27. Maggie

Chapter 27

Maggie

I was distracted by watching Davon and Oolah fight, which let the king and his guards creep up behind me.

His hand sliced my way. “Take her. Bring her with us.” Pivoting, he stormed down the hall.

I yelped and turned to run, but a guard tackled me. He quickly bound my hands behind my back and dragged me to my feet, snarling in my face. “Walk, or I’ll hit you in the head and carry you.”

The guard's grip on my arm was like a vise, his claws digging into my skin as he dragged me down the hall. The king stalked ahead of us, his tail twisting behind him. We rounded a corner and came across a group of Veerenads clashing with palace guards. Bodies lay on the tile, and the sharp clang of metal on metal filled the air. The scent of blood hung thick and coppery.

The king hissed, pressing himself against the wall and sliding back. Once out of sight, he barked orders at two of his guards, who rushed forward to join the battle.

The king grabbed my arm, his fingers biting into my skin as he pulled me down a different corridor.

“You thought you could escape?” he snarled, his eyes flashing anger. “You are mine, pet. You will be until I tire of you and sell you to someone new. How you behave now will predict who I sell you to next.” Warning rang out in his voice.

I glared, my heart blazing with fury. “I hate you. I'd rather die than be your pet.”

He lifted his fist, his eyes burning with malice, but a noise behind us made him pause. I looked back, hoping to see Davon, but the hall remained empty. The king's grip tightened on my arm, and he dragged me forward, his pace quickening to a gallop.

We rushed through the back halls of the palace, the sounds of battle echoing around us. The king's breath came in ragged gasps, his fear a palpable thing that sent a thrill of satisfaction through me. I wanted whoever was attacking to win. I wanted the king to pay for what he'd done to me, to Davon, to all the others he'd probably hurt.

We burst through a metal door, the cool morning air hitting my face like a slap. A covered carriage pulled by a beast waited for us. The king wrenched open the door and shoved me inside.

I stumbled, falling onto the floor.

“Give me something to tie her,” the king barked at his guards. One of them handed him a length of vine, and he climbed into the carriage, his breath hot on my face as he lifted and secured me to a seat.

“You can't keep me like this forever.” I struggled against the bindings. “When you glance away, I'm gone.”

A cruel smile twisted his lips. “You're with me until I throw you away. Behave and it won't be today.” He settled into the seat across from me and when he rapped his knuckles on the side of the carriage, it lurched forward, winding quickly around the building and down the front driveway.

Chaos echoed around us, guards clashing in the courtyard with other Veerenads. I looked out the window, searching for any sign of Davon.

“Maggie!” he bellowed from too far behind us.

The king's smile widened, and he leaned back in his seat. “He'll never see you again.”

I wanted to scream, to claw his eyes from their sockets, but I bit back my rage, forcing myself to think. If I was going to escape, I had to be smart. Letting him win wouldn’t help me one bit. I wouldn't let him take me from Davon.

The carriage picked up speed, the wheels clattering over the cobblestones. The king's eyes never left me, his gaze burning into my skin. I met his stare, my anger simmering beneath the surface. I wouldn't cower. I wouldn't break. Once I escaped his clutches, I'd find my way to Davon. No matter what it took, I would be free.

The carriage took us through the city where, even here, battles took place.

“Who is it?” I asked the king. “Who’s going to kill you? I want to kick your corpse when they’ve finished.”

He glared out the window and said nothing.

When we reached the northern edge of town, the carriage passed through a gap in a two-story wall and approached a building built into the side of a tall hill. The main wall extended beyond it. Weapons held by guards standing along the top glinted in the sunshine.

The carriage jerked to a halt in front of the building carved into the hillside. The king barked orders to his guards, and they dragged me out of the carriage and onto my feet. I stumbled, my bound hands making it hard to catch my balance. The king grabbed my arm, his claws digging in as he pulled me toward the entrance.

Inside, we were greeted by a winding stone staircase leading down into darkness. Lights flickered along the walls, making eerie shadows dance and twist. The air grew cooler and damper with each step, the scent of earth and something acrid filling my senses. I shivered, goosebumps prickling my skin.

“Where are we going?” I asked, my voice echoing off the stone walls.

The king looked back, a much too cheerful smile on his face. “Into the heart of our world, pet. This is why the Veerenads settled here. These caves hold a power you couldn't understand.”

I needed to keep him talking, to find out as much as I could. “What kind of power?”

He chuckled, the sound sending a shiver across my soul. “A substance, a drug, if you will. It's found only here, in these caves. It can make a Veerenad feel invincible, euphoric even. And sadly, it's highly addictive. But it also makes the user compliant.”

I thought about the Veerenads I'd seen in the bar, their strange, glazed eyes. “How many are addicted?”

“Most of the city. It makes them loyal, easy to control. But it also makes them dependent. They'd do anything for their next dose.”

We continued down the stairs, the air growing colder and the scent more pungent. Water dripped somewhere, the sound pinging through the cavern.

“And you control the supply,” I said, my voice steady despite the fear knotting in my belly.

“Clever pet. The mines, the distribution, the guards. It's all mine.”

Finally, we reached the bottom of the stairs. A long, sloping channel stretched out ahead of us, lined with barred cages on either side. My heart slammed against my ribcage as I looked around. If he secured me down here, how would I ever escape?

“Who's trying to take over the city?” I asked.

“A true king is the one who steals power and wields it. My brother was weak. I took his throne, and I plan to keep it.”

Shock slammed through me. “You hosted a coup against your brother?”

“And killed him.”

“Your own brother? ”

He shrugged, a cold smile playing on his lips. “Power demands sacrifice, pet. I did what I had to do. And now, his son thinks he can take what's mine. He thinks he can rally those who . . . refuse to sample the drug. He must think they can overthrow me.” His laugh came out harsh and bitter. “But he's a fool, like his father. My guards will defeat him, and this time, I won't make the mistake of locking him up. I'll kill him.”

Horror and anger filled me. I had to get away from him, had to find Davon and escape the city, but how? I was trapped, surrounded by guards, deep beneath the city. Davon wouldn't know where to look for me.

I took a deep breath, forcing myself to think, to stay calm. I refused to let the king see my fear.

The king gestured to one of the guards, who stepped forward and unlocked a cage on his right. The door creaked open, the sound grating on my nerves. I peered into the dark interior, my heart pounding. I couldn't go in there. I wouldn't.

With a shove, the king sent me forward into the cage. I stumbled, catching myself on the dirt and stone wall. The door slammed shut behind me, the lock clicking into place.

“You can't keep me here forever,” I spat, my voice ricocheting through the cavern.

His cruel smile made my spine quiver. “I can do whatever I want, even kill you. Perhaps now?”