She had seen enough of the argument between Gideon and Darius to know she didn’t want to meet the other Valeran brother. She had to leave or the gods only knew what they would do with her.
Nor did she believe the nonsense Darius had told her about suppressing her power to keep her alive. Why would he do such a thing? It made no sense to her. If he wanted to help, he wouldn’t have brought her before his brother in the first place.
Like it or not, she needed her curse. Without a sword or her power, she wouldn’t be able to defend herself.
Come off! She gave the bracelet another tug.
Still, it wouldn’t move.
Come off! Nyx screamed inside her mind and power pulsed inside her. Good gods, her power was still there. That meant she could still access it — or at least she hoped she could.
Darius came back in, his face like thunder. “Don’t answer back to my brother. It won’t do any good. Come on.” He motioned for her to follow. “Let’s get this over with. I have other things to take care of. Stopping the darklings is more important than wasting time here.”
Nyx opened her mouth to berate him for whatever magic he had used on her. She hesitated. He sounded genuine about wanting to stop the darkling problem. She hadn’t expected that. Maybe there was some good in him.
Maybe.
Curse it. There would be no escaping now, even if she did try to run. Nyx should have tried harder and gotten away earlier. No point in what-ifs now. She would have to face her fate and come face-to-face with the fae prince.
Nyx stomped in beside him. Perhaps it was better to get this over and done with. At least she would know what she was up against and whatever the prince had planned for her. Then she would make her escape and get back to the lower realm before it was too late.
Queen Isabella came back into the room and gasped when she caught sight of Nyx. “Who is this filthy creature, and why have you brought her here?” She covered her nose and mouth in disgust. “Is it someone you rescued from the woods?”
Nyx gritted her teeth, bit back a retort and glanced at her bedraggled clothing. She might be a little dirty, but it was not as if she had had a chance to bathe or change into anything else. She couldn’t even remember the last time she had eaten.
“Here is the mind whisperer.” Darius motioned to her. “This is Nyx Ashwood.”
“Holy spirits, this is her?” Gideon’s lip curled. “You could have cleaned her up beforehand.”
Darius crossed his arms. “You wanted us here at once.”
Nyx’s stomach dropped, and her wings drooped. She felt a hideous, filthy thing compared to their ridiculous beauty. Her dark pink hair flashed with a riot of colour as it always did when she fought to keep her emotions under control.
Bow, Darius told her in thought. If you don’t show them any respect, it will only make things worse.
She snorted and glared at the druid. Respect has to be earned. I don’t bow to anyone. He’s not my prince and – She clenched her hands behind her back so no one would see them.
Gideon came over and stared at her, expectant.
His energy felt different from Darius. Cold, dark and seductive. This man got what he wanted. No matter the cost.
Nyx gasped as Gideon raised his hand. Faint words of power whispered on the air. Energy pulsed against her skin, beating her limbs, demanding she bow.
Nyx found herself hitting the floor face-first. Bastards!
Gideon knelt and pulled her head up by her hair. “Scruffy little thing, aren’t you?” He forced her to look up and meet his icy gaze.
His energy washed over her like icy water, sliding across her skin. Nyx shivered without meaning to. Get away from me! Her magic pulsed at the edge of her mind, but it didn’t reverberate through her body like usual. Something held it back – her bracelet. The barrier tingled against her skin forcing her power back.
“Is that it? You’re not even going to resist me?” Gideon scoffed, and an evil grin spread across his face. “I expected more from the mind whisperer given the legends I’ve heard about your kind. Most of them were fierce and fought with their minds. After all the boasting Harland did about you, I’m disappointed. Perhaps you don’t have any real power at all, do you?”
Stop! She screamed and willed her curse to rear up and slam into him. Why wouldn’t it work? Had the druid suppressed her power that much? Nyx remembered the band he had placed on her earlier that morning to prevent her from escaping. That had been supposed to block her power. Instead, her magic had burned straight through it as if it meant nothing. What had he used on her bracelet to hold her power back so much? It didn’t matter. She wanted it gone. She wanted to hit this awful prince with the full strength of her power. Real power. Oh, she might not be cursed, but she did have power. That much she had realised today when she had lost control.
But Gideon didn’t stop; his power held her in place. This was dark magic. All the stories about the Archdruid and how he forced people to bow before him were true. How long would he keep her down like this? What did he want from her? For her to show him her power?
Then she remembered what Darius had told her. He had said to keep her mouth shut and her power hidden if she wanted to stay alive. She also knew her power might not even work against Gideon as it didn’t work against his brother. He might be immune as well.
Think. Stay alive. Nyx had escaped death once today already, and she did not want to have to face it again so soon.
She would not be forced to cower like some snivelling dog. The pressure increased as she forced her limbs into a sitting position. Even if she couldn’t use her power, she wouldn’t be forced to endure this any longer.
“You have strength, but it feels much weaker than I thought,” Gideon observed. “How is this the infamous girl we heard so many stories about?”
“Don’t know what you heard, but it isn’t true,” Nyx growled. “I don’t have any power. I am a thief, nothing more.” Pain throbbed through her head like a hammer hitting an anvil.
“So you don’t hear thoughts?” Gideon raised an eyebrow and still refused to relinquish his hold on her.
Nyx hesitated. Should she lie or admit the truth?
Darius shot her a look. Do not tell him the true extent of your abilities.
It made her wonder what the druid was playing at. Did he have his own agenda? Perhaps. Only time would tell.
Nyx snorted. “If I could, don’t you think I would have escaped by now?” She shot Darius a look, daring him to speak up and tell Gideon the truth. Now would be the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Queen Isabella came over. Nyx made a move to get up, but her body refused to comply. “Release her, my son. I want to look at her.”
The pressure pounding against her lessened but didn’t fade. Nyx scrambled up, and Queen Isabella circled around her, her gaze scrutinising everything. Energy crackled against Nyx’s skin. The queen’s power felt like ice, but not as aggressive or forceful as her son’s. “We haven’t encountered a mind whisperer in a generation. If she does have power, it is minimal at best. I sense nothing from her.” She gave a derisive snort. “Throw her back in the gutter where she belongs. I do not like vermin within my palace walls.”
Nyx’s power continued to rage beneath the surface. It surged through her body and burned its way down her arm to where the leather band encased her wrist. It wanted to get out and demanded to be let loose, but whatever magic the druid had used held it back.
“Are you sure you brought the right person back?” Gideon demanded of Darius. “Her power is average at best. The reports stated her powers were strong, that she could influence others. Where is the mind whisperer I heard all the tales about?”
“You told me to fetch the mind whisperer. That is what I did. She was the only one to be found in the disgusting tavern.” Darius raised his chin and crossed his arms. “I only did as instructed. It’s not my fault she doesn’t have any power. Perhaps the slave owner exaggerated about what she can do. Mind whispere
rs have been gone for so long, even if some of their bloodlines did exist, it’s probably weak at best.”
“What is your lineage, girl?” Queen Isabella demanded.
“My what?”
Isabella sighed and rolled her eyes. “I mean, where are you from? Who were your parents?” she demanded. “If there are other mind whisperers out there, we need to know about them. One of your parents must have been a mind whisperer to have passed the gift onto you.”
“She came from a gutter, no doubt.” Gideon laughed.
Nyx hesitated and wondered how much she should reveal about her past. No doubt they would mock her even more. “I am a foundling. I lived in Joriam with the couple who took me in after they purchased me from the slave market.” She would not mention Harland’s name again for fear of seeing his spirit.
“Where were you found?” Gideon sneered.
“Under a tree.” She glowered at him. Just because she had to keep her mouth shut and her power reined in didn’t mean she had to completely hide her disdain for him.
The doors to the meeting hall burst open as a man wearing a long white robe etched with silver strode in. A silver crown adorned his head and looked like it had been carved out of leaves.
Nyx instinctively bowed her head. She didn’t need her powers to tell her who this man was. It was ingrained in everyone. Power hit her hard and made her head pound like a heavy drum. Anyone could sense the aura of the Archdruid. It was how he reminded people of his reach, his influence and his absolute power.
Fergus Valeran towered over his wife. His dark blonde hair fell past his shoulders, his body was all rippling muscle. Odd. He looked only a decade older than his two sons. Nyx guessed if you could live for centuries perhaps age wasn’t an issue.
A woman trailed in alongside him. Dark hair fell past the shoulders of her red velvet gown. Her cool grey eyes took everything in. Her face looked more striking than pretty. Nyx knew she must be Darius’ mother given the resemblance between them. Her magic crackled over Nyx’s skin, icy and colder than Gideon’s magic.
Nyx shivered. This woman’s energy had a touch of death to it.
“I heard you found a mind whisperer. Is it true?” Fergus demanded. “Where is it? Have you killed them already? You should have informed me sooner. If that infernal Magickind still exists, we could have another realm war on our hands.”
Nyx would have thought the Archdruid would have been glad of that. He seemed to delight in raging war against any race. But that made her wonder: were there still mind whisperers out there? She must have come from somewhere before she ended up in slavery. Yet she had no memory from before that time. Perhaps something awful had happened to her and her mind had blocked it out.
Both Gideon and his mother lost their smug looks. The Archdruid commanded everyone, even them, it seemed.
Nyx thought she caught a flash of disdain from Isabella which was soon replaced by a smile. “Husband, you should have sent word of your arrival.” Isabella touched her face. “I agree. Kill the girl before she has a chance to breed and create more of her unnatural kind.” Queen Isabella sneered. “To let her live is to put us all in danger.”
Nyx glanced towards the door. Would they kill her? She had been sentenced to death once already. The Archdruid’s form of death would probably be even worse than being burned on a pyre. But how could she escape?
Fergus ignored Isabella as if she wasn’t there. “Well?”
“Darius brought back this mind whisperer.” Gideon motioned towards Nyx. “But her power is minimal. She’s no use to anyone.”
Fergus flicked his dark gaze towards her.
Nyx winced as his senses roamed over her, like a clap of thunder, hard and fast. Leave me alone. Gods, make this stop.
“You are right. I don’t sense much power from her at all.” Fergus frowned. “How can a mind whisperer still exist? My father wiped them out decades ago, and I made sure to destroy any stragglers early in my reign. Are there more of you, girl?”
Nyx gritted her teeth, from the pain of his energy and to stop her mouth from falling open. The Archdruid didn’t sense her full power? How was that possible? The Archdruid was the most powerful person on Erthea. How had Darius pulled one over on him? True, Darius had power, but nothing like his father’s. Darius’ mother’s magic scanned her as well. Nyx shivered and took a step back. Gods, she wanted to run.
Maybe she should just do that. Run and take her chances. It didn’t matter if they struck her down. She wanted to get away from these people once and for all. They couldn’t harm her or use her for her power then.
“Are you incapable of speech?” the Archdruid demanded.
“No. I don’t know if there are any others left. I was a foundling and didn’t even know I was a mind whisperer.” Nyx finally found her voice. Gods, she couldn’t believe she had spoken to the Archdruid himself. This had to be a dream. One that she hoped she would wake up from and find herself back at the tavern. This day had been nothing but a nightmare since Harland’s death, and she longed for it to be over with
Fergus scrutinised her a moment longer. “Just kill her and be done with it. I won’t have a mind whisperer wandering around. We all know how dangerous her kind were back during the great wars.” He turned to Gideon. “Why did you have her brought here? If you knew of her existence, you should have had her killed. I thought I taught you better than that, boy.”
“I thought —” Gideon winced as Fergus struck him across the head.
“You never think, do you? What if she had true power? She would be a danger to everyone in Andovia.”
Her heart lurched. Would they kill her because of her abilities? She didn’t think that was why Gideon had sent his brother to fetch her. If he wanted her dead, he could have just sent an assassin to do the job.
The Archdruid’s power continued to thrash against her. Her head throbbed from the pain of it. How did anyone stand being around this man? She had thought Ambrose’s energy had been powerful, but this felt overwhelming.
Nyx half hoped Darius might have done something. He knew how overwhelmed she got, but he did nothing. He stood there unmoving and kept his gaze on the floor. She had known he wouldn’t be on her side even though he claimed to have been trying to help her by suppressing her power. Perhaps all he had done was bought her a little more time before they killed her.
“Perhaps you should keep her around for a while and see if her powers develop,” Darius’ mother spoke up. Her voice sounded rich and sophisticated—nothing like the lilting, melodic voice of the queen.
Queen Isabella’s lip curled. “The girl is useless. Like I said, send her to the slave islands. That’s about the only thing she’d be good for. They should at least get a few days’ work out of her before she expires.” She laughed, and her laughter sounded like music. How could someone so beautiful be so cruel? Were all the fae like this?
Slave islands? She knew what the that meant: weeks of hard labour, little food and living in awful conditions. It would mean certain death. No one lasted long there.
Maybe that would be a better fate than being stuck here.
“Do not be so sure. Perhaps her powers need time to manifest,” the woman remarked.
Nyx collapsed to her knees. The force of the Archdruid and Darius’ mother’s powers were too much.
It will be alright, Darius told her.
Nyx blinked back tears, ashamed at her own weakness. Why had he said that? He had made it clear he cared nothing about what happened to her.
Gideon whispered something to his father that Nyx could not hear. The Archdruid’s expression darkened. “You killed Harland? He was one of my best slave traders. Excellent at weeding out miscreant fae and other undesirable Magickind. How could you have killed him?”
Nyx flinched as his power whipped against her.
Someone please help me. She wanted her curse to come back, to help the way it always did.
“She has some skill with the blade,” Darius spoke up. “Harland had
injuries. Perhaps she stabbed him.”
What? The druid knew full well Harland’s body had not had any stab wounds. He had had bruising and bleeding. She also noticed he hadn’t outright lied. Perhaps he couldn’t lie to his father. Interesting. Nyx frowned at him then dropped her gaze to the floor.
“Perhaps we should give it some time,” Darius’ mother suggested. “See if her powers emerge. If she is the one the prophecy speaks of, we need her in our grasp.”
Isabella glowered at the other woman. “How could you suggest such a thing, Mercury? What if she is a descendant of the dark queen? She could have been sent by the resistance to murder us all.”
Mercury laughed. “The resistance is nothing but a bunch of fools. They have no real power and will never be a threat to any of us.”
Fergus scoffed. “There’s nothing remarkable about her. Kill her and be done with it.” He raised his hand, and an invisible force pulled Nyx to her feet.
She gasped as energy tightened around her throat, choking her. Gods, she couldn’t fight this. Even if she had full access to her power, there was no fighting the Archdruid.
“I’m sure we can find some use for her that doesn’t involve her going to the slave islands.” Mercury put a hand on Fergus’ shoulder. “Darius, you need a servant. Why don’t you make use of her? Train her up a bit. You’re always putting yourself in unnecessary danger.” She arched an eyebrow at her son. “If she does not prove useful, bind her powers and keep her as a servant until she expires.” Mercury turned to Gideon. “Unless you want her.”
Fergus glowered at his other wife. “She is a mind whisperer. Have you forgotten what they did during the great wars? They almost overthrew my father and ended the Valeran dynasty.”
“Look at her.” Mercury gestured towards Nyx. “She’s only a girl. She’s no threat to anyone. See how pathetic and weak she is.” She leaned closer and spoke to Fergus in thought, If she does have power, perhaps we can harness it. She could become a valuable asset — one that we should keep on our side. Imagine the possibilities if she could harness her power. You would then have one of her kind under your control.
The Calling (The Andovia Chronicles Book 1) Page 9
