Free Web NovelChapter 174: Chapter 174 The Dark Realm
Amber’s POV
We follow the man down a hall I don’t remember from my last "visit" here. Somewhere far away in my mate bond I can feel the panic from my mates. They must have discovered I’m not in our bedroom anymore. I feel kind of bad leaving them at home, but this is something I need to do alone - or as alone I am with my aunt and uncle here. I need to be the one who faces Keres, and they are here as my witnesses and because I can say I didn’t put myself in unnecessary danger.
After walking for a few minutes down numerous halls and around countless corners that resemble each other, we reach a big double door. The man stops and turns with a dissatisfied look on his face.
"If it had been me, you would have been thrown directly into the deepest dunger hole, to never see the light of day again. But alas it is not me who decides your fate." He sighs dramatically before knocking on the door. A voice calls come in, and the man opens the door. I have to control myself when the door opens, because there besides the throne looking chair, are my girls chained to the floor, beaten and cuddling together in fear. They both perk up when I walk in, but are both slapped by a man on each side of them, so they don’t get any ideas - I guess. The anger in me rises, and I nearly see red when their hands make contact with my poor children. I wove to myself right then and there that I will take all of them out, even if it will be the last thing I do.
"Ah! Queen Amber, what a pleasure to see you at my humble home. Do tell me, how did you find my realm? I remember to have sealed every entrance from the upper worlds." Keres says pleasantly. I lift an eyebrow, crossing my arms.
"That is for me to know, and you to never find out. Release my daughters and I’ll be on my way." I answer, skipping all the polite nonsense. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
"Uh, well that’ll be a little hard to do as they are my distinctive guests."
"You always keep your guests chained, beaten and filthy on the floor? Strange." Keres cackles.
"You always have been a rude little thing. I must admit, you fascinate me, Queen Amber."
"And you bore me, Keres. Could we move on to the matter in hand? You kidnapped my daughters, probably because you figured I would come looking for them, so what is it that you want, huh?" Keres taps her chin with a finger, seemingly contemplating how to answer my question.
Before she can answer, someone hisses from the shadows. Willow moves to my side, her eyes narrow. Jax is right behind her, and wraps his arms around her from behind. He whispers something in her ear, and she nods. They both look at me, and Willow mind-links me.
’Narine is here, but she’s angry. Probably because both Jax and I are here. I think she counted on you not wanting your mates with you, and you would either bring me or Abigail with you - she didn’t count on you bringing Jax.’
’How did she know I would ask you?’
’Didn’t your mother tell you? She’s been keeping an eye on you, Maze and me and Jax. She’s waiting for your mother to die, so she can make a move on me and you. She wants Jax, I know that for a fact, but she’ll probably try and convince Maze to join her as well - because she’s that of a narcissist.’ Willow rolls her eyes at me, and I have to swallow my giggle. There’s nothing funny about this situation, but then again, that was actually a little funny.
I look into the shadows once again, and there - there in the corner. There’s a silhouette moving there. Keres watches us, her eyes alight with amusement, as if this is one big game for her. I snort, and send a fragment of my fire in Narine’s way - two can play games here. It lights her up, and I wave with my fingers - a gesture both taunting and childish, but I do not care. For all I know, she was with her mother when my daughters were kidnapped.
"Hello, Narine. How unpleasant to meet you." I say with a grimace. The woman sneers, and does a rude hand gesture my way. She is just as beautiful and dangerous as the last time I saw her - in my prison cell at the cave house. freewebnovel.cσ๓
"Amber. How nice of you to notice me." She answers sarcastically, and I roll my eyes at her. I do not have time for this. This place is so dark I feel the fire in me fight it. It tries to seep through me and suffocate my inner fire, and then a thought slams my mind. The darkness didn’t bother me last time. It was here, and it accepted my presence. What changed? Then I look at Narine and she smirks. Oh, if you think I won’t fight back you have another thing coming. As I’m about to show her just how powerful I am, Jax touches my arm. He shakes his head.
’I feel it too, firecracker. She’s doing this to all of us. Don’t fight it. Let it examine you, let it burn itself on your fire, but DO NOT fight it! Let her believe she won.’ I do as he says, while focusing on my girls again.
"So, Queen Amber. What do you have in mind as a bargain for these little brats? I really don’t want them, but they were nice to have as insurance." Keres says, folding her hands together and leaning forward. I ignore her, and go to my girls. I sit with them, taking them into my arms. I feel how weak they are, and my heart hurts for them. Ignis howls in pain in my mind, and I know I need to get them out of here, whatever the price. I sit for a few minutes, listening to Jax bicker with Keres about politics, rules and unwritten laws between realms. I close my eyes. They are stinging with unshed tears.
I know what I have to do, and I know how much my choice will hurt people around me, but my girls are my everything, and I’ll be damned to let them stay in this godforsaken place.
"You can take me in their stead. You will return my unborn child to my mates when I give birth, but you can keep me here as insurance." Willow gasps, and Jax shakes his head. The tears run freely from my eyes, but the decision is mine.
"I will keep you and the little unborn bastard here."
"You will keep me, return my daughters now and my baby when it’s born. That’s the deal. Take it or not. I will burn this place down with you in it if you refuse me again." I open my eyes and they are glowing with my power. In the shadows I hear Narine scream.
"HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE? YOUR FIRE SHOULD BE..."
"Dead? Dream on bitch." With those words I let my fire lose. I know it won’t hurt my family, and in the confusion ensued from my magic I get the girls’ chains off them, and yell for Jax to take them. He does, and teleports out, trying to take Willow with him, but she lets go at the last minute. She runs to me, engulfed in fire and magic - a deadly and beautiful combination. Keres screams in agony, and through the door streams demons to aid their goddess. I know I can’t kill her, but I sure as hell will make her think twice before ever coming after my family again.
