Ninety-Four

REMI'S POV:

The room is cold, the walls lined with the ever-present red-and-gold hues of the Autumn Court. I sit on the narrow cot in the corner, my arms crossed, staring at the stone ceiling. The air smells faintly of damp earth and autumn leaves, but it feels too still. Too quiet. It’s like the place is waiting for something. I don’t know what exactly, but I can feel it in my bones.

Raelisar is sprawled across the room, sitting in a chair by the window, looking out at the crimson trees swaying gently in the breeze. He hasn't said much since we arrived here—just gave me a vague glance when they shoved me in and locked the door behind me. He’s supposed to be watching me, though. He’s just... doing a terrible job at it.

I shift slightly, glancing over at him. I don’t care what his reasons are for being here. He’s been nothing but aloof and rude.

"Hey," I finally say, breaking the silence. "Can I have some water?"

Raelisar doesn’t even look at me as he stretches out in his chair, throwing one leg over the other. “Get it yourself.”

I raise an eyebrow, not sure if I should laugh or be offended. “You’re supposed to be watching me, not sitting there like a lazy bastard,” I say, a little more annoyed than I should be.

He finally glances at me, his black eyes glowing like coal embers. “If you want something, don’t ask me for it. You can get your own water,” he responds, completely unbothered. “And no, I don’t drink blood. Not my thing.”

I can’t help but chuckle. “What, you too good for that?”

“No,” he says, smirking. “I prefer something more substantial. I eat souls. Helps keep me alive. If you need to know more about me, I’m not exactly that interesting.”

I stare at him for a moment, trying to wrap my head around his casual attitude. The idea of devouring souls... It's just so Raelisar. But I guess I shouldn’t be surprised.

I shake my head. “You eat souls? I mean... that’s messed up.”

He shrugs. “You asked.”

I change the subject, not wanting to keep thinking about Raelisar’s disturbing habits. I need to focus, to figure out what the hell is going on.
"Can Keiran break through the wards around here?" I ask, my tone filled with frustration and hope. Maybe if they knew what was going on here, they could come and get me out.

Raelisar’s expression darkens, his eyes narrowing. “No. He can’t. The wards are too strong. Even he wouldn’t be able to do it without the Pearl.”

I nod grimly. I knew it wouldn’t be that easy. I push myself up from the bed, pacing the small space. “Then why the hell are you here?"

Raelisar chuckles darkly, leaning back in his chair, his gaze never leaving me. “The Autumn King offered his powers to help end what’s spawning on the First Isle, the original Isle. The creature is too powerful for me to handle alone, so I need the Fifth Isle’s men to help me take it down. I've made the same offer to Keiran and Xaden. But... they haven’t given an answer yet.”

I pause, the words sinking in like stones in my gut. “What’s spawning there? What’s so dangerous?” I ask, my voice rising with tension.

Raelisar’s face tightens, his jaw clenching. “Something darker than me.”

I shiver, his words sending a wave of dread through me. “What... what is it?” I ask, the fear creeping into my voice.

Raelisar doesn’t answer immediately, and when he does, it’s quieter, more dangerous. “I don’t know exactly. But I can feel it. It’s not a thing—it’s more like an entity. A shadow that’s grown too powerful. I don’t fucking get scared, Remi. I just don’t want to be enslaved to it.”

The way he says it sends a chill through me. I can tell there’s more to the story, something he’s not saying, but I can’t pry it out of him.

I’m not afraid of Raelisar. But this thing, whatever it is, has him worried. And that terrifies me.

“So what do we do?” I ask, my voice quiet, resigned.

Raelisar shrugs, stretching his arms over his head. “I’m just going where the wind takes me. Whoever can help me defeat the creature is where I’ll be. I don’t have loyalty to anyone but myself. And right now, that means working with the Autumn King.”

I clench my fists. "Help me get out of here," I demand. "I don't care what you're doing. I just want out."

He looks at me, unfazed. "Why would I do that?" he asks, his tone almost bored.

I take a deep breath, trying to hold my frustration in check. “Because Keiran isn’t going to get back to you about your offer. The wards around this place are blocking messages.”

Raelisar raises an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. “How do you know that?”

I lock eyes with him. “Because I can read minds.” I pause, a small smile tugging at my lips. “I can’t get a read on you or anyone here. Not a single one of you.”

Raelisar’s expression flickers, just for a moment. “That’s interesting. So... you can’t get messages from the boys?”

I shake my head. “If I could, they would be filling up my head with messages so loud that I wouldn’t be able to hear myself think.”

Raelisar lets out a short laugh, his lips curling slightly. “Huh. First time I’ve seen you smile.”

I shrug. “Guess I’m full of surprises.”

He grins, but it’s as unsettling as it is rare. “Maybe.”

We sit in silence for a few moments. The tension between us is thick, but something shifts in me. I think about whatRaelisar said—about Keiran and Xaden being offered the same deal, and how neither of them has said anything.

I need to act. I can’t wait for them to come and rescue me. I need to do something.

“Raelisar,” I start, my voice more serious. “Do you know where I was born?”

He looks at me, unamused. “No idea. What the Autumn Isle King meant by that... I have no clue. I’ve never seen you before in my life, and I know the original Isle better than even Xaden.”

I freeze, the words hanging in the air. There’s something about his indifference, the way he shrugs it off that makes my stomach twist. I don’t know if I believe him.

But it’s too much to think about right now. There are more important things to focus on.

I extend my hand toward him. “Get me out of here. And I swear on my life, Keiran and his men will help you defeat whatever monster is spawning in the original isle”

Raelisar laughs. It’s a short, humorless sound. “You can’t make that promise on their behalf. Besides,” he adds, his gaze turning calculating, “without the Pearl, they won’t be able to kill it. So, I’m going with the Autumn Isle for now.”

I step forward, my eyes blazing with determination. “No. You’re coming with me.”

Raelisar’s eyes narrow as he sizes me up. The air between us thickens, charged with the weight of unspoken threats. He lets out a low chuckle, the sound grating in my ears.

“Didn’t you hear me?” he asks, his voice laced with ice. “I need to be working with someone who has the power of a Pearl. And those strong enough to host one are rare in this realm. There are only so many kings capable of handling the power of...”

I cut him off, my hand already reaching into the pocket of my dress. The Black Pearl is there, waiting for me. Waiting for this moment.
I pull it out, the smooth, cold surface of it burning against my palm.

The instant the Pearl touches the air, everything changes.

The room goes dark. The daylight outside vanishes as if someone drew a veil over the sun. The temperature plummets, the walls of the room seeming to close in on me, growing colder, heavier. I can feel the air thickening, the pressure building like a storm about to break.

Raelisar freezes, his eyes locking onto the Pearl, and I can see the slight twitch of disbelief in his features. He doesn’t speak, his gaze flicking between me and the Pearl, but I barely notice.

I should stop. I should put the Pearl away. I should leave it alone. But everything inside me screams otherwise.

It calls to me. The energy, the power—it sings to every dark corner of my soul.

But I feel it—the magic doesn’t align with mine. It’s the opposite of everything I’ve ever known. My heart races as I feel my body reject it, the magic clawing and writhing inside of me like a living thing trying to tear me apart from the inside out. I feel my lungs tighten, my head spinning, like I’m choking on it, suffocating.

I’m not strong enough for this.

But no one’s coming to save me.

Not Keiran, not Xaden, not the boys. They can’t reach me. Not like this.

I have to save myself.

With a sharp breath, I close my eyes, steadying myself. I’ve already made my choice. I don’t have the luxury of doubt anymore.
I swallow it.

The instant the essence of the Black Pearl floods my senses, the world cracks open.

The room seems to spin wildly, the air bending and twisting around me. The ground beneath my feet trembles as if the very earth itself is rejecting the power I’ve just taken in. The walls shudder, cracks appearing like the veins of a dying creature. A storm breaks outside, the winds howling in fury. The ships in the harbor start to move on their own, their sails snapping violently in the wind, their hulls creaking under the pressure.

Lightning strikes in the distance, flashing across the sky in jagged streaks. Thunder crashes, so loud it rattles the bones of the castle. The sky, now black as night, opens wide, revealing a storm unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

I stagger forward, gasping, as the Pearl’s magic rushes through me like a floodgate has been opened. It’s burning, cold, and wild—all at once. It’s so much more than I thought it would be. It isn’t like Keiran’s magic or any other magic I’ve ever encountered. It’s like... darkness given form. It’s consuming. It wants to take me.

But I hold on.

I can feel Raelisar’s gaze on me, his sharp eyes never leaving me as I fight to keep control. The room shakes again, the walls cracking further. The storm outside has grown so fierce, I can hear the crashing waves below.

And yet, I fight.

I take a deep breath, forcing the magic into submission, taming it. My heart pounds in my chest as I open my eyes to Raelisar. He’s watching me with a mixture of disbelief and fascination, and I can see it—respect. For the first time since we’ve met, there’s something different in the way he looks at me.

I don’t know if I’m ready for this, but I can’t turn back now.

“I might not be able to promise Keiran and his men will help you,” I say, my voice steady, despite the storm inside of me. “But I can. And by your own requirements, I now have a Pearl.”

Raelisar blinks, his eyes narrowing as he processes what I’ve just done. His expression flickers between something I can’t quite name—surprise, admiration, maybe even concern. But his reaction is still cold, still distant.

“Impressive,” he says, his voice almost a whisper, as if unsure of what to make of it. “But you still don’t know what you’ve just unleashed, do you?”

I want to deny it, but I can’t.

“I know enough,” I reply, my voice quiet but resolute.

The storm outside rages harder, the winds howling like a wild beast as I stand there, the weight of the Pearl’s magic still heavy in my chest.
Raelisar watches me, a strange look crossing his face.

“Now we have a chance,” he mutters, mostly to himself. But then he meets my gaze again, his red eyes gleaming with something darker. “I think you’ve just sealed your fate, Remi.”

My heart lurches, but I stand taller, refusing to let fear take over.

“Not just mine,” I say, my voice calm. “Ours.”

Raelisar looks at me for a long moment, his face unreadable. Then, with a shrug, he turns and walks toward the door. He stops just before he opens it, turning to give me one last glance.

“Let’s go get my king's White Pearl,” he says, a strange glint in his eyes. “And get the fuck out of here.”