by Lora Darc
Then he laughed and so did the other princes. A wicked laugh. They looked to her and she knew they smiled. Danielle turned hot, wanting to slip from Lord Tyris lap. But she stood firm, refusing to give herself away.
“Even so,” Prince Morgin continued, “that doesn’t make you rulers. Only shameful fakes who commit treason. If you want to fight, that’s fine. We will slaughter you and let our servants pick at the scraps.” Prince Morgin turned to the crowd. “For now, however, I give you people a chance. If you serve these Night Lords, then you too are traitors. But my brothers and I are willing to forgive and forget. Only bend the knee now and you will be spared. If not, you will be killed along with your lords.”
The crowds looked to each other and then at the Night Lords, uncertain what to do. Danielle frowned, her own hands turning to fists.
No, I won’t let him do this.
Danielle remembered the first time she came into the mountain. Though she had been scared, they did not kill her or beat her. They gave her a chance, even when Lord Tyris didn’t trust her. She also remembered what they spoke of the first night she was captured:
“If the princes search for something it will likely be of great importance. If we find it first... It could give us an edge over them. We can then negotiate for our lands.”
Danielle stood up from Lord Tyris’ lap and stood at the edge of the stage.
“No,” she said.
The crowd went silent, staring at her, their faces pale. The princes and the Night Lords looked at her in quiet shock. Prince Morgin turned his head slowly and glared at her.
“Enough, Morgin. Leave them. If you do. I will go with you.”
Prince Morgin turned all the way back, his glare never leaving hers. Lord Tyris stood up.
“What is the meaning of this?” he said.
Danielle didn’t free her gaze from Prince Morgin. “I am the one the princes were seeking, Lord Tyris. It is me they wanted.”
Prince Morgin slowly returned to the stage, his tail flicking behind him. Shaking a little, Danielle let him get close, standing only an arms-length from her. Enough to snatch her if he so chose to.
“Morgin. Please. I don’t want to see them killed. They are harmless,” Danielle pleaded. But Prince Morgin only looked up at her with a dark, cold glare.
Suddenly an arm wrapped around Danielle’s waist.
“No. You won’t go with them. I forbid it,” said Lord Tyris behind her. The other Night Lords growled in agreement.
Danielle struggled against Lord Tyris’. “Spare them and I will go with you and never flee again. I will serve you without question. Do whatever you ask.”
Prince Morgin said nothing.
“I will allow no such thing!” roared Lord Tyris. He grabbed Danielle’s arm and made her look at him. His eyes almost seemed to plead with her. “No. I refuse this bargain. You belong here. With us.”
“You think so, Tyris?” Prince Cyre spoke. “I’d say you are mistaken. The girl came to us first.”
Lord Tyris looked at the princes and back at Danielle.
“Lies,” growled Lord Grabril.
“It is true. She fell into our home. She freed us,” hissed Prince Xaris.
“She is ours,” snarled Prince Sethris.
Lord Tyris forced Danielle behind him and the other Night Lords too came around her.
“You won’t have her. And we won’t give up our rule,” said Lord Tyris. “We will fight you, but not here. Our powers combined would bring the mountain down and crush us all.”
The princes and Night Lords argued when Prince Morgin put up his hand. He looked to his brothers and fixed eyes on each of them as if to say something to them through their minds. They seemed to nod in unison and Prince Morgin gestured for their soldiers and servants to retreat out of the hall.
“We agree. If we win, we won’t kill you, but you will serve us till your dying breath. As for the girl.” Prince Morgin caught Danielle’s gaze behind one of the Night Lords. “You can keep her. For now.”
Danielle was stunned at the sudden change. But was thankful. The people, for the time being, would be spared.
The princes, at last, turned away. Before Prince Morgin left, he looked on Danielle one last time and somehow she knew he was smiling.
Chapter 11
After the events of that night, Danielle was forced to stay within a private room, guarded by several of the Night Lord’s men. Lesser servants came to give her food, but she saw no one else for the rest of that night nor the next moonrise.
She thought over everything that happened, wondering if she had made the right decision. The Night Lords never came to her and she assumed it was because they were readying for their battle against the princes.
Once or twice she thought about going to the door and demanding the guards take her to see Lord Tyris, to tell him not to fight and to let her go. She knew, as powerful as the Night Lords were, they wouldn’t win against the princes. She had seen the look in Prince Morgin’s eyes and knew he would never let them win.
She also knew that, eventually, she had to go back to them. Seeing the princes again reignited a part of her that felt compelled to be with them. And then there was the matter of needing their energies for the new key orb.
At one point she even thought about using the star key to take her back to the palace in hopes they would turn back to return home to her, forgetting their fight. But something told her to hold back on using it.
Eventually, she caved and opened her door to talk to the guards, to convince them to let her see Lord Tyris. They refused. Saying they were under strict orders to guard her and she was never to leave the room. And that Lord Tyris was too busy to speak.
Frustrated, all Danielle could do was pace around the room and wait.
By next moonrise, she was still imprisoned in her room but was granted a few companions to visit her. Yuli and a few other servants came into her room, to sit on her bed and sip wine.
“Everyone is talking about what happened. They can’t believe how you stood up to Prince Morgin and revealed everything!” said Yuli.
“Is it true that you fell into the palace and freed them?” asked the servant Rita.
Danielle nodded her. “By accident, but yes. Then I fled and they searched for me.”
“Crazy to think all this time they were seeking some little human... no offense,” said the servant Fyre.
Danielle only smiled, then looked away. “They have to give me up. The Night Lords.”
“Don’t think that’ll happen,” said Yuli. “I heard talk they won’t even negotiate now. Looks like you’ve caused quite a stir, girl.”
“Quite a mess, really,” said Fyre.
“Yes... I’m sorry about that,” Danielle said.
The women laughed.
“Are you joking? This is the most excitement we’ve seen in a hundred years,” said Yuli. “Who would’ve thought a mere human would make it.”
“What was it like though…” asked Rita. “Inside the palace? I never got a chance to visit before it was shut away.”
“In truth,” said Danielle. “Beautiful. But very dark.”
They laughed again.
“I know I shouldn’t say this but... I would wish to see it,” said Yuli. “I heard to be a prince’s servant is a high honor. Though I don’t know how well they are treated.”
Fyre snorted. “Certainly better than us I imagine. Did you see those nightwomen they brought?”
They talked about the palace for most of their stay and Danielle was thankful they never asked her what she had to do to open the cursed place and free the princes. The women stayed a little longer, until moonset, when they were called back to their duties.
Danielle sat alone once more, waiting. When she slept, she began to once again dream of the princes like she had before. She grew hot and wet, waking in a daze after.
As another moonrise and moonset went, Danielle thought she would go mad. She needed to see the Night Lords.
A
s she went for the door, however, it was thrown open and Captain Bohren stood before her, completely dressed in his leathers, with his men behind him.
“You are to come with me,” was all he said.
Danielle didn’t hesitate to follow. As they traversed the tunnel ways Danielle thought about what she would say to Lord Tyris and the others. How she would convince them to give her away.
Instead of going down the usual tunnel leading to the great hall, Captain Bohren turned opposite, leading towards the armory. Danielle didn’t think anything of it, assuming the Night Lords must be there, getting ready.
When they passed the armory, and she saw no sign of them or of anyone, Danielle wondered where Bohren was taking her.
“Where are the Night Lords?” she asked.
“Outside the mountain. Hurry now. They won’t wait long.”
Confused, Danielle followed him out a side exit, out into the dark forest.
They followed a narrow path leading down, Danielle stumbled over roots as she rushed to keep up, wondering why Bohren was in such a hurry.
As they broke from the forest, into a field, Danielle saw the shapes of the Night Lords ahead, shrouded in cloaks with only small lanterns at their sides. Captain Bohren gripped her arm and pulled her forward until she was planted before them.
Danielle tried to look upon them, but their faces were covered. “My lords. What’s going on?”
In unison, they lifted the shrouds from their faces and Danielle gasped, turning cold as ice.
“I’ve waited too long for this,” Prince Morgin said. The other princes looked on her with burning eyes.
“And she is yours now, my prince.” Bohren bowed. “All of yours.”
Danielle shook her head but had no words. She stumbled back a little as Prince Morgin closed the distance between them. He lifted his clawed hand to her face and gently grazed her cheek with one long finger.
“How we have missed you.” He purred. “Our clever little minx.”
Danielle inhaled sharply at his touch. “Morgin…” She trembled.
“That is Prince Morgin, girl. Your prince,” said Prince Sethris, his leathery bat wings folded behind him. “You will address us rightly or your punishment will only be more severe.”
“It is alright, Sethris.” Prince Morgin laughed. “She will learn well enough.”
The princes each stood around her, but Danielle only looked to Prince Morgin.
“You will spare them. For me, won’t you?” Danielle said softly. “It’s not their fault, I never told them.”
Prince Morgin’s eyes narrowed. “They cannot be spared.”
Danielle took his hand and knelt before him. “I stand by what I said. I will never fight you or flee from you.”
Prince Morgin’s face turned up slightly as he glared at her.
“Let them decide to come to you,” Danielle continued. “I believe most of them want to follow their princes. But it has been so long and they are confused and frightened.”
“The Night Lords cannot be spared. We will fight them. However…” Prince Morgin looked to his brothers then back at her. “If you promise to obey our every whim. To serve us unconditionally. We will give the people of the mountain one chance. Only one.”
The other princes seemed taken back by Prince Morgin’s compromise as if it was unlike him, but they did not immediately protest.
“You think that is fair, brother?” said Xaris.
Prince Morgin stared down at Danielle, then nodded his head. “Yes. I think so.”
Danielle looked up at him as if uncertain, but deep inside she already knew her answer.
“Yes. I agree. I will serve you and do whatever you command. Whatever you desire.” Danielle knew she was ready. Ready to serve them. Though a small sense of fear still gripped her, she needed to be with them.
Prince Morgin watched her closely for a long moment, then smiled. “Swear fealty then. Kiss our hands and the deal is set.”
Danielle took each of their hands and kissed them.
“This does not mean you will go without punishment, girl,” said Prince Cyre. “You will have to answer for what you did within the palace.”
“And for running from us,” said Prince Sethris.
Danielle lowered her eyes. “I understand.” She stood up. They each looked her over and nodded, satisfied.
Prince Morgin gestured towards the woods and two great beasts broke into the open field, trotting over to them. They looked similar to Captain Bohren’s lizards, which he too whistled to come out of hiding. Captain Bohren and his men mounted up and so did Prince Ferien and Prince Xaris on their even larger steeds.
“Go back to the mountain, Bohren. Tell them we got what we came for and you couldn’t stop us. Do as the Night Lords say and wait for our return,” said Prince Morgin. Captain Bohren bowed and he and his men disappeared back into the forest.
“As for you,” Prince Morgin said to Danielle. He backed away from her and Danielle saw he was shifting. His arms and legs were growing longer as were his neck and face. His armor and clothing disappeared into wisps of shadow as Danielle watched Prince Morgin turn into a slender, dragon-like beast. His arms turned to wings and he used them for leverage to prop himself up. He lowered his head and growled at her. Prince Cyre took hold of her and placed her on Prince Morgin’s back.
“I’d hold on tight.” He smiled. “But I promise to catch you if you fall.” He laughed. He and Prince Sethris backed away and unfurled their wings. They shot up into the sky to circle them. Danielle gripped a few of Prince Morgin’s spikes along his back.
No turning back. I am ready.
Prince Morgin rose up and, with one mighty flap, took to the sky.
Coming Soon
Lover of the Nightkin
Other stories by Lora
The Nightlands series:
Prisoner of the Night Princes
Shivers series:
Haunting Grace
About the Author
Lora Darc is a sweet, innocent looking woman on the surface, but deep down she craves the darker side, where nightmares and dreams collide. Where fairytales become twisted. Where the beast doesn't turn back into a handsome prince, and Beauty doesn’t mind.
When Lora isn't watching movies or reading books in her favorite genres (fantasy and horror of course) she writes horror and fantasy erotica and dark romance.
Be sure to check out more from Lora on Amazon and Smashwords.
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