Everson

He heard the melody of his song. He heard it drift through the air like a broken promise. He hadn't heard his song in years. The song tore through him but also made him feel euphoric. It was a strange thing. To feel the agony and the purest bliss at the same time.

Everson was consumed by darkness, he was trapped in a world where could not open his eyes. He could only suffer in silence. He distantly felt fingertips glide across his cheekbones as if the person touching him was trying to memorize every curve of his face. He thought he heard someone crying beside them.

Nyan probably.

She was always too emotional.

He wondered where he was. Why he couldn't open his eyes. He wondered why there was a strange tightness in his chest. He wondered why he could hardly breathe. There was a twisting pain in the center of him. A pain so strong he would scream if he could. But he can't. He is trapped. Trapped in darkness and pain.

And then the pain was gone.

Not fully but slightly. Enough to where he felt stronger. Enough to where his eyes opened slowly. He peered up into five awaiting gazes. His family looked like they were on the verge of crying. They were all looking down at him wide-eyed and crazy. "Why do you guys look like some cult that's about to sacrifice my body?" Ever managed to murmur jokingly through the agony in his chest.

Nyan giggled but he thought he heard a sob mixed in with it. Bash's grip tightened on his brother's arm as if he never wanted to let go. His green eyes gleamed with ... dare he say tears? And a small smile of relief started at his lips. He looked next at Mara who did have tears streaming down her face. Hell, even Kaida looked like she was going sob.

"Geez, did someone die or something?" Ever said, looking at each of them.

"You did," Mara said. "Well, you almost did."

They all looked disgusted at the words. They all seemed so distraught. It was only then he realized where they were. They were in their private infirmary at the Crestwood mansion. Ever frowned. "What happened?" He turned his head and his eyes caught on the gaze of soft brown ones. Octavious slumped against the medical bed beside him, a hand clutched to his chest.

He seemed oddly pale and his eyes seemed red. As if they flowed with sickness. Concern along with panic rose in Everson's chest. What had happened to Octavious? Had someone touched him? Had one of those awful Greers gotten to him? He would kill them. He would hunt them down and kill them all.

"You were stabbed," said Bash in a calm manner. "By Greer."

"And?" If he were stabbed he would have been healed in an hour tops. He didn't understand why they thought he was going to die.

"And, you were stabbed with a Cellaurian blade, Everson."

The word Cellaurian rang through his head like an obnoxious alarm. Cellaurian was a rare stone in the light realm that was poisonous to Devara. It was a stone that the Greer had turned into weapons. But this was thousands of years ago. This was before their ancestors burnt and destroyed them all. How was it possible he got stabbed with one? Why wasn't he dead right now? "Oh," was all he managed to say. "Why am I not dead?"

They all exchanged looks with one another, having a silent conversation without him. They seemed as if they were debating on telling him the truth or not.

"Well, while you were unconscious," Bash started. Ever knew it really meant 'while you were dying.' "Octavious brought up something you mentioned years ago. About your power."

Everson frowned. And then it hit him like a truck. He anxiously turned his gaze to Octavious, he noted his weak posture and the pain in his gaze. He noted the hand that was pressed to his chest as if he were trying to keep his heart from falling out. "What did you do?" He hissed at Octavious.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Nyan interjected, a small line on her brow.

"Why didn't you tell us you could also give your injuries to people? Instead of just taking them," said Mara.

But Ever did not hear them. He was too busy glaring at Octavious in betrayal, in hurt and fear. He could not tear his eyes from where Octavious's hand was on his chest. He couldn't help the fury that erupted through him. The pain. The panic. The guilt. Why would he do this? How did he do it?

"We should leave them," Bash said and of course everyone listened and walked from the room. Leaving Everson alone. With Octavious. That was never good for him. Never.

"Why?" Ever rasped. "How?"

"Does it matter?" Octavious replied, his tone short and distant. In a way Ever had never heard before.

"Yes," he growled. "It does when it means you're fucking poisoned because of me."

"I knew you would do this," Octavious said a bitter smile on his lips and understanding in his eyes. He hated the way he looked at him. He hated how he seemed to see right through him and straight into the depth of his soul. "I knew you would find some way to blame yourself."

"The blame belongs to me, you are poisoned now because of-"

"This was my choice," Octavious interrupted, calmly. "I was not going to watch you die. I could not watch you die. And I remembered what you told me all those years ago about your gift. So I waited until your mind was completely empty and you gave me part of your injury. Just part of it. Not the whole thing."

"You were in my head?" Ever whispered perhaps out of shock.

Octavious's gaze was intense, so deep he could feel the pressure from it in his throat. "Yes."

"You broke our promise." It was a statement, not a question.

Soft brown eyes left his gaze to stare out the ground in guilt. "I had to."

"Not only did you break our promise you made me break our promise." Everson only felt betrayed. And pain. He did not know what to feel. He felt scared. He felt sad. He felt anger. Gods, he really could use a drink.

"I would not watch you die," Octavious said once again, his voice hard, consistent. He leaned over the bed where Everson lied, his hands gripped firmly on the edge.

"But we promised-"

"Promises be damned Ever! Your life was on the line! Did you want me to not help you? did you want me to watch in agony as you screamed and-?" 

"Stop," Ever said. He stared at Octavious in shock. He had never heard such an outburst from him. Something in his chest warmed at his words. He knew he meant them out of friendship, Octavious always did. But he could imagine, he could imagine that the words meant more.

He felt suffocated, he needed air. He needed a drink. Or a cigarette. Or something to get his mind off of the way Octavious looked at him now. He looked at him so intensely, his gaze filled with rage and ... and. he didn't know, he didn't know whether he hated it or loved it.

Before Ever could think better of it, he lifted his hand and touched his fingers to Octavious's chest. He touched the bit of exposed skin that was out from his unbuttoned shirt. Ever watched Octavious's body still as his fingertips touched his soft brown skin. He watched Octavious's eyes flare and his throat bob. A jolt of electricity shot through Evers's fingers and spread out in his entire body with tingles. He looked at the faint scar on his chest. "Are you okay?" Everson whispered.

"I'm fine, just hazy," Octavious whispered back in response, his voice somehow hoarse and restrained. His soft eyes stared into Evers's blue ones. Neither of them dared to look away. A tug in Everson's chest and he knew it was his soul trying to attach itself to Octavious's. As if they weren't already entwined. As if every inch of Evers soul didn't belong to Octavious already. "You should get some rest."

Ever dropped his fingers and shook away the thought from his head. He smirked. "Will do, but is there any chance you could sneak me some vodka?"

***

Avaryn

I had a plan. I figured out how I could get out of here. As soon as the words came from Nao's mouth I knew this was my opportunity. "There is a ball next friday, the new moon ball. It's the only ball the king attends, I mean he is usually there for business with the lords of Arawyn. But he's still there so a lot of people show up. It's very important. It's a special occasion every year. I don't know why it's yearly since there's a new moon every month. I keep trying to tell them... " I didn't hear him after that.

I did not expect him to be a very talkative person but boy was I wrong, he could talk nonsense for hours. Not that I minded it, but it could get exhausting. We were walking on our way to see Nisha in the infirmary. She's much better now, she'll probably be able to walk in a few days.

When Nao said the words I knew it was my chance. The king would be distracted all night, he wouldn't even be worried about me. I could easily just slip away. But I did need a plan on where to go once I was out of the castle. I had no idea where any portals were. I'd have to ask Nisha. I trusted her enough not to tell anyone and she'd have to know if she were going to come with me.

I heard footsteps come from behind us. A soft deceiving female voice spoke from behind us. "Hello, Nao," Roz said, her voice dripping with seduction.

Nao suddenly looked nervous, he cleared his throat and nodded in greeting.  "Princess Roslyn."

Roz placed a gentle hand on Nao's shoulder. "Do you mind if I steal Avaryn for a second?"

My eyes widened at Nao, I begged him with my eyes to make up an excuse.

He stuttered, looking back and forth between Roz and I,  "Uh-We-um ... sure, yeah I don't mind."

I internally screamed at him. Ugh. I did not want to talk to Roz, she freaked me out more than Raiden did.

"Great!" Roz exclaimed and looped her arm through mine, pulling me along down another corridor. She wore a dark burgundy dress that had lace fronts, her hair flowed down her back in dark luscious curls.

"So," she said, "I heard you and Nao talking about the New moon ball."

Oh god.

Why did she have to bring that up? She couldn't have possibly figured out my plan already, right? "Yeah ... "

"Are you going to attend? I'm sure my father wouldn't mind," she said smoothly, her voice full of kindness. 

I stopped abruptly, jerking her back in the process. "Why are you being nice to me? You just threatened me like a week ago."

She waved her hand. "That's in the past, I've moved on."

My eyebrows rose, she was just as charming as her brother, although Roz seemed to not piss me off as much. We walked past corridors and corridors until we made it to a set of tall glass doors. Roz dragged me through them to reveal a sort of garden. Hedges everywhere, flowers, trees, vines. It was like a fairy tale.

There were ponds and fountains, black pillars with gold simmering through them. The smell was extraordinary, like mist and roses with an off scent of honey. I felt my lips form a smile.
"You like?" Roz asked. "This is my garden, while my brother has his foolish art room, I have this."

I turned towards her, narrowing my gaze. "Why are you showing me this?"

She smiled and I couldn't tell if it was genuine or not. Her eyes were sparkling with hope and kindness but I couldn't be sure. I had been mistaken before, Raiden and Roz didn't have the same eyes, I mean they were both black but while Raiden's were dark like the night sky, so dark they were almost blue. Roz's were a chocolaty black, with swirls of gold in the middle. "I was hoping we could be friends."

"You mean after you kidnapped me and threatened me?"

"Don't be rude! I was only following what my father told me to do, and besides, what he plans is for the better,'' She tried to reason. I could tell she actually believed her words.

"You mean colonizing and overthrowing a whole species, even if it means death, for power?" I scoffed and ripped my arm from hers, stunned. How could she possibly believe that was okay? Her father was a monster!

What he was doing was not for the better. It was immoral and disgusting. It was the act of a power hungry man.

I saw guilt weigh her features. She looked down at the grassy ground, her fingers fidgeting in her hands. "Do you even know about your Devara's?" she murmured, quietly looking up at me. Her face had softened, she seemed different than before, more broken and less arrogant.

"Of course I do," I answered.

"Do you know what they did to my family?" she retorted, with raised dark brows.

"Do you know what your father did to theirs?" I snarled back, defensively. She didn't know what she was talking about. She was just trying to turn me against them. I wouldn't fall for it. I wouldnt turn my back against my friends. Her kindness was fake. I knew it.
I turned away from her. "I'll see you at the ball," I snapped and walked out of the garden.

***

I pointed to a spot on the map. "There!" The path led away from the ballroom. "I can take that way when nobody's looking and come find you and then we can take the secret passage I told you about."

After much convincing I finally got Nisha to agree to escape with me. She had said no about a million times, saying I was crazy and that I would get caught and that there was no way she could leave without the king finding out. But I told her my plan. She had been skeptical but I saw the hope in her eyes. She wanted this. And I was almost sure once the Devara's found out what a great person she was they would accept her, Greer or not.

"How do you even know about that passage?" Nisha asked me once again, we were sitting in my room discussing our ideas and plans. 

"I told you, I found it one night by accident while exploring the castle." I was good at a lot of things but I was phenomenal at being a liar, a trait I stole from my lovely father. I didn't know why I felt the need to lie, why I couldn't just tell her the truth. But I somehow figured she would not appreciate how Raiden and I snuck out to see the festival. Even though I had little choice in the matter, it still felt wrong.

"How do you even know the passage will lead outside? What if it leads to the library, or worse, the king's chambers!"

"I guess we'll cross that bridge when we come to it," I lied.

"That's a terrible plan!"

"I have nothing else, Nisha. I can't stay here, I can't. I can't use the Vad against my friends, I won't." I shook my head fiercely. "I completely understand if you want to stay, but I'm going whether you come or not."

She seemed to think about it for a moment, she let out a sobering breath and said, "I'm coming with you."

I grinned down at her. "Okay let's go over it again."

***

"Where did you get this?" Nisha squealed and took out the violet dress from my closet.

The dress I stole.

With Raiden.

I shrugged, feigning ignorance. "I have no idea."

She set it down on the bed gently as if she were afraid it was going to rip. "It must have been one of the other maids." She had the biggest grin on her face looking at it. She ran her fingers across the seams all the while admiring the designs and fabrics.

"If you love it so much, marry it."

She shot me a pointed glare and stuck up her chin stubbornly. "Maybe I will." I chuckled at her and sat on the bed next to her. She put the dress back down. "You're wearing this dress tonight," she stated.

"I don't think-"

"You're wearing it." her voice had a determined edge to it. I looked at the dress. I did love it, I wouldn't have stolen it if I wasn't completely in love with it but it was a bit revealing, low neckline, a slit running up the side, sheer fabric. "It's our last night, might as well go out with a bang."

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I asked her, placing a hand on her shoulder. I didn't want her to feel like I was forcing her to come with me. I wanted her to know she had a choice.

She sighed and looked away from my eyes.

"If you don't want to come that's fine-"

"It's not that, Ryn, it's just ...." she trailed off and when she looked back up at me her golden eyes were filled with tears. I felt my heart tug. "This is all i've ever known, i've never been to the human realm, i have no idea how it works there and what if your friends don't like me-?"

"Thats nonsense, Nisha, they will love you," I assured her. "Maybe not Bash or Kaida at first, but the rest will love you right away, you're an amazing person. They are very accepting, Greer or not."

I wiped the tears from her face and she smiled up at me. My heart warmed. I hadn't known Nisha that long but she felt like the younger sister I never had. Being around her made this cold place feel a little more like home. If she hadn't been here i probably would have lost my mind. I was so grateful for her.

"Thanks Ryn," she whispered and squeezed my hand. I pulled her towards me and wrapped her in a bear hug.

***

My hands were shaking, I had the nauseating feeling of like I was going to throw up. Worse than that, my anxiety was through the roof and I was second-guessing myself. What if our plan didn't work? What if we failed? What would the king do to me if we were caught?What would he do to Nisha?

My heart rate spiked with panic at the thought. I wouldn't let him touch her. Not again, I promised myself.

"You look ravishing," a soft voice said from behind me. I jumped and she chuckled. "I didn't mean to scare you."

I turned towards her, Roz didn't look bad herself. Her dark curly hair had been pinned up in a messy bun with curls falling from it, framing her face. Her dress was the purest of white and flowed elegantly to her.

"Shall we head in?"

I nodded and one of the guards opened the doors to the ballroom. The doors spread open revealing one of the biggest rooms i've ever seen, it was like the Crestwood ballroom but the opposite. Here the pillars that stood around the room were the darkest shade of charcoal, with silver and gold summerging though it, almost making it look like veins. Tapestries hung from every wall each of them with different handmade designs. The floors were made of obsidian just like their city.
"It's marvelous, isn't it?" Roz asked from my side.

There were people everywhere, all dressed in ball gowns and suits. The Greer seemed to never look sad, they were always happy and celebrating, living. Me and Roz walked down the stairs, people looked at us but I assumed they were really looking at Roz, considering she was their princess.

I stayed on the sidelines most of the night. People stared at me but never actually came up to me. I felt awkward doing nothing but what could I possibly do when I knew nobody? I wished Nisha was permitted to attend, at least I wouldn't look like I had no friends.

"Would you like to dance?" a deep voice said from behind me.

I recognized the voice right away and turned towards Raiden. He looked ... not bad. He was wearing an all black suit, with some sort of chain through the front pocket, he had jewelry all over him, his ears were filled with silver earrings, his hands with rings and even a silver hoop through his nose. His dark eyes shined with black eyeliner, he wore it better than any girl could have back home. It made him look ethereal.

His white hair wasn't styled like it usually was, it was messy and ruggish, reaching almost down to his ears in ferocious waves. He grinned and it made dimples appear on his golden brown skin, his smile was wicked and taunting as it always was. His black eyes shimmered and I realized it was because I hadn't said anything, I was just staring. "Enjoying the view?"

"What view?" I retorted. He just chuckled, ignoring my insult like I figured he would. I didn't want to deal with him tonight. I was too stressed as it is, I didn't need him annoying me to add to it. "Leave me alone." I walked away from him, striding in the opposite direction.

"Aww," he whined and followed after me. "There's nothing else to do and our little chats do entertain me, especially when you're bratty."

I whirled around to him. "I am not-!" I cut myself off when I saw his smirk. He baited me, on purpose, and I fell for it. Anger gripped through me, anger more for myself than him.

Why do I let him get to me?

I let out a slow calming breath. "Leave me alone."

"Dance with me."

I will not hit him. I will not hit him. I will not hit him.

He rolled his eyes as if he could hear my thoughts. "Come on, what else do you have to do?"

Nothing. I had nothing to do until about thirty minutes. When the king has his business meeting. I shouldn't let Raiden persuade me. I shouldn't let him bait me. But still as I stared at his extended hand, I suddenly found myself placing mine in it. His ringed fingers closed around my hand, clasping it tightly in a strong grip. He slowly brought me out onto the ballroom floor.

I didn't know how this happened. I wanted to say no to him, I did. But then again I also didn't want to stand by myself all night.
His other arm slid around my waist, I felt my spine straighten at the touch. Warmth spread through me and I realized it was coming from him. He stood at least a foot taller than me. His feet moved perfectly with the music, I remembered when we danced before, how good he surprisingly was.

The scent of spice and cinnamon invaded my senses. Why does he have to smell like that? Why can't he smell gross and musty like normal teenage boys? Was he even a teenage boy? How old was he? Why did I care? I shouldn't even be thinking about him, I shouldn't be interested in him at all. I shouldn't be curious.

I got the sensation of eyes on me. Like someone was staring at me. I looked around and realized everyone was staring at us. My heart rate spurred and I swallowed down anxiety. "Raiden?"

He smiled, that smile that brightened his face, that smiled that confused me. "Mmh?"

"Why is everybody staring at us?"

"Have I told you how lovely you look?" he deflected my question, a flirty smile playing at his lips. His eyes sparkled as he looked down at me. The air had suddenly been sucked from me and a strange flutter ignited in my stomach. I swallowed that right down.

"Don't do that," I growled at him.

"Compliment you?"

"Yes. Don't compliment me."

His grip tightened and he pulled me flush against his chest, so everything was touching. I could feel his hard muscles and the warmth coming off of him.  He leaned down, my heart rate sped up but I did not push him away. His nose grazed the outside of my neck, shivers shot down my body, my breath slowly catching. He whispered, "Whatever you're planning, it won't work."

I froze, everything in me stalling. That wasn't what I was expecting. I carefully processed his words.

He ... knew?

He knew?! 

Fear like I've never felt swirled into me as my heart dropped into my stomach. H-how did he-? how could he even begin to guess-? So many possibilites ran through my head but none of them made sense. Anxiety pulsed through me and I suddenly felt like I couldn't breathe.

"Realx," he murmured against my ear, his grip loosened on my waist and I presumed it was supposed to make me feel safer. "I'm not going to hurt you, I'm just warning you, it won't work."

I pulled away from him, hastily stepping back, not caring we were in the middle of the dance floor. I kept my chin raised high. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Avaryn just listen, he'll retaliate-"

I turned and strode away from him, in the opposite direction, before he could finish his sentence. I couldn't hear it. I- he couldn't know.

He didn't know anything. He didn't know me or how I thought. He didn't know the plan, therefore he didn't know if it would succeed or not. This would work.

It had to.

I glanced at the clock and realized what time it was.

I was late.

I etched closer to the wall and closer to the corner clothed in shadows. I opened the small door, making sure nobody saw and ran through it. This hall would bring me to the gallery which is where I would meet Nisha and go through the passageway. The king would be preoccupied, he would have no idea I was even gone until, at the least, midnight. Giving me and Nisha two hours to escape and find a portal, we decided we don't care what kind of portal, human or light realm as long as we were out of here we can find our way to Crestwood.

I opened the door that led to the hallway of the art room. I looked both ways before stepping out. It was quiet, so quiet I could hear my heartbeat drumming in my chest. I assumed there were no guards around. I rushed across the hall and in through the door to the gallery. The gallery was pitch black and not usually lit up like it always was. "Nisha?" I called into the dark room.

Goosebumps pricked my skin and a weird feeling spurred through me, I've always hated the dark.

She should be here by now.

A strange tingle crawled across the back of my neck. Something wasn't right. Something felt ... off.

I walked forward, my foot skidded as I walked through something slippery. I caught myself on the wall before I fell.

What the hell?

I fumbled for a light for a few minutes before I found a switch and flicked it on. I knelt down to see what I stepped through. I felt bile rise in my throat as my eyes focused on what it was.

Blood.

It was blood!

Crimson red blood pooled on the floor. My heart froze, everything froze and it was like I had left my body, like this wasn't happening. It all just felt like a bad nightmare as I slowly lifted my head up.

I screamed, or at least I thought I did, I couldn't tell, everything was fuzzy.

Pinned up against the wall with two swords in her chest was Nisha.

I clasped a hand against my mouth trying to silence the bile that rose in my throat.

It was Nisha's blood.

Blood.

Nisha was dead.

She was dead.

Dead.

She was in front of me.

She was dead.

I stared at her, the emptiness that came with it was ... calm.

The emptiness was calm.

Everything went silent and the only thing left was the sound of my heart beat slowing. The sound of my body shutting down as it began to panic. As I lost all hope.

Until the sound of it slowly drove me crazy.

I sucked in a sharp breath as I realized the situation in front of me. Screams ripped from me, I didn't care who heard, I screamed, and screamed and screamed. "Nisha!" I cried and rushed to her but my foot slipped in the blood. I stumbled back, falling to the ground in the process. I screamed because I didn't know how to feel the agony running through me. The pain and shock. The feeling of having something and then not the next second.

My whole body erupted in tingles, tingles of grief and torture. I pushed to my knees, it was too much. I couldn't take it. It was too much. My eyes didn't leave her, It was the worst thing i'd ever seen in my life and yet i couldn't look away.

No no no no no no. This couldn't be happening.

She was dead.

Nisha was dead.

No no no.

Cries blurted from my throat as grief threatened to drown me. I was suffocating. I couldn't breathe. It wasn't real. This couldn't be real. If i walked out of here right now, Nisha would be in my room. She would be in my room getting clothes ready for us to leave. She couldn't be here. It-it wasn't right.
I thought of her soft smile and her beautiful hair, I hadn't known her long but she felt like family.

Oh god.

Family.

Did Nisha have a family? She never talked about a family but then again I never asked. Did a family just lose their daughter? Did a brother just lose his sister?

I suddenly felt like I was going to throw up. I looked away from her staring at the ground.
This was sickening.

I felt arms wrap around me but I could barely feel them. They were in the back of my mind, they didn't matter. They pulled me to my feet but I didn't care. I didn't care about anything but Nisha. The arms shook me, my shoulders, my face. A voice yelled at me in the distance but it was far away. Very far away.

I forced myself to look back up at her.
How could he have known? How could the king have known?This-this was him. He did this. He killed her. Hatred burned through me. Hatred so strong it buried deep within me, it filled through my body erupting like fire. An emotion I could only describe as murder rushed through my veins.

I would kill him.

If it was the last thing I did ...

... I would kill The Shadow King.

•••

I'm so sorry if you hate me don't worry I hate me too 😭 any ways I hope you all enjoy and have a nice day☺️

Don't be shy, tell me your opinions. 🤭

Do you like the new cover? (You can say no)

Also if any of you happen to know how to make covers you can make me some if you want I suck at it ✨

I kinda like writing these little notes. For some reason I be feeling like radio rebel or some shit BYEE 🏃🏻‍♀️ Anyway goodbye my loves ! 🖤