by Bailey Dark
Eternity with The Shadow King
Captive of Shadows | Book 5
Bailey Dark
Copyright © 2020 by Bailey Dark
All rights reserved.
No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.
Contents
Chapter 1
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Thank You!
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Chapter 1
Briar
Drogaem's laughter echoes across the empty throne room. I sit quietly, my hands clutching the arms of the chair I am held down to.
Even without his maniacal laughter dragging up my spine like needles to my nerves, the castle is unfamiliar. It has always been a dark and rather quiet place, but with him at my side, it's cold and unfriendly.
Between the bellowing bouts of Drogaem's laughter and the deafening silence of the castle, an even more painful event beats me down. Kane is proud, and he will not give in to the pain that Drogaem subjects onto his body. With every slash, cut, or whip, I can feel Kane's strength diminishing. But he doesn't yell out. He doesn't scream or cry. If he did, I'm not sure that I am strong enough to withstand the torture it brings me to know the pain he is feeling.
Watching it is too much already, and Drogaem is not about to allow me to look away. In fact, the entire reason he has me sitting here is to witness the torture and feats of pure evil and cruelty he inflicts on to Kane. Naturally, Drogaem feeds off the pain and torment of others, but especially Kane's. It's an added bonus to know that he's destroying me one callous act at a time. As a human, I am naturally naïve. I'm not able to fully imagine the depths of barbarity that a creature like himself is capable of. Before he had risen into his body, I thought that I had covered every avenue that could be possible in order to protect myself and prepare myself. Still, I hadn't even scratched the surface.
"And to think, the souls of this pathetic city actually believe you are someone to be feared," Drogaem says as he taps his fingers against the black steel of the throne next to me. "And your little human here, she actually had faith that you'd be able to save her. Humans were always stupid, anyways."
I don't move a muscle. I sit on the throne in the tight black dress that hugs my curves and flows to the floor. I'm thankful for the high neck and the bit of lace that peeks from beneath the bell sleeves, covering most of me. The crown that sits atop my head is dense, made of thick metal, intertwined like barbed spikes. No pins are needed as it pushes down on me, keeping me pressed into my chair and my neck tired and wobbly. But Drogaem insists, and these days I don't have much choice in anything.
I stare across the empty room at the adjacent wall where my beloved, my betrothed, is chained. His arms reach up over his head to each side, shackled with thick metal cuffs. His legs are spread as well, large chains wrapping around them, keeping him in place. At this point, they're almost pointless. If I were to release him, he would do nothing but fall to the ground. He lifts his head here and there, fighting against the frailty of his body, but once that small bit of energy expels, he slumps forward again.
My heart aches, and my teeth clench as I stare at the mangled wings hanging from his back. The flesh is torn, and the bones protrude, leaving nothing more than scraps of flesh and blood caked to Kane's back. It gives Drogaem great pleasure to break him. It makes him feel more potent, powerful, but I see it as nothing more than a weakness. He is breaking the one being he knows can destroy him.
I am not sitting still just to avoid Drogaem's wrath. My body may join the stillness of the castle, but my mind and soul are busy at work. I try to push the sadness away from myself, remembering that the light of hope is still within me. With the spell and everything I've seen, I can tell that the light barely flickers, but it's still there. With every slice of malice that Drogaem produces, I do my best to use it as motivation to nurse that light of hope back to a flame and eventually to a roaring blaze.
Drogaem lets out a long sigh. "I grow tired of this pathetic example of what has been ruling this world in my stead. I'm sure with a little bit of rest, though, and some food, I'll be more than happy to continue later."
I don't let the relief show on my face, not even a little bit. I refuse to allow Drogaem to know that anything he does or does not do gives me pleasure. I know that it won't be long until the torture resumes, but at least for a few moments, a few hours even, Kane will rest. My hands clutch tighter to the arms of the chair as Drogaem stands and walks down the steps. I keep my eyes on Kane, refusing to acknowledge Drogaem unless I'm forced to.
My teeth clench harder as Drogaem grabs Kane's chin and lifts his head upward. Blood trickles down his face, and Drogaem clicks his tongue. "You're no fun when you're not fighting back."
Drogaem unlatches Kane's arm cuffs and turns, walking away before Kane hits the ground. He doesn't look at me and instead walks across the throne room floor and out into the castle. I know full well that Drogaem isn't threatened by me, or by Kane. He is doing what he has always done, underestimating, and I want him to continue to do that. He believes that he fully controls Kane and me, and though at this moment it's pretty close to being true, I know I can change it. I know that I can grow stronger, and the stronger I am, the stronger Kane will become.
It takes a vast amount of restraint to stay seated on the throne as I wait until I no longer hear Drogaem's footsteps. As soon as they echo off into the distance and silence returns, I lift the dense crown from my head and set it down before hurrying over to Kane. I put my hands on his face and help him to turn over on his back.
"I am here. Lie here while I get your chains undone."
Kane's eyes are barely open, but he gives a slight nod to let me know that he hears me. I carefully pull at the chains, unlatching them and sliding them off of his feet. His skin is raw and red, and I can feel surges of the pain pumping through my chest. When the chains are off, I slide up next to him and close my eyes, hovering my hands just above the wounds he has acquired today. I pull at the energy within my chest, feeling the warmth of the light expanding and retracting, giving everything that it has to help me heal him.
The light that comes from me is nothing close to what was there before, but I can tell I'm getting stronger. I'm able to heal Kane enough to bring him back to a conscious level and stop the bleeding. Some of his bones heal as well, but it's not enough to prepare him for what he will face next.
When the light fades and I look Kane over, I feel a frustration that's all too familiar. "I should be able to do more. I need to be able to do more."
Kane's hand shakes as he lifts it, rubbing his warm fingers across my cheek. I close my eyes for a moment, allowing myself just a second to e
scape the misery that I'm stuck in. Kane's voice comforts me. "You're getting stronger, I can feel it. Just keep working on it."
I smile at him and take a deep breath, lifting to my feet. Leaning down, I grasp his arm and help as much as I can to get him to his feet. My eyes flow over his wings, and it breaks my heart. My powers are not strong enough yet to heal that part of him, and that part is so important.
I pull Kane's arm over my shoulder and carefully grip him around the waist as he shuffles his feet along the stone, exiting out of the throne room and into the dark, silent hallways. He looks back and forth for a moment, and I know he's thinking about what the castle was like before it all happened. I want to comfort him.
"Willem hasn't come back," I whisper. "He has joined the rebels. Most of the courtiers fled as soon as they got word of what was happening here. I have looked for others when Drogaem is sleeping or distracted, but I've seen no one. Late at night, I can hear the voices of creatures, creatures I've never heard in this castle before, but I never see them. I'm almost glad I don't see them. The sounds of their screeches, their evil laughter, their howls, it makes me uneasy and fearful even."
I stop talking, knowing that Kane does not like weakness. He doesn't like it when I'm scared of something, or not brave. At least that was the Kane that I knew before Drogaem took him over. The Kane that I help along the hallway into one of the vacant rooms is a bit different than before. I don't know how to explain it, but within the fierceness that he still has, there is a softness, and I can feel it in my soul.
"One day, these halls will echo again with the sound of greatness," Kane says as he lays down on the bed, staring up at me. "For now, you must stay brave, and as long as you do, I will as well. This will not last forever. Remember, Drogaem may think that he has all of you, but we know that a part of you is always with me."
Tears pull at my eyes, but I don't allow them to fall. Instead, I use this pain to fuel myself. I use this pain to continue on because I know for a fact that I won't stop fighting until Drogaem is dead… And for good this time.
Chapter 2
Briar
Kane falls asleep quickly, and it's a good thing. With everything that he's going through and the little bit of time that he has before Drogaem snatches him up again, he needs as much strength as he can muster.
I know Drogaem's game.
He thinks I'm stupid, but he leaves me with him alone on purpose. He wants me to heal him so that he can torture him all over again. He gets a sick satisfaction out of breaking Kane.
Little does he know, Kane isn't broken. It's going to take a lot more than what he's doing to break him completely. In reality, I'm not really sure what will happen if he ever reaches that point. Before Drogaem took control of me, Kane and I were connected. If he dies, I die. I have to hope that connection still lingers between us because if it doesn't, Drogaem has complete control over me.
The dark surge pulls at me. It feels like my muscles are tensing and burning. With no warning, my body no longer is my own. Drogaem is calling for me. With the piece of his crown and his magic infecting me, he tugs at me, pulling me to him when he wants me. Fortunately, he's not strong enough to create a control spell that completely takes me over. As it is, I still have my own thoughts, and for now, they're sheltered from him. My actions, though, they're generally controlled by Drogaem.
When he wants me, he makes it happen. He raps that dark magic around my soul and forces my body to go wherever it is he wants me to go.
I take a deep breath and close my eyes for a moment reveling in the last few seconds I have before I must leave Kane's side. My hand flutters over his arm, feeling the connection between us. It's light, but it's there. The darkness pulls at me harder, and I groan, carefully lifting myself from the bed and taking one last look at Kane before I leave him resting in the room. Drogaem will find him when he wants him.
My feet carry me with little control as my body searches for Drogaem's dark pull. I travel through the castle, the same hallways I've seen over and over again, but they no longer feel familiar and comforting. It's as if a dark wave has settled over the castle, even more ominous than it was before. Even with the warmth of the underworld, I constantly feel a chill down the back of my neck.
The soft velvet fabric of my dress rubs across my legs as my feet move quicker with every summons Drogaem throws out there. As I approach Kane's old rooms, my stomach flips. I turn the corner and stand in the doorway, watching Drogaem pace around, stopping in front of the fireplace where I once sat with my betrothed. There's a nausea bubbling in my stomach, and I hate seeing that monster in Kane's space. I hate seeing the evil takeover where once, love blossomed. Kane and I have never been perfect, but we fit together in a way that's confusing to others, but it makes perfect sense for us.
Drogaem and I have absolutely nothing in common, and we never will. As I watch him and his rotund figure thump through the dimly lit room, I imagine myself pulling my dagger from its sheath and flying through the air, burying it deep in Drogaem's stomach. In fact, I don't believe in these moments, anything would give me more pleasure.
Drogaem stops and turns, sensing that I've arrived. He narrows his eyes at me. Immediately the thoughts of killing him vanish, and in their place, I feel nothing but deep-seated fear. I don't know if I'm manifesting it myself or if he's forcing it into me, but it wraps itself around my soul and almost punishes me for my thoughts. The former king may not know precisely what I'm thinking, but he has to know that he disgusts me.
"Come further inside."
I clench my teeth, but my feet move before I can even think about it. I wobble slightly as I fight my own movements. Being dragged around by Drogaem's dark magic takes a bit to get used to. I stand a few feet away from the long table where I once shared meals with Kane. My eyes stay focused on the back of the chair, and I clutch my hands in front of me tightly.
Drogaem moves toward me, and I can feel his breath just inches from my skin as he stares at me, moving from side to side. He's studying me, trying to get under my skin, and I do my best not to let him know that it's working. Just being that close makes me want to vomit.
"And what is the little human thinking about that makes her so defiant in nature?"
Everything in me wants to turn away from him and run. I want to shift my feet, I want to move my eyes, but he's too strong. The only thing I can figure is if I'm forced to be here, my body acting as a puppet for Drogaem, I might as well be honest with him. There's a bit of security, a false bravery that allows me to lift my chin and shift my eyes to stare directly into his.
"I was thinking…"
Drogaem reaches up and twists a piece of my hair around his finger. "Yes?"
I turn my head and grab his attention once again. I'm not going to back down. "I was thinking about shoving a dagger deep into your stomach and ripping you open from end to end. I was thinking about killing you."
Deep within my chest, the fear rises, but I hold steady, keeping my chin high, and my eyes piercing him. His forehead wrinkles and he takes a step back, looking me up and down. He knows I fear him, no matter how good I play it off, but I don't care. Every time I feel the urge to bend or grovel, I think of Kane and how strong and defiant he is and continues to be every day. That gives me courage.
It feels like Drogaem is about to retaliate, but then his lips curl into a smile, and he begins to laugh. "That's cute, little human. That's very brave of you. Personally, I don't think you have it in you."
My lip quivers that I look away from him, finding him yet again underestimating me. He waves his hand and rolls his eyes, walking past me and back to the fireplace. "You know, it's not surprising to me that no one has figured out who lives inside of you. You are nothing like Lux." Picking up a chalice, he takes a big gulp, wine running down his chin. "You don't look like her, you don't act like her, and you aren't nearly as powerful as her. She would never hide. She was not weak. You, my dear, aren't even half the woman that Lux was, and she couldn't even kill me
for good. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but even free from my control, you don't stand a chance. You can continue to care for your little boyfriend all you want to, but eventually, I will kill him."
He slams the chalice on the table and walks back over toward me. He runs his finger down the side of my face, down my neck, and over my shoulder. With sharp movements, he dips in and takes in a long deep breath. I stand perfectly still, my eyes wide, and my hands clenching into fists. I know that Drogaem is capable of commanding me to do anything, physically, and that includes taking me in his bed. I'm not sure I will be able to withstand an act like that.
He sniffs me again and backs up, curling his lip. To my relief, he waves his hand, and I feel the dark magic recede from my muscles and my chest. "Leave me. I'm tired of dealing with you and your little boyfriend. I need my rest as I have a long day of torture planned tomorrow. I will summons you when I'm ready."
I go to turn, but before I can, he grabs my arm and yanks me toward him. My lip quivers and I'm not under his control at that moment, but I know better than to fight him. A deep growl emanates from his chest. "And when you come to my side, you better not forget your crown again. Your boyfriend is not an excuse for disobedience."
He releases me, and I stumble backward, turning, and hurrying from the room. I don't stop outside, and instead, continue on until I'm around the corner and out of sight. Forgetting my crown is stupid, a stupid mistake that I cannot afford. Drogaem's temperament is unpredictable, and I can't take the chance of him killing Kane or me because of a small detail.
