by E. Menozzi
Sorcha had promised me that she’d protect Evelyn. She’d told me that Edric would inspect the Fae who’d been captured in that night’s Hunt. She said he usually picked the most promising of them to interrogate first. I’d begged her to help make sure that Evelyn would not be selected. She’d promised to use whatever magic she had available to her to escape with Evelyn and any of the Fae who had not been chosen. I would need to find my own way out and free any remaining captives in the process.
When she finished, Sorcha left Evelyn’s cell and disappeared down the corridor. Evelyn paced to the bars and gazed down at me.
“She’ll keep you safe,” I said.
“What about you?”
“I’ll be fine. Don’t worry about me. Just follow her instructions. Promise me.”
“Liam…”
“Please? Promise me.”
“I’ll listen to her, but you better promise I’m getting that bracelet back once we’re out of here.”
A commotion at the end of the corridor made us both turn our heads. Two spirits came toward us, laughing and joking in loud, drunken voices. Spirits couldn’t get drunk. So these two specimens must have died pissed. They stopped in front of my cell.
“This one?” said the tall, burly spirit.
“Looks like the one,” his shorter, wiry friend responded.
The first spirit unlocked my cell and they crowded inside. Each took one of my arms and hauled me to my feet.
“Stop!” Evelyn cried. “Where are you taking him? Let him go!”
The two spirits just cackled and dragged me toward the cell door.
“Promise me,” I said to Evelyn.
One of the spirits mimicked me in a whiney sing-song voice. They both started cackling again.
“Let him go!” she shouted. “Stop!”
They pulled me down the corridor, dragging my chained feet along the stone floor.
“Liam!” Evelyn yelled after me. “I promise! I won’t leave you here!”
I sighed and went limp, letting the two spirits lead me where they would. Evelyn was under Sorcha’s protection now. I needed to focus on staying alive and learning as much as I could about this place. After Sorcha escaped, she’d send Arabella and the Queen’s Guard here. Together we could defeat Edric, even if we were only able to banish him until the next solstice. At least it would give us more time to destroy him for good.
The spirits hauled me down corridor after corridor. Each section identical to the last. Finally, they stopped in front of an arched doorway blocked by a barred metal door. The shorter one unlocked the door and they tossed me inside. Then they slammed the door closed behind me. The clang of metal against metal rang in my ears as they walked away, still laughing and joking with each other.
The chamber they’d tossed me into was dark. So dark I couldn’t make out the walls, or what else might be in there with me. I felt my way along the floor. My hands and feet were still chained together, making my progress slow. I decided to see if my magic would work here. I lifted my hands up in front of me and conjured a ball of flame. I held the chain over the flame and stoked the heat until the metal began to turn red, then golden, then melt. One link broke, separating the chain tying my hands to my feet. Then I moved on to the link that would separate the chain keeping my hands tied together.
That link melted, and I was just about to move onto the chain keeping my feet linked together when a low, menacing growl made the hair on the back of my neck stand on end. Every instinct screamed run, but I knew there was nowhere to go. I conjured a ball of light and sent it out in the direction of the noise.
The hunched and hairy form of a hell beast crouched in the darkness, close enough to pounce on me. It was as large as a bear but had pointy ears and fangs like a dog and smelled like compost and ash. Saliva dripped from the end of one fang, landing on a paw nearly as big as my head and drawing my attention to four deadly claws, each as long as my forearm. I’d seen enough. It was time to find a way out of here.
I sent a conjured flame flying after the ball of light, hoping to get the beast to back off. He just growled again and shifted forward. Those thick, sharp claws clicked against the stone floor, and his long canine teeth flashed in the light. I routed my glowing ball of light around the perimeter of the room, only to find more hell beasts crouched in the darkness, waiting to make a move.
I didn’t have time to free my feet. I needed to defend myself now. I called up my magic and hoped there weren’t any spells in this place that would keep me in my Fae form. I transformed, then leapt for the nearest beast with my rear paws still chained together. I latched on to the beast’s neck with my jaws and held tight while it bucked and tried to shake me off. I ripped and tore with my teeth, digging in and holding fast with my claws. The beast bellowed and swiped at me, trying to free itself from my grip. The other beasts circled the dark perimeter of the chamber, waiting for this battle to play out before they made a move.
The beast I fought reared when I dropped to the ground, providing me an opening to slice my claws across the its belly. I jumped free and faced the others while it convulsed and collapsed behind me. As other beasts circled, I watched, deciding which one would be my next target. I knew my survival depended on me destroying these creatures, and I still needed to find a way to free my legs. I couldn’t use magic in this form. So I needed to let them come to me, or I needed to give myself enough time to transform and burn through the final chain before returning to the fight.
A movement from one of the beasts caught my eye, and I pivoted to face the animal. The moment I turned away, another of the creatures jumped at me from behind. The claws raked my back and I rolled toward the dead beast. I landed next to its enormous paw. Jumping to my feet, I turned to face the others, who were closing in on me. I backed up toward the dead beast and scraped the chain restricting my hind legs against its razor-like claws. While I worked, another of the beasts lunged for me. I swiped out at it, just missing, but I succeeded in getting it to back off.
I moved my hind leg back and forth, rubbing the chain against the dead beast’s claw and getting a few good slices in before the next attack. I lunged, and my front paw swatted the hell beast’s claws away. I snapped at its neck and my fangs grazed its tough hide but couldn’t find purchase. It retreated and focused on the chain again, pulling and scraping frantically against the jagged edge of the claw. One half of the link snapped. I began scraping the claw against the other half.
Another attack, this time two beasts closing in on me and the third lunging for my neck. Pointed canine teeth sliced at my throat as I sprung up on the back of the dead beast. From my higher perch, I pounced down onto the closest beast and landed on its back. I buried my teeth in its neck and ripped at its hide. My claws sliced against its shoulders as it twisted, trying to toss me. I jumped free as it collapsed, blood pooling around it and spreading out across the stone floor.
I was thankful Evelyn couldn’t see me right now. No matter how attracted she might be to me in my human glamour, this would be enough to send her running, possibly straight to Nigel. Oh, he’d love that. I snarled and sliced at my next attacker, imagining Nigel’s face in its place.
The chain between my hind legs finally snapped, and I ran at the next attacker, leaping and tackling it, pinning the hell beast beneath my paws so I could tear at its throat. Three down, three to go. Blood dripped from the wounds on my back, trickling to the ground beneath me while the remaining beasts circled, cautious, watching for their opening. These were the cunning ones. The ones who had waited while their mates had struck and died. Hell beasts weren’t intelligent, but they were ruthless and cunning.
I noted the scars marking the hides of these three. They’d seen other battles like this and had survived. They circled me, and I watched them, panting, gathering my strength for the first attack.
The smallest jumped at me, and I lunged to meet it. One of the others snagged a claw in the met
al cuff on my leg and pulled. The metal scraped against my skin as I was pulled backward. I twisted, trying to land a blow on the creature who held my leg. One of the others attacked my shoulder and snapped its teeth, just missing my neck. I hurled myself at my captor and tumbled with it across the floor. I sliced and stabbed and snapped and bit. I was so close to victory. These three were not going to stop me.
I went for their wounds first, opening old scars, slicing new ones. I harnessed my rage and lashed out at them. One after another, they went down. The last one standing held its ground as it bled out from a wound I’d carved into its side. When it finally collapsed, I let myself feel the pain.
I stood in the middle of the empty room, panting. My body stung wherever I’d been scratched, and blood matted my fur. I knew I’d heal faster in my Fae form, but I needed to rest before I could find the energy to transform. I watched the lumpy forms scattered around me, checking for any signs of movement. Then I scanned the perimeter of the room, searching for any other openings, aside from the one where they’d tossed me in. I stalked through the darkness obscuring the perimeter of the room, investigating every corner, searching for another way out.
I found another barred door on the opposite side of the room. A quick look between the bars revealed a corridor similar to the one I’d been dragged down. Against the back wall, I spotted a tunnel. No bars blocked the entrance, but the curved wall prevented me from seeing very far inside. I sniffed and listened, half expecting more creatures to emerge. But none came.
I gathered my strength and transformed. My blood-matted fur became blood-soaked clothes, and I limped closer to the door, trying to keep the metal cuff on my ankle from rubbing against the raw skin. I considered using magic to break the lock on the door. Perhaps this tunnel led to a way out.
“I wouldn’t go in there, if I were you,” boomed a voice from somewhere above me. I froze midstep. Laughter echoed against the stone walls of the room. I backed away from the door and squinted up at the ceiling, which I couldn’t see.
Lights flooded the room, and I blinked as my eyes adjusted.
“Well done, Fae,” the voice called. I could now make out figures standing on a balcony above me. In the light, the room I stood in resembled an arena—an arena smeared in blood and littered with the stinking carcasses of dead hell beasts.
“Though I don’t think the demon woman will be pleased that you destroyed all her pets,” another one said. The others erupted in whoops and hollers.
I counted the men assembled around the balcony. There were ten, maybe fifteen, of them. Mostly spirits, with a few demons in the mix. The spirits had all the strength of the solstice behind them, plus whatever power Edric tapped into. This allowed them to appear more solid and gave them an almost human grip on the world. That was why they’d been able to chain me and toss me into this prison. But even in this state, they still preferred to glide across the earth, rather than walk like the humans they used to be. And if you looked closely, they still shimmered a bit around the edges. The demons were easier to identify, at least if you were Fae. The horns that they could easily glamour to disguise themselves as human were always visible to the Fae because the Fae controlled all magic, even the simple glamour spells. Even though there weren’t many demons in this crowd, I would be no match for them in my current state. I needed time to heal, and a way out.
As I considered my options, the one who’d spoken first started banging on the balcony railing and calling for the crowd to quiet.
“All right, gentlemen,” he said once the others had stopped shouting. The last few whispers died down and a hush fell over the assembled men. “You’ve had your show. Settle your bets and let’s bring our new champion before the Master.”
The men crowded around one demon with thick horns that curled around his feathered cap, and they resumed shouting. The two thugs who’d thrown me into the pit approached a spirit who seemed to be the leader. They spoke briefly. Then the leader pulled a lever and one of the walls shifted to reveal a staircase leading up to the balcony. The thugs descended the stairs and glided across the bloody stone floor toward me.
“Captain says we can leave the chains off, s’longs you behave yourself,” the shorter, wiry spirit said.
“Gonna behave?” the taller, burly one asked.
I glared at them. “Where are you taking me?”
“You heard the captain,” the wiry one said. “We’re taking you to see the Master.”
The Master. Sorcha had warned me that he was Lord Edric. I’d wanted to stay as far from him as possible. Once he saw me, he’d know who I was, with or without my human glamour.
“Shouldn’t I get cleaned up first? Maybe change into something more suitable for an audience with your master?” I asked. I didn’t know if charm worked on a spirit; I’d never tried before. I flashed them my most roguish grin and channeled a hearty dose of magic behind it.
The burly spirit chuckled and elbowed his companion. “That’s not a bad idea, Bub.”
The wiry one narrowed his eyes at me. “Captain didn’t say nothin’ about new clothes,” he said.
I stepped closer to the nearest hell beast. I’d survived this trial only to face certain death once Edric laid eyes on me and realized I was his nephew. If I was going to meet the Master, I needed a weapon. Iron. But these Hunters carried only steel.
“Guess you’re going like that, then.” The burly spirit cackled, and his friend joined in. Together, they dragged me up the steps. I could only hope Sorcha had escaped with Evelyn to warn the others.
12
After they came for Liam, I paced in my cell. I didn’t dare sit and risk ruining the white dress I’d been given to wear. The woman in the robe had instructed me to keep my eyes down and not say a word unless someone spoke to me directly. All I could do now was wait for them to come for me and worry about Liam.
Soon enough, she returned. I rushed to the bars.
“Where did they take him?” I asked. “Is he okay?”
“Hush,” she said. She unlocked my cell and beckoned to me. “It’s time. Follow me.”
She led me down the corridor and I followed as we turned down another that looked the same. We stopped outside another cell and were joined by two other women, also wearing white dresses like the one I’d been given. One had long brown hair that fell in waves to her waist. The other had strawberry-blond hair that reminded me of California. Neither met my eyes, nor did they speak to the woman in the robe. I let them walk ahead of me and fell into place at the end of the line.
The woman led us up a curved staircase and into a large chamber. Pillars lined a path down the center of the room. She walked toward the pillars and we followed. When she reached the pillars, she turned and shuffled down the path between them toward the figures waiting near the opposite wall. I tried to keep my eyes on the floor in front of me, but I snuck glances at the smooth stone walls. There were no windows and no artwork, no markings of any kind that might give me an idea where we were.
I remembered what I’d been told, and when we stopped, I didn’t dare look up. The robed woman arranged us in a line, facing the small group who waited there. With my eyes on the marble floor, I guessed from their boots that this was a group of men.
“Master,” the robed woman said in a hushed tone, “these three were captured by your Hunters this evening.”
One pair of boots stepped forward and paced in front of us. I tried to keep my heart from hammering and attempted to breathe normally. My palms began to sweat and I pressed them against the sides of my dress. The boots stopped in front of one of the other two women.
“Her hair,” he said. His voice was gravelly and deep. “Reminds me of summer.” He took a step closer to the woman. “Let me see your face,” he said.
He made a noise of disapproval and turned to the next woman in line. “Look at me,” he said. “Not highborn, but might be useful.”
He stepped in front of
me and stopped. “Look up,” he said. I obeyed but tried to keep my eyes trained on a spot in front of me and didn’t meet his gaze. “Well, look what we have here. Something new,” he said, excitement creeping into his voice. For a moment, I was back in my boss’s office, frozen, unsure how to react.
“Look at me, girl,” he said.
I turned my face toward him but kept my eyes downcast as I promised I would.
He paced around me, studying me from every angle. “I think I’ll start with this one,” he said. My heart sank. I’d followed every instruction and still he’d chosen me. “Take the others back. I’ll deal with them later.”
“Yes, Master,” the robed woman said. I followed her with my eyes, but she didn’t look at me once before turning and leading the others away. She’d left me alone, when Liam had said she’d promised to help me. I wanted to shout after her, but I held my tongue and looked down at the ground.
“Tell me what you know, girl.”
“I don’t understand,” I said, not taking my eyes off my bare feet. “Know about what?”
“Don’t play the fool. Tell me where she is.”
“Where who is?”
He took a step closer to me and grabbed hold of my shoulders. “None of that, now. Tell me where they’re keeping her. Where is she?” He shook me once, hard.
“I don’t know. I don’t know who you mean.”
“My wife, you fool. Where is my wife?” He shook me again.
“I don’t think I know your wife. I don’t know where she is. Please. Let me go.”
“You’re not going anywhere until you tell me what you know.” He released my shoulders and paced away from me.
“I don’t know anything. Please.” I took the opportunity while his back was turned to get a look at him. He was dressed like he was going to a Renaissance fair. He wore a leather armor vest over a tunic and pants. Knives hung from his belt alongside a white horn attached to a leather strap.
He pivoted to face me, and my eyes dropped to stare at my feet.
