King Nikai of Amaranthine.

His beauty shinned even during the most somber of times. With his draped clothing, the starry gold and white fabric adorned his body in a way that'd confuse anyone who questioned his sex. He was beautiful in every way possible. There was no comparison to any gods, just a reminder that he was a purebred peacock, while Ava was a mere modified hen.

As the door closed behind him, shutting them off from everyone outside in the hall, Sam let Ava go and scurried back to the wall at a safe distance. But it didn't matter. Frostbite accumulated in his grandfather's eyes. Sam looked down at the floor, frightened, but he shouldn't worry. His grandfather was staring directly at Ava.

Their grandfather's hand left the confounds of the long sleeves, bringing out a small glass vial filled with honey substance. Its crystal, teardrop shape brought about nostalgia, reminding Ava of tree sap. Honey dripped from its container. Each drip turned into air, waving through the room like an enchantment. The chattering dulled outside as if they were now standing in a soundproof room.

"Restrain her." His voice came out in such a strong, captive way, Ava almost missed the Ama words he spoke.

Darious walked out from behind King Nikai and straight for Ava. She backed away before he could reach her, but she was too scared to truly escape. Ava knocked into the IV pole. He came to a halt at her side, yet she still expected the worst.

Darious whispered under his breath, "I don't want to hurt you. This will be less painful if you don't resist."

He grasped her arms from behind before she could think. His restraint turned her instincts into overdrive. So many ideas popped up, of ways to escape, where to run and hide. From the hallway, she could faintly hear Caterina making threats and Gregori trying to calm her down. He gave in to whatever demands King Nikai was after. I'm on my own.

King Nikai walked with such grace. Tiny diamonds hung off his hair, they absorbed the sun's rays and reflected rainbows upon the shade of midnight. With each step, he carefully plucked each finger of their glove, until they were completely uncovered. Fear grew at the pit of Ava's stomach when he stopped in front of her. She waited for her second death.

But it never came. Instead, he covered her forehead, his palm flat on her skin. Images flashed before Ava's eyes.

A blushing Mika and his wide eyes. He hovered above her on the floor after he was pushed out of the portal and into her living room. The first time they held hands. Their fight during training. The times he held her in his arms. The moment they kissed in the desert sand and again in the basement. Everything flashed by like pictures.

The memories sped through. There was no time to keep up, to understand what she was seeing. The longer this went on, she eventually gave in to this strange ability until they reached the memories of Marc.

Ava jerked back. With a steady hand, Darious' grip tightened. He strapped her down in place when she wanted to run away as far as possible.

The images began when Ava first fell from the tree and landed on Marc. The moment she fell in love with Marc's beautiful cosmos. How they grew closer, became friends, holding one another. How she let him tie a red string around her heart and followed his lead blindly. She shook and trembled the closer they got to the memory that started all this hate.

And when it came, Ava wasn't prepared. It was traumatizing experiencing it over, again. The yelling, the scorching burn around her neck and strangled cries. The moment he pushed her towards death. Ava cried out in pain. Their grandfather didn't stop. He continued sifting through her memories, watching their fight, watching as the sword plunged through his chest. Marc whispered his last words. I'm sorry... Ash...

They came back to the present, back in Mika's room.

When King Nikai finally removed his palm, Ava nearly collapsed onto the floor. Her brain was exhausted, mind swirled with the feeling of it being invaded. Darious sat her on the bed. She couldn't stop shaking. They were just memories. Just memories.

Cautiously, she watched as he subtly paced around the bed. He pushed hair away from Mika's face, and gazed at him for such a long time. After a few minutes, he tipped Mika's head to the side and revealed a large plaster tapped over his neck.

In one fell swoop, he ripped it clean off.

A tattoo lined the nape of Mika's neck with simple circles and stars. She couldn't decipher the characters written out along each circle. They were neither Ama nor any language she knew. And its hue was light brown, almost as if it were a simple henna tattoo, but knowing what they did, this tattoo was permanent. Another curse mark.

Shaken, Ava gently touched her neck and found a plaster stuck in the exact same spot. She wanted to rip it off, to confirm that it was true. But she stopped herself. Who else knew about this mark? Could she trust anyone outside of this room?

It wasn't long before their grandfather placed the plaster back on Mika's neck. "I am sorry for what transpired between you and Marcoussis," he said in the Ama tongue. "But I am more sorry for what has occurred between you and Mikaela."

His words caught Ava off guard. She wasn't sure how to react. It didn't matter as he continued, "It's my fault for not correctly educating my grandchildren on the history behind this curse mark. So for this, I will take responsibility for my negligence. But you must know, I can't be responsible for his actions any longer. His life is now in your hands."

Mika's life was already in her hands, many times before. What difference did this make? And how could he apologize so easily? Marc said his grandfather was a cruel man. It seemed even those were lies.

King Nikai clarified. "Let me make it simple. Your lives are now connected. If Mika dies then you will die too. If you die, then you will take Mika with you. Do you understand?"

Ava froze. It was too much to process. Too much pressure. I can't believe this is happening. I can't believe we stupidly completed that spell when we know nothing about it!

But when she gazed at Mika, it didn't feel so stupid. She felt thankful that he was the one who jumped in. Ava took his hand, not caring anymore if his grandfather disapproved, and said, "Yes."

Satisfied, a small faint smile crossed King Nikai's lips. "Then you will understand my reason for what I'm about to do next."

As he approached the door, he slipped his silk gloves back on. The moment it opened, the magic disappeared. Fresh air filled the room. A flurry of questions, concerns, and complaints bombarded the silence—echoed against the walls. It was too much for Ava's ears.

King Nikai didn't respond. Instead, his eyes traced the dark leather couch before skimming the top with his fingertips. He hid his feelings well behind a pair of long lashes. He kept such a calm and collected demeanor, Ava envied him.

Gregori held both hands behind his back in a firm stance and tested the waters. "Am I to understand our terms have changed?"

"Yes, with these new turn of events, the terms have changed," King Nikai stated in English this time. His voice commanded the room masterfully, it had Gregori standing taller, to appear more authoritative.

"We will continue to provide aid through our resources. However, I can no longer allow my grandchildren to help you in the war against Primordial," King Nikai said. "After Mikaela has awakened, he will return to Amaranthine with me—including Avalyn."

So this is it. This is what he meant. Ava always knew if she got involved with an Ama prince this was a possibility. But she never dreamed it would come. Not with Mika. Not with Marc. She always expected death. She squeezed Mika's hand. Instead, she got both.

They will take me from the only home I know.

Gregori stepped forward. "There must be a compromise we can make regarding Ava. We are on the brink of the final battle, and she is our top fighter—"

"And yet, she accepted such sacrifices when she entered into a covenant with my grandchild. No, when she pursued an Ama prince—"

"She is a human!"

"She is a Doku! And now an Ama!" King Nikai slammed his fist down on the couch, and like a mallet it sealed Ava's fate. "She will never be an Earthling again."

A deadly silence overcame the room. It made it hard to breathe. His words replayed in the back of her mind, over and over, until she felt her humanity slip away.

Caterina stayed quiet and clasped her hands together in a tight hold. She glared King Nikai down with so much malice seeping through her cold, hard eyes. Unlike her mom, Gio showed no hint of anger in his demeanor.

He stepped forward and held King Nikai's gaze. "But you can't just take her away and lock her up. This is her home," he said. "We're her family."

King Nikai eyed Gio for a moment, analyzing him as if there were some hidden motive behind his actions. "And would she want to stay? Her physical appearance has changed enough that no human will accept her for who she is. While my people will praise her for being born a species we consider godly."

I look different? Ava searched her arms. Her skin was still brown, but as she looked down, a piece of her hair slipped by. It was darker, different, lacking its usual curl at the end.

As she hesitantly touched the strand, shoes tapped the floor until King Nikai's decorated boots were in her line of sight. She looked up, only to find him peering at Mika. "You should consider yourself lucky to be born a Doku. It's through this lineage, I will grant you the right to marry Mikaela and be honored with the title of Princess."

Princess? Did I hear that correctly, or am I hallucinating, again?

He flicked his wrist with such swift movements. Sam understood the silent communication and walked over. He embraced her for a second time, which just reconfirmed what his grandfather said to be true. I am going to be an Ama princess.

"Watch over him, while I'm gone," Sam whispered. "I'll be back as quick as I can."

King Nikai rested his hand on Sam's shoulder, breaking them up for the second time today. Filled with worry, Sam took one last look at Mika before they vanished from the room. And without another moment, Ava went into Mika's bathroom. No one stopped her. They were too busy planning, chatting, to take notice.

She lingered in the doorway, hesitant to turn on the bathroom light, because she could already see how much her hair had changed. It was darker, nearly black. Less curly, more wavy. And was it floating?

Ava flicked the light on and froze.

Black eyes stared back from the mirror. Eyes that were as cold as ice. Fear and darkness coiled around her heart. The same terror she experienced. The same eyes she stared into countless times.

She slammed into the threshold. The pain didn't register with her brain, nor the pain from the scratches she inflicted on her face, her hair, her skin. Because it wasn't just her eyes, but her whole body. Everything changed to fit the appearance of a reaper.

Ava screamed.

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