by Tiya Rayne
“I do not know. The Locke does not have sickness like this.” Drago’s eyes scan the faces around us.
Gaunt faces return our stare. Dark lines run under pale skin, branching out like tree limbs. Their eyes, nose, and mouth are covered with some type of dark crusted fluid.
“It started a few years ago.” Karima says, walking up to stand beside me. “At first, it moved slowly. Only infecting one child a year. Then it started to increase. Recently, it has started to spread like fire in a wheat field. We’re burning bodies every single day.”
“Do you know if any other Kingdoms has had this problem?”
I nod at Drago for asking such a good question. I’ve been to the Elven Kingdom and the Southern kingdom and I hadn’t seen or heard anything about this. However, I never got to visit the Western or Eastern Kingdoms, so I don’t know if they are dealing with this.
It is Oden that answers. “I’ve sent scouts out to all the kingdoms, even the forbidden lands, it seems the Northen Kingdom is the only one being affected.”
“Is it only children being affected?” Medina asks.
“Yes!” Karima shifts her weight to her other foot, nervously. “What you said back there,” Her head nods towards the entrance we came in. She shakes her head as if she changed her mind about what she was going to say.
“Not many people give us a second glance. We’ve learned to take care of ourselves and not trust others. I guess it has made us a bit…….savage in our ways.” She turns and looks out at the many sick faces around the room. I follow her gaze.
“Unless you have some magic spell mixed in with that food, I don’t think you can help us.” Her cat shaped eyes turn back to me and I can see how scared she is for the tiny faces surrounding us.
“You’re right, I don’t have any magic. However, I do come from a realm where sickness is something we deal with on a regular basis. The human realm has many viruses and diseases. Some that kill and some that last only 24 hours.” I pull my mass of curly hair up into a ponytail on top of my head before wrapping it into a tight ball. “So, let’s try my way. At least until we find someone that knows more about this.”
I move to the center of the room. “First thing we need to do is stop spreading it. That means limiting how many people and who comes in contact with the sick. You should also wear something to cover your mouth and nose when around the sick. Take a damp cloth and wrap it around your face. Also, wash hands before you enter and after you leave. It needs to be a thorough wash with soap. Next, you need to keep yourselves clean. When is the last time any of you had a bath?”
“Never, smells like.” Medina mumbles under her breath.
All the kids in the room seem to look down embarrassed.
“What does cleaning our bodies have to do with getting sick?” Oden asks.
This time he isn’t being combative or rude, he seems really intrigued.
“Proper hygiene goes a long way in keeping illness down. It kills germs that may be spreading the disease. That means washing your bodies and your clothes. We also need to bathe the sick. They shouldn’t have to sit in their own filth. Those blankets needs to be washed as well. And lastly, we need to get them out of this dark stale room. They need ventilation. Fresh air. Do you have any place like that?”
Karima looks at Oden and they both seem to take a moment to have a private conversation with their eyes. When they turn back to me, Karima smiles.
“Yeah, we got a room like that.”
I spent the remainder of the day helping the orphans of the Northern Kingdom care for their sick. We moved the bodies to another room, one that had rectangular shaped windows that circled the room near the ceiling. The sunlight shone through the windows giving plenty of sunshine and the fresh air was a welcomed relief from the stench of the other room.
We helped bathe and feed the sick. I even helped wash their blankets.
Shockingly, Medina helped too. And she did it with only a few complaints. Drago also helped, but he seemed more interested in the tunnels the children were using. From his questions I found out that the tunnels we were walking through ran the entire length of the Northern Kingdom. In fact, Oden told us that to get to one side of the tunnel to the other would take you an entire week of walking, and that’s without stopping. It was like a labyrinth down there. However, all the kids knew the area like the back of their hands. They knew exactly which turn and which exit to take to get to any place in the Northern Kingdom. Karima told me it was one of those tunnels that lead her into the Dark King’s castle undetected. Apparently, Nevy only knows of one of the tunnels. The kids are sure to stay away from that part. Only the children know where to look for the entrances, and they wanted to keep it that way. They even blindfolded us to lead us back to Orphan Alley. I didn’t mind. Even though they didn’t trust us, I knew we could trust them.
When the blindfold is finally snatched from my eyes, it takes a moment for them to adjust. We have been gone most of the day. It’s dark now.
Karima stands in front of me. Her beautiful face and cat eyes smiling at me. She looks down at her hands then back into my eyes.
“I still don’t think what you did will help, but for what it’s worth, you’ve at least done more than anyone else has. Thank You!”
Just then Oden walks up to her and places a hand at her back.
“Thank you, Lilly.” He simply says.
Before I could respond, Oden, Karima, and the other three older kids that escorted us out of the tunnels are flat on their backs convulsing. I look up to find Nevy heading towards us. There is a scowl on his face as he stares down at the children.
“Nevy, stop it!” I shout.
When he’s standing in front of me he lowers his hands and Karima and the others stop shaking. Nevy immediately back hands me so hard I fall to the ground. I ignore my aching jaw and the taste of blood on my tongue as I crawl to Karima.
“Karima, are you alright?”
She only whimpers in my hands.
“Why the fuck do I have you two watching her, if you can’t keep up with her.” Nevy yells at Drago and Medina.
Nevy grabs Medina around her neck lifting her off the ground. “You are useless, Witch.” He tosses Medina in the hands of the soldiers behind him. “Have fun with the bitch.”
The soldiers seem to get excited about the idea.
“Let her go ye’ Bastards!” Drago pulls out his boomerang and Phoenix growls. Nevy holds up his hand lifting Drago and Phoenix into the air. A black cloud surrounds them and Drago screams. At the same time, the soldiers start to tug at Medina’s clothes and the children start to convulse again.
I jump to my feet and stand in front of Nevy.
“Stop!” I plead.
He doesn’t even look at me as he continues to torture the others. There is no emotion on his face. His eyes are vacant like he isn’t seeing anything. I noticed this look the night he choked me at dinner. His cruelty is like a blanket. When he is at
his most angry, it seems like a dark cloud shrouds him and blinds him to everything around him. In times like this he is truly the Dark King. However, I can get through to him. Just like the night at dinner I have to break through that disconnect. I have to find a way to remove that dark cover.
I take a deep breath as I step in front of his face. This could go bad, and I don’t think I can take another hit like I did just a few moments ago. My ear is still ringing.
“Nevy, look at me.” I keep my voice light.
Nevy cuts those beautiful cruel eyes to me.
“Is this what you want me to see? Is this the real you? Would you allow a woman to be raped before my eyes? Or children to die?”
I can see the dark cloud slowly recede from his eyes and that spark of life start to come back. I keep going, blocking out the sounds of my friends’ cries.
“You are angry with me. You thought I left you, but I am right here, Nevy. I promised you I would give you this chance.”
His eyes are fully on me. The Nevy that I k
now is here. The Dark King has left. Thank God!
Nevy drops his hands and immediately the crying and pained screams stop. I look over his shoulder and even the soldiers have released a sobbing Medina.
Nevy reaches out his hand to touch the side of my face where I know a bruise will appear. On reflex I flinch away from his touch and I can see the pain that skitter through those blue and silver eyes. When he reaches for me again, I fight my reflexes and stay still. His massive calloused hands comes up on both sides of my face. His eyes narrow on the spot that he hit. He steps into me, his smell and warmth engulf me. My mind tells me to retreat, but my body seems to be confused. My heart belongs to Assassin. I feel my love for him in my bones, but it seems my body has no loyalties. Maybe that is why I lean into Nevy’s warmth. He places a finger under my chin tilting my head up to meet his eyes.
“Release the children and take the others back to the castle.” He never looks away from me as he direct his soldiers.
“I will not….go anywhere….without the human.” Even in pain and out of breath, Drago was keeping to his job.
I am happy for his loyalty, even if it is just a job for him. Honestly, I’m scared to be alone with Nevy at this moment. Part of me fear Nevy. Since I have been in his care he has struck me more than once and even choked me. However, there is another reason I fear being alone with him. I just wasn’t up to admitting that reason yet.
As if we are in a trance, Nevy and I continue to stare at each other. I cannot turn away from that look in his eyes. No matter who you are, or who you love, there is something about the way a man looks at you as if you are the very reason he lives. As if he is starved and you were just presented as his all you can eat buffet.
“You are escaping my anger tonight, Drago. You owe the human for that, but I advise you not to push your luck.” Nevy lifts his hand from my face. I feel a breeze on my back like I am standing in front of a fan. It even blows my hair towards my face. Nevy takes a step towards me and it causes me to take one back. The wind dies down and when I finally pull my eyes away from Nevy, I can see that we are no longer in Orphan Alley. We are in a bedroom.
This is the last place I want to be.
Chapter Eleven
I watch Lilly as she spins around taking in my massive bedroom. I never thought I would give a shit about what someone thought of my space, but I find that I care what she thinks. It was presumptuous of me to bring Lilly here, only I cannot get over the look I saw in her eyes. The way her heart picked up its pace. The way her hazel pupils dilated just a fraction, and then there was that fucking scent. It was subtle. Not nearly as potent as it was last night with that asshole. But it was there. She was aroused……by me. I have been king of the Northern Kingdom for two Centuries, and nothing has ever made me feel more like a godsdamn king than knowing that it was I that just got Lilly’s pussy wet. Though that in itself is a break through, I know that she is still very far away from giving me her body and her heart. Today has made me want them both more than ever. I no longer just sought her delectable body. I want all of Lilly. Her devotion, her love, and still her body. I didn’t just want to trick Lilly into my marriage bed. I wanted her to come to it willingly. I wanted her to love me. This goes against all my original plans, but fuck those plans. I will just adjust them. I can have all that I want. I am the Dark King, I will always find a way to get what I want.
I admit, when I couldn’t find her in that damn alley I almost lost my mind. Then, to watch her come out of that door as care free as ever made me want to punish her for putting me through the madness. For a split second I even felt bad for the assassin. I imagined what he must be going through having her in my kingdom with no way to get to her. But then I thought, fuck him. If he wanted her bad enough he would find a way to get her. That is what I did. I will always find a way to keep Lilly.
“Your room is beautiful.” Her voice brings me back to the here and now.
Gods, she is gorgeous. Even with the darkening bruise on her jaw. I have to turn away from her. Seeing the mark I left on her face disgust me.
I look around my massive room, taking in the sights with new eyes. My room is the size of two regular rooms. Large circular pillars break the room up in three sections. The dark, almost black wood encircle the room with its detailed carvings. Crown molding run along the ceilings. Large floor to ceiling windows run against the entire back wall. Heavy dark purple drapes hang over the windows. A chandelier hangs in each of the three separate sections. In the center of my room is the massive king size bed that sits on a pedestal. The headboard runs all the way to the ceiling and black silk curtains frame out the bed. To the right of the bed on the other side of the pillars is the library. Built-in book shelves run along all three walls filled with books. A black velvet settee sits in the middle of the floor and off to the side is a large wooden desk. It was handmade by carpenter elves. It is carved to look like a dragon with open wings.
On the left side of the bed is my music room. Only a grand piano sits in the room. A fire place in front of the single instrument.
This is my favorite place in my castle. And the only female, besides Ofilla and the servants, to visit this room is Lilly. This is my sanctuary.
“Do you really like it?” I ask in a voice that sounded too hopeful to my own ears.
Lilly looks back at me with a smile.
“Yes. This room is…….beautiful.”
She says the words as if she were not expecting them to be true.
Again I am prideful of her reaction.
“Allow me to look at your face.”
She looks down as she touches her jaw softly. I hate that she has pulled her eyes away from. I need to see her eyes as bad as I need to feel my power coursing through my veins. I eat up the space between us with my hurried steps. Her vanilla and powdery scent surrounds me and I want to hum at how good she smells. I gently pinch her chin and move her face from side to side to view the bruise. The sight of it makes my stomach turn. I don’t regret many things, but this I do.
“I’m sorry, Lilly.” I try to convey my remorse through my words.
Her eyes look away from me again.
“Are you sorry for hurting just me, or everyone?”
When those hazel eyes look back at me. I can see immediately that I will never be good enough for Lilly. She wants me to feel sorry for the others. I do not. I could lie to her and pretend that I do, but I have a feeling she will be able to see the lie. So I opt to say nothing at all.
My lack of response is enough of an answer. She pulls her head away from my grasp and steps away from me. The disappointment on her face is like watching a stain spread across a masterful art piece.
“I’m really tired, Nevy. I want to go back to my room.”
She walks pass me headed towards my door. I give her only enough time to open the door before I push it close with my hand over her head and my front pressed into her back. My dick is as hard as steel pushing into the curve where her back and ass meets.
“I’m trying, Lilly.” My breath blows the spiral hairs at the top of her head. “I never said I was a good man, but I am trying to be for you. I stopped……was that not enough?”
Lilly would never understand the darker side of me. My father fucked me up before I ever came into this world. Yes, I am blessed with all the powers the dark magic could give me, but no one comes away from that gift unscathed. There is a darkness inside me. It is a hungry beast that has to be fed. Once it takes over there is no turning back. Yet for her, I did today.
I watch as her rigid body slowly starts to relax. She takes a deep breath and blows it out.
I step closer into her, not that there was much space between us. One hand stays on the door over her head and the other lands on her hip. My hand tightens on her hip and despite the fact that I know my grip is tight enough to bruise, I can’t let her go. I bury my face in the back of Lilly’s head. That fucking smell hits me again. And if I were a weaker man, I would collapse to my knees at how impaired it
makes me. I can feel her rapid heartbeat through her back. I give myself only another second to close my eyes and imagine what it would feel like to push her against this door. I would lift up the flimsy fabric of her dress and push my dick between those beautiful fat pussy lips that I only got to look at last night. Because of her dream I now know she is a moaner. I love a loud fuck. I want to hear her scream as I fuck her tight pussy, breaking down new walls as my massive dick makes room. I swallow the lump that is caught in my throat as I release my hold on Lilly’s hip and back away from her. I know Lilly can feel the sexual tension between us. I also know she is not ready for it. With a few of the right touches I could be inside her, or—my most sought after fantasy—have my tongue buried between her legs tasting her sweet nectar. However, if I move too fast I know Lilly will regret her actions. She is still in love with the assassin. I want no regrets between us.
I clear my throat before I speak. “I will draw you a bath to relax. When you are done, I will have a servant bring up your dinner.”
She turns to look at me then turns her eyes away. “Nevy, I think it’d be better if I went back to my room.”
I barely listen to what she is saying. My eyes are too focused on her hardened nipples through the sheer fabric of her dress. Although I could not see her breasts through the material, the memory of them from last night is burned into my fucking retinas. Golden brown perfect tits with chocolate nipples.
I shake my head and focus back on her eyes.
“Lilly, I need you tonight.”
Her eyes widen at my words and I realize it didn’t come out right. I take her hand in mine and hold it to my heart.
“Not like that, Beautiful.” I chuckle to disguise my need.
I did need her in the way that she is thinking, but she didn’t need to know that.
“You are my calm. You keep me sane. I need your company tonight. I promise you, when you are ready, I will send you back to your room. Just have dinner with me, help me ease this rage.”
She looks away before she looks back at my eyes and nods.
