The world was raining down on her. She had left Tobias hours ago, telling him she was tired and had to go to sleep. And, for a while, she believed her own lie. But when she got into bed, shedding off her clothes and not giving Rosalie the opportunity to help her undress, her eyes didn't leave the windows. It was thundering horribly, the rain pouring down so hard that she could barely hear her own breaths. It never rained like this in her village – before it even hit the ground, it would be ice. As she watched the rain drops race down the glass, she could still hear the words in her head.
I know how much you like velvet.
The thundering was getting so powerful that her bed would shake every time a string of lightening would flash. It was as if the universe was speaking to her, warning her that danger was coming.
Even if she did find out, she wouldn't care.
Her fingers were shaking. Was she afraid of lightening? She questioned. She had never thought about it, she had never even imagined what being in a thunderstorm would feel like.
You can even have me right now.
Or maybe it was the rain, she thought. The thought of being outside at this moment made her feel like she drowning. She shivered as she looked at the puddles that was starting to gather outside, wondering if it would wash her away. She wondered if they would pull her down and take her with them as they trailed down the porch.
This is every Lord's dream, is it not?
How long would it be before anybody noticed she was gone? Minutes, hours, days? Would anybody ever find her if the water took her away, drowning her? Or would she just be replaced?
I'm going to mist you into thin air and smile as your blood turns to rain.
And then she was sitting up, panting as she gripped her throat. She couldn't breathe, she thought. Her heart was beating fast, as if her chest was about to explode. Quickly, she jumped out of the bed, not even bothering to put on regular clothes as she left her room. She felt her feet bang against the cold floorboard as she ran, her body becoming numb with every step. But she felt the wind on her face, the heat rising in her body. Without noticing what she was doing, even registering what was going on, she opened the double doors in front of her.
It was still raining. She couldn't even hear the clicking of the doors because it was thundering so loudly.
"Selene?" The room was larger than she had pictured. It was twice as big as her bedroom, and the windows took up a whole wall. Her eyes wondered around the room, trying to digest every feature. The large dresser, the king-sized bed that had a satin comforter on top. In the corner, facing the window, there were two leather chairs and a coffee table. Beside it was a pitcher of water and a tray of crackers. Parallel to the bed was a large fireplace with burned out coals.
"What's wrong? Selene, look at me!" And then she looked in front of her. Tobias was lingering only a few feet away from his bed. As the lightning flared, she could see him perfectly. For the first time since she met him, he looked vulnerable. His round eyes were filled with confusion as he looked over her, mixed with a hint of anger. Though he wasn't wearing a shred of clothing, he didn't seem to care. His nose flared, but not towards her.
"Is someone in the castle?" He asked sharply, his voice barely audible over the thunder. "Are you in danger?" He walked around her quickly, slamming the door shut. Her eyes, wide with bewilderment, stayed on him.
"No…" She said emptily, her eyes wide. "I don't…" But she couldn't finish her sentence. The ferociousness that had filled his face drained away. He grew closer to her, pulling her chin up. His eyes nailed on her stonily.
"You look terrified," he said, almost to himself. "Tell me. For once, tell me what is going on with you." And she couldn't explain it, but something in his eyes were unforgiving. Whatever he was thinking about, whatever his thoughts were filled with, he looked merciless.
She opened her mouth, ready to speak, but then she kissed him. It wasn't perfect, and it wasn't sexy, but her lips were rough when she reached for his. For a moment, he broke away. His eyes ran down on her, on her body, on her eyes, as he inhaled raggedly. She was about to say something, possibly even apologize, but then he pulled her towards him rougher and his hands grasped her tightly. And for just a moment, it was only them. She didn't feel the thunder shaking the floorboards, she didn't see the lightning as it lit up the room. All she could feel was his lips grip onto hers hungrily, as if he couldn't decide if it was real or not. As if he was still trying to decide if he was dreaming this or if she had truly wandered in his room.
After her hands began to tangle in his hair, making him groan, he pulled away once again, looking down at her in amazement. As her hands slid onto his bare chest, she could feel his heart beating nearly as hard as hers. For a moment there was a quietness, just looking at each other wildly, and then she could feel it. She could finally feel what he was talking about when he first met her – like there was a fire spreading inside her that came from his body, as if the motivation and furiousness to keep her wings, to fight for her beliefs, to reject her village, actually came from him. The anger that forced her to fight was just his anger speaking to her, fueling her, consuming her at a distance. Telling her to put all of her rising fears, all of her doubts, in a fire of wrath and burn down the whole world before she let it touch her.
"You were always with me," she rasped. "Even before I met you, I could feel you. You were the voice inside me telling me to fight." And that was how it started. That was when she slammed her lips into his again, pushing him onto the bed, letting his hands run over her. She peeled the thin night gown off, letting herself be free of the fear she had. With every touch, she felt him. And unlike what she thought she wanted, what she believed would be her first time, he wasn't gentle. He didn't fondle her or go slow. He grabbed onto her roughly, pushing his body weight on top of her. He continued by first putting in his fingers until she started to moan and then thrusted inside of her so deeply she screeched. But as she adjusted to the pain and started to feel the pleasure, she realized she was doing the same thing. She realized she was scratching him, pulling his hair, biting his neck. She realized that she was telling him to go harder, to not stop, to not be gentle. She never realized that maybe the reason she was so hesitant to do it before was because she didn't want to do it gently. She didn't want to be stroked like a breakable doll or to be constantly asked if she was okay. She liked the feeling of barely being able to breathe and feeling the harshness, the emotion, in a physical manner. That's why she loved him, she realized. She was addicted to his fury, his rage. And she wanted to feel it in her bones, in her body. She wanted it to burn through her and make her feel like it was too late to stop. That control was no longer an option. And that's what made her climax. All she could feel was the fire that was burning between them, feeling it rise inside of her, and she made sure that Tobias knew it.
"Release your wings," he growled, pulling her on top of him. And at first she was hesitant. But then her wings swung out and he ran his fingers against them greedily. Not softly, not trying to make them shiver, but as if to feel their strength and roughness. That they weren't made out of fragile feathers, they were made out of skin and bone and blood. And though he didn't touch them hard enough to cause any damage, he wanted to feel their resilience. It was unlike anything she had ever imagined – most men were extremely cautious of people touching their wings, almost like they were afraid of them, but to her they were different. They were the strongest part of her, they were made to be a weapon. And somehow he knew that.
"Selene," he breathed after a moment, his fingers falling to her waist and clawing her to the point she seethed painfully. "You're mine." And then he pulsed inside of her, not daring to let go until he was done. Finally, he released her, letting her fall next to him. As her head hit the pillow, she exhaled harshly. His eyes were closed when she looked back at him.
"I feel like I'm in ecstasy," he said, his voice ragged. His eyes fluttered open. "You're perfect. Absolutely fucking perfect, you know that?" And as she looked at him, and herself, taking note of all the bite marks and blood that had been drawn on the both of them, she reflected a smile.
"That felt like…" She began, and he let out a breath.
"Like fire," he finished. "Like fire burning between us." And just like that, she nuzzled into him, feeling his warmth. He was warmer than usual, she realized. Maybe, just maybe, it was real fire. She rested her eyes, listening to his breaths. They began to slow, though they were still deep and desperate for air.
"Stay with me tonight," he urged. "I don't want to sleep without you. Never again." And she knew he meant it by the way his arm went around her body and his legs tangled around hers. It was like he didn't want to let go, like he never wanted to leave this moment. And she didn't either. It was like Tobias had unlocked something in her that she didn't know existed – a part of her that had been trapped for far too long.
"But I have to do something important tomorrow," Tobias interrupted emptily. "Something important." Selene, not truly digesting his words, still lost in the previous moment, nodded lazily.
"Okay. I'll make sure to pack tomorrow morning as soon as possible," Selene said, an abnormal amount of glee filling her. But he was quiet, letting her words linger in the air uncomfortably.
"I think it would be good if you stayed," Tobias replied softly. Selene looked up at him, trying to meet his dark eyes. He wouldn't look at her - he just stared at the wall in a ghostly manner, as if he was looking a million miles away. It was so scary, she thought, how quickly Tobias could open up and then close himself back up without a single warning.
"But, Tobias-" His head shifted to her rapidly. She was quiet when his thumb reached her cheek, stroking her lightly. It wasn't a loving stroke though, she realized. It was like he was ticking, slowly ticking. And the feeling of his thumb on her cheek reminded just how close she was to the bomb that was about to set off.
As he scanned her, his face tightened.
"Don't," he whispered sternly, making her catch her breath. "Don't ask why, don't ask me where I'm going. Don't ask me anything. Just let me live in this moment, Selene. Don't make me think about tomorrow." Selene was quiet for a moment, her eyebrows furrowed down. A chill was going down her spine as her eyes ran him up and down.
"Okay," she breathed. Before she could give him the option to reply, she put her head on his chest and listened to his slow, even breaths. "I won't."
~*~ discidium ~*~
The next morning, Selene woke up in an empty bed. She didn't know when Tobias left but clearly he had left without saying goodbye, or even leaving a note. Ignoring the empty feeling that was occupying her chest, she slowly rose from the bed. It was oddly quiet as she stepped out of his bedroom, as if she was truly the only person at the estate. Normally she wouldn't have felt so lonely, but no servants were to be seen and she felt like she had been abandoned. A part of her yearned to get breakfast, but then she heard something. A creek.
"Tobias? Are you still here?" She asked, her voice echoing down the hall. When nobody replied, she paced towards the noise. She turned a corner, listening to the creeks as they continued, and she began to realize that it was coming from her bedroom. But as soon as she took a step into her room and took in the person that was on her bed, she stumbled backwards.
"Well, well, well. Only a while ago you were telling me that you weren't cut out for the royal life but look at you now - you're unrecognizable." Jameson was at the edge of her bed, his body leaning against one of the posts on the bed charismatically. After she had seen him, he had rarely crossed her mind. His white-blonde hair and his lively green eyes stuck out hauntingly though, and all it did was remind her that she wasn't made to be here. That she wasn't supposed to be here at all.
"How did you…how did you even get in here?"
"That's a story for another time," Jameson crooned, waving his hand dismissively. "Point is, I have business with you, Lady Selene."
"No," she said breathlessly, her eyes widening. "No, no, no! You don't have business with me. You don't have anything with me. You have to leave. Now." But Jameson merely smirked at her, looking her up and down. His eyes were twinkling brightly.
"Why not?" He asked. "Leon is out, Tobias is out. It's just you and me." Serene shook her head fast, taking a step towards him.
"It is not just you and me," Selene said, forcing her shrilled voice to become a whisper. "Wait, how do you even know that?"
"I do my research," he said smugly. Selene shook her head in disgust. As her eyes stayed on him, she began pacing.
"This can't be happening," Selene said aloud, her breathing seeming shorter, "This-this isn't okay! I have to get you out of here. Tell me, has anyone seen you?"
"Oh, I'm not here to interrogate you. There's nothing to fear," Jameson reassured. But Selene snarled at him.
"It's not you I'm afraid of you, you daft imbecile. It's…Rosalie is here somewhere, watching me. Waiting for me to fuck up so she can swoop in." Jameson's eyebrows perked up, mildly interested.
"Rosalie?" Jameson said, his smirk dropping. "Tobias'sRosalie? You can't trust that bitch. She's devious." Selene's eyes narrowed on him.
"Firstly, she is not 'Tobias's' anything," Selene hissed. "Secondly, no shit she's devious. Hence, why you need to leave." He pondered this for a moment.
"That would be a smart move," he mused thoughtfully, partly to himself. "Catch you with me in a room, tell the High Lord it's an affair, get you thrown out and my head on a stick. It would be taking out two birds with one stone." Selene glared at him coolly.
"Let me guess, she doesn't favor you either?"
"I was the first one to call her out on her bullshit," Jameson explained evenly, as if he hadn't even heard her snarky tone. "Tobias never believed me of course." Selene's eyes fell to the ground.
"Well, he believes you now and it's all my fault that she isn't gone," Selene mumbled bitterly. Jameson moved off the bed, inching towards her.
"He believes me?" Jameson said, his head tilted. "Bloody hell, what could've happened that would have made him-"
"Does it matter?" Selene snapped. "Point is, you have to leave." Jameson smirked.
"But then you'll never know why I'm here, will you?"
"No offense, but I really don't care why you are here."
"Well, then I'll just get to the point," he said, getting off the bed and walking towards her. "Your husband is about to make a very grand mistake." She tilted her head at him, her eyes filled with impatience.
"Then maybe you should stalk him and not me," she retorted. But then Jameson kept walking towards her and didn't stop until he was a few inches away. A chill went through her body as she felt his breath hit her lips, but she resisted the urge to back away.
"Please, Selene," he said, his voice breaking. "Come with me. Give me one shot. Just one." Selene took a step back, shaking her head.
"I don't trust you," she confessed. "You're a…" But the look in his eyes. It changed from an appealing playful glint to a face filled with desperation. What had happened to him since they last talked? She wondered. She remembered that majority of his people had been killed and his home was practically in ashes, but Jameson seemed to have a plan when he left. He didn't leave the castle looking like he failed. If anything, he left looking victorious.
"Ten minutes," she said, wiggling her finger at him. A smile stretched across his face. "Ten fucking minutes to share your stupid argument." His eyebrows perked up playfully.
"What if I just show you?" He asked. Her lips pressed together impatiently.
"How are you going to show me?" She asked. But then he gave out his arm. She scowled at him.
"You want to winnow me out of here?" She asked. "And what if you kidnap me?" He shrugged nonchalantly.
"If I did, it would be a hell of a lot better than this black corpse of an estate," Jameson said, reflecting a smirk. Her arms crossed tightly.
"I'll make it worth it," he promised, holding out his arm. And then, to her surprise, she let out her arm as well, reaching for his. Her shaking fingers touched his arm and instantly they were in darkness. Rich blackness. It wasn't the first time she had done this, but the blackness always surprised her. It was like a bridge between worlds. Normally it was calming but this time she had realized she had made a grave mistake.
She took careful steps with Jameson and then the light beamed. She exhaled raggedly. Her eyes went around her fast. It was so bright.
"Where are we?" She heard herself ask. When Jameson replied next, she heard a hint of exhilaration in his voice.
"On the edge of our dear old neighbors, the Day Court," Jameson said. "At the border, at least. Technically still on our land, but it's still a beauty." And it was. Everything was colorful – the grass was greener, the trees were filled with bright fruits. The sun even seemed prettier, though Selene couldn't find a reason why. She supposed it was probably because the sky was brilliant bright blue. It was mesmerizing. But, like the Night Court, there was a deadly chill in the air. The place might have been prettier but it still felt like the Night Court.
"Follow me," Jameson said, "And be quiet." And she did. As they trailed around the large oak trees and as she tried her best to not stop and look around, she heard voices gather at a distance. Gruff and thick. Jameson looked at her, putting his finger to his lips. She nodded obediently.
It wasn't until a clearing existed at a distance did they stop. Selene's eyes trailed around the scene rapidly. Many men, fifteen at the least, with broad bodies and fur coats, sat in a circle as a willowy-like woman loomed over them. She didn't look unlike Rosalie. She had long dark hair, straight but with a light curl at the ends, and her dark eyes were ironically bright.
"She's a priestess," Jameson whispered in her ears. "She has visions." Selene had heard of woman like this, and she rarely believed in them except for Tobias's priestess. It was difficult for her to take a woman seriously when she was hiding in a clearing, talking to men as if she had the answers they were seeking. Because they were at a distance, it took Selene a moment to realize that she recognized some of the men. Some of them were higher fae, she realized. Some, she noticed, had to be war lords based upon their attire.
"The Cauldron has been sending messages in my dreams," the priestess's silky voice rang loudly. "And you want to know her words?" Her eyes were sparkling hungrily as many of the war lords cheered.
"The High Lord of Night is a fake. He was not meant to be the High Lord," The priestess continued, as the grunts circulated. Selene's jaw tensed. "And because of his treachery against the Cauldron, a curse with infect the lands." At first there was an anxious silence, the men whispering amongst themselves rapidly.
"What is this curse?" A man said, desperate for more. The woman's smile lengthened, stretching across her face victoriously. Her hair swung around her long face as she looked around at the men again.
"A cruel swan will guide him to the opposite side of the battlefield. The losing side." Lords began to stand up, anger spilling from the crowd.
"Will this affect my land?" One asked. "Will our woman and children be harmed?" Another asked. The questions started to fill the air and all Selene could do was shake her head. The priestess rose her hands to silence them and surprisingly, it worked.
"The Cauldron knows you are believers," she insisted. "If you follow her and her messages, you will not be touched by the curse. She will protect you." Selene's mouth went ajar. She had these men by their balls, Selene thought. Just by how the men leaned closer with every word this woman said, she could tell they would do anything she said. Her power, despite it only being influential among a little over a dozen men, could cause actual damage.
She turned to Jameson. His eyes were filled with horror, if anything. He held out his arm quickly. He didn't say anything – she grabbed his arm without question and within a flash, they were back inside her room. She pulled away from him, her hands clawing at her own hair and she took deep breaths.
"Who was that?" She demanded. "You said a priestess?" He nodded solemnly.
"She's a seer," he explained again, though she felt like the words were simply falling out of her head. "She's very popular in the mountains." She shook her head.
"Why would she say such things?" She asked. "It's like she wants them to turn against him. It's like she wants him…" But then it hit her.
"They're going to start a coup," she said aloud, looking at Jameson anxiously. "We have to tell my husband." But Jameson shook his head quickly.
"He'll just murder all of them and will give them a reason to have a full-blown revolution. They'll see the dead as martyrs," Jameson argued. "Plus…" Selene's face hardened.
"Plus what?" She asked harshly. Jameson hesitated for a moment, looking at the crowd and then back at her.
"What if it's true?" Jameson asked quietly. Instantly, Selene scoffed at him.
"What the hell are you talking about? You think a swan is going to go up to my husband, give him some loony advice, and then Tobias, of all people, will just obey its commands and start a war he can't win? Are you mad?!" Jameson held her gaze tightly, but then he shrugged.
"Maybe…maybe not literally, but what if it's a symbolic message?" Jameson offered. "What if he has vulnerabilities that he doesn't know about because he thinks he's stronger than he really is? It is from a priestess." Selene rolled her eyes exaggeratedly, not even bothering to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"That's ridiculous," she spat. "She's a fake. She's just trying to control them." But he held her gaze, not even blinking as he spoke.
"The facts are not wrong," Jameson countered. "Can you blame them? With the knowledge of how your husband came to power, can you blame them?" Her mouth went slightly ajar. Because there was so much intensity in his eyes.
"You don't think he should be High Lord," she realized in a quiet voice. "That's your point, isn't it? You think he doesn't deserve it." The anger boiled in her as she approached Jameson, shaking her head.
"The Cauldron chose him-"
"Did it?" Jameson spat. "Did it choose him? Or did he just manage to make Leon forfeit it by scaring the shit out of him?" Selene's lips curled up instantly.
"Leon didn't even want it," Selene snarled. "He wasn't cut out for it. Even Tobias said that he could feel the power transfer into his veins." Jameson laughed at this, shaking his head as if Selene was absolutely delirious.
"Yeah, you know, maybe he did deserve it. Maybe he was meant to have it," Jameson said, still reflecting a mocking smile. "I'm not saying to take it away from him. I'm telling you that because of his actions there's a prophecy on your husband's head and you have to stop it." Selene rolled her eyes.
"Let's say you're right," Selene seethed. "What am I supposed to do? Stop him from making political decisions? Take away his power? Lock him into the castle and tell him not to talk to any swans?"
"Help me," Jameson pleaded. "Help me find a way to stop this curse from happening. Or else he'll make a decision that puts him on the wrong side of a battlefield and he will die brutally." Selene held his gaze.
"There's no curse, Jameson," Selene said, her voice oddly soft. "I understand you went through a great loss, and I know you probably blame my husband for that, but my husband isn't a fool. He loves the Night Court." Jameson didn't respond at first. She couldn't read his face – it was so empty, so unreadable.
"And you're willing to risk that?" Jameson said. She opened her mouth to reply but then nothing came out. "You love him, Selene. I could see it in you when you stood up in that meeting and I can see it now. You're not married to him for power. You care." She bit her lip. It was something she worried about. She loved him, but she didn't want power. She just wanted him. And deep down she was worried that power would get in her way of loving him.
"I'm not going to betray him," Selene said. "I'm not going to manipulate him." Jameson shook his head.
"Then don't," he said. "But you have an ability that I don't have. Only you can see if someone around him is influencing him to make a bad decision. Half of the men around him would be glad to see him dead. If you love him, you'll watch out for that."
"I'm just asking for you to work with me," Jameson continued. "I'll see if the curse is real, but in the meantime I need you to be my ears if something happens. If the curse is real, then we need to find a way to stop it. If it's fake, we need to find a way to stop the coup that will occur soon."
"But my husband can't know about any of this."
"No," Jameson replied emptily. "It's better if you keep it quiet so he doesn't get himself killed." And Selene could suddenly imagine it. Even if Jameson was wrong, if Tobias caught word that any of this was happening, he would slaughter all of them without a single hesitation. And then what would happen to her husband? His people would turn against him. And while she didn't want to test her power, she loved him dangerously. She wasn't, she realized, willing to test that.
"Fine," she said through her clenched teeth, "I'll do it. I'll listen for any rumors and watch my husband. But you have to promise me something?" His eyes enlarged.
"What?" He asked quickly.
"You will keep me updated as well," she said. "And you'll make sure those rumors don't spread any more than they already have." He nodded curtly.
"Of course, my lady," he said. She took a deep breath.
"Now go, go before someone catches you," she rasped tiredly. But there was something else on his mind.
"If I may ask," Jameson lingered on, almost as if he was hesitant, "What are you going to do?" She blinked at him stupidly.
"Do about what?" She inquired.
"Rosalie," He answered. "I've known her for as long as Tobias has. She's relentless." Selene held his gaze. He didn't look worried, nor doubtful, of Selene's abilities. Instead, he seemed entirely curious.
"What am I supposed to do? Kill her?" Selene exasperated. "Because that's my options. It's either trust my husband or let my husband mist her into thin air." Jameson was quiet for a moment, his wondrous eyes looking into hers.
"You know you're the first person to ever be a Lady in the Night Court that wasn't already High Fae, right?" Jameson blurted. "You beat the odds, Selene. You are the first female Illyrian in your region to ever keep her wings, you are the first woman to interrupt the High Lord at the annual Night Court meeting, you are the first Lady I've ever heard of to ever tell another Lady to bluntly fuck off and you are possibly the first person on this planet to be willing to walk away from the Night Court if need be because you know that this world has far more to offer." Selene shook her head at him tiredly.
"I don't see your point," Selene contested. Jameson gave her a small smile.
"You are possibly the strongest woman to ever step foot on this earth," Jameson laughed. "And yet you are letting a woman whose only power is seduction to decide your fate?" His words rang in her head repeatedly. A certain numbness overcame her as she stumbled on this. As he winnowed away, evading her vision, she couldn't help but feel in awe of her sudden realization.
Because, instantly, she understood what she had to do.
~*~ discidium ~*~
The rest of the day went by like a breeze. She had, again, managed to escape Rosalie's attention. She had seen her occasionally but as soon as her red hair came into view, Selene would turn away coldly. Aside from that though, she decided to investigate. She looked at the items that scattered around Tobias's large desk. Most of them were maps, old letters sent between generals, a few messages from other High Lords at different courts. But none of it seemed concerning and not a single piece of parchment gave her the desire to look further. So after a few hours of reading useless words that showed no connection to the ridiculous curse that the redheaded priestess had spoken about, she went on the rest of her day peacefully. She assumed Tobias would be back at dinner, but after waiting for him at the dinner table for over an hour, she went to his room solemnly. She debated on going to her own room, but there was something about his room that called to her. Maybe it was the satin sheets, maybe it was the large windows that overlooked the mountains, but it was a nice place to read a book.
By the time she finished her book, her eyes grew heavy. She leaned towards the candles that was on the nightstand, her lips opening to blow out the many candles that had been lit, but then the double doors opened loudly. Her lips turned upward, a half smile on her face, but then her face dropped and her eyes widened.
It was Tobias, but he looked petrifying. He stood in the door in a ghostly manner, not saying anything as her eyes ran up and down his body. His clothes were ripped and torn, and he looked like he had just came back from fighting a thousand men. There was dried blood all over him – from his hair, to the long streaks of blood on his cheeks, to the spots on his ripped clothes and his blood stained palms. Even his boots were causing a trail of blood as he lingered in the doorway. Cautiously, even though every part of her told her not to, she began to rise from her bed but then he stopped her.
"No," he seethed, holding out his hand before she could go any further. "Sit. I need you to…" He paused for a moment, closing his eyes tightly and his thick hands tangling into his blood-stained hair. "I just need you to sit." Slowly, Selene sat back onto the bed. She was quiet as she watched him breathe deeply, mumbling something she couldn't hear. Then he looked up at her, and his black-mooned eyes were swirling with a mix between madness and anxiety.
"Sometimes, I can't take you places," he began to say. "Sometimes I need you to stay back and not ask questions. Sometimes I need you to look the other way. Because, I can't let you…" But then he stopped and he inhaled raggedly. Selene was about to move towards him once again, but then she remembered his commands. She swallowed, her moist hands clamping together.
"There are pieces of me that I don't want you to see," Tobias said carefully, and he winced like each word caused him pain. "Pieces of me that would make you run from me." Selene's crystal eyes looked over him, but not at the blood - at his eyes. At his shaking hands. The tremble of his lips. He looked terrifying, yes, but he also looked terrified himself.
"Why would I run?" Selene asked, in the same exact voice. Tobias shrugged lightly, his head shaking.
"I just know that I need you, Selene," he murmured, his voice breaking, "I need you because you remind me to be better. You remind me that…I want this entire fucking world, but it doesn't mean anything if you aren't in it. I need you in it." Selene was still. For once, she didn't want to reach towards him. She could only look at him, trying to take in the broken figure in front of her.
"If you think it would make me run, then don't tell me," Selene said, her voice surprisingly calm. "Because I need you too." He went towards her then, nearly falling into her arms as he collapsed onto the satin bed. His whole body was shaking, she realized, as he pulled her towards him tightly. As he rested his head onto her chest, she touched the blood that had dried into his hair. It was just blood, she told herself. It was just blood.
But years from now she would find out where that blood came from. She would discover the sins that Tobias committed and how those sickening actions marked a night that changed not only history but her future as well. Some would say that's when the Night Court truly gained the fear it needed to hold power, others would say it was simply the first egotistic step towards the war. Because, starting that night, the Night Court made a decision that created both enemies and allies that would last centuries. She could live with that though, she would tell him later, years later. But the occurrences of that night is what would cause her children to be hunted thrice the amount that normal royal children would normally be, she would yell, and because of that she would dedicate every breath she had left to teach her children how to defend themselves with every skill possible. But the cost of his actions committed that night wouldn't just cause Selene to fear for her children – he would one day realize. It would cost him the lives of his wife and daughter as well.
~*~ discidium !*!
The next morning, she glided through her doorway quietly. The door had been left wide open and the rays of sun were shining through the window brightly, causing the specks of dust in the air to twinkle like stars. At first she had hated the hard wood floors, but once she got used to it she began to crave the feeling of the smoothness at her feet. It gave her comfort.
But when she walked in, her eyes lingered on the female figure that was digging inside her closet. She looked gorgeous – her large curls that bounced down her back weren't frizzy or tangled. She was wearing a smooth red dress that looked casual but at the same time, showed her figure elegantly. Every single day, Rosalie looked like she was meant to be there more and more. It was like she was slowly trying to prove that she was better than the rest. And Selene, even when she knew all the horrible things that Rosalie was plotting, still couldn't find a way to hate her. It was something about her that made Selene admire her. Maybe it was the way her beauty nearly leaked off her when she walked into the room, maybe it was the fact that Rosalie had gotten so far in her endeavors and Selene couldn't help but be impressed.
"Rosalie," Selene said flatly. Rosalie turned around, and flashed her a small smile. A trusting smile. A friendly smile. What did she think of me? Selene wondered. Did she think of her as a threat as well?
"Yes, Selene?" Rosalie asked, and then Selene slammed the door shut loudly and locked it behind her. Rosalie, whose large eyes grew even larger, jolted backwards. For the first time, Selene saw the fear in her eyes. And it almost gave her some relief that Rosalie, just by one look, knew why Selene was mad. At least she wouldn't have to deal with the begging for forgiveness or the pitiful denial. Rosalie didn't underestimate her like Selene had, she realized. Rosalie just believed she was too weak to do anything about it.
"I am the Lady of the Night Court," Selene said, taking precise steps towards her. "The Lady. And I do not come from high places or speak in the tongue of Higher Fae. But I am an Illyarian, and I am the wife of the most powerful man in the world. And you are nothing." Rosalie, for the first time since she encountered Selene, was entirely quiet. Her lips were a straight line when Selene glowered at her.
"If I leave you, you will die," Selene said, her eyes glittering. "I don't know why Tobias hates you so much, and why he has turned on you so fast but I do know that you have skills. Not just as a whore, but you use your sexuality as a weapon in a way that I cannot." Rosalie opened her mouth and then closed it stupidly. Selene, feeling the power in her veins, smiled. A cold, merciless smile.
"So you have two choices," Selene said, her hands clasping behind her back. "You can leave and try your best to escape my husband's wrath, or you can do my bidding." Rosalie looked her over multiple times, as if debating on what to say, on what to do, but then Rosalie's composure broke. Her shoulders straightened and her eyes landed on her like daggers.
"And we can't make a deal?" Rosalie sneered, just as coolly. "You are a powerful woman, I am a powerful woman. Don't be a f-"
"Tobias!" Selene shouted. Rosalie staggered back, the color draining from her face.
"No, please-"
"Tobias, I have a situation!"
"I'll do whatever you want," Rosalie said rapidly. "What do you need? What do you need me to do? Tell me." Selene's smile lengthened.
"I need you to seduce men for me," Selene said calmly. "In order to get secrets out of them. I don't care if they have wives or lovers, nor if they are High Fae or common Fae. Whoever I need you to seduce, you will do it, and you will get information out of them. In return, you can continue to live here, but you will do so quietly and obediently. You will never touch my husband, or anybody else in this household unless I tell you so. You are mine."
~*discidium~*~
Hopefully everybody remembered that I f'd up Rosalie's name in the last chapter and had to fix it. Again, her name is Rosalie, not Victoria (if you have no idea what I'm talking about, it means I fixed it). This was a bit R-rated tbh, so sorry but not sorry. I WOULD LOVE FOR REVIEWS PLEASE REVIEW THIS IT'S THE BEST FEELING EVER TO GET REVIEWS