Chapter 27

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

T he following morning, I throw on my guardian leathers, not bothering to tame my wild waves, and use my locket to unlock the door to my balcony. I hardly slept at all, but exhaustion made me crawl into bed after my argument with Amaros. Although I’m unsure exactly what Alaron meant and have no idea how to get my guardian markings back, I’m fairly sure my mother was directing me to the sacred golden fountain to regain my lost memories.

When I’m sure the coast is clear, I release my wings, leap off my balcony, soar high into the sky, and fly over the castle gates toward the sacred golden fountain. The fields of lush flowers and green grass are visible up ahead, and when I see I’m alone, I glide down and land on the shingle surrounding the fountain.

The fountain gave Kyle his memories back, and I have to believe it can do the same for me. Thanks to my mother’s advice, I’m going to attempt it again using the dark magic.

I sit on the edge of the fountain and look around to ensure I’m alone before dipping my fingers into the water. Nothing. I focus on releasing the dark magic and watch as it seeps into the water, praying to the gods this doesn’t break the fountain.

Still nothing. I pour more magic into the water, and just as it starts to glow, Rimel and Yimel swoop down and land next to the fountain. I yank my hand out of the water and jump to my feet. They both glare at me, and I notice the large hammers they’re each holding.

Before I can question them, they smash into the fountain. I scream for them to stop, but they ignore me.

The ancient stone cracks as my body trembles with rage, my powers building inside me. I blast a beam of pure white power into Rimel, which sends him flying. He lands hard on his back. I turn to Yimel and blast him, and he too is flung back and smacks his head on the ground.

“What in the gods is wrong with you two?” I demand. “This fountain was handcrafted by the gods. You have no right to damage it!”

Rimel laughs as he gets to his feet.

I glance down to see my ring glowing red, and panic swirls in the pit of my stomach.

“We know exactly what it is, and we have been instructed to destroy it,” he explains before Yimel swoops at me and knocks me onto my back.

Rimel rushes to my side, yanking a familiar wire from his pocket that he then wraps tightly around my wrists. I cry out as it cuts into my skin and watch with wide eyes as they both go back to smashing the fountain. I’m helpless to stop them. It eventually smashes into a million pieces, and a burst of gold light shoots up out of the water before dying off into a faint glow.

“No!” I scream as I get to my feet. The fountain water pools around me.

Yimel stares at me, unblinking through cold eyes, and Rimel circles me.

“I can sense that dark magic you possess,” Rimel says, pointing his hammer at me. “How did you like the God of Death? I bet he liked you,” he says, licking his lips.

I wrinkle my nose at his seedy implication as he stalks toward me and then stops far too close. I take a step back, and he laughs.

“What exactly are you doing here at the fountain?” Rimel asks.

I ignore his question. “What do you think my father, the King, would think of your behaviour?”

Rimel tilts his head back as a deep laugh rumbles in his chest. “We do not care,” he says. “We will deal with him soon enough.”

I try not to let my face show the fear that is growing inside me. A gust of wind steals my attention, and I look up as Hethenos swoops down and lands with a splash next to Yimel.

Her features are twisted with pure evil as she focuses her dark eyes on me. She then turns to Yimel and passionately kisses him, sliding her tongue into his mouth while he pulls her hard against his chest.

My stomach turns at the sight. Then Rimel walks to her side, wrapping a thick hand around the back of her neck, pulls her head toward him, and kisses her.

Disgust lurches in my stomach, and I have to take a deep breath to settle it.

Hethenos smirks at me, enjoying my reaction. “So you visited our dear friend Alaron, I see?” she says, gesturing to my hands.

I glance down and my black magic is swirling from my fingertips.

“No need to answer,” she says as she slowly walks around, inspecting the rubble from the fountain. “I can sense the dark magic, and you’re not exactly hiding it, either. You see, I possess it too, and have for many years, which is why I have the power I have. I have been told by my watchers that Kyle has regained his memories. Of course, that just won’t do. This time, I will end him for good, as I should have done the first time.”

She kicks a chunk of stone from the rubble across the ground, and water splashes up around it.

My body shakes at the thought of her harming Kyle, and I’m struggling to contain my powers from tearing her apart.

She simply laughs at my reaction. “Your powers are no match for mine, but you can try if you like,” she taunts.

A rush of energy flows through me as my powers build, and I scream as they burst out, breaking the wire from around my wrist. It drops to the ground when I aim my hands at Hethenos and focus a blast of powerful energy toward her, causing her to fly back and smack her head on a chunk of stone. Her eyes blaze with anger as she swoops into the air and lands on her feet before me.

Releasing my wings, I take off into the air, but she’s faster than I and uses her powers to wrap around my ankle and pull me back down. I slam hard into the soaking wet ground, and pain sears up my side and into my shoulder. I wince and roll onto my stomach, gritting my teeth as I try to endure it.

“Oh, you’re not getting away that easily. I have plans for you,” she says while she walks toward me. She stops next to my head, and I look up to see a pair of red heels.

White spots dance in my vision as I press my hand against my chest and allow the dark magic to seep into my body, healing me instantly.

“Don’t you just love that?” she asks excitedly. “It’s the best perk by far. But you know what else I love about it? It grows stronger with time.”

Her tone is cold as she wraps her hand around my throat and hauls me to my feet and into the air.

Water drips down my face as she tightens her grip. I choke, clawing at her hands, but she ignores my feeble attempts to stop her.

“This reminds me of something,” she taunts. “Oh, that’s right. I did the same to your mother before I killed her,” she whispers.

I thrust my fist out and clip the side of her face, and she loosens her hold enough for me to escape her grasp. I crouch down on the ground, gasping for air while she pats her cheek, seeing blood on her fingers.

“Lock her up,” she instructs before disappearing into the sky.

I glance up as the twins move toward me, evil smirks curling their lips. I shuffle back and stumble to my feet.

“Do not touch me,” I warn them, holding my hands out in defence, but they continue to advance.

I send a blast of power into Rimel. He flies back, but before I can do the same to Yimel, he grabs my wrists and yanks me into his chest, pinning my arms down. I struggle against his grip, and he throws me into the ground. Pain slices through my shoulder when I land at an unnatural angle, and it gives them the window they need.

They grab my broken body as I scream and wrap some sort of magical band around my wings, pinning them, along with my arms, down. They each take me under the arms and fly up into the air, carrying me across the Kingdom.

I have no clue where they’re taking me at first, and then I notice the cliffs up ahead. Are they taking me to the cells?

Panic surges as I struggle against their grip, and they drop me. Probably not smart on my part. I’m unable to fly.

I scream as I plummet toward the ground, but they swoop down and catch me.

“I wouldn’t do that,” Rimel warns. “It’s quite the drop. And next time, we’ll just let you fall.”

I don’t respond, knowing it’s useless to argue with these two. We finally reach the cells, and I notice there are no guards outside. They drag me through the crimson tunnels and down the stairs, where we eventually reach the same open space of cells where they held Finlay. I shiver at the thought of being locked in the same cell as he was and am thankful when they throw me into the one next to it.

It’s dimly lit down here, with just a few lanterns scattered along the walls. I scan the cell, feeling claustrophobic already, and am thankful to find there’s a small window lined with steel bars along the back wall. My focus snaps to the twins as they step inside the cell after me, and my heart hammers in my chest.

“Do not touch me,” I warn them again.

They both laugh, and Yimel leans up against the wall to my left, crossing his thick arms over his chest and watches as Rimel moves toward me.

“We’ve really enjoyed pretending to protect you and your father all these years. And by the gods, we’ve enjoyed watching you grow up,” he says, reaching for a lock of my hair.

I turn my face away from him, refusing to allow him to touch me if I can help it.

“You know, we might just let you live after all this, if you agree to give up your powers. Hethenos might let us keep you as a pet.”

Nausea rolls inside me at the thought. I would rather die than live a lifetime with them. At least then I would be with my mother. I try to hide the disgust on my face, not wanting to give them the satisfaction.

“What has she promised you?” I ask, staring into Rimel’s hazel eyes. “You know once you’re no longer of use to her, she’ll kill you both.”

He narrows his eyes at me, and I can see I’ve hit a nerve. Wow, did they actually care about her?

He takes a step closer until we’re merely inches apart. “You don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says with a hard tone and then grabs my chin, squishing my lips between his grasp. “I’d keep that pretty little mouth of yours shut if you know what’s good for you.”

He shoves my head back, and it hits the back wall of the cell.

I let out a whimper and desperately try to summon my powers, but it’s no use. Whatever they wrapped around me, it isn’t just to prevent me from flying; it seems to disable my powers as well. I struggle against the constraint, and he smirks, walking backward toward the cell door.

“Good luck with that,” he taunts. “Even if you break free, she’s sealed this place up with powerful magic, so your powers won’t work in there. Not even your dark magic.”

I swallow the lump forming in my throat as they lock the cell gate. “Please, you don’t have to do this. There’s still time to stop it.”

An evil grin spreads across Rimel’s lips. “What makes you think we don’t want this just as much as she does? Your father’s time has come. It was never his throne in the first place. We’re simply taking something from him that isn’t his to keep.”

I frown at his words. What in the gods did that mean?

He taps his fingers to his head. “Much to learn, I see. I’m not surprised they didn’t teach you that at the academy.”

They both snicker and make their way back through the tunnels, leaving me alone in this dark and dingy cell. It’s only once I’m sure they’re gone that I let my emotions out.

A sob breaks free of my lips as I sink down to the cold dirt ground. Coming back to my Kingdom was a trap. It was the worst decision I could have made.

Gods above, I miss Kyle. I can’t help but wonder if he’ll be able to sense I’m in trouble, like he did when the explosion ripped apart the hall in the castle. He showed up and saved me then, and I can only hope he will do the same now.

The constraint wrapped around me is draining me of energy. I can feel it. I’m growing weaker by the minute.

Despite that, I summon my powers, feeling them surge within me like a pool of cool and calming energy. I guess Rimel was wrong about me being unable to use them within the cells. I focus my attention on the constraint wrapped around my middle and let out a scream as my powers burst through it. A rush of excitement courses through me when I get to my feet and run to the cell gate. If I’m powerful enough to get out of the constraint, maybe I can get out of here, too.

I place my hand over the lock and send a burst of power at it, but it fizzles out. I frown and try again, but it does the same. My focus shifts to my black magic, and I look down at my fingers, but it doesn’t seep from them like usual. It occurs to me then to try my locket, but when I reach for my neck, it’s not there.

I scan the cell floor, but it’s nowhere to be seen. Gods above, did they take it from me? Did I lose it somewhere? Dread fills my chest, and I slam my palm into the bars.

“Let me out!” I scream, shaking the bars as hard as I can.

They rattle, but nothing more. I’m alone down here; that much is clear. And with the location of these cells being on the other side of the Kingdom, no one will hear my screams. They positioned the cells here for that very reason. Complete and utter isolation.

I frantically look around the cell and notice there’s no water, no bed, nothing to lie on for comfort, and a feeling of dread settles inside me. How long are they planning to keep me in here? And what is Hethenos’s plan, exactly? The possibilities are terrifying, and probably not worth speculating about. There’s nothing I can do from in here, regardless of what they’re going to do.

My best bet is to stay strong and pray for one of my friends or maybe Lissian to wonder where I’ve gone. Or better yet, until Kyle rescues me. I crouch down in the corner of the cell and pull my knees to my chest, cradling my legs.

You can do this, Zarla , I tell myself. You’re stronger than you know.

I’m not sure how much time has passed, but my eyes are growing heavy. It feels like it’s been days, but it could have been merely hours. Time seems to morph together in an unrecognisable way.

I close my eyes for a moment and lean back against the cool stone wall. I must drift off at some stage because I wake up curled in a ball in the corner, and I’m disappointed to find that this isn’t just a nightmare.

My body trembles in the cold, and I wish I had a blanket, or a coat, or something to stifle the chill of the autumn air. I imagine what Finlay must have endured, locked up down here for weeks. The thought of being in here that long terrifies me. I would go mad. Pain cuts into my heart at the realisation I may not see Kyle again.

My eyes droop, and I blink, trying to hold them open.

Footsteps snap me awake, and I sit upright as Yimel appears at the cell gate, holding a blanket under one arm. If it wasn’t for a thick scar that runs from his left ear down to his jawline, I would struggle to tell the twins apart. Of course, when they’re both together, it’s obvious. Rimel is the talker; Yimel isn’t. I stare at him, unsure what to say.

“I’m not much for words,” he admits, “and she’ll probably kill me for this. But here.”

He shoves the blanket through the cell bars, and it lands on the dirty ground.

My gaze flickers down to the blanket and then back to him. I don’t move, and he waits expectantly.

“Please, just use the blanket.”

I slowly crawl across the ground and snatch it up before scuttling back into the corner like some sort of animal. The blanket provides a bit of warmth, thank the gods. I don’t dare lie down, afraid he might come in.

“For the record, this wasn’t my idea. Nor my brother’s. We didn’t know what she had planned for you.”

I knit my brows together. This is the most I’ve ever heard him speak. It’s always his twin brother, Rimel, who did the talking, and Yimel would just linger in the background. Was this my chance? To reason with him to release me? Regardless, I have to try. There is literally nothing left to lose.

“Yimel, I’ve always liked you,” I lie. “You’ve never been cruel to me. It’s not too late to release me. I’ll tell my father that Hethenos and Rimel forced you to do this. He’ll believe me.”

He doesn’t respond right away, and I can see him mulling it over in his mind, but when he eventually shakes his head, I know I’ve lost him.

“That won’t work.”

Still feeling an ounce of hope, I stumble to my feet and move toward the bars. I place my hand over his, and he flinches at my touch but doesn’t remove it. I stare into his eyes.

“Yimel, please. She’s going to kill me, just like she killed my mother,” I plead with him.

He frowns and takes a step back. “That’s a lie.”

“No, it’s not. I swear she?—”

He bangs his fist against the bars, and I jump back.

“Stop!”

He presses his hand to his head and closes his eyes. When I see I won’t get anywhere with him, I walk back to the corner, sink down onto the cold dirt ground, and wrap the blanket over my knees.

He opens his eyes and watches me for a while without saying a word and then turns and storms out through the tunnels. Strange. Perhaps the quiet one has a conscience.

When I’m confident he’s gone, I curl up on the floor and wrap the blanket around my body. A strong determination settles in my mind, and I decide then and there that I won’t die in here. I will escape no matter what it takes, and by the gods, they will pay for what they have done.