AN: Well, you guys, this is it. The final chapter. Sorta. There is an epilogue. Thank you, for reading the CotN. If you want more, check into Pearl Drops. There is a tie in between them.
Kearney could feel the eyes of the Inner Circle from beneath their black hoods. She smiled widely, thinking of all the black used continuously. Her father held a tight grip on her elbow. She laughed inwardly. He didn't trust her with this ceremony. She knew what she was doing, though. The Atrox had been giving her instructions. Yes, she knew what she was doing. She let her father think he was in control because that was important to him.
She looked over the Cincti, curious as to which one was Catty's father.
"Why do you wish to know?" One of the hoods called out to her.
"Only to say how good your daughter is. My father knew what he was doing with me," she teased, her smile smug. A replica of her father's. She could feel the hatred wafting off from Catty's father, and she just soaked it all right up.
Shadows moved over her body slowly once she was alone in the middle of the circle. She felt them renewing her, bringing her back to life. They were ready to deliver her to the darkest shadow of them all: The Atrox.
She titled her head up, her eyes cast towards the darkness. The Cincti gathered around her, closing in tightly. She thought about Marquette as they began the ritual.
Procer Obscurum…
Procer Obscurum…
Procer Obscurum.
Procer Obscurum!
Procer Obscurum!
Procer Obscurum!
PROCER OBSCURUM!
PROCER OBSCURUM!
Their chant pounded into Kearney's mind, each word louder than the first. She felt their words, her title, thrum into every fiber of her being. It enticed her, and she loved the sound. She loved the name: Princess of Darkness.
Shadows wrapped fiercely around her, holding her together yet pulling her apart. She cried out softly, wondering for the first time what she was doing. No! She didn't want this! She just wanted to go home…
PROCER OBSCURUM!
PROCER OBSCURUM!
She was wrapped in her own ability, her own gift.
"Mom…I can't do this…"
Kearney held herself by her elbows, crying out as the shadows pulled taut. It wanted her energy, her essence, so bad…
Give in to me, Kearney. I am your master, the one you were born to serve…
"NO! You are not my master!"
She stopped her small whimpers inside as the shadows continued to tug at her. She wouldn't let the Atrox have her energy. She wouldn't give it the satisfaction of taking a Daughter and using her to further itself in its mission against her sisters.
"Ego sum filia lunae. You can't have me!"
The Atrox struggled harder, but she found the comfort of her mom, of her friends, of Marquette, of Aidrian. If it succeeded in taking her, it would destroy the Daughters. She just couldn't allow that.
xXxXxXxXx
"Kearney…"
She opened her eyes. Aidrian stood before her, a soft smile on his lips. "Aidrian, where am I?"
"You're in my realm." A dark and soft voice spoke out in the void. The Dark Goddess stood before the two. Her smile was just as soft as her voice. Kearney found comfort in it.
Finally, it dawned on Kearney. "Am I dead?"
The Dark Goddess touched her cheek. Aidrian took her hand, his eyes bright. She smiled at him. She was safe now.
Yes," Hekate said, then added, "But your enemy lost."
"Why am I here, then? Wouldn't I be with Selene?"
Aidrian squeezed her hand. "Anubis and Selene have realized their mistakes. They're giving us a new chance, Kearney. A chance to be reborn."
The thought of a normal life squeezed at her heart. "Aidrian, I love you, too."
His cocky grin resurfaced, and he crossed his arms across his chest. "I know. It's hard to resist my good looks and charm."
xXxXxXxXx
Marquette woke up, groaning. Her head pounded painfully as she opened her eyes, looking up into Evan's Hershey kisses eyes. Those dark brown lit up with relief immediately.
"When…" She licked her dry, cracked lip. "When did I get out? Where's Kearney?"
Evan sighed, pity filling his face as he was left with the duty of telling her. "She's gone. Both her and Aidrian. Anubis and Selene compromised. She's okay now."
Marquette's bottom lip trembled as she forced down her tears of guilt and regret. "Good. They can be happy now."
He looked towards her mirror, and she did the same, wondering what was so interesting that way. A smile finally twitched at the corners of her mouth. She sat up slowly, lazily running a hand through her hair.
Evan's hand rested on her thigh in comfort before he got up and left her to grieve privately. She sat in her bed a few moments longer before she got up and headed to her vanity table. Her hand hovered above the left pendants before she picked them up. The moon amulet flashed colors from the sunlight as she slipped it over her head, hesitating only slightly to follow suit with the dragon medallion.
"One day, Kearney, it'll be you and me again. We were best friends in two lives, so we'll be best friends in more to come."
