(QNA answers coming next chapterrr) 

Hyperion POV 

Darcy held my hand, rubbing his thumb over my own. His hair was neat, parted down the middle and brushed. His normal, messy, ash-stained white button down had been replaced by a grey one, a silver chain connecting the collars. A deep maroon tailcoat covered him, a black corset holding it together. He looked beautiful.

"C'mon,  Peri." He said, pulling me into the doors of the hall. 

White marble pillars lined the huge room. A long table sat at one end, the door we had just come through at the other and, in between, the emperors stood and chatted, dances, cast wary looks at Evangeline and the skeletons lining the walls, all holding a sword, spear, or other weapon.

"FUCKBUCKET! DUMBASS!" A strong Iwyan accent broke over the crowd's yells. "OVER HERE!" 

I looked up, seeing the tall figure of Aeron dancing with Caspian to the slow, romantic music. His  long hair was tied in a neat knot on the top of her head and her shoulder was home to Caspian's head as they slowly swayed in time with the music.  They're my OTP I swear to god. 

"You look slay!" Darcy smiled, looking the pair of lovesick idiots up and down. "How long did it take you to sort your hair out?" 

Aeron chuckled , shaking his head and hugging Caspian. "It took two people and a god to sort out. How long did yours take?" 

"It took five minutes contact with his greatest fear; a comb." I said, voice low and mysterious. Darcy punched my arm, only causing me to break out into a fit of giggles. 

"So, we have news." Caspian said, looking up at Aeron before back at the two of us. Me and Darcy looked at each other, confused. What news? What the fuck could crack that cheesy of a smile out of Mr 'Cold Bastard' Delwyn? 

Aeron nodded, the nerdy smile still on her face as both of them showed us their left hands. 

"YOU'RE FUCKING ENGAGED??" 

Caspian giggled. "Shushhh! We haven't told anyone yet!" He smacked Darcy's arm. 

Darcy and Caspian giggled together. I looked up at Aeron, putting an arm around my best friend. "Glad you found someone, Aero. They'll be better than... you know who." 

Aeron's face fell, before it returned to it's usual line of emotionlessness. "Speaking of them, do we know where Skye is? Or how he is?" 

He would always do this, change the subject. Nine years it's been since that happened, but it feels like yesterday to me. 

A knock on the door. I lifted Gabriela off my lap, placing her beside Isabella and making my way to the door. Sliding the key into the lock, I pushed the handle down, staring into the face of Darcy, who was supporting an injured Aeron. 

His eyes were filled with tears, black hair dripping from the storm outside. Blood covered the right side of his face, but that was nothing compared to the blood covering Aeron. 

"Uh, Isa? Take Veronica and Gabi into the playroom-" 

Isabella grabbed our younger sisters, taking the, into the furthest room from the living room. 

"What the hell happened, Darc?" I asked, pulling them in and out of the storm. "Are you OK?" 

"I'm fine, ish. Get Aeron some warmth though, she's been out in the rain for Gods know how long." Darcy said, carrying Aeron in and laying him on the sofa. Upon closer inspection, his body was covered in scratches and scars, and she was barely clinging to consciousness. 

"ISA! I NEED A BLANKET AND MED KIT!" I yelled, voice cracking with the tears that tugged at the corners of my eyes and the lump forming in my throat. 

Isabella ran in, tossing me a blanket and running to the island to get the med kit.  Her caramel hair whipped around her as she ran back to me, passing me an antibacterial wipe and bandages. Her brow was furrowed in concentration as the rain roared at the windows. "Get that cleaned up, Darcy." 

I nodded at Darcy, telling him, nonverbally, to show me his wound.

He rolled up his sleeve, presenting me with a deep wound. "Isa, can you deal with Aeron?"

She nodded, rushing over. I bandaged Darcy's wound, looking into his face. "What did you do?"

Darcy wiped a thin stream of blood from his nose, sniffling. Tears streamed down his face and I dreaded the worst. Was it Skye, or Rowena, or even Lira?

But it was none of them.

"It's... it's Aeres..." 

Even now, I see the tears in Aerons eyes as he remembered what happened. But her emotions were cut short by Evangeline clinking her fork against a goblet.

"Come, my fellows. Sit down, enjoy the meal!"

Me and Darcy looked warily at each other before moving forward and taking seats. I sat, Ari to my left and Darcy to my right.

Darcy shrugged, grabbing a serving spoon and getting himself a huge scoop of potatoes. The other emperors followed suit, grabbing chicken, ham, pies, pastries, and other succulent treats.

I loaded up my plate, digging in and elbowing Darcy, pointing at Alfie. Specifically at the band on his left hand. "Looks like Caspians not the only one to be engaged."

Darcy smiled. "When you gonna ask me?"

I froze, potato half way to my mouth. I did have a time and place planned, don't have me wrong, but the abruptness of that question scared me.

Tsuki was opposite me, chatting animatedly to Pri about something they had found in the cliffs of Mezalea.

"A toast!" Evangeline said, standing up and raising her goblet. "To Empires, and a time of... unity." She smiled. A smile that sent chills down my spine. A smile that could only mean trouble.

"To unity!" Echoed up and down the table.

"Oh, and one more thing, before I forget." Evangeline said, still smiling, and still stood up.

"I put poison in one of your goblets."