In Darkness Lost

by Ariel Paiement

  This time as I clung to Crypt, it was not an embrace of passion or love. It was an embrace of fear and need. He held me close, and I rested my head against his chest, too defeated and weary to cry anymore.

  This was it. This would be the end. Whatever was going to happen would happen, and one way or another, it would determine who lived and who died. And I had a sinking feeling I knew who wouldn’t be making it out. Me.

  Chapter 17: Crypt

  I stretched out on my bed, feeling a dull wave of pain lancing through my heart.

  I knew I should establish a link with Cyril and make sure that everything was settled between us. But I couldn’t conquer my loathing for myself and for Cyril.

  It turned out that I didn’t have to. King Vill’s assassin established the link herself.

  I sighed, opening my side of the link. “I was just about to call you.” I lied.

  She snorted. “Sure you were.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Look, are we finished? Is my sister safe?”

  She pretended to consider her nails, which were polished a brilliant sapphire blue this time. Then she look up at me through her thick blond lashes. “Well… There’s just one more thing, mage-boy.”

  I groaned. “What? Isn’t it enough that I just made certain that the girl I love will lose her kingdom? What more do you want?”

  “A way into the palace.”

  My eyes widened. “What? Why?”

  She shrugged. “It doesn’t matter why. Just know that everything hinges on our control of your Queen’s palace. We need a way in.” She flicked her fingers at me. “And you’d better not tell her what the plans are or we’ll kill your sister and your Queen.”

  I grimaced. “Fine! I hardly know anything, anyway. But how am I supposed to get Dairdra to safety if you send soldiers through and start a melee in the palace?”

  She smiled. “That’s your problem, not ours. At any rate, you can transport the two of you from one place to the next using magic. No harm would come to either of you… Now, I want you to transport yourself to your usual spot in the woods. Bring maps of the palace’s layouts and be there in five minutes. If you’re late or you bring anyone else with you, your sister dies instantly. Got it?”

  I frowned. “Yes!” I snapped, flicking my fingers at the link to terminate it.

  I knew terminating the link like that was rude and caused loud buzzing noises on the end of the link that initiated the call, but I didn’t care. In fact, that was sort of the point. Smiling with pleasure at gaining that small victory over the king’s annoying assassin, I walked out of the room to find the maps.

  ***

  Five minutes later, I was at the forest clearing.

  The woman stood before me. She beckoned with her finger. “Bring them here, mage-boy, and hand them over. No tricks. If you try anything, I’ll instantly send the code to my master to tell him to kill your sister.”

  I growled low in my throat. “Stupid witch! I wasn’t going to try anything. Just keep that code to yourself, and if I find out that you backstabbed me, I’ll kill you all.”

  She laughed at my warning. “Such a petulant child you are! It hardly matters if you kill me. My master will not be subdued by a petty boy. Even a particularly pretty one.” She teased.

  I hated it when people said that about me. But I shoved aside the anger, knowing it would only make it more likely that I would do something stupid and end up costing my sister her life.

  I walked slowly to the assassin, handing her the paper when I reached her.

  She snatched the papers away from me, scanning them briefly. Then she flashed me another of her brilliant, sarcastic smiles. “If I find out that these plans don’t work for getting into the palace, your sister and your queen die.”

  I nodded, swallowing hard. “They’re the real thing. No double-crossing with this deal.” I whispered.

  She nodded, smiling pleasantly. “I should hope not. Especially when all the people you care about are on the line.” She grinned. “So long, mage-boy. I do hope everything works out with your young lady.”

  I rolled my eyes at her. “Thanks. Means a lot coming from you.”

  She grinned at my biting tone. “Respect, now, youngster.” She whispered a few words under her breath and disappeared.

  I sighed. What had I gotten myself into? She and the king were probably planning all sorts of things to hunt me down after I ran with Dairdra. But I couldn’t do anything about it, and anyway, I couldn’t go back now. It was too late. I’d given them the papers that would allow them access to the palace’s hidden entrances and floor plans to every room in the palace.

  What had I been thinking?

  Bitterly, I decided I hadn’t been thinking. But what could I do? It wasn’t as though I’d had a choice. If I didn’t show up or gave her the wrong thing, she would’ve killed my sister, and despite what I had believed earlier, I couldn’t let that happen. Not even for Dairdra. It would be just like killing my sister myself. I might as well just die before I let that happen.

  Sighing again, I turned and headed back to the palace.

  ***

  “Crypt! Where have you been?” Dairdra flew into my arms.

  She nuzzled my neck gently, and I embraced her back, feeling sick. Here I was holding the woman I loved in my arms after my greatest betrayal of her trust. I was a monster.

  She sensed my hesitancy. She ran her fingers through my hair, playing with it and playfully tugging a lock. I grabbed her hand to stop her, my bad mood dissipating. Smiling broadly, I leaned into her, kissing her softly. “Never mind where I was. I just went on a walk here and there.”

  She laughed. “Really?”

  “Really.”

  Her smile disappeared. “Only you would go on a walk in a time like this.” She whispered.

  My smile faded too. “I needed to be alone.” I whispered back, feeling dreadful for lying to her yet again.

  She nodded. “I understand. But now you must come. The first of the battles has begun, and we should be atop the wall to watch and supplement our archers. There are few enough as it is.”

  I nodded shortly. “Very well.”

  She took my arm, and together we walked up the flight of stairs leading to the castles parapets. Half-way up, I stopped.

  She stopped too, gazing up at me. “What’s wrong?”

  I shook my head. Pressing her back against the wall, I kissed her. My need flowed into the kiss, and she responded to it, wrapping her arms around my neck. She pressed tighter against me, kissing me back hungrily.

  I let her go then. “I needed to do that at least one last time before this ends.” I whispered hoarsely.

  She smiled sadly at me.

  Her smile nearly broke my heart. Would I ever see her smile happily again?

  She traced my jaw line with her smooth, cool fingers. Then she pulled me to her again, kissing me back. “This will end well, Crypt. We must believe it. If we go into it believing otherwise, we doom ourselves to certain failure.”

  I looked away. She might be able to hold such hope, but I could not. Not when I knew otherwise. This would not end well.

  She kissed me again, deep and long as though she were trying to imprint the kiss and me into her memory. She breathed deeply and I could feel her chest rising as she embraced me. “We’ll be alright, Crypt.” She whispered. “Believe it.”

  And then she was gone, disappearing into the sunlight above to watch as the battle unfolded.

  I joined her a few moments later after I managed to get a hold of myself. This storm was far from over.

  ***

  I stood on the wall, watching the forces below as they prepared and kept a wary eye on each other in unease.

  The first of the battles began with a crash as the first wave of soldiers began their attack on our lines. I grimaced as our line buckled and swayed, struggling to hold the tide of green uniformed soldiers back. Our silver uniformed soldiers fought fiercely, and gradually the two armies came to a standstill. Our
line did not break, but neither did it advance.

  Cyril's line backed off a few feet to regroup.

  A few minutes later, their cavalry charged our line, the horses ramming our unsuspecting soldiers. The line broke in a few places, and I held back the groan. I had known what would happen when our forces clashed with Cyril's of course, but I hadn't expected to feel the way I did.

  What, exactly, did I feel, though?

  Fire burned within me. I wanted to help our lines. I needed to help my countrymen in holding back the overwhelming tide of invaders.

  I shook my head imperceptibly. No. I couldn't do that. If I did, Cyril would think something was wrong.

  Or would they? If I just gave a little help here and there, I could help without being noticed. Couldn't I? After all, Dairdra did have our other mages helping to form barriers and keep the rush of invaders from being able to completely hit the weakest points. In some places, the invaders hit force-fields that kept them from reaching Argent's soldiers.

  I could help. I could.

  I smiled slightly, feeling reckless and dauntless. It was crazy to help when I should be doing everything I could to help Cyril win so my sister and Dairdra would live, but at this point, I didn't care.

  A surge of anger flowed through my veins as I saw our lines continuing to buckle as Cyril forced them inexorably back. Gritting my teeth, I began spinning the fields around the weakest points, strengthening the existing force fields as much as possible while still disguising my own magic so that no one would know it was me helping. I might be feeling particularly powerful and unbeatable, but I still wouldn't risk being caught.

  This is completely irrational! What do you think you're doing, you idiot? There's a huge chance you'll be caught even if you disguise your magic, and if you do get caught... Poof... That's the end of your sister at least. My mind whispered. Well, I already made a decision. If it comes down to saving her or saving Dairdra, I'll save Dairdra. So whatever part of me that's arguing with that can just shut up. I snapped back mentally at the part that said I was a fool for doing this.

  I kept the smile hidden so that no one on the parapet - more importantly and specifically, Dairdra - would know what I was up to. I didn't want anyone to know I was helping in case there was a spy among us. I had no real reason to believe there was, but one never knew, and Cyril seemed to know a lot more than what I was telling them.

  Who knew what they did to get their information? Magic opened up more avenues of information than I could possibly check. No sense in doing anything stupider than what I was doing now.

  But inside, I was laughing at Cyril because I'd finally found a way to snub them without getting caught. Even if it was too late for my country, I still felt better knowing that I was doing something, anything, to help my countrymen and avoid as much slaughter as possible. I turned away from my thoughts, focusing everything I had on the magic I was using and disguising the fact that it was mine. If I was going to get Dairdra out of this alive along with my sister, I needed to focus with everything I had.

  Chapter 18: Dairdra

  I leaned against the wall, palms spread flat against the stones that made up the wall. Below me, the Cyrillian colors clashed against Argent’s.

  My heart thudded dully in my chest as I watched my men battle for their lives against Cyril.

  Crypt stood behind me, silent and brooding. His hands rested gently on my hips, and I leaned back against him. “We’re not going to win this thing, Crypt. We’re both going to die.”

  He shook his head. “No, we’re not.”

  I reached up and stroked his cheek. “You can stop pretending for my sake. I know what’s happening down there.” I yelled over the din of the battle.

  He shook his head again. “We’re not going to die. You won’t. I won’t let that happen.”

  I smiled grimly. He was so determined to protect me. But that wasn’t a bad thing so long as it didn’t end in his death.

  Turning, I looked up at him. “Thank you.”

  He looked at me, startled. “What for?”

  Even though there were others on the wall, I kissed him. It didn’t matter anymore. We were going to die anyway. I might as well let him know I felt and show it to everyone around me too. “For always being there for me when I need you, and for being my protector.”

  He looked away from me. “If I were your protector, you wouldn’t be in this situation.”

  I squeezed his hand gently. “You are my protector. You’ve always looked out for me. And there’s nothing you could do about this.”

  He seemed to retreat into himself. It was almost as though he felt guilty for what was happening now.

  I frowned. “Crypt, you know there isn’t anything you can do about this, don’t you?”

  He shook his head, shaking off the mood. “Yes, I know.”

  I smiled softly. “I’m glad. The last thing I want is for one of us to die with you still believing you could’ve prevented this.”

  I looked back at the Cyrillian ranks. And my heart stopped.

  Our forces were beating them.

  Cyril was withdrawing.

  Their ranks were breaking and our forces were driving through them like a knife through butter.

  My eyes widened. I turned to Crypt. “They’re breaking formation and running!”

  He nodded, looking queasy.

  I frowned. “What’s the matter?” I asked.

  He frowned back. “What?” He yelled.

  I raised my voice. “You look sick! Why?”

  He shook his head. “This isn’t right! It feels wrong.”

  I laughed. “Yes, but they’re retreating, and that’s what we wanted. If our soldiers can beat them until they can’t fight anymore, maybe we can still win this war!”

  He smiled at me. “Maybe.” But his smile never reached his eyes.

  It was as though he knew or suspected something. Something that I didn’t. And it was causing him to assume the worst.

  I watched for another fifteen minutes, but our armies were steadily routing the enemy’s forces.

  I considered what he said, and realized that he was right. Turning to Crypt again, I was relieved to find that we could speak normally again without shouting to be heard. “Crypt, I’m going to my rooms. I need to think over this, and we need to regroup. You’re right. It doesn’t make sense that the Cyrillian army would be so easy to route. Especially not when they had such an easy time getting in here.” I turned away from him, heading down the stairs.

  Crypt nodded. “I’ll stay up here for a bit and keep helping, if you don’t need me, that is.”

  I shook my head. “That’s fine. Send someone to report to me if something goes wrong or anything changes.” Glancing at the few guards who had been able to stay to guard me and help defend the palace, I smiled at Crypt. “Just send one of them.” I inclined my head at the guards, who were cheering and gesturing at the battle below.

  Crypt smiled back. “Of course.”

  I glanced over at the guards again and then quickly slipped down the stairs. I wanted to be left alone, and the best way to do so was to give the guards the slip. Most likely, it wasn’t the smartest idea, but then, everyone was busy paying attention to the war, and I knew where Cyril was, so what did I have to worry about in regards to that? It wasn’t as though anyone would actually attack me.

  ***

  The window shattered inward.

  I leapt to my feet, heart racing.

  In my bedroom, standing beside the shattered window, stood a man.

  He was darkly handsome, like an angel of death, with messy black hair and dark violet eyes, which flashed fire at me. He towered over me, a being of pure muscle and danger.

  I stood for a moment in shocked silence, no longer pacing my room.

  No wonder Cyril had been so easy to route. They were the distraction.

  The man standing before me was the real threat.

  How easily I had been fooled into thinking I had nothing to worry about!
What a fool I had been.

  I willed myself to move, to scream, to do anything, but I was frozen.

  The man smirked at me. “Well, this is the end. Just you and me, my Lady.” His gaze flicked around my bedroom. Raising an eyebrow, he advanced on me. “Where is your young upstart of a mage? Why isn’t he here to protect you?” Another glance around the room. “Fancy finding you here all alone and unprotected.”

  That startled me into action. I flipped over the bed and snatched the gilded dagger that I kept beside my bed on my nightstand.

  He laughed. “A knife? Unoriginal, I must say!” A tendril of black fire licked out flicking over my skin ponderously before wrapping around the knife’s blade and yanking it from me.

  I gasped. “Who are you?” Looking up into his violet eyes, I thought there was something vaguely familiar about him, but I couldn’t place it.

  “Why, I’m surprised you don’t know. I’m your kingdom’s new ruler.” He whispered.

  I shrank back from him, backing up until I was up against a wall. “You’re King Vill?”

  He laughed again, rich and full. “Yes! Of course.”

  I stared. “I didn’t expect you to be… so… I mean you’re not…” I stammered, trying to think of a way to stall.

  Deciding that my best option was to scream, I sucked in a deep breath and began screaming for help. But as soon as I did, my air was cut off. I dropped to the floor, choking and gasping. My hands went to my neck as I doubled over.

  King Vill watched me in amusement. “You know, I don’t think that yelling is the best way to handle this situation.”

  I glared at him, tears leaking from the corners of my eyes as I struggled to draw at least a small breath. But nothing was coming. I was going to suffocate.

  What a horrid way to die.

  I shuddered, furious with myself. How could I have been so stupid?

  He released whatever spell was holding my breath from my lungs. “But, it just so happens that I want to be able to hear you plead with me not to kill you, and I want to hear you cry. Suffocating people to death isn’t any fun. So much more attractive to hear their screams. Although, I must admit, your mother’s scream for you was rather strange and slightly unnerving.”