Fire In The Darkness (Darkness Series #2)

by Stacey Marie Brown

  “Interesting,” Simmons remarked.

  I looked over at him. “What’s interesting? Why is everything reacting like that?”

  “I think, my lady, it’s because you have a tremendous bond with the earth. You are your mother’s daughter, a true Fay. Your mother was one of the most commanding earth Fairies ever known, and they can feel the same force within you. You are connected to them, to earth, to the animals, and they understand that,” Simmons paused. My stomach dropped, I could feel the “but” before he spoke it. “You are also a Demon and can destroy them in an instant. Fire is nature’s number one enemy. They feel the strength of the darkness in you as well. You are their best friend and worst enemy, death and life, all rolled into one and they don’t know how to respond.”

  I could never knowingly hurt animals or nature, but I knew better than to say this out loud. If my dreams or even my experiences taught me anything lately, it was that I was capable of things I never imagined or thought I would do. I turned back toward the forest.

  “Come, my lady. Sir Knight Torin is waiting for you.” Simmons motioned forward. I followed behind. The animals watched me closely as I passed them.

  The pixies zipped through the forest at a neck-breaking speed. We passed by thatched-roof cottages and dwellings that reminded me a little of hobbit homes built into the hills. Extravagant tree homes dangled from above. Soon the castle appeared in the distance. It reminded me of Mont St. Michel, the castle in France my mom and I had visited one summer. It was elegant and ancient, forbidding and detached.

  The closer we got to the castle the more inhabited the area became and the more I itched to touch the knife I had stashed in the lining of my boot. It had been there the night before, when I had been with Eli. He had never suspected it was there secured in my boot. Knowing what I knew now, would I have used it against him? I gripped my hands into tight fists, trying to push back the burning flashes at the thought of him. The betrayal, the humiliation of sleeping with him, falling for him, and then finding out he helped slaughter my mother. On the verge of being sick, I quickly turned my thoughts back to the present problem.

  I had other worries right now, like sneaking into the lion’s den. The Queen wanted me, and I felt like I was handing myself over to her on a silver platter. Torin had told me of a secret passage into the castle. There were several, but the one least guarded was the sewer system. It would lead me where I needed to go. It would have helped if I could glamour myself and sneak into the castle that way. Of course, it was another thing I had yet to perfect or even do well.

  Cal and Simmons stopped at the edge of the forest, the castle looming in front of us. “Okay, from here on, my lady, you must do everything we say. Guards and wards are everywhere, and we will be able to see and sense them before you do.” I nodded, finding it impossible to speak.

  “We are going around to the side where the river runs and the sewer tunnel starts,” Cal explained as he pointed. Nodding again, I wiped my sweaty palms on my jeans. What the hell was I doing? How did I think, for even a moment, I could pull this off? The thought of my family pushed back my fear. There was nothing I wouldn’t do to get them.

  It felt like hours, with a couple close calls from patrolling guards, but we slowly made it to the tunnel. Moss and ivy grew thick, covering the trench, disguising it. If I hadn’t been looking for it or, actually, if the pixies hadn't pointed it out, I would never have seen or smelled it.

  “There is a spell on it. The Queen isn’t stupid by any means. She knows this is a direct way into the castle so she has placed several concealing spells on it, but pixies aren’t affected by her wards. She doesn't seem to worry we will do anything against her. Pixies are not worth her time, except as spies,” Simmons said.

  “Well, the snobby bitch should never have underestimated us,” Cal snorted.

  “The spell doesn’t do anything but keep it hidden. The wards will go off. But no one ever thinks to look towards the sewers, probably thinking it has its own warning system.”

  I had already known this as Torin had explained to me about the wards and what to stay away from. Pulling my knife from my boot, I hacked at the overgrowth, making a hole big enough to squeeze through. Cal fluttered down onto my shoulder. “Okay, girly, this is your last chance to run. It’s do or die from here on out.”

  “I’m getting my dad and friends out. There is no other option for me,” I said.

  “You are a fighter, my lady. A true solider.” Simmons drifted down to my other shoulder, his foot slipping as he landed. My hand quickly caught him and tucked him up in my hood.

  Cal gaffed shaking his head. “Can’t even land on her shoulder.”

  “Shut up.”

  “Both of you shut up,” I hissed back at them. Cal grumbled, but he also settled into my hood. Taking a deep breath, I hunkered down and started crawling through the smelly sewer.

  The stench of rotting compost and feces hit me immediately. On this side of the wards, reality saturated the air. Dry heaves lurched from my stomach. Using my sleeve as a mask over my nose and mouth, my eyes watered as I continued to gag. In spite of it, I pushed on. Turning back was no longer a choice.

  TWENTY-SIX

  A stick, a spark, and voilà—I had a pathetic excuse for a torch. It wasn’t a flashlight, but it worked. We ambled through the duct for hours, or what felt like hours. The smell and sewage dissipated as we crawled into an underground passageway. Eventually sporadic fire bulbs donned the walls, suggesting we’d reached areas inhabited by Fae. Being vigilant I kept to the shadows, trying to keep my footsteps silent. The pixies were the hardest to keep quiet—tiny, flying balls of endless energy. Cal could stay quiet, but he could not stay on my shoulder for too long without buzzing ahead or getting distracted. Simmons sat on my shoulder obediently, but couldn’t stay quiet. At first I had been thankful for not being alone—that swiftly changed.

  “Simmons, why don’t you fly ahead and keep a look out for me. Let me know what’s coming.”

  “Aye, aye, my lady.” Simmons zoomed off, sounding grateful for having a duty to fulfill.

  Sometime later both pixies tore back down the hallway towards me. “My lady, my lady, some soldiers are coming this way.”

  “Damn.” There were only two dim fire bulbs along the wall providing barely enough light to see. But there were not enough shadows and nowhere to hide, just one long, uninterrupted corridor. The bulbs were going to have to be enough distraction. Backing against the wall, I slid down, pressing myself as far as I could get into obscurity. The Dark Dweller in me became still, ready to strike. My focus turned to the fire caressing and swirling around in the glass. Cal and Simmons flew behind me and hid.

  The men’s voices grew closer. Timing was everything. Oh please, this has to work. Otherwise I am so screwed.

  “Did you see the new water fairy serving today?” One of the men spoke.

  “How could I miss her? It looked like two garden gnomes were under that sweater. I could not stop staring.”

  Focusing, I tuned out the two men as they gabbed about some hot, Fay waitress with huge boobs. Men. Their footsteps turned the corner, and they appeared to be engrossed in their conversation but would soon see me.

  I squinted my eyes and let my emotions funnel to the lights. The fire inside the bulbs flared hotter and pushed at their clear confinements, catching the attention of the guards. The room glowed brighter. Now Em! With a shattering crack, the two bulbs exploded. Fire was unleashed, sending fragments of glass flying out in all directions.

  “Ahhh!” Both men turned away burying their heads under their arms. The flames licked the air close to them before sizzling out. The hallway was plunged into darkness. They could see nothing, but my Dark Dweller and Dae abilities did not leave me vulnerable. My eyes adjusted quickly to the blackness, my powers recreating the space clearly in my mind.

  Alki’s unrelenting training kicked in. Jumping up, I swung my foot up in a karate kick, connecting with the face of the first guard. Th
ere were sounds of his nose breaking when my foot made contact. He fell back with a pained scream. The guy next to him could barely get into a defensive pose before I spun around, my fist smashing into his throat. He put his hands to his neck, coughing and sputtering. Crouching, I whipped my leg around and took him off his feet and onto his back. Both now wheezed and groaned in pain. Quick and efficient. Even Alki would have been proud.

  It was actually hard to knock someone out cold in one hit. Eli had taught me that. But, if you cause the body enough stress, it will do it for you. Unable to cope with the pain, the body will shut down to start the healing process. That's what I was counting on now. I came down on top of the first man and rammed his already broken nose with the sharp part of my elbow. Cracked bones ground under my arm. He screamed out in pain, until his body reached its limit and his head fell to the side, unconscious. Leaning over, I kicked out my foot knocking the other guy in the head; the blow took him out, too.

  Breathless, I rolled off the man. Holy shit! I wasn’t sure if I was proud of myself or was going to be sick.

  “Jumpin' Juniper, my lady!” Simmons came hovering over my shoulder. He had relit the torch, passing a dim glow over the two men.

  “Damn. Remind me not to piss you off.” Cal landed on the chest of one of the guards poking at him with his plastic sword. “You cracker-crumbled his ass.”

  A flicker of remorse swooped in but quickly evaporated. I was too close now. It was unfortunate they came along, but my actions were necessary. This was the first time I had used my fighting skills in a real situation. Although Alki did treat most of our training as real, this was different. The strenuous work he put me through had been worth it, and I had controlled my powers.

  Pulling at the dagger hanging off the guard’s belt, I slipped it in my other boot. It would always come in handy. My legs shook as I stood up. “Come on. We have to keep going.”

  A short time later, I found what I was looking for. Torin had described it perfectly. We had come to an area that splintered off into three different paths, but I didn’t care where they went because I wouldn't be taking any of them. In the corner of this area, crates were piled up, nearly touching the ceiling where there was a trap door—my path. It would eventually lead me to the side of the castle where Mark and my friends were being held. Sucking in a breath I grabbed onto one of the higher crates pulling myself up. They smelled of soil, spices, and chickens—probably food crates. My cat-like qualities really helped me keep my balance as the wooden crates wobbled and teetered.

  “Almost there, my lady. You are doing so well.” Simmons, my own personal cheerleader, rallied behind me.

  “Thank you,” I said through clenched teeth, my arms trembling, my foot trying to find a place to safely secure itself. Cal was already standing at the top with a look on his face that probably said, “What is taking you so long?” Finally, I reached the top with only a few slips. Moving close to the ceiling, I pressed my hand to the cutout stone. It begrudgingly shifted under my hand. It was heavy and I strained to move it. I managed to slip it over a bit before getting a better grip to slide it all the way over. Torin had said the passage led into a vacant room. Let’s hope he was right.

  Pushing off the crates, I struggled through the opening. My arms locked against the stone floor as I tried to hook my waist onto the ledge. I knew if I could get myself up that far, I could wiggle up the rest of the way. Sweating and huffing, I finally got my legs pulled up through the hole. Crawling away from the opening, I flopped down. I was so ready for a nap.

  “About time,” Cal snipped.

  I ignored him and looked around. I was at ground level of the castle, which was an improvement from the sewer where we had started. The room was small and empty except for more crates stacked against the walls. The distinct aroma of food filtered into my nose. I must be near the kitchen.

  I took another moment before standing up. “Okay guys, this is where things become very risky. I want you to promise me no matter what happens you will stay hidden. You will not fight or create a fuss if I am caught. This is my quest, not yours. You deny any association with me. All right?”

  “But . . .” Simmons puffed out.

  “No,” I said firmly. “Simmons, this is for your safety. Please do this for me. I need to know you guys will be all right. I might need you later. This is a direct order.”

  Simmons went straight and rigid. With a proper salute, he agreed. “Yes, my lady.”

  Gazing over at Cal, I tilted my head waiting for him to respond. He huffed, “Yeah, yeah . . . whatever.”

  “Thank you.”

  Okay, now for the fun to really begin.

  Pressing my ear against the wooden door, all I could hear were muffled sounds: pots banging, china clinking, and people talking. Okay Em, now or never, I said to myself, then reached for the handle of the door. Cracking the door an inch, my eye was the only thing exposed. An enormous kitchen lay out in front of me. On the farthest wall, which felt like half a soccer field away, was a stone fireplace. The opening was at least my height and four times as wide. There were racks and pots hanging off poles. Between the fireplace and me were endless tables, storage areas, and other culinary objects.

  There were only three people in the kitchen cleaning up. They were all at the far end, but I had to be extra careful not to attract their attention. Going low, I slipped carefully through the slight opening and darted for the doorway closest to me, hiding behind tables as I went. With a sigh of relief, I got through the entry without detection. My relief was premature. Twenty soldiers stood with swords drawn and guns and arrows pointing at me. The man standing right in front was fueled with rage as he looked at me. His nose was red and blotchy, trying to heal itself from the damage I had bestowed on it a little while ago.

  Oh crap.

  “Téigh trasna ort féin,” the man barked roughly at me. It didn’t take a genius to know he had probably told me I needed to get very limber and intimate with myself.

  “Back down, Quilliam,” a voice said from the back of the group. I knew the voice. Torin pushed through the horde of men, a haughty smile playing on his lips.

  “Wow, your stench could be smelled all the way down the hall.” Torin waved his hand in front of his nose.

  “What . . . ?” I stuttered.

  “You smell, Ember.”

  My lids constricted into a glare. “Traveling through a sewer will do that.”

  “Yes. It will.” He tilted his head. “You should have entered through the front door. Save time and my senses. Either way, did you really think I would simply let you walk right in and take your family?”

  Swallowing, I looked at the man who had promised me so many times he would protect me.

  “I am the First Knight, the Queen’s knight. She will always come first with me; my loyalty is to her. Deceiving you was quite entertaining, though.” Torin strode forward, gloving his hands. I knew what it meant. Stepping back away from him, my body bumped into a solid form. Craning my neck I saw it was a man with a bruised neck, a lump on his temple, and a glare that could turn a person to stone.

  Crap! Crap! Crap!

  Guard number two clamped down on my shoulders. Torin pulled a pair of thin iron cuffs off his belt. “You aren’t known for your good behavior.” He slipped the handcuffs over my wrists. I was getting really tired of this cuffing business. My legs gave out as the iron weakened my powers. His arms gripped me firmly, holding me up. Not having strength to struggle against his hold, I let myself fall against him. When my iron levels started to even out, he placed me firmly on my feet.

  Hatred spewed from my eyes. “This whole time you have been playing me?”

  He shifted, crossing his arms. “You really made it a little too easy.”

  “Sir, the Queen is requesting your presence in the Great Hall immediately.” A young guardsman stepped into the mass of men, looking directly at Torin.

  Torin didn’t take his gloating eyes off me as he replied. “Thank you, Castien. Tell
her we are coming presently.” With a nod, the boy turned and disappeared into the throng. “Let us go, Ember. We cannot keep Her Majesty waiting.”

  TWENTY-SEVEN

  The soldiers stepped aside as Torin escorted me down the hall. The men I had beaten up nailed me with a shoulder or a foot as I passed them, grumbling Gaelic insults in my ear. My fear kept me from feeling or hearing anything except my own heartbeat.

  Guards standing at the door bowed respectfully to Torin, opening the door for us. He gave them a quick nod, his hand on my lower back, and pushed me forward. Twisting away from his touch only made him laugh. As we stepped into the room, I couldn’t hide the awe that flooded me. The Great Hall was exactly that. It was similar to the Throne Room where Torin and I had dreamscaped one time. This was the size of a football field and equally tall. Windows filled one entire side of the room, overlooking the brilliant blue lake below. Fire-encased bulbs dangled from the ceiling lighting up the space like thousands of glow worms. I took in everything, calculating and assessing.

  “Well, Torin, it is about time. I was beginning to worry you let this loathsome creature slip through your fingers once more.” The Queen’s expression was lofty and beautiful. It took me a moment for my eyes to adjust to her beauty. She was so stunning and so ethereal that it was hard to take her in. Today she wore a gorgeous, one shouldered sheath dress that followed the contours of her thin body to the floor. The fabric was so thin and lacey her skin looked like it was inked with a delicate design appearing through the dress.

  “I will not disappoint Your Majesty again.” Torin bowed his head, but she didn’t seem to notice, her eyes searing into me.

  “I love when the prey plays so easily into my hands. Did you think Torin was on your side, my dear?” Her lips parted in a thin smile. “That he would go against me and help you?” A breezy laugh floated out of her as she stood up. Servants and guardsmen instantly rushed to her. Without moving her eyes off me, she waved her hand for them to back down and continued toward me. “He was using you this whole time. I told him to get close to you to win your trust and, like I imagined you would, you fell for it. We planned this, and the whole time you thought he was helping you. You are such a fool. He is mine and is faithful to me.”