by Jaymin Eve
He released me, and since I hadn’t been prepared for it, I tumbled forward. Then a heavy boot into my back sent me flying right over the edge into the step below.
17
I couldn’t tell you how long I fell for, my screams echoing in my ears. After an eternity, trees caught me, my body slamming into them with enough force to knock all breath from me. At some point the restraints holding my hands behind my back were torn free, almost taking my arms with them.
My body ended up wedged in the branches of a tree, my dress shredded, along with half my skin. I didn’t move for many long moments, trembling, struggling to draw breath into my lungs. A branch had pierced my shoulder; the pain was muted as adrenalin coursed through me, but just trying to tug myself free was enough to send sharp jabs of agony through me.
Knowing I couldn’t just hang there and starve or bleed to death, I sucked up every ounce of my bravery, gave myself multiple pep talks, and wrenched my arm off the branch with a loud scream. Panting breaths were my sole focus for a few moments as I waited for the stabbing sensations to die down. It didn’t. Eventually I just sucked it up and dragged my pained and broken body further up the branch. My blood made everything slippery, and I was athletically challenged, so it took longer than it should have to reach the trunk. Once I was pressed against it, I wrapped my hand over the wound in my arm, applying pressure. I was losing way too much blood. There was no way I’d survive if I didn’t get that under control.
A burst of hysterical laughter left my lips, followed by a sob. Who the hell was I kidding? There was no way I was making it out of here alive. Six lands of terror. Six! Before I would find freedom.
Still, I was never one to give up. I would fight until there was no more fight left.
I tore a strip off the bottom of my dress. It was pretty much in shreds at this point. I kept tearing until it was thigh level – the long dress would hamper my ability to run and climb. The heels would have to go too, but since I had no idea how my feet would hold up in this sort of terrain, I’d remove them when I had no other choice.
Searching for what looked like the cleanest part of the material, I pressed a bundle against my wound, and then used another long strip to wrap round and round my shoulder, compressing the blood flow the best I could. Once I had done everything I could to staunch the bleeding, I focused on the land I was in.
This hadn’t been a level I’d seen much of when I looked across the justices, so I hadn’t noticed what dangers were lurking within the trees. Logically I knew there had to be a ton, because … it was hell. The first level of hell to be exact, which technically should be the worst.
The ground below my perch looked like what I’d expect to find in a forest. Undergrowth, leaves, shrubs. Perfectly normal. Lifting myself off the bough, I shuffled forward, ignoring the pull of rough bark-like material against my skin. The trees here were a lot like Earth’s, except instead of wood they were made from porous-looking stone. Almost like … coral. The leaves were also different, but not enough that you could tell until you got closer.
There was another thick branch just below mine. I lowered myself down onto it, shuffling along again, before finding another lower one. I continued on this way, slowly, steadily, body fatigued but not letting me down yet.
When I was on the lowest branch before ground level, I slowly swung myself down. My lack of athletic ability was definitely going to be an issue here, but I was determined to survive. The skills needed would just have to be learned on the run. When my legs were dangling, my one good arm taking most of my weight as I lowered myself, my strength gave out and I tumbled the last few feet to the ground, landing with a solid thud.
There was a brief pause, like the land was confused about what had just happened, and then everything went to shit. The ground started to violently rock and buck like an angry bull trying to throw its rider off. I was tossed into a nearby tree, pain slashing my cheek and arm.
My body slid down to stop on a large bushy shrub and the land calmed. My heart was racing as I tried to figure out what had just happened, and how to prevent it from happening again. Deciding that the longer I sat still the worse it was going to get, I rolled off the plant and dropped almost gracefully to my feet.
The land bucked again, pitching me forward into the bushes. As soon as my feet left the ground, everything calmed. Shit. Ass. Shit. I’d figured out what made this level of the justices so dangerous. The moment you stepped foot on the land, it tried its best to get rid of you.
I needed to get back into the trees immediately. Of course I was now a good six feet from the closest tree. A tree which did not have a single branch I could reach.
Except … if I was vaulted headfirst at it? As plans go, it was up there with the stupidest, but I couldn’t think of any other way. Taking a deep breath, I jumped as far as I could, landing below the tree. Bending my knees as I dropped, I prepared myself for the bucking. The ground shot me up into the air, and then I was flying, shifting to try to reach the branch I’d been aiming for, and somehow I managed to grab on. My good arm shook as I used it to keep me steady while I hooked a leg over the bough and pulled myself up and across to rest on it.
The limb creaked; I felt it strain, too small to support my weight. I needed to move. Dragging myself toward the main trunk, a relieved breath left me as I ended up on a sturdier bough. Everything ached as I tried not to cry. This was no time for tears – even though it was starting to become painfully obvious that I was not going to survive this. Unless a miracle fell in my lap, there was almost zero possibility. I was tired, losing blood – the black cloth hid it, but I could feel how heavy and saturated it was getting. And this was only the first level.
Freaking Imperials. Hopefully Lexen would get Qenita to gut them the next time he saw them. “You better avenge me,” I shouted, half delirious.
“You got it, gorgeous.”
The low, deep voice should have startled me from the tree, but I was half passed out and only managed a gasp. My lashes fluttered as I tried to focus on the blurry person crouched in the tree across from me, a large shadow dressed all in black. The brief glimpse of face underneath his low cap was familiar, but I couldn’t figure out how I knew him.
“I’m going to help you, Emma. But you have to trust me.”
That voice too … it was so familiar. And his eyes … sad eyes.
I cried out, losing all thought as he lifted me up. Somehow he was able to hold me and step gracefully along the low branch. Everything after that was pretty blurry, walking through trees, jumping across bushy shrubs, until finally I couldn’t hold on to consciousness any longer.
Heat woke me. My head was pounding as I struggled up from my hard resting place. Well, this was becoming a far too familiar sensation. Unlike last time in the egg, I immediately remembered everything that had just happened.
Swinging my head around, a few droplets of sweat flung off me. Was I in a sauna? At minimum I expected to see a roaring fire right at my side; it was that warm here. But there was nothing in the cave-like room. My skin felt tight as I lifted my right hand – the left was uselessly attached to my injured arm – to rub at the pounding in my temples, trying to relieve some of the pain there. Sharp agony burst behind my eyes, and before I could even move, my stomach roiled and I dry heaved over and over, nothing able to come out as I had not eaten or drank anything since I was taken.
Vomiting plus headache was a terrible combination, and I did briefly wonder if I was going to die in this cave.
Speaking of, how in all of this underworld did I get into a cave? I’d been in the trees. I definitely remembered some coral-trees, and a land that did not appreciate being walked on. The shadowy man … he must have brought me here. Examining my surroundings – basic cave – I looked down to see that the wound in my arm had been rebandaged with a white stretchy-looking material. I still wore my tattered black dress, but there was more gauze along my arms and legs. The stupid heels were also gone, which would hopefully help me to stay up
right.
I jumped to my feet – wincing at the increased pain in my head – as a broad-shouldered figure stepped into sight.
“Nice to see you’re awake, badass. I was getting a little worried there.”
I narrowed my eyes, face scrunching tightly as confusion hit me. “Daniel?”
The rasp of his name echoed for a beat. “What … why are you helping me?” I was genuinely confused, trying to catch my brain up on what was going on.
He shrugged. “Lexen is my best friend. He’s been with me through more shit than I could even explain. I will always have his back. Family first, you know.”
My throat went all funny as I tried to ask my next question. “Is Lexen … all the Darkens, are they okay?”
Daniel nodded, which sent shots of relief through me. “They’re fine, searching for you. Lexen…” I was desperate for him to finish that sentence, but he cut himself off, handing me a clear pouch that looked to contain water.
“It’s legreto,” he told me, the word rolling off his tongue. “It will help restore your energy, speed up the healing.”
I eyed him closely, lifting the spout to my lips and tipping it back. I had no choice except to trust him. On my own I was dead. And right now I needed to rehydrate more than anything.
“I cleaned and stitched your wounds,” he continued. “I can’t do much more to help you because using my powers will alert Laous. Overlords are connected, and for now we’re staying off the grid. Off the network.”
As more of the cool liquid slid down my throat, I sighed. It was sweeter than water, almost like it had been flavored with fruit. Before I knew it, I had emptied his pouch.
“Crap, sorry,” I said, holding it out to him. “I didn’t realize I was drinking so much.”
Daniel just waved me away, those rich cinnamon eyes flashing as he watched me. “That was all for you. I’m well aware of Laous’ penchant to starve and dehydrate his prisoners. Makes them more pliable.”
“How are you related to Laous?” I asked, unable to see one thing about that crazy asshole in Daniel.
Daniel’s face took on a dark expression, giving him what I had dubbed “the Lexen look.” “He is my uncle. He killed my father and took the overlord major position, even though it should have rightfully gone to me. Laous’ marks were not inborn, they were placed there through a marking ceremony. This can happen if there are no naturally-born overlords, but since I was alive, it should never have gone down like that.”
That urge to hug him came over me again. He was a plethora of contradictions, clearly a bad boy on the outside, but his eyes … shit, they spoke to me on a level of pain that I’d rarely seen in another.
Sensing both of us needed some relief from the unexpectedly heavy topic we’d found ourselves in, I changed the subject. “I really appreciate the rescue—”
“Not rescued yet,” he interrupted. “I only got you out of Shaken Ridge. There’s still five more justices, and the next is my least favorite. Flames of Ether.”
I nodded, swallowing hard. The land of fire – no doubt that explained why it was so hot. We were close.
“I need to get out of here and make sure my guardians are okay, because Laous will think I escaped. And he will punish them.” There was no way for me to know if they’d received any help from the Darkens yet, so my worry was very real.
“He’s going to suspect his man did something with you, so we have some time while he deals with him.”
A slight relief, but still not much. “When did you know I was here?” I asked.
“As soon as you were taken … Lexen lost his mind. While his family tried to calm him down and use diplomatic channels to find you, I came straight here. If there is something underhanded going on, Laous is usually involved.”
Wishing death on someone was not a common thing for me, but the Imperial overlord was the exception. He was pure insanity. He needed to die.
“Lexen never brought a female to any of our meetings before,” Daniel said; immediately I was paying attention. Of course I was; it was information about Lexen. “You were different. We all saw it, and I won’t let my friend lose someone important to him.”
I sucked in a hard breath, those words having a strong and dramatic effect on my body, on my heart. “I miss him.” The very soft words escaped before I could stop them.
Daniel stared at me, probably unsure how to reply to that. I shook my head, trying to knock some sense into myself, but all that happened was a fierce headache slapped me with a wave of pain.
Even though I tried not to cringe, I still crumpled forward, hand pressed to forehead. “You need to rest,” Daniel said.
I shook my head, more gingerly this time. “No, I can’t rest until I’m out of here. We should go.”
It was his turn to shake his head now. “I’m waiting on a package, so best make yourself comfortable.”
His tone brooked no argument, so I sank to the ground, sprawling out, head cradled on my right bicep. “I’m just going to rest for a minute,” I murmured to the now silent Daelighter. “Wake me as soon as you’re ready to go.”
I held his gaze until he inclined his head, and then I closed my eyes, seeking respite from the head pain. Exhaustion pulled me under almost immediately. It was a relief to escape reality for a short time.
Sometime later, low rumbles of conversation broke through my unconscious state. As I struggled back to the land of awake, the words became clearer.
“You got here much quicker than I expected.” Daniel sounded surprised, but also kind of relieved.
“I was already in House of Imperial,” came the short reply. That voice, the smooth husky accented voice, was enough to set my heart rate off.
There was a brief pause, before Daniel groaned. “Fuck … Lex, what did you do?”
“Laous forfeited his life the moment he touched her. If my father hadn’t stopped me, your overlord would already be dead. The council will deal with him, and then when they’re finished … I will find him. Prepare yourself, you’re about to get a promotion.”
I’d never really feared Lexen, even in those first days of being a hostage, but his voice brimming with so much fury sent tendrils of adrenalin through my body. My instincts were telling me that he’d never hurt me though, and I wasn’t just saying that because it was pretty clear I was half in love with him. I had no delusions he cared about me in the same way, but he always protected me.
I would stake my life on that.
Gentle hands brushed across my cheeks and I pressed into his touch. As my eyelashes fluttered open, the hard, dark lines of his face came into full view. His eyes were on fire, white flaming lights filling the dark depths.
“Hey,” I said, my voice raspy.
Lexen’s hand briefly clenched on my cheek, before he gentled it again.
“Hey,” he started, before a rumble of anger shook his body. And the walls around us. It was already hot where we were, but Lexen was emitting even more heat. It was like he was a volcano about to erupt.
“I’m okay,” I tried to reassure him, but he seemed beyond words again.
Then he kissed me.
As his lips crashed into mine with more force than I expected, but also far less than I needed, everything stilled. The pain in my body fell away. The worries churning in my mind disappeared. My body burned as hot as Lexen’s as I pushed up into his hold.
He lifted me so I was straddled across his lap, our mouths clashing together, tongues sliding across each other, hands touching wherever they could reach. I was completely mindless; there had never been a kiss like this in my life before.
It was the kiss to end all kisses.
A throat cleared in an amused sort of sound and a sliver of clarity returned to me. And apparently to Lexen, because his hands gentled, as did our mouths. He pressed his lips to mine once more, slowly pulling away.
Sweet alien world. Did that just happen? Did Lexen Darken just kiss me like his life depended on it?
“I’m so damn sorry
I left you alone,” he murmured as we both stared, breathing a little deeper than was usual. “I left you and those bastards stole you right out from under me.”
I lifted my arm, wanting to touch his face, but pain shot through my shoulder. Ouch … wrong arm.
Lexen’s head snapped to the side as he zeroed in on my white bandage. “What happened?” The question was asked slowly, deliberately, and for a second a shadow slithered across his face, like a specter of something more than the Daelighter he was.
“One of Laous’ men threw her off the incubation level,” Daniel said with bite in his tone. “She’s lucky she landed in the trees. Had she hit the ground at that speed, the land would have crushed her.”
Lexen didn’t turn to his friend, lifting his gaze to meet my eyes again. “What else did Laous do to you? I need you to tell me everything.”
Nobody would disobey Lexen when he spoke like that … he was scary. Wasting no time, stumbling once or twice, I told them both what had happened from the moment I woke in the egg cage, leaving nothing out. “And he has … or had a Draygo,” I finished. “That’s how he found out everything about the treaty. He used the power of the four houses by sending you all to Astoria. To find my family.” As I finished, a stony sort of silence filling the cave, Lexen finally looked away from me, turning to Daniel.
“Like I said before, prepare to be overlord,” he bit out. “Laous is a dead man.”
Daniel swore a few times, rubbing a hand over his face in a tired manner. “A Draygo? I knew that my father had a draygone friend who visited. Maybe that was why Laous killed him. To get access to the Draygo…”
“He needs to be stopped,” Lexen bit out. “And the council has to be informed of this new information.”
He stood without dropping me on my head. I’d never had a guy carry me like that before, with such ease, as if he’d forgotten he even held me in his arms. I liked it more than I expected. The independent woman part of me rebelled, but another primal part liked the way he wrapped me up tightly, holding every part of me together, sharing his strength and comfort with me.