Chapter 8 The Nonarch Has Been Poisoned

• —Fiona—
• Someone came into the room last night. Someone—or some people, it was fucked up at this point—had been in my room.
• The orgasm was too real to have been a dream. I woke up to the scent of my arousal thick in the air. To damp pants and light bruised marks on my inner thighs.
• I can still feel the touch from last night and I taste my lips, surprised to find it slightly salty. The confusion spreads across my mind, filling all my thoughts as I take my bath and head for breakfast.
• I am the only one at the dinning. I guess the others were busy with preparations for the banquet judging by the bubbly air that filled the house.
• It's noon and I haven't seen any of the kings anywhere which is a bit weird. I want to talk to one of them. Anybody except Xander—I have a strong dislike towards him—about what Chloe had suggested.
• I had been in my room for too long so I decided to take a walk in the garden near the banquet hall.
• I was walking around, my mind filled with the thoughts of what connected the three kings together when it happened again. I feel it deep in my bones the same way I have always felt it and panic settles in my limbs.
• My body turns rigid, my hands are stiff and I stand still in the middle of the garden as my vision changes.
• It’s fickle this time. Barely lasted a second, the visions, all haze of fuzzy images and muffled conversations.
• A little light. Hollowed screams. A familiar hand. Broken cups and chandeliers. Gold liquid staining the floor, mixing with the crimson red of strong blood.
• The tips of a white rope covered in the mess of blood mixed with gold. Blood that is near. Blood that I can now smell.
• I am pulled out the same way I have been drawn in. My breathing comes out in pants as I bring my hands to my knees.
• Every ability has its downside and while I may be able to live some of these moments, it takes a toll on me. Probably because I am wolfless.
• Sometimes, it is horrifying and life threatening as it drags me directly into the other universe. Into a world I do not belong to.
• I have read it in a book. How dangerous it is. How it changes people and makes them a danger even to loved ones. It is why these abilities are banned. Why they are weaned and thrown off into the deep pits of hell.
• I inhale and straighten, the smell of blood still close. For a moment I was worried that I was still stuck on my vision until I heard his voice.
• That annoying deep tone of his. “Piona!” He sounded excited and I turned around to glare at him.
• “It's Fiona.” I correct.
• Xander stands in front of me, his arm leaking with blood. He rubs it over and the wound begins to close. “Oh don't worry about me, Elijah nicked me because I have a bigger cock.”
• I winced, disgusted by the sound of it on his lips. “I wouldn't give a fuck if you were running around headless.”
• “Ouch.” Xander smiles, beautiful teeth perfectly on display for me. He has dimples marking both his cheeks and it makes him almost impossible to look at. All hatred aside, the man really is handsome.
• I glare at him and try to walk past him, but he stops me with his words.
• “Being wolfless isn't the only secret you have is it?” I met his gaze. Eyes burning a different shade of hue into my head. It’s intense, indecipherable and taunting. “I can smell you.” He inhales. Deeply. Xander leans a bit to my height, his breath fanning my nose while the words from his mouth blow hot against my lips.
• “I know your scent by heart. You smell like perfectly sculpted lies wrapped in a tiny box of facade. You act weak, but your desire for power is strong.” I place a hand to his chest and push him back just an inch. Enough for me to breathe and gather my thoughts.
• “I like you the least.” I told him. “And it's because you talk trash Xander.” He didn't look offended but I could see the words brimming in his eyes, so I quickly added. “If you will excuse me, it's nearing party time and I have to get ready.”
• I sauntered off not giving him the satisfaction of seeing me crack. Once I got into my room, I inhaled deeply, wondering for how long I will have to hide in the shadows?
• How much power do I need to be able to walk freely among these people?
• About three hours later, the party started and the servants had just finished my makeup.
• I step into the banquet and find it teeming with the crowd already. Most of the prominent ones, I know. They didn't make up the general Elders council but they were also decision makers on their own.
• A bit farther away to my left is Christain conversing with a priestess. As though he could feel my eyes on him, he tilts his champagne flute to me and I return a courtesy bow before walking to the food table.
• My dress is overflowing and a bit tight around the waist so I couldn't eat too much. Minutes later, Elder Zach takes the microphone and addresses the guests while I quietly move to grab a flute of champagne.
• “Thank you all for being here on this lovely night.” The crowd cheers. “As we all know it is quite rare to have royalty all adjoined in a place but my house has been blessed with that. Please, let us all welcome the Kings, witch and of course, this year's nonarch.”
• The crowd screams and applauds. He speaks for a while, talking about the laws of our country and the admonishments that surround it, a topic I noticed everyone seems engrossed in.
• “Boring isn't it?” Elijah's gentle tone caresses my ears and I almost swoon when he leans closer and adds. “You look beautiful Fiona.”
• “Thank you. You look dashing yourself.” I flushed, slowly sipping the champagne.
• “How was your night?” He casually asks and I almost choke on my drink making him pat my back.
• “It was…” erotic? “...fine. It was fine." Was it him in my room last night?
• “Good.” He lowered his tone and whispered. “I was worried you might be in pain because of the mark.”
• The man was just worried about me and I let my thoughts run amok. What is wrong with me?
• “No. Nothing unbearable.”
• He nods and stands next to me, watching as people begin to take a partner and dance. He is the most quiet if one doesn't consider Christian. The gentlemanly one but a dangerous entity on his own.
• Elijah is the type of king that is full of smiles and jokes and perfectly carved respect yet could put a dagger in your heart in the next second.
• And that snake-like rogue…he belongs to the pit of hell. I hope he rots there. As if I had just summoned him with my mind, Xander begins to walk towards us.
• “Excuse me. I think it just saw someone I know.” I lied and quickly walked away, aware that Xanders eyes were on my back.
• I stop near the table of drinks and stare at Chloe laughing with some elderly priest I didn't recognize. The witch looks carefree compared to the stuck up bitch energy I always get from her.
• I pick another flute off the table and bring it to my lips, eyes looking around, mind wandering off the deep lands when someone bumps into me from behind letting the champagne spill across my dress.
• It feels like my back has been pricked with a sharp pin, my vision turning blur until it happens.
• My legs are stuck to the spot and I can't move as I am transported into a different world. The darkness in it, almost blinding.
• The surordining this time is strange. Like never seen before. I am in the middle of a dome, the circular roof before me trembling like a giant was walking over it.
• I look around, noticing the several tiers of the house. The several balconies that sparred across my left and right.
• It was then I saw it. A white cloaked entity carefully trudding on the second floor, black-gloved hand spread into the air as lips keep moving. Lips that have no face.
• Several other black cloaked figures follow behind, chanting words that now echoed back to me. Words that made the building tremble as gold antiques start to fall and the floor begins to crack. Fuzzy flames and fires shielding my vision while the entity continues to walk around, lips never stopping. A black shadow starts to emerge from within it, cloaking the person in a shade of dark fog.
• My breathing begins to hitch, the dark fumes traveling across the ground. The dome above me shakes as the concrete starts to fall piece by piece
• The chanting gets louder now. They start moving faster. The black shadows have covered the whole building and I can only make out the white cloak now. The rest have blended with the shadows. My eyes are burning, the floor trembles, roaring alive with anger as the dome finally shatters.
• I screamed, and the white cloaked figure stopped moving its lips. Head slowly turned to the floor trying to catch a glimpse of me, black rope-like shadow emerging from the hand and travelling towards the floor. Towards my legs, but I am pulled out before it can get to me.
• A strong hold on my wrist makes me shout, glass shatters across the floor and I jump. My heart panting, the banquet room coming alive again. It feels like I have died and have been resuscitated. My chest is burning hot.
• The person holding my hand is clothed in a floor length white robe stained at the edge with crimson red and gold liquid. Black gloved hand on my wrist as her eyes access my paled expression.
• “Fiona, are you okay?” Elijah asked and I saw him, the blood dripping from his arm and staining the floor, re-creating the strong scent I smelled earlier in the garden.
• A gasp is forming in the base of my throat and I open my mouth to talk but thick black blood pours from it instead. Continuously. Non-stop. Staining my peach dress.
• My vision turns faint as I fall back into a soft body, the same feeling I had before coming back to me. Like a sharp pin had been pricked against my skin.
• “THE NONARCH HAS BEEN POISONED!” Elder Zach screams as he holds onto my limp body and I slip into unconsciousness.