by Bailey Dark
Chapter 18
Briar
When I get back to my chambers, there's a black dress laid across the bed. Next to it are a pair of black cloth pants, boots, and one of Kane's black satin shirts. We glance at each other, and Kane gathers his clothes heading to the other side of the room behind the changing partition. We don't speak a word, knowing that anything devised by Drogaem is dangerous. Right this moment, we could be putting on the clothes that Drogaem wishes us to die in.
I reach back and undo the tie at the small of my back, working the ribbons of my dress as best as I can. When it's loose enough, I begin to push one sleeve of my shoulder but stop, glancing up at Kane. He has his back to me, and though the partition covers him, he's taller than it. I can see his shoulders, the way his muscles ripple, but I can also see the gnarled and partially healed scraps of what used to be his wings.
It makes my heart heavy seeing him like this. But I know that he's just as mighty as ever, if not more. Pain seems to give him strength. It pushes him even harder. It has the same effect on him that strong emotion has for me. I turn back to the dress on my bed, dropping the one I'm wearing on the ground and stepping out of it. I pick up the black satin strapless gown and step in, holding it to my breasts as I attempt to reach back with one hand to tighten it. I struggle, and I realize that besides the last few weeks, wearing effortless dresses, I haven't ever dressed myself. Being a princess, I always had a handmaiden. Even here in the underworld, until Drogaem took over, I had people to help me.
Sweat beads on my forehead as I stretch and reach, not quite getting it correct. Kane's hands touch mine, and my head snaps back, finding him standing behind me in his satin shirt tucked into his pants. The front is open except for the bottom few buttons, and his broad chest shows through. I recognize him. He's the man I first met. He's the man that stood in that dark and dim office, his clothes perfectly pressed, his chest always slightly exposed. My eyes shift up to his. I see something different there, though. This man has a bit more kindness behind his eyes than the one he used to be.
I drop my hands and turn back around, letting him tighten the laces up my back. When he finishes, he smooths his hands down the sides of my dress and kisses the back of my neck. I bite my lip, forcing myself to take a step forward instead of turning to him and wrapping my arms around his neck, pressing my lips to his.
Walking over to my dressing table, I run my fingers along the small, thin crown that I had been given when I first came to the underworld. It's beautiful, but I don't dare wear it to a dinner with Drogaem. Instead, I grab the black metal cuffs to the right and slip them on my wrists before pulling my hair into a ponytail, hiding the pins that hold the stray pieces back.
I look in the mirror at myself, brushing a smudge dirt off my cheek, and batting my eyes at my reflection. Behind me, Kane stands and watches. I look at his reflection in the mirror, and he smiles at me. My lips begin to curl into a smile as well, but I'm interrupted by the sound of pounding on the door. I sigh, moving away from the dressing table and slipping my feet into a pair of flats. Kane reaches his hand out to me and takes it as he opens the door.
On the other side, the same guard stands. He gives us each a look and nods before turning and walking away. Kane keeps his hand on the small of my back as we follow, heading toward one of the smaller banquet rooms in the palace. I keep myself on edge, though, knowing there's a possibility that by the time the night is over, someone could be dead. My dagger is still strapped to my thigh, and I don't ever take it off anymore. I realize it's dangerous to carry it with me, but I believe it's even more dangerous to leave it somewhere and hope that Drogaem or his guards don't find it.
The guard steps to the side and stands at attention as Kane and I move through the doorway and into the room. In the center is a long large stone table with high back chairs lining each side. At the head of the table, Drogaem sits, sipping a glass of wine. "Come in. Take a seat."
Drogaem claps his hands, and within seconds, two servants I've never seen before come out, setting dishes in front of both Kane and I. I look down at the food. It looks delicious, but I'm not stupid enough to eat something like that. Drogaem is more than aware that I'm human, and the least bit of poison could easily kill me. Instead, I pull my napkin into my lap and pick up my fork, pushing it around on the plate. I figure if I at least give the impression that I'm eating, maybe Drogaem won't notice.
The air is thick with tension as we sit in silence. My eyes shift up to Kane and back over to Drogaem, over and over again. Each time he moves, I stiffen, wondering if this is the moment he'll attack. In fact, by inviting us both, it gives the impression that he plans on doing something terrible to Kane.
"Don't seem so nervous," Drogaem chuckles. "Eat your food."
He's looking straight at me. I shake my head. "I'm not hungry."
Drogaem rolls his eyes and reaches over, grabbing a piece of food from my plate and popping it into his mouth. He chews it up and swallows, putting his arms out. "See? I'm not trying to poison you… Yet. In fact, there are many things that I want you to see before you die."
I shift in my chair nervously, and I can see that Kane is at the ready for anything. Drogaem looks over his shoulder and smiles as one of his Huntsmen comes in the door. "Ahhh, there you are. I was hoping you would get here soon."
The Huntsman stops and bows to Drogaem before handing him a map. I watch curiously as Drogaem unfolds the map and lays it out in front of him, shoving his food out of the way. As my eyes scan over the mass of land and water, a sudden realization hits me. My heart stutters, and it takes everything inside me, not to gasp loudly. It's a map of the mortal realm.
Drogaem picks up a piece of black charcoal next to him and begins to place large x's all along the edges of the map. When he finishes, he brushes off his hands. "I have built several portals across the realm that will transport my troops across the veil. We will begin here, walk-through, and present ourselves in the human realm. Now, where did I say that we are going to start… Oh, yes! Right here."
Drogaem slams his finger down on a point on the map. I think I knew before I even looked at it where he was going to point. Biting the inside of my cheek, I lean forward. "That's… That's…"
Drogaem chuckles, nodding his head. "Spit it out, human. That's where your family is. That's your dear old daddy's home. Yes, I'm going to start with your father and your sisters. And if you haven't forgotten, I made you a promise."
My eyes move back and forth over the tabletop, my mind trying to figure out what he's talking about. He has made many threats. He has caught…
I remember.
I remember, and now I regret losing my temper. Being so bold. "The gardens."
Drogaem claps his hands and points at me. "Very good. In the gardens, I promised you that I would destroy your father, take your sisters as prisoners, most likely just hand them over to my men for an evening full of fun, and pay you back for your loudmouth and plans to kill me. Some would say that I'm going easy on you. If you want to truly think about it, in your world, going against the King is considered treason. What do they do to people who commit treason, Briar?"
I can feel my face going pale, and I'm trying to focus, but I can't. Kane reaches for me, but Drogaem tilts his head shaking his finger back and forth. "Briar, what do they do to traitors in the human realm?"
My lip quivers as I go to answer. "They cut off their heads. In front of everyone."
Drogaem picks up his napkin and wipes his face, lifting his eyebrows. He puts out both hands. "See? You can never say that I'm not a merciful king. I could cut your head off in front of everyone, but instead, I'll let my men have their way with your sisters, and we'll let your father pay your debt. Your father will lose more than just his head."
I feel dizzy, looking away from Drogaem and the map as he laughs loudly, the bellows echoing all around me in the empty hall. If we don't stop Drogaem soon, not only my family will die, but so will every other human in the realm.
Chapter 19
Briar
"Where do you keep your dagger?"
Kane's question catches me off guard. I'm pacing the floor, and have been since we returned from dinner. Drogaem is taking it deep. His plan is to attack my family, to kill them, and no doubt he'll do it in front of me. I keep thinking about my sister's faces. How they may have tormented me when I was a child, but that's what sisters do to each other. And despite my father's choice to give me away, he's still my father.
I lift up my dress and show him the leather strap around my thigh, holding my dagger. "I keep it on me all the time. It's not safe to hide it in the castle anymore. If Drogaem had understood what it was at the beginning, that its Lux's dagger, he would've never let it go. In fact, he would've used it on you by now."
I drop my skirt back down, and Kane stares me in the eyes. "You know what that dagger is capable of, right?"
I take a deep breath and nod my head as I walk over to the window. "Of course I do. It's the entire reason I have it in the first place. My dagger kills immortals. Of course, as you told me before, it's not truly my dagger. It's the dagger that initially had killed Drogaem by Lux's hand."
Kane watches me closely and nods his head. "Which is why you have it."
I run my hands along the windowsill, feeling the uneven and rocky surface of the stone. "Yes. And now that I know about Lux and my bloodline, it makes a lot more sense. It was passed down through my family in case anything like this ever were to happen again. When you made a deal with my father, he knew that the dagger would belong to me. It was meant to kill you."
Kane stands up and shakes his head. "It was meant to kill Drogaem. You only thought it was meant to kill me. If it was truly meant to kill me, I would be dead."
I glance over at him for a second, guilt rattling around in my chest. "Why are you asking about it?"
I'm a bit wary as to why Kane wants my dagger. He walks over to the window and looks down at me. "I plan on attacking Drogaem while the rebels secure the outside of the castle."
I almost laugh, it's so ridiculous. "First of all, you don't know that the rebels will come. Secondly, you'll never be able to get close enough to Drogaem. He knows that you want him dead. If there's a battle, he will do everything he can to stay away from you. He'll try to kill you first. Even now, with him thinking you're weakened, he still doesn't get within four feet of you. Regardless of Drogaem's torture, he fears you because he knows that you won't hesitate."
Kane reaches out and puts his hand on mine. "I know. But what he doesn't know is that we have this dagger. I can get myself close enough to him to surprise him with it."
I shake my head and pull my hand away, walking back into the room. "And at the same time, you'll be close enough for him to kill you as well. No. I won't do it."
I can hear the frustration in Kane's voice as he sighs. I know he's trying to be patient, but I also know that there's no time for patience anymore. I bite my lip and pull the bravery as high into my chest as possible. I steady my voice when I turn back to Kane. "I have another plan. We both know Drogaem wants to break me. He wants to break Lux as well. One thing that tears at his every fiber is the fact that he did not succeed in killing Lux the first time. He wants to see me broken and under his control."
Kane wrinkles his face. "He wants you under his control so that he can use your magic. Your powers will make him unbeatable."
I shake my head. "Not if I can use that desire, that want to control me to get close enough to him to kill him."
Kane shakes his head dramatically back and forth, slicing both of his hands through the air. "No. Absolutely not. This entire time we've been doing everything we can to keep you as far away from Drogaem as possible. And now you're saying you want to be up close and personal with him. You want to make him think that he can control you. Have you ever thought that in that process, he could possibly gain that full control that he's looking for? That you could become his slave? Absolutely not."
I stop and stare at him for a moment, watching the frustration on his face as he looks around, his anxiety very apparent. I can tell that he loves me, even if he won't say it out loud. I walk across the room and lay my hand on his cheek, pulling his gaze to mine. "If you die, even if I could kill Drogaem, I will end up dead anyway. Whether it's our connection that makes me lose my soul or someone within the rebels or the courtiers that takes me down months later. What will I do here without you? I have no claim to your throne, nor do I want it. What I do want is for everyone to be safe, and that includes you. I have the upper hand on you here, and I'm not going to give you this dagger."
His face is riddled with frustration, his brows turned in, his eyes pleading. I smile at him, putting my other hand up, holding his face close to mine. "We knew that sacrifices would have to be made. I'm not planning on dying. This is the best choice we have right now."
Kane lets out a long deep breath and leans his forehead to mine. "I hate the idea. It's ridiculous, and anyone else in this realm would absolutely refuse you. Still, you've got yet another thing that you hold, that without it, none of this is possible. The first time around it was your powers, your connection to Lux to open the tomb. Now, it's the dagger. The first time didn't turn out so well for us."
I shake my head. "No, but this time I'm the one making a choice. This time I'm walking into the situation, and I have no want for power, no lust for revenge, it's just me. It's just a human with an immortal soul trying to save the ones she loves the most."
Kane's hands come up, and he grips my face, looking at me intently. "This better work. It has to work."
Before I can say another word, he kisses me deeply, holding me as close to him as possible. I sink into him, releasing my control for just a moment, letting the connection between us wrap around our bodies. As he pulls back, his lips quiver, and he quickly drops his hands. He has better control than I do. I wish that we could be together before all of this happens, to let the connection between us fully reach its intended purpose, but I know it's impossible. My entire body aches for him.
He shakes his head, turning and heading from the room. At the door, he looks over his shoulder at me. "Going to clear my head. Your Soul Keeper is in a cage in the closet draped with cloth. The bird does not whistle or make a sound. Wait until dark, and then release it with the message."
Clasping my hands together in front of me to keep me from running after him, I nod my head and watch him leave. As soon as he does, I collapse to the ground, gripping my hand to my stomach. It's my idea, it's my sacrifice, but that doesn't mean I'm not terrified. I'm going to face Drogaem, and if I'm lucky, I'll end his life before he can end the others. I know full well that the likelihood of me surviving is practically nothing.
Chapter 20
Briar
Willem,
I'm hoping this letter finds you. If it does, then you know that my powers are strong. They may not be at their full capacity, but they are as strong as they're going to get. Kane knows of our communication, and he's thankful for your intervention during the attack on the city.
Unfortunately, that was just the beginning. Drogaem has portals set up to enter the mortal realm in multiple locations, starting at my family's estate. He plans to unleash the whole of his army on the humans, killing or taking prisoner whoever he wishes. From there, he will move from realm to realm, destroying, murdering, raping, and devouring everyone in his path.
We have a plan, but we need you for it. We need a distraction, an attack on the outside of the Castle. It's the only way that we will be able to keep Drogaem inside, and if we're lucky, destroy him. The Soul Keeper that brought you this message will know how to get back to me. Write a letter, strap it to his leg, and release him.
Briar
I tear off the excess paper and fold the letter, rolling it as small as I can. I'm nervous, but I have to make this work. Going over to the closet, I open it up and pull the fabric back, finding the Soul Keeper sitting on a perch within a small birdcage. His feathers ruffle
for a moment, but I pick up the cage and stick my finger in, caressing its back to calm it. I set the cage on the desk and open up the small door, reaching in and grasping the bird around the wings to keep it from hurting itself. Clicking my tongue to the roof of my mouth, I nuzzle the bird's beak against my nose.
"You are important, you could save us."
Taking a small piece of leather, I secure the message to the Soul Keeper's leg and close my eyes. A small trickle of my energy flows from my palms, wrapping itself around the bird and sinking into its body. I think about Willem, drawing on my magic, directing the bird to find him. I imagine the bird flying, sensing Willem, pulling toward him. I open my eyes and take a deep breath, watching the light shimmer and fade away. That's all that I know to do.
Walking over to the window, I hold the bird to my chest, still thinking about its path. I look out at the dark crimson sky and reach my hands out. As I release the bird, its wings spreading wide as it flutters off, my door slams open behind me. I gasp, swinging around, pressing my back to the stone wall. I can feel the dagger against my thigh, and my fingers twitch, wanting so badly to grab it.
Drogaem storms across my room and I flinch, positive that he's about to punish me. The muscles in my face begin to release, though, and I remember who I am. I am the descendent of a goddess, and I am very done with being pushed around. I stand straight and square my shoulders, staring directly into Drogaem's eyes.
My defiance irritates him, and his lips snarls. I don't give him a chance to speak, though, he is no King to me. "You have no right to attack my homeland."
Drogaem lifts his eyebrows, smiling at me snidely. "To be honest, I had no idea at first that it was your homeland. Lucky, I guess."