Prisoner of Chaos (Redemption Book #4)

Chapter 25

Rift

I hardly have time to fix the damage the Dark Lord did, but I cannot kill Wes, despite the desire. Wes met Kyla with the intention of putting a Fe Collar on her, I met Kyla with the intention of killing her. Both of us couldn't do what we set out to because of who Kyla is. I am in love with her, and Wes--I'm not sure what Wes feels for her, but his conscience keeps him from enslaving her, which means, in a peculiar way, Kyla changes everyone she meets.

We shall see each other again, Blood Queen, I muse, thinking of how she drew the Dark Lord out of me.

"You will forget all I said," I tell Wes, using mind control and praying to all things holy he isn't smart enough to wear a protective amulet because of his past experiences.

"Of course," Wes says. "Who are you?" He cocks his head.

"I'm a nobody," I say dryly. I'm relieved the Dark Lord isn't aware of the second Cursed in Axus I'm spontaneously sensing. I turn from Wes and search for a place away from the party guests so I can teleport.

This second Cursed is with Kyla.

Could is be Alvar?

Whoever it is, Kyla won't be facing them alone.

*

Kyla

You're alone, Kyla. There is no way out of this.

I am fighting back desolation and despair over my plight. In my human form I hug my knees to me trying to hold onto my sanity after just giving birth in my beast form to an egg.

The rain torrentially pours on the tropical island I've hidden my egg away on, coming down in a sheet over the mouth of the cavern I'm sheltered by.

The egg.

I can't look at it. I'm terrified by the implications of it. Is there simply an immortal monster in there which will emerge and rain fire down on all of Axus?

My Curse, I am now fully aware of what it means: separated from all the rest of human kind in every way.

Even Rift will find this disgusting!

"Kyla!" I hear him, as if thinking about Rift summoned his appearance.

I bury my face in my arms and sob. "Please stay away from me, Rift."

I see his figure spread the sheet of rain water, his eyes glow amber, illuminating the entire cavern and I get another glimpse of the egg.

"You can't make me stay away," Rift says, he's drenched wet from the rain, his clothes stick to his skin and he runs over to me. "Where is the Cursed I sense with you?" He wipes his eyes of water and searches the cavern.

"Oh, Rift, it's--it's horrible!" I cry, and I'm suddenly glad he didn't listen to me to stay away. I throw my arms around him and hide myself in his chest. "P-please tell me, you won't-won't leave me."

"I'm not going to leave you," Rift promises, holding me to him. "I'm staying right here, Princess. What's so horrible?"

"I-I'm not pregnant anymore," I say, heat rising to my face upon saying it.

"You lost the baby?" Rift asks, holding me tighter.

He's makes me feel safe. He makes me feel braver. I want this, his arms around me, for the rest of my life. When he does this, I'm not a strange, despised, monster, instead I'm special, wanted, and beautiful.

"I didn't. I became a beast during the party, I couldn't help it because I saw our child. Ash. A beautiful, kind little boy. He visited me," I tell him, trying not to sound crazy.

"We have a son? How?" Rift's grip on me loosens and he gazes into my eyes bewildered.

"He is a chronosmage. He can travel through time," I say.

"How is that possible?" Rift's eyes widen.

"I don't know, but he said that the future where I choose you as the Dark Lord is worlds end!" I splutter, "and the news just got to me so badly... I transformed right in the middle of the celebration and went into labor."

"I'm so sorry," Rift murmurs. "I cannot believe our son from the future visited you."

"He said you were the one who sent him back," I tell him.

"So I am aware of the terror I cause then, and I regret it?" Rift sighs, he already knows it. "Why do I sense another Cursed, Kyla? Is it Ash?" Rift asks, his expression concerned.

"No, Ash isn't here right now because I've decided I can't choose you if the Dark Lord rules your mind, but--but--" how do I say it? I laid an egg. Now leave me so I can take on my beast form for the rest of my life, away from the humans who hate me, and continually misunderstand me.

"Kyla, you can tell me," Rift says, returning me to his tight embrace. "I want to help you."

"You can't help me, Rift, you can't even help yourself." I begin sobbing once again. "You want to kill yourself to be rid of the Dark Lord, but will that really kill this Dark Lord? This entity exists in our world, through the ages, it speaks to its followers and lives in them. It created what I am! Caused what would have been a normal human to be cut off from my race, and doomed to be forever alone."

"You and me both, Princess," Rift murmurs thoughtfully. I wish I knew what he was thinking. "Is it Alvar then? The Cursed here with you?"

"Rift, it's our baby," I blurt out. "Raia. In that--egg." I point at it.

If I wasn't wrapped up in my own misery, Rift's preciously comical and shocked face would have caused me fits of laughter. Instead it intensifies the shame of my monster. I've never seen Rift truly shocked by something, his amber eyes are huge, his mouth agape, his brow knit in confusion. His presence leaves me, as he rises to evaluate the egg.

My whole body is shaking as I watch him reach out to touch it. I haven't touched it yet, but when Rift does, my heart melts a little. His palm places flat on it's smooth shell and his eyes glow.

I wonder if he's using magic to learn things about it that I cannot.

"Our child," Rift whispers, his voice is hoarse. "We have a child."

"The Dark Lord and I have a child you mean," I mutter.

"No," Rift says, shaking his head, removing his hand. "The baby was created from our coupling, before the Dark Lord took over."

"What do you mean?" I ask him, staring at him blankly. He shouldn't mess with my head.

"The Dark Lord removed the sexual protection spell I placed on you, before he--he had you," Rift's hand curls as he says the words. "This baby wasn't made by him, it was made by our pleasure."

"How do you know that?" I let go of my knees and stand up. Does this even matter considering the circumstances?

"It is my magical essence, not his, that is apart of this child," Rift says, "I don't know if that makes you feel any better--"

"It doesn't," I state flatly. "Because, call me crazy, but I'm more upset over the fact that I laid an egg right now." I am still freaking out about it, while Rift is acting like it's a perfectly normal thing.

"You truly are a magnificent creature, Kyla, and I mean it in the best possible way," Rift murmurs, as if in awe, his finger traces the speckles on the shell's surface. "This baby cannot know who its father is. As I am right now... Please. After I'm gone... don't let what I am ruin this child's life. I'm not a good person."

"Rift, if this were a perfect world, I'd forget all of this, I wish it never happened," I say, biting back tears. "But I believe, you'd make an excellent father. There is more good in you than you realize."

"Regardless, my mind is made up," Rift states with finality. "This baby can't live in a world where the Dark Lord has control. I must destroy him, and there is only one way I know to do it."