“What are you talking about?” The antennas poked my cheeks as its entire body tightened around my neck.
Tiernan frowned. “Your father is the son and heir of Darius Regius, ruler of Gaia.”
A lump lodged in my throat and my heart pounded. “No. That’s impossible. My dad is just a businessman…I mean, Ambassador. You’re after the wrong man.”
“Oh no, no, no. The likeness to your mother Aurora is uncanny.” He ran the backs of his icy fingers over my cheek. “And the power that runs through your blood.” He trailed the tip of the dagger along my arms. “It seems you are as the prophecies have foretold; a blend of the unique powers from your mother and father, making you a dangerous weapon. Gaia has…surprised me.”
Was this what the Del Contes couldn’t tell me? What Dad planned on telling me? No, it couldn’t be. This was too much. This was insane. “I don’t have any powers. You’ve got the wrong person.”
Tiernan studied me, thoughtfully. “I’m sure your father thought he was protecting you, thinking I wouldn’t harm you if you didn’t realize your power, because power, once discovered, takes time to fully develop. Luckily, I have ways of extracting that information which doesn’t require your knowledge. You may thank your father for this, because it’s his fidelity to Gaia that makes his own understanding of magic very, very limited.”
Tiernan picked up the creature from my neck and it writhed and jerked in his grip, struggling to break free. He carelessly dropped it to the ground and with a blast of light, all that remained of my poisonous torturer was a black spot on the stone. The man turned back to me then, and dug the dagger into my forearm.
Cold metal carved into my skin and I cried out in pain. Blood trickled down my arm as he pulled the dagger away; its edge coated in my blood. He walked over to the stone basin and rinsed the dagger clean in the water. The water shone shades of blue so bright it illuminated the room. He cupped his hands together, scooped out some of the bloodied water, and drank.
My stomach turned.
He stood erect, his features in ecstasy at the power now trickling through him. My power. I felt a wave of strength before he returned to my side, smiling. “You are more powerful than I thought. My Lord will be very pleased with you.” He trailed a cold finger along my cheek. “Yes, Gaia will mourn when her precious daughter turns against her.”
“I will never help you,” I spat.
The man gripped my chin and forced me to look into his eyes. “Those devoted friends of yours are on their way here now, in an attempt to rescue you, and when they arrive, I will kill them.”
I wouldn’t have believed him if it wasn’t for the immense strength powering through him. Horror gripped my soul. “No…please…”
“You have two choices.” He dropped my chin. “Surrender your will and powers to my lord, the Lord, and your friends will be left unharmed—that is my word. Or, you will die in this room and I will take your strength and kill them. Either way, I will have your powers.”
“You’ll never get away with this! They’ll kill you if you do anything to me. Just let me go!”
He turned away and set something on the ledge next to the basin. It was an hourglass, one filled with blood red sand already streaming into the empty half.
“You have exactly one hour to make a decision, at which point the last grain will fall, and your life will end. I hope you make the right choice, for I should be sorely disappointed to waste such beauty.”
With that, he left.
The guard lingered a bit, watching after his master, then fixing his black eyes on me. A sickening shadow passed over his face as he took soft, careful steps towards me. His breath reeked of rot and ale as he gave me a decayed smile that spread across his swollen face, glistening with perspiration. He lifted a fat, square hand and dragged his rough palm across my cheek.
“So vulnerable and such…” He licked his fat lips. “Delicious purity.”
I conjured all the saliva I could and spit it on his face. He, however, held that black smile as he wiped off the spit, inching his face closer.
His chuckle was low, sending ice through my blood. “I’ll enjoy you, princess.”
He patted my cheek, walked through the door, and closed it behind him.
I screamed after him—at myself.
No one listened. And no one answered, just as no one came.
I was alone.
I fated myself to this. Dad, the Del Contes—Tiernan was going to kill them. All because of me. All because I wouldn’t listen.
But Tiernan had given me a choice. A choice that would spare their lives. All I had to do was serve him. The Del Contes and my dad didn’t deserve to die because of me. They’d done nothing but risk their lives to protect me—their entire lives, just as they were forced to do now. I felt as though a knife were being run through my abdomen.
The red sands formed a threatening pile in the glass. My time would be running out soon. I could yell those words, serve this evil, and live the rest of my life as a lie. It wasn’t so different, if I thought about it. I was used to living a lie, only now I was choosing to live one in order to protect those I loved.
Isn’t that what you’ve been so furious about? That everyone lied to protect you?
I hadn’t understood their reasons and judged them for it. What I’d done—the way I’d acted—was humiliating. Now I might never get the chance to apologize. And Alex…
My chest throbbed as I remembered how I’d treated him. All along he’d been trying to protect me from this evil. Dad had been right. My resentment was going to be the death of me, either physically or emotionally—probably both.
I didn’t have much time left. Maybe they wouldn’t blame me for this choice. Out of anyone, they should understand what I was about to do.
I opened my mouth, prepared to yell the words that would forever alter my person and take away my freedom.
But I couldn’t.
Even if I lived that lie to protect them now, what would happen later? When this unknown Lord’s power had grown because I had given it to him and then I’d be forced to hurt them?
There must be another way. There has to be.
I searched the room for anything I could use to escape but there was nothing aside from that stone basin. Besides, what could I do chained to the ceiling?
The chains.
Maybe, just maybe, I could break free. After all, with my mind I’d been able to start a fire and I’d been able to use the amulet. Was it so far from the realm of possibilities that I might be able to use that same power to unlock the chains? Tiernan had said I was powerful. It was a power strong enough that he’d been hunting me for it. Just how powerful was I? Now was as good a chance as any to find out.
I shut my eyes tight, concentrating on the shackles. It was difficult, knowing the sands of time were running low on my life. My mind fought to focus on my wrists. The shackles had some sort of internal opposing force, rebounding my mental attack. I focused harder, my face pinched, my teeth clenched as I fought against the pressure of the brace. My skull ached from straining; my teeth ground so hard I thought they might shatter.
And then I broke through.
I fought through the opening, searching for a latch until my mind found it. In a second I had one undone, and then the other. With a click, I crashed hard to the ground, and the wind was knocked from me. For a moment I lay, gasping for air, struggling to function. My wrists burned and my head pounded as I choked on my breath.
I looked up and realized I only had a couple more minutes. I crawled to my life timer and lay it on its side with only a few grains left. Sighing my relief, I made my way to the door and pushed.
Nothing.
The shackles had left me so exhausted I didn’t have any strength left to force my exit. Slumping to the ground, I calmed my breathing so I could think. There was no way I had broken free of my chains to be trapped by a rotted wooden door.
Footsteps sounded outside. Maybe the guard had returned. Regardless,
whoever lurked there wasn’t powerful. I couldn’t find any of the evil presence I’d sensed in Tiernan. Struggling to my feet, I pressed myself against the wall. Whoever opened that door would be my means out. I would make sure of it.
Wielding all my remaining strength, I held my breath. The door creaked open and a figure walked in. And I struck.
Within seconds, I had the intruder in a chokehold, preparing to smash my fist into his face when innocent eyes gazed up at me. The cup in his hands fell to the floor with a clank and its contents spilled on the ground into a puddle. Clamping my hand over his mouth, our eyes locked. His surprise was strong as he looked past me at my broken chains.
But he didn’t struggle—not once—as I pulled him away from the door.
I stared hard at the boy, trying to convey in silence that I would be lifting my hand from his mouth and he had better think twice before yelling. When I lifted my hand, he said nothing—only stared without blinking.
Well, he obviously wasn’t going to get me into trouble, so maybe he would help me.
“Do you know a way out?” I whispered.
He nodded, his eyes never leaving mine.
“Will you help me?”
The boy smiled then, bringing a childlike glee to his features. He leaned closer. “Are you really Lady Daria Regius?”
His eagerness made me smile. “I’m not sure who I am anymore, but my name is Daria.”
“You broke the chains?” His small forehead wrinkled.
“Yes.”
“You are Lady Daria Regius, then.” His tone was so confident for someone so young it was difficult not to laugh.
“Well, if you help me get out of here, then maybe we can both find out.”
The challenge delighted him. Whoever he was or whatever had happened to him, the spirit inside him was strong and brave.
“Are there any guards out front?”
The boy held up a single tiny finger.
One guard. I could get past one guard. The training Dad had insisted on might prove useful after all. However, it was one thing to fight for practice. It was another to fight for your life. But I had to try. This might just be the deadliest test I’d ever taken, and it was very possible I would fail it.
I took a deep breath. The boy had taken off his cloak and was holding it out for me. His clothing was dirty and torn, and his arms and legs were starved for proper nourishment and looked out of proportion with knobby elbows and knees. If we succeeded in escaping, I would see to it myself that he would be taken care of. Starting with a huge meal. And a bath.
“I can’t fight. I’m too small,” he whispered. “Wear this. He’ll think it’s me.”
I nodded in understanding as I wound the cloak around me. It was tight, but the low lighting would help, at least at first glance.
As I started again for the door, I turned around, grabbing the boy’s arm. He flinched at my touch.
“What is your name?” I let go of his arm.
“I don’t know. So if we get out of here, maybe we can find out mine too.”
I smiled. “I promise I’ll help you.”
He seemed to like that answer. “The guards call me Fleck.”
Appropriate for one with that many freckles, but not a proper name. We would have to change that.
“Wish me luck, Fleck.”
“If you can do that—” he pointed to the broken chains “—you won’t need it.”
His confidence in my ability was enabling, no matter how false it might have been. I grinned, my strength renewed at having someone’s faith. I would give it my all, at least for this boy.
Grabbing the cup, I pulled the hood far over my head and opened the door. Just as Fleck had said, there was one guard standing beside my door, his sword still in its sheath. It was the same disgusting man I had met earlier in my cell. I kept my head low as I approached him, the empty cup in hand.
“Is the princess still alive?” the guard grumbled as he licked his lips.
I nodded. The man’s desires filled me with disgust.
“Think it’s time I go in there.” The guard patted his fat belly. “A beauty like hers shouldn’t go wasted. Keep watch for me, eh, Fleck? Let me know if Master Tiernen is coming.” He flashed hungry eyes at the prison door. “I’ve never had a princess.”
I turned to him then, my fury swelling. His eyes widened just as I slammed the stone cup into his face. The back of his bald head rammed into the wall and he slumped to the ground, unconscious.
“And you never will,” I growled. “Fleck! Open the door!”
The door creaked open, and I used all my strength to drag the heavy guard into my prison. Fleck stared with bright eyes and a grin on his face. “See, I told you, lady.”
“Here.” I handed him back his cloak and started taking off the man’s armor. On the back of his neck was that same symbol I’d seen at Rex Cross. The entire mark was black, the center resembling an eye framed by triangles on either side. I’d have to tell the others—if I ever saw them again.
The guard’s armor was too large, but it would have to work, and it was ridiculously heavy. I ended up taking off a few pieces to lighten my load, but I kept the breastplate. It seemed essential, even though it made me feel top heavy. I was certain if anyone so much as touched me, I’d fall over headfirst. I tore off his shirtsleeve and wrapped it around my face, concealing as much of it as possible.
“You look like a boy, lady,” Fleck whispered.
“Why thank you, Fleck.” I tried to balance myself—get used to the feel of this metal. “All right, do you know a way out of here?”
His little brow puckered. “I think so,” he said after considerable thought. “But you have to use that power again.” He nodded towards the chains.
“Sure.” My answer didn’t reflect my feelings. I wasn’t sure I could do that again because I believed however I’d freed myself was pure luck. But I wouldn’t crush either of our hopes now. Not when we’d made it this far.
“Good.” He smiled, a light in his eyes. “Follow me, Lady.”
Chapter 24
Escape
Fleck and I hugged the hallways, pausing at intervals to listen. It was quiet in this maze of damp, dark caverns lit only by intermittent torches and there was a chill that was palpable. Like the air around us was a living creature, and it wasn’t a creature I wanted to linger in for long. Whatever it was felt evil.
Fleck’s knowledge of this place was more thorough than I could’ve hoped. Not only did he know exactly where he was going, he kept us on passageways that weren’t frequented. Without him, I never would’ve found my way out.
We tiptoed along and I began to get used to the feel of the metal on my chest. I still felt top heavy and it clinked a little when I moved, but after awhile, I was able to walk in relative silence. It still worried me, though, the thought of fighting while wearing this thing. Would I be able to move fast enough?
We rounded a corner when I saw movement in the shadows. I shoved Fleck against the wall behind me and drew my sword. The weight of it pulled down my shoulder and my heart sunk. I’d never be able to fight with this. Using my dagger had been simple. This was so awkward and heavy I struggled just to keep it level.
Hold it steady, Daria. You have to…at least for Fleck.
The shadow moved towards me. Torchlight flickered and I caught a glimpse of shiny metal. Whoever it was wore armor, like mine. How could they see through my disguise so easily?
There was a flash of steel as I barely managed to deflect the strike at my throat, struggling to keep myself on my feet. My attacker was fast and I wasn’t strong enough to react. The metal was too heavy over my chest. His sword came at my side and I spun away before being skewered.
But something about his movements seemed familiar.
His foot landed hard in my chest, throwing me back against the wall with a loud crash. He lifted his sword over my head. I tried to roll but I couldn’t move. My torso was weighed down by the protective metal shield.
>
“Lady, watch out!” Fleck screamed.
The sword came down in a blur and I shut my eyes, waiting for the blow that would end my life.
But nothing came.
I opened my eyes and was staring at the tip of sword.
I felt a surge of the guard’s curiosity as he reached over and ripped the cloth from my face. His sword clattered to the ground.
“Daria!” He ripped off his helmet and wrapped his arms around me.
It was Alex. He had come. He had found me, and had risked his life for mine. Again. “You’re alive.” He held my head to his chest.
Guilt and remorse flooded through me as he pulled back, his hands cupping my face. A torrent of emotions passed over his face as he stared into my eyes. There were so many things I wanted to say, so many regrets that I didn’t know where to start. He sighed and rested his forehead on mine.
“Alex…I’m so…sorry.” My voice shook as my throat clamped shut.
He pulled away, his face inches from mine as he held a finger over my lips. Then he noticed Fleck and his eyes narrowed. “Who’s he?”
Fleck’s eyes were wide as his knobby knees knocked.
“Fleck,” I whispered. “He’s helping me escape.”
Alex’s brow furrowed as footsteps shuffled behind him.
“Dad!” I struggled to my feet with Alex’s help.
“Shh!” My dad whispered, folding his thick arms around me, smothering me in his relief.
After all this time. I couldn’t believe he was here, right now, and alive. “Dad, I—“
“There’s no time.” His voice was low. “We’ve got to get out of here. Alex?”
Alex nodded, glancing at me before throwing his helmet back on. Dad grabbed my arm.
“Wait, Fleck?” I peered back to where Fleck stood, mouth agape. “You’re coming with us.”
I felt Dad’s acute apprehension. “We don’t know who he is.”
“He helped me get this far. I’m not leaving without him.”
My dad hesitated, but motioned for a shocked Fleck to follow.
“Prince Alaric?” Fleck whispered.
Prince? I mean, I had put two and two together, but it was still odd hearing it. My dad, a prince.
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