Savage Reign

by Melody Locklear

  “No,” I stammer out, getting to my feet. “I want a new room.” If there is one thing I have been dying for since I arrived here it is a room with more of a view than one frosted window.

  “Alright then. If you’re done here…” Kol’s eyes shift to Taya.

  “You’re all set, Kara. Do let me know what names you’ve picked out, okay?” she says brightly.

  “Sure, Taya.” When I reach Kol he starts out of the infirmary and down the corridor to our left.

  Kol walks in silence, but he knows me well enough to know silence is not something I am very good at so when I finally break it I see his lips turn up into a half-smirk.

  “You said that I was going to give you what you want soon enough. What did you mean? Were you talking about Amara?”

  The mention of her name darkens him considerably and any amusement I had given him only a second ago leaves him. “It was supposed to be her here,” he says in a tone so low it sends goosebumps up and down my arms. “Not you.” he adds, voice dripping with venom.

  It takes all I have to push through the cruel comment and ask my next question. “But I thought Theon was after us both.”

  “Even partners in crime don’t always care about the same things, Kara. I wanted Amara. He wanted you both.”

  I’m not foolish enough to believe that he actually cares for Amara, but I’d be stupid to overlook that look in his eye. Kol has always fancied things he cannot have and Amara Boudelaire is the ultimate challenge. That’s all she is to him. Some dark obsession. In fact, with those thoughts looming, her name in his mouth makes me angry.

  “Why don’t you do us both a favor Kol and keep my best friend’s name off your lips!” I hiss at him. “You’ve betrayed her in every way. You have no right to speak it.”

  My words enrage him. I know how to hurt you, Kol Kasanoff.

  Unfortunately, he knows how to hurt me too.

  I don’t know why I’m surprised when he has the audacity to cease the pregnant girl and pin her between his body and the nearest wall. But his firm grip on my upper arms hurts nothing like the words that come flying out of his mouth. “No, you have no right. You chose the unborn children of that parasite over your own best friend. When I arrived in Baal did you really think it was you that I was after? Did you think for even a second I’d take a second look at you after seeing her?”

  It’s the easiest card he can play because, despite my love for Amara, anyone can see that I’ve always been jealous of her. The attention she got, how my parents fawn over her, how everyone fawns over her, especially my brother. I guess maybe that’s why I trained my eyes on Aaric when we were younger. He was the one thing I could have that she couldn’t. I am a child. It proves true when I feel the tears pool in my eyes.

  Because only a child would show weakness in front of this monster.

  But children hurt the easiest and I am no exception.

  “Do you think she’ll ever take a second look at you after seeing your brother?” Or after what you did? But that will not sting like the mention of his brother. We throw insults like daggers. How long until one of us bleeds?

  It’s my turn to watch the hurt flicker in his eyes. No tears form there because he is not an overly emotional pregnant girl, but I do not need to see him cry to see I have touched a nerve, the same insecure one he’d called me on. “Doesn’t really matter now, does it? She isn’t with our father anymore and once Theon gets his hands on her she’ll never see him again.”

  He hasn’t told me anything I don’t already know. Only confirmed what I had only guessed at. The only reason Theon would need me to locate her is if Amara was no longer within the confines of the Limacoran palace. I tell myself Aaric simply got her out before Theon could get to her himself, but it is a lie, like everything else.

  Kol’s grip tightens with his anger and despite this triumph, I whimper. “Kol, you’re hurting me.”

  “Lord Nikolas,” A nearby guard addresses him hesitantly, though his tone is still firm. His dark eyes shift between me and Kol, still fuming from my taunt. “I can show Lady Kara to her chambers if you’d like.”

  The guard’s statement forces me to hide a knowing smile because he has given something away. I am not to be harmed, not even at the hands of Theon’s favorite puppet.

  It isn’t until the storm dies in Kol’s eyes that he relents, taking a shaky step back from me. “Thank you, Garrith, but I’ve got it from here.” When Kol reaches out to me this time I flinch, silently scolding myself for it after. “I wouldn’t hurt you.” It’s meant to assure me that Theon would not allow that, but his expression deepens into something like nostalgia.

  Maybe he’d never loved me. Maybe it was always Amara he was after from the very beginning, in more ways than one, but Kol was my first everything. First kiss, first time, first betrayal, and even this cold, broken boy before me can’t forget that. He can’t bring himself to hurt me. Only with his words.

  Despite all my hatred for him, I believe him and so I let him lead me off to my new bedchambers. It’s much like my room back at the Limacoran palace. Though it’s twice the size, it has all the same fixings. Bed, dresser, bookshelf with books a girl my age might actually want to read, a fireplace, anything I could need.

  “There will be a guard posted at your door. He’ll be there to take you anywhere you want to go. Theon will be expecting you in the east dining hall at seven o’clock for dinner.” Good. I have questions. Kol catches my wrist and turns it over, pulling the magic-suffocating bracelet off. “You won’t be needing this anymore.” His eyes find mine and he gives me a look I know is meant to reestablish some kind of trust, but I do not rise to the bait. I will never trust him again.

  “You’re not worried I’m going to set this palace on fire to get out of here?” I ask, rubbing at the indents in my wrist from wearing that damned thing for the past month.

  “You’d be going up against an army of ether users who all have a special kind of hatred for Arians. Trust me, you would not get far. I’ll see you later.”

  Kol gives me a curt nod and then suddenly I am alone again. I do some exploring in my new bedchambers and take a look out the large window at the back that overlooks the courtyard. The land around the palace easily triples the size of the grounds around the palace back in Taar.

  I know we’re not in Limacore anymore. When we first arrived at the Limacoran palace Amara said that the rebel Serpentarians were held up in the former House Serpentarius palace, in whatever country they resided in back when the Houses were all separated by element. We could be on the other side of the world and I’d never know it. Just one more question I’ll be asking Theon at this dinner.

  I wander across the room to the closet to find dresses to accommodate my potential baby bump and ones that will fit me now. I grab hold of the fabric to one of the dresses, tugging on it. It reminds me of the dress Amara was wearing at Tristan’s funeral and I shut the door to the closet, willing the memory away.

  I shower and vouch for a pair of silk black pants and a black top made of similar material from the dresser. Then I decide to go explore the palace now that I’ve been given the freedom to leave my room.

  Outside my door I expect some terrifying burly Serpentarian guard to be waiting for me. Instead I find not one, but two stealthy girls not much older than I am, maybe on the verge of their twenties if I had to guess. One has long straight, chestnut hair and matching eyes and the other has wavy ash blond hair pulled back into a bun and pale blue eyes. They are both dressed in black pants, boots where I can easily see the hilt of a dagger sticking out, a black shirt, and a black jacket. I’m sure there’s a gun hidden somewhere on each of them.

  “Is one of you my guard?” I ask them, confused.

  “We both are, Lady Kara.” Answers the brunette. “My name is Megara Palace and this is my twin sister Aria Palace, but you can call us Meg and Ari.”

  I’m still a little stunned I haven’t gotten stuck with some broody guard who won’t even look me in the
eye, but I adjust quickly. “Okay. Well, Meg and Ari, I have been stuck inside one bedroom for almost a month now so I’d like to go explore the palace. I have some time before dinner. Are you required to stay with me at all times or am I free to go?”

  “You’re free to go, my Lady.” Meg says, never wavering from her post, although I do see her eyes shift to her sister.

  “You’re free to go.” Ari confirms. Meg has a look of relief, for the moment, and then it fades the moment Ari opens her mouth to speak again. “But the palace is very beautiful if you’d like an escort.”

  “Aria!” Meg scolds her sister. The two share a look, communicating a message between one another that I am not privy to. Then Ari seems to back down.

  “I’m sorry, Meg, but I—”

  “No.” Meg says with a note of finality to her voice that has Ari frowning back at her sister.

  “What’s the problem?”

  “We’re here to assist you in any way that we can, Lady Kara and if you need anything at all do not hesitate to ask.” Meg says dismissively. “If you feel the need to go outside for any reason I insist you have one of us escort you.” It’s not a suggestion, but an order, from Theon no doubt.

  “Understood. You’ll find me when it’s time for dinner?”

  “Yes ma’am.” Meg nods.

  With that I am off. The Serpentarian palace is beautiful, though nothing I haven’t seen before. The colors are different from Limacore. Instead of the entire palace plastered in gold this one is plastered in silver. The ceilings are higher, the rugs older, but all in all it is a palace. Just a cage for anyone who resides in it. The mistake I made going into King Theron’s cage was that I thought me and my friends were the only prisoners. It turns out we were all prisoners. Our Zodiac, the prince, the king especially. Ability is not the same as power and when you’re living in a world on the verge of war, casualties are not the worst thing to fear.

  It isn’t until I reach a parlor room in the west wing of the palace that something catches my eye. By the large window there is an old black piano sitting, gathering dust. I approach it slowly, blowing away dust, swiping away the rest.

  I sit on the bench before the piano and push the fall board up off the keys. There is even more dust underneath and I sneeze in the process of getting rid of it all. I drop my fingers to the piano keys, pressing down softly. The noise is strangled at first, not having been played in so long, but once I start to play the soft melody comes together.

  I’d never been a particularly ambitious girl back in Baal. The only hopes I had were to find a husband my father would approve of, one that would be able to provide for me and the inevitable litter of kids village girls seemed to have and that was as far as my dreams went. Of course, that doesn’t mean I didn’t have desires. Amara loves books, but I’ve always loved music. Keenan taught me to play piano when I was a little girl and I had fallen in love with the instrument, the sound, the keys, and playing now soothes me in a way nothing has been able to since my arrival at the Serpentarian palace.

  “That’s quite a beautiful sound.”

  I do not stand when Theon enters, the way everyone else in this place does. I do not offer him the respect he believes he is due. I will never bow to this tyrant. Not for anything.

  I withdraw my hands from the keys and play with the tiny ball of blame that instinct automatically conjures in this man’s presence. “Ya know what the trouble is with being able to kill someone with merely a touch?”

  Theon’s lips quirk up into an amused grin. “No. Enlighten me.”

  “You have to get close enough to touch your victims. Me, I can reduce you to ash with the flick of my wrist.” As I say the words I flick my little fireball in his direction. I don’t bother being disappointed when he squashes it into nothing with one small blast of nether. A trick I didn’t know nether users had until he’d used it to capture me back in Limacore.

  The smile never leaves his face, the smile that haunts me, the smile that reminds me what I must do to protect my children from this monster.

  “When you’re as old as I am, love your ability is not the only thing that enhances. So does everything else. Sight, smell, touch.” His grin widens. “Speed.”

  My hand slips off the edge of the bench in my distraction and I get an example of that speed as Theon moves with preternatural quickness to catch me before I can tumble to the floor. I let out a strangled gasp as my eyes fly up to his. The deep blue of them make me forget, for the moment, who he is. Like blue comets zeroed in on me.

  Theon is so close I can hear him breathing, feel it on my skin. “Those eyes,” he breathes. “They’re like none I’ve ever seen. As green as the sea.”

  It takes me a moment to pull myself from his gaze, and his grasp. I slip my hand from his and grab onto the piano to bring myself to my feet, clutching my flat belly with the other hand. “Something tells me you didn’t come in here to discuss the color of my eyes.”

  “No,” he says, the soft, enraptured boy from a moment ago gone. He stands up straight, adjusting his thin black shirt. “I didn’t. I was on my way to the dining hall to meet you.” He glances around us both and I know he’s looking for my guards. “And it seems you are alone so why don’t you allow me to escort you?” He holds his arm out to me.

  “I can walk on my own just fine, thank you.” I brush past him even though I have no clue where I’m going. Luckily Theon demonstrates his aforementioned speed for me once more and moves ahead of me, leading the way.

  The dining hall is set up a lot differently than the ones back in Limacore. Where it had rows of long tables this one has scattered circular ones throughout the room. The only thing that’s the same is the one long table at the back for a buffet-style feast. Today it is bare though and a few waiters stand holding covered plates in their hands around a table at the center of the room.

  Theon pretends to be a gentleman and pulls my chair out for me. He thinks he can charm me enough to where I will forget all he’s done, but he is sadly mistaken.

  Once we’re seated the waiters descend, laying out a dinner spread for Theon and I alone. I breathe a sigh of relief. I have questions that need answers and I do not want to be hindered by the sour look Kol gets on his face each time I mention Amara’s name aloud.

  As we begin our meal I start to compile a list of questions in my head to ask when Theon decides to fill me in on what this dinner is all about. What is this place we are in called? Why do Serpentarians hate Arians? Why isn’t Amara with King Theron anymore? All of these questions swim around in my head and half way through the meal I cannot hold my tongue any longer.

  “I have questions.” I say abruptly.

  Theon laughs softly. “Well, Lady Kara, I am pleasantly impressed. I’m surprised you’ve lasted this long.” He places his fork down and dabs at his mouth with his napkin. No matter the heathen that he is, he was still raised in a palace, as a royal. The years have not diminished the lessons in proper etiquette he no doubt had as a boy. “Alright then, Kara.” My name sounds odd in his mouth. Theon stands then and holds a hand out toward me. “Let’s hear your questions.”

  I don’t trust this man as far as I can throw him, but I have questions that need answers so I take his hand. From there he takes me through the dining hall to a set of glass doors leading out onto a terrace. We descend down a small staircase into the courtyard. That’s when he gives me the floor.

  “Go on then, love. Ask away.”

  “What is this place?” I ask, eying the land around us. “Amara said that you took up residence in the old Serpentarian kingdom. Is that far from Limacore?”

  “We are in a rather large country just south of Limacore called Llìria. It’s where House Serpentarius resided before the five kingdoms were unified. I grew up in this palace.” His eyes flick around nostalgically. “It’s where I was raised and it is where my father ruined any chance of us ever finding true equality with the other Houses.”

  That part of the story I do know, courtesy of
Amara. Theon’s father, the king of House Serpentarius at the time, sought to take over all thirteen Houses and so when he discovered Theon’s ability to wield nether, the sixth element, he used Theon as a weapon to accomplish his goal. Because of this the other Houses began hunting Serpentarians into near extinction. House Serpentarius fell and a bitter boy, used by his own father, grew into a man. Despite the sob story, I feel no sympathy for that man.

  “Kol mentioned today that Serpentarians have a special kind of hatred for Arians. Why?”

  “Hah,” Theon chuckles. “That, my love, is not strictly a Serpentarian hatred. That is a universal one. See, Arians used to rule in Limacore, a country rich in land, in gold, in food, in everything really and they were not very big on sharing. Even the most impoverished villages in Limacore were considered rich cities in other countries. Those of us who were around still remember the selfish cruelty of the Arians and those who weren’t, well, that hatred was passed down through the generations. Of course, Limacore has fallen quite a bit since then.”

  His story only reminds me how much we still don’t know about this world we now live in, the world of the Zodiacs. “So basically everyone here hates me.” I don’t know how much that actually bothers me until I hear myself say it aloud.

  “I wouldn’t worry about that, love. Serpentarians can be savage, but everyone in this palace has been instructed not to touch you.” Because I’m the pregnant girl? Because I’m now considered an ally of his because of this odd Echo I share with Amara? I simply don’t know. It does explain the guard Garrith stepping in when he thought Kol might hurt me.

  I move onto my next question though. I need to get all of them out before I lose Theon’s attention. “If you need me to find Amara that means she isn’t in Limacore anymore. Or at the very least she’s no longer under the protection of the king. What happened to her? Why isn’t she there?”