The Throne • Book Two

Chapter 12- The Tendrils

Author's Note: I hope you like my story! Feel free to voice your opinion, ask any questions and point out any mistakes I make.

Antonia's POV

Anger fills me. That is it. Just the anger.

"Well, find the answer!" I roar at them, subjects of mine that are searching the library for books about hiding scents. They all tense or flinch in fear, then bow slightly and scurry away.

Growling, I turn around and look out the window at the mountain landscape dotted with trees. I push down my flame of rage, turning it into a small flicker of annoyance bordering on anger. I know I need to try and stay calm.

"Nia, are you alright?" Angel cautiously asks from behind me. I whirl around and growl

"Don't call me that." I silently add 'Only he can call me that.' But I think Angel might have believed I am insane if I said that. She looks at me in shock, with raised eyebrows. I sigh and explain "That nickname is just infuriating right now, it reminds me of Saber."

"Oh. Okay then." She steps farther into the room "Why did you seem so angry earlier?"

"The people I have working on research have found nothing. It's irritating!" I exclaim, and slam my hand down on my desk. Surprisingly, Angel flinches. I look at her in confusion, why is she scared of me?

Angel's POV

I walk into Nia's office to see her clenching her fists with tense body language as she stares out of her window. What has made her so angry?

"Nia, are you alright?" I ask, concerned about her wellbeing. I have been more worried for her since she just focused on her anger. Instead of answering my question, Nia snaps at me

"Don't call me that. That nickname is just infuriating right now, it reminds me of Saber." All I can do is stare at her in shock. Before, she didn't want anyone calling her Nia, and only a very small amount of people ever did. But now... I see her annoyance when anyone but Saber calls her Nia. It's Antonia to everyone else.

What happened to her?

"Oh. Okay then. Why did you seem so angry earlier?"

"The people I have working on research have found nothing. It's irritating!" She exclaims in anger, slamming her hand down onto her desk with force.

I jump in surprise, not expecting the loud noise, or the sudden appearance of the tendrils of Darkness swirling around Nia in a protective manner. Nia lifts her eyebrow in confusion at my jump in surprise, and I can see a slight hint of a smile, like a small part of her, the part corrupted by Darkness, is happy that I am nervous around Nia and her Dark tendrils. I don't know her limits with them, and that scares me.

"Are you scared of me Angel?" Nia asks, tilting her head, looking like a cat.

"No, I'm scared of your seemingly limitless powers with the Darkness swirling around you and I'm scared of how it seems to corrupt its host." I state truthfully. I've never enjoyed lying or concealing the truth from people. It makes me feel uneasy. Nia laughs dryly and replies with a smirk

"No need to be scared of them, they only do what I want them to." Nia's evil grin has me worried, so I turn to leave the room.

"Well, I'll just be going now. I think I'll help with research."

"Not so fast." Nia says, and I feel the Darkness wrapping around me. I concentrate and try to release my wings, which would break the Darkness. An angel's wings are the only thing that can break through Darkness other than pure Light, since they are made from the Light. But, to my dismay, my wings can't release. I immediately start to panic and frantically struggle against their hold as they turn me around to face Nia again.