Secrets Past (Mists of the Fae Book 2)

by Jaime Marks

  She tossed him a blade and he checked the weight and balance before nodding and heading to the door to listen for signs of life. “I am surprised he did not have you attending awakenings as well.”

  “I was never allowed a progeny before now. Cymeryn doesn’t want his toys to have split loyalties.” She scoffed. “I was only allowed you because he didn’t have the time to turn you himself and he wanted to placate me. He had molded me well. I may well have killed Reyana if he hadn’t found someone or something enough to sate me and hold my attention.” She stated simply. “I didn’t know until last eve. I had just assumed he didn’t think you would break for anyone else. When he sent me away after we returned with the Princess, without even a glance, it was pretty obvious.”

  “I cannot say I am sorry that he did, Demytria.” He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. “Although it angers me that he would use you and treat you in such away. I also fear for Reyana.”

  “There is something odd about this with her, Kato. I know he is acting on Lazurys’ decree and he has to be promised great things, but for him, there is more to this. He was to present her to the Dark Lord as soon as she turned so that the hold of Darkness could be solidified in her but they are still here. I can feel him easily and I can sense her because his essence is all over her now.” She looked like she might gag but simply shook her head.

  “It is alright, love. Whatever it is, let us hope it holds him from his duty a little longer so that we may see her freed. Now come, we must get to the unawakened.”

  She nodded and drew her whip, which Kato tried to tell himself was not sexy as hell. It was a weapon, a lethal means of culling the enemy in her hands, not an enticement for sex. Divines, when this was over and he had her back safely, he was going to disappear with her somewhere for a week, hell maybe a month. Who was he kidding, a full cycle was not nearly long enough.

  They moved silently through the hall and headed down a staircase mere feet from her door. The corridor was pitch black as they reached the bottom and she took his hand knowing that he could not see. The Fae had impeccable sight in the eve, but this was not eve. There were Shadows everywhere. He wondered why they did not attack but he did not question it.

  “They won’t attack us because at the moment we both have enough Darkness in our veins that they’ll ignore us. Even if we did not, they aren’t meant as guards. They are simply a shield to prevent the detection of the unawakened and to prevent anyone of the Light from misting in or out. They coat every surface down here, but I can still see.” She explained. “If they were to attack it could cause openings and weaken the grid.”

  “It is a very effective tactic. Once a Fae has been taken, we have never been able to sense out their location.”

  “It is one of their greatest advantages that they can hold prisoners and the Fae do not. The Shade get a lot of their intel from interrogations and if they hold a Fae long enough, torturing him, they can generally Taint him using him to infiltrate the Fae undetected or turn him to Shade.” Demytria informed him. “Every Fae that is captured at this point is either Tainted or turned.”

  “So I discovered. I cannot believe they had taken the Council. I can only beg Lucerna that the King is safe.”

  “King Mythos is likely besides himself that his sister has been taken, again, but he was fine in the battle at the Council Chambers. He’s quite intimidating.” Demytria offered. “It’s been so long since I’ve seen him and never before in battle. He has come far from the boy we knew in our youth.”

  Kato had to smile. It was about time Mythos get his ass off his throne. Not that he was there by choice, but he doubted now that the King had broken the decree he would allow the Council to restrain him again. Especially not if they had uncovered the Taint. It would bring about a new era for the Fae, not that Reyana’s rebirth itself had not already begun such.

  They came to a cell, which Kato knew only because he heard the cell squeak open. He lit his hands with Light, frustrated in the pitch blackness and some of the Shadows receded.

  Demytria rolled her eyes, “Not the brightest idea, Kato. What if there is someone down here?”

  He shrugged nonchalantly, “Then I shall kill them for you and lay them at your feet for any atrocities they wrought upon you during your time in their company.”

  She could not help but laugh. He knew it was very unFae of him, but he meant it. It could be the influence of the Darkness that he could still feel coursing through his veins but he wanted the head of every Shade that had every touched her. She was his.

  They walked down a hall and he saw little faces looking up at them with frightened eyes. He paused scanning them all. There were so many. “Who here is eldest amongst you?”

  Boys and girls ranging from roughly twelve to twenty cycles in age approached the bars in each cell cautiously. Others receded back into the Darker depths, cowering where he could not see.

  “Do you know what I am?” He placed a hand on his chest. “What you are?”

  Some nodded others only stared in suspicion and others shook their heads fearfully.

  He sighed knowing time was too short to reassure those who could not possibly understand and focused on those who would know to trust him. “My name is Kato a Kacyion. I promise I will explain this all too you, but first we must get you to safety. I will need your help with the smaller young as there are so many of you. Can I count on you?”

  “She brought some of us here. How can we trust you?” One of the older boys asked crossing his arms over his chest.

  He squeezed her hand as he felt the remorse and regret run through her. “Because she came here once much like you did. I came here to save her and break her free and I will do the same for you; but I need for you to trust me, at least until we are free of this place. I believe there may be help on the way for you but we cannot risk waiting. There is no time.”

  He met the eldest of the group sternly in their eyes to try to impart the danger.

  “I am Cavayn a Cavarion, Praetor Kato. I will be sure they are ready.” A young man of roughly twenty stepped up to the bars. He bowed at the waist in custom. The boy was close to the awakening.

  Kato nodded. “I will get you out of here, Cavayn. I will get you the help you will soon need.”

  He nodded and turned to begin organizing the others. They followed the boy without hesitation forming lines and grouping by age.

  “I will not be long.” Kato vowed as they continued to the last of the cells.

  Trina hung suspended by her arms with her ankles bound. Her head hung low. Kato rushed to her filling her with Light as Demytria worked on her bindings.

  She studied Demytria with curiosity. “She is not full Shade.” The females met eyes as they lowered her to the ground. “Not even half.”

  “No Trina, but there is no time. We must attend to the unawakened. Can you stand?”

  She pulled herself to her feet after a couple tries but managed to stand and began slowly pacing herself as she rounded the cell once, twice working out her arms and legs. “I am ready Praetor, though I do not know if I can fight hand to hand, my arms are very weak.”

  “That is fine. You will help manage the young, keep them moving. We must get them out of here before Cymeryn finishes….” He trailed off unable to say it. In truth he hated to leave her.

  “We aren’t going for the Princess?” Trina looked horrified.

  “We cannot do both Trina, and we are not strong enough with our wounds to take all the Shade that are in this safehold. All we can do is get to safety and get the young out of here. Once we are out we can reach out to the King, Marcus, the whole of the Guardians if necessary. I can only hope your mate is on his way.” Kato stressed.

  Trina beamed slightly at the mention of Grifyn and turned again to look at Demytria. “He will be quite pleased if he is Praetor.”

  “Indeed, now let us get out of here safely and get you both back to him.”

  Demytria rose her brow, “Then it’s true,
you are my blooded brother’s mate?”

  Trina nodded. “We bonded in secret because he feared the day I would be used against him. I must apologize Kato, we never meant to mislead you but Grifyn feared it so.”

  Kato spoke as he led them from the cell. “I suspected, but I, more than any, respected the reasoning and the choice.”

  Demytria clasped his hand tightly again and then went to work freeing the unawakened. She went down one side, he the other, tossing the keys back and forth while Trina organized groups and made sure everyone had a partner. In truth, Cavayn had been efficient and it was mainly a matter of grouping them tight enough together that they may have any hope to protect them.

  “Who of you can wield a blade?” Kato demanded. Cavayn and four others stepped forward as one. Very efficient indeed. Demytria handed each a blade from a hidden enclave and they stationed themselves defensively. Some took the flank while others chose to move freely along the groups sides. Kato nodded when they were ready.

  “There is a passageway out in the other part of the dungeon. I was with Cymeryn when Trevyn described it. It’s a risk because they are holding the unawakened Shade there and members of the Brood may be amongst them, but taking them all through the upper levels is suicide.” Demytria supplied.

  “The Brood?” Kato asked as they began to make their way through the dungeon. Kato and Trina’s Light their only illumination.

  “Trevyn’s progeny. There are many of them and some are quite ruthless. Byryn was by far the largest threat but he is either dead or with the Fae.”

  “What would make you think he is dead?” Trina asked with regret in her voice.

  “Trevyn had said he was going into his awakening.” Demytria explained. “Cymeryn wants the girl, Staryana, Reyana’s young. Byryn was told he could only return, that Trevyn would only awaken him if he delivered her. No other Shade would dare after his betrayal. So far as I know he has not returned, despite their best efforts. Trevyn is actually quite pissed about it. I guess the girl’s Father has a sufficient enough hold on her, but Byryn’s hold is greater. She won’t leave him and he will not deliver her.”

  Kato nodded. He surveyed the group as they made their way quickly. Time was short indeed and there were so many of them. He begged Lucerna that there were others on the way. He did not think they could succeed on their own. Even if he got them out of here, where in the world could he hide humans from Cymeryn? He owned this world and if he possessed Reyana? If he had managed to turn her? Would there ever be anywhere safe for any of them again?

  Chapter 8

  Byryn led the Fae through the tunnels and exited out into the dungeons. There were hundreds of unawakened in the cells, but they were not Fae. Why would he round up the unawakened Shade as well? Did Cymeryn even have the young of the Fae? What in the world was going on here?

  “Byryn?!” A shrill voice called out catching his attention.

  “Kylion, why are you locked in there? What’s happening here?” He demanded as he approached the cells angered to see the little boy locked up. Even if they locked up the unawakened why would they lock up members of the Brood? Grifyn stepped up beside him measuring the young, obviously disgusted at the conditions they were being held in.

  The boy looked scared as he measured the Fae and looked to Byryn with confusion. He was only four. He had been with Trevyn only a year and Byryn had taken responsibility for him most of that time. Seeing him so afraid bothered him. “Cymeryn won’t trust no one that is unawakened. He ordered us all locked up until our awakenings after they lost ya. Are you a Fae? Did they force it on ya, Byryn?”

  Byryn knelt down. “Come here little one, sense me as I’ve taught you so you can understand. And when have you ever known anyone to be able to force anything on me?” He teased as reached into the cell and let the boy grab his hand, feeling his weak essence reach into him.

  “You’re both!”

  “Very good, little one.” He smiled weakly.

  He couldn’t bear to leave him, to leave any of them really, but could he ask? All of them were young. There was not one of them above fifteen in the cells. A hushed murmur rose as they discussed Kylion’s revelation.

  “You’re a traitor, Byryn.” Spat Shrevyn, his fifteen year old brother who had been with Trevyn for seven years. He was ever faithful. If they had thought Byryn vicious, they had been paying respect to the wrong kid. Byryn knew he held nothing to the Darkness in Shrevyn. “Father will skin you alive and I will revel in your pain. You were never worthy of his graces and it is high time he knocks you off that pedestal of yours. Do you think because you are Fae or whatever freak of nature you are, that he can’t reach you? Can’t make you pay for your betrayal? You were a fool to come here.”

  “Perhaps Shrevyn, but I’m not the one locked behind those bars now am I.” Byryn supplied levelly, but Kylion clung to him now through the bars. His eyes narrowed as he realized he was scared of Shrevyn. They all knew not to mess with the kid but with his betrayal it probably made him a target. If he found out that any of his brothers had tormented Kylion they’d find out real quick that Gray didn’t mean Light.

  “Please, Byryn, I don’t wanna stay here. I don’t wanna be awakened. They’re forcing ‘em, all of ‘em.” The young boy pleaded with him.

  “What do you mean, Kylion?”

  “They took Trycen. He’s only sixteen, Byryn.”

  He grimaced. Trycen was way too young and completely unprepared for the world he was being forced into. The boy didn’t have it in him. He actually reminded Byryn of Michael. This was horrific and disgusting. He shook his head trying to gather himself.

  He felt a heavy hand on his shoulder and Light swirled through him.

  “Who among you would choose to leave this place? This life for that of another?” King Mythos requested. “If there was a way, if you had a choice outside that which has been given you by birth, would you take it?”

  They all looked nervously to each other. Slowly the cells parted into groups as some of the young stepped forth. Those who would go, and those who would not.

  “Kylion, where are the unawakened Fae do you know?” Byryn asked as Marcus and Mythos discussed their options.

  “Uh huh, they’re in the Shadow Cells.” Kylion replied still holding him through the cells as if he were a lifeline.

  Grifyn came over with keys in his hand, having retrieved them from where they hung on the wall. “I need you to move your hands a moment, son, so we can get you out of there.”

  The boy looked up at Grifyn then back to Byryn. “Go ahead Kylion, he can’t open the cell with your arms there, little one.” He reluctantly released him stepping back as the door was opened.

  Suddenly Shrevyn lunged forward grabbing the kid by his throat pulling him to his chest.

  “I would sooner kill him then have you taint another of the Brood.” He spat. He turned mockingly toward the Fae as several Guardians went to move forward. “Ah ah ah, I will break his neck if one of you Fae so much as look into this cell wrong.”

  Byryn didn’t think, he didn’t await orders, he simply acted as he always had. He misted behind Shrevyn and broke his hold on the boy taking him easily to the ground. He felt four others jump on his back but they were quickly removed.

  He looked up expecting to see Grifyn or Marcus in the cell and they were, but they hadn’t had chance to act. Unawakened were restraining unawakened. Byryn bound Shrevyn and left him on the ground as he cursed him. When he stood he looked to Marcus.

  “I think this is your show, son. They appear to be looking to you.” Marcus smiled reassuringly.

  Byryn scanned the room in hesitation. Some of them looked to him with disgust, others fear, but the largest number of the group looked to him pleading for him to help them. He had become the symbol of hope, the way out of the nightmare they all hoped wasn’t real. He cleared his throat. He wasn’t even sure what to say to them. What could he? He glanced to Grifyn who nodded to him and he thought back to his own uncertainty. Grifyn had
spoken to him plainly. He had offered him nothing but truth. He nodded, straightening his shoulders and begin to speak the only thing he had to offer, his own truth.

  “I understand your fear and distrust, I shared it. I thought I had no other choice but death and that I was trapped in the life you all face. There are those of you who know what we are, know of me and my reputation. I admit every detail you ever heard, everything you think you know, is either true or worse. I never disobeyed a task before my betrayal. I have done everything I was ever asked to do and sometimes more. If I can be redeemed, Byryn, blooded born son of Trevyn a Cymeryn, the favored son and Commander of the Brood?” He hesitated meeting Grifyn’s then Marcus and Mythos’ eyes but there was no judgment in them. Marcus nodded encouraging him so he continued. “All of you can be saved, but only if you want it. All of you can be redeemed, but you must make the choice and you have to come with us now. I can’t promise you ease and comfort. I can only promise you a choice you were never given. I can’t make you fully human, but I can help you find your way out of the Darkness.

  “I won’t be accompanying you out of the safehold. I have to continue the mission at hand. The Fae will guide and protect you. They won’t hurt you, but if you attack them they will defend themselves. You only have to look around to see the difference. Look where you stand and where I stand. I walk free amongst them as an equal. You sit caged like rats not even allowed to wait ‘til your bodies trigger the awakening on its own. Instead you’re forced through it. If you’ve never seen a forced awakening, I can promise you, you will wish they had killed you instead.

  “No one will be forced into this choice. This isn’t an order or a task you’re being given. I’m not Shade. You don’t need to follow me and I won’t punish you if you choose not to. When my task is done I’ll come to you and try to help you as best I can if you choose to join us.”

  He turned to Marcus, “Who will lead them from here?”