bedeviled & beyond 07 - beset & bewildered

by Sam Cheever

  Torre frowned, stepping back to look at me. “You’ve grown even more lovely since I saw you last.”

  I rubbed my arms and glowered at him. “You haven’t changed at all. You’re still an insensitive ass.”

  Anger flared in his midnight gaze but it was extinguished quickly, humor replacing it. “Always the consummate Ice Princess. I shall enjoy thawing you.” He turned away and strode quickly toward the door.

  “Wait, you can’t just leave me here.”

  Torre lifted a hand negligently over his shoulder. “Have no fear, my heart. I’ll be back soon. I have some business to attend to first.” He stopped in the open doorway, the broad backs of the two stone-faced guards framing his elegant form. “Then we’ll see about rebuilding the love we lost.”

  I shook my head, terror blossoming in my breast. I realized as the door swung quietly shut behind him that the terror came not from the idea that Torre would force himself on me, but that I might actually welcome him back into my life.

  It was obvious we were no longer compatible.

  Were we?

  Then I remembered Slayer and the tender bud which had been attempting to open in my heart withered and died. If Torre could so ruthlessly murder a friend...a man I cared deeply for...then he and I had no future together.

  Even as I had the thought, a soul-blackening despair swept over me. Walking to the windows overlooking the fiery depths of Hell beyond the castle walls, I finally allowed the tears to fall. With Slayer’s passing, my life had changed irreparably, leaving a large black hole where once friendship and comradery had been. With that thought, my knees buckled and I sank to the floor, leaning my head against the warm glass of the floor-to-ceiling windows. Beyond the glass pain and horror was so predominant and unrelenting as to be numbing. No strong emotion can be sustained indefinitely and at some point even the most soul-wrenching pain became just so much white noise. But inside the glass, in my very own fresh piece of Hell, the agony was raw and new enough to still be devastating, capable of slicing my heart into pieces.

  A jolt of static noise in my mind tore me from my sorrow. Someone was trying to communicate with me. With an instinctual fear that it was Torre, I attempted to put up a mental block to cut him off. But in my grief I was slow to react. Before the barrier dropped fully into place, a shrill, ear-shattering tone ripped through my brain, causing me to scream in agony. The inside of my head exploded beneath the slicing tones, spreading misery in a wave through my entire body. I covered my ears and folded into a ball on the floor as the strident tones continued. Reality faded beneath the attack. For what seemed like an eternity, I forgot where I was, what I’d lost and how much I hated it. I trembled under the auditory assault, sweating and screaming under its immense power. I began to worry it would never end, and my mind would be turned to pudding by its horrific violence.

  But finally the noise began to fade, easing into a relatively soft ringing sound inside my head. When even that finally stopped I lay panting for a minute, afraid to move for fear it would come back. A warm wetness trickled from my ears and when I pulled my hands away there was blood coating both palms.

  I sat up in shock and shoved to my feet, anger replacing fear. Enough! No more blubbering like a baby. I was officially pissed the hell off. I’d find a way out of the castle and off the Hell plane and go find my sister. We’d pull together an army, gather up whatever remaining Hellhounds we could find, and we’d return to destroy Torre’s nasty little plans.

  Whatever they were.

  I was done being his docile little plaything. He was about to meet a royally torqued warrior princess. And he wasn’t going to enjoy the experience.

  The metal doors slammed open and the two guards came running into the room, eyes wide. They took one look at me and reached for their swords. They never made it. Almost as soon as I had the thought to move, I was shifting. I slammed an energy-infused punch to the first guard’s chest and grabbed his sword with my other hand. As he stumbled clumsily backward, I was already swinging the heavy blade.

  The other guard dissected the arc of my swing, meeting my attack with a force that reverberated through my bones. But I was running on pure adrenalin, fueled with magic, and I rushed him, shoving him back with my blade.

  His heels hit the body of the first guard and he went down with a grunt, his sword lowering enough for me to slash a deep wound across his chest.

  His small, black eyes flared briefly and, before I knew what he was up to, he’d swung his blade with enough power to shove my sword to the side. He followed quickly with a shallow cut across my arm.

  Blood welled from the cut, searing fire along my skin. I spun, dancing quickly backward as my adversary leapt to his feet and surged toward me. He moved so quickly my eyes almost couldn’t follow and, for a moment, he had me on my heels. I stumbled back, barely keeping my blade up to fend off his lightning fast attack. The guard I’d felled finally regained his senses and was pushing to his feet. He reached for me as I stumbled past and I spun in a circle, pulling energy forward to lock down in a protective bubble just as the second guard’s sword found my chest. The deadly point of the blade hit my bubble and stuck.

  I looked at the bloody point mere inches from my breast, and then slowly skimmed him a look, allowing my lips to curve into a slow, smug smile.

  His black gaze widened, panic welling in his eyes. He tried to pull his blade free but my bubble held.

  I reached through the bubble and touched the wide blade of his embedded sword. He blinked as if he knew what I was about to do. But he didn’t move fast enough. I grabbed the edge of the blade and sent everything I had into it.

  Energy sparked at the point of my touch and sizzled hotly, expanding into a thick column of pure light that surged along the metal blade and into the guard’s thick fingered red hand. He grunted as it hit, his big body jerking spasmodically as the power drove into him and turned his insides to tar.

  His gaze dulled. His head lolled to one side. And he slowly crumpled to the ground, his sword still hanging in midair.

  The first guard lunged toward me, reaching for the suspended blade.

  I watched him come, my smile widening. Surely he wouldn’t be so stupid?

  He very nearly was. His hand mere inches from the leather bound handle of his partner’s sword, the guard stopped, his black gaze rising to my face. He frowned and, after a moment’s thought, lifted his meaty red paws and took two steps back.

  I allowed the bubble to fall, waiting for the sword to clatter to the ground and then kicked it away.

  He skimmed it a look.

  With a thought I was in front of him, my blade shoved under his scaly chin. “Don’t even think about it.”

  He blinked. “No wonder Prince Torre wants you. You move like a Royal.”

  I frowned. “Where is Prince Torre now?”

  The guard’s scarlet lips slammed shut.

  I sank the tip of my blade into his thick neck.

  His eyes went wide. “I won’t be a part of letting you kill him.”

  I was torn. His loyalty was admirable. But I needed to know Torre’s location. “I promise you I have no desire to hurt him. I just want to go home.”

  The guard narrowed his gaze. “How do I know I can trust you?”

  I shrugged. “I guess you don’t.” I thought about it for a minute. “If I were to go up to the dragon’s nest, would I bump into the Prince?” I knew the guard could lie as easily as I could. I wasn’t that naïve. But it didn’t matter. I had a plan.

  His wide mouth twitched and I watched him frantically rub his only two brain cells together in an effort to form a coherent thought. I only hoped he didn’t blow the overworked things out before he responded. Finally he nodded. “You’d be safe in the dragon’s nest.”

  I smiled. “Good.” Infusing my swing with power, I flipped the sword and slammed the hilt against his head. He crumpled to the floor with a meaty thud.

  I didn’t stop to check if he was unconscious, I couldn’t s
pare the time. Running to the door, I peered both ways down the hall and eyed the distant stairwell. I shifted to the landing and glanced upward, momentarily tempted to jump on a dragoyle and hightail it back toward the mountain pass. But in the end I decided not to deviate from plan. Instead, I headed for the stairwell leading down. Toward the bowels of the huge castle.

  Into the dungeon.

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  Garbage in, Garbage out

  All aboard! Step to the back,

  And mind you don’t sit on that petrified gargoyle colon.

  The sounds of a busy castle followed me down the first several flights of stairs. Raucous laughter, shouts and banging doors spurred me to run faster and faster until I was breathless and stumbling. Every sound made me jerk around in fear, thinking someone was coming after me. But as the light dimmed and the stone walls and steps became greasy with moisture, I slowed and willed my pulse to decelerate.

  Torre and his men wouldn’t be looking for me in the dungeon. When they reached the dragon’s nest it would take them some time to figure out if I’d managed to escape. By the time they figured out I hadn’t gone to the roof, I would be well on my way out of the horrible place.

  Theoretically.

  I’d been kept prisoner for a time in a similar castle in Hell. I remembered the prison wasn’t the only thing in the dungeon. The refuse facilities had also been in the subterranean level of the enormous structure. If I was very lucky, Dialle’s castle was designed the same way.

  I hit the bottom of the steps and stopped, melting into the shadows as footsteps hurried toward me from an unseen passageway. I leaned against the slimy stone and lifted the blade before me, closing my eyes and pulling air pungent with smoke and mildew deeply into my lungs. If I was going to have to fight my way to the refuse room, I would need to be calm and centered. There would no doubt be more than one guard lingering in the dark passageways.

  The footsteps came quickly toward me. I judged them to belong to at least two people, maybe more. I couldn’t help wondering if they were coming after me. To drag me to a prison cell as punishment for escaping Torre’s elegant prison above.

  My hands tightened around the handle of the sword and, with a final, calming breath, I lifted the blade and prepared to attack.

  The shadows swayed as soft footfalls continued in my direction. Still tucked safely against the wall, I didn’t think I’d been spotted. There was no outraged shout, no drawing of swords.

  My nostrils twitched as smoky air wafted over me and I stuck my finger under my nose to keep from sneezing.

  The footsteps stopped suddenly and the runners went very still. A flame flared from the cloaked edges of the passageway and I knew I’d been spotted. I stepped from my cloistered space. “I won’t let you take me without a fight.”

  A second flare flashed in the dimness and suddenly I could see who I was facing. I gasped in surprise.

  A man and a woman stared at me with obvious surprise. Behind them stood two enormous black hounds.

  Caninra grinned, her perfect white teeth glowing through the glooms. “I have to say I’m impressed, halfling. I didn’t think you’d be able to free yourself so quickly. If at all.”

  The man moved closer to Caninra, placing an arm around her shoulders. “Who is this woman, Ninra?”

  The keeper slid him a glance, her smile dimming. “The woman I told you about, my mate. The queen’s sister.”

  His handsome face darkened and fire flared in his orange-brown gaze. “Torre’s concubine?” He raised his hands and claws sprang from them, their ivory lengths glistening in the light from the hound shifters’ eyes.

  Energy spiked, spitting in silver arcs from my fingertips. “I’m nothing of the kind.” Lifting my blade, I prepared to fight. “I’m as much a prisoner here as you apparently were.” I frowned. “By the way, how’d you get out?” Then it registered that there were two hounds standing behind them. “I take it your hounds weren’t killed out there?”

  The smaller of the two beasts moved up next to Caninra, nuzzling her with its wide, black nose. She placed a hand on its head. “A distraction. Nothing more.” She bit her lip, glancing at the man who was evidently her mate. “We need to go.”

  I allowed my magic to recede but kept the blade at the ready in case Caninra’s mate decided to take his bad day out on me. “Where are you going?”

  They started to move past me. I stepped backward, keeping my sword between me and the hounds, who eyed me with a little too much interest for my taste. The larger one licked his black lips, fire flaring along his broad back. “Up,” Caninra said.

  I suddenly realized they were planning to fight their way to the dragon’s nest. “I wouldn’t if I were you. That’s where I sent Torre and his guards.”

  They stopped, turning slowly to scour me with pique. “You what?”

  I shrugged. “I had to send them somewhere so I could make it down to the dungeon.”

  The keeper’s mate frowned. “Why did you come down to the prisons? It doesn’t seem a very intelligent move.”

  “I don’t know how intelligent it is but I had two reasons for coming to this level. First, I need to release Gerch and his soldiers.”

  Caninra curled her lip. “The king’s men were sent back to him. Apparently the prince wants no part of declaring war on his brother.”

  While I was happy to hear Gerch and his men were safe, it was obvious Torre wasn’t thinking clearly. Dialle’s assessment of his mental state was obviously correct. “By trying to keep me here he’s still declaring war on the court.” I told the hounds. “My sister’s not going to take it well.”

  Caninra nodded. “You said you had two reasons?”

  I turned and started walking down the passage, heading for the sour smell of garbage. My spirits lifted as I realized my guess had been right. “The garbage scow.”

  “The what?”

  I reluctantly stopped. Though I was impatient to be on my way, my angel side wanted to help Caninra and her group. Even though she’d handed me to Torre on a golden platter. I could forgive her...sort of...since she’d been trying to save the man she loved. “Look, you’re welcome to come with me if you want. I have a plan to get out of Hades. But we need to get moving before Torre figures out where I’ve gone.” My greatest fear was that he’d somehow tap into the weak mark he’d given me and read my plans from my mind. “I’m going. If you’re coming with you’d better get moving.”

  Then I turned away and took off running toward the putrid stench riding the air at the far end of the passage. If I was really lucky, the garbage scow would be empty and still docked. Even as I had the thought, static flared in my mind and I braced for the agony to come.

  It didn’t disappoint.

  The knife-like tones razored through my head, reverberating within my skull and vibrating my teeth. Since I’d been ready for it, I managed not to scream as it hit, but the torment made my legs weak and I slammed up against the wall, my hands covering my ears. Warm blood ran from my nose and dripped in a vibrant puddle on the floor beneath me as I hunched over, helpless against the excruciating pain.

  A voice called my name from far away, muffled and indistinct. Hands grasped my shoulders and I jerked away, sliding toward the ground where I folded into myself as the shrill tones tore the soft tissue of my brain into ribbons.

  Warm liquid ran from my ears.

  There were more voices, calling my name as I opened my mouth and started to scream. A big, hard hand slapped over my mouth and another, softer than the first, touched my forehead and sent fire into my brain to mix with the knives.

  The world went black.

  I awoke some time later when someone slapped me. I made a feeble attempt to block the next strike but I couldn’t lift my arms fast enough and flesh hit flesh again, my head snapping back. “Hey!”

  “She’s awake.”

  I pried my eyes open and glared up at the square-jawed male and his orange-eyed mate. “I haven’t had enough pain so you decide
d to punch me too?”

  Caninra rolled her eyes. “I just slapped you a little. Don’t be such a baby.”

  They reached for me and, still sloggy from the aural attack, I couldn’t keep them from wrenching me to my feet.

  “Ouch!” Their grip was amazingly strong and their skin was as hot as fire. Rubbing the spots on my arms where they’d grabbed me, I glowered at the keeper and her mate. “With friends like you...”

  “Yeah, whatever,” Caninra said. She glanced down the passageway and whistled in a pitch so low I barely heard it. The pitter pat of giant paws immediately followed her summons and soon the two hounds appeared, tongues lolling like dogs. “Are they coming?” Caninra asked her hounds.

  The bigger one shook his head, his fiery gaze intense. The smaller one approached me, extending her nose to sniff the puddle of blood by my feet. Then she looked up and whined softly.

  My glower faded away. I got the sense the beast was commiserating with me and I felt self-conscious. Scraping the back of my hand beneath my nose, I sniffled. “We need to get going.”

  “Ya think?” Caninra’s mate said.

  Energy bubbled beneath my skin as I threw him a glare. “What is your name, anyway? I like to know the names of the people I can’t stand to be around.”

  “Randshted. It’s an honor to make your acquaintance, Princess.” He bowed low, sweeping an arm as he gave me an insincere smirk.

  I shook my head. “After we get out of here you can tell me what I’ve done to make you dislike me so much. Until then, I’d appreciate it if you’d try to control your disdain.”

  “At your command.”

  My lip curled before I could stop it. I took off running, no longer caring if they joined me or not. All I wanted to do was get out of that castle and away from whatever was playing brain billiards with my head. As I ran I wondered why we hadn’t come upon any guards yet. Ahead of us was an open cell door, the surface covered in blood. I slowed as I approached it, my hand tightening on the hilt of the sword.