Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series
Chapter 35

Valeri

I leaned into Daxter’s ear and whispered, “I thought you and the others were securing the outside perimeter?”

Daxter hesitates before responding. “We had decoys sent to do the job. Upon Cassius’ insistence.”

That was weird… Adeyemi was so sure about the original plan for tonight.

A few couples clap their hands, some roll their eyes with disgust, and others don’t bother acknowledging us.

The speaker continues. “I hate to cut this short, but we have other plans for tonight. Let me introduce Queen Winona of the Witches!”

Rounds of applause echo against the walls as Queen Winona graced us with her regal aura in front of the clay figurine. She’s garbed in a rich green Buba and a brown Iro with a matching Gele. Her wooden cane had deep indiscernible engravings, ornamental verdant streaks are visible.

She closes her hands and looks out to the crowd. “As many of you may know, this marks the 765th Sacrum Solstitium. This is an utmost time for our mateless brethren.”

She walks behind the terracotta figurine and holds a hand over it. There is a growing light coming from the eyes of the figurine.

“There was a time when darkness befell the earth, before a radiant light pours into its shadows. It was said that was then the Earth began to teem with life,” she strokes the head of the lion gently and continues. “Balance is to be made. You are the boat, and your mate, the anchor. Without the light, there can be no shadow… Without the shadows, there is no light. Now is the time to awaken the Lion Oracle.”

The walls lit up when she tapped her mystical cane. The room dims drastically, a soft white shield forms from the cane and outward. The protective spell came alive and tickled my skin before it covered the entire building.

Queen Winona starts to hum, her spring tulip eyes begin to shine. The melody was a haunting one. Divine energy rushes through the masses and I could have sworn to hearing the deep thrumming of drums in the distance.

An instinct, a drive, pulled me to take off my eyepatch. I closed my right eye and gasped lightly. Ghostly figures with skin tones of the rainbow surround Queen Winona. They twirled and danced around her like acrobats. Their zestful, flurry movements were mesmerizing. The figures had art painted on their skin. The males were dressed in loincloth while the women had fabric around their waists. Multiple beads and other ornaments decorated their bodies. I could see a few cubs amongst the spirited beings, with their little necklaces and bracelets.

The imperceptible drums grew louder like a growing storm. A beacon of light streams from the clay figurine. It floods the room to an even brighter scene, before fading away. As the dozen or so spirits continue pivoting and dancing in and out of the circle, two blazing golden figures rise from within the clay statues. One, a male, the other a female. They have the head of a lion and lioness and the body of a human. The walls begin to pulse like a heart, and the mammals within the walls move as one. It was rather explicit if you ask me, but I wasn’t repulsed. It signified life taking form, of new beginnings, of willful domination and submission, raw carnal desires, and trust.

The lion-esque figures began to mate, the drums increased in tempo, and everyone started to sway as if in a trance. The drums get louder and louder and the male lion figure thrusts gain in speed until finally he replaces release.

At the same instance the drums stop and spirits freeze. They glow brightly and burst like a thousand suns. Sparks fizzle throughout the crowd and rain down upon us. White light temporarily blinds me.

Visions filled my mind. A white wolf pup ambles through a field of tall grass, wrestling with a golden lion cub. A heavily striped cub playfully stalks the two little ones, with her tail high in the sky. Her flame toned eyes lit mischievously as she bounds forward before leaping on top of the other cubs. The white pup yips in fright while the lion growls playfully. A pair of wings overshadows us before blinking out of sight, and a red eyed child suddenly appears. He gives a small smile as he observes the little cubs frolic in the grass.

My sight returns and I hold my chest with my hands. I wanted to shed a few tears, because what I saw could never be true.

I had four mates.

Adeyemi, Daxter, Cassius, and Eros.

Someone wails, another person shrieks in anger. I didn’t want to turn around and replace out who. I wanted to leave, but Daxter pulled me close.

“I knew it. I knew you were my goddess, mate” he whispers softly.

I look into his eyes and they are bright with unshed tears.

“Do you accept me, Daxter? Despite what people say. Despite my sins?” I asked, my voice cracking.

I realize then as he gazes deep into my eyes, that I forgot to put my eyepatch back on. But I saw no fear in his eyes. I saw no hesitation as his hand touched my right cheek softly. He pulls me to him and we kiss. Soft sparks lit up my body. His tongue pokes my lips, begging to be let in, and I Iet him. Our tongues dance and I shiver at the sensation.

Unfortunately our little union couldn’t last long. Shards of glass littered the floors and figures swung in on ropes. My stomach roiled when I took in the amount of figures swarm the room.

Chaos erupts and people try to fight off the strange army. Most of them screamed, but it was too late. They corralled us to the center of the room.

Someone from the enemy lines steps forward. “Everybody shut the fuck up!”

Rattled chains drag along the floors, and my nostrils flare and my mind is flooded with the memories of…I almost sank to my knees.

It couldn’t be…

Neveah and Gwendolyn! They were here, but where were the rest?

The original speaker of the enemy yanks the children in front of him. “There was an old saying by Hammurabi, I believe. An eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth. I need two souls, for these two. Who shall it be?”

The air in the room grew quiet. So quiet that you could hear those little cleaning demons enter and leave the room.

I grew furious. Here was the opportunity to figure out what happened to the others, and no one was grasping the opportunity.

I step forward, but someone pulls me back. “Let me go!” I whispered angrily.

Eros’ ruby eyes were lit with flames. “NO.” he says fiercely. His hands are like an iron grip.

“Release me, Eros.”

“NO!” he shouts.

“Do you see anyone else doing anything about them? CHILDREN, Eros! CHILDREN!” I cried.

His chest flares out as if he could suddenly breathe. Eros grabs my hands and places them on his chest.

“Do you feel that?” he whispers fiercely. “DO YOU FEEL THAT?!”

And I did. I could feel his heart flaring to life under my touch. It palpitated so much that it would have broken free from his ribcage.

I dropped my hands and turned my head away. “I feel nothing. Let me go, Eros.”

I pull myself away from him and leave the crowd. “I will go with you. Let the children go.”

“Ah, ah, ah. We need another willing sacrifice.” he eyes me up and down with interest. “But you shall do. Release the witchling.”

A few enemy soldiers shackle my hands and feet. I felt the weight of a thousand pounds on my shoulders and I almost crumbled to the floor. I didn’t though. I held my head up high and voided my face of emotions. I avoided making eye contact with Eros and Daxter, but I could still feel them deep within my soul.

“Release the other child, I shall go with you.” a melodic voice ordered.

I turned to see Nerissa in a dark blue ball gown and my heart sank. She looked at me briefly as I opened my mouth to object. Many raised objections and others cried. It was to be expected. She is the crown princess of Faelios.

The leader eyed her hungrily. “Yes. you shall do just fine. Release the other child!”

They released Neveah and shackled Nerissa. I feel a prick at the side of my neck and all goes dark. The last thing I see are Eros and Daxter fighting through the crowd to get to me.

A/N:

Guys, I cried so much writing the end of this chapter. I want to give a heads up that the next several chapters are going to be triggering. If you or anyone else has experienced trauma, SA, or anything in that nature, I would like for you to stop reading this book. You have been warned.