Blood Oath (O/O CLOSED)

I barely managed a nod, struggling to shake off my sudden shock. “Yeah?”

"It was the man," I said quietly. "The woman realized her husband, Landon, was thirsty for more power. He wanted to rule. He fought to kill her. She fought to defend herself. But history is cruel. The Court was merciless. It put the woman on the bad light."

I remained silent as he spoke, unable to form words quite yet. Where was he going with this?

"When my father found out about the truth… he was adamant about changing everything," I continued. "He wanted to bring down the laws, but the Court… he can't do it while being in its control. So he bore the weight of the women he's had to kill. He remembers all of their names, what they looked like, what they sounded like. He… told me I need to destroy the Court before I take down the laws. He told me I need to protect you, Elle, no matter what, because he saw you changing the world."

I stared at him with wide eyes.

Everything I’d ever believed about the King… my fear, my revulsion…. it was all being rewritten.

I swallowed, hard.

"So my father is dying," I let out a bitter laugh, a distraction to keep the tears at bay. "He foresaw that, too. He's going to die. The Court deems him too unpredictable. They're going to wipe him out and put someone else on the throne. Someone else they could control. Me."

I nearly choked on my own spit.

“Oh my god…” I breathed, reaching for him. “I’m so sorry… do his predictions always come true?”

"They always do," I answered quietly. "Every time he sees the future–unless he can intercept it, it comes true. He almost never sees one. I'm going to lose my father, and people are only going to remember him as a tyrant."

I took his face between my hands. “No,” I whispered, “That’s not going to happen. We’ll stop it, I promise.”

"He says his death is essential," I let out a shaky breath, leaning into her. "My father might have been ruthless and a killer, but he was a good husband and a good father. He always kept us safe. Vivian–he treasures her so much. And she loves him and–"

I pushed my fingers trough the hair on the back of his head, bracing it as I pulled him into a tight embrace.

I breathed heavily, still unable to grasp what my father told me. There was a lot I hadn’t said to Elle.

Like the fact that if she killed me, she’d get stronger. Because she was a Windsinger, and that was why Landon had gone crazy and wanted to kill his wife, Alexis.

“I’m going to kill them,” I promised to myself. “They’ll regret it.”

"What else did he say?" I whispered, craning my head to trail kisses along his cheek. I did my best not to let my worry—and fear—show, but with each passing second, it was getting harder and harder to keep from leaking into my voice.

“A lot of things,” I admitted. “It’s hard to put them into sentences.”

That, and I don’t want her to know what she could do. Perhaps that was why Ariadne needed her. A female was strong, but a Windsinger? Those were stronger. And then coupled with a Supernovae…

"Take as much time as you need…" I murmured softly. Shifting until his head was cradled in my arms, I lowered him onto the bed and pulled the covers over his body. "But for now… sleep… you need it.."

“I love you,” I said to her strongly, more so because I knew I was running on stolen time. I wasn’t going to survive, I knew that. “I want you to know that.”

Settling next to him, I pressed my mouth to his, speaking as if uttering a promise. "You can tell that to me," I whispered, "Once we've killed Ariadne."

Killing her won't kill the curse. I don't think it would, but I didn't voice that aloud.

"Tell me you love me," I said to her, holding her closer, my face in the crook of her neck. "Tell me who I belong to."

"I love you, Cole," I told him, entangling our legs to bring him closer. "I love you more than you could ever imagine. I love you more than life itself."

"You're going to be a wonderful queen," I murmured, pressing a kiss to her forehead, her words making my heart soar. "I know it."

"And you'll be my King…" I promised, pressing our foreheads together. "Don't you dare argue that point."

I merely smiled, my eyes dropping, my father’s words filling me.

“Sleep, Elle…”

"You first…"

I curled my body against his, trying to offer up what little warmth I could give.

“Only if you fall asleep first,” I spooned her, warming up my body in case she was cold.

"Mph, fine.." I relented, shifting back until there was no space between us. "Wake me up if you have another dream.."

“Okay,” I kissed her shoulder. “Goodnight, love.”

[TIME SKIP: A Few Days]

Colton:

I panted heavily as I slumped to the floor. This time, Altair hadn’t sent us into our fears. He sent us into different timelines, all of which Ariadne came out as victor.

And it was humiliating. Traumatizing.

“Your Highness… if I may ask,” Altair’s eyes went to his. Colton nodded, urging him to continue. “You either of you have dreams that seem too real to be unreal?”

Elle:

I tensed up instinctively, slumping tiredly against the side of a desk.

"Yes…" I murmured quietly, lowering my eyes to the floor. Last night had been one such dream…. But I'd been careful not to wake Colton up with my tears, so he had no idea.

I stiffened, my fists clenching as I remembered that recurring dream. Ariadne slicing my lover in half. Again and again, in a never ending cycle.

“Yes,” I answered, but not as quietly as Elle. We would talk later about her dreams.

Altair frowned, rubbing the back of his head. “And the illusions. How do they correlate with your dreams?”

“The world is in flames,” I said, stuffing my hands in my pockets. “My flames. People die. The savior of the world is dying. I’m dying.”

At that, Altair looks at me. “The savior of the world?”

I nodded. “I can feel it whenever I look at that person. That person can rid the world of its chains.”

“And what about you, Elliot?”

I glued my eyes to the floor. Again and again, images flashed before my mind's eye. A sword—my sword—skewering the love of my life. The blood drenching my hands. The light leaving his eyes.

I exhaled shakily.

"I'm being controlled," I say carefully, "And I kill the one I love the most. Like Cole said, the world is in flames."