In Chains

by K. L. Thorne

  Sivelle had cherished Lori’s first letter, merely a scrap of parchment. This second one, though lengthier and far more detailed, was marred with the unpleasant memories of the night before.

  Lori had asked Sivelle if leaving with Haros was a possibility. Sivelle hadn’t been able to read a portion of the letter where her sister had been trying to convince her to try. It had been too painful.

  Sivelle dropped the parchment into the fire, hoping to banish some of the guilt and fear that plagued her in doing so.

  “Was that another letter from your sisters?” Mivian asked.

  “Yes. Nyre managed to deliver one for me yesterday.”

  “How exciting – are they well?”

  “They seem to be. The demon king has allowed them to stay in Banesteppe, so that’s a relief.”

  Mivian paused, fiddling with the sheets in her hands for a moment.

  “Speaking of the demon king, I hear you may not be here for much longer, Haros?” she asked.

  Sivelle shot her a scowl, but the handmaiden simply shrugged. She didn’t suppose it could get any worse.

  “Yeah, I’ve got to get back. I’ve stayed too long as it is. There’s important jobs to do back in Banesteppe that my king will need my support for,” he replied, deliberately not meeting Sivelle’s gaze as she glanced across at him.

  “I have to admit I will be disappointed to see you go.”

  “Well, if you’re ever passing Banesteppe…” Haros trailed off.

  Mivian smiled at the demon. “I’ll be sure to call in. When do you think you will head off?”

  “No later than the weekend,” Haros answered quickly.

  There was no doubt in anyone’s mind as to why he wasn’t keen to hang around past that. Sivelle sank her teeth into her lower lip. She felt sick to her stomach and pleaded that the days until her father’s ball passed as quickly and painlessly as possible.

  Had she not suffered enough already?

  ∞∞∞

  Sivelle sucked in a breath as the corset of the lilac gossamer dress was cinched in at the waist tighter still. Her wings fluttered as the material strained against them. Had this dress always chaffed so? She couldn’t recall noticing during all the fittings she had attended.

  The clock was counting down. In less than an hour, Sivelle would be paraded around a room full of strange men like some sort of trophy. They would undoubtedly wrestle to talk to her, vie for her attention and suck up to her father.

  The choice would be hers, apparently. She already knew how quickly that would change, should she choose no one.

  No, that wasn’t entirely accurate. Sivelle had already chosen. He was sat on the chair in her bedroom, preparing to leave her behind forever. She felt sweat beading on her upper lip as another wave of nervous nausea hit her. Mivian dabbed it away silently with a soft handkerchief.

  The handmaiden had diligently helped Sivelle wash and dress, weaving her hair into an elaborately braided up-do and painting her face. She knew there were no words that could alleviate Sivelle’s stress.

  Sivelle obediently stepped into the shoes Mivian held out for her, comparing how her heart hammered and her hands shook with that of a prisoner being summoned to the gallows. As Mivian draped a necklace around her neck, it might as well have been a hangman’s noose.

  Sivelle and Haros hadn’t spoken properly since their argument. He hadn’t outright ignored her and had continued to help her where necessary, but their relationship was strained and peppered with awkward silences. The demon had attended her dance lessons but had looked away, disinterested. He had always watched her dance with such a deliciously heated expression, Sivelle had been stunned to discover how desperately she missed seeing it.

  “Come, Your Highness. Take a seat in the bed chamber, I’ll fetch a glass of wine. Maybe that will help settle you.” Mivian said softly and stroked a hand down the princess’s arm to comfort her.

  Sivelle simply nodded and allowed her handmaiden to steer her back to the bedroom. Haros was stood at the balcony doors. Though he had his back to her, another unbearable flurry of grief, nausea and nerves engulfed her as she noticed he had already donned his cloak.

  She sat on the stool beside her dressing table, staring vacantly into the fireplace. Her palms were sweaty and she lamented the choice to forego silk gloves. She would undoubtedly have all manner of men kissing her hands this evening. Maybe a barrier between her and them would go some way to relieving the sensation of insects crawling beneath her skin she experienced at the mere thought.

  Mivian quietly let herself out of the room and Haros and Sivelle sat in stony silence. He stared out at the darkness through the window and she simply sat, as if encased in an invisible block of ice.

  “I’m going to wait until you’ve gone downstairs before I make a move,” he said. His voice sounded foreign and hollow to her.

  “Alright,” she replied, barely maintaining her composure.

  “I’m not great with the whole ‘goodbye’ thing, so it’s probably for the best.”

  Sivelle nodded, pressing her lips so tightly together that her teeth cut into the flesh on the inside of her mouth. A faint tang of coppery blood spread across her tongue.

  The demon sighed, but Sivelle couldn’t bring herself to look at him. She teetered on the edge of an emotional outburst. Gazing into those dark eyes would be sure to push her over the edge.

  As if she wasn’t tortured enough, her mind whirled, playing and replaying all the wonderful things she had done in the last few weeks.

  Haros teasing her, driving her mad with frustration. The kiss they shared the night of her birthday. How nervous she had been as she had stepped into her bedroom, seeing him tethered to her bed. The demon’s wicked sense of humour. How he had brushed his palms over her face, smoothing her hair away when they had made love. The thousands upon thousands of heated glances and sinful smiles…

  Mivian returned and, clearly seeing the emotion threatening to spill in Sivelle’s expression, hurried to her side with the glass of wine. The princess hands shook as she grasped the stem and took a long sip.

  “Your father’s men are assembling, Your Highness. One of them will be up to escort you to the ball shortly.”

  Sivelle swallowed another large mouthful of wine.

  “I guess it’s time. Look after yourself, alright?” Haros nodded at Mivian. The handmaiden hopped over to him and wrapped her arms around him. He hesitantly returned her embrace.

  “Please, whatever you do, don’t die!” she cried, her voice was muffled.

  Both he and Mivian laughed, though it didn’t even scrape the surface of the turbulent emotion hanging in the air.

  “Dorian has your bag ready downstairs. He’s packed as much food and water as he could into the damn thing, so at least you’ll have enough to keep you going.”

  “I’ve made longer journey’s with less,” Haros shrugged, but grinned. “I’ll be sure to thank him anyway.”

  There was a silence and Sivelle sensed both Mivian and Haros had turned to look at her. She remained frozen in place, draining the last of her wine glass.

  “Will you be taking Nyre with you?” Sivelle asked, her voice shaking. She glanced across at the sleeping dragonette.

  “I wasn’t going to but—”

  “Please, take her. I… I won’t be able to keep her for much longer,” she all but whispered.

  Haros walked silently across the room and nudged the dragonette awake. Nyre blinked at him sleepily.

  “Come on, girl. We’re going on an adventure.” He bent and heaved her heavy, scaly body into his arms. Nyre stretched her wings and yawned, flashing a row of sharp fangs. Her forked tongue slithered between her lips and she gazed at Sivelle questioningly.

  The princess’s vision wavered behind tears, but this time she was helpless to hold one back. It tracked down her cheek and she bit down hard on the inside of her cheek in a desperate bid to cease her crying.

  Haros opened the balcony doors and set the dragonet
te on the floor.

  “Head on down to the gardens. Don’t go too far, I’ll whistle for you when I’m ready,” he instructed.

  Nyre simply cooed in agreement and Sivelle heard the flap of her leathery wings as she took to the skies. It was dark out, the dragonette’s dark scales would render her almost invisible. She would be safe until Haros met up with her.

  There was a sharp rap at the bedroom door and Sivelle swallowed back a whimper. Mivian answered it, opening the door to reveal one of her father’s guards.

  “I’m here to escort the princess downstairs,” he said.

  Mivian glanced over her shoulder, her eyes wide and glassy.

  “Give me a moment, please,” Sivelle mumbled. She hadn’t spoken loud enough for the man to hear, but Mivian muttered under her breath to the guard and quietly closed the door.

  “He’s waiting outside when you’re ready, Your Highness.” Mivian’s own voice was thick with emotion and she disappeared into the wardrobe, closing the door behind her to give Haros and Sivelle some privacy.

  As Sivelle sat motionless with her heart pounding in her chest, it occurred to her than nothing in her entire life had ever felt so wrong.

  She had made mistakes before, she had bid farewell to those she cared about before, she had cried before, she had done terrible things at her father’s bidding before… They all paled in comparison.

  Haros cleared his throat. Sivelle continued to stare into the fire.

  “Are you not even going to look at me?”

  “I can’t,” she whispered, another tear rolling down her cheek.

  He sighed heavily. “Fuck, Sivelle… I don’t want to leave it this way.”

  Before she had a chance to react, the demon closed the short distance between them. He bent forwards and grabbed her chin, roughly pulling her into a blistering kiss.

  Sivelle grasped the demon’s shirt in her first and gave him her all, for one last time.

  The kiss was brief, but brilliant. Haros parted from her and a small sob escaped her. She released him and turned away, her cheeks flaring with embarrassment despite her sorrow.

  “Sorry,” she sniffed and quickly swiped her tears away.

  “It’s alright,” Haros murmured.

  There was another short rap at the door as the guard’s patience began to wear thin. Sivelle scowled.

  “You need to go.” The demon held out a hand for her and Sivelle took it, her hands shaking. “I’ll head out as soon as you and chuckles out there have gone.”

  Sivelle just nodded, the hole in her chest growing steadily, second by second. It was going to swallow her up. She walked to the door and the world seemed to slow down. Every step was like wading through deep water. She couldn’t breathe.

  “Sivelle,” Haros called to her. She paused with her hand on the door handle. “I hope you’re happy again someday soon. I mean it because you deserve to be happy, sweetheart.”

  Like a bucket of ice water being dumped over her head, Sivelle was drenched in her grief. She turned the handle and opened the door.

  Her father’s guard stood to attention, greeting her with a swift nod. Sivelle was frozen, swaying a little on her feet as she fought with herself to step through over the threshold.

  Mivian appeared at her side and placed her hand at Sivelle’s back.

  “You can do it, Sivelle,” she muttered encouragingly. “I’ll be waiting for you here when you return.”

  Sivelle nodded and took a deep breath before stepping out into the corridor. The guard held his elbow out for her and she grasped it, grateful to be able to lean her weight against something solid.

  “Your father is waiting for you, Princess,” the man said and began to walk her away down the hallway towards the stairs.

  “A-are the guests here?” she asked quietly.

  “Yes, Your Highness. They are awaiting your arrival too.”

  Sivelle put one foot in front of the other, despite the darkness that was looming at the edges of her vision. Her heart thundered in her chest.

  It occurred to her in that moment, she was well on her way to falling in love with the wonderful demon she was walking away from. She would likely never see him again. He would be reunited with his friends, with her sisters… and she would remain here. She would be alone, forced to live a life of despair with some awful man who was deemed suitable for her only by the size of his bank.

  Sivelle’s footsteps faltered and the guard looked down at her quizzically.

  “Is everything alright?” he asked her.

  She couldn’t live with herself if Haros got captured trying to escape with her, but she knew with the utmost certainty that she would not be able to live with herself without him here. She would rather die than face what awaited her if she let him leave tonight.

  “W-would you excuse me a moment? I believe I’ve left something behind.” Sivelle span on her heel and ran back to her bedroom door.

  She burst in, startling Mivian, who quickly wiped her own tears away on her sleeve.

  “Princess?! What are you—”

  Sivelle cast her eyes around the room. Haros was nowhere to be seen and the balcony doors were wide open. She couldn’t breathe and her knees wobbled beneath her. Was she too late?

  “Have I… Has he…” she gasped for breath.

  Haros appeared from the bath chamber with a confused frown on his face.

  “Is everything alright? What’s going on?” he asked.

  Sivelle didn’t speak, just ran to him and wrapped her arms tightly around his middle.

  “I swear, if you die trying to get me out of here, I’ll kill you!”

  It took Haros a few moments to fully comprehend what she was saying, but she eventually felt him wrap his strong arms around her tightly.

  “But I’ll already be dead. I can’t die twice.”

  “Smart ass!” she growled and lifted her chin to look up at him.

  When he kissed her firmly, she closed her eyes and tears escaped from the corners, running into her hair.

  “You’re going to come with me?” he growled.

  “Y-yes, but Haros; what if something awful happens? What if we don’t make it? I couldn’t bear to be the reason... They’ll execute you!” she cried. Her gut churned just thinking about it.

  “Then I’ll die happy, like the fucking hero I am,” Haros snapped.

  “Really? A hero?” Sivelle cocked a brow. Despite her grief, her lips curled into a smile. Her demon had a real talent for making her smile, even in the most turbulent of times.

  “What? I’m planning to rescue a princess from a tower, or die trying. That sounds like something a hero would do to me.”

  “But why? Why would you want to risk so much?”

  Haros took her face in his hands. “Because I… I care about you, Sivelle. I can’t leave you here.”

  He pressed another firm kiss against her mouth and then parted from her to rest his forehead against hers. He stroked her face in his hands.

  “Tell me you want to run away with me. If that’s true, I need to hear you say it.”

  Sivelle swallowed, her mouth was dry. The words fell from her mouth easily.

  “I want to run away with you, Haros,” she whispered. “I’m just so frightened.”

  “Yeah, me too, but this isn’t the first time I’ve been in a sticky situation and it won’t be the last. I always manage to scrape through in the end.”

  “How are you going to get us out of here?” Sivelle sniffed.

  “I’m not sure. My escape plan is going to have to change now I’ve got company, but I’ve got some ideas.” Haros pressed a chaste kiss against her before tugging her into an embrace. Sivelle buried her face in his chest.

  “I’m sorry. I thought for sure you would leave, with or without me, and we’d just go about our separate lives.”

  “Well, that was my initial intention. I’m not sure how you suckered me in, but it makes me so angry thinking about you marrying some fucking toffee-nosed...” he trailed
off and squeezed her tighter.

  “Jealous?”

  “Insanely. I’ll get us out of here Sivelle. I swear it.” Haros sighed.

  “Oh, you guys!” Mivian squealed. “I’ve only just stopped crying and now I think I might start all over again! You two are just—”

  The guard knocked at the door and Sivelle snapped back to reality. She pushed away from Haros quickly.

  “Oh no! What am I going to do now?” she cried.

  “Don’t panic. Go down there, I’ll think of something.” Haros nodded.

  “But you won’t—”

  “I’m not going anywhere, not without you. Go, go – I’ll get a plan together. Just don’t go falling for any rich pricks, alright?”

  “I promise.” Sivelle smiled and Haros kissed her again briefly before pushing her away.

  Sivelle hurried forward and opened the door just as the knight had raised his fist to knock again.

  “So sorry to keep you waiting. I thought I’d left my pashmina in here, but I just remembered I’m not wearing one. I’m ready now, let’s go.” She turned to close the door behind herself, shooting Haros and Mivian a nervous, but wide smile.

  Though her heart still hammered in her chest, the crushing fear and sadness was gone. Sivelle took the guard’s elbow once more and allowed him to escort her to the ballroom below. She ran the pad of her finger beneath each of her eyes, hoping it wasn’t too obvious that she had been crying.

  She held her breath as they arrived at the entrance to the ballroom. She heard a second guard behind the door announce her arrival to the room. The large wooden doors were opened and she was walked inside.

  A room full of men gazed back at her but she tried her best to ignore them, instead fixing her eyes on her father, who was sat upon his throne at the end of the long room.

  When they reached the end of the carpeted walkway, her guard escort left her and she curtseyed before her father.

  He gazed at her with warmth in his eyes. “My darling daughter, welcome. You look ravishing as always. Come, sit beside me a moment.” Lazuli gestured to the smaller, less elaborate throne to his left and Sivelle smoothed her skirts before obediently sitting down.

  A waitress appeared at her side and passed her a flute of fizzy wine. Sivelle took it gratefully and treated herself to a generous swig.