Chapter 20

She smiles tightly at me, sitting down in the seat next to mine. I give her my best attempt at a warm smile, "it's been ages, Rory, darling."

She nods her head, clearing her face of genuine emotion, stealing herself for the conversation to come. She briefly looks out the one of the many clear glass windows, staring at one of the intricately beautiful willow trees, watching the leaves wave at the breeze.

She smiles lightly, resting her hand on the surface of the polished wood table, "it's been an age since anyone has seen me." Her look is far off, as if her mind is trapped in the past and the empty shell of her body sits still before me.

I hum, tapping my fingers in a steady rhythm, waiting for her to continue. The woman seems fine enough, similar to a lot of other Varsillians, nothing special. I really have nothing to say to her.

She sighs, running her other hand through her ashy white locks of hair, " I have had to face the very real fact that I cannot be trusted and neither can my house. This is a tricky life we lead, as you know," she tilts her head in my direction, that smile on her pale lips wavering ever so slightly, her voice picking up as she talks at an even pace, "Ravenna Nivirah laid waste to my house two hundred years ago. We haven't recovered and I fear that we never will. Should this war go south, few of us will survive."

Rorys fingers tighten around her knee, the hand on the table clenching slightly. Her eyes get this far off look again and she glances away from me, her lips pursing and her breathing picking up just a touch, "I," she takes a deep breath, still avoiding my piercing gaze, "I need resources. And an alignment with the Aculiacs." She rubs her tongue absentmindedly across her dried lip.

I hold back a smile, "Haley?"

Her eyes explode with a barely restrained, "she's decided it best to ignore me."

I'm surprised she's here, with me. Most likely knowing about last night. There's no way she didn't know I was in her twins head.

I remember my twin bond fondly, but it was annoying when I tried to do anything remotely dangerous or anything that made my pulse spike. It's why, after Bex and Ravenna, we had often shared lovers.

When Rory braves up the courage to look me in the eyes somewhat tentatively, sparks irrupt, her eyes hold a sort of fire that makes her less common than I had thought she was. My own eyes a bleeding darkness of adamant, hold off the flames in hers, putting a stop to the the fire that's sure to consume it's path. Her voice grows dark as she speaks next, getting a little desperate at my moments of silence, "my people need you."

She lights up in her fury, her eyes sparking, her skin turning a dark red in some places. At her words I grin. It's not a nice grin full of genuine kindness, no, it's dark and wicked and it's one of those expressions that tells you that I'll eat you alive. That you don't stand a chance.

My face hasn't shifted once, my eyes remaining a cold violet hue, matching the sunset, "I never liked you sister. I never like you. You were always nipping at Rebekah's heels. I loath every part of you," my eyes flutter closed as a sigh overtakes me, "and although every facet of you disgusts me, I'll give you access to the Ordivine coal mines and you can be the first to profit from the Vheima trade agreements that will be signed in New Orleans in a few months."

Her eyes dim as her anger and passion fades. She nods at me, new found respect in her gaze. I don't really hate her, I admire her for coming to the girl she believes is her enemy and setting her pride aside for her house.

I wish I could just bring myself to do anything but glower at her. She pulls one of her knives out, sliding her palm. I do the same and we shake, sealing our promise.

She just wrote me a blank check, hoping that I won't destroy her. Putting faith in me that she has absolutely no reason for.

In a silent that only bares the cold, wynter, wind I speak up in the deafening chorus of the nothingness, "Welcome to the war, Rory Nivirah."

Our hands unlink and our cuts heal as our bodies healing systems kick in. A smell of sulfur is left in the air as I get up and walk away, leaving Rory Nivirah to do whatever Rory Nivirah usually does at sunset.

I walk out of the castle, leaving those suffocating walls behind as I head into the forest and disappear in a cloud of purple smoke, landing on a rocky coast in a shower of sparks.

I can't feel the rocks beneath my feet, but I can feet the skin on my feet tearing open as I walk to the sandier part of the area.

The world is bathed in a glow of purple and red light clashing. The sky is falling and the stars are coming up as everything changes from a violent clash of color to a hushed, silent and cold, darkness.

After traversing the rocky area I sit down in the sand, feeling it shift beneath me as I prop myself up and stare at the sky.

These shores will be bathed in blood soon and I can't help but wonder if this Flame forsaken world is worth the storm that's heading our way.

I have something to lose now. I'm so foolishly stupid, but I'm attached to people. After pulling Dravens strings fit so long, I never actually saw him as a person, but now I can't help it.

And Leander, I never thought a Night could be so kind and goofy and charming, but he is. He is all of those things and more.

I'm seeing these two as people, not pawns and I know it's going to hurt. It's going to hurt like the Hells. I'm never going to die, but someday they will.

I press a hand to my chest and I feel this ache that's so bone deep I feel a tear sliding down my porcelain cheek.

I'll fail them, just like I failed Irene and Lyra and Rebekah. I even failed Ravenna in many ways, cruel as she was.

I bend over on my knees, no longer looking at the stars and I cry silently into the ground, rocking myself on the sandy beach as I try not to drown in the endless sea of agony.

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