Heart of Darkness

Angelica was disturbed by all that had happened. Seeing everyone injured and Skender in such a bad condition saddened her. To know that all of this could get worse worried her. Only if Skender woke up, everything else would be alright. Now all of them were tense.

William was worried and Rayven was somehow absent and disturbed. They took turns taking care of Skender but his condition seemed to worsen. His body had been burning so hot that she thought he would die of fever. He also suffered from nightmares and hallucinations where he spoke words they couldn’t understand, except for Ramona’s name. Angelica’s heart ached. How much pain he must have lived after losing the woman he loved. He had also lost both his parents at the same time.

Removing the wet hair from his face, she gently patted the wet cloth on his face and neck. He stirred as if struggling to wake up but was held back by an invisible force.

“Your Majesty?”

He didn’t reply.

“Skender?”

Still, he didn’t react. Saddened she continued to wipe the sweat away from his face.

“How is he doing?” Rayven was suddenly with her in the room. He had been forced to go back to work since Skender was ill. In the afternoon he would either come back alone or with the other Lords.

Angelica got the chance to get to know Lord Quintus and Lord Valos a little more. They were the ones who came more often to see Skender. They would take turns staying with him. Lord Quintus was funny, just like her brother had described him and Lord Valos was very gentlemanly. But he looked tired. Not in his face or actions but his eyes. It looked like he was always ready to leave. Somewhere far away.

The white-haired Lord, Lord Amore, would only visit sometimes. He never smiled or laughed so far and he only came to speak of serious matters. He was the one in charge after the King which could explain his sternness.

There were two other Lords, but they never came to visit.

“He isn’t getting better. I don’t know what to do.”

“I will take care of him. You should rest.” He told her.

She stood up, “I will serve dinner. Come down soon.”

Leaving the room she went to help Sarah set the table. She heard a few chuckles outside and turned to the door. William walked inside with Lord Valos and Lord Quintus.

“Good evening, my Lady?” Lord Valos greeted.

She put away the plate in her hand, “Good evening. I was just serving dinner. I would be happy if you joined.”

“If it makes you happy, how could we decline.” Lord Quintus smiled.

In these hard times, one thing that made Angelica happy was this union. Despite the worry, their home felt alive because they had more people to share their concerns with. It made her happy to see these men getting closer to Rayven because she had already noticed that they were close to each other. These two Lords were like brothers even though they looked nothing like each other. The first day, there had been tension between them and between Lord Quintus and Rayven but that was all gone now. And tonight as they sat and dined together, there was nothing but jokes and laughter. Except for Rayven who smiled halfheartedly sometimes.

At first, Angelica had thought that he was only worried for Skender but now she was beginning to wonder if there was something else going on with him.

“Something troubling you,” Angelica said once they were alone in their room.

Lord Quintus and Valos had offered to stay with Skender tonight.

“I am only worried,” he said as he prepared to go to bed. He began undressing.

Angelica was already in bed and watched him carefully. He avoided showing his face.

“His Majesty will be alright.” She assured him.

He came to bed and lay beside her with a sigh. The way he lay on his back and watched the ceiling reminded her of their early days in marriage. When something bothered him and he wouldn’t tell her.

“There is something else bothering you.” She put her hand on his arm. “Tell me.”

He was quiet for a long moment before he spoke. “I thought I had changed but… I am still selfish. My… my pride is hurt. I feel like Demos again.”

“Why?”

“I wish I was the one that saved you.”

“Why?”

He turned to her looking confused.

“What do you mean why?”

“Why would you want to save me? Is it not that I wouldn’t get hurt or that I would be safe?” ρꪖꪕᦔꪖꪕꪫꪣꫀ​ꪶ​

He frowned.

“I am safe now.”

He gazed at her for a long moment and then turned to lie on his side. She moved closer and he pulled her into his embrace. “You are safe now,” he murmured.

Closing her eyes, she hoped she was safe. She didn’t want this to happen again, but she had a feeling that Constantine wasn’t done. He would come back.

In the morning when Angelica woke up, she found herself alone in bed. She hurried to get up and get dressed. While combing her she heard the clinging sound of swords and went to look outside the window. There, in the garden Lord Valos and Lord Quintus were having a combat. Angelica didn’t want to believe that it was serious yet it looked like it.

Lord Valos seemed to hold back by only blocking the attacks while Lord Quintus relentlessly swung his sword at him. They were talking as they fought. They were having an argument.

After a while, her brother walked outside and they stopped when he spoke to them. Lord Quintus handed him his sword and William began to fight Lord Valos.

Angelica watched with curiosity. Her brother had become very skilled with the sword. Despite his worry for Skender, he had also looked happy being surrounded by these men. She could see that he needed a male figure in his life.

With a smile, she went back to the dresser and put the comb away. She then looked at her reflection and her gaze fell on the mark on her neck. They were mated now without having to drink more of his blood. The mark had changed a few things. As if having heightened senses weren’t enough, now Rayven could tell what she was feeling without even looking at her face.

Likewise, her senses heightened a little, but she felt the biggest difference in strength. She healed faster, didn’t get tired as fast, and even seemed to need less sleep. When it was very quiet, she could hear things that she couldn’t before, and that part frightened her at first and kept her awake at night before she got used to it. In addition, she became sensitive to touch, heat and cold. Now, she could smell what freshly baked bread Sarah was making.

Leaving the room, she went directly to the room Skender was staying. The door was open and she found Rayven sitting beside the bed in a chair and watching him with a frown. He didn’t even notice she was there even when she stepped inside. Angelica looked at Skender. He was still feverish. His hair was wet, his face pale, his lips dry. They couldn’t even give him fluids. Had he been human, he would have died with this fever and lack of food and water.

Angelica walked further in and Rayven turned to her. “He is not moving or talking today.” He said.

“He has lived so far. He will wake up,” Angelica said.

Rayven shook his head. “If he wakes up and he is not the Skender we know, he will only stay awake for a short while.” His jaw clenched. “I… I would be the cause of his death.”

Angelica didn’t even want to think that, but it was true. Rayven, in his frightened and desperate state to save her, had sacrificed Skender and now he lived with that decision. He hadn’t been able to rest since they had saved her.

“I am that kind of person,” he told her.

“You will help him. You are here for him now. Nothing will happen to him.”

It was his day off and Rayven spent the whole day by Skender’s side. In the evening while they ate dinner William suggested trying to give him his blood.

Rayven became thoughtful. “If his demon is trying to overpower him, giving him your blood could have a bad effect.”

William sighed. “What if we give him just a little? Only to help him wake up.”

Lord Valos put his knife and fork down on the table. “Maybe he needs to go through this. It is not only about his demon. He is fighting other things as well. I am not sure but from what I heard, it seems like the woman he loved betrayed him.”

Oh no! So her dream was true?

“Where did you hear that?”

“While they were fighting, I heard a few things Constantine said. He told Skender that he and Ramona were in love.”

In love?!

That was not what she had seen. Or maybe…

The time he smiled at her, could it be?

Oh no. This was worse than she thought. That was why he called her name so many times. But what about the nightmares where he had tortured her? Nothing made sense. Something was missing. How would she find out?

Angelica kept thinking about it until the night. When she went to bed, strangely she wished to have a dream that would give her more answers but she couldn’t just hope. Maybe she had to do something to trigger those dreams.

“What is wrong?” Rayven caressed her cheek as they lay in bed.

Angelica’s gaze went to his lips.. “Can I touch your fangs?” She asked.