Court of Aether and Shadows (Crowned Monster Trilogy #1)

51. Shadows Unite

Shadows Unite

~ S PARROW~

Through the building tension in the clearing, a familiar energy signature caught my attention - traces of celestial power that felt both radiant and somehow... mischievous?

"Helios?" I frowned, the name slipping out before I could stop it. But something felt off about that assumption. Aetheron's shadows, still coiled protectively around us, shouldn't have reacted with such alertness to his fellow Lord's approach.

I glanced up at Aetheron, seeking confirmation, only to find his perfect lips curving into what could only be described as a knowing smirk. Before I could question it, a voice cut through the magical atmosphere:

"Still the teacher's pet, I see," Helios emerged from between crystalline formations, his iridescent robes shifting through colors that somehow managed to convey both annoyance and amusement. "Some things never change, do they, Shadow Lord?"

Aetheron's response was an elegant eye roll that spoke of centuries of shared history. "I wasn't the only thing that enjoyed sucking up," he drawled, shadows dancing with wicked intent. "Though I was always rather selective about who enjoyed that particular privilege."

The effect was immediate and fascinating. Lord Helios - perfect, composed Lord of Aether - actually blushed. His celestial energy flickered like a disturbed flame while his immaculate features flushed with color that had nothing to do with power and everything to do with memory.

Looking between them - at the way their powers reached for each other despite their apparent antagonism, how they managed to orbit one another like binary stars caught in an eternal dance - understanding dawned.

"You two HAD to have dated in the past, right?" The words burst out of me, making both Lords freeze in perfect synchronization. Their matching expressions of horror only confirmed my suspicion, drawing a delighted giggle from my lips.

"Oh!" I clapped my hands together, watching their powers dance in patterns that spoke of something far more complex than mere rivalry. "Is this a bromance? Do you guys actually have a forbidden crush on one another?"

The clearing fell into stunned silence. Even the white fox seemed to be holding back laughter, its ruby eyes dancing with ancient mischief as it watched the scene unfold.

"That's- we didn't-" Helios sputtered, his perfect composure shattering as his iridescent robes cycled through colors faster than should be possible. "You can't possibly suggest-"

"Completely ridiculous," Aetheron added, though his shadows seemed to reach instinctively for Helios's light. "The very idea of us-"

"The Lord of Shadows and I would never-"

"As if I'd consider the stuck-up Aether Lord-"

Their protests overlapped, powers flaring in patterns that looked suspiciously like an old dance remembered. The white fox chirped what could only be described as a laugh, its ruby eyes gleaming with ancient knowledge.

"Yes," I nodded sagely, watching their energies twist and weave around each other despite their protests. "They're totally a thing. Look at how their powers can't even pretend to stay apart."

"We are NOT a thing!" They shouted in perfect unison, then glared at each other for the synchronization.

Helios drew himself up to his full height, his robes somehow managing to look both ruffled and immaculate. "We are completely different beings. Like night and day-"

"Shadow and light," Aetheron added, though his golden eyes kept darting to Helios's perfect features. "Opposite elements that could never-"

"Our courts would revolt," Helios continued, gesturing dramatically. "The very idea of Aether and Shadow-"

"Mixing?" I suggested innocently. "Coming together? Finding harmony in opposition?"

Both Lords turned interesting shades of red, their powers creating patterns in the air that looked remarkably like lovers' caresses.

"It would never work," Helios insisted, though his celestial energy seemed to lean toward Aetheron's shadows. "We're too different, too-"

"Sure," I drawled, watching them orbit each other like celestial bodies caught in an eternal dance. "Because opposites never attract. And I bet Liarel would have totally objected to having two powerful, gorgeous Lords devoted to her."

The clearing fell into shocked silence. Both Lords stared at me with identical expressions of disbelief, their powers creating auroras of remembered possibility.

"*Vel'thor na'eth sha'lin*," Aetheron muttered in the ancient Fae tongue, "*Kel'nor vas told you she'd figure it out.*"

"I knew it!" I gasped, pointing between them triumphantly. "You did have a thing! And you wanted to share Liarel!"

"You weren't supposed to understand that," Helios said faintly, his perfect features arranged in stunned surprise. "How did you-"

"The ancient language just... makes sense to me," I shrugged, then grinned wickedly. "Just like how obvious it is that you two have centuries of unresolved sexual tension between you."

The white fox bounced around us gleefully, its tail swishing through their mingled energies in patterns that seemed to spell out ancient secrets.

"This is absurd," Helios tried again, though his robes had settled into colors that looked suspiciously like twilight - the perfect blend of shadow and light. "We would never-"

"Haven't in centuries," Aetheron corrected automatically, then winced when Helios shot him a betrayed look.

"Centuries?" My grin widened. "So you admit there was something to not have done in centuries?"

Both Lords looked like they wanted to sink into their respective elements and disappear. Their powers, however, continued their intimate dance, creating patterns that spoke of passion long denied but never forgotten.

"I believe," Helios said with as much dignity as he could muster while blushing furiously, "we had important matters to discuss regarding court investigations."

"Oh yes," I nodded solemnly, though I couldn't quite hide my smile. "Very important matters. Nothing at all to do with how you two keep looking at each other when you think no one's watching."

The white fox's approving chirp only made their embarrassment more profound, their powers creating what looked suspiciously like heart patterns in the space between them.

"Yes, well," Helios cleared his throat, his perfect composure reasserting itself like armor. "Perhaps we should focus on why we're actually here."

"Indeed," Aetheron agreed too quickly, though his shadows still reached unconsciously for Helios's light. "More pressing matters at hand."

I glanced between them, sudden curiosity cutting through my amusement. "Actually, now that Aetheron mentions it... why are you here, Lord Helios? Not that I'm complaining, but..."

The Lords exchanged a look that transformed their embarrassment into something warmer, more purposeful. Despite their attempt to maintain serious expressions, pride radiated from them both in waves that made the very air shimmer with possibility.

"Your dedication these past weeks has been... remarkable," Helios said, his teaching voice carrying harmonics of genuine approval. His iridescent robes shifted through colors that somehow managed to convey both academic satisfaction and something deeper, more personal. "Even with the additional training sessions, the complex court politics, the pack dynamics..."

"You've exceeded every expectation," Aetheron added, his shadows dancing with ancient pride. "Not just in magical aptitude, but in how you've handled each challenge presented."

The white fox chirped its agreement, ruby eyes gleaming with what looked suspiciously like anticipation.

"Therefore," Helios continued, his perfect features softening into an expression I'd never seen before, "we decided you deserved something special. A reward, if you will, for your commitment to growth."

"A treat?" I asked, the word feeling strange on my tongue. In the Underground, rewards usually came with strings attached, prices to be paid later. But the energy radiating from both Lords held nothing but genuine warmth and... excitement?

"Yes, little star," Aetheron's rich voice carried undertones of barely contained pleasure. "Something we think you'll truly appreciate."

Helios's smile - not his usual perfect, controlled expression, but something real and almost boyish - transformed his entire being. "Close your eyes for a moment," he instructed softly. "And no peeking."

I hesitated for just a second, old instincts warring with new trust. But these were my Lords - one who held my heart, one who guided my growth. With a deep breath, I let my eyes fall closed.

The magic in the clearing shifted immediately. I could feel power surging around us - shadow and light working in perfect harmony for whatever they were creating. The very air seemed to crystallize with potential, while the ground beneath my feet trembled with ancient energy.

Tiny sounds reached my ears - the musical tinkle of what might have been fairy bells, the soft whisper of reality rearranging itself, the gentle splash of water that hadn't existed moments before. The white fox's excited chirps added to the symphony of magical transformation.

"Alright," Aetheron's voice came from somewhere to my left, practically vibrating with anticipation. "Open them."

When my eyes fluttered open, a gasp of pure wonder escaped me. The clearing had transformed into something out of the most beautiful dreams. Everything glowed with inner light - flowers that contained actual stars, grass that seemed woven from moonbeams, trees with leaves that chimed like crystal wind chimes in the ethereal breeze.

A pool of water that definitely hadn't existed before now dominated the center of the clearing. Its surface didn't just reflect the three moons above - it seemed to contain their very essence, creating patterns of light that danced across everything they touched.

But it was what waited beside the illuminated pool that made my heart stop completely.

There, glowing with power that shouldn't exist in any realm, stood three of the most magnificent horses I had ever seen.

The three horses before me radiated power that made the very air shimmer with ancient magic. Each one seemed to exist both in our realm and somewhere beyond, their very presence making reality bend around them.

The first horse was crafted from pure obsidian darkness - not merely black, but a depth of shadow that seemed to absorb light itself. Its coat rippled like liquid night, each movement revealing patterns that looked like constellations moving beneath its skin. But it was the eyes that truly captured attention - pools of molten red that burned with inner fire, as if someone had captured the essence of volcanic fury and given it conscious form.

Beside it stood its perfect opposite - a steed of such pure white radiance that looking directly at it should have been impossible. Its coat didn't just shine; it emanated actual light that created halos of celestial energy with each breath. Iridescent eyes of teal and gold swirled like captured auroras, holding wisdom that spoke of centuries watching worlds rise and fall.

But it was the center horse that called to something deep within my soul. Its coat displayed perfect duality - one side pure as freshly fallen snow, the other darker than the space between stars. The division wasn't harsh or jarring, but rather a natural flow, like twilight stretching between day and night. Something about it felt achingly familiar, as if I'd known this creature in dreams I couldn't quite remember.

The white fox chose that moment to transform, its form elongating into the serpentine shape I'd come to associate with moments of profound magic. It coiled around my arm as I approached the magnificent beings, its scales cool against my skin as it watched with ancient interest.

All three horses observed my approach with otherworldly intelligence, but the split-colored one in the center moved forward slightly, its dual-toned head lowering in what felt like recognition. Power radiated from it in waves that perfectly matched the duality of my own magic - shadow and light in perfect harmony.

Without hesitation, I placed my hand on its forehead, feeling magic surge at the contact. Something pulled me forward, urging me to press my forehead against its own in a gesture that felt as natural as breathing.

"Astral," the name fell from my lips in a whisper, carried on a wave of memory that felt both foreign and achingly familiar. "I've missed you, old friend. Even if I can't remember everything..."

The horse - Astral - released a breath that carried harmonics of ancient power. Where it touched my skin, magic surged and transformed. The sensation of fabric shifting around me made me open my eyes, and I gasped at what I saw.

My academy uniform had vanished, replaced by a gown that seemed woven from starlight and shadow. Pure white fabric flowed like liquid moonlight, while black chains formed intricate sleeve patterns that somehow managed to look both delicate and powerful. The design spoke of ancient magic, each detail holding meaning beyond mere decoration.

Looking back at the Lords, I found them similarly transformed. Their usual court attire had been replaced by something far more primal, more true to their essential natures.

"Some habits," Helios said with a soft smile that transformed his perfect features, "are difficult to break, even after centuries pass."

Aetheron moved to my side, his shadows reaching to brush a strand of hair from my face. "You look stunning in your riding attire, my love."

I glanced down at the elaborate gown with its high slits. "This is riding attire?"

His answering smirk held centuries of secrets. "You'll see soon enough."

Helios appeared at my other side, his presence carrying an unusual warmth. "Consider this your reward for such dedicated growth," he said, something almost playful dancing in his iridescent eyes. "A small token of appreciation for your commitment to learning."

"Where are we going?" I asked, feeling excitement build as Astral nudged my shoulder affectionately.

Helios pressed a finger to his perfect lips, his eyes dancing with rare mischief. "That, dear student, is a secret." The wink he gave me was so unexpected, so contrary to his usual academic demeanor, that it made my heart skip.