by Sarah Reeves
“I didn’t even know his name,” murmured Alex, suddenly feeling regret.
“His name is Loren. His daughter is Arabella.” Dr. Drake’s voice was subdued. “Nobody should have to lose their mother at that age. Not like this.”
“I can’t imagine what that’s like,” said Kieran, still staring after the departed Undari. “I don’t want to.”
“Will they be upset that our king and queen weren’t here?” Asked Alex.
“On the contrary,” answered Kieran. “It’s frowned upon for the monarchs of another Realm to attend the funeral rites of one Realm. The only reason I was tolerated to be here is because Queen Ciara’s death happened in our Realm. If Mom or Dad showed up, it would be considered offensive.” At Alex’s confusion, Kieran elaborated: “The death of a royal family member, no matter the Realm, is a very private thing, and should only be witnessed by those from that Realm. That, and the monarchs of a different Realm showing up at a time of such vulnerability…”
“Got it.” Alex sighed. “I feel like I’ve seen something so unbelievably ancient, and I shouldn’t have.”
Alistair walked to the Portal. “I don’t blame you. The creation of a constellation is something that doesn’t happen often. The last time was when the Unseen murdered Arabella’s older brother.” He turned just in time to see Alex’s stunned expression. “He was next in line for the throne, Rowan was.”
“He was a few years older than me,” Kieran put in. “Cool guy, we sparred a couple times over the years, during the Inter-Realm Games. Rowan could fight. Definitely more skilled than I was. It was a blow to all of us when he was murdered. Throw in the threat of war, and the whole situation was an explosion waiting to happen.” His face became grim. “Makes me wonder how close to war we are this time.”
Chapter Twenty Two
Kieran’s words haunted Alex through the rest of the evening. The gathering of the samples went without a hitch, and Alistair was back in the infirmary, which had been fully converted into a lab. Her Companion walked Alex back to her room. Neither of them said anything; Alex was still absorbing everything she had seen and heard throughout the day, and Kieran was deep in thought.
In her room, Alex mechanically undressed and showered, placing her hands against the side of the shower stall and letting the hot water soothe her body, She wasn’t sore, but it felt that way, in a sense. Her mind was exhausted, and images of the days’ events flashed behind her closed eyes. It just felt good to be in darkness, with the water, breathing in the steam that swirled from her heated skin. So tempting was it for her to stay in that comfort that Alex had to talk herself into getting out and drying off.
Freshly washed, in her pajamas, Alex sat on the edge of her bed and looked around. It was almost surreal to her, the solitude and the quiet. If Vera was in her room, Alex couldn’t hear her. That was another thing. Guilt crowded in on her when she thought of the girl who’d been one of her first friends. Alex was so angry with her at the time that scaring her was satisfying, and Alex didn’t like that at all.
Sighing, she lowered herself so that she was lying on her back, legs dangling off the bed. “I guess I’ll have to try and find her, and apologize,” she murmured to herself. Right now, she needed all the friends she could get, and she genuinely admired the girl. Vera had even helped Alex and Kieran after Alex had been cruel to her. There weren’t many others that would do something like that. Whether it was out of personal guilt, the goodness of her heart, or a combination of both, Vera’s help had been invaluable.
Alex let out another deep breath, and closed her eyes again, wishing she were still in that shower. Her eyes jerked back open when a knock sounded at her door. “Geez, can’t I get a moment’s peace?” She grumbled, hauling herself upright and padding to the door. Opening it a crack showed that nobody was standing on the other side, so Alex pushed the door open further to reveal a basket sitting on the step. Bending down, she fought off the urge to listen for ticking before picking it up and bringing it inside to check it’s contents.
“Food?” Reaching in, Alex selected a funny looking fruit, then pawed through the rest. There was some kind of pasta looking dish in a covered glass bowl, the fruit, and a bottled drink that Alex couldn’t identify. Opening it, she sniffed and rolled her eyes appreciatively at the floral scent of tea. Her hand brushed a piece of paper at the bottom. A note.
Alex, it said. I know you haven’t eaten today, so I grabbed a couple of things from the dining hall and brought them over. I don’t know what you like, so I picked this, but the tea is supposed to help you sleep better. Get some rest, yeah?
Your douchebag,
Kieran
Alex held the note for a few moments, smiling softly without realizing it. Maybe that was part of what kept Kieran quiet on their walk to her room. It was such a sweet gesture, and Alex carefully placed the note on the bedside table. Then she dug in. She hadn’t really thought about food that day, until the smell of the pasta hit her nose and made her mouth water. It was delicious, the closest thing Alex could think of to compare it to was chicken alfredo, but less rich. It quickly disappeared, and she eyed the bowl, seriously considering licking it clean. Nobody would see it. She opted to set it aside and enjoy the fruit, which definitely didn’t compare to anything that was on earth. There wasn’t even a way to describe the taste, expect that it was weirdly savory, like cheese. But sweet. And… never mind. Alex opened the bottle of tea again and sipped, loving the taste. Before she realized it, she’d finished the whole thing. Faintly surprised, she held up the bottle.
Drowsiness hit Alex like a punch. “Hold on,” she muttered, slurring heavily. “This isn’t…” she tried to stand, but her knees gave way and she collapsed to the floor. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and before she lost consciousness, she saw her door open through blurry eyes. “Who..?” she tried to ask, but it was no good. Alex blacked out as hands reached to take her.
The slap woke Alex like a charm, but there was no instant cure for the disorientation. It was dark, so dark that if she were able to raise her hand, she wouldn’t be able to see it no matter how close she held it to her face. It pressed against her eyes.
“Well, the note said that you should get some rest.” The voice, familiar to Alex in a bewildering way, echoed. “You can tell him that I helped you with that. Or actually, you can’t. I’d give you the villain speech about how you won’t be alive to tell him, but I’m sure you’ve gathered that for yourself.”
Sure enough, Alex wriggled, and found that her hands and feet were bound, as was her torso. She was sitting upright, ropes wrapped around a pole she was tied to. The thought of burning through the ropes crossed her mind, but her captor laughed.
“You can’t get out,” she said. “Those are spelled to hold you, no matter what powers you decide to be able to manifest this time. Normally, Master wouldn’t take those kinds of measures, but you’ve proven to be a giant pain in his ass.”
The Unseen. Of course. Alex jerked again, but through the increasing fear she knew it wasn’t going to get her anywhere. Pushing back the panic, she tried to think. “Who are you?” she asked. Her voice shook.
“You haven’t figured that out yet?” There was a laugh. “Gods, I knew you weren’t the brightest, but I didn’t know you were downright stupid.” Her voice turned singsong. “Shouldn’t a daughter always know the voice of her mother?” Light flared, a small amount, but enough to illuminate Adrien’s face, grinning at Alex. It was a smile that made her blood run cold.
“Adrien.” Alex was breathing harder, struggling against the bindings without registering she was doing so. “Adrien, let me go. You don’t want to do this. Whatever he has over you, whatever he’s done, we can fix-”
“Fix it?” The light went out, and laughter reverberated. Alex guessed that they were in a cave. Or something like it. “There’s nothing to fix. Master has made me perfect. No limitations, no emotions tying me to you, the child that doesn’t even consider me to be her mother. The Golde
n Child, the one that’s supposed to be more powerful than Master. You want to know what I see?” Her voice was suddenly in Alex’s ear, making her flinch violently to her right, earning another bite from the ropes. “I see a cowardly, weak, entitled little girl, who expects to be the strongest in the Realms simply because some old man said so. I see someone who isn’t strong enough in character, let alone in power, to defeat even the smallest opponent. You’re nothing but a letdown to even the most devout Seer, if there were any left. The only thing that’s special about you is how spectacularly disappointing you are to everyone around you.” Adrien’s voice receded again, but Alex was no less terrified. “Master’s on his way now, and then you’ll know what real weakness feels like. Right before he kills you, and everyone you love.”
Alex’s chest started to hurt, and she had a hard time telling if it was the fear or the ropes that was putting the pressure on her. I’m going to die, she thought. I should have stayed with Kieran. I should have stayed with my family. She was well into a full on panic attack, when the sound of approaching footsteps halted her thoughts. Halted her breathing. The Unseen.
His voice, Hannah’s voice, reached Alex’s ears. “Oh, this is delicious.” The steps stopped close to where Adrien’s voice sounded only moments before. “You’re here with two of the people who matter most to you. Your mommy, and your bestest friend. Well, kind of.” Insane laughter bounced off the walls, sharp and grating. “I’d hug you, but you’re all tied up.”
“Don’t touch me,” Alex gasped harshly. She was glad for her temporary blindness. Until she could calm down, the sight of the monster Hannah’s body hosted and her now changed mother would surely break her mind. It was a wonder she wasn’t already screaming her way into madness.
“Yes, it is remarkable, isn’t it?” The Unseen’s footsteps sounded closer. “All this stimuli, and you’re still sane. That won’t last long, though. Oh, no. No, I have to make you suffer for the inconvenience you’ve been in the grand scheme of things. I would have already been halfway to Realm domination by now, if you weren’t so irritating. Oh, don’t blubber,” he snapped as Alex tried to speak. “Of course I can read your mind. I’m more powerful than you could hope to be, more so than your insignificant mind can even comprehend.”
“But enough of this. It’s time to begin.” The Unseen clapped his hands, and light sprang forth on either side of the chamber they were in. Stone wall encased them, reaching to about a meter higher than Adrien, who was taller than the Unseen. The cave was smaller than Alex had thought, probably the size of the cell she was thrown in an eternity ago. She found that focusing on details like that slowed her heartbeat.
Not for long.
“Oh!” The Unseen, wearing Hannah’s gruesome remains, turned sharply on his heel, straggly hair flying. “Did I mention? We have a guest!” He clapped his hands together, and Alex couldn’t help the horrified shriek when a three legged, tentacled monster dragged itself into the cave, carrying a bundle of rags in it’s warped jaws. They were tossed at Adrien’s feet, who lifted them easily despite the slime that coated them. She carried them to a post opposite Alex, who watched with growing nausea as the person inside was put upright and tied there. Alex’s eyes widened, and she bit her tongue on another scream when red hair came into view.
Kieran woke with a start when Adrien’s hand cracked across his cheek. He looked around, gasping, until his eyes met Alex’s. He started to struggle, wrenching at the ropes that kept him in place.
“Let her go!” His roar brought tears to Alex’s eyes. She’d never seen that look on his face before. She never wanted to see it again.
“Oh, but she just got here!” The Unseen exclaimed. “Don’t you want to watch the show?” Turning, he stepped over to Alex, who shrank back despite herself. “Don’t you want to see what happens?” He turned his head to smile at Kieran, an evil light in his eyes. “I know I do.” The last sentence came out deep, gravelly, demonic. Alex silently pleaded with her Companion to be still, to be calm. She knew it wasn’t going to help. He was going to watch her die. The tears spilled over.
“Let him go,” she pleaded in a trembling voice. “Please. He didn’t do anything to you. He’s not part of this, please just let him leave!” She was openly crying now, ashamed at how weak she sounded, but she had to do something. It was far better for him to imagine her death than to see the truth of it.
“That’s not going to happen.” The Unseen’s smile grew larger, until it stretched his face beyond natural limitations. “He gets to watch.”
“Kieran don’t-” Alex’s words turned into a scream as something pierced her side, slicing up her ribs to stop at her shoulder. Blood soaked the floor in splashes, nearly black in the torchlight. It burned, more than she thought being cut open would. The scent of copper filled her nose. Kieran’s yells were suddenly muffled, as though there were pillows pressed to Alex’s ears, but the Unseen’s gleeful cries drowned them both out. Alex’s vision tunneled and her head felt light.
“Isn’t this fun? I get to take her out of the equation, you get to watch, and I get to show you what happens when pesky little insects mess with my plans! And that’s not even the best part,” he continued, bending so his eyes, Hannah’s eyes, were level with Alex’s. His face swam in front of her. “I’ve barely started.” The knife flashed, drawing another scream from Alex, who arched back against the pole. “You see, the beauty of this?” He sliced again, more blood flowed from a long gash in Alex’s arm. His voice burned through the mindless horror that manifested in Alex in a wave of bile. It rose above the desperate pleas coming from Kieran, whose princely dignity was gone as he wept and begged for the life of his Companion. “I could use my power to hurt you. I could burn you,” Alex shrieked again as the slices on her body flared up, flames crackling at the edges of the wounds. “Take away your air,” he continued, and Alex’s breath rattled in her chest as the oxygen around her disappeared, and gasped as it was returned. “Do so many things to you in any number of ways. But this, the simplicity, the intimacy of it, makes it better than all of those other methods.” More searing slices, on Alex’s legs this time, which jerked away from the blade. Her breath came in sharp, rapid gasps, and sweat rolled down the side of her face. “I can make it last as long as I want. I can go slow,” he said, demonstrating. Alex tasted blood in the back of her throat. “I can go fast.” A slash, a flash of metal, and Alex’s eyes rolled back as she passed out. She was brought to with another slice to her face, which stung more as tears dripped down into the wound. “Oh, no no no, dear.” The Unseen patted her cheek. “You don’t get to check out, not until I kill you.”
“Let her go, please!” Kieran’s voice was hoarse, and through the haze blurring her vision, Alex could see him straining to get to her with everything he had. “Take me, I’m royalty, don’t you want revenge against the throne? Isn’t that why you’re poisoning our people?”
Adrien laughed now, the sound ringing in the cavern. The Unseen, unfazed, kept carving Alex’s skin into ribbons. Too weak to scream, the young woman could only jerk against her bonds with each cut. “Stupid child,” snarled Adrien. “You honestly think that revenge is what the toxin is for?” She turned back to the Unseen, about to say something else, before her head jerked around to stare at the entrance to the cave. Alex hadn’t heard a thing over the ringing in her ears, but apparently there was something for her kidnappers to notice.
The Unseen stood, knife dripping red and glittering in the light and his lank hair swinging in ropes. Alex had the sudden, maniacal urge to laugh at how they looked like snakes. “Who’s there?” he asked, looking around. “You can come join the party. I’ll warn you, though. You’re going to pay for interrupting me.”
Alex could hear the taunting response, but she couldn’t focus. Her breath was coming in hoarse gasps, and all she could see was the blood that coated the floor around her. Her blood. The gashes she was able to see were deep, so much so that bits of bone showed through, pale and streaked with blood
. Is that what muscle really looks like? The vague thought drifted through her shock ridden brain as she watched her life seep out of the wounds in her flesh with a kind of detached fascination. It looks nothing like the diagrams from Bio. A laugh, garbled and wet, bubbled up in her throat. Faintly, she felt herself shivering, and realized she was freezing, cold for the first time since she’d gotten her power.
She knew she was fading. Her life didn’t flash before her eyes though. There was no tunnel with the light at the end. Later, she would be kinda pissed at the bullshit of those clichés. For now, the most bizarre sight met her eyes, and made her forget for a moment about dying.
The mouth of the cave exploded, expelling Undari clothed in white that rushed the Unseen and Adrien in a wave of fighting. Ninjas don’t wear white, Alex thought, dazed, before seeing the lashes of air whipping back and forth, directed at the Unseen. Niraya. The attack disoriented the Unseen, but only for a second before he began to fight back, launching power that crackled like dark lightning at the opposing Undari. Next to him, Adrien hacked at the other Niraya with a large sword that came from seemingly nowhere. Why isn’t she using her power too? The question drifted through Alex’s mind, but was quickly forgotten.
Hands fumbled at the ropes around Alex, who tried to turn to look, only to close her eyes against an onslaught of dizziness. Arms lifted her, and she heard her Companion’s voice, frantic in her ear.
“Hold on Alex, stay with me. We’re getting out of here.” Kieran ran with her to the mouth of the cave, pausing before something shoved him forward.
“Get going, get her out of here,” a male voice said. He stayed with the duo, through a Portal. Alex felt herself slipping further and further down. Kieran’s voice and that of the strange hero seemed to come from very far away. Alex fought weakly against the black wave that was rising to pull her under, wanting desperately to stay with Kieran, to soothe the tears that she felt against her face (or was that more blood?), but it was no use. As they entered the Realm of Fire, her head fell back, her hand slipped off Kieran’s neck, and she ceased to want anything at all.
