Yet the people in this room watch me with something akin to worship, why? They should stare at Nos like that, he led them there. Or Dume, who waded into the nephilim and killed them. Or Aska, for bringing the sleeping council back when no one else could. Or Griffin, who underwent torture, pain, madness, and now betrayal to stop the men responsible. Or even Jair, who stayed strong through the worst thirst to try and stop them. To free the people who willingly helped me.
They deserve this. Not me. I never wanted to lead anybody, I just wanted revenge.
Actions have consequences, my child. These are yours, your chance to make a difference. Do not fail or all will be lost, seek those who hold the key. Those of the old world. Make them new again and help them defeat the darkness. Only when the bloodlines are filled will your people be safe.
The voice floats to my mind and I whip my head around, searching for the person responsible, examining the sea of people, but no one stands out and it’s clear no one else heard it. So, who was it?
And what did she mean?
You will learn in time. Until then, unlock the secrets of your mates’ past, for they hold the truth. We will be watching, fate chosen.
I’m so distracted by the voice that I don’t even realise we have reached the golden throne. It’s not my style, too…over the top. If I sit, I know I’m making a promise. To help these people, to protect them even with my life if needed. It’s a lot of pressure and responsibility, but when I look back to my mates, they are there.
Every single one of them is watching me, waiting. Willing to follow me into this new test. I’m not alone. Never again, not even now. Turning back to the throne, I lower my voice so only Lucy can hear me.
“Is this forever?” I whisper.
“No, they chose you, but it’s a democracy. There will be other council members, there are laws and traditions to follow, but I always hated those, so I’m fast-tracking this,” he murmurs.
“Why?” I ask, looking to the devil beside me.
“Because today you did more than any ever has, including me. I’ve been walking this world for a long time, sleeping and then awakening to cause chaos and bloodshed. I was warned once to make the right choice, and this feels right. Little walker, you are the future. I feel it now. It’s time the old is tossed aside and new blood leads. I will be there throughout it all.”
“Waiting to see if I fail so you can kill me?” I grin.
“Yes,” he replies with no remorse. “My duty.”
“You don’t seem like a person who follows that a lot,” I counter, glancing back at the throne.
“Only when it suits my needs, like now.”
“And what’s your need now?” I whisper, swallowing hard.
“To keep you close.” He takes that last step to the throne and helps me sit. Once there, he bows, his red eyes on me as he kisses my hand. “We have much to do, little walker, enemies to stop and monsters to kill. After that…let’s just say you might have wished you had walked away when you had the chance.”
He steps to my left side then, and views the faces before us, all waiting for explanations, for help. For me. I look to my mates and they surround me and the throne. Their hands touch me as much as they can, offering their silent support and aid as I swallow and tilt my chin up.
I wonder if Amos saw what he had created when he looked at me, a chance for change, but not in the way he wanted...did he hate me because of that or because he couldn’t control me?
I suppose it’s no good delving into the past now, since all I have left is the future. The hope that I can do better, help these people any way I can.
In that moment, watching their faces as they look at me...I feel my hate tapering away, replaced by something else. Something so much stronger. Something so much more filling and beautiful.
Love.
Rage often blends with hate, but love? Love can so easily bloom from the darkness, or the other way around. I guess it’s time to see where it can take me.
After everything that happened, Lucy instructs everyone to search the castle for their people. Anyone they can’t find is to be reported to us, and we will either find them or determine what happened to them. We have Amos and Gabriel’s lab, and Titus’s room to go over. We will split it between us, since Dawn doesn’t trust anyone else. We also need some new guards and, well, the rest of the council. Lucy asked Dawn for her opinion as head of the council. She looked to Nos and grinned, mentioning she had some ideas, but not who as of yet.
All the bloodshed, power, and death has tired everyone out, and with the decree that the crowning ceremony will happen tomorrow and then work to solve everything will commence the following day, Lucy dismisses everyone. There is some grumbling, but Nos works to assure them and speaks with the leaders of the groups.
Dawn talks to the women and the monsters she found in the dungeon, offering to let them stay at the mansion if they have nowhere to go. A few chose to leave to head back to their old lives, but more than half chose to stay. Their old lives are gone, and they don’t have anywhere to go—plus, like myself, they seem to be drawn to Dawn. They recognise a leader and the understanding in her, she is like them. She bled and almost died for them, which creates a whole lot of loyalty, more than any crown ever could.
She doesn’t even realise it, but she already has an army under her roof, ready to die to protect her.
Once the room is cleared, she slumps against me. I wrap my arms around her and hold her up. The once gold room is coated in blood, bodies, and death. I look around and she does the same, a startled laugh bursting from her lips.
Griffin glances over at the sound, spots what she’s looking at, and winks. “I always thought this room needed redecorating. Love what you did with the place, Vasculo.”
She grins and then sighs, snuggling closer. “Tired, my love?”
She yawns. “I guess a revolution can take it out of a person.”
“There are plenty of bedrooms, Little Monster,” Nos offers, as he bids the last person goodbye and heads her way.
“Ugh, yes, but what did they do in them? If I could, I would burn this whole place to the ground,” she mutters.
“You could.” Lucifer shrugs as he strolls around, seeming to enjoy all the blood and death. “Pricey though, but if you wish to sleep somewhere this council never touched, there is the sleeping court’s wing. They were unable to even access it, so rest assured nothing will have happened there...well, not by them anyway. I know I personally turned one room into a massacre a couple hundred years ago.” His eyes go far away as he smiles. “Ah, so much blood, that was a good day.”
“You know what? That actually sounds good.” She sighs.
He blinks and looks over at her with a grin. “I also happen to have a torture room in that wing, in case you would ever like to play with my toys,” he rumbles, and she shivers against me.
I look to Dume to see him watching them too. We are all wondering if they are mates. I mean, I thought they were with the way she needed his touch, but then he seems aloof. I guess only time will tell.
“Follow me. I will grant you access, then I will prepare for tomorrow. I do have to complete the ceremony according to our laws, or others will have grounds to challenge you. That doesn’t mean they won’t, but they will have to do it by other means…” He shrugs. “Then we can discuss putting an acceptable council in place.”