Court of Valor and Synn

Part Eight: Finn

"In the flush of love's light, we dare be brave, and suddenly we see, that love costs all we are, and will ever be.
Yet it is only love which sets us free."
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Serena's swan-like complexion is paler than usual and she's somehow shut off all of her thoughts from me as the three of us move silently toward the grand throne room together. The lamplight glows faintly against the ivory walls that are lined with portraits of Ren's ancestors dating back a millennia that all stare down at us in dismay. She hasn't uttered a word or looked at me or Killian since whatever happened in her room with Kellan, and I'm starting to let my thoughts run wild with explanations of what's going on. I've never seen her like this in the entire time I've known her. She's physically trembling and radiating uncertainty as the grand doors swing open and a spicy foreign aroma assaults my senses as it wafts across the room. Killian and I both instinctively reach for Serena, sensing that something is off nearly immediately when a dark chuckle tears through the large room, echoing loudly off the walls and high ceilings. In the center of the chamber stands Aunt Sora with a tall, dark, and mysterious man who just stares hungrily at Serena and ignores the rest of us. His dark green hair falls into his eyes while he looks Ren up and down, licking his lips and grinning from ear to ear. She gasps loudly, reeling backward, and harshly bumps into both me and Killian, jolting us backward a bit before righting ourselves and her but her attention is solely focused on the Dark Fae that stands regally across the room.
Killian sighs and leans down, pressing a longing kiss to Serena's forehead before slowly crossing the space between us and them. Ren makes no reaction to his touch, just staring at the enigmatic man with her mouth wide open and her brows knitted together while a pink blush creeps up on her pale cheeks. I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her into my embrace, gently rubbing my face into her neck to soothe the beast inside me before I do something we both would regret.
I need answers. Now.
I try to push through the block she's thrown up between us and get some sort of explanation to no avail, Ren's wholly shut me out. I feel like I can't breathe and shock lodges deep in my chest when my gaze shoots towards the sounds of Killian's panicked shouting. "What the fuck are you talking about? You can't just take her! She's mine." His tone is laced with desperation and fury as his gaze meets Ren's blank stare and then my own. The Dark Fae snaps his fingers and Ren is engulfed in dark green smoky roots that snake up from the floor and wrap around her limbs pulling her from my hold when the sound of a sudden and sharp cracking echoed through the air, causing a small, hairline fracture to appear in the otherwise flawless surface of the pristine marble floor and swallow her into the abyss. I'm already leaping across the room and in front of the strange man, poised to attack when she instantly materializes in front of us, still ensnared in roots that seem to fade into nothingness as quickly as they appeared. My body stiffens and my wolf starts pacing in agitation when she lets out a sigh of contented relief that stops me in my tracks. He smiles down at her brilliantly as they unabashedly ogle each other in front of her mates and aunt, inciting a disdainful scoff from Sora who continues to stare at the Dark Fae with contempt. "You..." Serena's voice is barely audible, ignoring her aunt's scoff as she continues to stare into his eyes as if he's the only man in the world. She tentatively reaches toward his cheek and my roar vibrates throughout the room, Ren whips her hand away, smacking the stranger across the face before jumping back from him and slamming into her aunt, sending the both of them sprawling backward on the floor into a heap of fabric. "Ooof! Serena!" Sora hisses agonizedly as she tries to combat her dress and Ren's while attempting to roll herself out from under her awkward niece. Killian and I look at each other with pitiful expressions as we simultaneously pull Ren up from the floor and four hands work to check her over for any injuries. She bats our hands away in irritation and looks frantically from the stranger and then to her aunt, acting swiftly and sweetly while reaching for Sora. "Oh my goddess, Aunt Sora! I am so sorry! Why does this stuff always happen to me?!" She cries out to nobody in particular, aiding the Lady of Valor in a flash, pulling her to her feet, and checking her over before hastily turning back to the man who is now sporting a red, small-handed mark on his left cheek along with a wickedly smitten grin. She takes a deep breath and looks at me and Killian apologetically before turning her wide gaze back to him. "Are you okay?" His brown eyes never leave hers as he bows down before her with ease and an air of elegance. "I'm more than fine, My Queen. It's so nice to finally meet you. You're even more beautiful in person than in my dreams." She giggles and bows in response, her ocean eyes shining with excitement. "It is you, isn't it?" She breathes out as they both rise and face each other. Killian and I share a look of dread with one another and silently nod in understanding our anxiety reaching critical levels as we watch them together.
I can't take this anymore.
"What in the world going on here, Ren? Who is this guy?" I snap out, coming from behind and wrapping my arms around her waist, pulling her into me and closer to Killian in the process. Killian reaches for her hand causing her to gasp in surprise when he slams her to him, sandwiching her between us as he rumbles in her ear, "What's going on here, Angel? Do you know this man?" I nuzzle one side of her neck while Killian peppers kisses across her face, inciting a moan from Serena. Sora clears her throat and raises an eyebrow at me and Killian before leveling her gaze towards the Dark Fae and clearing her throat. "This is Draco Synn. He's the King of the Court of Synn. He says he's here to take his mate, Ren back with him beyond the Vale to Synnox." Serena gasps and her eyes fly back to Draco's as she pulls away from between us, marching right up to him with a look of tempestuous fury, "What the hell is she talking about?" She demands an answer from him while he just sighs and crosses his arms, seemingly pondering her reaction for a few moments before simply smirking back at her before answering. "Oh, Sera, it seems the fates have led me to you and I have come to claim what is rightfully mine - you as my Queen. You belong with me in the Dark Realm of Synnox now." The room is eerily silent for almost too long when Ren's usually sunny laughter is scathing as she throws up her hands in frustration, staring back at him with outrage written all over her stunning features, "In what world is it okay to demand that I leave everything I've built here, Draco? I mean, I don't even know you! I feel deeply for you but that's just because of the bond! And you just expect me to so easily abandon the same connection I'm creating with my other fated mates?"
I'm so damned proud of my little mate for standing up for herself. Good job, My Queen.
My praise is left unheard as my words bounce back at me from the bond and I involuntarily whimper from the emptiness that seemed to consume me from her shutting me out and the appearance of the King of Synn. The sound catches her total attention momentarily and she smiles at me lovingly and then looks toward Killian shooting him the same smile. "Don't worry, I'm right here. I'm not going to leave you. Ever." Her words of solace are slightly soothing but the look of pure rage that crosses Draco's face at her reaction makes me stiffen in anticipation of his response. My wolf's instincts kick into overdrive, trying desperately to keep his mate away from the strange Fae, leaping aside from Serena's grasp and shifting into my large wolf in the process. My heavy paws hit the cold, marble floor and I position my massive body protectively between my precious mate and Draco. My low growls of warning vibrate through the hall and my black, shaggy hair stands on its ends while I stare intently at Draco, never taking my eyes off of him. He rolls his eyes at me and looks away as if bored before looking back toward Serena with a look of dark amusement, "I wouldn't start making the two of them any promises you can't keep, My Queen. You will come back with me to the Dark Realm whether you want to go with me willingly or not." All hell breaks loose. Ren's shouts of protest are drowned out by the sounds of my feral growls and Killian snaps his fingers as his bejeweled sword emerges from nothing and he readies himself for a fight beside me. Sora is dragging a screaming Serena away as they rush quickly towards the door, panic plastered across both of their delicate features. "If you think you can just take her away from us then you've severely underestimated your abilities and our own. It's two against one, King. Your move." Killian's loud declaration cuts off my growls while we both begin to slowly stalk around Draco in a circular rhythm as if he were game in the wild. His dark, mischievous smile never leaves his face while he makes a nonchalant wave of his hands and everything goes mute for a beat until a terrible ripping sound tears through the room followed by an earth-shattering rumble that causes a gaping hole to form around Draco, making it impossible to reach him and knocking both of us off our feet and on our asses as we scrambled away from the sinkhole of the King's creation. Killian's sword slips from his hands, falling to the ground with a thud before tumbling into a deep crevice and preventing Killian from being able to retrieve it. I steal a quick look towards the hall doors to see Serena standing there with a look of wrath and understanding as she stares intently at Draco. With a snap of her fingers a blinding light envelops the King of Synn, distracting him momentarily, "Killian! You have to try to snap you and Finn out of there! NOW!" She screams out her order in harsh breaths as she struggles to keep her light around Draco. Green, smoky tendrils similar to roots weave around and through her bright, silver light, turning it a shade of gray I've only ever seen once... When there was an explosion in the throne room and then the king and queen were nowhere to be found. Terror shoots through our bond as I stare back at Serena in realization and horror as she nods at me solemnly. Killian SNAPS! His fingers and we are in the doorway at Ren's side in an instant. Killian groans out in agony and falls to the ground, the use of such magic depleting his reserves since transporting us both across the room isn't something he's ever had to do before. Serena turns to Sora who nods in agreement and makes a circular motion with her finger, engulfing Draco in her own brilliant, gold light. Serena wastes no time and drops down beside him, her face full of love, concern, and pride as she cradles his head in her hands, kissing him deeply. His gasps of pain turn into groans of pleasure and his hands reach for her, pulling her closer to him as his head drops to her neck and holding her tight, afraid if he lets her go she might disappear. She breaks the kiss and looks at me with the same look she gave Killian and I instantly shift back into human form, kneeling on her other side so she's in between the both of us again and out of Draco's sight. Nuzzling into her neck I murmur in her ear lowly, "We have to get you out of here before he gets out of Sora's shield, my love. We both love you so much but we'll have plenty of time for this later." I nip at her ear playfully, inciting a small giggle before she nods quickly in agreement and helps me get Killian up from the floor. Sora gasps out in pain and turns her head to look at us, tears flowing freely down her face, "Go! Hurry! I can't hold him much longer!" Sora yells loudly as she holds her palms outstretched, struggling against the King of Synn's unique power. We turn to rush down the hallway, me on one side of Killian and Ren's petite frame on the other. She's already struggling to hold his much taller frame up when Kellan smacks directly into her as we head down the hallway, knocking them both to the ruined marble with a THUMP! As I struggle to right Killian before he tumbles to the floor with them, "Fuck! Get off me, Kellan! We have to get the hell out of here!" She cries out in pain while she writhes beneath Kellan's much larger body, I can feel her desperation pulse through the bond as she struggles to free herself from any contact with him. Kellan is stunned and barely moves or breathes as he stares down longingly at an extremely distressed Serena, his eyes turning dark just before he drops his head to the crook of her neck to inhale her scent. "What the hell? Stop that! You don't get to touch me, Kelkan. Get off me! NOW!" She screams at him this time, the sound echoing down the hallway. I try to lean down to help Ren up from his hold but Draco's smoky green tendrils curl around her wrists and ankles again, working their way up her body. Both me and Kellan rear back but he tries pulling at the wretched vines, his hands moving at light speed but simply passing through them as if they were a figment of the imagination, "What's happening to her?!" He yells at me, his eyes wide with panic.
Serena screams our names in terror while we all look on in shock as she begins to ultimately vanish into thin air, her face contorted in anguish as a dark, disembodied chuckle surrounds us,
"She's mine now."