37. Thirty-Seven

Thirty-Seven

“Are you going to kill me now?” I asked with a voice so steady I almost didn’t recognize it.

Dukovich walked over to me, slapping a hand on my shoulder as he laughed.

“You are a far too valuable bargaining chip to kill. At least right away.”

I tensed at his touch, shrugging his hand off me as I stepped to the side. “Who are you?”

“My name is Dukovich. But you already know that. I am the High Priest of The Silliands.” I winced. “I know, so formal. You can call me Duk, if you prefer.” He clapped his hands, rubbing them together as he looked me over. “Let’s get you to your chambers.” He reached for me, and I jerked away from him.

“You are delusional if you think I am going anywhere with you,” I spat.

Dukovich smiled, crossing his arms across his chest. “You have two choices, Hyacinth. You can have your own chambers in the House of High, where you will have the freedom to decide how to spend your time. Or, you can have a cell down here and feast on whatever rats you see and be bathed only when we have use of you.”

I glanced around the pit and the screams of those imprisoned around us seemed to grow louder.

“That’s what I thought,” he said, and before I could move out of his grasp, he tethered us into his fortress.

I stumbled into a grand room, grabbing hold of the bedpost to break my fall and hissed at him.

He clicked his tongue at me in response and gestured to our surroundings. “These will be your chambers for the duration of your stay. They are yours to do with as you please.” I scoffed. “I suggest you get some rest, then bathe and dress. I will be bringing you to court this afternoon.”

“So your plan is to parade me around like some kind of show animal? That’s the best you could come up with?”

Dukovich smirked, pulling a dagger from his sheath and using it to pick casually underneath his blackened nails. “Would you rather torture? Because that can be arranged.” He flipped his knife and slipped it back into its casing. “Sleep,” he demanded, as he headed for the doors. “I will send your maidens to prepare you when the time comes.” He turned his head over his shoulder as his hand wrapped around the door handle. “Do not get any grand ideas for an escape. The spells cast on this room will only burn you, and I’d hate to ruin such a pretty face.” A wicked smile slithered across his lips as he stepped out of the room.

I scrambled to the doors and clicked the lock behind him. Taking a step back, I scanned the tall, intricately carved, golden doors for any other locks.

There were none.

I rushed around the room, locking every door and window I could find then backed myself against the wall and took in the room.

The grand chamber unfolded before my eyes like a vision from a nightmare. Bathed in hues of gold, black, and crimson, the room bled together in mesmerizing opulence. The walls, adorned with intricate golden filigree, stretched upward to meet a domed ceiling painted with swirling patterns of hellish constellations.

Drapes in deep crimson cascaded from tall windows, so thick and suffocating. The room was filled with beautiful furniture embellished with touches of gold, all carefully arranged to create a sense of luxury. If I hadn’t known where I was—known why I was here—I would have thought this was the most exquisite room I had ever seen.

My own exquisite hell.

I stalked over to the bed, slumping onto it and rolled over to my back. I gazed at the black canopy above me. A void stretching out into infinity. In that void, my own reflection stared back at me—a ghostly apparition—a reflection of the shell I now was. Nothing but a black hole where everything I had ever loved had been ripped from me.

I would never see my family again.

A sob escaped my throat, and once it did, there was no escaping the agonizing emotion that followed. I curled my knees into my chest and let the despair of my decision inundate me until my mind collapsed into utter darkness.

“Miss?” A quiet voice broke into my unconsciousness.

I reached for the daggers strapped to my thigh, but they were gone. I reached for the ones across my chest.

They weren’t there.

I scurried off the bed into the corner. “How did you get in here?” I shouted in the direction of the voice.

“Miss, I am Calista, and this is Cai. We are your maidens. Master has sent us to ready you for court.” The voices were soft and careful, unsure of themselves.

Two women stepped into view, and an audible gasp escaped me.

They were so young. They couldn’t have been more than seventeen or eighteen. Their bodies were thin—too thin.

Both wore matching, floor-length black dresses and red aprons that were cinched tight around their waists. Their hair was raven black.

The same as Ata’s.

My insides cracked as I pictured her, clinging to life in Ardan’s arms.

Golden masks covered everything below their eyes to the base of their throat. It looked as if the gold had been poured onto them and sealed in place like a second skin, with only two holes for their nostrils and a small slit at their lips which had been cut from the metal for breath.

The horror on my face was clear—obvious—as I stared at them.

“These masks are an honor, Miss. There is no greater glory for a commoner than to serve our master in the House of High,” Cai stated.

My stomach churned.

This wasn’t honor, it was glorified torture.

“How did you get in here? I locked everything,” I asked sharply as I studied them.

“We tethered, Miss. We are your Maidens. Unless you allow permission for someone else to tether into your chambers, only we may do so,” Calista said. She glanced at Cai the best she could with the mask constricting her movements.

“I assume that rule doesn’t apply to your Master ?”

“No Miss, I do not believe it does,” Calista answered.

I scoffed, standing from the corner. “Where are my knives?”

“Master instructed us to take them while you were sleeping, Miss,” Cai said, taking a step toward the bed and brushing off a clump of dirt that had dislodged itself from my boots. “We need to get you ready now, Miss. Court begins in two hours, and we must bathe you and—”

“I am not going.” I turned to look out the window, wondering how far they had gotten. If the High Priest had kept to his word and let them out of the realm safely.

“I see,” Calista said softly. “Our instructions were very clear, Miss. We are to bathe you and dress you and bring you to court.”

“I told you, I am not going,” I snapped.

“Miss—” Cai started.

“Please stop calling me that,” I groaned, pinching the bridge of my nose.

“Yes, Lady Hyacinth,” Cai responded with a curtsy.

“Just Hyacinth, or Cin. Please. And don’t do”—I waved my hand in the air in her direction—“whatever that was.”

“Yes, uhm, ma’am,” Cai said, nervously.

I rolled my eyes and looked over the room again. A red satin gown had been laid out for me. I nearly laughed at the sight of it.

If he really thought he was going to get me to go anywhere in that thing, he had no idea who he was dealing with.

“Get that dress out of here.” I turned away from it, rubbing my temples.

“Master said if you refuse the dress to tell you . . . t-to tell you . . .” Cai stuttered.

“Just say it,” I groaned.

“That your other option for clothing is nothing at all,” Calista said firmly, squaring her shoulders as I snapped my head to her.

“The water has already been drawn for you. If we wait any longer Miss— Ma’am —it will grow cold,” Cai said, taking a step toward the bathing room and holding out her arm.

“He will have to drag me there by his Uthrens,” I said coldly, turning my eyes back to the vast land outside my window.

“He asked us to inform you that if you refuse to come willingly, your punishment will be doled out to us equally,” Calista stated.

Cai stepped in, quickly adding, “But if that is your decision, it would be our honor to take that burden from you.” She bowed slightly and the air caught in my throat.

I turned my head back to look at these two girls.

I couldn’t wait to leave the academy; to get out and explore the world and leave that comfort behind.

If I had known that, at their age, in any other realm, this would have been my fate . . . I would have gladly stayed forever.

“Okay,” I breathed. “Lead the way.”

I had never been scrubbed so thoroughly in my life.

By the time I was dry and sitting in a warm towel, my stomach had begun begging for food—for coffee.

I watched in the mirror as Calista’s brush fought to slide through my curls. “How long have you both been maidens for the High Priest?”

“We have been here our whole lives, Miss,” Calista replied.

“Our life of service will feed, house, and clothe our families, and every child from our father’s lineage, until the Gods call us back to them,” Cai added as she snapped a golden chain around my ankle.

“Your parents sold you at birth?” The words came out harsher than I intended and I quickly tried to soften the blow. “I’m sorry. I don’t mean to sound impolite, I just do not know the customs here.”

Calista smiled softly at me through the mirror. “We were bred to be maidens. Our purpose, from the day of our conception, has been to provide for our families and serve our Master. When the Gods call us back, we will be given the highest honors for our sacrifice.”

I nodded, trying to hide the anger that was boiling up inside of me. “May I ask how old you both are?”

“I have been blessed with ninety years so far. I pray the Gods will give me a long life,” Cai said with sickening happiness.

“I just celebrated my hundredth birthday,” Calista answered, her tone more somber as she smoothed my curls over my shoulders with a thick oil and added the last of the golden chains to my crown.

I studied my hands as Calista backed away from me, admiring her work.

I couldn’t bring myself to look.

“Oh, Miss, you look radiant!” Cai clasped her hands together and beamed at me.

Calista disappeared from the room, only to reappear seconds later with the satin gown.

It was simple and elegant with its low-cut back, thin straps, and cowl neck. I slid into it, pulling the straps over my shoulders, and finally stepped into the mirror.

I had never worn a dress, never even seen myself so dressed up.

Never seen myself so beautiful.

My stomach churned.

He was dressing me up like a trophy horse—playing me like a chess piece in front of his court to flaunt his power. I would not let him win.

I would not die without a fight.

I squared my shoulders and stared directly into my eyes.

You will not break.

The satin fabric hugged every curve of my body, swooshing quietly as I followed Calista and Cai through the lavish corridors of the fortress. My bare feet were cold against the marble floor and with every step I took, the golden bracelets and anklets glittered against the candlelit hallways.

They were nothing more than resplendent manacles, chaining me to whatever fate was coming for me.

“We are here, Miss Hyacinth,” Cai said over the muted laughs and music that sounded just beyond the closed doors.

Calista gave me a reassuring smile before they pushed open the doors and bowed.