by T. S. Ryder
Ella closed her eyes tightly as the cold wind slapped her face. Flapping his wings hard, the dragon rose higher and higher and soon flew over the ice-covered land and peaks. Ella opened her eyes and gasped. The view was breathtaking. The golden sun peeked out from behind the mountains. The bitter wind almost bruised her face, but, at the same time, the feeling was exhilarating. She held onto Mekarth’s neck tighter, her heart racing with a kind of joy she had never felt before.
It was almost midday when they returned to the castle and as soon as they got inside, Darilth was summoned by the King. Ella showered, changed into fresh clothes, and joined Darilth. He looked outwardly calm, but the anxiousness in his eyes betrayed him.
“There has been an attack by the enemy upon another neighboring planet and the King wants me to join the battle since I’m still here. I have arranged for transport, a maid, and a guard who will accompany you to my home. I’m sorry that I won’t be able to take you there myself, Ella.” He wished he could stay and escort her, but he didn’t want to defy the King right away. His father had entrusted Keralth to get the army ready for terrestrial battle on Iovis, as an attack was expected any moment.
“How long will you be gone, Darilth?”
“It might be a while, but you will be safe at my home. My housekeeper will take care of you,” he said.
Taking her in his arms, he kissed her deeply with an urgency that surprised her. He pulled back and gazed deep into her eyes, his intense gaze revealing a turmoil that made her stomach churn. Somehow, she had a feeling that this might be the last time that she saw him. Suddenly frightened for him, she clung to him tighter, not wanting to let go. She was alone, and he was the only one she could trust.
He saw fear in those pale blue irises. It was contagious, and he felt his chest constrict. He held her for a long time, his arms wrapped around her tightly, feeling her racing heart beat wildly against his chest. He kissed her face, again and again, reassuring her that all would be well. She was so alone and vulnerable without him.
“It’s okay, everything will be alright. I promise I’ll come back,” he said gently but determinedly as she sobbed in his arms.
She nodded and he wiped away her tears. He kissed her long and hard for the last time and then he left without another word.
Chapter Six
The Prisoner of the Dark Moon
Keralth stood before the King as he sprawled on the chaise lounge in his chambers, drink in hand. The old man’s long white hair and smooth skin barely gave away his age. The king was almost a thousand years old. “Father, Darilth has married that human,” Keralth said, carefully observing his father’s expression.
He had been restless when his spy had brought him the news that Darilth had secretly married the human woman. Things were going smoothly when his father had not accepted that woman and had kept Darilth in exile. His chances of ascending the throne were increasing. Darilth was a fool. He didn’t stand a chance now that he had gone against the King’s orders. It was a crime punishable by death.
“Are you sure?” Rezelith was skeptical, as he couldn’t believe that his son would defy him. “And what about the Draco’s Eye? Did she awaken it as he claimed she would?”
“My source confirmed it, Father,” Keralth said, exasperated. “Yes, I can sense that the Eye has been awakened.” Keralth had spent years studying dark magic and his instincts were sharper than that of the old king. He could strongly sense the Eye’s magic while the king didn’t know a thing.
“Hmm. I thought he was bluffing. Darilth wields ultimate power now. Yes, he has gone against the rules, but the awakening hasn’t happened in centuries. This is great news. We must celebrate when he gets back from battle,” the King said.
“But Father! He committed a heinous crime!” Keralth’s voice rasped. He couldn’t believe the old man was so blinded by his son finding his ‘true mate’ that he was ready to bend the rules.
“Oh, Keralth. Don’t be a fool. I may not be happy with the human, but she has awakened the Eye,” the King said.
Rage surged through Keralth’s blood and his jaw clenched. He hadn’t expected this. The old man was too senile to see that his son had committed a crime. Nobody ever broke the law. He wouldn’t let this happen.
Keralth walked up to his father and stood before him. Then, in one swift motion, he drew his silver dagger and drove it into the old man’s chest.
“I am not the fool, Father. You are,” Keralth whispered as he gazed into the old man’s surprised eyes. The King wheezed. The glass fell from his hand and crashed to the floor. Blood spilled onto his robes as he trembled.
“There’s no way that Darilth and his human whore will take the throne. He deserves to be punished,” Keralth said in a voice that chilled Rezelith and, for the first time, he saw the gleam of madness in his son’s eyes. The King shuddered and let out his last breath.
“Rest in peace, my King,” Keralth hissed, his voice cold and sinister. He wiped his blade with a handkerchief and walked outside, the heavy doors automatically closing behind him. He deserved the Rothgar throne and the Eye’s power belonged to him. He would rule this land, once he got his hands on the Draco’s Eye. But first, he must do something about that human.
***
After Darilth had left for battle, Ella spent all day in her chambers. When night fell, she began to worry and had trouble falling asleep. In the wee hours of the morning, when she had finally dozed off, the guard and the maid came for her.
The events that happened next were a haze. She boarded the small spacecraft just like Darilth had instructed her to. Inside the craft, two rows of seats lined the elongated space, resembling the inside of a tunnel. The guard that had come with them locked the main door, sealing it. The maid strapped her in, securing her in her seat and started settling into her own. The man at the console, probably a pilot, came toward them. He wore a hooded cloak and Ella couldn’t see his face.
Suddenly, the hooded man took out a long silver dagger which he had been carrying at his belt and stabbed the maid in the neck. The woman dropped dead, dark blue blood spilling from her neck. The guard behind her lunged at the pilot, but the hooded man was too quick for him. He stabbed him in the chest, and he, too, fell to the floor: dead.
Ella screamed and struggled to get out of her seat, but she didn’t know how to unlock the restraints. She knew the man would come for her next and the thought made bile rise up in her throat. Yet, the man put his dagger away and came toward her. He bent over her and injected something into her neck. She felt the warm fluid burn her skin. Her vision blurred instantly and her head spun. The man went back to his seat as he started tapping at the console, revving up the engines. The last thing she could remember was the distant humming of the space craft’s engines as she fell into oblivion.
***
“It’s done, my lord,” the hooded man said, bowing low.
Keralth stood with his back to the assassin, staring out of his chamber’s windows. It was midday, and the King’s body had been found. The news had reached the Council members and they were planning to meet with him to discuss what should be done since the heir to the throne was still in exile. Keralth had deftly taken things into his own hands and started the preparations for the funeral, declaring that the city would mourn the King’s death.
Things would have been a lot simpler if he could simply steal the Draco’s eye, but that was futile. The Eye’s magic wouldn’t work and the object became useless if taken forcefully from the bearer. It was supposed to be willingly handed over to the new successor. “You didn’t encounter any problems?” Keralth asked in his raspy voice.
“There were these two obstacles, my lord. She wasn’t alone. She came with a maid and a guard. I had to eliminate them,” the assassin explained.
“I hope you cleaned up the mess. I don’t want any suspicion rising here,” Keralth said with a vicious glint in his eye.
“Yes, my lord,” the assassin replied.
“And you have secured th
e woman?” Keralth turned, his amber eyes glaring at the man.
“Yes, my lord. She is locked up on the Dark Moon, in the most obscure of cells. Nobody can get in, except the person who has access,” the Assassin said hastily.
“Good, good,” Keralth said as a sinister smile curved his thin lips. “You will be rewarded. You may leave now.”
Keralth sat down with a drink in his hand. So far, things were going according to plan. He took a swig of his wine.
He knew the woman had awakened the Draco’s Eye. He could sense it. Now was his chance – he could use the woman to get the Eye from Darilth. He twisted the stem of the glass in his hand. Darilth is weak, he thought, and he would do anything to save his mate.
***
Ella woke up and blinked in the dark. The air was cold and stale as her eyes adjusted to the dim light. Her head reeled, pain throbbing at her temples when she tried to get up. Her whole body was stiff from the cold. Her mouth was dry. She sensed that she was no longer in the aircraft. She tried getting up again and a wave of nausea hit her. She bent over and threw up. Her breathing was getting labored. The effect of the pills must be wearing off, she thought.
Where was she? Images of a hooded man killing the maid and the guard flashed through her head. She shuddered and tears streamed down her face. She had no idea how long she had been unconscious.
She was still getting her thoughts together when she heard the creaking of the metal door and someone put a tray down on the floor. Through the dim light of the greasy lamp, she saw water and something that reminded her of bread on the tray. She made a huge effort to stand up. Her legs felt weak but she tried to reach the tray. Sure, there was some bread and water, plus some red breathing pills. They wanted her to stay alive, she thought. She drank the water and greedily ate the bread, ignoring that it tasted stale. She was too hungry.
Feeling a bit better after she had eaten, a thought crossed her mind. She was here because the King had found out about the marriage. She was probably awaiting trial. They would eventually kill her. Didn’t Darilth say that if the King found out they would be killed? That meant that they would kill him too. She hugged her knees, rocking back and forth as tears spilled down her face. She cried for a long time. Exhausted, she finally drifted into an uneasy sleep.
Several days passed – or at least that was what she assumed. She lost all track of time, not knowing whether it was day or night. She was served food twice a day, but nobody came to see her. She called out for help and tried asking the person who gave her food questions, but nobody replied to her questioning. Despair grew like a vicious weed inside her heart. She was sure that this was God’s way of punishing her. She had sinned. She had married an alien man and broken her vows. She began praying for mercy.
As time passed, her condition worsened. She was nauseous every day, and she began to wonder what was wrong with her. One day she felt cramps in her lower belly. Her body was bloated and her breasts hurt. Suddenly, a thought struck her. When did she have her last period? That had been back on Earth, just before Darilth took her with him. Her stomach twisted horribly and she shivered as realization hit her that she might be pregnant. She felt more alone than ever. Would anyone ever come to save her and her baby? Tears sprang to her eyes and she wished Darilth were there with her. Despair overwhelmed her and she stopped eating. She didn’t know how long it was before she fell unconscious to the cold floor.
The guard outside her door noticed that her food hadn’t been touched. He had been instructed to keep the prisoner eating. He went inside to check on her with his flashlight and found the woman unconscious on the floor. He called for help immediately.
***
Keralth gazed at Dr. Wyern with disgust when he brought him the news. After his father’s funeral, Keralth had assumed a temporary position at the court. He had persuaded the council members into believing that Prince Darilth had a hand in the King’s assassination and he had been summoned from battle immediately.
Now, he looked at the doctor as if he had tasted something rotten. Ella’s pregnancy was a serious problem.
“You’re certain?” Keralth asked as he sat on his father’s throne in the courtroom.
“My lord, her pregnancy has been confirmed. I have the test reports right here,” Dr. Wyern explained.
Keralth held up a hand to silence him. “Can you terminate it?” he asked.
The doctor winced. “I’m sorry, my lord, but she carries a hybrid – half human and half Drakonaar. Her pregnancy is at a stage where an abortion is not possible without risking the life of the mother,” he said, hesitating.
“And you know who the father is?” Keralth asked him although he knew the answer.
“Yes, my Lord. It’s Prince Darilth,” the doctor said. “My lord, she requires immediate medical attention because her anatomy is not built to carry a Drakonaar fetus. It’s progressing faster than the normal human gestation time and she might not survive after delivery.”
“You do whatever it takes, Doctor. Just keep her alive,” Keralth grunted reluctantly.
“But, my lord, we must move her...” the doctor began.
“She stays where she is. You take whatever supplies you need and treat her there,” Keralth said with a finality in his tone as he dismissed the doctor with a wave of his hand.
Darilth would be here in a few days and then he would take action, he thought.
Chapter Seven
Betrayal
Prince Darilth gazed at the band he kept in the black box. The Draco’s Eye glowed when he touched it. He put it on his wrist and felt its power surge through his blood immediately. He paced the length of his quarters in the spacecraft anxiously. He checked on the ring he wore, which was a communicator as well. A holographic screen projected from his ring. There were no messages from the guard who was supposed to take Ella to R13. According to his calculations, she should have reached home by now. He was still a few days away from his destination. He contacted his housekeeper then, and his heart thrummed madly in his chest when she told him that Ella never reached the house. His chest constricted terribly as he raked a hand through his hair, worry gnawing at him.
His ring blinked and, quickly, he checked the message, thinking it was from his housekeeper. His heart sank when he saw the message from the Council Chief.
I am sorry to inform you, Prince Darilth Rothgar of Iovis, that your father has been assassinated. You are required to leave all tasks at hand and return immediately to the Rothgar Castle.
Confusion and rage boiled his blood and he poured himself another glass of wine, taking a swig. What was going on? Was the castle under attack? And where was Ella?
He quickly ordered his commander to set the shortest course for home. He again tried contacting Keralth, but all communication with the castle had been lost. He couldn’t wait to get to the castle.
***
He attempted to get a message through to his brother telepathically, but it was being blocked for some indecipherable reason. All other forms of communication with the castle had been lost. He was stuck till he reached his destination.
It took them another few months before they reached Iovis. When Darilth’s ship landed on Iovis, he was still in the docking area when the guards came for him.
“What is going on?” Darilth demanded, his jaw clenched, as the guards held him.
“Prince Keralth wants to see you, my lord,” the guard said.
“Yes, I would like that,” Darilth said, annoyed by their behavior.
Darilth immediately saw how Keralth had changed, haughtily sitting on the throne. He caught the sinister gleam in his amber eyes and a chill ran down his spine. Darilth tried reading his mind but he was still being blocked.
“Welcome home, brother,” Keralth hissed.
“Keralth,” Darilth said, his voice low and seething.
“I have news for you, brother,” he said. “I take it you’ve heard that our father was brutally murdered. I’m afraid to let you know that all the eviden
ce says that you are responsible.”
“What?” Darilth said shocked.
“The council has made its decision, Darilth,” Keralth hissed, his gaze chilling Darilth to the bone. “You will be tried for the murder of Kind Rezelith the III.”
“I will talk to the council myself! Somebody’s been feeding them lies,” Darilth said, his heart beating faster and rage pumping through his blood.
“Guards, arrest him,” Keralth ordered. Four guards came forward and put him in shackles.
It was in that moment that it dawned on Darilth what Keralth was doing. He gazed at his half-brother and saw the madness in his eyes. Then, suddenly, he thought of Ella. Keralth must have been aware of her whereabouts. His breathing became labored as he tried to control his rage. His fists clenched as he instinctively pulled on the restraints.
“Where is Ella, Keralth?” Darilth said, knowing where things were going.
“What’s the hurry, brother? I’ll tell you when you get comfortable in the dungeons,” Keralth hissed sarcastically. He sounded like a maniac.
Darilth knew it was futile asking him anything further.
They locked him up in the Dark Cell deep down below in the castle’s dungeons. A lone guard stood at the door. He looked like an old man, but that was an illusion. He was a demon who thrived on the prisoner’s misery.
The guards chained him at the far end of the cell and left him alone with the demon. Darilth could already feel the pressure building in his head. Soon it would turn into a searing pain that throbbed at his temples, making it impossible for him to think clearly. All Darilth could think of was Ella as he tried to block out the demon’s force telepathically.
***
Darilth woke up with a start as cold liquid splashed his face. His was stripped naked and his eyes hurt when he tried to open them. Hot, searing pain pierced every part of his toned, muscular body where deep wounds had been inflicted on him as torture. He was a warrior – he had been trained to bear wounds, but this was the kind of torture specifically meant to hurt him. He was strong – still standing while others in his place would have long succumbed to the wounds. His left eye was swollen with bruises as dark blue blood trickled down his face. His long, silver hair was a mess. A few strands were matted to his forehead and jaw, drenched in blood. His breathing was erratic and shallow, like that of a dying man. He wondered how long he had been unconscious.
