by Bailey Dark
Behind the slab, the shadows are deep and only flickers of light dance across the walls. I narrow my eyes and step forward, seeing movement within the shadows. I walk around Drogaem's body and stand at the edge, trying to peer into what feels like a fog of darkness. Out of nowhere, a hand lurches from the dark and grabs me by the ankle. I stumble back, shaking my leg, falling to the ground. Above me, Kane laughs, but I pry the dirty and scraped fingers from my skin. I scoot back far enough to be out of reach and pick myself from the ground. As I dust off my cloak, Kane grabs one of the torches and walks toward the shadow. He snaps his fingers and the area becomes lighter, his shadow scurrying off in different directions.
My mouth drops open as I stare at what he is hiding. Three mortals huddled together in the corner, their rags of clothing dirty and torn, their hair a mess, and cuts and abrasions dug into their flesh. They are being held captive, and the way that Kane looks at them is as if he were a child looking at a new plaything. They shudder when they see him, barely letting out small whines and cries.
Kane looks over at me with pride putting out his hands. "Aren't they magnificent?"
I look from them to him and back again. "I don't understand. What do you need with mortals?"
"Transference," he states. "I plan to use these souls to infuse Drogaem's corpse with life. On the mortal plane these three are examples of what mortals believe to be bad or unworthy. They are the castaways, those humans that no one will ever notice have gone missing."
I begin to speak without thinking, reaching the end of my rope. "Kane, this is horrible. This is not only wrong on a human level, but this is morally inept. These are people just like me."
Kane scoffs, laughing to himself. "They are nothing like you and you are nothing like them. You are not necessarily completely a mortal, now are you? Your powers give you a magical ability."
I step forward, trying to appeal to Kane so that I can keep him from killing these people. "What happened to you? What happened to the man that I thought you were? The one that seems to care about others, to comfort me, to find just as much beauty in life as there is in death? Where have you gone?"
Kane rolls his eyes and walks away with the torch in his hands. "That's a very mortal thing to say. You're being sentimental about something that only lasted for a few moments and you still question whether it was real or not. Sacrifices must be made, and if you'd like to take one of their places, feel free."
I am speechless, I thought for just a split second that Kane would see what he was doing was wrong, but instead he pushes me away. He has broken any vow of kindness he has ever made toward me. He has tainted the relationship between the Underworld and the mortals.
This moment cements the idea in my mind that even my life is expendable.
Chapter 11
Briar
My walk back to my chambers is silent, and Kane has abandoned me to his own processes and demands. At first, I walk quickly, putting space between me and him but as the lights grow brighter, I am comforted by them. My breathing is heavy, and I turn the corners with purpose not paying the least bit of attention to any paintings or servants along the way. Getting back to my room, I burst through the door, locking it behind myself and hurrying over, throwing my body down on the bed. Immediately tears flood my eyes and all I can see are those scared faces down below, screaming for me to help but all I do is turn away.
There's no way that they don't know that I'm a mortal. I turned my back on my own people, my own kind. Their screams are still echoing through my ears, and I can't make it stop. I'm devastated and I cannot believe that Kane has sunk to this level. That he has no more remorse than the God who ruled the Underworld before him. It's the first time in my life that I don't know what I'm supposed to do. My whole life has been planned out for me, every step outlined, and even when I came to the Underworld all alone, I knew what I needed to do and where I needed to go. But this is beyond my understanding. There is no one to guide me.
Slowly I pick myself up, wiping the tears with the back of my hand. I wrap the cloak around me but turn my head away from the fabric, smelling the stale scent of the crypts below. My thoughts follow Willem and how he has offered to sneak me out of the castle regardless of who will be taking me. As tempting as it is, as much as I want to run, run, and run until my legs will no longer carry me, I have already seen the people below and I cannot leave them. They are helpless, and Kane can squash them in an instant. They have no ability to fight back and it's incredibly unfair.
With a sniffle I stand up from the bed and walk over to the window, glaring out at the fields below, the city beyond that. All the people that live there, they worship Death, they believe him to be their God, their leader. What would those of them down below think of such cruel and unusual tendencies? I want to believe they would be appalled, that the people that I am bound to lead as their Queen would have a higher moral standard than what I have just seen, but the truth is I really don't know. All the things that I've learned and I still have only seen but a drop.
I sniffle again, raising the back of my hand to my eye and wiping the tear away. As I do, I pause staring down at the city, thinking about my conversation with Willem earlier. Kane hasn't just changed, he is a completely different person. So different in fact, I cannot help but think that perhaps he's not himself, that someone has infiltrated his mind and is controlling him in some manner. It would make sense as to why he doesn't seem to know about our past, why my instincts aren't to go to him any longer, and why he can't sense my emotions and feelings. He speaks of nothing but cruel and unusual punishments. He thinks about nothing but raising Drogaem from the dead.
If Kane can be controlled, where does that leave me? With my dreams, the voices, and the reflections, fear settles in the pit of my stomach. What if I too am being controlled, not by whoever is controlling Kane, but by this woman that continues to haunt me in my dreams and my visions. This soul that I've seen ever since I stepped foot on Drogaem's sandy beach. The tomb infiltrated me, but I fear that isn't the only thing.
I stare at the city again, looking at the dark passages, the places between the light where the purple haze doesn't even touch. If I'm going to help the people below, I need to help Kane as well. I need to break him of whatever spell he's under. But I cannot know for sure without someone else infiltrating him. I must go to the city and find a Nephilim, they may be the only ones that can help me.
Quickly I change my clothes, pulling on a high neck, long, black dress and grab a deep red velvet cloak from the wardrobe. I whirl it through the air and drape it over my shoulders, tying the satin ribbon at my neck and flipping the large hood up so that it shadows my face. I pull the cloak around me and blow the candle out within my room. It is night, and with the walls I have up inside of me, I'm sure that Kane no longer can tell where I am. I step out into the hallway and into the shadows that have become my solace. It's dangerous for me to go in search of a Nephilim, I know this. They want a taste of my soul more than anything in the world, but they are the only ones who will be willing to get close enough to Kane to figure out what is going on. I wonder if they can't in fact remove an invasive soul and free Kane from this nightmare that he's in. If they can pull my soul free, they should be able to pull any soul free. Then again, that means that I cannot lose my life to a Nephilim in the process.
I have learned a lot about these creatures, they are cunning, but when they get a taste, they turn mad almost drugged, and make big mistakes. They plot and they scheme, and they give little care to Kane's rules or regulations placed on the Nephilim. Some fear him, but not all of them. Some of them just look for the opportunity to take what they want without getting caught.
I move through the city quietly, avoiding any places that are crowded. I know that the Nephilim will not be in those crowded places anyway. There is no one in the Underworld city to feed on, and they are of pariah status with Kane. I search and search, quickening my pace, wanting to be finished by the time the sky lightens. But I'm struggli
ng to find any trace of a Nephilim in the city. I don't blame them, not after what happened here, not after the Nephilim that attacked both me and Kane. They fear for their life and their safety and for good reason.
After those trying days, Kane lost all taste for mercy with the Nephilim. With the way that he is now, it wouldn't surprise me if he lined them all up and destroyed their souls one by one. But then again, this new Kane, I don't know what he wants. For all I know he will befriend the Nephilim and return them to their previous stature. Before that can happen though, I need to figure out what is going on, who's inside of him, and if they can free him from this curse.
Above me the deep purple sky is beginning to lighten. It's a slow process but if I don't hurry, I may not be able to save the mortals stashed away with Drogaem's body. Kane has never been a patient person, but even less so now. I cannot trust that he hasn't killed them already. It is my responsibility to help them, to do everything I can even if I fail.
My pace is nearing a jog as I find myself at the end of another street and nearing closer to the end of my own rope. I curse under my breath as I turn around and begin heading back down to search more of the city. It seems like an impossible task. The place is so enormous there's no way that I can get through it all in one night. I'm beginning to feel as if it was a mistake even trying. I'm putting myself in danger not only from those souls that lurk within the city, but from Kane himself if he discovers where I have gone.
My pace slows as I reach the sidewalks, small amounts of souls beginning their days and moving about the city. I feel the hopelessness in my chest, a question of whether I'll ever be able to be the woman that Kane deserves. The one that saves him from wherever he is. As the urge to quit fills me, I glance down an alleyway as I walk past. I stop, and backup, narrowing my eyes into the darkened place. Tucked within the shadows, there is a small red door with an open sign on the outside. I cannot tell what type of shop it is, but something pulls me toward it.
The feeling is familiar, the same that I felt from the Nephilim before when it was chasing me down. Only the danger does not lurk here like it did there. I walk up to the door and hesitate, unsure of what I'll find on the other side. Whatever it is, whoever it is, they are my last hope to save my beloved King.
Chapter 12
Briar
With the bravery I wasn't aware I had hidden away, I open the door and step inside. I keep my hood up, shielding my face from those that would wish to do me harm. I know full well that if this is the home of the Nephilim, there is no cloak that will save me. They can smell the mortality in me, and they crave it like a vampire craves blood. But this is my only choice and I can sense the Nephilim close.
The store is interesting, shelves of odds and ends of strange trinkets and magical potions… at least that's what I tell myself they are. I do not get too close to them though, as I fear that I'll find something I don't want to see, something that will scare me right out of the shop, leaving behind my only option to help Kane. The store seems much larger on the inside than from the outside, and it's open, which makes me feel a bit better considering I don't have to fear something hiding behind the corners.
There's a desk at the front but no one sitting behind. Plumes of scented smoke rise from a small dish lit by a fire not attached to anything. The further I move back in the store the more I sense the Nephilim. I know they are close, maybe hiding, maybe even stalking me. The rustle of a curtain catches my attention. At the back of the store there is a doorway covered with panels of satin that flutter with a breeze that comes from nowhere. I stop in the center and watch as a shadowy figure moves behind it. Fear bubbles in the pit of my stomach, but I push it away knowing I've come this far and I can't turn back.
"Hello?" I call out. "I can see you back there. I know you're a Nephilim."
The shadow pauses and moves again out of sight. I'm in no mood for games as I've come all this way and the sky's beginning to lighten. I take another step, heading through the store toward the curtain. As I approach, I hear a long deep breath echo out from behind it. I wait, knowing they see me just as I see them.
"A brave girl," they hiss. "A mortal. Do you like stories mortal?"
My eyes shift back and forth, making sure no one is sneaking up on me. "I don't have time for stories. I came here to…"
"Ask for my favor," they say, cutting me off. "If you want my help then you will listen to my story."
I bite the inside of my cheek and nod, not saying a word. There's a strange high pitch giggle behind the curtain before the stranger's voice whispers out again. "Far beneath the mortals edge, nowhere near the touch of light, a world revolves within the dredge, keeping quiet and out of sight. Along the shadow edges lay a man of soul and steel, whose life has long since passed. Each day he farms his dried-out meal, bringing nothing forward but sweat and rats. He feels his soul is lost to the never-ending heat, living in his own real hell, begging for defeat."
My eyes continue to span the room as I listen to his story. There’s something about it though, something that seems almost familiar. The Nephilim shifts behind the curtain as he continues. "Above that soulless place is a land of light, beauty, and grace. The sweet young girl sings merry tunes as she dreams of love within the blooms. Then one day the rapture comes, and the earth cracks open extinguishing all of life sums. Cast from the light the beautiful girl falls, sinking into the darkness as she screams and calls. Down beneath her the farmer sows, catching the girl within the rows. Their eyes do meet and their souls intertwine, an unlikely match sent by the divine. The farmers crops no longer crumble and the beautiful girl allows love to rumble."
The Nephilim goes quiet and I wait, and wait, but he says no more. "Is that it? That's where it ends?"
"For now," he whispers. "Now…"
The drapes flutter as the Nephilim steps into the room, moving quietly with the shadows as he rolls around me, hissing into my ears. "What do you want mortal bride of Death?"
I'm not surprised that he recognizes me. I am one of the only mortals within the Underworld. "You know what I want, for you to go to Kane and tell me if someone else has taken his body. If possible, maybe even remove it."
"I see," he hisses. "And what will you give me for this?"
My jaw clenches. "What do you want?"
He runs his finger down the side of my face and I shiver from the feeling. "To taste your soul."
I quickly pull my robes around me and shake my head. "I do not have that much left to give. But I do have a counteroffer."
"Yes?"
"A taste of Death's soul," I say, watching the Nephilim's excitement sprout. "Our journey to Drogaem's crypt has brought something evil back with us. I want you to get it out of Kane. All the souls of the Underworld will be lost if whatever evil plan he is hatching through this entity continues."
The Nephilim continues to surround me, cascading in circles as it thinks. "I will do it. At the next court event. But…"
I shudder at the sound of the word. "What?"
"The mortal will owe me a favor," he says standing very close to me.
I narrow my eyes, reluctant to put myself into debt, especially for a Nephilim. I never thought I would work with one, or even be around one again. I can feel that the strength has grown in me exponentially since my attack. I do not fear the Nephilim in front of me, and I wish to use him to do what is right. I will not tell him about the mortals below as I know he will ask for one of their souls. They are off-limits. They've been through enough.
Reluctantly, I nod my head. "It's a deal. Don't be late to court, you know that Kane does not like it when people are late."
As I turn to leave, happy to get away from the place, the Nephilim laughs, sending a chill up my spine. It reminds me of the one that had me locked in the basement, becoming so intoxicated by my soul that it left the door open for me to walk right out. I am starting to understand fully why the Nephilim are regulated. I hurry from the shop and back out onto the streets. Even within the shadows of the a
lley I feel safer. The sky has lightened as bright as it will get for the day, and souls roam the streets, moving through their daily activities just as they did from the mortal plane.
I keep my hood up, knowing that my face will bring more attention and I don't need any more attention. I want to get back to the Castle and avoid any questions by Kane. Moving through the streets, for just a moment, I feel almost as if I'm back home. People going along with their daily lives, eating, drinking, and even going to work. There's a normalcy to it, and I know that's for a reason. Our souls are made to communicate with other souls. Even after the mortal plane, even within the magical realms, we thrive on our interaction with others. I too wish for a day that I can return to a life with friends, family, but mostly Kane.
I will not get my hopes up with this Nephilim as I know how difficult it is to even get close to Kane, much less when you are a creature he despises. I know that if it works though, whatever my favor ends up being, it will be worth it. And if it doesn't work, I have to be ready to come to the understanding that it may not be anyone else controlling Kane. It may simply be the kind of man he is. I don't want to even think about it, but if I don't, the disappointment will rage through me and my life might as well be forfeit at that point. To be stuck in a world where no one accepts you, where everyone looks at you as if you’re weak, and always live in fear is miserable. I can't even begin to think about what it will be like if I'm his Queen yet he wishes me dead.
In that lonely walk between the space where the city ends and the castle begins, I feel alone. In fact, I feel more alone than I ever have since I came to the Underworld. At least before, Kane and I were playing cat and mouse, skirting the edges between hate and desire. But now there is nothing but hate, and though I do desire he returns to me, I know the world is not as it seems for the mortals. Happy endings do not often happen in the Underworld no matter what silly stories a Nephilim might tell me as he shields himself behind a curtain. The only thing I hope is that my ultimate ending will not be that of a soulless capsule.
