by Emma Hamm
“Stop,” she said. “Please stop, I can’t have you near me right now.”
“I did what I had to do,” he repeated. “You asked for my help.”
“I asked for you to teach me!” Her croaked words shook with pain. “You didn’t help me. You only helped yourself.”
“How?” he snapped. “How did I help myself?”
She bumped against the glowing moss wall. She could feel the rhythm of movement through the stone. As if all the many layers of Dread shook through the earth itself.
This was too much. She needed time to think. Time to be alone, by herself, and sort through the many thoughts screaming in her head.
“Please leave me be,” she begged.
“You wish to be alone here? In the dark?” He said the words as though this was a trap. As if the threat of leaving her here was worse than being with him.
Danielle swallowed hard, pressed herself further into the moss, and nodded. “Yes. Yes I do, Emperor.”
He winced, but burst into movement. The wind of his wings slapped against her face and chest.
Danielle turned her face away from the sight of him rising out of the darkness and into the caverns above. Now, she was alone.
Chapter 21
The silence was deeper in this part of the Hollows. Tomb-like, heart wrenching, and sad. Every part of Danielle screamed this was what death felt like.
No one knew where she was. No one cared. Her siblings were long forgotten, her mother wallowing in her own madness.
She stood for a long time, back pressed against the wall and heart in her throat. The thundering rhythm in the chest kept her mind occupied while she tried to still her thoughts.
She was no longer a princess.
Her kingdom was no longer a home.
The family she once had no longer regarded her as anything more than a shadow of a memory.
Eventually, feeling returned to her numb fingers. Her heart slowed its galloping pace to a mere shuffle. The shadows in front of her eyes moved, and she didn’t know if they were in her mind, or if someone was approaching her.
Then fingers reached out and stroked the soft swell of her cheek.
“Princess,” a voice rasped. Far deeper than any of the other Dread, like the rumble of the earth itself.
She blinked and forced her mind to focus on the present. The Dread standing before her was old. Both of his horns had fallen off long ago, perfect circles on the top of his head marking where they’d once been. One of his wings had been broken long ago and dragged behind him with every movement. The other was only the skeleton of a wing, its membrane long since worn away.
But his black eyes frightened her most of all. There were no whites, just darkness reflecting her pale face.
“Hello,” she whispered. Pressed against the wall, there was nowhere for her to run if this Dread decided it wanted to attack her. And though none of the Dread had given her any reason to assume they wanted to, she didn’t know this creature.
If her own family could betray her, then creatures she hardly knew could do the same.
The Dread raked its claws down her face. The touch was delicate, so careful to not break through her skin while still touching her. Feeling her forehead, eyes, nose, and mouth.
She’d experienced such a touch before, long ago when her father had taken her through the crowds of Hollow Hill. An elderly woman had reached out and brushed her fingers all over Danielle. Every part she could find.
She blew out a breath and relaxed. “You’re blind?”
The Dread grinned, wrinkles deepening until its face was nothing but folds. “Your observations are almost correct, princess. I can still see a bit.”
“I’m not a princess anymore.”
“You are here. Don’t let yourself believe that because one man says you aren’t something, everyone else believes the same.”
Honorable words for a creature made of stone. Danielle didn’t know how to respond. It knew of her, when she knew nothing of the Dread who lived this far underground.
So, instead of asking questions as she wished to, Danielle said, “I’m afraid I wished for a little time alone.”
“And people like us are rarely afforded such luxuries. You need to see something, princess. Come, come.” The ancient Dread turned on its heel and toddled away from her.
He, and it must be male, wore a loincloth that covered his buttocks and front. His flat chest was bare, though his skin folds made it difficult to tell whether he was female or male.
The wing dragging behind him made a quiet rasp upon the floor. When he realized she wasn’t following, the Dread stopped. “Princess? You are making me wait.”
“I asked for time alone,” she repeated. “I’m not following you into the darkness.”
“Grab a handful of the moss, darling. Then you won’t be in the darkness ever again.”
As it shuffled away once more, Danielle hesitated. Should she follow the strange creature into the depths of the caverns? Or should she wallow in self pity?
The question didn’t linger in her mind for long. She turned, reached up the wall, and yanked off a handful of the glowing moss. It illuminated her hand and the walls as she strode after the ancient beast.
At least it was a distraction from the rambling thoughts in her mind. Besides, it might have something interesting to show her.
The Dread had surprised her before.
The ancient Dread’s slow, shambling pace gave her time to look at the caverns she was now in. This was the bottom of the Hollows, although when she’d first seen the abyss she had thought it was endless.
Water from years of use had smoothed all surfaces into a polish like the inside of a seashell. Fissures of white and black marble threaded through the walls like the roots of trees. There were caves here, too. Small openings where she would see a slight movement as the oldest Dread moved about their day. It appeared as though they were all blind, or nearly so.
Curiosity burned in her chest. She longed to ask her guide if blindness was something the oldest of the Dread suffered from, or if it was the effect of living in the caves. She wanted to know if the Dread aged like humans.
So many questions, and ones she would never have answered. They felt rude to ask when the creature struggled to even move.
Perhaps she could ask her Dread.
The Emperor.
Just the thought of how much he’d lied to her made her angry again. It was time to think of other things, or she would shout his name and force him to return just so she could slap him.
The ancient Dread in front of her chuckled. “You are still angry with our leader, aren’t you?”
“How could you tell?” she asked.
“Your breathing changes when you think of him. And not in the way of lovers, although I suspect you’ve thought of him like that as well.”
She had not. Princesses knew nothing of lovers or what to expect on a wedding night.
Except some princesses did. Since she’d heard the maids talking about their trysts with men who sought their hands in marriage.
A blush burned her cheeks. “I know nothing of what you speak.”
The ancient Dread chuckled. “Ah, but you do, princess. I can tell by the way your heart just raced.”
She could have argued more. Instead, the words that slipped off her tongue were, “You can hear my heart?”
“My dear, I can hear everything.”
What a glorious talent, she mused. To hear all the things people wanted to be kept hidden. Or perhaps just to hear things humans couldn’t. “What do you hear now?” she asked.
“The thudding of your heart. The pounding of blood in your veins. The whistle of wind and the chatter of bats. The drip of water from the walls.”
Every word was like poetry.
Danielle hadn’t thought to fall in love with this place as thoroughly as she had. But even the moss in her hands made her imagine magical forests and far-off places. The blue light illuminated everything it touched, reve
aling an alien land she hadn’t known existed.
She kept her pace leisurely so as not to rush the Dread beside her. “Where are you taking me?” All the walls looked the same to her. She assumed they were in some kind of tunnel, but she didn’t know.
If she had thought the tunnels into the Hollows were confusing, this place was even more so. The way forward was the same as the way back.
The Dread reached out a hand and placed it against the wall, pausing for a moment to steady itself. “There are many secrets of the Dread. Some I believe you should know.”
“The Dread have secrets?” she asked sarcastically. “I would never have guessed.”
“Oh there are many stories you’ve never heard, princess. Stories that would make your bones quake in fear and stories that would make your heart swell with happiness. We are a people with much history.”
One detail made her frown. “And you remember these stories? So few of the Dread seem to remember much of their life before... well, a few years ago.”
“That’s because they weren’t Dread before. Our memories are taken from us when we become the monsters in the shadows.”
Unease settled in her belly. They weren’t always Dread? What were they then?
Danielle already knew the answer long before she asked, “You were human once, weren’t you?”
The creature nodded its wrinkled head. “We were. That is why your father hates us.”
“Because you stole his people?”
“No.” The Dread heaved in a deep inhale then pushed itself away from the wall. “Because we’re stronger than humans, and we refused to turn him into one of us.”
Her father wanted to be a Dread? She couldn’t see it. He hated the beasts, clearly. He’d hunted them down his entire life and even taken a trophy from the Emperor.
She shook her head. “You must be mistaken. My father wouldn’t want that.”
“Wouldn’t he?” The Dread shuffled along, slower this time. Its breath grew labored. “Perhaps you don’t know your father as well as we do.”
She couldn’t argue. Her father was as much a mystery as the creatures in these caves.
Danielle hurried to catch up to the creature and caught its arm. “Here, lean on me.”
“Ah.” The creature’s eyes widened. It leaned against her, clawed hand curling around her forearm and weight settling onto her. “Thank you, my dear. That’s much better.”
“It’s the least I can do,” she replied. “After all, you’re revealing the secrets of my kingdom. I am forever in your debt.”
“They are secrets you should have known your entire life. But your father likes to keep things close at hand. Even you, my dear.”
Danielle walked in silence for a while with the beast. She stared at the glowing walls and smooth surfaces, seeing their mirrored reflection. Beautiful, human woman. Scarred, crippled Dread.
No two creatures existed who were more different. And yet, she felt safe with this man. Even though she was deep in the earth’s belly. Even though he could kill her, no matter how old the creature was.
How odd to feel safe in the most dangerous place in her kingdom.
“You know,” the Dread muttered, turning them down another corridor. “Being a Dread isn’t all that bad.”
“Is it not? You were human once. Your memories are gone. You don’t remember if you had a family, friends, an occupation. You remember nothing of who you once were.”
“True. But we’ve created a life together. Here. And this is a beautiful place to spend the rest of your days.”
She stared at the darkness, the shadows. She listened to the dripping of water and felt the brush of bat wings on her hair. “I don’t know if I believe that.”
“Perhaps, in time, you will see the beauty of my home. But I will not rush you, princess. Everyone must understand this world in their own time.”
She let the thought mull in her mind. Their steps slowed even more until she finally pulled the Dread to a stop. “Please, wait a moment.”
“I’m fine, I can continue.”
“No, it’s not that. I need you to answer a few questions for me.” The words were a lie. She had seen how difficult this journey was for the ancient Dread.
The air wheezed out of his lungs. His hand shook clutching her forearm. And he appeared to be ready to fall over.
She settled him against the wall and helped him ease down into a crouch. Though she would have been even more fatigued in this position, he seemed comfortable. “Better?” she asked.
“Much. Now, ask your questions. We still have a long way to go.”
Danielle hadn’t lied about the questions. And now seemed as good a time as any to ask them. “First, what do I call you?”
The Dread grinned. “Storyteller.”
“All right, Storyteller. How are humans changed into Dread?”
The creature lifted his hand. His claws glowed blue in the moss’s light she clutched in her hand. “One scratch won’t do it. But a handprint, all five claws dug into flesh. That will turn a human into one of the Dread.”
“Why were humans turned?”
“Some in revenge. Some in war. Some wanted to be Dread because it was better than starving in the fields.”
Danielle shook her head. “The people of Hollow Hill have always prospered. None ever starve, we have plenty of food to go around.”
“Ah. Plenty of food. But is it given to those who need it most?”
“Yes,” she replied. “It is.”
“Have you seen the food in the hands of the starving?”
She hadn’t. But her father knew people needed to eat, and he would never have let them suffer when so many eyes were upon him. At least, that’s what he’d always told her.
Troubled, she plunked herself down on the stone beside the Dread. “How is that possible? We have so much food, I’ve seen the stores myself.”
“Trade routes go through Hollow Hill all the time. People starve while food becomes money in the hand.”
She didn’t want to believe it.
Her kingdom had always been prosperous. The people had power, they would have complained or told others. No one would have stood by and just allowed suffering to take place.
And yet, she had seen how little she knew of her own kingdom. Danielle had experienced their strife because she now stood in an entire civilization, nay, a world which no one else knew about.
How many people in Hollow Hill knew of the creatures beneath their feet? None? Or were there people who feared the creatures deep within the earth?
She eased back on her hands and stared into the gaze of this ancient creature. “So you’re saying everything I know about my kingdom is a lie.”
The beast stared back at her. “Not everything you know, princess. But much of what you’ve been told is half truths, or perhaps, a screen pulled in front of your eyes.” The Dread moved to stand, only pausing when Danielle stepped forward to help. “We have a few more steps to walk, but these old bones can make it now.”
The rest of the journey they spent in silence, although she tried to get the Dread to speak with her. He didn’t want to say a word.
Finally, the Dread pulled her to a stop at the end of a tunnel. Someone had stacked small stones atop each other at the end, creating a wall which looked more like a cave in.
“Is it safe to be here?” she asked, eyeing the stones as if they could fall any second.
“It is. This is where we come to worship.”
She hadn’t thought the Dread capable of believing in gods or any mythical creatures.
She should have known better. They were honorable creatures, with artisans and so many other talents. Of course they had gods.
But a rock wall?
Danielle tilted her head to the side and tried to see what the Dread saw. Was the wall in a pattern or mosaic? She lifted the moss in her hand higher, but couldn’t see any distinguishable features.
Perhaps it was merely the implication of a wall they worshiped
. She could understand the meaning behind such a thing. Perhaps it was the threat of the wall caving in, and that they should appreciate living in this moment.
Or, perhaps, she was trying to make a mountain out of a mole hill.
Danielle sighed and turned to the Dread. “I don’t understand. Is it a god? Is it a place of worship? Why here instead of all other places?”
The Dread lifted a clawed hand and pointed at the wall. “Take the middle stone away.”
“There are many stones.” Danielle tried to count from one side,. “Which one is the middle?”
The Dread shuffled forward and tapped a single stone with its claw. The soft clink of nail on stone echoed. “The one which is marked, princess.”
She was thankful for the dim light. Her cheeks burned so fiercely she feared even the tips of her ears were red.
Danielle strode forward and lifted the moss once more. In the very center of all the stones was one marked with a swirling pattern. The concentric circles looked like waves. But had the Dread ever seen the ocean?
“What’s it mean?” she asked.
“Pull it from the wall, and see for yourself, princess.”
Her gut twisted in fear. Or perhaps it was anticipation. Whatever it was, Danielle didn’t know if she wanted to throw up or run.
She lifted her hand, wrapped her fingers around the icy stone, and pulled.
The shadows beyond were thick. She could just make out the faintest lines of something hidden behind the wall. Something...
She lifted the moss only to scream as the blue light illuminated a face staring back at her.
Danielle stumbled backward, falling onto her behind and dropping the moss on the ground. She scrambled, pushing against the ground with her feet and yanking with her hands away from the dead body hidden in the stones.
The Dread’s cackling laughter followed her, chasing her as she fled the disturbing sight.
“Princess!” it called. “Princess, come back.”
“No!” she shouted. “You knew there was a body in the wall. You knew.”
Shivers traced down her spine and shook her entire body. Every hair stood on end, and her heart raced at the horrid sight. She’d only caught the briefest glimpse of the man in the wall but she could see his face in front of her eyes as though she’d seen him a hundred times before.