A Dance Of Twilight: (A Fae Dark Fantasy Romance Stand-Alone )

Chapter 50

Landing on my back as Vanessa threw me over her shoulders, the wind was knocked out of me. She stood over me then, pointing the very sharp end of her sword at my throat, a snarl escaping her lips as we locked eyes.

“You really are bad at this aren’t you?” he demanded aggressively before sheathing her sword and then lifting me up in one smooth motion.

“Does my brother honestly think you can kill someone? When I’ve had you on your ass at least eight times in the last twenty minutes.”

Sarcasm rolled off her tongue as she strutted towards the table where her drink was placed. She hadn’t even broken a sweat in the time we’d started training, whereas I was breathless and could feel sweat beads as it ran down my spine.

“In my defence, I wasn’t trained to be a fighter like you and your siblings.”

“I can tell. Seriously though, Ornella, if you knew how to keep your balance and didn’t rely so much on the blade itself, you’d be a lot better. At least you’d be able to keep yourself alive long enough to escape.”

“I’m not a fighter, Ness, I am a reader.”

“The pen will always be mightier than the sword.”

She winked at me as I poked out my tongue. She was right though. I could hardly lift the sword fully without feeling pain in my shoulders and down my back. Not only did Nicholas have me training here, but Nora was also having me run laps in the gardens as well as learning archery and making me stick to a well-rounded diet.

I wasn’t a fighter. I used my words to fight my battles and thus far, I’d not done too bad. Save the battles of marriage with Mother.

“Where is Nic this morning? I half expected to see him sitting here laughing at my expense.”

Sitting down on the wooden bench, I rested my aching limbs for a few minutes, knowing Vanessa wouldn’t give me much respite before pulling me into another battle of her kicking my ass.

“He’s with the council. That’s all I know. He will be gone most of the day. He did say you are to entertain yourself until he meets you for dinner.”

Perfect. I’d have some time to write my letter and head down to the dungeons. I needed to see Kathlyn and Hector, who Nicholas refused to set free. It broke my heart even if Kathlyn had betrayed me. I was just glad he hadn’t killed them as he said he would. I still cared for her despite the betrayal. Hector, to no fault of his own, didn’t deserve to be locked away.

“Run the course for me and then we will work on your defence and then we will see if there is any hidden magic inside you.”

“Magic? Don’t be silly. Nicholas already said that it was doubtful I possessed any abilities. If I did, they would have manifested by now.”

“Even still, I want to see for myself.”

Nodding at her request, I was back on my feet and running the course in the training room. I ran across thin pieces of wood, swinging my sword to attack a dummy stuffed with hay, while dodging Vanessa as she threw blunt daggers at me—many hitting me on the arm or leg—and then swinging myself across a pretend body of water. She made me do it a number of times before giving me another break. Then we started to work on honing my potential magic abilities.

Exhausted by the time the afternoon sun hit the sky, I collapsed on my bed, sweating and aching from places I didn’t even know I had. My ears rang and my head banged like a drum.

No magic, and even if Vanessa acted like it was perfectly fine, I could see the disappointment in her eyes. If I wasn’t good at swinging a sword or firing an arrow, magic would have been the next best thing.

She said tomorrow I would learn hand to hand combat to maybe help me in a fight. Otherwise, it would be just escape and survive as best as you can.

I felt useless. Annoyed that Norok was offered this kind of training from the moment he could walk. All I was given was a pen, a book, and lessons on how to be a good wife and princess.

Ridiculous.

Whatever happened next, I would make it my mission to at least learn how I could use a sword as I would have liked to run it through my uncle.

Sneaking down to the dungeons was a lot harder than I thought it would be. For the most part, I had no idea where I was going as the castle became a labyrinth of corridors and doors that led to nowhere. I’d not wandered since I found that portal. Now I wanted to see if I could find it again.

Morgana ate lunch with me, and it took me forever to get her to leave my room. She wanted to go out for a walk. The weather was nice and the flowers had started to bloom in the gardens.

I’d written my letter, explaining I was fine and doing well, in the hopes it would stop Norok from doing anything recklessly. I handed it over to Isla along with a few gold coins, who was then to give it to John the stable apprentice, who could then hand it to a massager in the city. I hoped she managed to get it to him without raising any suspicions.

I kept my head down as I left my rooms and headed down the endless corridors towards what I believed were the dungeons. I wanted to speak with Hector to ask if he knew anything and to find out the real reason they had shown up. My guess was when they didn’t return to my father, it was then the plans were put in place for war and to retrieve me.

By Nicholas not allowing them to go free, he instead chose to ignite the match that was waiting to be lit.

“Can I help you, your highness?”

A guard caused me to squeal as he stepped out from the shadows of the corridor I’d stopped on. After startling me, he was quick to bow and threw his hands up.

“My apologies, your highness. I didn”t mean to frighten you.”

“It’s…That’s—It”s quite alright, my fault for not paying attention. I was just wandering the castle, just wondering where everything was. I’m afraid I’ve gotten turned around.”

“This is the east wing. Where the king’s guests sometimes stay.”

“Ah,” I said softly.

Turning around slowly, I could now make out the beautifully decorated corridor. Portraits of Nicholas” family as well as many battles were hung on the walls.

“If I wanted to find the dungeons, would I be able to do that? I would just like to know where everything is.”

The guard eyed me more suspiciously than before as the wheels of his mind turned. Had I blown everything by asking such an up-front question? I was always taught by my mother that it was always best to tell the truth with a hint of a lie.

“I can escort you there if you like, I’m sure the king would prefer it if I did.”

No, that’s not what I wanted but then, if he escorted me I could learn my way. I could return later tonight while Nicholas slept. Perhaps this was my only option.

“That would be wonderful, thank you.”

I followed him as we walked down another corridor, through a side entrance and then down several poorly lit flights of stone stairs, into another long corridor and then finally to a large wooden door.

“This is the dungeons, your highness.”

He slowly pushed open the door and the smell of death, blood, and human waste hit my nostrils instantly. The sound of crying echoed through the large room. A set of guards sat at a table playing cards and almost doubled over when they saw me standing in the doorway.

They were quick to their feet, bowing once I managed to step in.

“Why are there people crying?” I asked.

They did not answer, simply looked at me sheepishly.

“Well? Answer me,” I ordered.

“It”s—eh—we are late giving them their rations.”

One of the guards, the youngest one, spoke up as he stepped forward. The other two behind him shot him glances of anger, looking as if they would punish him for speaking up.

“Well, I suggest you fetch them. It”s unacceptable, whatever their crimes they are still the king”s people, and they deserve to eat.”

“Right away, highness.”

All three were quick to scurry out of the room, leaving me with my escorting guard who smiled at me. He reminded me of Marcus. He had that same gloomy exterior.

“May I see some of the prisoners?”

“You are the king”s wife. You do not need my permission to do anything.”

The guard spoke as he bowed and turned, leaving me alone in the room. Although each prisoner was locked behind steel doors, I still felt some slight nerves.

“I must stand watch, until the others return. If you don’t mind waiting I will then escort you back to your rooms,” the guard spoke to me.

He stood in the doorway with one hand on the hilt of his sword.

I would only have a few minutes it seemed before the others returned with food to get the feel of the layout. Maybe I would be able to find Hector”s cell.

The room was poorly lit with only a fireplace and a few lanterns hanging on the stone wall, mostly unlit. I could see my warm breath as I stepped in more and started to peek into each doorway”s barred window.

Most of the cells were empty, thankfully. But the stains of old blood littered the floor, along with rats as they scurried across in front of me. Excrement and vomit were left in some of the empty cells. I didn’t know if I should bring it up with Nicholas as surely that wasn’t right. Criminals or not, it was disgusting. But then again he wouldn’t have been pleased to know I was even down here.

My heart stopped when I peered into a window and saw someone curled up in a ball in the middle of their cell. Their clothes were dirty, their feet bare and covered in sores. When the air was sucked out of my lungs, the person lifted their head up, the hollows of their eyes staring back at me. Kathlyn.

She looked like a shell of the woman I once knew, who I once claimed as my sister. She shuddered and I heard her rasping for air. Heartbroken at the sight of her, I wanted to reach out for her, to hold her tightly. Although I was still angry and hurt over her betrayal, I still felt love for her.

“Kathlyn,” I muttered as we looked upon each other.

“Princess. You came. Came to see me,” she rasped out.

Her voice was broken, she was a shell of herself.

“I…I wanted to see you.”

“To see what your king has done to me?”

“I’m sorry, I did not know.”

I did know. I knew because I’d heard the screams. I’d heard the servants whisper about the torture they were being put through. I knew and even though I tried to stop it, I’d given up trying.

She menacingly laughed as a smile crept across her face. She got up and lunged at bars. Her arms reached through the bars and gripped my throat tightly. I couldn’t breathe. Her grimy, bloodstained hands latched around my throat and squeezed.

“LIAR! MURDERESS!” she shouted. “I WILL KILL YOU!!”

My friend was long gone. The person who lived within her body was not the person I once knew. Tears streamed down my face as the fear of passing out misted over my eyes. I was losing consciousness. It was only a second or two later a blade came swinging down in the space between us and sliced those two hands from her wrists.

Screaming in agony and pain, she roared backwards as I fell, the hands still around my neck. I wasn’t sure who ripped them off me or who had attacked her, but I was grateful to them.

“HIGHNESS! Are you alright!?”

The guard. I could feel the warm splatter of blood as it ran down my face, my dress now ruined with blood and whatever else was in the room. Catching my breath, I could hear a cackle, filled with malicious intent.

“Don’t move,” the guard ordered me as he shouted for others to arrive.

Seconds later, I was being lifted off the floor, carried out of the room, and brought into the hallway. I was shocked to see Nicholas as he stood at the end of the corridor. The blood drained from his face as he took in the sight of me.

“Take her highness to her room, fetch a healer. I will join her shortly.”

I didn’t care to ask—I didn”t really want to know—what he was going to do next. I looked over the guard’s shoulder at Nicholas as he strolled into the dungeons and a loud roar came followed by an ear splitting scream.