Cole. He only wants to help Calix, but Calix left him in the dark with only the slightest of a light to what was going on.

I stood up and picked up a box off of the shelf and blew the dust off. Upon opening the box, I was met with the loveliest of jewelries. I picked up a diamond pendant surrounded by silver and more diamonds. It was gorgeous and sparkled under the candlelight.

I set it back in the box before putting it back where it belonged. I dusted myself off and blew out the lamps I had previously lit. I made my way out of the small space, back to the back side of the painting. I pushed against it and stepped out, checking to make sure I didn't get caught. I shut the painting door and made my way back to Calix's room.

I creaked open the door and slid through the crack, blowing out my candle. I crawled back into the bed and laid there, looking at the ceiling.

"So where have you been for the past hour and a half?" Calix asked, not bothering to open his eyes.

"I couldn't sleep so I was roaming the halls," I replied, keeping my eyes focused on the ceiling.

"Alone?" He persisted, turning to me and opening an eye.

"Yeah," I mumbled, turning towards him.

He was quiet for a moment before responding. "Just don't do it again. If you can't sleep and need to walk it off, wake me up and I'll walk around with you."

"Okay," I nodded, grabbing one of the pillows from the fort and hugging it.

We laid there in silence before the curiosity inside of me grew to be too much. Just don't be blunt about it, Mira.

"Hey, Calix?" I began, looking at my hand and I drew little patterns on it with my finger.

"Hm?" He hummed.

"What were your other mates like?" I wondered, looking at him.

"Circe was a human before I met her.  We fell into a deep love, one I think we both drowned in. She asked me to turn her into a vampire, saying she wanted to be with me forever. It sounded promising, so I did, but she had these awful bloodthirsts and would loose control on full moons, and Alastor killed her one night. We often got into arguments, mainly about her bloodlust. Jezebel was an amazing baker. She could bake like no other, her pastries and desserts were always fresh and awaiting me after I got out of the office. She went to get baking supplies to bake for my birthday and Alastor found her and killed her. Arwen and I would always fight together, and sometimes with each other. We were in a battle while taking over land and Wryler took a notice of her. Killed her in front of me. Seraphina and I made it the farthest. She actually managed to bare my child before Wryler kidnapped them and killed both her and the baby."

I laid there, looking at him. Calix was staring at the ceiling, doing nothing.

"I'm so sorry," I muttered, looking at him with sadness in my heart.

He looked at me for a moment before looking back at the ceiling. "Me too."

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