by K.N. Lee
Lilae nodded. Rahki offered a smile to her, from behind Vasira’s back. She didn’t care any longer. She didn’t want to show that woman that she was bothered, or hurt by her unjust punishment. Her face showed no emotion and Vasira smiled.
“Good. You better get started, slave.” She left the room and had an attendant stay near to show her where the kitchens and the gardens were.
Vasira didn’t know how easy her task was. Lilae had cleaned and scoured dishes before. She had spent her life cleaning, and doing what Vasira obviously thought was menial work. Lilae took comfort in the familiar tasks. She took the food to the kitchen, dumped the remnants and cleaned every porcelain dish until they were sparkling clean. It was an enjoyable moment, with her hands wet in the sudsy water.
She could almost hear Jaiza singing in the background. She was back home in a cozy cottage. Pirin had his feet up in front of the fire as he sharpened his tools and knives. Delia wrote quietly in her journal in her wicker chair in the corner. Risa danced to Jaiza’s singing. Lhana clapped along to Risa's dancing and laughed at her silly moves. Lilae didn’t notice that tears were falling, for she was smiling at the memory.
She wiped her nose with her sleeve. Look at how weak I am now, father, she thought to Pirin. She looked up. She wondered if he heard her thoughts in the Underworld. I cry all the time now.
The scullery maid watched her from her small nook beside the door. She had a few moments off while Lilae did her job. She didn’t taunt her though. She just watched her, as curiously as anyone she’d ever met in her life. The maid was a pretty thing, but quieter than any girl Lilae ever knew.
Lilae smiled at the young girl and began drying all of the dishes. The girl seemed surprised to have Lilae smile at her and eagerly returned the smile. She looked more Western than the other people of the palace. To think of it, all of the maids and servants looked a bit more Western. They had brighter brown hair, and didn’t have the same striking gray eyes. Lilae found that interesting. Perhaps all of the staff were slaves, taken from Western kingdoms.
The girl got up from her nook and helped Lilae put away the dishes. She didn’t speak a word to her, but her friendly eyes said it all. They worked in silence until they were done. The attendant from the dining room came for her. He silently led her through the palace to the hall of open archways.
Lilae was giddy with excitement. It had been so long since she had seen the moon, since she’d been in the night air. The path to the lush palace gardens was stunning. It was made of the shiniest stones that reflected the light of the moon like mirrors. She almost felt free, as the breeze swept through her gown. Her hair was still braided but unruly wisps floated around her face as she walked that pathway.
To either side of her were beautiful bushes. They were thin, with large, blossoming white flowers that emitted a strong, yet alluring, fragrance. Lilae breathed in the citrus scent and immediately felt her mind grow cloudy. She paused, and looked around. Everything looked more colorful, more vibrant. She reached for a white flower and sniffed closer. The attendant grabbed her and pulled her back onto the path.
Lilae looked at him defiantly. “What are you doing?”
The attendant didn’t speak to her, but his eyes were full of warning. Lilae could read what his eyes tried to communicate. The flowers, they were dangerous. She felt drunk, like with Anic at The Blind Cow. She nodded that she understood, but she looked at him more closely. He had nice brown eyes, and skin that was a little paler than an Avia’Torenian’s. She was right, the staff were all Western.
“What is your name?” She asked him and he let her arm go. “Where are you from?”
He looked ashamed and started to walk away. Lilae wasn’t about to let him get away. No one watched them from what she could tell. She rushed to get in front of him, and keep him from walking. He looked frightened and his eyes darted from side to side.
Lilae grabbed his arms. He tensed. “What is it? Why won’t you tell me?”
The man’s eyes darkened. He looked sad. He shrugged and opened his mouth. Lilae felt sick. He had no tongue, only a short stub.
She let his arms go and took a step back. “I’m sorry.” She knew better than to judge. He looked at her for a long while. There was hurt in his eyes. It was buried deep, but Lilae could see it. She felt her throat dry.
He looked away from her and she felt guilty for having him reveal his secret. She followed. She would torment him no more. Lilae was right about the staff. She thought back to the scullery maid, she never spoke to her either.
Are all of their tongues cut out? Lilae shuddered at the thought.
The attendant led her through a labyrinth of bushes and flower patches, each turn more intricately arranged than the next. Finally, he stopped at the fountains that Vasira spoke of, and left her.
She sat on the edge of the fountain and leaned against the smooth stone side. She watched him walk away, thoughtfully, realizing how quiet it was.
She should hate water by now, after being on that horrible ship for weeks, but she found herself drawn to the water of the fountain. It was so perfectly clear that she could see her reflection in the surface. She saw herself. It was shocking. She hadn’t seen herself in a mirror in years. She didn’t recognize the girl that stared back at her from the water. She looked sad, yet, she was beautiful. Lilae shook her head and looked away.
It was an illusion…it had to be. She looked back and stared at her reflection. The flowers… they altered her vision. She breathed and touched her face. The water began to ripple. Lilae tensed, feeling a cold chill run up her body. Something gripped her.
Lilae looked around. Wexcyn. She felt her blood grow cold.
“All alone, I see,” a familiar voice called from behind her. Lilae swirled around, whatever had her, let go.
She stumbled backwards when she saw that Emperor Kavien had been looking over her shoulder. He was right behind her, so close that when she turned she bumped her head into his chin. He caught her as she began to fall.
“And clumsy. Perhaps you shouldn’t be left alone. You might kill yourself.”
His hands were big. They were wrapped around her arms. He let go and took a step back. She moved away from him. She held her arms across her body, hugging herself. She watched him tensely, with big eyes.
He sat on the fountains bench. He looked off into the garden. “Sit down.”
Lilae hesitantly sat on the bench, as far from him as she could manage without falling off the edge.
There was silence between them for a long spell. The sounds of crickets and cicada’s filled the tension. She could still smell the lingering aroma of those big flowers. She wanted to feel relaxed, but the emperor’s presence made it impossible. She stole glances at him, yet he never looked at her. When he finally spoke, Lilae listened aptly.
“I come here every night, even when it rains. I come here to be alone, and what a surprise to find you here. I keep you near, but all I want is to be away from you.”
Lilae looked down. “Why do you keep me?”
“I don’t know. I like to do things right. I want something that your brother has, and I will bargain for it.”
The mention of her brother was still odd to her. She decided against asking what the emperor wanted from her brother. She didn’t know why he even spoke to her. She didn’t want to ruin his civility with questions that could wait. She had traveled for eighteen years from Auroria. She figured she’d be waiting quite a while to meet this brother of hers.
“Tell me Lilae,” Kavien began. He spread his arms out around him. “Have you ever seen a collection of gardens as exquisite as mine?”
Lilae shook her head. She watched him. She was still taken by his looks. There was something about him that, despite their situation, drew her to him.
“When I first built this palace, I knew there had to be gardens at every turn. It was actually one of the more important things I wanted, over the golden siding and the crystal towers. You see, one needs such beauty to help the
m forget about the bloodshed.” He seemed to be deep in thought.
Lilae noticed that he was more reflective than she thought he could be. He sighed and glanced at her.
“The gardens are beautiful. Don’t you agree?”
Lilae nodded eagerly. It was nice to have him speak in such a calm manner. “Yes, they are.”
“My mother used to plant flowers, in our little garden. I would help her sometimes. I was just a boy, and I enjoyed getting dirty more than anything, that is, besides being close to her. I’ll never forget the first time I saw a beautiful, blossoming, red rose. Such a deep red, and fragrant, it was the most glorious thing I’d ever seen.”
She watched him look far off. She wanted to hear more about his mother. There was tenderness in his voice when he mentioned her. No one else had said anything about the emperor’s mother. Lilae wondered where she was.
Kavien’s head tilted at silent memories. His eyes took on a distant look. They darkened, and he clenched his jaw. “I also remember the first time I tried to touch one, and how the thorns drew blood.”
Lilae didn’t look away. She couldn’t. She was intrigued by his face, voice, and his very presence.
“Things of beauty are often the things that can cause the most pain.” He gave her a hard look that made her hold her breath. “You’re going to make problems for me, aren’t you Lilae?”
Lilae shook her head. She calculated her words. “What could I do?” She spoke softly. “I am nothing now, right? You all keep reminding me.”
Kavien nodded. “That’s right.” He looked away from her again, still nodding. “You are nothing.” He said it in a low tone, as if he said it more to himself.
Lilae frowned. “What happens if this brother of mine, whom I never met, refuses to give you what you ask for?” She wasn’t sure where her bravery came from, but she had been musing over that question since the mention of her brother.
“You really need to ask that question?”
Lilae’s shoulders slumped. “I suppose not.”
“So you’d better hope he does what I ask.” He cracked his knuckles and leaned back against the side of the fountain.
Vasira came around the corner and hurried over. “Forgive me, Master.” She bowed low, placing her hands on the ground before her in the shape of a triangle. “The vile Northerner is a disobedient slave. I punished her, and left her in solitude. I had no idea she would manage to bother you with her presence. Forgive me, I beg you.”
Emperor Kavien stood. He smoothed out the wrinkle in his billowing white pants. He looked down at Lilae. “Disobedient?” Kavien repeated. His bright gray eyes gave her a sharp look.
Vasira looked up from her position on the ground. “Indeed.”
Lilae felt her ears heat with anger. She had done nothing wrong. Fairness and justice didn’t seem to be a quality valued in this land. She clenched her fists until her nails drew blood in her palms. She looked to Kavien expectantly.
He began to speak, but stopped himself. For a second, Lilae thought he looked uncertain, but that thought fleeted before she could be sure of what it was. His face became like stone.
“Let Dragnor have her for a night.”
Lilae stared at him, mouth agape. She glared at Vasira, expecting to see her self-satisfied smirk. To her surprise, even the older woman was stunned.
Chapter 36
“Welcome,” Dragnor said with a sharp-toothed grin.
Lilae felt as if she would vomit. Her stomach was doing flips. Her hands and forehead were wet with sweat. Her worst nightmare was being realized. The guards sat her before the bane of her existence.
Vasira waited outside the door. She didn’t need to. Dragnor was to have her for the night, but Lilae had a feeling that Vasira felt sorry for her.
Over the stench of the small cube of a room, she could smell Vasira’s perfume wafting through the barred window above the door. It was dark inside. Two high chandeliers stocked with thin black candles lit the small space. Dragnor waited in the center of the room, with his hands folded behind him. There was a small fire crackling behind him and a wooden table that sat upright. Another small table sat beside it, with shining tools laid neatly across a black stone.
Lilae swallowed. Her throat was dry. She now wished she would have pleaded with the emperor to change his mind, but that was not her way. She had grown so used to hiding her fears and hurt that she couldn’t even bring herself to beg for her own safety. Now, as she waited before the grinning Shadow Elf, she wished she had thrown herself at Kavien’s feet.
“Stand.”
She came up from her knees and waited, shaking. He came over and stood before her. She couldn’t bring herself to look into his eyes. His hand came from behind his back and she stared at his glowing dagger. It was her first time seeing it so close up. It was sharp, like her own used to be. The glow was a muted blue that cast shadows across her face.
Still, Lilae refused to look up at him. Her heart raced. Dragnor brought the blade up before her eyes and grabbed the front of her gown. A little cry escaped her lips. Her lips quivered as he sliced the front of her gown with the dagger, from her chest to her feet. Sliced down the middle, her garments fell to the floor around her ankles.
Stark naked, Lilae instinctively wrapped her arms around herself. He held her chin up and she finally looked at him with hate in her eyes. Dragnor nodded to the guards and turned away from her, walking over to the upright table.
“Strap her down.”
The guards picked her up and carried her over the table. She hadn’t noticed before but there were three sets on black leather straps that they secured across her body. A last strap went across her neck, keeping her head from moving. Lilae shook and closed her eyes. She couldn’t bear to see those guards looking at her naked body. No man had ever seen her without clothes. Any shred of modesty and dignity she had was now lost. Tears stung behind her eyes. She sucked in a breath.
Don’t let him see you cry, Lilae ordered herself. She bit the inside of her lip instead.
Dragnor’s cold hands were surprisingly smooth. He lightly ran a finger across her belly and she opened her eyes. Dragnor’s eyes were closed as he touched her. He sighed and took his hand back. He stood there for a moment staring down at her and reached a hand behind the table. He turned a lever and the table moved. It went backwards and lowered until Lilae was lying on her back, staring up at the black candles of the chandelier.
“Wait outside.”
The guards left without a word, their heavy boots stamping on the stone floor. Lilae saw Vasira peek inside when they opened the door. Then, she heard it shut and the finality was stifling. She felt she would scream in madness. She was alone with Dragnor.
“Alone. Finally,” he said in a whisper.
Lilae tried to turn her head, but the straps prevented it. Dragnor leaned over her. She squirmed, trying to get away. He kissed her collar bone. She turned stone still. With a yelp, she jerked in shock as he bit the soft flesh of her breast. She looked down at the blood as it dripped down the side of her body. Mouth agape, her eyes shot to his face. Her blood dripped from his lips and he licked it clean. Then he reached over and picked up a black sack, and held it over her body.
“You think you’re so beautiful, don’t you?”
She shook her head hurriedly. “No. I don’t.”
He didn’t smile at her response. He nodded, with a stern look. “That’s right. You aren’t. You are hideous. Your looks cannot sway me. I do not wish to touch you with more than the intent to cause you more pain than you’ve ever known. I do not wish to look upon your grotesque face.” He put the black sack over her face and tied it shut across her neck.
The sudden darkness only intensified her anxiety. Now, she couldn’t see what he was doing. She could only hear him reaching for something on the small table beside her. The anticipation was maddening.
“It is unfortunate that our time together is so short, but I shall make the most of it.” She heard the tools clink toget
her like a little bell. “Ever heard of High Jordanian?”
Lilae shook her head.
“Of course you haven’t. Not only are you ugly, but you are dumb as well.” She felt his cold hands smooth across her belly again. He wiped it with a cold wet cloth. “High Jordanian is an ancient text. It is the language of my people. But one such as myself has been trained in its mystical arts.”
Lilae jumped when she felt something sharp pierce her flesh.
“What I am engraving in your skin cannot be removed. You will be linked to me until one of us dies. I will not tell you what it does. You’ll just have to live with the uncertainty. But know this…I can evoke the spell whenever I please.”
Lilae cried out. The sharp blade cut into her precisely, but the pain was far less precise. She shook. She wanted to break free and run. The nausea came back and she was sure she would vomit all over herself, and possibly choke on it if she couldn’t turn her head. She forced her dinner to stay down.
She tried to think of other things, of better times. To her surprise, the only face that came to mind was that of the man from her dreams. She gratefully accepted the image, trying to ignore the pain. He was like a savior. His face was perfect, unreal.
What was he? His glow was like that of something she would imagine dwelled in the Overworld. She kept his image in her head and the pain began to subside. Silent tears flowed and under the black sack, she smiled. He was beautiful. Why wasn’t he real? Blue eyes looked back at her and she yearned to pass out, to be near him again in her dreams.
In that moment, Dragnor seemed to know her thoughts. There would be no escape from the pain. A hot, searing, pain made her body buck on the table as he poured something much like acid across her body. He pulled the bag from over her face to delight in the sight of her suffering.
Chapter 37
Liam felt an odd sensation. It crept up his spine and made his skin tingle. He shuddered in Midnight’s saddle.