The Fallen (Hades Castle Trilogy Book 1)

by C. N. Crawford

  Her eyebrows crept up. “Not a courtesan, then?”

  “No. Someone who takes dictation for my correspondences.”

  “Why did you want to hire me?”

  Excellent question. Why had fate led me to her? “I’m still asking myself that question. But it seems we have a problem if you can’t write.”

  She sat on the edge of my desk. “I’m good at other things.”

  “In your role as courtesan.”

  “Unlike you, I’m good at going unnoticed,” she said.

  “I find that hard to believe.” I studied her. Was this what my dreams had wanted me to do with her? “What else?”

  “I can read lips from afar.”

  “Okay … I suppose I could use an effective spy.”

  Her eyes brightened. “You want information? Secrets? I can sneak through the shadows. No one knows I’m there. I can report back things no one wanted you to hear.”

  Interesting. As it happened, I very much wanted something. “I will give you one night to prove your worth to me. If you are the right person, we will soon know. I will be attending a party, and you will come as my guest. You will join me on Thorn Island, in the palace.”

  “And what exactly do you want me to do?”

  “Your first task will be to feign subtle affection for me.”

  She frowned, looking unsure. “Why?”

  I found my gaze sliding down her body. “I will tell you only what you need to know. The second thing I need is for you to listen in to the conversations of those around you. Go unnoticed. I want you to find out whatever you can about the Free Men. But don’t let anyone else know I’m interested.”

  Something in her eyes seemed to spark at this information, like she was storing it up for later use.

  “Do you know who the Free Men are?” I asked.

  “Patriots. Or so I hear.”

  Anger darkened my mind. “Well that’s quite the euphemism.”

  “I’ve only just heard of them today. I don’t think they’re from my part of the city. And what if I pass this test tonight?”

  “Then you get to keep your money and remain in my employ. But Zahra, if I find that you are disloyal to me, that you are working against me or subverting my goals, you will of course be killed. Executed. In my court, disloyalty is death.”

  “I understand. I just saw the beheading, after all.” She cocked her head. “Just so I know, did you take out a woman’s lungs by any chance, pose them like wings? Would you feel guilt for something like that?”

  Her dress had been ripped and muddied in the chaos outside. Dirt smudged her tan shoulders. She needed to bathe. Why was I so fixated on her body?

  I gritted my teeth, pulling my gaze away from her. What on earth was she talking about? “Guilt? I don’t understand the emotion. I have a purpose, that’s all.” I paused at the doorway, then turned to her. “And you will need to learn to read.”

  I left the room, marching into the chilly hall, but I kept thinking of the sound she’d made—that little gasp when I brushed her skin.

  Somehow, she was the one who’d help me become King of the Fallen, though I didn’t yet know how. My dreams had told me what she’d look like, that she’d be going by the name Zahra. But I certainly hadn’t anticipated that I’d be seeking the help of an illiterate courtesan. I supposed fate could be surprising.

  I pushed through a door into a stairwell, my heart racing like I was gearing up for battle. Zahra had thrown me off balance somehow. As if sensing a threat, I reached for Asmodai, but there was nothing around.

  When I reached the upper floors, I relaxed a little in the expansive library. From floor to ceiling, all of the books were perfectly organized.

  I crossed into my bedchamber, and started to fill the bath with freezing water. I stripped off my clothes completely. For some reason—even though she was mortal—embers of lust had started to spark in me. I would smother them in ice.

  I needed to make sure I kept my wits about me, to focus on my true destiny—becoming High King of the Fallen. And when I did, we would hunt down our mortal enemies and slaughter them, one by one.

  I stepped into the bath, and the shock of the cold sent a jolt up my body, freezing my muscles. As I lowered myself in, my abs clenched at the frigid water.

  I must not let this mortal woman confuse my purpose.

  13

  Lila

  It seemed I still had a job at least, and I’d be going to the Isle of Thorns. I’d never been there, but I knew it was a little island city just west of here, in the middle of the Dark River. It had a palace to rival this one.

  I sat on the edge of the desk, disturbed that my skin still felt hot where his fingertips had brushed against my thigh. That little point of contact was seared into my memory. Addictive. Angels were deeply addictive.

  So it would be important to remember that they’d been ripping out people’s lungs.

  The door swung open, and Lord Sourial leaned against the frame, his hazel eyes twinkling, a curl falling over them. The rings on his fingers glinted as he took a sip of wine.

  “What happens next?” I asked.

  He stretched his arms, giving me a complete view of his chest, as though he liked my eyes on him. “Come on. I’ll show you to your room.”

  He turned into the hallway again, and I followed. I took in the hall as we walked. The vaulted ceiling soared high above us, and torchlight wavered over dark stone.

  Sourial cast a glance over his shoulder, shooting me a look that dripped with pure sex.

  I looked down, feeling myself blush. He was trying to beguile me, and I had to remember I was here for Alice. “Do you have servants?”

  “Of course.”

  “Where are they?” I asked.

  “How should I know?” He sipped his wine. “Serving, here and there.”

  Not very helpful. “How well do you know the count?”

  “Very well. We’ve been through many wars together.” He led me to a narrow set of stairs—clearly they’d been made for mortals long ago, and he hardly fit in them. His shoulders brushed on either side of the wall as he walked, and darkness enveloped us.

  The stairs seemed to climb upward forever, chilly beneath my bare feet.

  “Why did he execute that man outside?” I asked.

  “You have a lot of questions. Can’t you just appreciate the experience of being personally escorted to your room by a lord?”

  “The execution was a memorable experience. I was curious about it.”

  “The count killed him because he was one of the Free Men. And the Free Men don’t believe we belong here. Most of them are aristocrats, angry that they lost power. They’re growing in numbers. They need to be defeated.” He flashed me an easy smile, light dancing in his eyes. “I suppose we will have to kill every last one of them. And frankly, I wouldn’t mind a good battle.”

  The stairwell opened up into a new hall—this one with light slanting in through towering windows onto the flagstones.

  Sourial stopped walking at an arched black door.

  He opened it, revealing a large room with vaulted ceilings. It was a hexagonal shape, with stone walls. From three sides of the room, tall windows let in the morning light. Rays beamed over a circular oak table in the center.

  Most importantly, the table had been set for lunch. My mouth watered as I crossed to it. Steam curled off a steak pie with gravy and roast potatoes. And set around those were bowls of fruit, fresh bread and cheese, and oh my heavens what had I done to deserve this.

  “What’s this?” I asked, stunned.

  “Your room.” He pointed at another doorway that opened in one of the walls. “The bathroom is there in case you want to freshen up.”

  My jaw dropped. I don’t know why I was surprised—I mean it was a castle. “Are you bloody serious?”

  “What?”

  “I just can’t believe I’ll be staying here. I’ve never lived in a place with an indoor bathroom before.”

  He arched
an eyebrow. “Are all the details of your life this disturbing?”

  “You have no idea.” I stared at the table, my stomach rumbling sharply. I grabbed a bunch of grapes, and the tangy juice exploded in my mouth. Grapes. I’d only ever had them once, when they happened to arrive on a ship I’d been pilfering from. I’d never forgotten the taste. A trickle of the juice ran down my chin, and I wiped it off, then licked my finger.

  When I looked up, I found Sourial staring at me with a disconcerting intensity. I’d expected to see disgust at my table manners. Instead, he was giving me a deeply sexual look, desire flickering in his eyes. “Enjoying yourself?” he purred, voice smooth as whiskey.

  My breath shallowed, and I turned away from him. On the other side of the room, a bed lay nestled into an alcove of books, covered in a silky crimson blanket.

  Two different emotions pulled me in either direction: one was joy, and the other was frustration. The chandelier hanging from the ceiling was pure gold, I was sure. The sheets probably cost a fortune. And I’d grown up around kids who starved to death, mums who died of exhaustion.

  I had a million questions ready to spill from my tongue, but the most pressing one was— Why me? Why give me a room like this, fit for a queen? I was just a thief—nothing more, nothing less. I didn’t matter.

  I leaned against the column that rose from the center of the room, feeling the cold stone against my bare back.

  Sourial crossed to a wardrobe that stood in the arched alcove next to the bed. “Eat, bathe, and then you’ll find whatever clothing you need in here. I’ll come back for you later.” His gaze trailed up and down my body, and I felt my chest flushing.

  He stalked closer to me. “I can hear your heart racing, you know, when I look at you.”

  I stood against the column, staring at him. How could I not stare? “Don’t misinterpret it.”

  He moved closer still, and held his wineglass up to me—more of a golden goblet, really. “Take a sip. You’ve never tasted anything so good.” His voice somehow promised pain and pleasure in one—silky smooth, but with an edge beneath it.

  I looked into his eyes over the rim of the chalice—hazel, shot through with the deepest gold. His scent was musky and seductive. I wondered what he looked like when his wings were out.

  Never before had I wanted to drink something more. So I took it from his hands, and I drank, letting the deliciously ripe wine roll over my tongue. He was right. I’d never tasted anything so amazing. I closed my eyes, taking another sip, pleasure sliding over my tongue.

  When I opened my eyes again, I saw him staring at me, his irises dimmed to the black of a night sky—sinful and seductive.

  Don’t let him enchant you, Lila.

  I handed the chalice back and pulled my gaze away from him, catching my breath. “Lord Sourial? Do you know why I was chosen?”

  “You want something from me,” he murmured. “Answers. What do I get in return? Information is currency.”

  I nodded. “Knowledge is power.”

  “So what will you give me?” His smooth voice caressed me.

  I already knew what he wanted. “A kiss?”

  His dark eyes flashed with gold, and he was so close to me now, I could feel the heat pouring off him. As soon as his hand touched the side of my face, I felt the erotic pleasure of an angel’s touch.

  Mesmerized, I found my breath hitching. His gaze trailed down my body like a sensual caress, taking in everything. I felt as if he could see right through the tattered material I wore.

  When his look brushed up my body again, it lingered on my mouth. My belly swooped with heat.

  He’s beguiling you, Lila.

  “You are particularly delicious,” he murmured. One of his arms pressed against the column behind me, boxing me in.

  Then, he wrapped his other hand around the back of my neck. Delicious warmth spilled through me at his touch. Heat pooled between my thighs, and a need was building in me.

  He leaned in closer, and along with the musk, I breathed in the scent of jasmine. I licked my lower lip, and his eyes caught the movement, pupils dilating.

  When his lips pressed against mine—the touch light—molten heat rushed, making me ache for him. He’d hardly touched me at all, and already I knew it was magic, but the lust was real all the same. I wanted to pull off my dress, wanted him to take me hard against the column.

  My mouth opened to his. His kiss deepened, tongue brushing against mine. His body pressed against me. One of his hands was moving down my side. The light touch was sexual torture over the soft material of my gown, and I needed it off, my breasts straining for him.

  It wasn’t until I felt that cold castle air on my bare thighs that my senses started to sharpen again, the haze of lust clearing. Sourial had lifted the hem of my dress, and already his fingertips were finding their way to my knickers.

  With an iron force of will, I pulled away from the kiss, and pressed my hands against his bare, steely chest. I pushed him away. “Just a kiss.” I struggled to catch my breath.

  His eyelids were lowered, irises dark, like he’d been drugged. But he took a step away from me.

  “You owe me an answer,” I said.

  His chest was rising and falling faster than it should, his eyes blazing with a dark heat. “You wanted to know why the count chose you? It’s because he sees visions in his dreams. And in his dreams he saw the music hall where he was supposed to find you. He heard the name Zahra. Can’t say that I’m disappointed with his dreams in this case. I think you and I could have fun together.”

  “Is he Samael?” I asked. “Is he the one ripping out lungs?”

  “You got one answer to your one question. Unless you want another kiss?”

  I licked my lips. But the sensation had been too strong, too dangerous. My legs still felt weak. If I let myself sink into his sexual spell, I’d lose my mind.

  “That was enough.”

  And with that, Sourial turned and sauntered out the door.

  My body still ached for him, but I tried to push the thought out of my mind.

  I crossed to the windows, examining them to see if any of them opened. The windows would be my conduit to Ludd, the crow. And Ludd was my conduit to the outside world.

  On either side of the towering stained glass, I found smaller windows with latches. I unhooked one of them, then leaned out the window. Finn had taught me how to call for Ludd, using clicks and coos.

  I called quietly into the skies, hoping I might get reassuring news already. When I saw Ludd fluttering closer, a rolled note in his feet, my heart sped up. He landed on the windowsill and dropped the note on the ledge. I smiled at him, petting his head a little, and he flew off.

  When I unrolled the little scroll, I found drawings from Finn, signed with a raven symbol on the bottom.

  But it wasn’t something reassuring, as I’d hoped.

  He’d drawn three pictures—an hourglass running out of time, a dead raven with blood coming from his neck, and an angel, holding a sword, his face contorted with fury.

  The images were beautifully rendered, frighteningly realistic.

  It didn’t take me long to work out what the meaning was. I didn’t have long until the count and his army started slaughtering all the Albians, one by one.

  Just as the writing on the wall had said—time was up.

  Best get ready for my evening with the count, then. I’d find out whatever information I could, if it could stop him from murdering everyone. I just had to make sure that the angels didn’t catch on to my betrayal.

  14

  Lila

  I’d never been on a train before, and I felt completely exhilarated. We were in a little carriage with velvet seats—the count’s personal train.

  I stole a glance at the count, sitting across from me. Despite the fact that we had less than a foot of room between us, he was ignoring me completely, gray eyes staring out the window from under his cloak. He looked too large for the space.

  The train was movin
g along slowly, the sun setting outside and staining the sky with vibrant hues of plum and strawberry. From the elevated tracks, I had a view of the meandering Dovren streets below, the steep peaked roofs, the chimneys jutting out, and windows that glowed faintly in the twilight. As the train rolled by, I could see that parts of Dovren were so different to where I’d grown up. Some of the homes even had gardens with fruit trees. Policemen patrolled the streets, dressed in their black clothes. Keeping things safe. Keeping people like me away.

  To the left, the Dark River wended through the city like the back of a serpent. Brick warehouses rose up on the south side of it.

  I’d dressed myself in a sedate gown of gray silk, and no jewelry. I wore a cape of a slightly darker gray, and the softest wool, around my shoulders.

  In this small space, it was hard not to feel his magic wafting off him—an aphrodisiac spell that snaked under my silk gown.

  A waiter carrying a tray knocked on our carriage door, and the count nodded him in. The man held out a tray with two cocktails. I took one—why not? But the count simply waved it away. Clearly, he loathed fun.

  I took a sip of the drink, finding that it tasted of lime and champagne, and glittered with little gold flakes.

  “What else can you tell me about tonight?” I asked. “Who is throwing this party? It’s a bit early for a party, isn’t it?” It was only seven.

  “Lord Armaros. He comes from Clovia. His many wives will be at the party, and he likes his celebrations to go on for as long as possible.”

  I frowned. “I didn’t know Clovians were allowed to have more than one wife.”

  “We aren’t typical Clovians.”

  You don’t say. “Care to elaborate?” I asked.

  “No.”

  “Is Sourial married?” I asked.

  His eyes narrowed. “Why are you asking about him?” A blade of steel undercut in his tone.

  “Just making conversation.”

  “Sourial and I are unusual among our kind. We have no wives.”

  “Will he be at the party, too?”