by Marnie Cate
* * *
The stands surrounding the pit were filled with the same broken spirits. Women clung to each other sobbing. I knew they feared they would meet the fate of the pit, or worse, someone they loved would.
“What is this? Why are we here?” Cedric questioned.
“The dorcha spiders need to be fed. You need know nothing else. Now, sit,” Jameson said, shoving us onto an occupied bench. The Vetur quickly moved over, making room for us.
Cedric wrinkled his nose. “I don't want to sit with these people. They are disgusting.”
Jameson picked him up by his shirt collar and shoved his face close to his. “You want to be their king, but you won't sit with them? You are weak. She was correct to deny you her realm.”
“She has already informed me I am not worthy of being her king,” Cedric spat back. “I guess neither of us are good enough, Guard.”
Jameson threw Cedric to the ground, and kicked him in the leg. I reached out to stop him, but was held back by the women around me.
“Don't,” one of the women pleaded. “You will be put in the pit.”
Jameson leaned in as if to punch Cedric, but instead, he said softly, “Prove her wrong. Convince them you are the king. Convince me.”
He, then, punched Cedric in the face, and stood up. “Stay down, mortal, or you will learn what pain really is in the pit.”
Defiantly, Cedric forced himself up, and spat at Jameson's feet. Before Jameson could reach him, Cedric rushed to the edge of the ring. Turning and smiling at me, he climbed on the ledge.
“No!” I cried.
Before Jameson could reach him, Cedric jumped.
* * *
Instead of landing in the pit, Cedric hit the side of one of the stone rock pillars. The crowd screamed. Cedric struggled to hang on, but slowly managed to pull himself up onto the flat surface.
“I was proclaimed your future king twenty years ago. I have come to take my proper place, upon the throne,” he shouted.
Snowystra appeared below him. “What are you doing? Get down,” she commanded.
“I am here to prove my value, Goddess.”
“There is only one way you would be worthy, and you will never carry my magic,” she hissed.
“Give me your magic,” he said boldly.
“Come to me,” she ordered, and her eyes flickered with anger.
Cedric didn't hesitate. He shimmied down the pillar. When he was halfway down it, he swung, landing before her, where he quickly knelt at her feet. Her expression of irritation changed to satisfaction. She even smiled down at him.
“Rise, my champion,” she purred.
Cedric stood. “Yes, my Goddess.”
She stepped to him, and trailed her fingers down the scar she had left him so many years before. Even from the stands, I could see she was freezing his skin by the frost she left behind. He visibly shuddered from the pain, but he did not falter. She took his hand, and with one quick motion, she cut his wrist.
I screamed. She was going to kill my son right before me, and there was nothing I could do to stop her. The hands holding me tightened as I struggled against them.
“You want my magic?” Snowystra asked.
“Yes, Goddess, if you deem me worthy,” Cedric answered.
She grinned, and then cut her own hand. As the blood flowed from it, she placed her palm on his bleeding wrist. He jolted back, but she held onto him. The red dripping from her fingers turned white as it trailed up Cedric's arm. He fell to his knees, convulsing. Still, she did not release him. She was killing him.
Finally, I broke free and ran to the ledge. “No,” I screamed. “Please show mercy, Goddess.”
Snowystra laughed cruelly and released him. As she watched him, Cedric swayed as if he would topple over. Finally, she scowled at me.
“If he lives, he will be my king. If not, feed him to my dorcha,” Snowystra declared.
Cedric fell over.
Laughing, she waved her hands in the air, and dozens of the spider entered the pit. This couldn't happen. She was going to feed my son to her spiders.
The room began to spin, and then there was nothing.
Chapter 27
I awoke in a small room. The space was much different than the last few times I had been here. Instead of the ground, I was on a cot with a soft blanket and a pillow. There was even a toilet and a sink.
Looking around for an escape route, I was surprised the walls were not made of dirt and rock. Instead, it looked like I was enclosed in a block of ice. The thick metal door began to open, and I quickly laid back down pretending to sleep.
“Wake up, Blanche,” Jameson said as he stroked my hair. Handing me a notepad, he added, “Write a note to your staff. Tell them you have gone to Brighid's Landing for a well-deserved rest. Make it sound official.”
“I don't care about the house,” I said, shoving it away.
“It will be easier when you return. Now, go on. Write the letter,” he insisted.
Hastily, I penned my lie, leaving Stephen in charge of the business and house in my absence. However, I made sure to include no major decisions could be made without my approval. I wanted to write address it to cell number three-three-three, but I knew Jameson would make me start over.
“Here, now take me to my son,” I said, shoving the note at him.
“You don't want to see him,” he replied. When I glared at him, he sighed. “Fine. Don't say you weren't warned.”
Jameson led me down the dark tunnels, and stopped outside the entrance of a massive room. Peering in the partially opened ice door, I saw Cedric sitting on a dark throne atop a stone platform in the back of the space. His dark hair was spiked, making the white tips appear sharp. He was dressed in a tight black t-shirt and black pants with a snake pattern running up the legs. His dark appearance barely resembled my son.
For a few minutes, I watched him. He was drinking and laughing with dozens of men and women surrounding him. The women were brazen, and draped themselves over him in their tattered black dresses. There was very little fabric covering their snow-white skin. Suddenly, one of the women slapped and punched another who tried to get closer to Cedric. Instead of stopping the fight, Cedric laughed, and let another woman feed him. When she began to kiss his neck, he did not stop her. Suddenly, she was ripped from his lap and thrown on the ground.
“He is not yours. Keep your filthy hands to yourself,” a woman said, rising from the spot next to him.
When the woman rose, the attacker shoved her back down.
“Let the poor girl be,” Cedric said, stopping the attacker. “She was just paying respect to her king.”
When the woman whirled around on him, I realized it was not a Vetur. It was Eliza. She was dressed in the same leather clothing as her husband – the same outfits I have seen in my dream.
“You are not theirs,” Eliza screamed. Turning to the women around her, she yelled, “If you touch him, I'll burn the skin from your bodies, and then feed you to the dorcha myself.”
Holding up a sparking green ball of fire, she threw it at the feet of the forward woman. “Go, now, before I change my mind, and burn you alive.”
The woman quickly rushed away and down the stone stairs. Eliza threw the ball behind her, barely missing her. Sitting down, she leaned in and whispered something to Cedric. He laughed, and kissed her.
Jameson had been correct. I didn't want to see my son like this. I looked around the Vetur and felt even sorrier for them. They looked at my son with hope. Naively, they thought he would save them. When a woman passed the door with a tray of clear goblets filled with bright red tavi, I stepped into the room, stopping her.
“Give it to me,” I said.
The girl cowered, but held the tray tight. “Please, I need to bring it to the Shah,” she pleaded.
“Be gone. The Shah's mother will bring him the drink,” Jameson growled.
The girl held out the tray of goblets to me and I took two. Carrying the glasses, I followed closely be
hind Jameson. He made a path for me through the crowd as they stared at me in interest. I forced air into my lungs slowly as I tried to breathe and calm myself.
I knew what I had to do to save Cedric. Discretely, I twisted my ring and let several granules drop in both the glasses. The powder fizzled, and quickly disappeared into the think liquid. I could only hope no one noticed what I had done. Thirteen steps were between my son and my deceit.
When I reached the platform, Cedric beamed at me. “You were mistaken, Mother. She has made me her king.”
Nodding my head, I said, “And Eliza, your queen.”
“Vizier,” he corrected.
Eliza was now seated on the throne next to Cedric. She looked miserable. How could she not be? Her son had been taken from her. She had lost her child to Snowystra. No, she had lost all her children because of the Dark Goddess. For what?
Offering the drink to her, I said, “I was told you requested this.”
She sneered at me. “Did you poison it?”
I took a long drink, and then reoffered it to her again. “No, it is quite delicious though. I will need to request one for myself.”
“Very well,” she said, taking it from me.
“And for you, my son,” I said, handing the drink to him.
“Would you like to prove mine is safe to drink, Mother?” he laughed.
“If you wish,” I replied, putting the drink to my lips.
“There is no need for such paranoia,” he said, snatching it out of my hands. He downed it in one gulp, and grinned. “Your days of worrying are over. Come sit with us. The Goddess will be here soon to make the official announcement. A message has been sent to her that my magic has returned.”
“It has? How wonderful,” I lied.
“Yes, it is. When she transferred me some of her gift, it brought my own to life,” he said proudly.
“Have you tested it?”
“There is no need. I feel it running through me. It is so strong. This time, she will reward me greatly…us greatly,” he boasted.
The young girl returned and bowed to Cedric. “Mi Shah, what else would you like me to get for you?”
“More drinks and food to eat,” he demanded.
Worry washed over the girl's face.
Jameson said, “I'll take you to the Goddess' kitchen. Of course, there must be fine food for my s…. the Shah.” He barely caught himself before he called Cedric his son.
“You do that, Jameson. I can tell you will be a very loyal guard to me,” Cedric said boldly.
Jameson's jaws clenched, and he nodded.
The girl turned to Eliza. “Min Vizier, may I bring you something?”
Eliza's eyes welled with tears, which she quickly blinked away. “I want nothing from you. You are disgusting filth. Leave my sight.”
“Eliza, you must not treat our people like that,” Cedric scolded.
“These are not my people,” she murmured.
“Sit by me, Mother. It is time to celebrate,” he crowed.
* * *
Drink after drink, I was able to pour some of the powder into his tavi. Eliza's sat untouched as she wallowed in her anger. Slowly, I could see it was working. Cedric's hair was losing the white streaks. Even his skin gained a rosy glow. He didn't seem to notice the magic being taken from him, and Eliza was unobservant.
Below us, the Vetur began to move and each fell to their knees, bowing before Snowystra. She could have transported herself to the platform. Instead, she walked amongst her captive people, delighting in the respect they gave her. She paid them no attention though. Her eyes were set onto Cedric.
“I have been informed that my infusion of magic has awoken your gift,” she purred.
“Yes, Goddess,” he said, standing to greet her. “I felt it the minute I awoke. Thank you for giving me the chance to prove my worthiness to you.”
Snowystra grabbed his hand and held it tightly. The look of anticipation changed to disgust. “You carry no magic,” she snarled.
“Of course, I do. Look, even my hair has turned white,” Cedric argued.
Snowystra ripped a tray from one of the servants and held it before him.
“What? No, I promise you. It was here,” Cedric insisted. “It's the tavi's fault. I shouldn't have drank so much.”
“Tavi would not take your gift. If you had even an ounce inside you, it would have been amplified by the drink. Is this a game? Did you hope to trick me? You have been here pretending to be the king of my people for too long. Remove them from the throne. These mortals are liars. He does not carry the magic.”
Eliza said, “I carry magic.” She held out her hand, filled with green flames.
Snowystra slapped her across the face. “You do not carry my magic.”
Covering her cheek, Eliza backed down.
“And Blanche, we know your magic is weak.”
“Yes, Goddess,” I said, looking away.
“Take them out of my sight. I will decide their fate later,” Snowystra commanded.
Before I could object, we were picked up by guards and dragged through the Vetur.
“He's not the king.”
“She will not free us now”
“There is no hope.”
Words of pain and despair filled the room.
Cedric began shouting. “I am your king. My magic will return. I will prove to you all that I have Winter inside me. This is a horrible mistake.”
* * *
We were thrown into the icy cell. This time, I did not know if we would ever be free again. My chest tightened as panic flooded me. Had I made a mistake? In trying to save my son, would I be the cause of his death?
Cedric let out a roar of frustration. “I do not understand. How could I have my magic one moment, but not the next? It was so alive, so strong, and then it was gone!”
“Maybe she is doing it,” I suggested softly.
“Why would she do this? That makes no sense,” he growled.
“It makes no sense for you to have it when we come here, and then it disappears,” I said, taking his hand.
“Why would she play such cruel games?”
“She is a cruel goddess. Look what she has done to your wife,” I soothed.
Eliza was balled up on the bed, looking into the nowhere.
“Has she been checked since the baby was delivered?” I asked.
“Miles. My boy is named Miles,” Cedric snarled.
“Don't say his name aloud. She calls him Sebastian. The same name she gave to you. The name she will give to the next stolen child she thinks is the answer. They say he doesn't have any magic either,” I replied.
“I don't believe them,” Eliza whispered.
“Just rest, Eliza. She will free us one day,” I said, not believing my own words.
* * *
Time passed so slowly in the cell. I could not tell how long we had been locked up. Several times food was thrown at us through a small opening. It was barely edible. Water was the only clean thing we were given. It came in the form of ice balls the guards pelted at us. The guards laughed as we screamed in pain at their attack. I didn't know how much longer I could live in these conditions.
The pain and despair was unbearable. Where was Jameson? He did not come to see us. Countless times he had promised to never leave me. He had promised to always take care of me and keep me safe, but he lied. Year after year, he convinced me that his love was real only to turn around and run to her.
I understood I was a means to an end. I had let so-called love allow me to be manipulated. Now, I was trapped – not only in the four-walled tomb, but by my emotions. I knew Jameson would be loyal to her, even if it meant sacrificing me. Despite this knowledge, I couldn't stop the little voice in my mind from reminding me that our love was real. Collapsing into the rickety chair, I wept.
When I had just about given up hope, he came.
Jameson entered our cell with Livia close behind. In her arms, she held the tiniest baby I'd ever seen. She nodded at
me, and her eyes darted to my ring. Once again, I felt like she was telling me she knew my secret. She gazed at Cedric and Eliza who were nestled together in a deep sleep on the cot.
“The child is worthless,” Jameson announced. “Give it to her, and go back to the cottages, Livia. That is, unless you would rather stay here, with them.”
Livia narrowed her eyes at him. I thought she was going to say something, but she didn't. She just handed me the baby and a small bag. Taking my grandson, I could feel how small he was.
Livia squeezed my hand, and slightly twisted the ring. Worry flashed over her face. I wished she could just tell me what I needed to do. Something in her eyes told me we were in grave danger. I just needed to get her away from him long enough for her to tell me what to do.
Violently, Jameson grabbed her, and tossed her out of the cell. Livia screamed. Instinctively, I moved back, protecting the child from him. In response, Cedric sat up. When he did, his eyes fell on Miles, and he awkwardly struggled to get up.
The door closed as Jameson returned. My fears lifted as I watched Jameson's demeanor change. The kind man I loved was with us.
He touched my cheek gently. “She will free all of you if…”
“If what,” I asked.
“If a heart is brought to her,” Jameson replied.
“A heart?” Eliza asked, moving away to the furthest corner of the cell.
“Not yours. A dorcha heart,” Jameson explained.
“Ok, I'll go to the pit and get her one,” Cedric volunteered.
“No, those are not full grown. She wants one from the Sephorian Desert,” Jameson said, turning his attention to Cedric.
“Ok, I'll go there then. Show me the way,” Cedric replied.
“It won't be that easy. You can't even stand to see your son,” Jameson said. “I'll go with you. I will keep you safe.”
“I'll go by myself. I can take care of my child,” Cedric shouted.
“Maybe, in other circumstances, you would be able to carry out the task. How will you walk out of the cell, let alone the sandy desert? You are weak. You are malnourished. You wouldn't last through the night in your current condition. You will need me,” Jameson said, putting his hand on his son's shoulder.