Dark World (Book I in the Dark World Trilogy)

by Q. Lee, Danielle

  He led her down a dark hallway, towards a set of double doors. It reminded her of a theatre. Again, she found it profoundly annoying that she could remember these kinds of tidbits from living on the Surface—but not her name. It was like her soul had shattered when she arrived in Dark World, only tiny shards of her former existence remaining, and slowly, she was putting herself back together, but without all the pieces of the puzzle.

  The doors creaked as he opened them, the metal hinges groaning in unison. Even with her infrared sight, it was difficult to make sense of the shadows in the darkness. She could distinguish several rows of seats and what appeared to be a booth at the back of the room.

  A domed ceiling bowed overhead, like she was inside a snow globe with the glass painted black.

  “What is this?” she asked, her gaze panning the length of the strange room.

  “You’ll see—have a seat,” Kane replied warmly.

  His hooves made a trotting sound as he walked quickly towards the booth. A few clicking sounds later, the entire room came to life.

  As Fate gaped at the ceiling, she stifled a sob.

  “It’s—a planetarium,” she whispered, feeling Kane ease into the seat next to her.

  Breathless, her new sight experienced the awe she’d only known with human eyes. The Milky Way hung overhead, its multitude of stars twinkling and sparkling only for her. A suspended galaxy for an audience of one.

  “Do you…like it?” Kane asked, his voice uncertain.

  She couldn’t speak. It was beauty unlike anything she’d seen with these eyes. Newborn eyes.

  The dome shifted slowly, mimicking the movements of the celestial procession, only faster than it would be on the Surface. Stars winked, planets spun, and comets soared. Even the turquoise swags of Northern Lights draped themselves over a distant horizon.

  It was breathtaking. Overwhelming.

  “How?” she whispered, fearful the splendor would vanish if she spoke aloud.

  “The—previous owners—built it,” he stated quietly.

  Fate could almost feel him smiling at her in the dark. A thrill moved quickly up her spine. He was so close. So warm. It was almost like a date at the movies.

  The movies. A date.

  An icy trickle moved through her veins. A dark memory tried to interrupt her bliss, but she forced it away with an annoyed scowl. She didn’t want anything to ruin this moment. Not the universe spread out before her like a shimmering blanket nor the excitement she felt being so close to Kane.

  She stole a glance at him through the darkness, his cerulean eyes glowing bright. Again she wondered how he felt about her. Was he just entertaining a guest? Was this something he showed everyone new to the palace? Or was she—special?

  He cleared his voice nervously, as though he sensed her eyes on him.

  “It…doesn’t show the sunrise, unfortunately,” he said, sounding genuinely disappointed. “What’s it like?”

  “The sunrise?” Fate searched the depths of her memories, probing for the correct image. “I can’t remember everything, but what I do remember is…beautiful. All colors of the rainbow suspended in one corner of the sky, though mostly shades of amber and pink. It changes constantly, but ever so subtly. And just when you think that nothing could be more breathtaking, a golden sphere rises, overtaking all the colors and turning the entire sky baby blue.”

  She prided herself on recalling so much, then realized Kane was staring at her. Turning to him, she couldn’t name the expression on his face. Awe?

  The air seemed to stop around them. Only inches away from one another, she felt her head start spinning. His hand was so close to hers.

  Their eyes locked on one another, her next breath stuck in her chest. She wondered if there was no mask imprisoning her lips, would he be kissing her by now?

  He suddenly looked away, almost shaken as he refocused on the make-shift galaxy above. Disappointed, she followed suit, allowing the discomfited silence to distance them once again.

  Fate settled into her seat and looked up, forcing herself to take in every inch of the wonder overhead before it was turned off and she’d have to return to the world without a sky.

  Her eyes darted to and fro as they struggled to absorb every constellation and every galactic wonder.

  Then she saw it.

  The Phoenix.

  A dam broke inside. A flood of memories came rushing back all at once. Fragments of her soul gravitated to one another, mending her fractured mind.

  Her undead heart skipped a beat and tears burned in the corners of her eyes.

  She remembered.

  I am Scarlet.

  Fire

  Fate had been exceptionally quiet since the star room. Frankly, he wasn’t sure if she’d enjoyed it or not. One moment, she seemed completely entranced by it, and the next, withdrawn.

  “Are you all right?” he asked as they walked down the hall.

  Her arms were wrapped around her like she was cold. Though she nodded in reply, she didn’t offer anything further.

  Paranoia crept in uninvited and he wondered if she was offended by the awkward moment they’d endured. What was he thinking? Didn’t he have more control than that? He felt like slapping himself to awaken from whatever enchantment she had over him. Was what he was feeling real? Or just some kind of illusion? A bewitchment?

  His brows pulled together. Frustration building within, he decided to leave her to her thoughts. It was obvious something was upsetting her, though he couldn’t imagine what.

  A new fear rose quickly into his throat.

  What if she’s getting hungry again? What if she’s unable to control it?

  It was then he decided Ever shouldn’t be alone with the shade anymore. It just wasn’t safe. He couldn’t lose another family member to a shade—especially his only daughter.

  He suddenly felt very foolish. How could he have so recklessly allowed this known predator into their hidden lair? While he was certain she wasn’t an agent of the Queen, attempting to gain access to their secrets and report back, he wasn’t convinced she was trustworthy yet either.

  No matter what he’d seen with her recent behavior, she was still a killer. She was still more monster than human. He couldn’t let himself forget that—no matter how he felt about her.

  Upon reaching her door, he turned to wish her good night. Her eyes still locked on the floor, she simply turned, entered her room and closed the door.

  Kane stood in stunned silence for a moment, uncertain what to do next. He noticed two demon guards standing down the hall and motioned for them to come.

  “Stay here, see that Ever does not enter,” he ordered, turning to leave, then added, “And—if the shade leaves, one of you follow her and the other inform me at once.”

  They nodded, parked their staffs at their side and thrust their chests out like proud peacocks.

  As he entered into the main hall, Kane decided he should call an emergency meeting with the Council of Elders.

  “Dex,” he called to a young demon courier. “Please relay a message to each member of the council. I wish to call a meeting for tomorrow morning.”

  The demon boy nodded and trotted off to deliver the communication.

  He needed advice. He needed to know what to do with the shade, but even more pressing was what to do about the missing page of the Devil’s Bible.

  “If Malus finds the other three,” he muttered under his breath, “she’ll not only own Dark World—but the Surface as well.”

  Scarlet.

  Flashes of her former existence flickered like a broken television screen. Memories were thrown at her with no rhyme or reason. A cracked Kaleidoscope of colors, images and dreams.

  I know my name. At least, what it was, anyways.

  Huddled at the head of the bed, Ick snuggling beside her, she tried to remember the girl she was. A rogue tear fell from between her lashes. Warm as it slid over the apple of her cheek, she raised her hand and wiped it away. As she caught the teardrop up
on her finger, she watched how it glistened like a liquid diamond. It existed there for a brief moment then slid down her index finger and over her palm.

  The line of wetness remained, leaving a near invisible mark. It was in that moment that she noticed something odd.

  As she held both palms open, she exclaimed, “I have no lines!”

  Smooth as marble and completely devoid of any marks, she gaped at the anomaly. No finger prints. No lifeline. Nothing.

  Ick climbed gently into her lap and licked her fingers. A concerned look on his little face, he nudged her hand with the top of his head. Tiny little horns had begun to sprout in between his pointed ears.

  She dropped her hands with a sniff.

  Fate. What a stupid thing to name me considering I don’t even have one.

  Fate ran her hand over Ick’s downy, white back, instantly sending him into a state of purring bliss.

  “Well, buddy, I don’t know about you, but I’m exhausted.”

  As she pulled the silken covers over herself, she tried to sort the recollections bombarding her. A face she knew as her mother. A man who called himself her father. A brother. A friend. These were people who knew her. Cared for her. People on the Surface.

  Though the memories were jumbled and disjointed, she knew one thing for certain—she wanted to go home. To the Surface.

  With his palms resting on the large obsidian table, Kane stood before the counsel and collected his thoughts. This was the moment he’d been dreading. The moment where he had to decide the fate of his people…and his world.

  Would his father agree with his decisions? Was he strong enough to rule more than Legion, but Dark World itself? He wasn’t certain he believed he was their rightful leader, but he knew he had to try.

  “I called this meeting of Elders to discuss the future of not only our city…but of Dark World,” Kane stated, panning the room and locking eyes with every one of the twelve ancient demons seated before him.

  Several nodded, including Elder Ozen, but many others sat with concern gathering behind their wise eyes. Elder Syphon glared at Kane from across the room. A deep scar ran over his right eye, the pupil permanently dilated in a wide snake-like stare. His talons clacked as he tapped his fingers atop the circular table, lips twisted into a bemused curl.

  “As you well know, our scroll has been stolen,” Kane continued, ignoring Syphon’s patronizing gaze. “You should know that on my recent journey, I discovered that the wraiths’ scroll is also missing…as well as the banshees’.”

  Several gasps emanated throughout the room, some faces bewildered, some angry.

  “What are we going to do?” Elder Midas’s brow lowered and he stroked his long blue beard anxiously. “If Malus finds all of the scrolls…”

  Kane nodded, but politely interjected. “I know, but there’s more.” He paused before his peers, wary of their reaction to his next statement. “I’ve spoken to the Oracle. She believes that someone else seeks the scrolls.”

  The room turned to chaos. Everyone bombarded him with questions all at once.

  Everyone—except Syphon.

  “I know you must be starving,” Ever prodded Fate, extending what appeared to be a covered cage. “The guards only gave me a few minutes to visit with you, so please, take this.”

  “Guards?” Fate replied, confused as to why she suddenly, and unknowingly, had demons outside her door. Was it to keep others from hurting her? Or her from hurting others?

  Warily, she accepted the cage from Ever. “What is it?” she asked, though she was certain she wouldn’t like the answer.

  Ever’s blue eyes shifted away. “It’s…just a bird.”

  While Ever was correct, she was indeed starving, Fate wasn’t sure she could tolerate the idea of devouring another soul. What happened with the sphinx was so spontaneous, sudden and unintended. She didn’t think she could intentionally yank the essence out of another being and feel right about it.

  “Where did you get it?” Fate wondered, knowing Ever had never been outside the underground palace.

  The princess folded her arms over her chest, her indigo eyes flaring. “Does it matter? I mean, you need nourishment, don’t you? I don’t want you losing control and accidentally eating me or one of my family members.”

  She’d said it with a teasing smile, but it never quite reached her eyes. Fate understood. She was a danger to the demon city. A burden.

  She sighed as she pulled the white cover free from the cage. Gilded bars imprisoned the most beautiful little bird she’d ever seen. A burst of copper and orange feathers tipped with gold covered his little body. His head was adorned with a spray of bronze feathers that branched out like a crown. Only a few inches high, the tiny bird tilted its head to the side, inspecting its new surroundings. His beady black eyes watched Fate closely, then his little beak opened and he began to sing a haunting melody—and that’s when he started on fire.

  Myths

  “What do you propose we do?” Syphon began, leaning back onto his chair and folding his hands behind his horned head. His skin was black like Kane’s, but dull, as if he were forged from lackluster coal rather than shining obsidian.

  Kane took a deep breath and tried to ignore the irritation building amidst Syphon’s smug attitude.

  “I suggest we gather the remaining scrolls and keep them here for safety.” Kane watched the Elders reactions closely. While some seemed open to the idea, others appeared skeptical. Syphon just chuckled.

  His eyes brimming with contempt, Syphon seized his moment to humiliate the Prince. “Despite the obvious fact that demons can’t touch the scrolls, how do you think you can keep the others safe when our own was stolen so easily?”

  Kane grit his teeth, knowing Syphon was trying to bait him into an argument. It wasn’t very long ago that Syphon had challenged Kane to a Victus, a duel for the crown. Thankfully, the council sided against Syphon, vetoing the battle. Secretly, however, Kane still harbored the desire to beat the Elder senseless.

  After clearing his throat, Kane calmly replied, “I plan on keeping them hidden, until we can find all of the pages and then…” He took a breath, then declared, “I’ll destroy them.”

  “What?” roared Syphon, bringing his fist down hard onto the table. “No! That’s an outrage!”

  “You can’t be serious,” Elder Ozen sputtered, his face paling.

  “If they don’t exist, Malus can never open the chasm and turn the human race into shades,” Kane stated. “We can’t allow her access to the Surface. Don’t you see? The way it is now, we have a chance to defeat her.”

  “How? I don’t understand,” Elder Midas asked.

  Kane’s gaze panned over the room of worried expressions, then spoke quietly, “We have Malus’s heir, without her, Malus cannot transfer her soul from her dying body. Without Fate, Malus will die.”

  Flames rose from the tiny bird, filling the cage with tendrils of fire, each licking the bars as though probing for a way out. The more he sang his melodious song, the further the wisps extended.

  “What…is this?” Fate watched the creature with fascination.

  “He’s a phoenix,” Ever responded, a smile playing on her ivory lips.

  “Phoenix,” Fate whispered the word. “How? I mean, if you can’t leave the palace, how did you get him?”

  “We have a sanctuary of animals down here. It’s at the far end of the palace,” Ever explained. “The shades have consumed so many of the creatures in Dark World, my father decided to protect some of the rarest.”

  Intrigued, Fate asked, “What kind of rare creatures?”

  She tapped each of her fingers as she counted. “Well, the phoenix for one, there’s about a dozen of them—less one.” She waved her hand over the cage. “A couple of unicorns, three griffins, one very old dragon, and hundreds of pixies. I tried to get you a few of those, but I couldn’t catch them,” Ever frowned.

  “Interesting,” Fate mused, thinking back to the faded memories of her childhood. “You
have mythical creatures that the Surface writes about.”

  “Oh, they aren’t mythical at all, in fact, they came from the Surface.”

  “What? How?”

  Ever fiddled with the ruffles on her wine-colored sleeves as she spoke. “A great earthquake shook the entire earth, long ago. It opened up a huge chasm and swallowed a piece of the Surface. It was an island called Atlantis. Thousands of humans were brought down here, along with their collection of exotic creatures, hence, our collection of exotic creatures. Apparently these animals were a rarity on the Surface as well.”

  “Wow! Atlantis!” Fate nearly fell over with the revelation. “I thought that place was just a myth.”

  Ever smiled. “Nope, in fact, we’re inside an Atlantean palace right now.”

  Fate threw her a confused look. “How? It’s completely underground.”

  The princess nodded. “When the land fell through the fissure, it landed on a sand swamp. Quicksand. The whole thing sunk, burying itself in the quagmire. My father discovered it on a hunt about a hundred years ago, it gave the demons a perfect hiding place from the shades—and Malus.” She winced as she spoke her grandmother’s name.

  “That’s amazing!” Fate absorbed the lore. “Atlantis,” she said breathily, closing her eyes, her obsession with mythology surfacing.

  Ever’s eyes lit suddenly. “Oh, I almost forgot about the Night Mare. Another creature in our collection.”

  “Night Mare?”

  “Yes, a horse that…well, you’ll have to see him for yourself, if he’ll let you, he’s pretty grumpy. So…I gather you don’t want to eat the bird then?” the princess stated, eyeing the cage lingering in Fate’s hands.

  Fate’s heart tore in two with the idea of harming the little bird. “There has to be another way! Is there nothing else I can eat?”

  A thoughtful look consumed Ever’s face a moment and she tapped her bottom lip with the talon on her index finger.