Royal Blood

VI: Chaos

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."

~Roald Dahl

*Adelaide's POV*

The garden was quiet, peaceful, a relieving movement away from the major declaration my father just dropped on me. I released Dark's hand and walked towards the fountain and sat on the raised edge.

"What in the hell was that?" Dark asked, sitting next to me. I didn't know what he was referring to: the fact that my father moved the wedding date up or that I just passed out for who knows how long.

"My father's a tyrant, that's what," I muttered. Then, I got angry. "I hate how he makes decisions that affect my life without my permission. He's been doing it for twenty years and I feel like I can't do anything without him knowing."

"That's not what I'm asking and you know that."

I hesitated for a moment, looking towards the door with the stained glass windows. I could see shadows of people dancing, like nothing had happened. "I. . . It was weird. I don't even know how to explain it. . . That's never happened before." I ended nearly breathless. I looked up to see Dark's reaction, but his face was concentrated, like he was thinking. "Something you'd like to share?" I asked. He gave me a side glance that made me uncomfortable.

His eyes drifted towards my neck. "Your mother's necklace. Where is it?" He asked. I touched the necklace and looked down at it. It was a pendant liquid amber and blue diamond that rolled together like a storm in my jewelry box instead of the simple black necklace with a sharp-cut green pendant that I've had for as long as I remember. "I didn't want to wear it. . .it would have looked odd with this dress. But, it's safe."

"Don't ever take it off. Ever." he demanded.

"Why?" I asked, confused.

Dark evaded the question. "Every demon has their own unique ability," he started, standing up. I stood, too. "Be it Chaos Manipulation like your father, Dark Energy Manipulation like your mother, or Mind Manipulation like me." I nodded slowly, though I was still confused.

"So that means what, exactly? My 'unique ability' is what? Feeling excruciating pain? That's not a very good power."

"No, Adelaide, what I'm trying to tell you is that you are not-" a loud crashing sound followed by a wave of screams interrupts our conversation. I gave Dark a worried glance before he disappeared in storm of blackness and before I rushed through the doors.

It was chaos.

Soldiers have burst through the big oak doors on the far side of the ballroom and started a massacre.

Demons and mortals alike were dead on the floor, pools of blood spilling out of them. Nadia and her men already had their swords in hand, fighting the mysterious knights. The guests were scattering, rushing to get away from this deadly calamity. I looked to the thrones just in time to see thin tendrils of dark matter escape my mother's fingertips and into a knight's armor, suffocating the man inside. Wait, where is my father? And where's Lucia?

"Mother!" I whip my head around to see Lucia struggling against the arms of a soldier who has captured her. Tears were streaming down her cheeks and there was terror in her eyes.

"Lucia!" I scream. I run towards her, only to be grabbed by another soldier. "Let me go!" I beat my fists against the oily green metal of his armor. Oily green armor. . . Are these Anti's men? A black mist envelopes us both and my pounding fists come to a halt as the soldier screams in agony. The mist solidifies into a figure. I drop to the floor along with the dead soldier.

"Go, up to your room. Go!" Dark orders.

"But Lucia-"

"Go, Adelaide!" He commanded again. I flinch and scramble to my feet, running towards the stairs. As I reach about halfway up the staircase, I see my mother, who's powers seem to be weakening, get beheaded in one swift motion. I didn't even have time to register what had just happened before I cry out in pain and look down to see the bloody shining blade of a longsword protruding from my stomach; I can feel the hilt against my back. The sword is pulled out of me and I stumble, hoping to get a hold of the banister, but instead I fall forward on the steps, hitting my head and clutching my stomach.

I vaguely remember seeing my whole forearm covered in dark red blood, Huh. . . Not black. . . And being picked up and hurried up the stairs, before everything faded to black. . .

*A few days later Dark's POV*

I barged through the doors of Gregory's study to finding him at his desk reading.

"You're a coward," I all but roar. Gregory looks up with a blank look on his face. "Isa is dead, Adelaide is this close, and Lucia is who knows where! So tell me, King, when do you plan on getting off your royal ass and doing something about the knights who attacked your castle last night?"

Gregory stood up abruptly and charged toward me. "Don't tell me how to handle this. You have no power here."

I held my arms up in mock surrender. "Very well." I crossed my arms. " Let's talk about Adelaide, then."

I could see his jaw clench and the air around him became heavy. "What about her?"

"Oh please, I'm not ignorant. And neither are you. You and I both know that she is not what you claim her to be."

Gregory narrowed his eyes. "So help me, if you say so much as one word to her, you'll sorely regret it."

I adjusted my suit. "We'll see about that."