by Bailey Dark
Her head leans back against my shoulder, and I tilt my head, rubbing my cheek against her skin. My eyes close as I take in a deep whiff of her vanilla scent. My arms tighten around her, and her body moves lightly against mine. Without thought, my hand slides down her stomach, and I can hear her breath increase. That passion that we share, that wild and needful lust is still there. I had no doubt that it wouldn't be, but feeling it again is almost more than I can bear.
No matter which way I look at it, the connection and emotion between Briar and I are dangerous. It has the ability to distract both of us from the more significant cause. While I know she's brave, and she tries hard, I'm still not sure that if it comes down to it, she will let me die to save millions of souls. I need to be sure of that. I need her to be sure of that.
The best way to force her to disconnect, even if it's just in the slightest bit, is to pull myself away. But it's so damn hard. I roll my right shoulder, purposefully sending a jolt of pain through my back. It wakens me from my trance, and my hands release her. She stumbles a bit and opens her eyes, turning toward me with a questionable look. I put the dagger back on the table and cross my arms over my chest. "You need to be strong. I promise that I'll stand over you so that you can sleep."
She shakes her head. "You need as much strength as you can get."
I smile for just a moment and step forward, giving in to that pull one last time. My fingers gently push the hair from her face and rest on her cheek long enough to feel her warmth. "I can afford to lose sleep. I am immortal. No matter how powerful you are or you will become, you are still a human."
"A human with an immortal soul," she points out.
I nodded. "One that is pushing herself too hard. Come," I say, putting my hand out for hers. "Let me take you to bed."
She agrees with me and follows me from the room and down the hall to where I was sleeping. And while putting her to bed merely consists of making sure she gets comfortable while I stand at the window staring out at the vast expanse of the underworld, there's a pulsating want within my tightening groin to take her to bed in every way possible.
Hopefully, we'll have time for that as the days go on, but for now, I need her focus. All of life may depend on it.
Chapter 5
Briar
My sleep is dreamless, a sense of comfort and safety, no matter how false it is, blankets me.
I haven't slept this good since before Drogaem. I wake on my own, my body feeling stronger, and my mind clearer. Slowly I open my eyes, staring at the door to my room, thankful to have survived another night. I stretch my calves, feeling the soreness in them from my training last night. Carefully I roll over, turning my head toward Kane, who I know is most likely standing at the window as he does when he can't sleep. But when my eyes fall on the windowsill, all I see are pulled thick drapes. I quickly stand up, that familiar feeling of fear fluttering back into my chest.
I'm getting tired of feeling that fear.
I look all around the room, but Kane is not there. My jaw clenches, and that fear is taken over by anger. Kane has left me. He is most likely somewhere in the castle, working on a plan to help us, but he promised. The one thing I've learned since being in the underworld is that even my betrothed refuses to always be honest with me. He only told me he would watch over me so that I would go to bed. He knows that if he doesn't, I will train until my body gives out. And while I understand the reasoning as to why he lied, it's still frustrating, and I feel betrayed by him. We can only count on each other during this time, and that means that we need complete and total honesty between the two of us.
In a huff, I throw the blanket back and turn, setting my bare feet on the clammy stone floor. I stare out at the underworld, and it seems almost darker than it used to be. Everything seems darker. As I lift my body from the comfort of our bed, a roar echoes through the castle. My body freezes, and my eyes shift back toward the door. I know that voice all too well. It is mighty, but it is breaking.
It is Kane, screaming in pain.
Instantly I feel guilty for thinking that Kane had abandoned me. Instead, it's more than evident that he's chained, undergoing the torture that Drogaem puts him through over and over again. On the one hand, it shows that Drogaem is not tired of torturing Kane, which means we may live through the day. On the other hand, it means that Kane is being ripped apart yet again. That pain in my chest rolls deeply through me, hating every second of thought surrounding the torture of the man I have no choice but to love. It's not forced on me, and I know that now. No matter what connection he has bound us to, my love for him comes from another place.
Quickly I grab a dress from the closet, one that I put in the room the night before in case I fell asleep with Kane. I don't really care if Drogaem likes what I am wearing or not, but I need to choose my battles, and fighting with him over a dress isn't something that I want to add to the turmoil. This dress is different than the others, one that was carefully sewn by one of my handmaids before she left. It was a special request, and it makes me feel braver when I put it on. The black fabric clings tightly to my skin, dipping down in a low V in the front and laces up the back. The shoulders are merely fabric, but the torso is a corset, one that leaves room for me to breathe. The skirt flows down the back into a foot long train, while the front cuts up to my thighs. I even had boots made to go with it, but they are stashed away in my old room.
I gently tiptoe out of the room and down the corridor, following the defeated screams echoing from Kane. At the door to the throne room, I stay hidden in the shadows, peeking around the corner to see exactly what is happening. There are two creatures, beasts I have never seen before, whipping Kane over and over again. These creatures have no human characteristics. Their dark green flesh is rough like leather, and sharp pointy scales shimmer beneath the large flames lighting the room. They look like razor blades.
"Don't stand in the shadows, little human," Drogaem says from out of sight. "Come forward."
I hesitate, but immediately I feel that pull of dark magic that Drogaem curses me with. I'm unable to deny him, so I move forward, keeping my hands balled into fists. It is the only control I have at this point. He smiles nefariously at me as he comes forward, pulling something from the waistband of his pants. He grabs my wrist and shoves the dagger into my hand. At first, fear floods me.
Has he found my knife? Was he following me the night before?
I'm almost afraid to look, but as my eyes shift down to the cold handle of the blade, I let out a breath of relief, finding just a dull steel blade in my hand. But why is he giving me this? He knows that if I can, I'll plunge it into his heart regardless of whether it kills him or not. But I don't have control, and he knows that.
"Aren't you going to ask me what I'm giving you that for?"
I tighten my look and gaze at him angrily, letting him know that I'm not going to ask him any questions. He reads my face well and begins to laugh. Walking around behind me, he puts his hands on both of my shoulders and turns me toward Kane. Leaning down, he whispers into my ear, and I flinch, smelling the rotten stench of his breath against my skin. "I want you to carve Kane."
My eyes widen, and I snap my head to the side, staring into Drogaem's eyes. "I will not."
I can see his jaw tighten. "You will, and you know very well you have no control over it."
Almost instantly, I can feel the pull of his magic. One foot moves forward, and then the other. He's pushing me toward Kane. I grip the dagger tightly in my hand and close my eyes, fighting with everything I have against the magical compulsion over me. I begin to summon my godlike powers, feeling the heat pushing and pulling inside of me. I focus on his dark curse, bidding my magic to tear his compulsion apart.
I am winning and losing. My magic is more potent, much more, and with every step forward, I take a step back. I can hear Drogaem's laughter echoing in my head, and it only drives me further to focus on breaking this curse. The light inside of me is so bright I can see it beneath my eyelids. It pul
ses and pushes, getting the upper hand. My feet stop moving, and my grip loosens on the handle of the dagger.
Behind me, Drogaem's laughter ends with his sudden realization. A smile moves across my lips as I push my magic even harder. I can feel Drogaem grip my arm, and his touch is painful. When he whirls me around, my eyes open, and the light recedes. His anger is palpable, and his face is scrunched and scowled. I gasp just as he reaches his hand back, slapping me hard across the cheek, catching my lip. The dagger falls from my hand and clatters across the floor. As I wipe the drop of blood from the corner of my mouth, I can hear Kane growl from behind me. Drogaem can see that I was successfully fighting his spell.
"How dare you defy me. If you ever do that again, I will slice your throat where you stand."
He picks up the dagger and storms toward the door, but I don't feel any fear at all. In fact, I feel nothing but triumph. My magic fought harder than ever before, and I could feel how close I was to breaking his curse as I focused. Had he not stopped me…
Drogaem stops in the doorway and turns back toward me. His hand shoots up, and he points at me, a twisting spiral of dark magic shooting from it, wrapping swiftly around my neck, choking me. I gasp for air, my fingers digging into my flesh as he roars in anger.
"You will not use your magic until I say so."
I can feel the dark magic sinking into my flesh, suffocating my light. While I may be able to breathe again, he's crushing my immortal powers, pushing them down and locking them within a dark chest inside of me. He laughs as I struggle, falling to my knees. The creatures that were torturing Kane ran off when they felt my magic growing stronger.
Drogaem's hand drops, and he sneers as he marches out of the throne room and down the hallway. I place my hands on the ground, breathing heavily, trying to get my bearings.
"Are you all right?" Kane's voice wraps around me, and instantly I'm to my feet, rushing over him to release him from his chains.
As I do, I help to slowly lower him to the ground. Whatever whips they were using were not just leather. There are deep gashes in his flesh, and the only thing they didn't touch was his face. Blood pools out of him, and I put my hands over the wounds trying to close them. I call for my magic, but I can feel it slamming against the wall of darkness that Drogaem has put inside of me.
Tears rush on my face as I try over and over again to heal him. I feel his hand grip my wrist, and I open my eyes. He shakes his head. "It's okay. I've suffered worse in battle. I did not get to where I am without braving wounds before. I will heal."
At this point, the tears just keep flowing. "Why didn't you wake me when he summoned you? I could have been here. Maybe I could've stopped it."
Kane reaches up and touches his finger against my face, leaving a streak of his blood on my cheek. "I wanted you to keep sleeping, so when Drogaem began to summon you, I shouted angrily at him to distract him. I tried to keep my screams at bay, but without you here to be brave for I gave in. I'm sorry."
My breath shutters as I sob, leaning over, pressing my forehead to Kane's. Even though he is strong, I know that his wounds have to hurt. And they hurt because of me. "Don't ever apologize. Screams or not, you are the strongest man I have ever known. I will get my revenge on Drogaem. But for as long as I can help it, I will try not to leave you alone in this ever again."
His sacrifice means more to me that I can express. There will never be a doubt in my mind again. I am his, and he is mine.
Chapter 6
Briar
Kane is resting, and I made sure of that. He wants me to sleep too, but I have things I need to take care of. I know that resting helps my powers, I saw that today, but if I stop pushing, stop looking for help, we're as good as dead. I wait until he is asleep, knowing that telling him about my letter to the rebels and what I plan to do will only make him worry. He has enough to deal with at this point.
I haven't seen Drogaem since he stomped out of the throne room, but I can still feel the suppression of my powers. I'm hoping that within a day or so, he lifts this. He would be stupid to, but his mind is on other things. His want for power takes him over, and he loosens his hold on me without thinking about it.
Creeping down the hallways, I stop every few feet just to make sure no one is following me. The castle is still as it has been. I pull the black cloak I'm wearing around my shoulders and flip up the hood, moving along the edge in the shadows. Though Drogaem controls the shadows now, I hope they do not alert him to my movements. They haven't so far, and it makes me wonder if their loyalty isn't still partially bound to Kane.
I slip through the doorway, taking the steps two at a time and hurry around the corner into the darkness. I'm light on my feet, unsure of what creatures lurk upon the grounds. There is more to the underworld than I could've ever imagined. After seeing the beasts this morning, I'm not feeling very confident in my ability to sneak around. Still, I want to check to see if my letter is gone and if I have received one in return.
I make my way over the training grounds and along the edge of the forest, finding the stump that I have ensured myself will be empty when I reach it. Thankfully, it is. Someone has taken my letter, and I feel positive about the fact that it isn't Drogaem. He has little restraint,
and if he has found it, I would know by now. My eyes shift around the dark forest before I begin to scour the ground for any type of return message. My boots gently fish through the twigs and dirt strewn across the stone cracked ground. I lean closer to the stump, looking within the crack, but there is nothing.
Frustration begins to build inside of me. If they received the letter then why didn't they write me back? The contents of the message made it very clear that I would be waiting for a reply. But maybe my worst fears are true. Maybe they have truly left us.
Narrowing my eyes, I bend down, squatting as I run my hand across the warm surface of the stump. I try to pull forth my magic, hoping that it will help me track whoever has taken the letter, but my magic is tied. Finding nothing, I stand, letting out a frustrated breath. I can't take too much time out here, I run the risk of being caught. I really don't know what excuse I'll give if Drogaem finds me snooping around.
As I turn, ready to head back to the castle in defeat, I hear the crack of a twig. My whole body stops, and slowly I begin to turn toward the darkness of the forest. Before I can even start to find the source of the sound, a body rams into me hard, sending me tumbling head over foot, slamming against one of the trees. I shake my head, my breath quickening. I reach between my thighs and pull my dagger out. As I look up, I see a fist soaring straight for my face. I tumble over, using my feet to dig in and roll forward just as the fist pounds into the tree, sending bark flying. I jump my feet and ready myself, squatting with my dagger out, my eyes shifting back and forth in the darkness.
Something whisks past me with the speed that I've only seen in Kane. It contacts my legs and knocks me to the ground. Before I can catch my bearings, the being is on top of me, gripping my wrists and pulling them down to the ground on each side. They're wearing a heavy dark cloak, and their face is shadowed. I don't have time to try to figure out who it is. With an upward thrust of my knee, I strike them hard between their legs and toss them to the side as they groan, pulling themselves into a ball. I flip the dagger around in my hand and grip the handle tightly, rushing toward them.
Pulling my arm up over my head, I pounce, ready to thrust the blade into whoever is attacking. As my body flies toward them, a hand reaches up and grips me by the neck. The person is healthy, and as they rise to their feet, they pick me from the ground, dangling me in front of them. The dagger falls from my hand and sticks in the ground below. The hand tightens around my neck. My eyes are wide, and I gasp for air.
This is it. This is where my stories going to end. This isn't how I imagined any of it. I have so much left to fight for.
I kick, but I can't reach them. Just as I think they're about to make the finishing grip, cutting off the air to my lungs, they lower me back dow
n to the ground and use their other hand to pull their hood back.
"Willem! What… What are you doing here?" He releases his hold on me, and I stumble back, rubbing my skin.
Willem bends down and pulls the dagger from the dirt, looking at it suspiciously. He smirks and flips it over, holding it by the blade as he hands it back to me. "You need to stop fighting with your hands and use the power inside of you."
I shake my head, sticking the dagger back in its sheath and pulling the front of my dress down. "I can't. Drogaem has put a lock on my magic. I don't know how long he will keep it there."
Willem stares at me for a second and shakes his head. "It shouldn't be that long. Even the most cunning and talented beings cannot hold another's magic at bay for long. They can affect parts of it, but that is a powerful magic that tends to drain the person."
I brush the dirt off of my cloak and pull it tight around my shoulders. "It doesn't matter anyway. I tried today, and I barely broke the surface of his curse before he stopped me. If I can't use my magic, and I'm forced to fight him, I'll never win. I can't even beat you."
Willem rolled his shoulders, and I can see the edges of his wings poking from beneath his cloak. It hurts my heart, knowing that Kane once had such beautiful wings. Willem lets out an exhausted breath. "There's a difference between Drogaem and me. Drogaem relies purely on his powers, and those powers aren't even natural. His physical strength is nowhere near what mine is. But none of that matters. I wanted you to know I got your letter. I understand you're in a bad place, that everyone is in that place, but we're relying on your magic."
I scoff, turning away from him, staring back at the Castle. "Then, we may all be doomed."
Willem shuffles his feet behind me, but I don't turn around. "Then you better start practicing. You could be so much stronger than Drogaem if you would just try."
