Chapter Twenty Four

Aerilyn

“Rise and shine, get the fuck up.”

The loud voice pulled her from her sleep, her entire body shooting up in bed with her dagger already drawn. Everett was stirring awake beside her, his fingers slipping around the hilt of his sword. Two guards stood in the middle of the room, both with their arms folded across their chests.

“Good morning to you too. Such a lovely way to wake up,” Aerilyn grumbled, rolling her eyes at the men. They didn’t seem thrilled with the action, but neither of them spoke up. “Why the fuck are you in her room?” Everett glared at the men, his forearm flexing from his tight grasp on his drawn weapon. “Test number two will start in an hour. You’re expected to report to the training grounds. If you’re late, it’s an automatic disqualification. You’ll be dead before the second round even starts,” his lips curled into a wicked smirk that only spiked Aerilyn’s anger.

“Well then how about you get the hell out of my room so I can get ready,” she smiled sarcastically at the two guards. They both stared at her as if she were only a meal to them, hungrily scanning over the sheet to see if there was any noticeable skin. Everett seemed to notice their gaze and placed his arm in front of her frame, hiding anything the blanket might not have covered. “I suggest you stop staring at my woman before she ends up burying her dagger in both of your necks,” Everett cooed, flashing them his smile.

The guards finally followed the request, exiting the room and leaving the two of them alone in bed. Aerilyn glanced over at Everett, her cheeks flushed from his comment. “Your woman?” She teased, biting down on her lower lip. “Do you have a problem with that title?” He returned, his eyes flickering down to her mouth before rising back up to her gaze. “I like it when you get all possessive,” she pecked his lips before slipping out from beneath the covers. The nightgown she had worn did little to conceal her skin. She had to admit that she’d chosen that one specifically to see if it would get a rise out of Everett. The man had kept his composure and didn’t make any attempts on her, even if part of her wished he had. She’d never experienced a touch from a man, so any bit of it she could get from Everett was intoxicating.

His gaze followed her across the room as she opened the wardrobe to find something to wear. She settled on the same black leathers that she’d worn each day since being given the room. She had no idea what she would be doing in the second task and wanted to be able to move easily if she was thrown into another fight like the first one. Everett didn’t move from his spot on the bed as she turned her back to face him. She’d never changed in front of a man before, but something in her mind told her to do it then. She slid the gown down her shoulders, letting it fall to the floor. She bent down to pull the pants up over her thighs and settle them on her hips.

Aerilyn felt his presence behind her before his hands even slipped around her hips. His cool fingertips brushed her bare stomach as he pressed his front into her. Her breath hitched at the touch as his mouth lowered to her ear. “Are you teasing me, little thief?” He hummed against the shell of her ear. She couldn’t help but let her body melt into his, pressing her back further into him. “I’m just changing,” she whispered back. “Bending over like that in front of me, showing off all of your curves. I don’t think that was an accident. Don’t act so innocent with me, darling,” he let his mouth hover over his skin as his hot breath hit her neck. His lips finally pressed against her neck, the touch as soft as a flower. His mouth continued to travel down her neck as his grip around her waist tightened. He kissed along her collarbone, evoking a sound from her. She hadn’t moaned before, the sound was so foreign on her tongue.

“You sound so beautiful. Now stop holding back. I want to watch you come undone,” he nipped at her skin making her body jerk from the action. She let out a gasp, her eyes fluttering as his hands ran over her bare stomach. He ran a finger along the waistband of her leathers, teasing her sensitive skin. “Has anyone ever touched you before, Aerilyn?” She could feel his smirk in the words. “N-No…” She stuttered, unable to get the words out properly. “Look at you. You can barely even speak,” he teased as his hand brushed down the front of her pants. His hand grazed over the sensitive spot between her thighs, only fabric separating his hand from her. Another moan left her, her head falling back against his shoulder. She could feel the hardness of his length pressed into her behind, making her only ache for him. She’d never experienced a touch like this. She wanted to crumble. She wanted to give him everything.

Suddenly, his touch disappeared. He stepped back, his warmth no longer surrounding her. She quickly turned around to look at him as he continued to smirk at her. “What are you doing?” She questioned, her body begging for him to touch her again. “We have to get ready, darling. My clothes are still in my room. I’ll be back shortly,” he pulled her close for a moment as he pressed his lips to her forehead. “The touch was a little incentive. Survive today for me and I’ll have you screaming my name later,” he tapped the tip of her nose before he left her room. She stood completely alone, her body shaking from what had just happened. She was afraid that Everett was going to be her undoing. He was going to ruin her and she was going to let it happen.

The group was led into a small space that was empty beside five chairs that sat in a line. The room reminded Aerilyn of the one she’d been taken into the first day they arrived in Korth. The memory of the mental torture made goosebumps form along her arms. She forced herself to continue her walk into the room, feeling the presence of Everett close behind her. Two men stood at the back of the room, each with blank expressions. She recognized one of them as the Neuro who had searched her mind. Every nerve in her body seemed to hum, her power surging at her fingertips. She tried to remember Azazel’s warning, to keep her powers hidden. She thought of the two scorched bodies on her bedroom floor, recalling the dangers that came with the light inside of her. Aerilyn felt the warmth of a hand slipping into hers, squeezing tightly. She didn’t have to look to know who the hand belonged to.

“Each of you take a seat,” the man commanded. She slowly approached one of the chairs and sat down, keeping Everett’s hand grasped in hers. He looked over at her, his face seeming to be calm and collected but she could see the fear in his eyes. “I won’t let anything happen to you,” he whispered, giving her hand another reassuring squeeze.

The others followed suit and found their chairs, no one speaking. The silence in the room was deafening. It made Aerilyn’s skin crawl with worry. After the first little game Azazel pulled, she wasn’t sure what to expect out of this one. As if thinking his name had summoned him, the devil himself walked through the door. His crown was now placed on top of his head, a beacon of his title. His arrogant smirk was plastered across his face.

“Welcome to your second test. As you can tell, this one won’t be as physical as the last. That doesn’t mean this is going to be any easier. Some might say this one will be even more brutal,” Azazel stood before them, his eyes scanning over each of them individually. Aerilyn tried her best to avoid eye contact, lowering her gaze. “I won’t be giving you many details, I’m simply here to ensure everything runs smoothly. Good luck to each of you, I hope to see you alive and breathing once we’re done here” he clasped his hands together before motioning towards the other men standing at the back of the room.

Aerilyn felt her heart racing, her entire body shaking as she watched the Neuro approach Brinley. His attention was deeply focused on her, his hand reaching out to touch her temple. Within seconds her body slumped and her eyes fell shut. She was completely unmoving other than the soft rise and fall of her chest. The Neuro walked down the line, repeating the process to each of them before he approached Everett. Aerilyn watched as his hand touched Everett’s cheek, his eyes locked with hers before they slowly closed. She felt his grip on her hand loosen as every muscle in his body relaxed.

“Everett!” She gasped out his name, finally feeling the fear take over.

“He won’t hear you, love. He’s in an unconscious simulation,” Azazel’s voice pulled her attention towards him. He stopped the Neuro from touching her face, holding out his palm. The king slowly squatted down in front of her, his eyes moving between hers. “Prove your loyalty and remember that none of it is real. It’s all in your mind” he stared at her, letting the words process in her mind before he motioned for the Neuro to continue his task. “Don’t disappoint me, doll,” he whispered before she felt the cool hand of the Neuro on her face and everything in the room around her faded.

Aerilyn felt every inch of her body ache from the time she spent baking in the sunlit fields. She’d spent more time than usual working on the crops since the celebration was coming up and the demand for food was high. She approached her parents’ small orange brick home that had a perfectly manicured lawn and small flowers growing along the front of it. The addition of the flowers had been her doing when her mother had complained that their yard looked bare. She pushed open the front door, her senses automatically overwhelmed with the smell of dinner filling up their home.

“Mom?” She called out, alerting her mother that she was home. She followed the scent of dinner into the kitchen, finding the pot steaming on the kitchen table. Three plates had been set perfectly at each seat, but none of the seats contained her parents. “Mom?” She called a bit louder that time, making her way through the house in search of either parent. She stood in the middle of the main room that contained furniture for guests to sit in. There was no sign of either of them. She heard a soft thump above her indicating the presence of someone upstairs.

Aerilyn rushed up the steps, trying to understand why her mother wouldn’t be responding to her. She tried to tell herself that her mother hadn’t heard her and that her father hadn’t returned from the wall yet. When she reached the top of the staircase she noticed her parents’ bedroom door was left slightly ajar. She paused, considering that she may be walking in on her parents having an intimate moment, before pushing the door open. She hadn’t expected to find her parents in the state that she did.

Her mother and father sat before her, each tied to a chair with a gag stuffed into their mouths to keep them quiet. When the scene before her finally settled in, Aerilyn felt panic. Her mother’s eyes widened at the sight of her standing before them, shaking her head quickly in fear. Aerilyn turned to run, wanting to go find her dagger. She kept it tucked under her pillow when she was working since she wasn’t allowed to bring it with her to the fields. As she turned to exit the room, the door slammed shut and trapped her inside. She noticed the figure then. The person was tall and their face was concealed by the darkness of the room. They took several steps forward, the candlelight finally illuminating their face.

Azazel.

“Well, you finally found us little doll. I was worried I was going to have to start torturing them since you were taking so long,” he chuckled, his eyes sparkling in the newfound light. Her heart beat so loudly in her chest that she knew he heard it. “Don’t be so nervous. You didn’t really think you could escape me, did you?” Azazel came closer to her, reaching a hand up to cup her cheek. She flinched away from the touch, taking several steps back to put space between them. He frowned when he noticed her fear, tilting his head as he examined her. “You’re afraid… You should be,” he took another step towards her, making her back right into her trapped parents.

“Get away from me, Azazel. You’re a fucking monster,” she snapped, shoving her hands into his chest. He caught both of her wrists, his eyes narrowing at her. “How many times do I have to remind you about that mouth? It’s getting exhausting,” he sighed. She debated the ways she could kill him at that moment. He would be able to overpower her easily, but she didn’t want to allow him to take advantage of her that easily. He dropped both of her wrists before he grabbed his dagger from his sheath, holding it out before her. She heard her mother’s shrieks through the gag, pulling her attention to her struggling parents. Azazel grabbed her from behind, pressing himself into her backside. She could feel him everywhere. His scent suffocated her, making her want to throw up. His closeness was terrifying and she hated that she found some pleasure in it.

Aerilyn was snapped out of her thoughts as he trapped his arm around her waist and pressed the dagger against her throat. Her body froze, trying to avoid coming close to the blade. “Here’s how this is going to go, doll. You’re going to kill both of them for me” his hot breath hit the back of her neck, making her shiver. “Why the hell would I do that?” She growled in return, debating the ways she could attempt to escape his hold. “Because if you don’t, you’ll end up dead right along with them,” he ran the side of the dagger over her throat, teasing her with death. “Then kill me. I won’t do it,” she refused to give in to the man, not wanting to seem weak.

“How about I give you some motivation?” He pulled away from her, the dagger spinning in his fingertips before it drove it into her father’s chest. Her heart cracked at the sight, a scream escaping her. She dove past Azazel, throwing her hands onto the wound. “Dad! It’s okay. I’ve got you,” she whispered to her father before turning to Azazel. “Fix him. Get your healer. Please. I’ll do anything, Azazel. Don’t let him die. They’re all I have,” her voice cracked on the words, her hands soaking in her father’s blood. Azazel studied her with more gentle eyes. She hated the pity that flashed across his face. “I can’t do that, Aerilyn. He’s already gone. Just do as I say so I can save your life,” he moved beside her, prying her hands off of her father’s chest.

“No! Don’t do this. I’m begging you. Let me keep my parents,” she screamed, trying to force her hands back onto the wound. Azazel held her wrists to restrain her from doing so. “Listen to me. I need you to do this. I don’t want you to die. I can’t save you if you don’t go through with it. I’m begging you, doll,” he spoke with a genuine tone that she’d never heard before. She let out soft cries, the tears wetting her cheeks as she tried to hold her composure. “I don’t understand. Why are you doing this to me?” She wiped at the tears on her face, not caring how the blood on her hands smeared across her cheeks. “I’m not supposed to be helping you. If the Neuro found out I was doing this, I would look like a traitor. I need you to take this dagger and end her life. This isn’t real,” he held the dagger out towards her, trying to convince her to take it. “How am I supposed to believe that? My father’s blood on my hands feels pretty fucking real,” she pushed his chest hard, wanting so badly to cause him the same pain she was feeling. “This isn’t real,” he repeated before he took her wrist, shoving the dagger into her palm.

Aerilyn considered his words, trying to piece it all together. What he was saying made sense, but a tiny voice in the back of her head refused to believe him. It all felt too real for it to be a fragment of her imagination. But the look on Azazel’s face was one of a desperate man. For a moment, she considered he might care for her well-being. She looked down at the bloody dagger in her hand, grasping it tightly. “I can’t do it,” she whispered, choking on her tears. “I’ll help you, just close your eyes for me,” he slid his hand around hers and used his other to cover her eyes. His hand guided hers, she couldn’t see where but she knew what was happening. She felt the resistance of the flesh before the blood-soaked her hand. She heard her mother’s screams that only lasted a few moments before there was silence. Aerilyn had never felt so broken. She’d never experienced the pain that she felt at that moment.

“Good job, doll. You passed the second trial,” Azazel whispered, resting his head against hers as he let out a soft sigh. “Don’t tell anyone I helped you do this. We’re a team now. I keep your secret, you keep mine. Now, I’m going to pull us out of here. I’m sorry I did this to you,” he stroked his hands through her hair, hugging her into his chest. She wanted to hate him, to punch and kick. She wanted to hate his touch and his comfort, but she couldn’t.