by Mona Hanna
“This ends if you kill her!” he cried. Julius only smiled.
“I’m not likely to kill my leverage, am I?” he said. “And, frankly, you’re in no position to say when this ends. That’s up to me, and it’s up to her.”
Julius fixed his gaze on Ariel, his dark eyes looking her up and down. He looked at her closely, and Brayden wanted to smack the smile off of his face. What killed him is that Julius was right. He was useless in this situation. It was between Julius and Ariel. She tensed next to him, still holding his hand.
“We’ll go with you, but we need assurance you won’t hurt Brayden’s mother. I’m not exactly going to take your word for it. If she’s alright, we’ll co-operate.”
Julius nodded. “You’ll see her, soon enough. I’ll release her when things are...underway. No harm will come to her.”
Ariel growled. “You mean you’ll release her when you’ve killed Nadia. When you’ve killed your slave. If only I could get her to side with me, we could rip you to pieces.”
Julius smiled again. “You’ll be thinking differently in a little while. The last thing you’ll want to do to me is — rip me to pieces.”
Brayden saw Ariel go red. “You disgust me.”
“You enthrall me.”
“I despise you. I’d kill you now...”
“But then Nadia will destroy your little friend’s mother. If I don’t appear by her side, in the next hour, the boy’s mother dies. And so will he. Nadia won’t take too kindly to my death.”
Ariel’s breathing became ragged. She took a step forward. “Then let’s just finish this. We go to her, now.”
“In time. But there’s something I’ve been meaning to do first.”
Julius lurched forward and punched Brayden full in the mouth. He stumbled backwards, his face stinging, then was about to lunge at him when Julius shook his head.
“Touch me, and I’ll make sure your mother suffers before I release her. You can’t do a thing to me, boy.”
Brayden stood there, clenching his fists, breathing deeply. The coward. The devil. He wanted to rip out his throat, but he was just as bound as if ropes tied him. He could barely contain his hate. Ariel touched his shoulder.
“He’s not half the man you are. Not even a tenth.”
Julius let out a growl, then grabbed Ariel around the waist and pulled her to him. He forced his lips onto hers, his tongue into her mouth, while Ariel struggled against him. Brayden grasped his head, unable to stand it. Ariel scratched Julius on the face, and he released her, laughing. She wiped her mouth.
“You do that again and I’ll come back from the dead and cut you up. You’ll never touch me again.”
Julius roared. “Oh, so you’re willing to die for — him? Really? I’m sorry, darling, but I’ve done this before. No one ever chooses their own death over another’s. Ever. Everyone is inherently bad. You’ll kill him, and you’ll come to me, and I’ll have every single inch of you. And all this passion, this rage, this fire you have inside of you, will be mine to control. You’re the best one yet. It’s the good ones that become so bad. I can just taste it. Oh, I can taste it...”
“Enough! Enough! Stop it.”
“Whatever you say, darling.” Julius put his arm around Ariel’s waist and pressed her up against him.
“Take hold of your little friend. He needs to come, too.”
Ariel reached her arm out, and Brayden grasped hold of it. She was so tense it was like she was made of steel. Julius narrowed his eyes, then they were all spinning, before their feet stood on solid ground again. Brayden took in lung fulls of fresh air. He realized he’d been holding his breath.
They stood on a cliff edge, a wild breeze blowing around them, through the trees behind them and the valley below. Nadia stood nearby with Brayden’s mother, two large men next to them. The men walked over and took hold of Brayden’s arms, dragging him to stand by Nadia. That’s when Brayden saw it.
Near the precipice, tall, looming over them, was the contraption Julius was going to use to put Ariel through the test. Brayden nearly collapsed. Julius had changed his methods. This was worse than fire. This was worse than anything.
He was dead.
Chapter 13
The clouds above them were dark grey; the wind still howled, an icy breeze blew around them. Brayden stood between the two large men, each one holding him by the arm, while his mother, Emily, was beside him, held by Nadia. The contraption stood several feet away. It had finally hit Brayden. He was going to die today. His mother was going to see it. And Ariel — oh, Ariel...
Brayden looked over at the structure, wondering how Julius could have made it. It was enormous. It was huge. It was — horrible.
The base was a wooden platform, as wide as three carriages. Another smaller platform rose from it, the height and width of a small bed, with three half-circle strips of metal spread out along it. One to hold someone down by the neck, waist, and ankles. Growing out of the base stood five tall wooden poles, three at the back and two at the front. The poles held up the roof of the machine. It was at an angle, the front end raised slightly. The roof. Brayden felt all the color drain from his face.
Large circular blades were fastened to the roof, each twice the size of a large plate. Their edges were jagged, sharp, looking as if they could cut through metal itself. The circles were positioned a couple of inches apart, set up so they would come down over Ariel’s torso and lower half. It looked as if there were five on the top half, then a space, then more than ten on the bottom half. Ariel would be ripped to shreds. Even if she killed him quickly, the pain she would suffer before...Brayden felt sick. Julius disgusted him. His love — oh, his love...
At the back of the machine was a complicated set up of ropes and blocks and pulleys, designed to make the blades spin. There was an enormous lever at the side of the device, which Brayden assumed would lower the roof down. And bring it back up. Julius was relying on Ariel killing him before she was killed herself. He was going to control the contraption. Brayden took deep breaths, his stomach in a thousand knots, his stress consuming him. His mother wept beside him. This all hurt so much.
Brayden looked over at Ariel. She stood beside Julius, staring at the machine. Her blonde hair blew about her in the breeze. She looked over at Brayden, her face deathly white, her eyes filled with horror. He wanted to run to her, hold her, but the two men tightened their grip on his arms. He just stared at her in dismay. She stared back, then shut her eyes, taking a deep breath. Julius grasped her arm and led her towards the structure.
“Nadia!” Ariel called out, twisting as she walked to look at her. “Nadia, he’s just going to kill you! You don’t have to let him! You don’t have to protect him!”
Nadia just laughed. “My love would never kill me!” she cried, her long, dark hair flowing around her. “Only you will die today — die horribly. Don’t try to trick me! I long to hear your screams.”
“Nadia!” Ariel cried again, as Julius brought her up close to the machine. “It’s the test! Don’t you remember? Don’t you remember him doing this to you? He’s going to kill you, so he can turn me! Why do you think Brayden’s still alive?”
Nadia’s expression became one of confusion for a moment. She shook her head. “You wouldn’t come willingly if we’d killed him! My love knows what he’s doing. All that will happen today is you being torn apart. Slowly. Slowly.”
Julius brought Ariel up to the platform, then held onto her arms tightly, hissing something in her ear. Brayden saw Ariel’s eyes widen, then she looked over at Emily. She nodded. Julius forced her to walk up to the wooden bed.
“Ariel!” Brayden cried, unable to keep silent anymore. “It’s okay! I forgive you!”
She wept loudly as Julius raised the metal strips over the bed, holding onto her with his other arm. He lifted her and lay her down, fastening the bindings over her neck, waist and ankles. There was suddenly a blinding flash of light from the metal, and Ariel cried out. Her hands were held down by the strip at
her waist. The metal clung close to her, so she couldn’t move. She would never be able to magically transport out of there. Brayden stared at her, horrified.
Ariel lay there, struggling, staring up at the roof of the machine. Julius stepped down from the platform and walked towards Nadia. He smiled when he reached her.
“You’ve done so well, my darling,” he said smoothly, grasping her arm and making her release Emily. Brayden’s mother stood there, hands still bound behind her, and looked over at him. He gazed at her with sorrow, wishing he could hug her goodbye. Tears glistened in his eyes. Her own eyes were filled with sadness.
Julius brought Nadia close to him, embracing her. She placed her arms around him. Julius kissed her neck, tightening his hold on her, pressing her up against him. Brayden knew it was coming.
“It’s been more than twenty years,” Julius murmured, bringing one of his hands behind his back. Nadia sighed in his arms. Brayden saw Julius bring his hand forward again, this time holding a sharp knife. Nadia was oblivious.
“Let’s kill her now, darling. I don’t want to wait anymore.”
“Yes, yes, just one more moment,” Julius breathed. Brayden wondered if the man didn’t want to kill Nadia. If he actually felt sorrow. He didn’t think he could feel anything but the most disgusting emotions, but he wasn’t sure. He winced, his insides squirming.
“Nadia...” Brayden began, but Julius shot him a look. He looked over at one of the men holding him, and the man went over and grasped Emily by the arms. Brayden got the message. Julius didn’t need his mother any more; she was of no use to him. She could easily be killed, if Brayden didn’t keep quiet.
He began to become riddled with anxiety. Could he just stand there and let Nadia die? Ariel killing her in battle was one thing, but this... Julius kissed Nadia deeply, and she responded to him hungrily. The hand which held her tightened on her back; his other hand still held the knife. Brayden couldn’t breathe. The tension became unbearable. He began to take huge breaths, then Julius pulled away from the kiss abruptly and pulled Nadia back by the hair.
He plunged the knife into her stomach, deep, twisting it. Brayden gasped. Nadia stumbled backwards, eyes wide open, blood gurgling out of her mouth. Julius pulled out the blade. She fell back on the ground, her hand over her wound, staring straight up. Julius knelt beside her. He sighed.
“I didn’t want to do it,” he said, “but I had to. It’s time for me to move on. I did love you, Nadia, I did. You were perfect, once. But it’s my new time now. Rest, my dear.”
Nadia spluttered once more, staring at him in horror, then her eyes rolled back into her head. She became silent, still. Brayden stared at her in shock. Julius lowered Nadia’s eyelids, then stood and took a huge breath. He dropped the knife, then turned back to the machine. He strode towards Ariel.
Brayden knew Ariel couldn’t have seen what just happened from her position lying down, but she would have heard it. She would know Nadia was dead. It was about to start.
It was about to end.
***
“It’s time.”
The words rang out in the air as if Julius had shouted them. He stood by the contraption, looking at Ariel. She stared straight up. Everyone was perfectly still. Even the wind had died down. There wasn’t a single sound. Brayden stood there in a panic.
Why couldn’t Ariel just kill Julius now? Nadia couldn’t protect him anymore. There would be no one to hurt him or his mother, if Julius was gone. Brayden’s heart beat rapidly. Maybe this was it! Maybe this was the answer!
“Ariel!” he cried. “Kill him! Now’s your chance!”
Julius laughed. “I’m protected, boy. There’s magic in the metal which binds her. She can’t use her magic on me, not while I have this.”
He reached into his pocket, and produced a shimmering silver stone. He put it away again, and Brayden stared at him. Then realization hit. That’s what the flash of light was about — something about the metal strips which held Ariel prevented her from using her magic on Julius, while he had the silver stone. It was all over.
He shut his eyes, and thought his last thoughts.
It was all so soon. He was so young. To die, now, right when he’d found his love — right when his life gained so much more meaning, was unbearable. And there was so much he wanted to do — he wanted to grow old, he wanted to have children, he wanted a life. He would have nothing, now. It was all over. And who would care for his mother, in her old age? Who would support her? He was leaving behind an unfinished mess, and he had so much he wanted to learn, to prove, to find out. So much he wanted to be. He wanted to grow. He wanted to live.
And Ariel. She would be turned. No one could go through the pain she was about to suffer and not stop it. He didn’t blame her — he didn’t hate her. That’s why he said he forgave her. She wouldn’t care, once she was turned, but in that moment when she killed him, he wanted her to know he wasn’t angry with her. She was everything to him. The thought of Julius having her...if only he could be stopped! If only he could be killed! But it was too late.
Brayden heard a grinding sound, and his eyes flew open. Julius was turning a wheel at the back of the machine. The ropes and pulleys began to move, making the blades turn. Julius kept winding, then let go of the wheel. The machine continued to work, making a thundering sound, the workings rumbling, the blades screeching. They spun rapidly, their jagged edges a blur. Ariel began to cry, squirming beneath them.
Julius walked to the side of the machine and put his hand on the large lever. He grasped hold of it, then pulled it down, very slightly. The roof lowered a little towards Ariel. The spinning blades became a little closer. She cried out.
“Kill him, and I’ll free you,” Julius said calmly. “Destroy him.”
“No!” Ariel screamed. Julius pulled the lever down further, dropping the roof again. It was now a foot above Ariel. The sound must have been deafening to her.
“Kill him, and I’ll free you,” he repeated. “Don’t make me do this, Ariel.”
She screamed again, tears pouring down the sides of her face. Julius lowered the lever more; this time the blades spun only inches above her body. Julius growled.
“Kill him! I’ll do it, Ariel! I’ll cut you!”
“No!” she yelled. Brayden couldn’t stand it.
“It’s okay, Ariel!” he cried. “I love you!”
“Brayden, I don’t want to hurt you!” she screamed. She began to wail, and Julius became enraged. He jerked the lever down, and the blades lowered with a sharp cry onto her body. Ariel cried out in horror as the circles cut into her skin. The blood. The blood. She let out a blood-curdling scream, in agony. Tears streamed down Brayden’s face.
Julius lifted the lever up, and the blades came off of Ariel’s body. She still cried out, her pain clearly throbbing through her. Julius snarled.
“Kill him, Ariel! Don’t push me! I won’t stop so quickly next time!”
She didn’t respond, only crying, her entire body covered in blood. Brayden fell to his knees, still held by his captor, wailing.
“Ariel, save yourself!” he cried. “I forgive you!”
She kept crying, screaming. Julius looked like he was struggling to breathe — he grasped the lever tightly, then, slowly, brought it down again. The blades touched Ariel again. Brayden didn’t think anyone could scream so loudly. Julius didn’t lift the lever up.
Ariel was cut. She was cut. Julius was watching her; then Brayden saw what he was staring at. She was pointing her fingers at him.
She was going to do it.
He shut his eyes, and waited for his love to kill him.
There was a final, terrifying scream...
Chapter 14
I would never hurt you. If I go through the test, I’ll let myself die.
“Ariel! ARIEL!”
I’d never hurt you. I never would.
“ARIEL! ARIEL, NO!”
I’d do anything for you. Give up anything.
“Why! Oh, Ariel, WHY..
.”
Brayden wept uncontrollably, his hands on the ground, head bent down. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair.
She wasn’t supposed to die.
Ariel had become silent, her last scream echoing around them. The machine had stopped — Julius had silenced it, when it had finished her. She hadn’t done it. She hadn’t killed him. She’d suffered the intense agony of blades cutting into her, cutting through her skin and muscles and bones, until she died. Brayden couldn’t believe it. He sobbed so hard he couldn’t breathe. Then, the anger, the anger. He couldn’t let Julius get away with it.
Brayden leapt to his feet, glaring at Julius standing by the contraption. He ran towards him, then smashed into him, wrapping his hands around his neck. He forced him to his knees and squeezed, squeezed hard, letting his rage and anger and sadness consume him. He wanted to kill him. He was going to kill him.
Julius knelt there choking, eyes wide, then he grabbed Brayden’s leg, fire scalding him through his clothes. Brayden let go and stumbled backwards, breathing heavily. Julius stood up.
The two men stared at each other. The only sound was their ragged breathing. Julius’ nostrils flared — his skin was pale, his eyes wide, his cheeks flushed. He looked shocked, stunned, angry. Brayden gritted his teeth. He lunged for him again.
He forced Julius to the ground, punching him in the face. He kept hitting him and hitting him, wanting him to hurt, to suffer. Julius scalded Brayden’s arm, and he yelled; Julius overpowered him and held him down on the ground. Brayden hissed as he lay there. Julius knelt on him and held him down by the throat. He raised his right hand, and fire appeared in his palm. He began to lower it to Brayden’s face.
Brayden growled through gritted teeth, not caring that he was going to burn. Nothing could hurt him more than he was already hurting. He shut his eyes. He waited. He felt the flames licking his skin. He knew Julius’ palm was about to touch him...
Suddenly, an astonishingly bright light shone from behind them, glowing from the machine. Julius fell back, and Brayden got to his knees, shielding his eyes.
