Dawn of the Fallen: Book 2

By Valeria Karaica and Yvonne Pinter

Not everything seems as it appears. Sometimes the bad intentions can be best decision if you are able to see beneath other people`s mask.

• Language: English
• Publisher: AuthorHouse UK
• Release date: Jul 22, 2020
• ISBN: 9781728354804

Valeria Karaica

Valeria Karaica is 17 years old girl who came up with an idea that her mother Yvonne Pinter helped develop. They moved to Ireland from Osijek, Croatia 5 years ago and this is their first novel.

Book preview

Chapter 1

Darkness had fallen over Chaos hours before. Children were already in their beds, sleeping; parents were enjoying in a quiet night. Gods were always inside of their mansions at this hour, but mortals were in the taverns or on the streets, drinking, laughing, sometimes fighting. The sound of their lives never reached the walls of the palace. They always had their own peace; their nights never disturbed by the mortals.

The young ones were mostly in their chambers. Only Silverayne was in a private salon with Thaerone and Exarion, joking and laughing again after Soora’s departure. None of them mentioned Ianthe; Thaerone, no matter how hard it was for him, accepted that she had chosen her destiny. Before meeting with them, he had returned to her room and looked at her clothes one last time before ordering servants to take all that out and place it in the farthest corner of the palace. Neither Silverayne nor Exarion cared much who Ianthe really was. Thaerone’s heart filled with a strange peace. He knew then that this was best for him.

Silverayne was sitting across from them on an armchair placed in the shadow of the room. For some reason, she was always peaceful in the shadows. At the same time, she could look at Exarion without being noticed. The light was never on her eyes. He tried to see them, but every time he would look at her, he was never sure she was looking back. It was impossible to him to meet her eyes.

Seeing her again, his emotions erupted into a desire to hold her. She was not a girl anymore, even though he tried to convince himself she was. Her body had bloomed; she was slim with just enough curves to make a man crazy. She had the face of an angel, but her eyes were devilish. Always burning and vivid, they would cut you like a knife when she was angry.

He wanted to look at them, but she did not let him. She was afraid that her eyes would tell the truth. She could not hide her love anymore. He could only look at her lips. The light of a lamp was illuminating them. They would laugh, smile, and make funny expressions that would melt his heart. And every time that would happen, he would remind himself how many times he had hurt other women. He might do the same to her.

‘How is your training now?’ he asked her. ‘You are finished soon?’

‘Yes, another two weeks and we are done. I am happy to finish it. Sometimes I have had a feeling it was taking too long,’ she said.

‘Have you learned to control yourself?’ he asked.

‘Yes, I’ve mastered that,’ she replied.

‘But in other areas, she is completely out of control,’ Thaerone said with a laugh.

‘That is part of her charm.’ Exarion smiled at her.

Thaerone stopped laughing, seeing them. He did not like the thought of the two of them together. If one of them hurt the other, it would put him in the middle, and he did not like the idea of choosing sides.

‘She was always charming. I still cannot believe she has grown up into this beautiful young woman,’ Thaerone agreed.

‘When I remember that night when she was born …’ Exarion stopped, knowing he had said too much.

‘I was born? You always said to me my parents died.’ she turned to Thaerone.

‘Yes, they died the night you were born.’ Thaerone tried to think of something more, but his brain stopped.

‘How come they died the night I was born? That is strange. I always thought they died after.’ She felt something was not right with that story.

‘Well, they died. They were attacked and killed after your mother gave birth to you.’ Thaerone felt like he was drowning in his own lies.

Silverayne looked at him. For the first time, she started to think he was lying to her.

‘Who were my parents? Why have you never shown me their picture? Where did they live? Why do I have no one from my family left? Grandma, grandpa? Uncle, aunt?’ she continued asking.

Exarion was opening his mouth to say something that might help Thaerone when someone knocked at the door. It was one of the guards, looking for Thaerone. He had a late visit from one of the portal masters. Thaerone saw that as a perfect excuse not to continue the conversation.

‘I have to check on what happened. I am glad you are back with us, brother.’ He hugged Exarion before leaving the salon.

Exarion hoped Silverayne would not continue with the questions, but she did.

‘None of you has ever told me a single thing about who I am. You are hiding something from me.’ She looked at him suspiciously.

She came close to him then. Now he could see her eyes. They were restless, unforgiving, and demanding. He had never imagined she would seek the truth about herself. Silverayne had never come to them with questions before; she had accepted their lies without thinking. She had trusted them completely.

But now, she was questioning everything they had told her about her birth. Nothing made any sense. She was a daughter of gods who both died. Who killed them, and how, and who were they? Why would anyone bring a baby unrelated to Thaerone into the palace? It was impossible for someone on Chaos not to have at least one relative. Where were hers?

And then, the last question: why was she so different from the rest of the Chaosians? None of them had ever given her an answer to that one either, and now all she could think of was who Thaerone and Exarion were.

‘We are not hiding anything,’ said Exarion. ‘I was child myself when that happened. I know what you know—what Thaerone told me,’ he lied, trying to protect himself in her eyes.

‘So only he knows the truth? Honestly, I really do believe everything he has said to me is just a bunch of lies.’ She stood up and move away from him.

‘Silverayne, whatever he said, one thing is true: your parents are dead.’ He felt the pressure of that lie.

‘I know, but something else bothers me.’

‘What? You know you can tell me,’ he said coming to her.

‘That my life is built on a lie,’ she softly said to him.

His own words cut his heart once again. He knew her life was built on a lie, but to him it was a good lie. Her mother was dead, killed by her father. She was swapped before he killed her as well. Everything Thaerone did had been to protect her. She must understand that—but he could not say that to her. He was afraid of her unpredictability, her impulsiveness. Exarion knew more than well that she might become a victim of her own chaos.

He came to her, slowly, as she would have run if he came faster. She looked at him with the eyes of a frightened animal. She was afraid of his next move. Before she could react, he pressed himself to her body, holding her head.

‘One thing I can promise you. I would rather die than to harm you, Silverayne.’

All she could look at was his lips. She did not hear what he was saying; she felt it inside her soul. It had been such a long time since they were alone, but now it was different. He was closer than ever. Feeling him, all she could think of was how much she wanted to taste his lips.

She stood up on her toes and kissed him. He did not hold back; he completely forgot all his fears. Exarion was sure he would never hurt her. She was part of his soul. This was meant to be long before they were born.

* * *

Since Soora’s return, the celestial palace had become very good place to live, for everyone in the kingdom. The change in Aralik had an impact on everyone. Servants and guards could breathe freely, not worrying that he was behind them waiting for them to make one wrong. Somehow, even the flowers bloomed more, in new colours. The singing of birds was the usual sound since she came back.

She and Aralik were together all day, playing like children: running, laughing, fighting. They both had put aside the past and started a new life. It was something Soora had never believed could happen. She never thought he would change. Not even Aralik himself knew what change was inside of him; he had not bothered to know. He was not a type who wasted time thinking about something when he could enjoy it.

Since Soora’s return, he tried to bring her together with Lexius. Soora was happy to be next to him, but Lexius did not felt the same. Even though they told him she was his mother, an inner voice was screaming that she was not. He was wise enough not to say anything to Aralik. Lexius had decided to leave that for himself and to observe them.

He felt their love was true. They both had scars on their hearts, Soora more than Aralik. She was warm and tender. She would greet him with a smile and a hug every morning, and with that she would send him off to sleep. He felt as if she really believed he was her son, but he knew he had never been a part of her. It only made him wonder about Aralik. Although he believed Aralik was his father, with Soora’s return, he has started to feel Aralik as a stranger. Something was not right between the three of them, and Lexius could not wait to leave for Chaos, now more than ever.

He was afraid to come in front of Aralik and Soora and ask when he could leave. Thaerone had not come for days now, and Lexius was afraid that he had forgotten about the visit. All Lexius wanted now was to go somewhere far away so he could figure out who he really was. His powers were growing stronger. They had come to the point where they would show him everything, but his mind had hard time believing. He just could not accept that he was not Aralik’s son. He could not escape that feeling, however, from the moment Aralik had called him to meet his mother.

‘Come, my son,’ Aralik had said, happiness all over his face. ‘Someone is eager to meet you.’

Lexius had approached him slowly, observing the woman who was standing next to him. Lexius had never seen her before. Her presence was unknown. He felt her heart was full of love, but something inside of him whispered that love does not belong to you.

Once he was near Soora, she ran to him and hugged him, crying, repeating:

‘My baby!’

He forced himself to hug her back, but this woman was unknown to him. His heart could not recognize her presence.

Aralik came to them and, putting a hand on Lexius’s shoulder, said, ‘She is your mother, the one we thought died at your birth. You have a family now—late but never too late.’

Soora was looking at him with love, but seeing his eyes, she felt as though something was not right. She did not know those eyes. Neither she nor Aralik had them. But her heart was so longing for her child that she convinced herself everything was all right.

‘I cannot believe you are so grown up. Look at you! Such a beautiful young man. You look so much like your father!’ She kissed him.

‘Thank you, Mother.’ He did not know what to say.

Soora took out the toy she’d made for her baby and gave it to him. ‘This belongs to you,’ she said. ‘I made it while you were still in my womb. I held it through the years, thinking of you and the day I would give it to you. I am sorry that I came too late. This toy is useless now.’ Her sadness was speaking out.

‘No, Mother, please don’t be sad,’ said Lexius. ‘I do not have to play with it, but I will cherish it.’

He felt sadness for her. She seemed so nice—broken yet strong and full of love. She was looking into his eyes, happy, when suddenly she back of. He knew what would happen next. Her face started to change; there was terror in her eyes.

Aralik came fast to her and grabbed her, not letting her fall. ‘Don’t look at her!’ he shouted at Lexius. ‘Move!’

‘I am sorry, Father.’ With fast steps, he left the room.

He ran through the gardens, down the stairs, and onto the land. He ran until he came to the shore. There, he finally sat down, exhausted. He could not understand what was happening to him. His powers were changing him into someone who did not belong in the sky. All he wanted was to go to Chaos. He knew everything would be better once he stood on that ground.

Lexius took off his clothes and, naked, entered the ocean. He was swimming, trying to find some safe place where he could stay. He noticed a small entrance; once he was closer, he saw that it was a cave. He dove into it, and after he swam through a long passage, he surfaced into a pool with a crystal-clear water and a small beach. He was so excited to find as something beautiful and peaceful as this that he decided to call that cave his shelter.

He walked to the sand and looked above. The sun was still up, shining on the cave inside. He lay down, tired of the life he had in the celestial kingdom. His soul craved the ocean, more with each day. Lying on the beach, he listened to the waves washing the shore. Every time they came near his feet, it seemed as if they were telling him something.

At first, he thought it is just his imagination, but as they were moving stronger and louder, he closed his eyes and let his spirit listen.

‘Prince … home … ocean … kingdom … stay …’

He felt the water rising, little by little, until it was over him. He was still lying on the sand, this time breathing under water. He did not felt the need to swim above it, to reach for air. Ocean embraced him, and he embraced Ocean back.

* * *

It had taken years for Soora to come back to herself and Caelia, and now she had a feeling it would take just as long to make Lexius love her. From the day she’d looked into his eyes, she knew he would never love her. Aralik tried to talk to her, to find out what she had seen, but she was silent. He did not like that. The fear of her going back to her old self sprang up again with every new day. It would go with the sunset, but every sunrise, he would wake up with the same thought: Is this the day when Soora will change? He did not want her to go back to what she was.

Sometimes, he felt torn between her and Lexius. He tried to bring them closer, but every time she would look into his eyes, everything would fall apart, until he decided he would stop trying and wait for Lexius to go to Chaos. Aralik was sure that in visiting that place, his son would learn more about his mother, and he would come back with an open heart. But Soora was terrified by the idea that his child would go there, even if just for a visit.

‘Aralik, I do not want him to leave the safety of Caelia. He does not belong there,’ she said, refusing the idea of his visit.

‘Darling, it will be just for a short time. We arranged everything before you came back. Lexius is excited for it. I do not want to bring more problems between you two by refusing him his wish. Let him go; he will come back. Do not worry.’ He held her head, trying to calm her.

‘I don’t know. I left that place for good. I left a blood trail behind me. I do not want him to go—not now.’

‘I understand,’ said Aralik. ‘What we have done is still alive in their memory. But trust me. Thaerone promised me safety for Lexius.’

‘No, I am not talking about what we have done in the past. I am talking about something I have done to come here.’ She pushed him gently and turned her back.

He was curious, and at the same time, he was afraid of what she would say. He let out a deep sigh.

She turned to him and said, ‘I am afraid of myself sometimes.’

‘Come here, sit with me,’ said Aralik. ‘Tell me everything. You know very well I am the last person who can judge your sins.’

She smiled at those words. They touched her soul more than anything she had heard before. She started talking while coming to him.

‘During my years in a sanctuary,’ she began, ‘I was controlled with potions and magic. At the beginning, I did not know what was happening. I became more lucid with each day, yet somehow, I would always go back to the previous state, as if I was in a magical circle. I did not know what was wrong with me. I heard voices—some familiar and some not so much. When I started to believe they were doing something to me, I refused to eat. Every time they would come near my room, I would pretend I was sleeping.’

She continued:

‘One day, one of the masters of that place, a woman whose voice I had never heard before, came into my room with a servant, thinking I was sleeping. I heard their conversation. She was ordering him to hold me in that state of madness as long as he could. She was afraid I would come to Thaerone and he will leave her. From that day, I knew who my enemy was, and I started to change.

‘First, I needed to teach my body not to starve. They were serving me her poison in meals and water. Second, I started to meditate. During that period, I reached deep down and found my true powers. The room I was in was always in constant dark. I become dark as well. I could hide in the shadows every time they would open the doors. What they would see was just a reflection of my image. I needed time to gain strength to fight my way out of that place.

‘The day I managed to escape, I killed them. I killed all of them, Aralik. Every member of that sanctuary lies dead now because of me. And I do not feel guilt. Not a single trace of guilt.’ She looked at him, fearing he would see a monster.

Aralik did not see her like that. To him, she was more remarkable than the first day he saw her on the frontier. He smiled and said proudly:

‘This is the reason I love you. We all think we can hurt you, but you fight back. The way you fight is ruthless, without remorse. Sometimes I am afraid of what will you do to me, but that is the reason I love you. You are more powerful than ever. But you don’t have to be afraid—not when you are here. Here, be whatever you want, do whatever you want. Just never leave me again.’

‘I could never hurt you. I belong to you.’ she gently touched his face.

‘I deserve to be treated same as them. We hurt you. We try to control you. But you are uncontrollable. They discovered it the hard way. Just promise me: don’t ever go back to Chaos. Once they find out what you have done, they will not be merciful like last time.’

‘Don’t worry,’ she chuckled. ‘I will never go back again.’

He grabbed her, afraid of losing her. He could not stand the thought of her gone. Hearing what she had done, what she had become, made him think that something in this woman called for death.

‘You must stay with me, always,’ he whispered. maniacally. ‘Only like that can I protect you.’

‘I will never leave your side, my love,’ she whispered back.

* * *

Amaryll sat in the lounge waiting for Daelan to come, but he was unusually late. Cake was still on the plate, intact. Her drink had grown cold, and every time someone would open the doors, she would raise her head hoping it was him. They had been meeting every day, but sometimes that meeting would just be Amaryll waiting for him to come, or he would come and stay less each time. Her intuition was telling her to leave, but her heart never listened.

She observed the mortals around her: families, couples, some alone like her, but she knew they were not waiting for anyone. The world of mortals was so much different from what she had imagined. She noticed how some of them were hiding, some were cheating and lying. She could not understand why they were doing that. Wasn’t it easier just to stop your relationship and move away?

She looked their children. The older ones were aware of problems, while the younger did not seem to care how their parents behaved as long as they themselves were cared for. They were happy in their ignorance. Amaryll felt sadness for those children.

Just then, she remembered Daelan’s children. It made her feel miserable. She should be wiser and leave this mortal’s world. She should go back to the depths of the ocean and seek happiness inside herself.

She looked at the clock. She had already been there three hours. Three hours of waiting forced her to accept that he was not coming. She had been left once again.

‘Milady, you have not touched your cake for hours,’ said a waitress. ‘Is something wrong with it?’

‘Oh, no. It’s not the cake. I don’t feel well,’ said Amaryll, trying to reassure her.

‘Can we help you with something?’ the waitress asked.

‘You are so nice, but no. No one can help me.’ She smiled and gave gold shells from her purse.

Slowly she walked away from the table and left that lounge, telling herself she would never wait for him again. The sky above Vydrolis was sunny. It was warmer than she remembered it to be at this hour. Amaryll walked through the streets trying to avoid the one where his store was. She was passing restaurants, hotels, shops, and bakeries, but she did not notice anything. All she could think of was the direction of her life. She was now almost 43 years old and alone. She did not want to become desperate, knowing she still had a lot ahead of her. But all she wanted now was to leave this city.

The closer she came to the gate, the closer she was to her pain. It was hard to admit she had been fooled again.

‘Just another step more,’ she told herself, hoping she would not come back. But a voice behind stopped her:

‘Amaryll, wait!’

It was him, panting from running. Before she turned to him, she smiled, happy that he had not let her down after all.

‘I don’t have time anymore,’ she said.

‘I know. I am sorry for letting you wait. Something unexpected happened. I tried to leave work sooner, but I could not. Can you stay just a little longer? I missed you,’ he said, trying to soften her.

‘I have been waiting for hours. You could have found a way to send me a message.’ She was still searching for an explanation.

‘Yes, I know that now. Please come back. Just an hour of your company will make me happy.’ He smiled, taking her hands.

She let him take her into the hotel—the same one she had been in with Meerna and her friends.

‘I found a perfect place for us. No one can interrupt us here.’

‘Here? I have been here once. Someone can see us and …’

‘Don’t bother this pretty head with irrelevant problems. My friend is an owner. You don’t have to be afraid of exposure. We are safe here,’ he said while taking her into one of the rooms.

The moment he closed the doors; he kissed her naked shoulders. Her body shivered under the touch of his lips. She turned to him and passionately kissed him. All she had been holding inside for years, she let out. In a moment, their clothes were lying on the ground. She was naked in front of him, admiring his body that had grown old and yet was still in an exceptional state—so different from gods, but she loved it. It was soft and warm, with a strange smell that reminded her of something.

She remembered well everything he loved. She loved to repeat all that, enjoying the sound he would let out. His breathing had led her to madness. She was still crazy about him.

‘I want to hear you moaning,’ he whispered.

She looked at him with pleasure. He did not have to ask for that. She moaned every time he would push