Chapter 30

CHAPTER THIRTY

T he Kingdom is silent. Too silent.

Nerves prickle my skin as I contemplate how I’m going to get into the castle because I can’t just walk through the main entrance, and opening a portal is risky. What if I open it in the wrong place where guards are stationed? Amaros will have his guards on high alert, as always.

I release my wings and push off into the air, my body tense as I fly over the Kingdom. The cover of darkness helps hide my presence, and I’ll be able to get much closer by flying before I have to continue on foot. Still, an unnerving heaviness weighs down on me.

I don’t like being here. So close to Amaros, where he can capture me and lock me up for good. I know the next time he gets his hands on me will likely be the last. A lump forms in my throat at the thought, but I swallow it down. I need strength right now if I’m going to get through this.

I worry how everyone is being treated in the Kingdom. I haven’t seen Lissian, Mikel, Nilo, or anyone else in ages. If Astelle is here, I can only imagine what Amaros has done to her. He’s an evil male, and it blows my mind how well he concealed that side of himself for all those years.

The castle glows in the distance, and I glide down and land in the closest field. It’s too risky to try for the roof, knowing how many watchers and other guards he likely has positioned around the castle. I creep across the field through the darkness, hiding behind trees and hedges whenever voices cut through the air.

I make it to the back of the castle without being seen and slip through the rear entrance. It leads me into the kitchen of the Great Hall where I met Mikel that time. I make my way out into the corridor and sneak through the castle in search of any sign that Kyle may be here. The best place to check is most likely the cells below the castle where Alaron and Keva were locked up.

I head in that direction and am almost there when I spot Astelle at the top of the stairs on the first floor. Her eyes catch mine, and she runs down the steps toward me and throws herself into my arms. I don’t miss the bruises that cover her neck and face, and I swallow down the acidic heat that bubbles up at the thought of Amaros beating her.

“Zarla!” she breathes. “By the gods, I haven’t seen you since that night in Zarquon at the celebration. You just disappeared.”

My stomach twists at the memory. “I know. That was an awful night. Why are you here in Silanthia? It isn’t safe here. Amaros is a psychopath.”

She swallows and glances down. “I came back here to look for you, and he wouldn’t allow me to leave again.”

I frown. “I’m so sorry, Astelle. Amaros had me trapped here, too, but Kyle allowed me the chance to escape.”

She bites her bottom lip. “It’s not your fault.”

“I have to get you out of here. There’s a Kingdom called Gallerria, the Kingdom of Gods. Atticus, our father, rules it, and he’s there. I can portal you into it right n?—”

Someone grabs my hair and throws me into the wall. I smash my head against the rough stones and drop to the ground, rolling over as Amaros crouches down next to me.

“Hello, my mate…”

Astelle screams. “Amaros, stop!”

“No, sweetheart. Zarla is my mate. But she is very disobedient.” He tuts, waving his finger in the air at me.

I try to scramble away from him, but he grabs my ankle and hauls me closer.

“Do you recall what I said I would do to you when I got you back?”

My heart races at the memories. At the thoughts and visions he planted in my mind. He grabs my throat and drags me to my feet.

Astelle backs up, her heels clicking on the polished stone floors.

“Amaros, let her go, please,” she begs him.

He throws me against the wall and then backhands her hard across her face. She flies into the ground, smashing her head on the floor, and he returns his focus back to me. He runs his fingers across my cheek, and I try to turn away, but he roughly grips my chin and forces me to look at him.

“I’ve missed you, my mate. I’ve missed your scent, the feel of your skin, and those full lips.” He leans forward and kisses me, and there’s nothing I can do to stop him.

His hard length presses through his leathers against my stomach, and waves of nausea roll through me. How did this male ever make me want him?

Because you were naive, an easy target. One I knew I could condition to my will and my needs. His voice invades my mind like an unwelcome parasite.

“Where is Kyle?”

His body tenses at the mention of his name, and he grips my throat. “He is not worthy of you. How many times do you need to hear that before you believe it?”

A sob escapes my lips, and I squirm beneath his touch. I know he likes when I struggle, though. It eggs him on further, so I try not to.

You’re right. It makes me hard. And I am yet to see how good you feel. How tight you are for me. He runs his hand between my legs over the red silk dress I still wear.

You’re disgusting, I reply into his mind.

I think you enjoy it. I wonder if you’re better than your sister.

“Where is Kyle? Is he here?” I ask, ignoring his disgusting comments.

He laughs. “I have him, yes. Drakon was more than happy to make the deal. He wanted his son to win the Dragon Trials so he could rule, and he wanted you to rule along with him. I knew you would never agree to it, and that if I had Kyle, you would come. Drakon was never the smartest male.”

He leans down and licks my neck, and I squirm, trying to break out of his hold.

“Mmm…you taste so fucking good,” he says, kissing and nipping at the skin on my neck.

Astelle scrambles to her feet. “You bastard! Get away from her!”

He rolls his eyes and glares at her. “Do not attempt to make demands of me. I am your King.” He returns his focus to me. “I would be willing to make an exchange. Give yourself to me in exchange for Kyle’s freedom.”

I glance at Astelle as she stares at me, tears streaming down her face. She shakes her head no, silently begging me to refuse him.

He presses himself closer. I enjoyed visiting you in your dreams. Getting into your head when you would least expect it. I told you I was a powerful male. Perhaps now you believe it. Of course, it’s much better in person.

Fuck you! I yell into his mind.

Soon, my mate. I have big plans, and my Nephilim will help me bring them to light.

I frown at his words, my brows pulling together. There’s that word again. Nephilim. Where have I heard it and what does it mean?

Astelle takes off her heels and throws them at him, one by one. “I fucking hate you!”

He ducks out of the way and in the process loosens his grip, and I slip out of his grasp. I grab his head and smash it against the stone wall. He drops to the ground, and he’s out of it enough that I place my hands above him and leech back from him the power of the orbs. Alaron’s powers.

The blue light lifts out of his chest and flows into my hands as he lies dazed on the ground, and I know it’s only a matter of time before he comes to again. I have to hurry. Blood pools beneath his head, and I pray to the gods he isn’t going to get back up again.

I hurry over to Astelle, but Amaros grips my ankle and yanks me to the ground. He climbs on top of me, pinning my arms on either side of my head.

“Get off me!” I scream.

Blood drips down the side of his face and onto mine.

Astelle reaches out and blasts her powers at him, sending him rolling across the corridor.

“Go now!” she screams.

I hesitate, but only for a moment before I know I have no other choice. “I’ll come back for you, I promise.”

I open a portal into the Spirit Realm and hurry through it. Just as it’s closing, Amaros grabs Astelle by her throat and slams her head against the wall.

“No!” I scream, but the portal closes.

Dropping to my knees, I angrily wipe away the tears spilling down my cheeks.

“Zarla?”

I glance over as my mother, Finlay, and Alaron appear beside me, then I scramble to my feet and rush into my mother’s arms.

“What’s wrong?” she asks, and her gentle tone helps calm me down.

“Amaros has Kyle.” I pull back and stare into her pale-blue eyes. “He attacked me, and he has Astelle there, too.”

Alaron moves closer to me and grazes the tips of his fingers over my cheek. Their icy touch tingles my skin, and I shiver.

“Cheer up, little angel. That male will pay for what he has done, one way or another. I sense my powers within you.”

I scan his mesmerizing red eyes. “I got them back from Amaros. Here,” I say, holding my hands out to him.

He takes hold of my hands, and his powers slowly drift out of my fingers, the blue glow snaking up his arms and disappearing into his chest.

He shudders, takes in a deep breath, then releases my hands. “Thank you. I will owe you one for this.”

I’m about to respond when he vanishes into thin air. I scan the surrounding area, but he’s just gone. As soon as he disappears, it’s like there’s a pressure lifted, and everything here feels right again. Lighter, in a way.

“Shit, that was awesome,” Finlay says.

I can’t help but laugh. Finlay walks over to me and hugs me, and I relax in his arms.

“It’s going to be okay. It always is,” he whispers against my ear.

I take a step back and give him a tight-lipped smile. “Thanks, Finlay.”

“What are you going to do?” my mother asks.

“I’ve got to go back. I have to get Astelle out of there. He’s hurting her. But first, I need to tell my father.”

My mother’s eyes light up at the mention of him. “How is he?”

“He’s good. I will bring him here next time, if you like?”

She nods. “I’d like that.”

Finlay gives my hand a squeeze. “You should go. But do not doubt your abilities. You’re one of, if not the , strongest angel I know. Don’t let Amaros or anyone else tell you otherwise.”

My mother hugs me. “You can do anything, my daughter. I’m so proud of you. Keep going. You’ll figure it out along the way.”

I open a portal back into Gallerria and find Atticus waiting for me outside the castle on the grass, Salise at his side. I rush into his arms, and he holds me tight.

“Are you hurt?” Salise asks. “Possibly a silly question, as I know of your healing abilities. But if you require extra attention, I am here.”

“I’m all right, but thank you,” I tell her, and then I turn to my father. “Amaros has Kyle. And Astelle.”

He rests his hands on his head and paces around. “Shit!”

Salise bows low and disappears back inside the castle, clearly sensing we need some family time.

“You saw him?”

“I saw Amaros, yes. He attacked me, and Astelle helped me escape. But it came at a price.”

He balls his fists at his sides. “We will get them back. Mark my words.”

I cross the grass and take a seat on a wooden bench near the edge of the patio. “He said something else that I did not understand, and maybe you will.”

He sits next to me. “What was it?”

“He said he has big plans, and that the Nephilim will help him bring them to light.” I pay special attention to his reaction, and understanding crosses his features for the briefest of moments, but he hides his reaction well. “Do you know what that means?”

He runs his hands along the wooden bench on either side of him. “No. Let’s not dwell on the minor details and instead focus on the main issues at hand.”

I decide to let that go for now. He’s clearly unwilling to explain what the Nephilim mean.

“I have to go back for Astelle.”

“We will get her back. Don’t worry. But I’m not letting you go there alone. He won’t kill her. She’s too good of a bargaining chip.”

There’s a deafening boom overhead, and I leap off the bench as flames lick across the sky, engulfing it entirely.

Atticus is already in contact with his guards, and several of them appear out of thin air, startling me. I know what’s about to happen, and even still, it shocks me to my core when hundreds of dragons descend toward us and the city.

By the gods, Drakon wouldn’t dare attack Gallerria, would he?

Atticus calls out in the language of the gods, and one by one, hundreds of guards appear, covering the land below. He barks out orders to them, and they prepare for a battle.

What is Drakon doing here? This can’t be about me because I gave him my word I would return. I haven’t even been gone that long.

Half of Drakon’s dragons land, surrounding the city, but many remain in the sky, circling overhead. Several black dragons glide down toward us, and I immediately know it’s Drakon, Atlas, probably Baz, and a few other guards.

“That’s Drakon and Atlas,” I explain to Atticus before he attacks them.

Although I don’t really know how in the gods he could fight these dragons.

The group of black dragons lands near us, and Atticus instructs his guards to hold off. The dragons shift back into their males, and Drakon, Atlas, and Baz stride toward us.

“Atticus, my friend. Good to see you again,” Drakon says.

I back up so I’m behind Atticus and several of his guards, and Atlas’s focus is locked on me.

Atticus growls. “What the fuck is this, Drakon? How have you breached my Kingdom borders again? They are not descendants of gods!”

Atticus points to the dragons below surrounding the city.

Drakon shrugs. “I don’t think you need to hear about all my secrets. And hey, despite how it looks, we’re not here to fight.”

Atticus holds his arms out wide, gesturing to the many dragons surrounding the Kingdom. “Then what the fuck do you call this?”

“I call it a display of our capabilities, as well as a rescue mission for our Queen, who we feared for, considering she had not yet returned.”

I grit my teeth and push through the guards toward him. “I’ve barely been gone a few hours! I gave you my word I would return. And guess what? Kyle is alive. Amaros has him, as you well know, considering you made a deal with him! So I will not be going with you and ruling your stupid Kingdom. Find someone else!”

Atlas licks his lips, as if he’s enjoying my display of strength.

“Is this true?” Atticus asks. “You made a deal with Amaros?”

Drakon chuckles. “Yes, I did. That was cute, Zarla. But that’s not how things work. Even Atticus will tell you. You won the Dragon Trials. You are the rightful Queen, and like I said, if Kyle wasn’t back by sundown, which has long passed, then you will rule with my son.”

Atlas reaches out to me. “That’s enough. You’re coming with me back to Pyrrhus.”

I laugh. “You can’t be serious. What, you think I’m just going to do as you say because you’re a male and you think you deserve to rule a Kingdom? Because that’s not going to happen. I’m not going anywhere. Kyle is alive, and he needs me. Find someone else!”

Atticus glances back at me, deflated, a look of defeat set in his green eyes. “Zarla, they’re right. You won the Dragon Trials. And it isn’t a choice. It’s set in powerful magic. You can’t simply ignore it.”

I throw my arms up. “Watch me! I am not going.”

Atlas laughs. “Is anyone going to tell her, or do I have to?”

I narrow my gaze at Atlas. “Tell me what?”

He takes several steps toward me. “If you do not take your rightful place on that throne as Queen, you will die, and so will your mate.”

Red-hot rage surges through my veins, and I lunge at him, punching him in the face. He falls back into the grass, and then I go for Drakon.

Atticus slips an arm around my waist, holding me back.

“You bastards!” I scream at them.

Drakon nods at Atticus. “This may seem like something we did to you, but that is simply not true. This was destined by the gods, Zarla. Whether you like it or not, you have no choice in the matter, and you will come with us, willingly or by force. Atticus, tell her.”

I stop struggling, and he lets me go. I stare into his eyes, and then I see it—an unspoken truth that he is unwilling to voice.

“No…” I whisper.

I attempt to swallow the lump in my throat threatening to choke the life out of me.

Atticus reaches for me, but I pull away.

“I don’t want to go. Please, don’t make me go.”

Drakon nods to his guards, and they grab me. I struggle, but it’s no use.

“Father, do something!” I beg.

Tears well in his eyes, but he blinks them away before they have a chance to fall. “I’m sorry, my daughter.”

Drakon adjusts his leathers. “Very well. That’s settled, then. Atlas, would you like to give Zarla a ride home?”

“I would very much enjoy her riding me,” he says, then he backs away and shifts into his dragon.

The guards force me onto his back, and one of them sits behind me so I can’t escape.

I don’t dare look at Atticus. Although I don’t blame him, I blame myself for trusting these dragon shifters. Kyle and I should have never gone back to Pyrrhus, and perhaps if we hadn’t, he would still be here.

Tears threaten to fall, but I refuse to show weakness. I blink them back and focus.

I need a plan to escape. Kyle needs me, and by the gods, nothing is going to stop me from saving him.

Atlas flies us through the flaming skies overhead, which of course do not harm me, and the entire journey back I visualise all the ways in which I will kill Amaros.

If you can hear me, Amaros, I am coming for you, and this time, I will kill you .

The End…for now.