Dream of Me

by Magenta Phoenix

  Slowly sitting up, her eyes trailed to the plate of food, shrieking in anger she shoved it away from her. She would rather starve to death than except anything from him. Zyaid’s words haunted her mind. He’d found her weakness and it wasn’t her world; it was Kieran. Never before had she felt so hopeless. How could she help another doom her world. On the other hand, how could she stand by and let Zyaid kill her mate.

  “If you’re not going to eat that, pass it over,” the soft voice startled her. She wasn’t alone. Jerking her head around, Elena searched for the soft voice that echoed through her cell. Not seeing anyone, she dismissed it. She must have imagined it.

  “Over here,” the soft feminine voice spoke again.

  Out of the corner of her eyes she saw a flash of movement. Jerking her head to her right, she saw a thin arm reach through the darkness of the connecting cell. Without thinking, she picked up the plate. Stumbling to her feet she approached the side of her cell. Crouching down, she gasped at what she saw.

  Even through the darkness, she was able to make out the face of the woman that called out to her. She was thin with an oval shaped face. She possessed long black hair that laid in a limp mass around her face. Across her forehead, nose, and down her neck were blackish scales.

  Instantly the woman raised her eyes to Elena. Her eyes both terrified Elena and held her captive with awe. She possessed almond shaped eyes with horizontal pupils like a snake’s eyes that glowed bright purple. Breaking eye contact, Elena carefully slid the plate under the bars that divided them.

  The woman snatched up the food from the plate without a pause, turning her face from the bars, she mumbled a few foreign words toward a dark corner of her cell. Instantly the sound of movement reached Elena’s ears drawing her attention. Moving back from the bars, Elena watched with curiosity as the woman divided the food as three dark shadows drew closer.

  Once close enough she was able to see that they were children. One was a boy with dark blonde hair; the other two were girls with black hair. All seemed to be in between the ages of thirteen and sixteen, except for the second girl whom appeared to be no older than five. The smallest instantly cuddled close to the older woman as she handed her some food. All possessed the same thin and dirty appearance.

  “Who are you?” Elena asked softly. Violet eyes met hers before she got her answer.

  “My name is Viper. What are you?” she asked, a deep frown tugging at her lips. “You don’t look like a Garmorian. Are you a Kelithian?” Viper sneered with disgust, drawing attention to her needle-like fangs. Elena shook her head in denial as Viper all but spat the word Kelithian.

  “No. I’m human.”

  Viper’s arched brows lowered in confusion. “Human? I have never met a human before.”

  “What are you?” Elena inquired gently.

  Instantly Viper’s relaxed face tensed up. Pursing her lips, she turned away, “It’s complicated.”

  Approaching footsteps echoed through the darkness causing Viper’s eyes to widen in fear. Jerking back, she whispered something harshly to the young girl cuddled against her side. Whatever she had said had the girl running back to the shadows with the others.

  Turning back to Elena, Viper looked at her beseechingly, “I don’t know you or your kind, but something tells me that you hate King Zyaid almost as much as I do. You must find a way to escape. Whatever the king has planned for you will surely kill you.”

  “He plans to destroy this world and mine.”

  Viper whispered fearfully, “Get out of here. When you do, take my family with you. I won’t be able to protect them from him for much longer.”

  Before Elena could respond three Kelithian warriors entered the dungeon with grim expressions. Were they coming for her? She received her answer as they came to a stop outside Viper’s cell. Light of the torches they carried chased away the shadows within the cell. In the far corner Elena could see the teenage boy standing in front of the two young girls who huddled fearfully in the corner. The boy’s violet eyes blazed as he flashed his long fangs at the trio.

  “That one," one of the Kelithians said, pointing his finger at Viper. Another stepped forward, touching the bars with his hand. With a sound of the rusty bars shifting the door to Viper’s cell opened.

  “Try and take her then,” the boy hissed out, taking a threateningly step forward.

  “Kobren, stay back,” Viper ordered firmly. The Kelithian at the door took a step forward; he smirked at Kobren’s threateningly display he moved toward Viper.

  “Wait,” the leader said stopping the other before he could reach Viper. “We’ve been trying to bleed that female for the last week. Try another.”

  At his words, Viper hissed before lunging forward. Rushing at the Kelithian in attempt to protect her brother, she was stopped as the smirking Kelithian spun towards her gripping her by the throat. Spinning her around, the warrior twisted her arms behind her back before shoving her forward. The door slammed closed stopping the remaining three as they rushed forward fearfully.

  Rushing toward her own bars, Elena yelled after the departing four, “Let her go!”

  Inside she dreaded to think about what they intended to do to her. None bothered to respond to Elena as they shoved Viper past the row of cells to a door. The closer they got the more Viper began to hiss and fight against their hold. Two of them laughed at her vain efforts while the third simply watched with a grim expression.

  “Stop fighting,” the leader ordered firmly. “The more you fight the harder it will be on you.” Shoving the door open he allowed the other two to usher Viper in before he joined them. The sound of the door slamming behind him was drowned out by the weeping voices from Viper’s cell.

  “Kieran, you’d better hurry…” She whispered to the shadows around her. Unless the Garmorian got to them in time, it would mean the end of this world… and her own.

  * ~ * ~ *

  Kieran’s wings beat furiously against the wind as they drew closer to the Kelithian boarder. His wings faltered as more of his strength begun to drain from him. In an instant he found himself dropping through the air. Thick tree branches painfully slowed his descent before he plummeted to the ground. Panting, he pushed himself up onto his feet. Already he could feel the bond between Elena and him draining his life force by the minute.

  “Kieran!” Dajran’s voice echoed with concern above him. Ignoring him, Kieran began walking down the worn path through the trees. He came to a sudden stop as Dajran dropped directly in front of him, blocking his path. Dajran fixed him with a hard look before speaking, “We can do this without you.”

  “Get out of my way!” he snarled, shoving Dajran aside before striding past him. Not a second later, his path was blocked again but this time by Arlen.

  Crossing his armored encased arms over his chest, Arlen gave him a hard look. “You’re going to kill yourself,” his commander rumbled out. “You won’t be much use to your mate if you are dead.”

  “You will not stop me, Li’r,” he said firmly. No one would keep him from Elena.

  Arlen shook his head, his mouth set in a grim line, “No. It is not my place to stand in the way of a Malrai Hin between mates. However, as your comrade during this time I must agree with Dajran. Even now I can see you weakening. You are endangering not only yourself but our lives as well. But, I would never allow another to fight my battles if it came to my mate either. Lead the way.”

  Without another word, Arlen stepped aside, allowing Kieran to precede him. Now on the other side of the Greenwood, the trio arrived on Kelithian soil. Lifting his face to the horizon, Kieran could see the ivory fortress looming in the distance.

  Shaking off the heavy weariness that weighed on him, he pushed forward. All the while aware that Arlen and Dajran were following him cautiously across the dark land. Never once did either complain about foregoing the use of their wings. He had to admit he was already missing it after hours of walking. Wiping at the sweat along his brow with his forearm, Kieran tensed as they rea
ched the iron spiked wall that surrounded the Kelithian fortress.

  Silence echoed around them. To any other, one would assume that the fortress was abandoned, but he knew better. Without a doubt he knew they were being watched by thousands of Kelithian warriors. Moving toward the iron barricade, the ground shook beneath his feet as yellow parks of energy danced along the iron wall. He knew that if any of them tried to fly over the wall or take it by force the Kelithian magic would respond. Releasing a tired breath, Kieran lifted his face toward the fortress walls. “I’ve come to speak to your king!” he shouted, his words echoed through the silence around them.

  Like the remains of a burnt log in a hearth, the iron wall fell to the ground like heavy ash. From the fortress entrance two Kelithian warriors strode towards them. The closer they came, Kieran could see between them was Rurik. Kieran’s eyes were temporary drawn to a thin scar along the side of Rurik’s face. He wouldn’t doubt that it had been a gift from Zyaid.

  The urge to attack the smug looking traitor was almost too much to ignore. When he would have lunged forward, he stopped as Elena’s face flashed through his mind. His clawed hands clenched into tight fists as he reminded himself that he wouldn’t be able to help Elena if he wasted his remaining strength on vengeance. Arlen and Dajran moved forward to either side of him as the trio stopped a foot from his position.

  “Well, look who it is,” Rurik said with a mocking grin.

  “If you have harmed one hair upon my mate, I can promise you that nothing will save you from my wrath,” Kieran hissed out dangerously.

  “Your mate is here as King Zyaid’s guest and he has been waiting for you.”

  Snarling, Dajran lunged around Kieran with his sword drawn. “Zyaid is no king! He’s a tyrant, a thief and a murderer. And you—” he seethed, pointing his blade at Rurik threateningly, “—are a traitor,”

  Smirking, Rurik showed no sign of unease. “However, King Zyaid refused to allow you entry armed.”

  “Of course he wouldn’t,” Arlen scoffed. “Only a coward sends his slaves to greet his enemies.”

  Briefly raising his glaring eyes to the Li’r’s cold gaze, Rurik added, “Further more, only you — Kieran are granted entry. Your company must stay outside the fortress gate.”

  Kieran could feel the disapproval flowing off his comrades in waves. Staring coldly at Rurik, he loosened the buckles of his sword belt before jerking it away from around his hips before passing it off to Dajran. Dajran accepted his sheathed weapon with a look of displeasure.

  “You go in there unarmed Kieran, they will kill you,” Arlen stated gravely.

  “I agree. However, unless the Malrai Hin between Elena and I is completed, it won’t matter,” Kieran countered, turning around to face the both of them. “I’m going.”

  Shaking his head, Dajran scoffed, “Do you really expect us to just wait to hear of your demise?”

  “No, I don’t. I expect you to come and get us if I do not return.”

  “We will head back to the stronghold,” Arlen stated. “Get your mate out of there as soon as possible. Tonight we fight back.”

  Nodding, He watched as both of his comrades called upon their wings and took to the sky without a backward glance. Turning his focus back to Rurik, he wasn’t surprised when the two warriors stepped forward.

  “Hold out your hands,” One said, holding up a pair of iron manacles.

  “I am no one’s prisoner. I came to speak to Zyaid, I will not do so both unarmed and chained.”

  Scowling, the warrior moved to argue but was stopped as Rurik held up a staying hand, “Of course not, follow me.”

  Shoving past the displeased warriors, Kieran stepped over the ash line. The instant he was on the other side, the iron wall reappeared. Kieran moved forward, cautiously following behind Rurik as the two warriors followed closely behind him.

  His unyielding gaze searched for signs of Elena as he was led into the bright fortress. Several Kelithian warriors watched him closely as he passed them. Desperate to assure himself that she was safe, he reached through their bond to her. Worry plagued his mind when all he encountered was a cold, dark void. Zyaid wouldn’t harm Elena, he silently assured himself. The false king needed her alive.

  A wave of dizziness fell over him causing him to stumble. Tremors quaking up his arms as the weakness was becoming too much to ignore. He had to get to Elena. Both their lives depended on it.

  “Enough games, Rurik,” he snarled as he was led down a long dark corridor. “If you will not take me to Zyaid, I will tear this fortress apart brick by brick until I find him myself.”

  “Tell me something, Kieran.” Rurik tossed over his shoulder, never slowing his steps. “Do you really think that you can bargain with King Zyaid to hand over your little human? Unlike Cian, King Zyaid isn’t one to bow to the wishes of others. You have come here in vain and all you will receive is your own demise.”

  “You think Zyaid will honor whatever deal you made with him, Rurik,” he countered mockingly. “You’re a traitor to your own kind and when he is stopped you will receive no quarter for your crimes.”

  “I do not think I shall have to worry for much longer,” Rurik stated with confidence.

  Coming to the end of the dark corridor, Kieran found himself led out into a stone courtyard. Standing aside, Rurik motioned for Kieran to precede him. Narrowing his eyes in suspicion, he stepped out onto the smooth stone ground. The courtyard stretched out in a wide circle with four large two large pillars standing at the opposite end. Looking around, Kieran found he could see very little within the courtyard. Why had he been brought here?

  His eyes were drawn downward at the design of the stones beneath his feet. Among the smooth black stone he could see several golden ones. The gold stones together formed a large circle across the courtyard. Thin etchings were scrawled along the upper ring of the copious circle, though he couldn’t read them. Not understanding why he’d been brought there, Kieran turned toward Rurik to demand answers.

  He was stopped as an unlit torch near him suddenly burst into flame. Following the single torch, torches placed around the circle all burst to life one after the other. Light filled the dark courtyard to reveal a dark figure lingering near one of the pillars. Stepping near one of the torches the willowy figure of Zyaid became clear.

  Dressed like a warrior in a dark shirt and trousers instead of his usual golden robes, Zyaid slowly stepped forward. Kieran’s eyes took notice of the long sword that hung at Zyaid’s hip. It was rare to see a Kelithian carry a weapon as their unnatural powers were usually their weapon of choice.

  “Zyaid,” he growled, taking a threatening step toward the false king.

  Unafraid, Zyaid flashed him a wolfish smile. “Warrior, you seem upset. You are aware that none of your kind is welcome on my soil. You risk much standing in my presence.”

  “I’ve come for my mate, false king.” His hands begun to ache as he fought back the desire to let loose his deadly claws and attack.

  Chuckling, Zyaid rolled his eyes upward to the dark sky. “I have missed that old name. How do you intend to take your mate from me? You are a warrior without a weapon.” Zyaid was all too happy to point out.

  “I don’t need a weapon to kill you,” Kieran stated as he allowed his claws to grow longer and deadlier.

  “I don’t intend to die this night and not by you. Tonight I will ascend to my true throne and I will burn this world to ashes in my wake.”

  “I won’t let that happen, Zyaid. Cian — the true king of these lands will no longer allow you continue your reign. This ends tonight.”