Awakening (39 page)

As if summoned, the doors opened and Auberon entered the room
, though he was dressed as Adam, how odd. He had done that before, pretending to be Adam in order to understand what was happening to his brother. Celeste wasn’t fooled then, she certainly wasn’t fooled now. There was no way he would be able to fool the Queen, who was far more powerful than herself and as such, much more perceptive….

“
Adamanteros,” a low, sensual voice purred from somewhere. Celeste twisted in her bindings to see who spoke with such honeyed affection. She might have to hurt the woman; Adam was hers even if it was Auberon who stood there. Her breath stilled in her chest as an exceptionally beautiful woman with long, pale blond hair stepped into her field of view, her freakishly slender body was draped in silk and her face lit up when she faced Auberon. Her face was exquisite, made even more so by the alien-ness of her shiny, black eyes; she held herself with such grace, such poise.

With a gasp, Celeste recognized the Queen from the
peculiar vision she had when she had visited her mother. The zealousness that had burned in her eyes all of those millennia ago simmered and crackled around her, a brittle shell of madness and complacency. Celeste knew exactly how much of a threat she was to the Queen: none at all. The powerful woman didn't even spare her a glance as she flowed towards Auberon.

“Mother,” Auberon smiled that devastating smile of his, holding out his arms to embrace the stunning woman.

As the woman stepped into his embrace, his eyes met hers over the Queen’s shoulders, but he quickly looked away. Maybe he didn’t want to give any indication that he was Auberon and he feared she would give it away if he looked at her. Or maybe he was here to seal her fate and she had trusted the wrong people.

The Queen took a step back, holding her son’s hands in her own as she spoke with him, “
Adamanteros, where is your brother?”

Auberon’s lips tilted up in a wicked smile as he motioned his head to the girl on the table, “He’s searching for his pet
, Mother. He’s threatening to tear the city apart to find her so I was forced to bind him with angel netting.”

The Queen’s icy laugh
sent a violent chill down Celeste’s spine and she cringed; how could the woman not tell her own two sons apart? She wished Auberon would look at her, just look her way to let her know that this was his plan and everything was going according to it.
Please, Auberon, look at me.

Patience, baby,
his voice murmured softly in her head, comforting even as it caught her off guard. It was difficult to prevent her body from jerking in response but hours of holding almost perfectly still helped. Finally, she was developing one of her powers: mental communication. It wasn’t very helpful in breaking free but it was something.

Auberon led his mother over to a sitting area just beyond Celeste’s line of
sight, infuriating her; how was she going to be able to know what was happening if she couldn't see? It’s not like she had a lot of wiggle room strapped to the damn table, the manacles threatening to rip her skin apart if she moved even a half a millimeter….

Patience, Celeste
, his voice echoed again; this time she could hear the caution behind it. She settled back, prepared to listen in to what she couldn’t see; perhaps she would learn what was to become of her.

*****

“What news have you?” the Queen asked anxiously.

“I think you will be pleased,” Auberon grinned broadly to hide his disgust of being so near his Mother; disgust of being in his own body. He could barely even look at Celeste without feeling the guilt slice through him.
Never in his life had he been so grateful for the Fate's fortuitous timing. Had Celeste come into their lives just a few years prior none of this would have worked because the Queen would have become aware of it as soon as Adam had bit her. The Queen would have known he was Auberon and not Adam simply by the communications they wouldn't have been able to block.

Now he was able to send the signal that he was Adamantero
s and she was none-the-wiser.

“Do not leave me in suspense,” the Queen demanded, her cold eyes sparkling with anticipation. “Have we eliminated the menace to my throne?”

“The Monoliths have determined with absolute certainty that the infant was indeed the threat,” Auberon said calmly even as his heart jack-knifed in his chest; he could feel Celeste’s distress. Forcing the words past the knot in his throat, he added, “The girl is harmless; she is a mere human, a vessel for the Queen-initiate.”

“We should destroy her,” the Queen pronounced in her lethal, beautiful voice.

“Mother, we have discussed this,” Auberon said patiently, perfectly mimicking Adam's calm, verbal influence. “You know that Auberon is balancing on the edge; if you deny him his pet at this stage, you may lose him forever and you know that he will be a formidable enemy. Unless you wish to destroy him as well?”

“Oh,
Adamanteros,” the woman breathed heartily. “It would grieve me to no end if it became necessary to annihilate my darling Auberon." She was silent for a long time, staring inwardly as she debated what to do. Finally, she huffed a long-suffering sigh, "Fine, do what you must with the girl; he will grow bored with her eventually.”

“Exactly,” Auberon said, letting out the breath he had been holding. Standing, he came back into Celeste’s view. Forcing his gaze to meet hers, he dipped his head ever-so-slightly to offer a measure of reassurance. “I think it would be best if I take her to him now before he truly tears the town apart looking for her.”

The Queen stepped forward and Celeste recoiled from the ice in her black gaze as she stared down at her. The woman looped her arm through Auberon’s, pressing her body against his in a manner that was completely inappropriate, her hand over his heart as she sneered, “Take it out of my sight, Adamanteros.”

“As you wish, Mother,” he said, holding Celeste’s eyes as the two of them approached the table to which she was still bound. Carefully, he removed the metal bindings and
as soon as the last one was released Celeste flew off the table, evading the two and making a run for the door. Without disturbing the air around her with things as tedious as movement, Auberon’s hands wrapped around her shoulders and he hauled her against his chest. Softly, his mouth right next to her ear, he whispered, “Don’t fight, Celeste.”

The panic and fear stilled and she allowed him to turn her around to face the vicious
, powerful Queen. Pain exploded across her cheekbone as the Queen slammed her fist into her face. Celeste’s hand shot up, covering the reddening mark, shock that Auberon would allow the Queen to hit her; was it really necessary? But then Celeste felt the tension in his fingers as he fought the urge to strike back and was almost appeased, though now her cheek hurt on top of her body aching. And there was something….

She watched the Queen’s lip curl as she said, “Get this vile creature out of my sight,
Adamanteros, before I change my mind and kill it myself.”

He started to usher Celeste out of the room, sensing her thoughts
bubbling beneath the surface, the awareness that something was wrong. He tried to hurry but just before they left the room, the Queen called out, “And Adamanteros?”

“Yes, Mother?” Auberon managed, though he remained with his back towards her.

“I want you to keep an eye on her at all times,” she ordered. “If she threatens you, if she looks at you funny, if she makes you feel ill, kill her. Your brother can find a new pet, one that is less pesky than this one.”

“As you wish, Mother,” he said, pushing Celeste ahead of him.

"Adamanteros?"

"Yes, Mother?" Auberon tensed, his jaw clenching to prevent him from speaking his mind, as he would if he were himself.
He was terrified his Mother would finally see through his disguise and know she could no longer trust her sons.

"If I discover you have lied to me I will kill her," the Queen said with dea
dly sincerity. "I will tear her apart and bathe in her blood while you watch. Now, leave before I change my mind and decide I wish to bathe in her blood tonight."

“Au…” Celeste began as soon as they were in the nearly deserted corridor; only the
Apocritum
who pledged his loyalty remained.

“Hush,”
Auberon demanded harshly, lightly squeezing her arms to let her know he meant nothing by his tone. “If I wished to hear your voice I would ask you to speak; not a sound until we reach the car.”

As they passed the single
Apocritum
, he bowed his head in deference to her sovereignty and the foolish girl smiled at him, “Ealasayd.”

The
Apocritum's
head jerked up and he stared at her with those unusual not-fully-black eyes. Auberon’s grasp tightened as she acknowledged the man. He pulled her roughly back, her body slamming into his, “My brother will not be pleased to learn of your flirtation.”

“I’m not… I didn’t,” she sputtered, wanting to turn around and face him so he would be able to see the sincerity in her eyes but his hold on her was too strong. He seemed angry on
Adam’s behalf, though that was ridiculous. She was simply acknowledging her subject. Wasn’t that what Queens were supposed to do? She was way out of her league.

“I said not a sound until we reach the car,” he ground out coolly
, his guts twisting with the cruelty had no desire to inflict upon her.
Please, Celeste
.

Celeste pressed her lips together as she struggled to obey the order, though
he knew it was killing her to not be able to ask him anything. Her hand flew to her stomach and she started to cry out, stumbling over her feet. Auberon held her upright, “Not yet, Celeste. Just a bit further.”

“My baby,” she gasped.

“Just a bit further,” he rumbled softly, quickening their pace.
Please, Celeste; just a little further. Hold on until we get to the car; please
.

He flooded her with
soothing warmth and serenity as they walked. Her silent tears were killing him as she managed to remain upright until they made it to the car. Opening the door, he carefully helped her into the front seat before buckling her in. Closing her door, he walked around to the other side, taking a deep breath before getting into the car himself. Turning the key, he looked at her, and heaved a sigh, “You’re safe.”

Her lips trembled into a slight smile even as more tears flooded her eyes; she was trying so hard to be strong. “Thank you, Auberon, for everything.”

Her gratitude cut him to the bone but he forced a smile to curve his lips. The smile broke before it could finish taking form and he looked at her, unable to hide the misery he felt, the guilt. “I’m so sorry, love.”

She closed her eyes and for the briefest moment, it was completely silent, only the hum of the engine giving any indication that sound existed. And then the dam burst and the most miserable wail filled the car.
Oh, gods
, desolation filled Auberon as he watched the woman he loved mourn her child, knowing that there was nothing he could do, knowing he was the one who caused her this pain. 

Celeste crumbled in on hers
elf, pain ripping through her. Needing to hold onto something, anything, she grabbed onto Auberon’s arm, needing his strength to ease the absolute wretchedness of loss. His strong arm was around her shoulders and she pressed her face against his chest, letting the tears fall. Her fingers curled into the material of his shirt, her tendons tightening until they felt ready to snap. She had loved the baby from the moment she realized she was pregnant, and now… What if that was the only chance she had of bearing Adam’s child? Her baby… her baby was gone.

“I’m so sorry,”
Auberon softly repeated, gently rubbing her arm as he held her. Her body shuddered with each heartbreaking sob and he squeezed his eyes shut in agonizing sorrow. This was his punishment, to hold her as she cried, never able to have more. He’d never be worthy of her, not after taking the baby to save her. Even knowing that they would have destroyed the child, he still held himself accountable for causing her this devastation. “I’m so sorry.”

*****

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Adam smoothed the silken hair from Celeste’s face, his heart breaking for her loss; for their loss. The past few days had been so difficult for her but he knew she was going to be all right; the edge of desperation was fading from their love-making. She still had moments, like this evening when she had broken down during dinner and was inconsolable. After an eternity, she finally fell asleep in his arms, letting him carry her to bed. He turned to face Auberon as his brother leaned against the doorway to the bedroom. “With all of my strength, I feel completely powerless in the face of her tears.”

The corners of Auberon’s lips tilted upwards but the mocking smile didn’t reach his eyes.
"It's my fault."

"No," Adam shook his head. Now that Celeste was safely
back in his arms he was able to appreciate the wisdom and sacrifice of Auberon's actions. "You were right, Auberon; it was the only way to save her."