“Come on, Hope,” Cillian called out.
I hadn’t noticed he’d kept going as I stopped to admire them. Gabriel was still beside me, eyeing the structures warily.
“Have you ever been here before?” I asked.
He looked down at me, his face a mask of discomfort. “Not for a millennium, and not on good terms.”
I nodded, looking back up at the snakes. A whistle rang out.
“Come on,” Cillian shouted.
I started after him. “You can’t whistle at me like I’m some dog.”
“I just did,” he shouted back.
I mumbled a curse as I hurried to catch up.
The gates had just been a warm up for the grand event. Erebus was nothing like what I had imagined. In my mind, I’d conjured images of fiery pits, the air filled with screams of torture, the sky red with blood. It was nothing of the sort. The blue-black sky filled with thousands of starts glittered down on a small city. It was situated between two large cliffs, and in those rock faces were hundreds of homes. The sides of the cliffs had so many different designs and styles, I couldn’t decide which I loved more. Tiny roads one could only walk on wove up and down the cliff side, demons of all types casually strolling on them in both directions as they either headed home, or headed down to the market below.
The market itself was glorious. It filled the valley floor, stands spread out to offer all sorts of things. Music and the scents of spices filled the air. It was spectacular. My head swivelled from one side to another as I tried to take in the rock homes around us, while also looking at the market we were walking through.
“What do you think?” Cillian asked, pausing until I was beside him.
“It’s...” I was at a loss for words.
“Home.”
I looked at him, but he was facing forward. Following his gaze, I stopped and stared. Surrounded by sparkling black water was a castle like I’d never seen before. Made of the same black stone as the serpents, it rose into the air in a way that made it clear the ruler there owned everything and everyone in these lands. It wasn’t scary like Alexej’s had been, but I could see now where his inspiration had come from when designing his own castle. The vampire’s was a weak imitation at best of this place. I got goosebumps looking at it, but it didn’t make me want to run the other way.
“Come on,” Cillian said, bumping me with his shoulder. I hadn’t noticed he’d stopped with me. Gabriel was just behind, and only now did I notice the whispers.
Turning, I eyed those around us, realizing they were all watching Gabriel with a mixture of hate and fear. It hadn’t occurred to me until then how dangerous it was for him to be here. Catching one male’s eyes, I narrowed mine as if to say, don’t even think about it.
His eyes flared and then I saw him whisper to another beside him, who then looked at me, the same reaction falling over his face.
“It’s the princess,” I heard someone whisper.
Suddenly we were starting to garner more attention, and I could see Gabriel was getting uncomfortable.
“Come on,” I said, jerking my head toward the castle. He nodded, following close behind as we hurried to reach Cillian.
He waited for us at the end of the drawbridge, his eyes scanning the crowd with a scowl.
“Who needs a guard dog when they have your angry face scaring people away, huh?”
He looked at me dryly. “Get your ass inside, princess.”
Chuckling, I had just stepped onto the wood, when I heard someone shout out behind us.
“Murderer!”
I turned to see a woman running at Gabriel, a dagger at ready over her head. I didn’t hesitate, my instincts taking over. Leaping to intercept her, I lifted an arm, blocking the swift down sweep of her weapon, flinging the blade away. I stumbled as I landed, trying to catch my balance when a hard shove from behind sent me sailing over the massive chains that raised and lowered the drawbridge, and into the depths of the inky water below.
***
It was freezing.
The coldness stunned me as my body sank to the bottom. I blinked, my eyes unable to see much around me. Kicking off the muddy floor, I pushed upward, my arms reaching for the surface and much needed air, when I felt something wrap around my ankle.
I kicked and kicked, struggling to swim, but I was stuck. Looking down, my heart stuttered at what I saw. A thin girl held my ankle, her skin greyish blue, long black hair covering her head. Eyes of clear white looked at me as her grey lips pulled back in a grin that showed off hundreds of tiny, sharp teeth.
Somehow I knew, if I didn’t get away, I was going to find out just how sharp those teeth were. Her abnormally long fingers didn’t budge as I kicked at them to free me. Instead, she just smiled wider and then began to pull me down deeper. I shook my head frantically, my lungs now screaming for air.
This couldn’t be it. I couldn’t die like this, right in front of my father’s castle. Not after everything I’d survived with Aaron.
I struggled to no avail, black spots dotting my vision as my brain begged for oxygen. Inch by inch, she pulled me further down into the watery grave.
Right before I thought I couldn’t take it a second more, two hands hooked under my arms, and I was rising faster than I thought possible. Shooting through the water until we broke the surface and I was gulping much needed air into my lungs.
I was quickly passed over into a waiting pair of arms that belonged to one exceptionally angry looking Cillian Black.
“You risked your life for a fucking cloud lover? Are you insane?” He growled.
I would have hit him back with a witty reply, but I was still trying to get my breathing back to normal. He set me down, and I collapsed, coughing up water. I looked up to see Gabriel watching me with an unreadable face, and then I heard my saviour climbing out of the water.
My father stood, soaking wet, his eyes instantly finding me. He had saved me. I’d never been so relieved to see him. I hadn’t thought...
Tears burned my eyes, everything that had happened in that cave crashing over me now that I was here, with him, safe and sound. He rushed to me, dropping down to pull me into his embrace.
“It’s okay, Hope,” he said, soothing my wet hair from my face. I clung to him, my tears turning into sobs. He shushed me, rocking back and forth as he quietly instructed people to get this and that ready. “You’re safe now,” he said. “I won’t let you be in danger ever again. I promise.”
Wrapping my arms around him, I buried my face in his chest as he stood effortlessly with me, carrying me inside. I felt him pause beside someone, his deep voice rumbled through me when he spoke. “Thank you for bringing her back to me.”
“No problem, boss.”
Twenty-Two
New Beginnings and Endings
I’d never slept so much in my life.
The room I was given was a large, opulent space, the walls a deep purple with black furniture spread throughout. The ceiling was that magnificent stone, the tiny flecks sparkling in the black like my very own night sky filled with millions of stars. I had lain in the king size, four poster bed, and admired those stars until I crashed.
For the next week, I’d get up and eat, explore the castle and market, and then go back to sleep. My body was utterly exhausted. The two demon females that served me, (similar looking to those I’d seen dancing at Le Chateau, except these wore clothes), were the two people I saw the most. The purple skinned one was named Tala, her eyes a deep blue, her hair a paler purple than her skin. The other was Ivy, her skin a deep green, her hair white as a lily. The two fluttered around my room making sure I always had what I needed, or simply sat with me to talk.
They were both curious about my world, so I told them all about the things we did, what we ate, how we lived. I’d never found my life very interesting until then. They were also incredibly fascinated in Cillian and knowing everything about Gabriel.
“We haven’t had an angel
in these realms in longer than I can remember,” Ivy had said one day.
“The Soldiers are so scary, yet I’d give my right arm to have one in my bed,” Tala had said with a mischievous grin.
Ivy had shushed her. “Why would you want one of them with someone like Cillian Black around?” she’d replied. “I heard he’s still not with anyone.”
My face had turned beet red, but if either had noticed, they didn’t say anything.
“Get in line,” muttered Tala. “There’s one about a mile long for him.”
Something strange had churned in my gut, but I’d tamped it down. Cillian was not my business. He was allowed to do whatever he wanted. It wasn’t as if he’d come by to see me since he’d saved me.
As a matter of fact, neither of the men who had brought me here had come by since I’d woken up the next day. I’d been too embarrassed to ask my dad where they were, so I’d gone about my days silently wondering. Whenever I’d walk through the market with the girls, I would let my eyes roam the different lanes and sky, constantly searching for black wings. But it had been to no avail.
One day, Tala had even brought me up to her home in the cliffside. I’d been too shy to ask which was Cillian’s, but that hadn’t stopped me from looking for him. The climb had been tiring, but worth it once we’d gotten there. The craftsmanship of the homes was beyond anything I had ever seen. I couldn’t understand how someone had carved actual homes into rock. I’d asked Tala as much.
She’d shrugged, saying, “Erebus has been here since before humans started to build their cities. Some say, the first Lord of the Underworld, or King of Demons, your grandfather, had simply willed it, and it was made.”
“What was he like?” I’d asked. “My grandfather.”
“Not like Lord Caleb,” was all she had said. I caught her glance up at the top of the cliffside then, a frown pulling on her lips.
“What’s up there?”
She’d looked back at me, her lips pursed. “The Highlands...”
An uneasy feeling had washed over me. “Who lives there?”
She’d looked up, her pretty face tight with worry. “Deserters. Those who don’t like the more civilized approach your father has to how our kind should live and behave.” She had glanced back at me. “There are some who wish Dermot was still around. They prefer his style of leadership.”
I’d gulped, looking where she had. It just looked like the edge of a cliff. You couldn’t see anything up on the flat top, and yet I still felt like we were somehow being watched.
“My brother is up there,” she’d said softly, surprising me. “I haven’t seen him in over fifteen years.”
“I’m sorry.”
She’d shrugged with a sigh. “Maverick made his choice.”
“If you’re up there, are you not allowed down here?”
She shook her head. “Your father made it clear, if those who did not want to follow his rules chose to leave, they were not to come back.”
After a week, my mother showed up. My father hadn’t allowed her to come sooner until he was positive there were no more immediate threats. I’d been nervous all morning when Ivy had said she’d heard the King’s mate was finally coming. I didn’t know what she would think about Erebus. It was technically...hell. But I found it, and its people, beautiful and interesting. I didn’t know if she’d feel the same. My dad had looked even more nervous, his face in a contemplative frown during breakfast.
“You looked worried,” I’d commented.
He’d looked up, surprised to find me watching him. “She was never good with this...side of me. I don’t want her to...” He had sat back, rubbing a hand over his face. “I’m afraid of the affect it might have on her. She’s been through a lot when it comes to my kind.”
I knew there were parts of their history Mom hadn’t shared with me, so I had assumed that was what he was referring to. I’d reached out, covering his hand with mine. “She’ll be fine,” I’d said.
He’d given me a small smile, and then we’d gone back to our food.
And she had been. After a tearful reunion, with sobbed words I was sure no one but the two of us understood, she’d finally broken away from me to look around at where she was. While she seemed nervous at first, Mom had viewed everything in rapt wonder as Dad took her on a tour of the castle. I had promised to take her into the market in the morning, but had stayed behind for the tour. Cillian had been the one to bring her, and it was the first time I’d seen him since the day we’d arrived.
Mom and Dad had disappeared through one of the archways off the grand entrance. When I’d turned to speak to Cillian, he had already been walking away to leave.
“Where are you going?” I’d asked, the words blurting from my mouth.
He’d stopped and angled his body slightly toward me. “I have other work to do.”
This was so awkward.
Why was this so awkward?
We’d never been like this around each other before. I’d fiddled with the gold dress Ivy had forced me to wear, taking a step toward him even though his face regarded me with zero emotion. I had felt wholly overdressed next to him. He was in his usual black pants and nothing else, while the girls had insisted I adapted to the style in Erebus, which was more medieval looking than anything. Dresses and fancy hair pieces and jewelry. It had been fun, up till then. Suddenly the great big curls in my long, dark hair, and the pearls scattered throughout them just seemed silly next to someone as savage and rugged looking as Cillian Black.
“You...” My cheeks had burst into flames.
He’d raised those brows, waiting patiently for me to continue.
I’d cleared my throat, taking another step forward. “You haven’t been by...to visit.”
“To visit,” he’d repeated. “What would be the reason? You are home now, Princess. And I have work to do.”
He could have just smacked me in the face and it would probably have stung less. I’d managed a pathetic “oh” before watching him give me a long, unreadable look as he turned and walked out the front doors without so much as a backward glance.
***
I forced myself to push that specific memory away as I got ready for dinner. Mom and I had spent another day in the market. The civilians here seemed to love her. She was a flash of light in all the darkness. I didn’t even think she did it intentionally, it was just who she was. She smiled and complimented everyone on the goods they sold, and I was pretty sure more than half the population there was in love with her. Males and females. I could tell my dad was extremely pleased by this. He walked around the castle with a different manner about him, his head held high, his eyes bright and...happy looking.
“Let’s put this one on tonight,” Tala said, holding up a midnight blue and gold gown.
“Don’t you have anything more...simple?”
She frowned, looking down at the garment as if she couldn’t imagine why I’d request such a thing. “You’re a princess,” she said. “You should look like one.”
“Absolutely,” Ivy stated as she walked into my room. “The blue is perfect. I will get the gold coronet for your brow.”
I don’t know why I bothered.
Tala grinned at me as she came to do some light make up on my face.
“I’ve heard some gossip,” she whispered, eyeing Ivy on the other side of the room.
I sat up. “Do tell.”
“Apparently, your parents are going to reveal something important tonight and...” She leaned in. “Gabriel will be at dinner.”
Gabriel was coming? No one had mentioned it to me.
“Do you know what the important thing is?” I asked.
She shook her head, scrunching her tiny nose. “No. They were discussing it in the sitting room earlier when I was walking by. Something that your father had suggested and your mom said she thought he was right, and they would discuss it with you tonight.”
I frowned at my reflection. What cou
ld they possibly have to tell me?
“Maybe you’ll get to live here permanently,” she said excitedly.
My eyes widened. Was that it? I couldn’t picture my mom leaving our home, or grumpy old Cat. And what about school? There was no way she would just let me stop going. No, that couldn’t be it, but I didn’t have the heart to say as much to Tala when she looked so happy at the possibility.
***
When I entered the dining room, Mom and Dad were there, as was Gabriel, who stood when he spotted me. Then someone else stood, and my steps faltered. It was a female angel, her cold gaze watching me closely. There was something about her that made the tiny hairs on the back of my neck rise.
The Dark Princess (The Balance Series Book 3) Page 26
