Chapter 9
Walking through the woods, his smell is the first thing that tells me he’s there. I follow the scent that smells a lot like my Jewel when she welds, but slow as I encounter another smell. This smell is stronger, which means there must be two of them. I brace myself for an intruder and crouch down as I reach the tree line to our house. My heart breaks when I see the empty expanse of yard that used to contain her sculptures. King Gus refused to leave even one.
I listen and wait. I know they’re here, but I’m running out of time and he might be my only chance. The shed door opens and two men walk out. The one in front is him – the one Matthew described – and I recognize the other man as Dan.
I take a deep breath. “Ignatius!” I call out.
They both turn to me and Dan mutters, “That is who raised her.”
Ignatius nods and begins approaching. I try to keep my composure. He is the head of the Fallen Realm, and the resemblance to Jewel is remarkable. I remind myself that I’m her father; I’m the one who raised her and I’m the one doing everything I can to keep my baby girl healthy and safe.
Ignatius doesn’t stop until he invades my personal space, making me tilt my chin to look up at him. “Where is she?” he demands.
He stands taller, trying to intimidate me. It’s working, but I stand my ground. “Somewhere safe,” I reply.
His hand darts out, gripping my throat. “Wrong answer,” he hisses, tightening his grip. Even with my Gifts, I know I won’t be able to escape his death grip. I tap his arm, conveying to him to loosen his grip so I can talk.
“I need your help,” I choke out. His grip tightens, cutting off my oxygen. I grip his wrist, my legs scrabbling as he starts to lift me up. Truly scared now, I try to pull his hand away from my windpipe to no avail.
“You will tell me where she is,” Ignatius commands. His voice is like velvet, opening and frolicking through my mind. “Tell me where she is.” A cloudy haze starts to swirl through my brain, unlocking my memories and thoughts of their own accord. Black spots dance across my vision and then his grip loosens, allowing me to gulp sweet air. “Tell me where Jewel is.”
It spills out in a torrent. “The North Kingdom, in the Troll Realm,” I reply with a voice that sounds like it’s coming from someone else far away.
A cruel smile wreathes his face, and then he tightens his grip until I see black once again.