Chapter 49

Cirilla's Point Of View

Mason's words were ringing in my ears, and then bouncing up and down the corner walls of my mind as I kept struggling hard to understand what he was saying.

He created this darkness?

Thousand years ago?

What the fuck did I awaken?

My traitorous legs were trembling. I had no idea why, but even as Mason insisted I sat on the bed, somehow, I preferred the spot I was against the wall. It kept me in pain, but it made me alert.

Oh fuck, of all fucking times, Nina chose to be MIA now.

I couldn't feel her, I couldn't connect with her. Oh, I needed her. This pain was killing me.

"Ci," At his call I jerked my eyes to him. He was studying me, and I was doing the same. Eager to know what he meant by everything he had said, but still, scared to find out what it might mean because that would mean everything he said earlier was true.

But my curiosity won like it did every fucking time. "Tell me," Thankfully, it sounded calmer than my raking, unstable emotions. "What did you mean you created this darkness? A thousand years ago?" Surely it didn't mean that Mason fucking Hartley was—

"Yes," His answer sliced through my thoughts, like he was hearing every thought of mine. Or could he? "I am from a very long time ago. Too long," He muttered, his last words trailing off like he was remembering a long-lost memory.

I gripped the table next to me, sliding down to the cold wooden floor. Now I was sure I wanted to hear everything.

"It all began in Ardgal. I was born at a time that's very different from the one we know now. Born to a witch and a fae regent. It was a union that was said to be blessed by the ancestors. To bring peace and prosperity to the tribes. The witch soon became pregnant. For nine months, far and witches elders in the land came bearing gifts and used magic to grant the child great powers. It was said it would be powerful, having magic that could be compared to no one's. And they were right, but unfortunately, they had no idea what was coming out to the world. Instead of a child, they were two. Twins."

I found myself getting shocked by the minutes. Twins?

Mason sent me a silent glance, nodding. "Soon it was clear that we were stronger than anyone could imagine. And then shortly after we turned ten, it started," He took a long pause, perching on the edge of the bed.

"The chaos and deaths. Children began to go missing and turned up dead. It didn't take long before the tribe elders found out it was all part of a ritual. The rites of darkness. One that only someone of great power and experience could perform. They did everything they could to figure out who was responsible for it all. And even though I discovered much later who it was, I couldn't tell. It was then I knew Idalak was different, but still, I couldn't turn on my blood, I knew exactly what the tribe elders would do,"

"It didn't take long before they narrowed it to one of us. At that time, I thought it was because we were young and foolish with powers we hadn't learned how to control, but I was wrong. I confessed before the tribe elders that everything was my doing alone. My powers were bound and locked away in isolation like a monster. And the killings stopped, only for it to continue a few years later while still locked up. The ritual. The rites of darkness started all over, and this time claiming the lives of high-ranking tribe elders, including our parents, and feeding off of their magic. It became obvious it was Idalak and not me. By the time I was freed, I couldn't recognize my twin anymore."

His dark eyes dwelt longer on me, before looking away. "Idalak was ruthless and more powerful with a terrible hunger for more power. It was the beginning of our end. As time passed, the darkness grew and craved more powers. It could channel life in all its forms and couldn't be controlled. The hunger was insatiable. Everyone knew Idalak as wicked, and pure evil and soon, it was known as darkness itself. Idalak killed people for the fun of it."

"When the darkness became too great to bear, spreading chaos around, clans and tribes united to stop it. They managed to capture Idalak using mystical bindings and even tried to kill it. But it was impossible to. We weren't just halflings born from two powerful tribes, we were bred in magic and weren't mortal in any sense. The elders realized what a terrible mistake they had made with us. They devised a way to end it all. To get rid of the monsters they had created, stowing Idalak's powers in me, limiting my twin's magic. I was the sacrifice that had to be made, and I didn't fight their decision because I was as responsible for what Idalak had become as they were."

"We were placed in a deep slumber and banished away to a prison world created by the blood and magic of the strongest witch and fae elder of our time. It was called the void. A prison that has no life. A place where there was only night, and we couldn't age. Cursed to be forgotten and erased from existence. And it remained that way, up until eighteen years ago, when I felt the life within me once more. We were unexpectedly awakened by a force of magic I had never felt before. It was you Ciri. Your birth was that force that awakened us,"

I was fighting so much for air as I tried to stop the trembling in me. "It can't be. I only had access to my magic now and you said it yourself, Jasmine had binded me—"

"It sounds insane, I know, but it's the truth. It took me four years to find you after we escaped the void,"

"How did you escape?"

"After I woke up in the void, Idalak was gone. My twin's magic had taken control of the void. Even with little power, Idalak filled the void with darkness, creating hellish abominations that shouldn't exist, haunting me down to retrieve the power the elders stowed in me. I had to hide myself away and then we felt your magic again, seeking us out, and it zapped us from the void into a world we didn't recognize. That day I had a vision of you Cirilla. I knew exactly what you would look like. Idalak fled immediately, and for eight years, I have been searching for you, hoping and praying to the heavens my twin hasn't found you yet. Because I knew Idalak would and that darkness won't give up until it has you,"

He was sitting right across from me on the bed, his large arms guided to rest on his tall strong legs. "This is a lot to take in, Cirilla,"

I scoffed at his words. This was way too much.

"But it's the truth," He added, his eyes begging me to believe everything he said.

"So what do you want from me, now?" The words flowed out calmly.

He inhaled deeply. "There's a lot of questions I do not have the answers to right now. Why it had to be you? But all I do know is, right now, Cirilla, you are in grave danger. Idalak wants access to all full powers locked in me, and Idalak wants you because as you are the source, you are also the weakness, Cirilla Bane,"

My breathing was ragged and heavy and as I shut my eyes, the only thing I could think about was Asher. It was like I was drowning in the middle of a cold blue sea, and he was the only one who could make it all better.

My eyes stung with tears at the emotions that pricked my chest. By the time I opened my eyes, Mason had begun to amble to me.

I stopped him halfway and his gaze on me was becoming heavier to bear. "What do you plan on doing now?"

There were a million things I could do now, but all I could think of was finding my way back to Asher. I needed him.

"I have to leave Mason," I managed to pull myself up, almost moving past Mason before he caught my arm.

"Leave?" Eyes brewed in shock. "Ciri, didn't you hear—"

"I heard, alright," I removed my arm from his hold. "But I need to get back to Asher now!"

"You fucking can't. Where do you think the first place anyone would go looking for you? And we can't trust just anyone. If the Council or anyone else finds you, the first thing on their minds will be killing you to stop the prophecy and Idalak,"

I cocked my head sideways, studying him. I didn't know if I believed in half of the fucking shit he told me, but Jasmine was dead and I knew how crazy Asher must be going trying to find me and that woman, that witch had said things to me. Words I couldn't get out of my head, and right now, Asher was the only person I could trust.

"Thank you Mason for saving me, but I have to get back now!" I grabbed a jacket from the bed, wearing it. The smell of citrus fragrance invading my nostrils, nauseating me. I moved to the door.

"Wait, Ci. You can't—" Mason's protests were interjected as soon as I stepped into the darkness waiting outside.

Only shock was imprinted in my eyes, as I whipped my head around to find Mason's stare.

"Where the fuck are we?" My eyes traveled back to my apparent surroundings.

We were in the mountains, I think. With many tents set up around and almost a hundred people— maybe more— scattered around.

My blue eyes fell back on Mason, questioningly.

"No longer in Oregon," I felt the pain in my stomach lurches at his response. "We had to leave, it was for the best,"

"For the best?" My eyebrows flared suddenly, finding something infuriating about his last words. "We? Mason, We?" My voice had begun to rise. "There's no 'we'. And I didn't consent to this,"

"I'm sorry but—" He sounded exhausted, but stopped talking as I began to ransack the cluster of things on the table, before moving on to the bed. "What are you doing, Cirilla?"

"Phone. I need to make a call," I shot him a fierce look and a small sigh left his lips.

"Even if I had one, we are in the mountains, Ciri, there's no way you could get any signal,"

"Take me back,"

"I can't. No one can find us here. It's protected by magic, warding off location spells. This is the best place for you, please understand that and there's no way I'm letting you out of my sight," His words were thick with a finality that rocked my spine with a feeling I hated. Fear.

I sucked in some more air, taking several steps backward until I reached the table. The strong smell of citrus fragrance from the jacket I had on rushed into my nose with every deep breath I took. I was resting on the table with my back against Mason.

"Mason…" I called in the softest voice I could muster, inhaling deeply with my eyes closed.

"I'm sorry Ciri but you leave me no choice," I could hear the whispers of his soft footfalls behind me. Drawing close. Too close. His voice tried distracting me, but there was slow movement from his body.