Seduced by Darkness (The Seduced Saga)(19)

Her dark wings pulsed behind her as she rested her pale hands on her lap, her nails the color of the moon. With sharp eyes she watched her Lords hear and decide the fate of those in their Order, noting names and faces, filing it all away in her expanded memory and consciousness.

Politics were always fickle with the Nephilim, even after her reign of almost 500 years.

A globe hung to her right, sizable enough to hold in two hands comfortably. It shimmered with color, rotating on its own, reflecting images at seeming random. Seraphina had devised the object early in her reign to expand her own ability to 'see' her kingdom. It had alerted her to the boy, Drake's awakening. By law, Beleth was justified in completing the transformation of his son, but the act done without consent gave her leverage over the unusual Nephilim, and she coveted these debts owed for a time when she would need them most.

She lifted her gaze, her dark eyes flashing as the Emzara Commander approached her throne. He was larger than most Nephilim, endowed with special gifts that made his job as enforcer of her laws easier. He did not wear the colors of his Order. None of the Emzara did, as they had their own uniform made of fire and ice, forged with magic to become part of them.

"My Queen, the new recruit has given us problems once again. We have him in custody awaiting your order."

Seraphina would have sighed, but that would reveal too much about her emotional disposition. Instead, she paused, letting the weight of her silence linger.

The Commander wouldn't shift, wouldn't show any signs that he worried about her reaction, but she could tell. And so she waited more, and then spoke when she knew the timing would be most impactful.

"Summon the Disrupter," she said. The Lords to her right and left paused in their own discussions as the large room on all floors fell silent. No one had summoned the Disrupter in over a thousand years.

For the first time, the Commander nearly stammered. "Uh—yes, Your Majesty."

"We need this soldier. I have my plans. I see your questions, know your concerns, but in this you will have to trust my judgment. You do trust my judgment, do you not?"

He bowed deeply as she knew he would. "Of course, My Queen. It shall be done."



Sounds of screaming could be heard throughout the Twilight Court for three days and three nights without relief. Those who could leave, had. Those who couldn't without offending their Queen or failing in their royal duties remained reluctantly, a collective expression of discomfort on the faces of them all.

Only Seraphina remained visibly unaffected by the torture.

If she shuddered within, well, who could know such things?

When the screams stopped, the Court let out its collective breath and life quickly returned to normal.

It didn't take long for the Commander to return, escorting a figure shrouded in dark robes, and an Emzara soldier who walked with purpose, clad in the gray armor of one who had once forsaken his duty.

"My Queen," said the Commander, as the Emzara fell to their knees, "it is done."

She gestured them forward. "Disrupter, please step forward."

The figure in black did as asked, but did not bow, and the Queen did not press the issue.

"Will I have any trouble with this one moving forward?" she pointed to the Emzara soldier, the Nephilim who had disrupted court for three days with his screams.

A voice so scrambled, so inconsistent that she could not tell if it was male or female came from the figure in black. "You will not. He is ready to serve."

"Thank you for your service. What do you require of me in payment?"

The Disrupter considered for several moments before speaking. "A favor from the Queen, at a date and time of my choosing," said the disquieting voice.

Once again Seraphina locked in her sigh. She did not like being beholden to others, especially the Disrupter, but she had no other choice—no one ever did who worked with him. "You have my word."

The figure nodded its head and left without leave.

She directed her attention to the Commander. "Is he ready to fight?"

"Yes, My Queen. Without delay."

The globe beside her pulsed red, letting out a low hum. The Queen closed her eyes and looked inward, searching, seeing, discovering, then smiled a small smile. "Very good. Beleth's son has just turned a human without leave of this Court. We have a Nephilim to punish. Rise… Ryder of Nightfall, and take your place amongst the Emzara once again."

Ryder stood, his movements echoing through the hall. One of the Queen’s men had found him up in the mountains, bleeding from his eye but alive. Finally, he had been returned to her. And though Seraphina knew his next words would pain him, he would say them anyway. "As you desire my Queen, it shall be done."





TWENTY





The Soft Phrase of Peace





BELETH





Rude am I in my speech, And little blessed with the soft phrase of peace.

— William Shakespeare, Othello





TWO MONTHS LATER


BELETH SAT UNDER the weeping willow tree watching his tiny granddaughter throw stones into the lake. Her chubby little hands worked so hard to get the stone to skip, but they all just sunk gracelessly into the placid water.

Still, Ana didn't lose her patience. A unique child, indeed. She kept at it, tossing stone after stone, until he brought his large dark hand to her small white one and tilted it.