Like the Dawn (Lark #3) (19 page)

Chapter Twenty-Seven

             
J
acoby has his arms wrapped around me, one of his hands idly playing with my hair. Night has fallen, the moon is high in the sky shining down upon us in the garden like a dim spotlight casting everything else into the shadows.
              It seems larger here, but I suppose everything is bigger and better here—more vibrant—so it makes sense that the moon would be too. Of course maybe everything seems different because I
feel
different now. It's probably a little bit of both.
              As I stare up into the sky I notice a sliver of a shadow beginning to conceal the moon's blazing glory. At first I think that maybe it's a cloud but the way it's slowly moving its way across the moon makes me think otherwise. As the shadow creeps across the shining surface, everything darkens.
              “What's that?” I ask, pointing up to the intruding shadow.
              Jacoby is staring up at the sky too. “Look.” He points. “A lunar eclipse.”
              “Really?” I glance back up towards the heavens. I didn't immediately recognize it as one because I've never actually seen one before.               “Tonight? Why didn't anyone say anything?” I ask him as I stare up at the moon, mesmerized by the sight.
              In school, the teachers always made a huge deal of solar eclipses and lunar eclipses. My third grade teacher actually let us look at a solar eclipse once even though it's supposed to be bad for your eyes.
              “I don't know, I guess the elves don't think that it's a big deal.” He shrugs. 
              Something about the shadow feels ominous, but I try to shake off the feeling of unease. The night is gorgeous, Jacoby is here with me, we are about to make the alliance official, and finally I will be able to make up for my mistake by destroying Dugan and the rest of the Dark Elves. It's going to be a good night. I might even enjoy myself a little bit. Okay, probably not. I still hate balls and gowns and especially these stupid heels, but maybe it won't be completely terrible.
              “It's getting late,” I comment.
              “I know.”  Everything about this feels surreal and I never want to leave this moment but I know that somebody is bound to notice our absence soon.               “I guess we should go back in,” I tell him.
              “I'm not ready to give this up yet.”
              “Me neither.” I sigh happily before reluctantly standing up. I hold out my hand to him and pull him up into a standing position. “Come on, we don't need anyone finding us out here like this.”
              “True. Such a scandalous princess.” He smirks. I smack him playfully before adjusting my dress.
              “Do I look presentable?”
              “I think you have some grass in your hair,” he grins, pulling me back into his arms. “Come here, I'll take care of it for you.”
              “Jacoby—”
              He kisses me before I can finish my sentence. Suddenly he stiffens and a second later he pulls me behind a rose bush.
              “Wha—?” I start to say, but he puts a finger over my lips and the panic in his eyes shuts me up instantly. I revert to Mind-speak.
“What's going on?”
              “They're here!”
              “What, who?!”
              “The Dökkálfar!
              “What?!”
              They've somehow managed to infiltrate Álfheimr.”
              “How is that possible? What about the curse?”
I question. The panic is rising in my chest making me nauseous and shaky.
              “I don't know. They must've figured out a way.”
              “Wait, the amulets!”
I suddenly remember.
              “What?”
              “When Alberico was showing me the treasure room in the castle we noticed that there seemed to have been a missing amulet. He said it must've been an oversight but—do you think Finnegan could be behind this?”
             
And then as if answering my silent question, we hear Finnegan's voice call out, “It's this way!”
              “
You have to warn them.”
              “But how?”
              “I'm going to distract them.”
              I start to argue but he gives me a stern look, stopping me before I can even respond he says,
“I'll distract them while you run to the castle and warn the others. It's our only chance.”
              “I can't just leave you!”
              “Mia! Just do it! Trust me, I'll be fine! Now go!”
             
On an impulse, I hastily unstrap the dagger from my leg and hand it over to him.
              “Here, take this then.”
              “Lark--”
he starts to argue.
              “No! I'm not leaving you here without a way to defend yourself.”
             
I kiss him fiercely and then force myself to turn away and run as fast as I can toward the castle, blinded by the tears flooding my vision. I hear the tell-tale sounds of a struggle and I have to fight every part of my being to keep going and not turn around. Even though it’s agonizing to leave Jacoby behind to face them alone, I know he is right.  If we are going to stand a chance against the Dark Elves, we need to get the others moving, and fast.
              I burst through the doors of the ballroom where everyone is dancing and laughing, completely unaware of what is happening a mere twenty yards away. I run to the center of the room, pushing dancing couples out of my way in the process.
              By now, people have noticed how frantic I look and are gawking at what I assume they think is just a crazy half human princess. Someone cuts off the music as I try to catch my breath.
              Finally, after what seems like an eternity though in actuality was probably less than a minute, I am able to find my voice.
              “Here! The Dökkálfar! They're here!” The room erupts into a panicked chaos as elves scatter in every direction, unsure of where to go or what do to.  Finally, Alberico in his full kingly glory, stands up forcefully to take control.
              “Silence!” he bellows. Everyone in the room freezes in place. He rushes to my side. “Are you okay?”
              “Yeah, I'm fine. Jacoby is out there holding them off but he can't do it alone for very much longer.”
              “Honestly, my dear niece, the boy was hardly a resistance at all.” Dugan's cold and calculating voice echoes loudly across the room. A knot of dread twists in my stomach and I hesitantly turn to face the monster.
              “What did you do to him?” I demand.
              He cackles cruelly. “Don't worry my dear, his heart was still beating when I left him. Though I'm not sure how much longer he'll be able to hold on.”
              My heart is telling me to rush out to the gardens to claim its other half, but I know that won't help anyone, including Jacoby. Right now, I need to figure out a way to get close enough to Dugan to end this once and for all.
              “Stop this! Please! I'll go with you, just leave them alone.”
              “Stupid girl. What would I do with you?”
              “Isn't this what it's all about? Haven't you done all of this to get to me?”
              “I needed you to break the curse—which you have already done. There's nothing more I need from you. You are disposable. I want what is rightfully mine. As the eldest son of King Eurico and Queen Astrid,
I
should have been the heir to the throne but my birthright was stolen from me. No matter. I've never been afraid to take what I want.”
              I start toward him,  but Alberico stops me, gently but firmly grasping my arm. He whispers, “Let me take care of this.”
He pushes me behind him and then in a single motion creates a ring of fire that encases only himself and Dugan in the middle allowing him to be able to protect and defend his people at the same time. “I don't really think we need to involve anyone else in this dispute, do you big brother?”
              Greyson tosses Alberico a sword through the flames which he catches effortlessly. The second the weapon is in his hands, he drops to a fighting stance and Dugan lunges at him.
              The angry flames leap in the air, growing higher any time someone tries to move in closer as though the fire has a mind of its own—as though Alberico instructed it to keep everyone at a safe distance.
              The heat radiating from the flames is intense but I'm barely registering that fact. The reddish-orange sparks are reflected in the glare of the brothers’ blades making it appear as though their clashing swords are glowing hot like newly forged weapons.
              The overhanging ballroom decorations make the scene feel more surreal. The clanking of the swords and the faint flickering of the flames is the only noise in the room as everyone witnessing seems to be holding their breath.
              They seem to be evenly matched. So much in fact it almost appears like we are witnessing a choreographed dance instead of a sword fight.               There's no smoke blurring my vision but my eyes are burning from the heat of the flames. I find myself tensing up in distress, unable to tear my eyes away from the dueling brothers. 
              When Dugan goes left, Alberico counters easily and so on. The fight drags on for several minutes, the twin brothers perfectly anticipating each other's movements until both elves become increasingly frustrated with the draw.
              The orange and red flames flicker around them casting eerie shadows on their faces which makes Dugan look even more evil than normal. The coolness in his demeanor is unsettling surrounded by the blazing flames that Alberico created. 
              With a swift movement, Alberico slices Dugan's right arm, his sword arm, drawing blood. Dugan staggers backward to put some space between him and Alberico to briefly examine his injury. With a sickening smile, he licks the blood right off of his arm never taking his eyes off of his brother.
              “I am rather surprised, dear brother.”
              “About what?” Alberico asks.
              “I didn't think you had it in you,” Dugan sneers.
              Dugan strikes to the right, but Alberico easily parries the move with a spin. Finally seeing the split-second opportunity he's been waiting for, Dugan takes advantage and strikes quickly. He pulls away his sword in such a flourish that for a moment I don't register what happened and why he looks so triumphant.
              Then the angry flames die down around them and that's when I know.
              My father inhales sharply before teetering for a moment then falling in a heap to the ground.
              There is a collective gasp from the onlookers as I rush over to where my father has fallen.
              “Dad!” I fall on my knees beside him and brush his hair out of his face. His eyes are wide as he gasps for air. Dugan's sword pierced straight through my father's heart. I've never healed anything so serious before but I don't even think about it. I immediately place my hands over his heart. “Stay with me, okay? I'll fix it. I promise.”
              “No,” he says weakly as he pushes my hands away. “Don't. It's too late.”
              “Don't say that,” I cry. “I can do it. I know I can.”
              “There's not enough time,” he chokes out. “Mia, listen to me. I love you—so very much and I'm sorry, so sorry.”
              My vision is blurry with tears. “Stop it. Don't talk like that. Let me heal you please!”
              “I love your mother too. Tell her for me? Tell her I never stopped.”
              “Just—please—just let me—”
              “Tell her,” his voice trembles. “Tell her everything. You need her in your life, especially now.”
              “I need you in my life!” I cry. “Please—”
              “You will be a remarkable queen, my dear.” With his final words, a smaller ring of fire reignites around his fallen body separating me from him.