Silence fell between us. Realizing precious time was ticking, though, I kept on. “What happened to yo—our parents?”
God, it felt so wrong to say that. Mom and Dad, if you can hear me, please forgive me. I closed my eyes for a few seconds, trying to remain calm and, above all else, not cry in front of him. He didn’t deserve my tears, no matter how much the thought of my parents shattered my heart. Their deaths, along with my sister’s, would be avenged soon enough. Somehow, someway, I’d make sure of that. With newfound anger and determination surging through me, I opened my eyes. Bennett’s gaze burned into me, as if he was willing me to burst into flames.
“They passed,” he replied stiffly. “A few years back. Terrible tragedy.”
There were more secrets hidden beneath that answer; his tone was proof of that. Those people tried to take away his claim to power, and then died “tragically”? Right. However, his face was cool as ever, betraying nothing.
“Tragic, huh?” I asked. “How so?”
“I’ll just warn you to be careful around our staircases. They’re steeper than they appear.” He shifted in his chair. “Our uncle took over my care after that.”
Holy crap. The air was suddenly too thick to even think about breathing. “And what happened to him?” I ventured.
A slow smirk spread across his face. “There’s something you should know about our uncle.” He paused. “Actually, it’s something that will do you well to remember from here on out. You have to be careful in whom you place your trust, especially in a world such as ours. Sometimes, people allow their journey to power to be hindered by clouded judgment. They place their trust in the wrong people, and when that happens . . . well, they may as well stab themselves in their own backs. They deserve to die.”
I swallowed thickly. “And who decides when someone deserves to die, Bennett?”
He held my gaze without wavering. His eyes were identical to my own, but his held something far deeper than the clear pools of blue.
They held danger.
“Don’t worry, sister,” he drawled. “You’ll be more than safe here, I assure you.”
“For how long?”
Before he could answer, a shrill ring echoed through the room. He sighed and walked toward the door, where there was a speaker built into the wall right beside it. Bennett pressed a small red button beneath it.
“I specifically asked for no interruptions this morning,” he said.
The speaker crackled, then a familiar voice responded. “I know, Sir,” said Joseph, “but this is urgent. Your prisoner has become a bit, um, combative.”
My heart leapt into my throat. Ethan.
Bennett groaned and rubbed his face before saying, “I’ll be right there.” He turned to me and pointed to the book still sitting on the arm of my chair. “Read it. Learn it. There are bits of Greek here and there, but most of it’s English. I’ll be back for any questions later. You better hope your damn boyfriend isn’t causing too much trouble.”
“What are you going to do?” I jumped to my feet, sending the book toppling to the floor. “You have to let me see him. Please. Maybe if he sees me, he’ll calm down. I can help! Just don’t hurt—”
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, sit down!” I stumbled back until my legs hit the chair, and plopped down with a glare. “This is for your own good,” he said. “You’re too attached to him, and he’s clearly far too hung up on you. Your love makes you vulnerable. Weak. And weakness isn’t something I tolerate well.”
He paused for a moment, scanning the room before looking back to me.
“What?” I asked. “Don’t trust me here by myself?”
He chuckled, shaking his head. “I know what you’re thinking. And no, you won’t find the scroll anywhere in this room. Your grand plan to stop this is too little, too late. It’s far beyond anything you can fathom.”
How did he know . . . “Nate told you about a lot more than Ethan, didn’t he?”
“Now you’re learning, Kerrigan.” He opened the door. “Be careful who you trust. You never know just how badly they’ll betray you. Don’t make me regret what little faith I’ve placed in you.”
With that, he stepped into the hall and closed the door behind him. Something clicked, and I didn’t even have to check to know he’d locked me in there. Didn’t he tell me that this was my house too? That he had “faith” in me? So much for that.
I grabbed the book, looking at it with equal parts disgust and intrigue. It held answers—I knew that. I also knew that with knowledge came a heck of a lot of responsibility. What I did with those answers was all on me.
Bring it.
~*o*~
The pages were probably older than my grandparents, and everything was hand-written in a scrawling cursive. I had no idea what I was reading, or even hoping to read, but I scanned each page in case any keywords decided to jump out at me. After a few minutes, two words did just that.
KINGDOM COME
I trailed my fingers across the intricate script at the top of the page. My heart raced and, even though the room was freezing, I began sweating as I started to read. Something strange filled me, something I’d never experienced before. It was all-consuming. It overwhelmed me enough that I knew I should close the book, knew that what these pages contained was likely full of darkness and evil . . . but I couldn’t.
Each of the following pages was dedicated to one of the scrolls, and described its designated horseman. The first, of course, described Earth. Then came Fire, and the next was Water. The final page, however, sent chills down my spine the moment I saw the title.
Death
In contrast with his brothers, the soldier of Death requires more than a single drop of blood for his calling. Two visionaries must be present—a brother and his sister, both beyond eighteen years of age. The spilling of the blood of each across the seal initiates the ritual, and only then can the seal be broken. Only one visionary may open the scroll—if both attempt to break the seal at once, the ritual shall cease and all will be for naught.
Henceforth, Death shall be given exactly three days to reign as he sees fit, collecting those who are not under his summoner’s protection, and transporting them to his domain.
He who summons Death shall become not only his master, but also Master of The New World.
Hands shaking and mouth agape, I closed the book in shock. Blood. This ritual required blood. My blood. Just how much were we talking about here? Surely, it couldn’t mean…I mean, people didn’t do sacrifices or anything anymore, right? Well, normal people didn’t.
That didn’t exactly put my mind at ease.
I placed the book on Bennett’s desk and, for the first time in years, bowed my head and prayed as tears slid down my cheeks. I didn’t know who I was praying to, or if anyone even heard me, but there were two things I did know.
I was in way over my head. And I needed a miracle.
~*o*~
Later that night, I was pacing the length of my room when a rapid knock on the door made me jump and let out a squeak. Given that it was well past ten, I suspected who it was. Sure enough, Danny waited on the other side. Still dressed in his hideous guardsman uniform, he hurried inside the dark room while I checked the hall, making sure no one had followed him.
“Nobody saw you come up here, right?” I asked, locking the door. I went for the light, but decided against it, just to be on the safe side. I wouldn’t put it past Bennett to have someone watching my windows 24/7.
Danny shook his head. “No, it was all clear when I left.”
“Have you seen Ethan?” I blurted out. He paused for an excruciatingly long moment, but finally nodded. “And? Is he okay? Where is he?”
He held up both hands, signaling for me to stop, but my adrenaline was rushing now that I knew Ethan was okay. He’d been all I could think about after leaving Bennett’s office. The fact that I was in a warm and comfortable room while he was all alone, being subjected to God knows what, destroyed me.
Danny�
�s long silence wasn’t helping at all. I stepped forward, my legs buckling. “Danny,” I drawled, my voice quivering. “Tell me. Please.”
“He’s alive.”
It wasn’t the exact answer I was hoping for, but it was good enough. I breathed in deeply, attempting to calm my nerves. “Is he hurt?” I whispered.
Danny hesitated, but replied, “He’s alive. Let’s just leave it at that.”
The room grew blurry. Shaky. Danny became nothing more than a haze until he stepped forward and gripped my shoulders tightly. “Breathe, K. Just breathe.”
I tried—Lord knows, I tried—but every part of me ached. Unable to hold them back any longer, I sobbed as I sank to the floor. Pulling my knees to my chest, I buried my head there. Ethan’s face flashed in my mind—his smile, those dark eyes that sparkled every time he looked at me. Then, that face became mangled. Bruised. Bloody. All I could do was cry harder.
It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right. What had we done to deserve this? Danny sat beside me and draped an arm across my shoulders. I fell into him, thankful to have someone by my side.
But he wasn’t the one I wanted. He wasn’t Ethan. It may never be Ethan again. Not if he remained Bennett’s prisoner for much longer.
“He’s using him,” I murmured. “He’s only using him to keep me here. That’s all.”
“Yep.”
“You have to help me see him.”
He inhaled sharply, but I kept on. “Please, Danny. Please. I heard Joseph talking to Bennett over the intercom this morning. Ethan’s freaking out, isn’t he?”
His face fell. “Yeah. He’s cracking. You would too, if you were being used as combat practice for the guardsmen. Plus, every time he asks about you, they don’t tell him a damn thing. I’ve been trying to fill him in—”
“Wait. Combat practice?” I pulled away, gaping at him. “Does that mean . . . I mean, did you . . .”
He held my gaze, his lip trembling. “I went as easy on him as I could, K. I swear.”
I jumped up and sprinted to the bathroom, barely reaching the toilet before dinner made its disgusting reappearance. My stomach clenched and cramped as I fell back onto my bottom, resting my head against the cool porcelain. My shoulders shook as sobs racked me relentlessly.
Danny appeared in front of me, hazy through the tears. His nose scrunched, no doubt at the smell, and he lowered himself to the floor with a groan. Once again, he wrapped an arm around my shoulders, drawing me closer to him.
“Please,” I whispered. “Danny, I’m desperate.”
“Damn it, girl.” He rubbed a hand over his face. “I’ll try. I can’t promise you anything, but I’ll try.” He paused. “Did you find out anything in your meeting with him?”
I nodded and rested my head on his shoulder, the slightest hint of relief settling over me. I had to hold on to the sliver of hope that I’d see Ethan again soon. “Yeah, I did.”
“And?” he prompted. “Do you have any idea what’s next? What we can do?”
“Yeah. I have no clue if there’s a possibility of it even working, but I do have an idea.”
I heard the smile in his voice when he said, “All right, then. Talk to me, pretty girl.”
Chapter 18
Danny swore he’d be in my room at ten sharp the next night. So when ten o’clock came and went without a knock on my door, my heart hammered as I paced the dark room. I’d grown used to the darkness. It was comforting, in a strange sort of way; it hid my fears, my shortcomings, my insecurities. I stopped at the balcony doors, which I’d opened so the cold December breeze could rush through the room. It was freezing, yet refreshing. It would have been even better with Ethan. He was the crazy one of the group who loved chilly nights.
Danny probably got caught up in guard duties. I mean, Bennett was constantly barking at one of them to help with something. Or maybe he was being forced into more freakin’ combat practice . . .
I shoved the thought from my mind just as someone rapped on the door. My eyes narrowed as I crossed the room cautiously. Danny and I had set up a knock system—three short knocks, pause, then one more. But these knocks were insistent. Taking a deep breath, I unclicked the lock. With all the bells and whistles in this place, why couldn’t the doors have peepholes? I cracked it open and peered out.
“Nate?” I whispered, opening it all the way. “What’re you doing here?”
He’d changed into normal clothes—basketball shorts and a long-sleeved shirt—which was the first time I’d seen him out of his guardsman uniform since arriving. His hair was all disheveled, as if he’d been tugging at it. He nodded toward the room.
“Can I come in?”
“Um . . .” Damn it. Where the heck was Danny when I needed him? “I guess. But make it quick. I’m going to sleep soon,” I lied.
He looked me up and down as he stepped inside. “You’re sleeping in that?” He gestured to my dark jeans and black sweater.
After closing the door quietly, I leaned back against it and crossed my arms in front of my chest. “What do you want, Nate?”
He sighed. “I just came to say I’m sorry, okay?”
My eyes widened.
“I’m sorry for the way I treated you on the road,” he continued. “I’m sorry for leaving. I’m sorry for telling Bennett—”
“Everything.”
He nodded once and ran a hand through his hair before starting for the door. “Yeah, that. Look, I gotta go. I shouldn’t even be here.” He grabbed the handle, his expression shifting to one of panic when I didn’t move. “Come on, Kerrigan. I told you—”
“I know I said to make it quick, but I didn’t mean you had to leave after ten seconds.”
“I’m not supposed to be here, and I don’t need to get caught. Us guards, we’re not supposed to talk to you, all right?”
“Says who?”
He pressed his lips into a thin line. “Who do you think?” For the first time since meeting him, there was regret in his eyes. Pain. “That’s all I came to say. Now please, let me go.”
Averting my gaze, I stepped to the side, allowing him to open the door. What choice did I have? I couldn’t hold him hostage. He paused in the doorway, his hand gripping the frame. “I’m so sorry,” he said over his shoulder. “For just . . . everything.”
“Then do something about it,” I whispered.
He shook his head and shoved off the frame, disappearing into the quiet hallway. Heaving a sigh, I pushed the door closed, only to have a huge boot stop me. I yelped just as Danny slipped into the room.
“You lost your damn mind?” he hissed. “What part of ‘secret mission’ don’t you understand?”
I pushed him against the wall. “You nearly gave me a heart attack. You’re lucky I didn’t—”
“Yeah, yeah, I’m lucky you didn’t kill me. You ready to go or not?”
My heartbeat faltered. It couldn’t be. “I . . . I can see him?”
“Not if you keep standing there like a freakin’ robot.” He straightened the jacket of his uniform, which I’d crumpled. “We probably only have half an hour by now, since Your Royal Douchebag kept me late. It’ll take at least ten minutes to get to the cells.”
All I could do was nod. He grabbed my hand and pulled me into the hallway, and I closed the door as quietly as possible. “How’d you do it?”
He scanned the corridor, and then gestured to his uniform. “Still on duty. I’m in charge of prisoner watch tonight. Now move, and I’ll explain.” I followed him down the hall as he continued. “I was late getting here because your charming brother wanted to evaluate my progress. Asked a bunch of questions, made sure I knew all the policies, all that sort of shit before turning me loose on my own tonight.”
Danny stopped at the end of the hall, then turned left. I was still baffled about how everyone seemed to just glide through the place. I’d been there for days and didn’t even know how to get to the dining room on my own.
“When we get down there, you stay where I tell you
and don’t say a damn word. Everything echoes like crazy, and I’m relieving Joseph. The last thing we need is to tip him off. You keep your mouth shut until I signal for you, understand?”
I nodded, growing winded with our pace. We were practically running. We reached the balcony that overlooked the foyer, and when we approached the staircase on one side, Danny held a finger to his lips. I nodded again, and he proceeded to take each step carefully. I tip-toed behind him, wincing at each creak that sounded with our steps, grateful I’d left my shoes in the room. Once at the bottom, he grabbed my hand again and led me across the back half of the foyer, and through the massive wooden door he and Nate had disappeared through just two days before.
I expected a dungeon, a torture chamber, or something to that effect. Instead, a row of cells—like, actual jail cells—lined the corridor before us. And though they were all empty, sadness permeated the air. Grief. Death. “Dan—”
Danny made a slicing motion across his neck, and my mouth snapped closed. He was right, just the sound of our breathing bounced off the metal surrounding us. He nodded to the cell on my right, and though my eyes widened, he took me by the shoulders and urged me inside. “Calm down,” he mouthed. Claustrophobia settled over me in the tiny space; it couldn’t have been more than a few feet wide. A narrow metal bench, which I guessed was a bed, was the only thing the cell had to offer.
He guided me to sit on the bench, and its coldness immediately seeped through my jeans. This was where Ethan slept? Guilt over my bed upstairs returned full-force.
Danny knelt until he was eye level with me. “Not. A. Word,” he whispered. “When it’s safe, I’ll whistle once. Once. Got it?”
I nodded because I’d do anything he asked, anything he told me, as long as I could see Ethan for myself. Touch him.
Kingdom Come Page 15
