by Bailey Dark
The last of my sentence comes out harsher than I intend, but my patience is thin and I don't have time for games. I grip her wrist tighter, pulling her forward. The chair slides back from beneath her, scraping on the floor. Her lips quiver and I can smell the fear emanating from her. There's a mist in her eyes and I can sense she is about to break. Whatever it is she is hiding, whatever scares her, I will pull it out of her. It is vital to my plan and it is vital to finding Lux and bringing her to the surface.
My other hand slaps down hard on the table as I lean further toward her. Our noses are almost touching. "Tell me! What are you hiding?"
She shakes her head, pulling back the tears. "Nothing. I swear. Your statement is just fearful. The things I have seen when we landed on that island, I never want to experience those again."
A breath of exhaustion escapes my lungs and I release her, pushing her backward into her chair. I don't know whether to believe her or not. I can smell the fear on her but I don't know if it's for the reason she states or because of my tone and bearing over her. I grit my teeth and point at her, about to heed a warning, but before I can, someone clears their throat loudly in the doorway.
My eyes dart over finding Willem standing there holding a cedar box, the lid locked tightly. His eyes are shifting away from us in an awkward hesitation. I drop my hand and narrow my eyes at him. "What is it?"
Willem walks over and places the box in front of me. "These are the items you requested. Apologies that it took so long as the rarer items were harder to find."
My tension releases and my focus shifts straight back to my plan. "And the rest of it?"
Willem nods, darting his eyes away from me, but it doesn't bother me. He knows his place. "Delivered below, as you requested."
A smirk moves over my lips for just a moment and then I snap it away, darting my eyes back to Briar. It seems her courage has returned, and she does not look away from me. No matter, there are far more important things waiting for me. "I'm done with you. You know what you are to do." I look back up at Willem as I stand picking up the box. "I'm not to be disturbed."
With that, I storm from the room, tired of the pathetic essence of the little mortal. I will break her, and when I do, she will either rise to the occasion or her soul will be trapped, it's completely up to her.
Chapter 9
Kane
Drogaem is pushing me even harder. His confusions and dreams trap me on a level I can barely keep up with. My mind swirls through empty fields, pits of despair and disgust, piles of human bodies laid out across the mortal plane. I see my bride, drenched in blood, standing with soulless eyes. I approach her but as I grow closer the dream shifts, confusing me, throwing me in another direction. As soon as my mind begins to grasp a hold of anything, he pushes me harder. I do not move from where I am and can barely keep up with the manifestation of my body. I flicker in and out as voices echo all around me.
I hear the screams of women and children, the fearful cries of my bride, the roar of anger from my brother and Willem. It sounds like a war, but no war that I've ever fought and I try to push through it, finding moments of strength, moments where I get close enough to my bride to reach out and almost touch her. It motivates me but Drogaem is smart and he pushes me back down almost immediately. I cannot stop it and I cannot fight it. My soul is weary and tired, but there is a part of it that continues to try to reach out to Briar, to let her know what is happening.
The darkness around me stays dark, an infinite blackness that never changes. I long for any sort of color, any sort of breeze of air. Where I sit is the worst hell I can imagine. I am void of all senses except for fear. Just earlier, though I have no real sense of time, I felt stronger, growing in power, and for a split second, I was able to break free of the dreams. I could feel Briar close, almost smell that almond and vanilla scent that comforts me anytime she is close. But it doesn't last. A wave of disgust and apprehension slams into me, and I can only hope that it's Briar's, questioning the man she thinks she knows is me.
But I don't know what's going on, only that when she's close I feel stronger. If I can just reach her, pull her closer, I may be able to break free of Drogaem's spell, but as it is, I grow weaker by the second. I know souls well enough to know that they can withstand far more than what I am going through, but that doesn't stop me from feeling as if I'm going to waste away, cease to exist. I cannot let that happen no matter what, because if I cease to exist, so does Briar. Her body will be used by Drogaem for things unimaginable to me. Things I refuse to even think about.
My dream spins me in a circle and I land hard on a rocky ground. My breath quickens as I sense Briar is near. I stand and look around, my vision becoming clear very quickly. I try to pull myself from the dream, but Briar's faith in me waivers back and forth. Suddenly a jolt of fear floods me, and I can feel Briar breaking on the outside.
"Hold tight little mortal," I whisper hoping that she hears me. "Be strong, I am still here."
* * *
Briar
As Kane storms from the room carrying a box that I wish I could see inside of, I let out a quickening breath. My head feels hazy and I wonder if he hasn't done something to me again. The sounds around me begin to muffle, and for a second, a voice whispers through my mind. It's so low I can barely hear it, but it is very familiar. "… I am still here."
I sit here in a trance, focusing in, hoping to hear it again but it never comes. After a few moments everything clears again and I can hear Willem shouting my name. "Briar! Are you still with us?"
I shake my head, and blink at him. "Yeah, sorry."
Standing up, I moved toward him, heading for the door. He grabs my arm tightly and pulls me to the side, closing us off from any prying ears in the hallway. I furl my brow, and wince as his clutch on my arm is painful. "Hey, ease up. I didn't do anything to you."
He sticks his finger in my face. "You're not as cunning as you think you are."
I stared at him with confusion and irritation. "I don't know what you're talking about."
He flicks his hand at my hair and smears the makeup on the corner of my eye. "I don't even pay much attention to you and I can tell what you're up to. It's very obvious. Are you trying to get yourself killed? Remember, you die, Kane dies."
Immediately I'm on the defensive, but I shouldn't be. Maybe he's right. Maybe I have been a bit too forward. "I'm just trying to get close to him. He seems so strange. He doesn't remember things that we talked about in the past, or things that happened. This new version of Kane hasn't even questioned me once about the fact that I've been hanging out with Lilith. The old Kane would have flipped his lid. He wouldn't have been mad at me, he would've been concerned that Lilith was trying to plan something. He didn't even blink an eye when she walked past us last night. Something isn't right. It's seriously not right."
Willem's angry face fades away and he crosses his arms over his chest. "I can see what you mean. You're right. There's no denying that something is going on with him, something that none of us have really been able to figure out. But I'm asking you, and you know I don't ask very often, but please stay away from him for right now."
"What is he really going to do to me? He knows about the soul bond, or at least the old Kane did," I reply. "Now I'm wondering what he does and doesn't know."
Willem shakes his head. "And until we figure that out, I want you to stay safe. You've revealed your powers, which makes you vulnerable, and a target. All he needs to think is that you're a threat to him, and whatever's going on in his head could snap. If for some reason he doesn't remember the soul bond he could kill both of you with one fell swoop. I'd rather keep you safe than have you running around here like a detective trying to figure things out. I'm here for a reason, and I'm not stupid just because I'm going along with what he wants. I don't want to make waves. Let me do the investigating."
As much as I don't want to give up on it, he has a point. I'm already fragile being a human, and if Kane doesn't remember that we have a sou
l bond for whatever reason, and he gets angry enough he could definitely take us both down. But I don't fully trust Willem. "Am I supposed to believe that you've been plotting to kill Kane all this time and now suddenly you want to keep me safe? You want to keep him safe? I struggle to trust you, I'm not going to lie."
Willem takes a step forward, towering over me. I swallow hard but stand my ground. "You have two choices. You can either trust me, or you can kill both of you by being stupid. Neither choice sounds that great, I get it, but right now we need to lay low until we can figure out what's going on. I can arrange to have you taken out of the castle and away from Kane."
I look at him with disbelief, knowing full well that Willem isn't known for his upstanding contacts. "And who would you trust to lead me away from here? Someone with a dagger in their back pocket?"
Willem shakes his head again. "They will not hurt you. If I wanted them to hurt you, I would just leave you here and let you continue to make a fool of yourself and get caught by Kane. One of the Guardsmen, Riordan, is a close comrade and confidant of mine. He can get you out of here."
I step back, narrowing my eyes at him. "No. I've seen the way that Riordan has looked at me. I see the way he looks at Kane which is the same way you do when you don't think he's looking. I'm not sure I feel comfortable with that at all."
Willem leans his head back in frustration and stares up at the ceiling. I bite the inside of my cheek and bigan to pace, my thoughts roving through the possibilities of what could be wrong with Kane. I think about what we've been through, and the horror of the Nephilim that we fought. A thought enters my mind and I consider not asking, but it very well could be the answer to our problem.
I turn back to Willem and stare at him curiously. He gives me a double take and wrinkles his brow. "What?"
I run my tongue across my lips and tap my finger to my cheek. "Would it be possible, if a Nephilim was close enough to Kane, could he tell what's wrong with him?"
Willem purses his lips, thinking about it. "It's definitely possible. It's especially possible if there is some sort of force driving him from the inside. I can't be sure though, we would need to talk to one. But for now, I need you to stay out of view. Lay low. If you're not going to allow me to get you out of here, then at least don't get yourself in a situation that I have to rescue you from."
Anger surges through me. "You know, I'm not completely helpless. I did defeat a Nephilim myself. I did break into the crypts of Drogaem. But for now, I'll heed your warning and take it into consideration."
Willem gives me one last look before stomping out of the room. Of course, I have no intention of laying low. I might simmer down my seductive tendencies a bit, but it's my responsibility and it's my duty to figure out what is going on with Kane. If I can't help him, he's not the only one that's doomed.
Chapter 10
Briar
It's late at night, and though I know Kane doesn't want me up walking around the castle, I can't sleep. Every time I close my eyes it's filled with heat and light, and every time I open them, I'm filled with darkness and curiosity. The Kane that grabbed me earlier in his office is not the Kane that I grew to be so fond of. But I still have hope, hope that whatever he's doing isn't nearly as terrible as I believe it to be. I want to believe that there's good left in him, love, caring.
I throw my black cloak over my dressing gown and slip on a pair of shoes before leaving the room. I assume when I open the door I'm going to have to fight with the Guardsmen, but to my surprise there are none there. I know I should be suspicious, but I just want to get away. I haven't been back to the garden since that night with Kane, as I hid my dagger there knowing he wouldn't go there unless I was there. I've been trying to stay away to keep my secret safe. I head down the hallway, looking at all the pictures moving in their frames, wondering what life was like the moment they were created.
I've always had a bit of an imagination, the only thing my father couldn't control. I keep it to myself, but it keeps me company on lonely nights and scary occasions. This night, I try not to use my imagination too much. It wants to run free, think about things that I shouldn't think about. Fear needs to stay at bay, and the dark and gloomy castle doesn't help.
I decide to take a different route through the corridors this time, weaving in and out of hallways, stopping to peek inside of grandly decorated ballrooms, and libraries with books enchanted by chains and magic. The castle really is an interesting place, but my mind isn't in an adventurous mood. It sits with Kane, even with my walls up I can't help but think about him. The moments of comforting and caring keep replaying in my mind but when I picture the Kane that I saw earlier, it's almost as if they're two different people.
Meandering down the hallway, I notice ahead that the lights begin to flicker, and it's much darker in this area of the castle. I don't believe I've ever been in this part, and things seem almost older, darker than they have in the past. I wrap my cloak around my body tightly, feeling a chill which is unlike anywhere that I've been in the Underworld. I walk softly, trying not to make noise as I have a sneaking suspicion, a feeling in my gut that this is where Kane has been spending the majority of his time. When I reach the end of the corridor, there's a stairwell. It's made of stone, not covered in lush carpets, nothing hanging on the walls except for large torches with the fire glistening shadows across the rocky surface. There's a stagnant smell in the air that sits right at the opening, and it's musty and old.
There are so many things in the Underworld that I don't understand yet, so many things that keep me anxious and fearful. Something about the staircase doesn't feel right. There's an evil even darker than what surrounds me on a daily basis and it pushes me away from the stairwell. My breath catches in my throat feeling the fear bubbling in my stomach. I take a step back and go to turn but pause, hearing a sound. I stand perfectly still, listening harder, trying to make out what I had just heard. It sounds like voices, fearful voices crying out. They are not souls, they do not echo through the stone and flesh, they reverberate against the walls and through my ears.
The cries ring out again, and I gasp lightly, putting my hand over my mouth. They sound like… Like me. Not specifically just like me, but mortal with a fear that permeates into their souls. My first instinct is to run toward them, to help them, but I know better, especially after Willem spoke to me earlier that day. But they can't be souls, and they can't be mortals. How would mortals even get here? Kane must have trapped some sort of creature down below. Something calling out, the echoes bending the sound to mimic mortal voices.
I find solace in my understanding. My fear begins to dissipate and I once more step toward the stairwell. I put my hand up on the doorframe, and the sounds ring out again, only this time much louder. This time it cannot be mistaken for some small animal or beast. The voices are human, mortal, and I can sense it all the way from the top of the steps. They cry out in fear and sadness. They call each other's names, they pray to the gods, and they call out for help. The entire Underworld stops, and I stand perfectly still, my fingers digging into the stone. My mouth hangs slightly open and I want to cry out, but nothing comes out. Nothing is released. I'm frozen in my own fear.
I need to help them, I need to find Willem. I close my eyes for a moment and take in a deep breath, trying to calm myself, trying to find my movements again. After a few moments of silence, I manage to lift my feet, but as I turn, my body runs right into Kane. My hands go up and catch myself on his chest and I stumble backward, grabbing onto the frame of the archway to keep myself from tumbling down the stairs. Kane reaches out and grabs my wrist pulling me back to my feet. I expect his face to be angry, enraged, but he looks at me with calmness.
I cannot hide my fear in that moment, my chin quivering, my eyes trying to focus in the dim light. He tilts his head slightly to the right, a sinister grin on his lips. "I was just thinking about you."
"Oh…" It was all that I could get out.
He waves his hand toward the stairwell. "Since
you're here, I wondered if you might join me for a tour."
I stutter through my words. "I thought you didn't believe I was ready for that yet."
He lifts his shoulders, a look of whimsy and excitement on his face. "I think things have changed. I think I've changed my mind. Besides, who better to share my joy and excitement with then my own bride-to-be. Come, we have much to talk about."
I don't like how he says that, and I want to run off, keep running, straight out of the Underworld, but I can't. I have to endure his company, and I have to keep up the ruse that I'm on his side. So, with a strong deep breath I take his arm and carefully we descend down the winding stone staircase to the bottom. When we emerge, I find the room enormous, dimly lit, with stone statues running up one side and down the other. I'm not really even sure how the place is so big considering the size of the castle.
"Where are we?" I ask.
He keeps his hand tightly on mine, as if he's keeping me from running away. "These are the crypts. These are the burial places for the gods, goddesses, and demigods that have met their match and exited this world. But don't worry little mortal they can't hurt you anymore, they're all dead. But that's not what I wanted to show you. Hurry, just up ahead."
Nervously I lick my lips, but I move with him as if I had any other choice. I find myself clinging to his arm, not at all liking the dim spaces and the smell of death beneath. The sounds of the cries break louder as we approach an area decorated with dozens of candles and torches sitting in large metal canisters filled with stones. It's very well lit. On a dark onyx slab is Drogaem's body draped in cloth. I carefully put my hand over my nose, trying to block the smell of rotting flesh. It's a smell I didn't notice from Drogaem's body when we brought him back. It's a smell that can only mean one thing, and that's a death.