1. Blackmist Forest

[Erica]

Her heart was still pounding, dulling the throbbing ache in her chest momentarily. She had screwed her eyes shut, giving into the exhilarating sensation of teleporting from one place to another. It felt as if the wind was rushing past her ears, caressing her entire body, and then it just stopped. 

She cautiously opened her eyes, expecting the worst, but the place made her gasp instead. She was standing in the same forest where she had been countless times in her dreams. The only difference? Now it was real and a little misty. The astonishment made her forget for a moment why she was there. She looked around. A thick mist hung in the air, making it difficult for her to see what was beyond the line of trees that were within five feet. Everything was black, inky black.

How on earth am I supposed to look for anyone here? Elias did not even tell me anything else, she thought morosely. Her thoughts involuntarily went back to her mate... ex-mate? Maybe, and with that, it brought back the pain that would probably now be her constant companion. Her vision blurred, making her blink several times. How was he taking the rejection? Lana had said that it was painful. Maybe it was, maybe this would end her slowly, like a slow poison. Did her parents find out? Or Drake? What were they thinking?

A sob tore from her throat. The tears of pain and sorrow, of yearning, finally rolled down her cheeks. Now that the anguish she had been holding back was let loose, it did not seem to stop. She missed him already. Their journey was so new, they had accepted each other so completely. Then why did fate play such a cruel joke on her? Taking away all the things that she cherished? 

Her fists clenched and screamed to let out her frustration and anger before her knees buckled. What will she do now? Elias was nowhere. She had just blindly followed him. What if Xavier was right? What if he wasn’t the victim but the victimiser instead? What if... this was a ploy? 

Her breathing turned erratic, her hands shook and her feet tingled. She felt as if there was more blackness at the corners of her eyes. She gasped for breath. Tears continued to stream down her cheeks. You are hyperventilating, deep breaths sweetheart, the voice sounded familiar; it was Xavier’s. Even though at the back of her mind, she knew this was a mere hallucination; she held onto that voice as if her life depended on it. She took slow, deep breaths, willing her thudding heart to calm down. The trembling and tingling lessened a bit. 

You need to get up, sweetheart; you need to look for Elias, the Xavier in her mind said soothingly. She released a shaky breath and got to her feet. Her legs still felt wobbly, but she had to find a way out. If Elias was bailing on her, she had to find an alternative. She could teleport, but she did not know what to say, how to say. 

She took a deep breath and turned around, only to yelp when her eyes landed on the figure standing silently, regarding her. 

“Elias!” she exclaimed, relief washing over her momentarily. Her lips tugged into a small smile, which was not returned. Elias slowly approached her, his gaze laced with concern, his lips downturned into a frown, “You shouldn’t have-”

“Rejected Xavier? Yeah, I regret it now”, she chuckled wetly. His brown orbs filled with sadness. “I hope…” he trailed off. Erica shook her head, giving him a small smile despite the ache in her chest, “It was my decision Elias. I had to save Tristan and…” she paused, swallowing thickly, “I did not want Xavier falling from his grace because of me. Aldred was... right”, she looked up at Elias whose lips were now set in a thin line. 

“And how do you know that he is right?” he asked coolly. 

She lowered her gaze, “Wasn’t he saying the truth? I am a mage, born as one and if what all of you are saying is true, then not only me but everyone associated with me will be brought down, ridiculed and maybe even punished, and I will never want that. I would never…” her voice trembled with remorse. 

She sighed, “Anyway, are we going to stand here and talk like we always do, or is there a place where we can sit and talk?” this time Elias’ lips quirked up slightly. He nodded, “Yes, there is. Come with me,” and held out his hand. Erica hesitated for a moment before taking it. The forest was dark enough so that it was difficult for her to navigate her way. A bone-deep weariness washed over her as she gripped his hand tightly. They walked slowly, the mists thickening as they trudged through the forest. She could neither hear nor see a single sign of life. The forest seemed so...dead. 

“What is this place? She finally asked. 

“Blackmist forest”, came the brief reply.

“Thanks for stating the obvious”, she deadpanned. 

“You can also call it the forest of the dead,” he replied, glancing over his shoulder.

Erica stopped in her tracks, tugging on his arm and stopping him in the process as well. 

“You are kidding me, right?” she hissed, still trying to digest the fact. 

This time he turned to face her, “No. This is where souls stay trapped when their pull towards their earthly life is strong or their urge to avenge something overwhelms everything else”. Erica’s breath hitched. Elias did not continue any further and started walking. 

Erica, now being a little privy to the place, shuddered in fear. Her gaze wandered, the trees looked bare now that she squinted and looked carefully, their silhouettes looked menacing and intimidating, to say the least. 

She asked impatiently, “How much longer?”

“We are almost there”, he murmured, and true to his words, soon she spotted an outline of the mansion against the night sky, the sky itself visible for the first time since she had arrived.  Dim lights from the windows beckoned them. 

“Regina advenit, dimiserunt eam”, Elias uttered. Erica saw a spark before the air shimmered, rippled slightly. They moved forward.

“What was that?” she asked curiously. 

“Barrier”.

“But I could see the mansion,” she mused. Elias hummed, “Yes, because you are with me”. 

The door creaked opened and Erica gasped once again when she saw at least twenty people kneeling on one knee, their heads bowed. Erica’s baffled expression must have been quite evident on her face because Elias murmured, “They have been waiting for the arrival of their Queen, Erica”, he smiled at her, “Welcome to my lair, Queen”.