26. Chapter Twenty-Five

Chapter Twenty-Five

I had to follow him. How could I sit at camp like some frightened little child, waiting, while he put himself in danger? What if he died out there while rescuing Ryker for me ? I couldn't live with that. I grabbed a small backpack without giving it much thought, and while Mary washed out some dishes in the stream behind our camp, I made my way down the dirt trail and continued all of the way to the opening of the cave. I knew that the closer I came to Shad, the greater the chance was that he would sense me—hear that my melody was close, so I tried to be as quick as possible. I hoped that he would be distracted enough by his task that he would not focus on my melody.

Just as I approached the opening to the cave, I saw Shad duck inside of its mouth, disappearing into the dark depths within. I held my breath. There were two large men, guards I assumed, standing on either side of the cave. They wore black, leather uniforms. I watched them as they stood there, masks covering their faces and gloves on their hands, holding large guns.

I gulped.

During the split-second when Shad darted into the cave, the guards had turned away. They stood near the cave opening for a few minutes; then they made a circle around it. For about a minute, then, their backs faced the cave. That was the opportunity. Shad had used that weakness in the guard's defenses. He had timed it perfectly, and I would do the same. I watched the guards double-back, and I was ready to take advantage of their flaw. I watched for a few minutes as they circled and came back around, making sure they did the same thing each time. I crawled closer to the opening and hid behind a bush. Shad's voice entered my thoughts:

I am inside the cave. I am traveling down a corridor now to see where Keil and Ryker are.

I was silent on my end as I broke from the bush to take my only shot at getting into the cave. I was quicker and quieter than I thought I would be, and as I descended into the dark, damp cave, I leaned against a wall and tried to steady my breathing. My breaths came in rapidly, and I was afraid that they would give me away.

You there, Emma? he asked.

Here, just fine, I responded back into his mind, trying to hide the spike of adrenaline that I felt within me.

Emma, you didn't— His voice was angry, and I knew that he had heard the nearness of my melody. It was only a matter of time until he would have found out anyway. But, I'd made it inside, and I couldn't turn back. He could not send me back.

I am not letting everyone go looking for Ryker without me.

Stay where you are. I am coming back. We should, at least, stay together. His voice was sharp. I knew he wasn't thrilled with me at that moment, but I needed to be there. I needed to help.

I am a bit past the mouth of the cave. I just got past the guards.

You saw their blind spot? he asked, impressed.

Yes, only a brief opening .

Impressive—okay, I am coming. It took only a few minutes to feel Shad at my side. We still need to talk like this—just in case. His hand found my shoulder, and I could see him only a little in the light of the opening. His face buried itself into my hair, and I reached for him. He turned me to face him, and he smiled at me. His melody sang within me, along with my own. He pulled away too soon, and I breathed in slowly, and the fear and the desire was still pulsating between us.

"You, really, should not have come," his voice came to my mind, and it seemed to ache with pain. I hated that I'd made him feel that way. I knew I was at risk and that he was trying to avoid that, but I couldn't let them all put themselves in danger for me, without me.

I have to try .

He stroked my cheek.

I understand why you are here; I just hope that whatever happens, you will stay close to me.

I nodded, unable to argue with him.

Let's go.

Yes, okay, I replied to him through our bond. If Ryker had found the man who killed my parents, it was more about me than anyone else. Let's go save them. I pushed off from the wall.

Wait, Emma, I've had training in these sorts of missions as has Keil. Promise me that you will follow my lead?

I won't slow you down, I promise.

I am not worried about that. I am worried that you will get hurt—or worse—

I could see the look of pain in his eyes. I touched his hand, trying to assure him that I could, indeed, stand my ground.

Let's go, Shad.

He nodded, took my hand in his, and we made our way through the cave.

As we wound around and through the twists and turns of the seemingly never-ending, cool, wet, and rocky passages, Shad navigated us by sensing Keil's melody. He explained that there was a lack of melodies in the cave, which surprised him because of the number of guards that we had already slipped past—none of them had discernible melodies.

They must be Soulless, Shad said, as three guards marched past us. We slipped into a small alcove so we wouldn't be seen. The cave seemed to channel the melodies that it held; however, from what Shad told me, it was making Keil easier to find. I only hoped that we would end up at the right place. The right place, however, was probably some sort of dungeon, which, let's be honest, I wasn't excited to enter.

What is a Soulless, exactly?

A Soulless is someone who had a soul's melody, and it was stripped away.

So, how can a melody be stripped away?

I know two ways. One way is if a person guards or shields their melody for too long, and it becomes corrupt as a result. Eventually, the corruption strips away the notes of the melody, and it can never be replaced.

I shuttered. That sounded horrible. Everyone keeps using that word, what does that mean exactly: becoming corrupt?

It just means that they let the Corruptor entice them. We believe after someone loses their melody in this way, the Corruptor gains a new soul. Footsteps sounded down the tunnel, and Shad pushed me to the side of the cave, listening.

Who is this Corruptor? Like the Devil? I tried really hard not to shiver, but I was finding it extremely difficult.

No one really knows who he is. There are rumors that he came from the traitor, King Falcon–May he rot in the mountain. I have heard humans here talk about this ‘devil.' He is a dark being, yes? Shad looked at me as we finally heard the guards' footsteps soften, and then, eventually, they fell silent.

The Devil—uh, he lives in Hell; he's the opposite of God—the bad guy; evil, I replied through my soul as he took my hand and led me from our hiding place back into one of the main tunnels.

Yes, humans here have different names for the Ancients and the Creator, I remember. Yes, the Corruptor would be like the Devil if he was the opposite of the Ancients and the Creator—or I mean, God. Every realm calls them by different names.

The cave was pitch black, and our way of navigating without face-planting in its blackness was by feeling the jagged walls with our hands. The walls of the cave were sharp and coated with dirt and grime. My fingers were soon raw, and I left blood on everything I touched, but because it was so cold, I felt more numb the deeper we traveled into the passages. Our melodies were silent for a time as we weaved in and out of the tunnels and passageways, but dread started boiling up within me, and I needed to talk to make the situation that we were in seem less dire, even if it was just a distraction.

What is the second way?

What second way? Shad asked as he stopped, and listened—I assumed, for Keil's melody.

The second way—to become a Soulless, I answered as he pulled me along with him to the left.

Oh, yes—someone uses a crystal and takes it from you. Those crystals that can remove souls are very rare, however, and are only found on Soul's Island on Terra. Only a ruler from one of the Ancient Heir kingdoms can even step foot on the island, however. It is sacred ground to the Ancients. I kept one hand in Shad's and the other on the wall, needing his comforting touch.

We were silent for a few minutes as Shad kept navigating us. Just as I was letting terror interrupt my thoughts again, Shad stopped abruptly, placing a hand over my mouth, probably in case I might have gasped. We leaned against the wall as two guards walked past us. I tried to ignore a drip on my shoulder and something crawling on my arm as we stood there against the wall. The two guards who walked past us held small lamps, unlike the others, and my eyes ached as the light reached us. Shad looked at me with a playful smile as he made me crouch down beside a large boulder so that we wouldn't be spotted. I could see his face in the lamplight, and I wondered why he looked so happy at that moment. He moved his gaze to my arm and picked up a large brown spider. I tried not to lose my breakfast as he tossed it across the cave floor, winking at me.

Are you okay? he asked in my mind and soul.

No! A huge spider almost just killed me, I growled into his mind and soul as Shad moved away from me.

That spider would not have killed you. He grabbed my hand, pulling me up from the ground. We quickly went in the direction from where the two men had come, weaving through a passage which did not break off in different directions. We could make out a light, a yellow glow in the distance as we walked through the tunnel. We finally made it to a wide opening and ducked back, checking out the space before proceeding forward. I shivered, realizing that without the constant movement of us walking and running through the tunnels, it had become increasingly cold.

Ice had formed on the ground and even above us, also around the spirals of jagged rocks which were above the room's massive opening. Frozen icicles hung down from those massive rocks. The cavern was a large space with two other entrances, or exits , on the walls opposite of where we stood.I scanned the room; it was dimly lit by only a few lamps. But there—in a far corner—Ryker lay on his side, his shirt stripped off, and blood and cuts covered his entire face and body. Keil sat beside him, mumbling something that I could not decipher. Shad looked around the room and then signaled to me that it was safe to walk over to them. We walked to where Ryker and Keil were.

The room looked like a torture chamber from some horror movie, and I hated to think about not just what had been done to Ryker—but, perhaps, also to countless others in that space. Five old, rusted, metal shelves lined one wall and were full of odd shaped boxes and containers. Near those shelves stood a metal examination table, similar to ones found in hospitals. I thought I could hear the screams that must have been induced upon that table, echoing off of its shining surface, and the howls from the souls who had once lain there. I tried not to cry as I saw metal chains attached to the table, no doubt in order to force people to remain still while unspeakable things were done to them. I cringed, taking in a small operating room cart beside it, created for the very purpose of holding instruments for surgeries, surgeries meant for healing and saving lives, and I was sure, down there in that deep, dark, horrible cavern—they were used to hold devices that inflicted pain and agony upon their victims.

In the corner of the room where Ryker and Keil were held captive, walls rose up with more chains on them, and there was one large cage, a prison of some sort. It looked like a new addition, as its metal bars were shiny and clean, unlike every other piece of metal in that room; it was as if it had not yet held any prisoner within its clutches. I shuttered wondering who it was for.

I dropped to my knees as we reached Ryker's side. He moaned, and I shushed him as I took out a thin towel from my backpack and started cleaning his face. He grabbed my wrist.

"You should not be here, Em," he mumbled, spitting out blood onto the damp ground, his entire body trembling. I wanted to cry, but I knew it wasn't the time for that. I was so happy to see him—and he was alive! I wondered how severe his injuries were, but they seemed to be mostly surface wounds, or so I hoped. I wrapped the towel around his shoulders and rubbed at his arms, attempting to create warmth for him, anyway that I could. It was so cold down there.

"Of course, I should be here—as if I cannot help to rescue people, too. Honestly, you boys are all so ridiculous," I replied, slightly irritated.

"Emma, please. He will, he will—" he stopped speaking as his voice went hoarse.

"Please, Ry, don't talk. We will take you back and get you all cleaned up and feeling better soon. I was so worried about you. I love you, Ry. I am so glad you are alive." I looked into his blue-gray eyes, the only part of him which seemed untouched by the horrors of that cave, but they had seen enough horror to devastate anyone. I touched his cheek, and his hand came up to cover my own.

"It is so good to see you, Em. I didn't think I would—"

"Shhh—I am here, and we will get you out of here; no one will hurt you anymore." I caressed his arm. Feeling the coldness of his flesh made me sick—and angry. "Can someone tell me why, or better yet how, our secret weapon, that is our undefeatable-warrior-Keil was bested? I am not sure I buy into this ancient warrior thing."

"I was not bested, and besides, Ryker isn't an honorable cause anymore," Keil spat.

"What does that mean? I thought you were fighting for me?" I questioned.

"Ryker can fill you in when he is feeling better, but I was chained up rather quickly, and we have been left here for hours. Ryker says their leader is Cade ," I heard Keil speak but didn't take my eyes from Ryker, my worry for him outweighed my curiosity. Then, in my peripheral vision, I saw Shad stand quickly from where he was working to break Ryker's bonds.

"Cade? Are you sure? How is that even possible?" Shad's voice seemed dark and worried.

Ryker nodded, agreeing with Keil that someone named Cade was there.

Was Cade the one who killed my parents? I wondered. "Who is Cade? Did he—was he the one who caused my parents—did he cause the crash?" I gulped and looked at Shad.

"We should not have come," Shad said, as he finished with the chains around Ryker's ankles and moved to Keil, ignoring my question as he slipped his silver and black sword back into its sheath.

"Who is Cade?" I asked again in a whisper, that time irritated as I tried to prop Ryker up and then get him onto his feet. His head rested upon my shoulder, leaving bloody smears on my gray shirt.

"He is the prince who has been searching for your melody," Keil answered, sadly.

"The Dark Prince? He's the one who killed my parents." I looked in horror toward Shad, but he looked at Keil. I followed his gaze to Keil, who nodded.

"And, unfortunately, this is all a trap. We are not going to make it out of here alive." As soon as the words left Keil's mouth, an iron gate that seemed to appear out of nowhere slid over the opening where we had entered and another iron gate appeared across the room. We all looked, all three of us, and a feeling of dread pulsed through my bones. A trap. How did he know we were coming? What is he going to do with me ? I felt sick.

From across the room, the only part of the cave not barred was a man. He appeared as if out of nowhere and walked over to us, four guards flanking him on either side. His face was dark, but as he came closer, with each step, I could see more and more of his features and realized that it was him . It was the man who Ryker had been searching for, the black-eyed, black-haired, crooked- nosed man from my nightmares and from the sketch Ryker had shown me.

"Welcome, welcome," he said with a sick grin.

I wanted to vomit onto the floor. Seeing my parent's murderer in person was more than I could bear.

"It has been a long time, has it not, brother ?" I looked around the room, and Shad stood beside me, placing an arm around me, pulling me away from Ryker as Keil took my place, holding Ryker up for me. Shad held me protectively against his body, as that man, apparently his brother —my parents' killer—came closer to us. I looked to Shad—then to that man, and I recognized the physical similarities. Both of them had the same rich, dark hair that looked almost blue in the lamplight; they both had defined cheekbones and jaw structures, symmetrical faces.Shad's eyes held gold within them, which was different from the pure black eyes of the Dark Prince. I could still see the resemblance. It was uncanny, and even with the man's crooked, broken nose, I was surprised at how alike they looked. They were brothers. Why hadn't Shad told me? Why would he keep something like that from me? My head was spinning as I looked at Shad, who only looked at his brother, hatred in his eyes as he answered my question.

"I thought you were dead, Cadian," Shad spoke rather calmly, but I felt my insides squirm.

I am sorry, Shad sent me a message.

Is he going to kill us? I responded.

I will not let him harm you.

"Yes, yes," Cadian continued. "Well, as it turns out, there are secret passageways in the Dungeons of the Mist, brother, and would you know it—I found myself here in this world. It seems the Ancients who sent you here left something behind." he held out a shard of mirror that reflected the golden light in the cavern. "I have made a rather nice place for myself," he said as he tucked the shard of mirror into his suit coat pocket. He traveled to this realm through a mirror? If so, how did he still have it? Something about that felt off–wrong, just like him. "This cave is only temporary, on loan I guess you could say. I have a few homes set up here and there, many servants and such—life on Earth is rather easy for me, other than the fact that Emma exists to taunt me, and of course, now, you are here, brother."

"How nice that things are going so well for you," Shad spoke in his calm voice, but I could sense his soul, and he was beyond upset—beyond furious—beyond confused.

"Indeed, I am due something for all the pain Father caused me, am I not?" He raised a brow.

"What happened to you?" Shad asked, confused. "We were told you died–and then there were rumors–"

"Of course, he said I died." He laughed without any humor in it.

"You were–you were corrupt ," Shad said. "There were reasons you were sent away, but we all mourned you when father told us you had passed."

"Ha! Reasons?" He played with a cufflink. He was dressed very well for someone living in, or even just visiting, a cold, dark cave. He wore a tailored navy blue suit, a white shirt, and a blue tie. Another similarity between the two of them, I thought. He wore formal clothing like Shad. Shad, who stood beside me in a white shirt and tie, must have already taken his armor off without me noticing.

Emma, we are nothing alike, Shad nearly growled into my soul.

I know that. I felt guilty for finding any similarity at all between them.

"Emma, do you want to know the reason my father, the king of Embra, sent me away?" Cadian asked.

I didn't move, didn't speak.

"Because I didn't—have a melody. He sent me to the dungeons of Haleston, because I did not have a melody when I was born—as if I was Corrupt from my infancy. Oh, excuse me–in this realm, the term would be evil ." He folded his arms across his chest.

"You are Corrupt. Look at what you have done, even here," Shad shouted.

"Oh, Shadrict, please. Do not even get me started. Corruption is made, not born; maybe I am a tad bit corrupt, now—" He raised his hand and fingers to gesture a small amount . "But that, I was made to be."

"You murdered someone, which had not been done in—"

"Yes, yes, blah, blah. I murdered someone—big deal. In reality, they gave me no other choice, and to be honest, here, they really give you the benefit of the doubt when you are defending your own life. Could learn a few things from this realm, we could. I know I have."

"I don't believe anything you say," Shad snarled at his brother.

"Now, I am sure that is true, so let's get to the point, shall we?" He clapped his hands together and rubbed them, stepping into the lamplight even more, so that his every feature was in full view.

I hated to admit it, but he was incredibly handsome, other than the dark glint in his eyes, of course, which confirmed that he was this corrupt they were speaking of. His crooked nose was the only thing, other than his soulless eyes, that was physically off about him. It looked as if he broke it once, and it never healed properly. I hoped that when he broke it, it hurt like the fires of hell.

"Emma, sweet? Come here, will you?" Cadian cooed at me, causing bile to rise in my throat.

"She goes nowhere near you , Cade," Shad growled at his brother, holding me closer and tighter.

My melody swarmed, reaching out to Shad. Our melodies met together and spun around each other as I tried to calm him down. His chest was rising and falling so rapidly that his whole body shook with a rage I'd never seen or felt before.

"Ah, this is interesting," Cade rubbed his chin with one hand as he paced around us. "I had not really been able to pick up on the connection between you two. Could it be—?" he questioned while looking at Shad.

"You have us here, trapped. What is it you want?" Shad's voice was calm again. My melody still lingered within his own as I tried to sooth him.

"I am getting to that. Do you really want to rush our reunion, brother?" He looked at Shad, and I watched as Shad glared at him, still holding me tight. Cade turned to me: "You are aware that I have been watching you, dear? In your room. You never minded that I moved your rose about, did you, Princess?"

I turned to him, glaring. It was him . He was the one who had moved the roses that Shad had given me around my room, toying with me, spying on me, and taunting me. My blood boiled as that realization hit me, and it hit me hard. He had been in my room. He had been in the bathroom while I was having a shower when he placed my father's watch on the bathroom counter. It felt like spiders were crawling all over my body at the thought of him, that evil man, being so close to me, and I hated him.

Shad's arm pulled me even tighter against himself.

"Yes, brother, I have been watching her—and you. I was aware of a connection you shared, but this is remarkable, is it not? How long ago was the last souls—"

"Get to the point. I know you want something; get to that part," Shad interrupted.

"I am sad to say that I will have to end that little connection of yours, no matter how tender. It gets in the way of what I want."

"What do you want?" Shad spat back.

"So impatient. You should really work on that." He stopped pacing around us and stood directly in front of me, while his eyes continued to lock onto Shad's. "It's simple, really. I want her . She is the only way I can go back to Embra and be crowned King."

"No one would ever crown you King," Shad spat.

"Oh, brother, with a melody like hers at my side, not one person would object to me ruling the kingdom, no matter what was in my past."

"I am not going anywhere with you," I shrieked at him, responding for the first time since he had entered the room.

He smiled. "She has spirit, doesn't she?" He walked closer to me and placed a hand on my cheek, but before anything else could happen, Shad had him pinned to the floor.

"Don't you dare touch her!" Shad bellowed, his voice echoing around the entire room.

"Okay, okay—no need for violence." Cade sat up, leaning back on one arm as Shad walked back to me. Cade fixed his twisted, navy blue suit coat, tugging on the fabric to straighten it, and I watched as he dusted off his sleeves.

"I can either have her at my side or take her melody for my own. You see, if I had her melody as my own, well, that would be even better."

"That cannot be done," Keil spoke for the first time. I looked at him next to Ryker, who had passed out from blood loss. I hoped that somehow we could save Ryker, even though leaving that place seemed an impossibility.

"You see, on Terra, they fill our heads with so many untruths: we can't do this, we can't do that—when in reality, we can do it all."

"You will upset the balance of the Ancients—" Keil said.

"The Ancients ? You actually think they are real? They are made up tales to keep us all in line. Who has seen one since the curses were done away with and the blessings began? Since the truth came out?" Cade waved a hand at Keil as if he were an immature child.

"They are among us. I have met plenty, just because they do not show themselves to the corrupt like you–" Shad spoke up, defending Keil with his words.

"Ah yes, a believer ; you are just as soft as Mother. Well, no doubt, you will suffer for that one of these days, but for now, I will let you live in your little fairyland world. Truth is—I can strip her of her melody in no time at all and be on my merry way." He stood up and walked to the far wall where a metal shelf had been fastened. He reached into one of the boxes there and brought out a small, black crystal.

"Here—you see, brother?" Cade continued moving the crystal in his hand, so it caught the lantern light. "The midnight crystal."

"No," Shad gasped, pulling me into his arms, until I was pressed firmly against his chest.

What is that, I asked.

That is the crystal I told you about; it's one of those crystals from Soul's Island which extracts melodies. It can create a Soulless. His voice seemed to shake at the end as he spoke into my mind and soul.

Is he going to use it on me? I thought you said those are rare? That no one can get one off the island except for a king or a queen?

Yes, that is what I thought; I don't know how he has one—perhaps, things are worse in our realm than we ever realized.

"Yes, yes. So you see, now. I can have whatever I want, and I will take it. I need a strong melody, one that will set me apart."

"How will you return? You really think that I will believe that a shard of a mirror will do anything? A broken piece of an Elvan mirror cannot propel you through the realms," Shad said. "What is the point in all of this when there is no way to return to Terra?"

"Humm—well, you see, that would put a damper on all of this so very easily; however, little knighty-boy here, he knows the way back to Terra, don't you?" He walked over to Ryker and kicked him in his side. Ryker awoke and moaned, and I screamed.

"Leave him alone!" I ran to Cade, ready to hit him with everything I had, but Shad had me in his arms again almost as quickly as I had left them, and I was unable to move.

"You care for him?" he asked, nostrils flaring under his crooked nose. "I thought you cared about my brother?" He shook his head. "Now, I did not take you for a tease." He shook a finger at me.

"I am not. Ryker is my family—you—please, you took my parents from me. Please, you can't hurt him."

"He had a choice, Emma. He could have told me how to get back to Terra, and he wouldn't have been beaten. He chose the beating, and it was a sad thing, too, because I hate ever so much to get my hands dirty, and he is a bleeder, as you can tell. Father did always teach us that using our words was a much better approach to conflict. Seems that Mr. Noble-Knighty-Boy wasn't raised like us, Shadrict, huh?" He shook his head and looked at Shad.

"Let us go, please. He will die if I do not get him cleaned up and warmed," I begged.

"You see, I would let him go, but he still has the information I need. Don't you, Ryker, you sad excuse for a guardian knight? You were supposed to keep Lamont safe–his family–Emma, how does it feel to have failed so miserably? How does it feel to see her here, now?" He pushed Ryker's head hard onto the ground then stepped on his face, causing blood to ooze from unhealed wounds.

"Stop it! You are a monster! He doesn't even know anything! Take my melody. Take me for all I care; just let them all go."

"No, Emma, what are you doing?" Shad shouted, that time aloud.

I pulled away from Shad's grasp.

He was so shocked by my words that he let me go for just a moment, and it was just what I needed to stand firm. I couldn't see a way out of it—no other way than for me to give Cade what he wanted. I was what he wanted. If I went willingly, maybe he would let everyone else go. I could save them all. The guards around Cade moved to Shad, to hold him back from taking me.

"Ah, what a smart girl we have here," Cade said with a smile, as he walked over to me.

"Please, let them go. It is me you want." I was meant for this, I thought . I survived the crash, maybe, because I was needed at this moment in time to save them all. Perhaps, I will finally see my parents again, and all the pain and all the sorrow will be over, forever. I stood firm, convinced.

"It is indeed, dear, but I do still need a way to return home, or my plan is ruined. You do see that?" he asked, cupping my cheek in his hand. His touch sent my stomach coiling, and my body wanted to convulse. He touched a finger to my lips, and it took everything in me to not pull away. He leaned in close, his breath on my lips. "I do see the appeal you have; you are a beauty, aren't you? Hard to see you this well when I was doing all that sneaking about." He turned my face to the left and to the right. "You would make me a wonderful Queen." He kissed my cheek, and I could not handle his touch any longer.

"Don't touch me. You murdered my parents. Do you not remember that fact? I despise you. I will come willingly, but the pure hatred and disgust I have for you—that will never change."

Cade laughed. "You find me handsome, do you not? I am, after all, where Shad gets his good looks."

I shook my head.

"No? I am offended, and I dressed so well for the occasion of our first meeting."

"Just get this over with," I said with clenched teeth.

As if he had not heard me, he went on: "Yes, yes. I did not, however, kill them—your parents–dear, no. I did not kill them. Unfortunately, it was one of my men who hit them—a true accident. I will admit, we were following you, and, yes, one of my men got a little impatient, wanting to know if you were the one. After your parents died, and the shield your father had on you dropped, we knew you were the one. So although it was not on purpose, it did help in the end." I reached out my hand and slapped him across the face.

After the slap, he grabbed my wrist, holding it in place.

"Now, I will let that one slide, seeing as your parents did die, but that was your one and only free pass, Princess."Cade motioned to two of his guards behind him, and they were on me in moments. Shad groaned and jumped to my side quickly, finally breaking away from his guard's hold.

"Leave her alone," he shouted as he pulled the guard away.

"Shad, please, I am who he wants," I called out to him.

Shad glared at me in anger and irritation.

"No, I am not losing you."

"This is all touching, really, but you see, there are really no options." He shrugged his shoulders and motioned the guards to move me. I was placed in the shiny cage-like cell near Keil and Ryker, the cage with pristine metal bars which I had seen earlier when I had entered that room. Was it always meant for me? "So as soon as I get the little tidbit about how to return to Terra, to home-sweet-home, I will be on my way."

" I have everything you want," Shad said, walking over to where his brother stood.

"Excuse me?" Cade smiled, and I wanted to vomit.

"Take my melody," Shad offered.

I gasped, "Shad, no!" I screamed and banged on the bars. He was ruining everything; I could not live in a world without him. Shad didn't look at me. He just sent me a mental message that was jumbled and quick; I felt the emotions more than the words, which clearly meant that he was sorry and that he would never leave me. He knew that he would never regret saving me. I cursed at him, yelled and cried, and begged him not to sacrifice himself for me, for Ryker, for Keil, nor for anyone. I knocked my shoulder against the side of the cage, kicking and screaming as the metal stung my wounds, inflicted by the sharp cave walls. I was helpless. I could not do anything but watch.

"Ah, you see. Now, that is an intriguing idea. Take the Crown Prince's melody and fool the lot of them. That would make everything so much more dreadfully easy. You and I, brother, even look very similar. If I fix this crooked nose, I could pass myself off as Prince Shadrict. All but the eyes. But, they all think me dead and once I have a soul's melody my eyes will no longer look like this– soulless ." He walked around his brother for a moment with a smile. "I still need to know how to get back there, and you won't give me that information, will you, brother?"

"I know how. I came through the Dungeons of the Mist. I know where the cave is that holds the portal to our realm–back to Terra," Shad confirmed.

Cade motioned to a guard to untie Ryker and Keil and to send them back down through the cave and to their freedom, and I couldn't enjoy that small victory because Shad was ruining everything. "We do not need them to witness such an event, do we?" Cade asked.

No one replied.

"You have to promise to not hunt for Emma anymore. You have to promise to leave her alone," Shad demanded.

"Yes, yes—I will have very little need of her if I have your melody. I assure you, I will no longer seek her out, but she may seek me out," he winked at me, and I glared back at him.

"I would never!" I spat in his direction.

He waved me off and chuckled."Now, Emma dear, that is not how a princess should behave. Brother, let us get started before the Princess passes out or something. She is a little unstable. Here, you draw me the exact location of this cave and let me take your melody, and you and Emma may leave. If you are lying to me, brother, and this is not the right cave with the portal, then I will hunt her down and kill her in front of you. Deal?" he asked; then his hand rose as if he were going to give Shad a high-five. Shad reached out, placed his hand on his, and then they both placed their hands on their hearts. That had to be the way people in their realm made deals or something. I felt as if I had died on the inside.

"Shad, please. Please don't do this!" I begged—pleaded, holding the bars of my prison–the only thing between us. He looked at me, tears in his eyes.

"Emma, as long as you are safe, that is all that matters. I can survive without a melody," he said softly.

"Please, I need you, don't make me hate you for leaving me."

He smiled sadly and walked over to where I stood within my prison cell. "Hate, huh? That is indeed a strong word, and yet some say that hate is very close to love, Emma—How about you mourn me for an appropriate amount of time, and then you can hate me?"

"I mean it! Shad, you are going to kill me," I pathetically whimpered.

"I am doing this to protect you. You are my soul, Emma; no matter what happens to me, I'll always come for you, as long as this body is breathing. I'll still be with you, in here." He reached through the bars and touched my heart.

"Yes, but without a soul? What kind of life is that?"

"If I don't do this, and he takes your soul, it is as if he took mine anyway. And you are part of my soul, Emma. I will be alright as long as you are."

"Exactly, you see—if he takes your soul, it's like taking part of mine, too."

"Emma, I have to do this. Please understand."

"No! I won't! I won't understand. I can survive without a soul, mine was suppressed for my entire life anyway, so I have a better chance."

He touched my cheek, catching a tear, and I pleaded in my soul again and again. But his mind was already made up.

"You are my best and dearest friend, Emma,"

I huffed in irritation. I did not want to hear that.

"Unlock it for just a minute, Cadian. I need some time with her, before—" He cut himself off, no doubt unable to speak of the horror of our situation.

Cade motioned to his guard, and he opened the cell, letting Shad inside with me, and then quickly closing it. Keil and Ryker were already long gone. At least they are safe, I thought.

"Leave us. We can't go anywhere in this cage."

His brother laughed.

"You have five minutes, but do not bond, or she is dead."

I watched Cade leave the room, thinking that Shad had to have a plan to get us out of there: maybe the cage isn't really locked.

"It is locked, Emma. Listen—" He pushed me, slowly up against the bars of the cage—of my prison cell; his body was flush with mine, his lips touched the side of my cheek right next to my mouth, erasing the touch of Cade that had been there. He was nearly an inch away from my mouth. He pulled away so that his mouth was a breath away from mine as he spoke: "I know what you are thinking in that head of yours. You think that you cannot survive without me. You think that what I awakened inside of you will be lost, that the hollowness you have endured and that the vile snake of misery will again overtake you when I am soulless." I gasped. He knew so much. "But, Emma, that is not true. You do not need me. You do not need anyone to be strong." He caressed my jaw, my neck, and his touch a fire to my heart. "I know you, Emma, and you are strong. You are a survivor. I know you can live, even if I am gone."

I couldn't help the sob that escaped my lips, the tears streaming in rivulets down my cheeks.

"Emma, you are incredible. You will do incredible things in this life. Before I go, I have something I have to say—I planned to explain things to you over time, but time is running out, and I am afraid if I don't do this now, I will never get the chance. Can I have one selfish moment?" His lips nearly touched mine as his hands cupped my face.

I nodded.

"Emma, your friendship has been the most valuable thing I have ever owned."

"I don't want to be just your friend, Shad. Would you stop saying that—" I whispered as I wiped at my face.

"Yes, you do, but I know it's different for you. I know because I saw the disappointment on your face when you saw the yellow rose I gave you in your locker, which now seems so long ago. I saw the confusion in the forest when I explained kissing—what it means to people from Terra, so—let me explain."

I felt my heart breaking at his words, those horrible awful words of friendship stabbed me in the gut, and I turned my face away from him.

He smiled and pulled my face back to look at his. "I value friendship; I have never had a real and true friend before. My life was always filled with rules and duty. I value your friendship, Emma, but I don't want to be just any friend to you, not like Ryker or like Ash."

"This is not the time or place, Shad. We should be figuring out how to get out of here!" I cried. He caressed my cheek.

"No, I know when I have lost the fight. I lost to Cadian today. Emma, what I am trying to tell you—this is important, and I am not leaving here the same, so listen. There is no way out of this. Please, Emma, hear me." He moved his body closer to mine, and I looked at his face, his eyes pleading with me to listen.

I couldn't deny him.

"I don't want to be just another friend to you. No, I want to be the one that gets to hold you close. I want my hand to memorize the feeling of your hand in mine."

I felt his hands leave my face as his melody curled around my soul. His fingers found mine, and he held our hands together, raising our clasped hands high above my head, resting them on the bars of the cell, keeping me from moving away so I would listen to him. My hands never fit so right in anyone else's before.

"I want to know the depths of your heart and recognize the rhythm of its beating—I want it to become my own. I want to know the beauty of your soul, the deep, dark parts, and the hard parts—the good and the bad, Emma—I want to know them all. I want to be the one who gets to kiss you every single day just because I can, because I want to, and because—you want me to. I want to be yours. I want us to be so close–so connected that I do not know where I begin and end because you are everywhere within me."

He kissed my Jaw, trailing kisses that burned me from the inside out. He moved his mouth to my ear, "I want to be the kind of friend whose lips know your lips so intimately—that I know them better than my own." His arms wrapped around me then. The warmth of his electric touch and his melody swirled around us, and I was entranced by him. He moved his hands over my back. I touched his face—holding his head in my hands, forgetting the wounds on my fingertips as I touched his hair. I pulled him closer to me.

"My friend—I want to be with you always. I want to sleep beside you and cradle you in my arms. I want you to say my name in the night when it's dark, to whisper it with your lips; I want it to be the one name you call when in trouble or in joy. I want to be the one you find rest in. I want to give you that rest, and peace. If you ever have a bad dream, I want to cast it away." He smiled his wicked grin as he moved his mouth, hovering above mine again. My hands found his neck, and I wrapped my arms around him, standing on my tip-toes.

"So yes, darling, I want to be your best friend, the one who knows you entirely–body, mind, heart, and soul. Emma—I do indeed want to be your friend." He moved his face so he could whisper into my ear, "I want to be that kind of best friend for you—the very best kind of friend that you will ever have, darling." He kissed my ear and then bent his head down lower, leaving a kiss on the side of my neck and at the hollow of my throat. His hands trailed down my arms, leaving me speechless. "Emma—darling, sweet, kind, strong, and brave Emma," his voice was low and alluring as he said: "I want to be the best friend that you—that you fall hopelessly, desperately, and madly in love with as much as I am hopelessly, desperately, and madly in love with you."

His lips met with mine in an instant. I was surprised as he had said that we couldn't truly kiss because of what it meant to him–did that mean that he and I were forever bound? I realized then that while I might not have been ready to get married, I would not ever want anyone else. I could never want anyone else.

It was Shad–forever.

If I thought his kisses on my neck and cheek were transcending, they were nothing compared to our lips finally meeting. It was pure electric. Electric shockwaves ran through me as our melodies swarmed around and through us as our mouths melded together. His kiss was soft and at first, tentative; then desire bubbled within us, and the kiss deepened; sparks seemed to shoot from every point of my body. I wasn't sure what was up or what was down anymore, if I was still standing or if I was floating on air because that kiss—that electrically-charged kiss—was buzzing and electrocuting my insides. That kiss transformed my whole being; it made me his. I was his, entirely. Every single part of me, he owned. Shad owned my very soul. And as impossible as it was to believe, I owned his, too. I owned all of him, and he was mine.

"Shad, I thought you said you wouldn't kiss me?" I asked as his lips grazed mine softly, our breaths mingling together.

"I always planned on it, darling." He touched a strand of my hair playfully with a smile on his face. "I just didn't want to rush you, but I can see now that clearly, that was stupid. You don't have to marry me or make me any promises. I will make all the promises to you; I promise to you—" He kissed my lips again, my mouth obeying his every command. "I promise to be yours." He kissed the corner of my mouth and smiled at me, his lips only a breath away as he spoke. "What I wish—what I want—is to be allowed to do this," his voice was a soft whisper, a brush against my lips, "whenever I want to."

As he stopped talking and started to make the kiss soft and tender, I cried, knowing that what we could have had together would have changed everything. It was special. But we can't have it after this small, fragile, perfect moment , and I felt my soul nearly split in two at the loss. He pulled away from me, still looking at me, his chest rising and falling at a rapid rate, his eyes seemed surprised by my thoughts, and my tears. He had to know that that is what I wanted; I wanted him, too.

"I want that, too; all of it, Shad. I promise to be yours," I whispered. His eyes stared into mine. I wanted to stare into his beautiful golden eyes forever. "You are that kind of friend. If that is what it means to you, Shad—then yes, you are my very, very best friend," I whispered.

He smiled and kissed me again, his body slamming into mine and the coldness of the room melted as we melded together again. Our breaths were heavy as we kissed each other, and our melodies buzzed and twirled around us with such a beautiful sound.

How is this possible?

Thoughts flowed to me through him. He desired to make me his forever, not just in that moment. He desired to make me happy; he wanted me to see Terra, to meet his family, to see his home, to have everything returned to me that was taken away, but mostly, he wanted me—just me.

I always wanted this, Emma. I will always want this. You have no idea how long I have waited. Someday I shall tell you just how long. His lips found mine again, and I tried to memorize the moment. The love he had for me was flowing to me through his melody, and it made me feel dizzy. I was unable to fully fathom what was happening. It all seemed too good to be true.

How can someone love me that much? Is such a thing really possible for me? How could anyone love someone so flawed and scarred like me?

"It is all true, Emma. When you are with me, I am happier than I have ever been in my entire life." He caressed my cheek and kissed me softly, lingering there. His kiss smoldered electric fire upon my skin.

"Shad, I just don't understand—"

"The pull of this thing we share, this connection, Emma, it isn't random. The Ancients created it for a purpose. Our souls have melodies, and these melodies are a musical sketch of who we are—they are embedded inside us. If someone finds—" he paused for a moment as if re-thinking what he was about to say, "souls that connect like ours do, it means that they are for the other, literally, everything the other's soul has ever wanted and ever needed. I wish I could explain it better, but we have little time."

"So, I am your perfect match or something?"

He nodded and smiled. You are absolutely my perfect match.

I had never felt such happiness in my entire life. He kissed me again, his lips doing just what he said they would do, memorize mine. A thousand, a million kisses from him would never be enough. I wanted to live in that moment forever, take a picture and make it last and last and last. But pictures fade over time. They can become ruined or burned or lost. How does one hold onto something and never let it go? How does one never forget a perfect moment? His kisses kept electrocuting my skin, making my insides ignite again and again. I tried not to think about it, but I knew that soon this will end, and soon, I will be without him .

"Now, you know what being my best friend means to me." His hands cradled my face as he spoke to me, "You can stop thinking all of those ridiculous thoughts now, because you will always be mine, and I will always be yours. No matter what happens, you are mine, darling, and I am yours. It is etched onto our very souls."

I tried not to, but heat rose up in my cheeks. I should have known he could read me more than I realized through our bond, which meant he knew more of my feelings than I knew about his. But, I had a lingering thought, a question that wouldn't be put aside, and it ached.

"You kiss me, now , Shad? You tell me all I have ever wanted to know, now ?—Now that your brother will make you into some—Some melody-less zombie?"

"I didn't want to become a Soulless without making sure you understood all that you mean to me. I will be greatly changed. I do not know how I will behave, and I want you to remember me like this – this is the true me."

I smiled as tears still flowed down my cheeks, tears of happiness and tears of sadness mixed and mingled together.

"Tell me how to save you, please."

"I don't know if this will work, but it's all I have," he said leaning closer to me, moving hair out of my face.

"What is all you have?"

I will show you. There is little time to explain. I fear I kissed you too long. He kissed me one last time, his lips tenderly brushing my own. I felt his melody swirl around me, and his thoughts flooded my mind, swirling and churning inside of me. He was filtering his thoughts to find the exact memories he wanted to plant inside of me. I could tell what he was doing, and I was in awe of what was possible between us. I saw him, sitting somewhere at a desk, reading, as memory floated into me. But, before I could focus on the entire thing, I heard the metal door open and then a loud clap as someone entered the room. Shad let go of me, and as he did, I felt one single note from his melody linger with my own.

What is that?

That is hope, Emma. All the hope I can give you. I don't know if it will work, but I know you can do anything. You are the other half of my soul. Don't ever forget that. You have everything you need inside of you.

Shad, tell me what I need to do. He pulled me into his arms, and I heard Cade clear his throat.

"Well, aren't you two just adorable."

I ignored him.

Those memories should help you—If there is a chance that a Soulless can find their soul again—

"Let's get on with this, brother. I don't have all day."

I watched in shock as Shad fixed the collar of his shirt and then moved to the cell's door.

I reached for him one last time, kissing him with everything inside of me. His hands gripped my waist as he pulled me into him.

"I love you, Shad." The tears continued to spill from my eyes, and I could not help them from falling. It was true—I loved him. I knew that I had been frightened, and I still was. I was so terrified after my parents died. I was frightened about losing Ryker and Mary someday, and I was also frightened right at that moment that I would lose Shad, but what is love without fear? What is love without being brave, even if you are not sure you can be brave? All I knew was that I loved him. I loved Shad, and I wanted him to know it.

"Emma, you do not have to say that–"

"It's true, Shad. You know it's true. I love you," I replied. I sensed his doubt within our bond about my true feelings for him, thinking I was only saying it because I was desperate for him to stay, not to leave me. I was desperate and I was scared, but I was also helplessly and madly in love with Shadrict, the Prince from another realm, the Kingdom of Embra. It was scary but undeniably true.

"Say it again, Emma." he whispered, closing his eyes, and I knew what he wanted.

I love you, Shad, and I always will . I touched his hair as I spoke inside his soul. I meant those three little words more than I had meant anything else I had ever said in my life. He slammed into me. It was as if a well had broken, and he was unable to control the rush of water flowing between us. His kiss was fierce, and I returned his kiss just as fiercely. There was an ache in it that our first kiss didn't have, a roughness that spoke of need and longing and of unbelievable truths spoken and then realized. A goodbye of sorts, but– How? How could this be a goodbye when I need him , and I needed him closer, nearer. I didn't want to ever let him go. How could I be without him? I loved him.

I know you must mean it, Emma. It is just too wonderful to be true, I think , he thought as he pulled away to look into my eyes to make sure that I was real, that he was really seeing me in his arms, that it wasn't a dream.

No, not too wonderful, perfectly right, I said to him through our souls. Our chests rose and fell at a rapid rate, and it wasn't until Shad was thrust backward and away from me, that I realized Cade had been yelling at us, and two of his guards had come over to take Shad away from me.

"Okay, let's get on with it!" Cade's voice roared, irritated in that damp cave. "You better not have bonded," Cade snapped.

"No," Shad said to Cade but looked at me. With one last look, Shad smiled at me.

I will be with you again, Emma. Nothing will take me away from you, permanently. I promise you that, not when I have you to come back to.

He turned toward his brother. I heard the cell door unlock, then open, and, finally, shut with another click. I looked up and watched as Shad drew out a map with care and detail. Cade shoved the folded paper into his suit pocket and brought out the crystal.

He walked over to Shad, whose eyes were upon mine, and I begged him a thousand more times not to do it, not to go through with it because of me. I made a thousand more wishes on stars that I couldn't see, anything I could think of to keep him from leaving me. I prayed to God, to the Ancients, to the Creator who Shad revered, whoever would hear me–that they might save him and bring him back to me. He smiled one last time and whispered, I love you, darling, my Emma, into my soul as his melody was drained from him.

I was shattered glass.

I was shattered, splintered, fractured glass on that cold, damp cave floor. I was a broken thing, an unmendable, unfixable object, lying upon that floor. As I gazed upon Shad, as I watched Shad become drained of his soul, of his melody—and he became a Soulless; it was as if I had watched a part of me, even half of me, die.

He collapsed onto the floor, and Cade mused as he tucked the crystal that was on a necklace inside his shirt, Shad's melody trapped inside it.

"There, painless. Or well, semi-painless?" Cade said as he motioned to a guard to open my cell. I slumped down to Shad's side, hating Cade more and more with a burning fury every moment that passed. Shad felt cold to the touch, and I looked into his eyes. The gold was gone. The sunshine—the warm, melted honey, my sunlight–Gone. No smile clung to the corners of his mouth. He looked at me with no emotion, and I looked past him to his brother.

"Your own brother, how could you?!" I screamed, hearing Shad's precious melody radiating from Cade.

"Unfortunately, it runs in the family, love; nothing personal—or well, that's a lie; it is quite personal," he said as he walked out of the room with Shad's melody, I heard it singing to me, calling to my soul one last time, reaching for my heart—before the melody was gone.

Shad and I were then alone in the cave after Cade's quick departure. I watched as Shad sat up slowly, hand on his heart. We looked into each other's eyes, and I realized the truth as to why it was painfully silent, not even my melody could hum a tune for the loss of Shad's soul. I cried and helped Shad stand. He doubled over as soon as he was up, and the sound that escaped his lips and reverberated from off the walls was a moan and a scream, one of a deep, torturous pain that made me ache with him, my own soul ached deep, too, moaning as if it was tearing itself to pieces alongside of him. As he finally stood to his full height, he walked to the edge of the cave in silence, and into the tunnels where we had entered only hours earlier—or had it only been minutes that had passed since we arrived at that place, both souls intact? The one small lantern Cadian so kindly left for us flickered in the darkness, casting strange shadows across the cave walls. I picked it up as I followed Shad through the cave. We were silent, as if discussing it or even saying anything would make it even worse than it already was. We found our way through, passage after passage, somehow. I could only see his back in the flickering light of the lantern, which I held. I wanted to talk to him, to say something, but what does one say? I wanted to hold him and cry over our loss, and then promise him that I would never leave his side. Whatever all of it meant, we would survive it, get through it, together; we would get through it together. As a light spilled into the opening of the damp cave just ahead of us, I knew we had reached the opening. The sunlight hit our faces, and I blinked away the brightness. My vision adjusted to the sun. I knew it had all been my fault, and that realization stung me.

If I hadn't been there, if I hadn't come, Shad would not have sacrificed himself for me.

He looked at me as I came up beside him. I grabbed his hand and squeezed, wanting him to know that I was sorry, that I was with him. As I looked into his eyes, there was still only blackness there. No golden glow, no small smile, trying to escape his lips. He looked down to my hand, grabbing his, and he shook my hand away as one does a mosquito. My hand went limp, falling heavily at my side, and I watched him walk through the forest and disappear into the trees, and I felt a hole punch through my heart. The ache was so strong, so powerful that I stood there frozen to the spot.

I didn't know how long I stood there, but slowly, that snake of despair and sorrow from my past coiled once again around my heart, and I gasped for breath, clutching my chest. I couldn't feel my heart anymore, only sorrow and pain. I slumped to the ground, not caring about the jagged rocks beneath me, cutting into my flesh. Shad was wrong; I wasn't strong enough to get through it. I could never survive such misery again.

As despair grew within me, I heard a single note from Shad's melody lingering, tinkling against my own.

I will figure out how to get Shad back—how to restore his soul , I told myself.

Numb, I stepped onto the forest path, watching as blood dripped down my legs from the unforgiving rocks that I had kneeled upon only moments before. The black, slimy snake curled its way up, deep inside of me, teasingly ready to strike, taunting me again as it had before. But I was mad, and I was determined to fix it all. So, I dared it to sink its venomous teeth into me, dared it to push me, and to my surprise, it recoiled, loosened its grip, and just slithered away.

You see, misery, grief, pain, and despair, together, are a snake, a cold-blooded, slimy, black snake. But hatred—hatred, you see, hatred is something else entirely—it is a monster . A monster so powerful that it overpowers even misery, thrashing about, leaving nothing in its wake, and as that monster clawed and roared within me, love left me, and all I could do was hate—feel hate for the one man who was the cause of all my misery, who had won that day—the man who I would ruin if it was the last thing I ever did.

As that monster of hate made its way even deeper into my consciousness, it replaced the snake of my misery, and I started to scream.

The End . . . for now.