The Pageant

by Leigh Walker

  I straightened my spine. “Thank you.”

  “I lied to you, you know. I’ve been in close contact with your brother. I just didn’t want the prince to hear me.”

  My heart thudded in my chest. “Is he alive?”

  “Yes, he is. I’m so glad you’re here. You deserve to know the truth.” He leaned forward, craning his neck down the hall. “Did anyone see you?”

  “No,” I said breathlessly. “I wasn’t followed. Please tell me about my brother.”

  He stood and gripped the bars. “Can you get me out of here? It’s not safe to talk, not even near the other rebels. I don’t know who I can trust anymore, and I don’t want to get you into trouble or put Balkyn in any more danger.”

  “He’s in danger?”

  Ben nodded. “Grave danger. But it’ll be worse if they find out his sister’s at the palace. You’ve got to get me out of here so we can help him.”

  I nodded, stricken. “Where are the keys?”

  “I’m not sure, but the guards usually sit at the desk. Look in the drawers.” His gaze burned. “But do it quickly, Gwyneth. They could come back at any minute. I don’t want you to be caught.”

  “O-okay.” I went to the desk and shakily went through the drawers. My thoughts whirled as I sifted through papers and random office supplies. Finally, in the bottom of the third drawer, I found a metal box. It was filled with various keys.

  I showed the box to Ben, hands still shaking.

  “Good girl.” He nodded. “I never saw the key. You might have to try a few, but that’s all right. You can do it.”

  My hands were clumsy as I gripped the first key and tried it in the lock. Nothing.

  “It’s all right. You’ll find it.” Ben was upbeat, encouraging, even as I tried three more keys to no avail. “Try again.”

  I’d never seen so many keys in my life. My hand visibly shook as I tried another, and another.

  “It might not be in here.” My voice quavered.

  “Keep trying.” Ben’s blue gaze burned. “You can do it. It was fate that I saw you, I know it.”

  The next key was dark bronze. I prayed silently as I slid it into the lock. I heard a click then turned the key, and the door opened.

  Pure exultation broke over Ben’s face. He raised both his fists and shook them at the ceiling. “Yes.”

  Then he bolted from the cell. “Come on, then.”

  I hesitated. “Where are we going?”

  “The bloody hell away from here, for starters.” Ben motioned for me to follow him down the hall.

  “Guards are patrolling the palace and the grounds.” I swallowed hard as he started climbing the stairs two at a time.

  “We’ll deal with it, trust me. Now come on.”

  I hesitated again, but he’d said he could help my brother. That was what I wanted more than anything.

  I ran after him, trying to catch up.

  Ben made it to the palace level and flattened himself against the wall, his finger pressed against his lips. Voices drifted past us and continued down the hall. Once they disappeared, I breathed a sigh of relief. “It should be safe to talk here,” I whispered. “So please, tell me about Balkyn.”

  His gaze flicked to me. “I told you, he’s alive, and he’s in danger.”

  “But why? And when was the last time you saw him?”

  “A few weeks ago. But enough about that. We need to get out of here. I’ll take you to your brother.”

  My heart seized. “You know where he is? Right now?”

  Ben patted my shoulder and smiled. “Of course, I do. I told you it was fate we found each other.”

  I shakily smiled back. I wanted to tell Ben we’d make a run for it—the words were on the tip of my tongue—but for a third time, I hesitated.

  What would happen to my mother, Remy, and Winnie if I ran away from the palace?

  I wanted, with my whole heart, to find Balkyn. If I did, maybe I could find my father, and bring them both home.

  But if Balkyn was out there, close enough for Ben to take me to him, why hasn’t he reached out?

  One thing I knew for sure was that Balkyn and my father loved our family fiercely. They’d do anything for us.

  “Are you ready?” Ben asked, still smiling.

  “I want to. I want to see my brother more than anything.”

  “Then let’s go.” He crouched and peered around the door.

  “Ben, I’m so sorry, but I need to think this through. I’m responsible for my family. If I get into trouble, or if I get hurt… I don’t know if I can take that risk.”

  “Fine. And good luck to you.” Without another word, he took off around the corner. He didn’t give me a backward glance.

  I stood there, reeling, alone in the dark.

  What do I do now? I’d set a prisoner free, and he was roaming about the palace in the dark, trying to escape.

  But soon, I heard shouts in the hall. A gun fired. Ben careened back around the corner, breathing hard.

  He grabbed me, shoved a gun against my head, and wrenched me down the hall.

  Chapter 27

  A Waste Of A Young Heart

  “What are you doing?”

  Ben kept his muscled arm around me, hustling me down the hall toward the medical ward. “Getting the hell out of here.”

  “With a bloody gun to my head?”

  He grimaced as I fought him. “Don’t make me shoot you right now. Your blood will bring them in droves.”

  “I thought…” My breath hitched in my throat. “I thought you wanted to help me.”

  “Well, then you’re an idiot, just like your brother.”

  I tried to elbow him in the gut, but his grip tightened.

  Shouts sounded behind us, getting closer. Ben ran, dragging me with him. We rounded the corner and practically ran into two royal guards.

  Ben didn’t hesitate. Before they could attack, he raised the gun and shot them both in the head. The guards dropped to the ground, and Ben pushed me around them. I looked down. One of the dead men was the young guard who’d come to my house that first day.

  Tears streaked my face as Ben dragged me forward.

  “I see the humans are acting up again.” Eve stepped out from the darkness, her aqua eyes blazing as she took in the dead bodies on the ground, and Ben’s death-grip on me. “A bit of a mercenary, eh?”

  Ben fired at her.

  “Eve!” I shrieked.

  The bullet struck her in the chest. It jerked her back a bit, but then she laughed and righted herself. “Not the smartest one, either, I see.” She came closer, her glowing eyes focused on Ben. “That’s the definition of insanity, isn’t it? Doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result?”

  “Filthy bloodsucker.” He shot her again.

  “That’s exactly what I’m talking about, dude.” She grabbed the gun and wrenched it from him. Then she held her hand out for me.

  Ben shoved me toward her.

  “Are you all right?” she asked.

  I hugged her. “I am now.”

  The guards were closer. I could hear them coming down the hall.

  “Do you want me to kill him?” she asked, almost casually.

  I glanced at Ben. Yes, I thought. “No,” I whispered.

  Eve stuck the gun into the waist of her pants and smiled at Ben. “I’m going to find out your cell number, buddy. I’m going to come visit you.” She closed her eyes.

  He put his hands on his temples. “Get out of my head, you freak! Leave me the hell alone!” He shrieked several expletives and fell to his knees, cradling his head in his hands.

  I watched as Eve concentrated. She must be saying all manner of things to him. From the way he was rolling around on the ground, Ben didn’t seem to be taking it very well.

  The guards reached us. Eve opened her eyes and smiled at me. “I’m going to have fun with this. Maybe the prince will let him be my little plaything. I can experiment on him.” She winked at Ben, who’d gone wh
ite, as though he were about to pass out.

  The soldiers raised their guns, all of them aimed at Ben.

  “How did he get out?” the nearest guard barked at us.

  “I-I let him out.” My voice shook. “He said he could tell me about my brother.”

  The guard pointed to me. “Take her into custody. We’ll take her to the king and queen.”

  “No!” Eve said, stepping in front of me. “She hasn’t done anything wrong. This man tricked her. It wasn’t her fault.”

  The guard bowed to Eve. “I’m sorry, my lady, but she has to be reported.” He motioned to the guards. “Take the girl. Get the prisoner too. The royal family will want to hear about this.”

  An armed guard came up next to me, not touching, but not giving me room to run, either.

  Eve came with us. “I’m not leaving you alone,” she whispered.

  My heart leaped with fear. “I don’t want you to get in trouble.”

  “I won’t. I’m the queen’s favorite, remember?”

  I swallowed hard. The last person I wanted to see was the queen.

  Eve reached for my hand and squeezed. “It’ll be all right.”

  But as we marched down the hall to the king and queen, I seriously doubted it.

  The music stopped when the soldiers brought us to the royal salon, an opulent room I’d never seen before. The king and queen sat on their thrones. Their golden crowns gleamed on their heads.

  There were other vampires in the room, lords and ladies I’d never seen before. Did they live here? Did they only come out at night?

  I looked around wildly and caught sight of Dallas. He stood off by himself, near the windows.

  When he saw Ben, his face twisted.

  When he saw me, he rocked back on his heels.

  “Your Majesties.” The lead guard bowed. “Three of our guards are dead. I have a team taking care of the bodies.”

  The king shot up. “What happened?”

  “This prisoner escaped and shot them.” Two other guards brought Ben forward.

  He was still pale, but the hate was clear on his face as he stared back at the king.

  “How did he get free?”

  I took a shaky step forward. “I freed him, Your Majesty.” My voice quavered in the hush of the room.

  Eve came and stood next to me, clasping my hand, giving me courage.

  “He told me he’d seen my brother. He told me that my brother was in danger and that he could help if I…if I set him free.” It sounded ludicrous to me now. I’d been tricked.

  I shook with fear, miserable and exposed beneath the rapt attention of the king and queen.

  The king descended halfway down the stairs, coming closer. “And how does he purport to know your brother?”

  I swallowed a lump in my throat. “They were childhood friends, Your Majesty.”

  A murmur shot through the room.

  “Did you free him to help the rebels?” The queen’s voice rang out as she joined her husband on the stairs.

  My blood turned icy. “N-no, Your Majesty. He said he didn’t feel safe telling me about my brother near the other rebels, so I let him out, hoping he could give me news.”

  The queen arched her eyebrow. “How exactly did you end up in the dungeons in the middle of the night?”

  “Enough of this.” Dallas shot forward, anger rolling off him in waves. He paced the front of the room, inserting himself between his parents and the rest of us. “I told the prisoners not to speak to anyone here, least of all the contestants who are staying at the palace by invitation, under our protection.”

  He stopped pacing in front of Ben. “Benjamin Vane, I hereby sentence you to death.”

  “Dallas—” I reached for him, but in a dark flash of his cape, he had Ben in a death grip.

  He stared Ben in the eye. “I told you to stay away from her.”

  “She came to me, bloodsucker.” Ben spit in his face. I heard the queen gasp.

  Dallas gripped the prisoner, hesitating, and I wanted to reach for him again.

  The king stepped closer. “Son?”

  The prince nodded, his gaze never leaving Ben’s face.

  “She wanted to run away—away from the monsters.” Ben’s eyes sparkled with hate. “Away from you.”

  “Enough!” Dallas roared. He sank his fangs into Ben’s neck before he could utter another word. The rebel’s arms and legs jerked, his body convulsing, and I had to turn away.

  Eve gripped my hand. She was the only thing holding me up.

  My eyes were still scrunched closed as I heard the dead body crumple to the ground. Then the silence stretched out.

  “Miss West.”

  I cringed as Dallas said my name, but I turned to look at him.

  The prince looked up at me from the ground, where he crouched near Ben’s body. He’d already wiped the blood from his face. “I told you specifically not to talk to this prisoner. You’re in direct violation of my order, my lady. Guards, see her to her room, and do not leave her unattended. I’ll be up to deal with her later. And get this rebel scum out of here. I’ve seen enough of him for one lifetime.”

  Eve squeezed my hand one last time before the guards took me away. They won’t hurt you, she said inside my head.

  But as they dragged me away, I no longer cared.

  Chapter 28

  I’m Alone With You

  “Miss.” Evangeline looked pale as she peered at me. “Are you all right?”

  I blinked. “Not really.”

  “I had to fight the guards to get in here. What happened?”

  “You don’t want to know. Please, go. You shouldn’t be near me. I’m in trouble, and I don’t want you to be associated with it.”

  She fussed over me, pulling my blanket up and fluffing my pillows.

  “Go, please. I can’t have you suffer for my mistakes.”

  Her face crumpled. “Isn’t there anything I can do?”

  “No.” I rolled away from her, worried her kindness and concern would make me cry. “But thank you for everything you’ve done. And please tell the twins that too.”

  “There’s no need for all that, miss. I’ll be back soon with tea,” she said, undeterred. “A nice cup of tea always makes everything seem better.”

  I doubted it. Would a nice cup of tea make it hurt less when the prince drained me dry?

  The door opened again a moment later. “Gwyneth.” Dallas came into the room, then hesitated. “Do you want your maids in the room while I’m here?”

  I sat up. “So they can watch you kill me? I don’t think so.”

  He motioned to the guards outside, and they closed the door. Then he stalked to the fire, his back to me, and gripped the mantle.

  “Why is it,” he asked, “that you hate me so much?”

  “I don’t hate you.” The words tumbled out before I had time to think them through, but I recognized them as the truth. “After everything that’s happened, I should. But I don’t. I don’t think I can hate you.”

  He turned, his eyes sad and dark. “Then why do you do everything in your power to torture me?”

  “What? What on Earth do you mean?”

  His shoulders sagged. “I tell you to stay in your room. You sneak out. I tell you to stay away from Eve when you’re alone. You go to her. I tell you to stay away from one man—one man—and you go to him in the middle of the night. Why?”

  I stood up from my bed. “Because I wanted to know about my brother.”

  Dallas crossed his arms over his chest. “I told you I was looking for him.”

  “You haven’t said a word to me.”

  “I’ve been busy.”

  “Busy kissing Shaye,” I mumbled. I wanted to smack myself. The bodies were piling up around us, and I was acting like a jealous cow.

  “I barely kissed her,” Dallas said. “And to be honest, Gwyn, I didn’t know you cared.”

  I scoffed. “Well, after you slaughtered a hundred humans and told Tamara that you were eager
to send me home, I sort of stopped.”

  He strung together several colorful expletives under his breath. “I told you there was more to the story about the rebels. But you didn’t listen because you never listen.”

  “I listened to Tamara.”

  “Jesus, Gwyn!” He raked a hand through his hair, making it stand up in long spikes. “Tamara would just as soon marry a werewolf if it suited her purposes. She’s a cheat and a liar, and she’s playing you.”

  I shook my head. “Wait, did you just say werewolf?”

  He grimaced. “Never mind about that. I came to see if you were all right after what happened.”

  “No, I am not all right.” I took a step toward him, a bit recklessly. “And I thought you were here to deliver my punishment.”

  I leaned my head to the side, exposing my neck.

  The muscle in his jaw jumped. “You really think I’m a monster, don’t you?”

  “N-no,” I stammered, confused. “You just said, in front of your parents, the king and queen, that you were coming up here to ‘deal’ with me. After I set a rebel free, and he killed three of the royal guards, I figured your fangs were the least I deserved.”

  I fought back tears. I’d as good as killed those guards myself.

  “I lied about punishing you in order to protect you,” Dallas said, his eyes burning with intensity. “Just like I killed the prisoner to protect you. My parents would never have let you go unless there was some sort of blood sacrifice. Better Benjamin Vale than you. I vowed to protect you with my life. I meant it, Gwyneth. I will always mean it.”

  I shook my head. “You can’t protect me, though. Not from what I’ve done.”

  Dallas’s face softened a fraction. “It wasn’t your fault about the guards. He tricked you. I told you he was trouble. The new rebel leadership is poisoned from the inside.”

  My chest heaved. “He said he’d seen Balkyn recently. He said he was in danger.”

  “He preyed on you. He’s the monster. He put your life in danger.” Dallas spat out another curse. “And he deserved what I gave him. He deserved worse.”