Chapter 28
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Somehow , they made it to Orgate . Katla stared at the gated entrance through the copse of trees. The gate was smaller than Stonemore’s but no less intimidating. A tall wall surrounded the city, Orgate warriors stationed atop it every fifteen feet or so. The gates were open, but two warriors stood on either side, ready to prevent anyone who didn’t belong from entering.
The longer Katla stared, the more she worried about the hastily formed plan they’d devised during their ten-minute walk. She had gotten Derek , Kora , and her down the mountain and through most of the forest with only a few hiccups. It would likely take several more attempts before she was comfortable using her teleporting ability.
“ What do you think?” Derek asked.
Katla twisted her lips. “ I don’t have a good feeling about this.”
“ I always gave Orgate a wide berth,” Kora answered.
Derek’s eyes narrowed on the entrance. “ Varek told me how to get to the dungeon.”
“ You’re assuming that’s where they took Merrill ,” Katla replied.
Kora shrugged. “ It seems logical since it’s where they held Varek .”
Katla stepped away from the branches. “ Maybe .”
“ Orgate warriors would bring prisoners to their city,” Kora contended.
It was a valid argument. Why , then, didn’t it feel right?
Derek turned his head to peer at Katla . “ What are you thinking?”
“ I don’t know. It just feels too easy,” she said with a shrug. “ The warriors know I saw them. They had to know I would tell Merrill , and he would then pass the information on to the Kings .”
Kora twisted her lips. “ Maybe they don’t care that we know who they are.”
“ Possibly ,” Derek mumbled and returned his gaze to the city. “ Or they want us to believe they were from Orgate so the Kings would attack.”
Katla frowned as she considered his words. “ You think some are purposefully putting a target on their city because they don’t like the decisions of their council?”
“ I’ve seen mortals do much worse because of a lot less,” Derek replied.
Kora drew in a deep breath and released it. “ We’re not going to find out staying here. I’ll go in and have a look around.”
“ Not alone, you won’t,” Derek stated.
Kora smiled in response. “ You should be more worried about those within the walls.”
“ I know you can handle yourself,” Derek said. “ I’m more concerned about the invisible enemy and being able to warn you if it’s there.”
Katla watched the mates and found herself thinking about those few moments she’d shared with Merrill . What might have happened had they not been attacked? That couldn’t be the last time she saw him. She refused to let it be.
“ We’ll be back as quickly as we can,” Kora told her.
The two slipped away and took the path toward the gates. The warriors eyed them, but they weren’t stopped. Katla watched until Derek and Kora vanished within the gates and were swallowed by the city’s occupants.
She grew more anxious as each minute ticked by. What if Merrill was being held in the dungeon? How would they get him out? Worse , what if he wasn’t there? Where would they even begin looking for him?
And would they find him in time?
Katla tried to remain calm, but the emotion remained elusive. Of all the Kings to target, why Merrill ? More importantly, why now?
The thought that he was lost to her, to the Kings , was so upsetting that Katla had to turn her mind away from him. She wrapped her arms around herself against the chill and wished she still had the coat Merrill had given her. But it, like everything else in the cottage, had been destroyed. She wanted it more because it reminded her of him than to battle the temperature.
Merrill was strong. Nothing would break him. He would be able to weather whatever they threw at him. He had remained standing despite being dealt blow after blow on his world—and hers. There was no way he would crumble now. She had seen his resilience and strength. His power as a Dragon King .
Katla lowered herself to the ground and rested against a tree trunk. She scanned the area often, looking for any signs of other entities while fighting impatience for Kora and Derek to return with news. The not knowing was challenging. At least if they knew something, they could begin to plan better. Until then, there was nothing to do but wait.
The sun crept from its zenith toward the west. She had been waiting for over two hours. It was time she went looking for Kora and Derek . Katla got to her feet and turned, only to come face-to-face with the last person she expected to see: Villette . Surprise swiftly pivoted to fury as Katla lashed out with her magic. But Villette was quicker, vanishing before Katla’s magic reached her.
Katla turned in a slow circle. “ Hiding ? Not something I expected from you.”
“ I think it prudent until you calm down enough to listen,” came a disembodied voice.
Sparks danced erratically around Katla , mirroring her emotions. Where were Derek and Kora ? They could kill Villette right now if they only returned. “ Why should I listen to anything you have to say?”
“ Because Merrill isn’t in Orgate .”
Villette had fooled her once. Katla had learned her lesson well.
“ You know I’m right,” Villette said. “ You said it yourself.”
“ You’ve been spying on us?” Katla demanded as she spun around, hoping to spot the Star Person .
There was a loud sigh before Villette said, “ Obviously . If I wanted to take your life—or Derek’s or Kora’s — I could have. A dozen times over.”
That drew Katla up short. She hadn’t sensed Villette . She could be lying again. Obviously , Villette wanted something. But what? “ Why are you here?”
“ You know why.”
“ Say it,” Katla ordered through clenched teeth.
Villette materialized in front of her, wearing a long-sleeved, pale blue gown with icy blue adornments over the bodice. The dress skimmed her figure before falling to the ground. “ I know where Merrill is.”
“ Because you took him?” Katla’s magic surged into her palms. She fought the urge to lash out at Villette . Instead , she kept her arms at her sides and curled her hands into fists. She needed answers.
Villette’s blond hair was long and lustrous, freely flowing over one shoulder while the rest fell down her back. She kept the golden locks covering the right side of her face to conceal the burns there. Even with them, Villette was exquisite. Her vibrant blue eyes scrutinized Katla . “ It doesn’t matter how I answer. You won’t believe me.”
“ You’re right. I won’t.”
Villette glanced toward Orgate . “ You’re wasting time—time Merrill doesn’t have.”
“ Then let him go.”
“ It isn’t that easy.”
A wave of anger enveloped Katla as she glared. “ You’re a Star Person . You can do whatever you want.”
Villette didn’t reply. She simply stared.
“ Fine ,” Katla said with a shrug. “ If you aren’t holding Merrill , then free him.”
“ As I said?—”
“ It isn’t that easy,” Katla spoke over her, repeating her earlier words. She shot her enemy a scathing look. “ I don’t believe you.”
Villette briefly lowered her gaze to the ground and blew out an exasperated breath before locking her blue eyes on Katla once more. “ Come with me. I’ll take you to him.”
It was a trap. And an obvious one at that. Yet Katla wondered why Villette hadn’t taken her as she had Merrill . Could it be that she couldn’t? Or —and this was a big leap—did she speak the truth? It also begged the question…if Villette knew Katla wouldn’t believe her, why attempt any of this?
The mere idea that Villette might be honest about something was as far-fetched as Katla being able to touch the moons. Nonetheless , something within her said to hear Villette out. Cautiously , of course. But there might be a kernel of truth somewhere in her words.
She waited for Villette to say more, but she didn’t. Villette had obviously said everything she would. That meant it was time for Katla to make a decision. She turned her head toward Orgate . Still no sign of Kora or Derek . They might still be searching, or they could be trapped somewhere like Merrill .
Like she might be shortly.
She had little recourse. She could remain and wait for Derek and Kora . If Merrill was there, they would return for her so the three of them could get him out.
But what if he wasn’t in the city as Villette had said? She’d had concerns about Merrill being brought to Orgate , but it had been a destination. If the Orgateans didn’t have him, then she had no other location to search. Not even an idea of where to go.
Then there was the second option. She could set aside her unease and go with Villette , a deceiver and destroyer, where a trap may indeed be waiting. In which case, Villette would end Katla’s life quickly. But why not now? Why not engage in battle before? Or take her unawares? Villette had the power of a goddess. As she’d said, she could’ve killed Katla multiple times over today alone. But she hadn’t. Could Villette really be telling the truth? Did she know where Merrill was? Or was it an elaborate ruse to muddle Katla’s thoughts so much she couldn’t tell up from down?
But there was hope. The tiniest, flimsiest shred. But Katla grasped it with everything she had.
There was a third possibility, though. She could strike out on her own. But there were so many disadvantages to that, she didn’t really consider it a genuine prospect. She knew little about the realm and even less about the people. Besides , she had very little control of her magic to teleport.
The overwhelming odds of failure rose, threatening to bury Katla . She had been here once before and let fear take her. She couldn’t— wouldn’t —do that again. She had to be smart and think it through. There was no getting around the fact that emotions played a part, no matter what she told herself.
She slid her gaze to Villette . “ There has to be a reason you’ve not helped Merrill yourself.”
“ I can’t do it alone.”
The admission surprised her. She was about to ask Villette why she had chosen her but realized it didn’t matter. Katla wanted to be there for Merrill . “ All right,” Katla said, hoping she didn’t come to regret the decision.
Villette held out her hand. “ Take it so I can bring you to him.”
Katla hesitated.
“ Every second you delay is a second he suffers.”
It was all the push Katla needed. She slipped her hand into her enemy’s. There was no way to alert Kora or Derek . Katla was going on instinct—and excess emotion.
Katla blinked and found herself surrounded by different trees. Villette released her and put her finger to her lips before creeping forward, picking her way through the underbrush. As she followed, Katla looked around to get some idea of where she was. They wove through the trees as silently and quickly as wraiths.
The first time Katla heard the agonized bellow, it sent shivers through her and stopped her in her tracks. She instinctively knew it was Merrill . She was frozen, forced to listen to his tormented shouts. It went on for what felt like an eternity. She covered her ears with her hands, but there was no shutting out the guttural, searing screams. It was more than flesh and blood could bear.
How long had he been enduring it? She was here now. She could help. Katla dropped her arms and started forward to help Merrill , but Villette caught her by the arm. Katla swung around to face Villette and saw the Star Person’s face was as pale as hers felt.
“ Now , do you understand?” Villette whispered.
Katla swallowed the bile in her throat when Merrill finally went silent. It was then that she noticed the eeriness of the place. It was as if the forest itself feared to breathe. There were no animals. Apparently , they wanted no part of the area, and she couldn’t blame them. She didn’t want to be here either, but she would bear whatever she must to get to Merrill .
The crack of a stick echoed in the silence. Katla and Villette both looked to the right. Katla spotted the wide, gold armband through the foliage before she saw the warrior. She tried to shift behind a tree, but Villette’s nails dug into her arm as she held her.
So , it had been a trap. Katla glared at Villette as she thought of a thousand different ways to end her enemy’s life. To Katla’s shock, the warrior walked past without noticing them. Villette released her when he was out of sight. Katla frowned, trying to figure out what was going on.
“ I made us invisible to him,” Villette whispered before moving forward at a slower pace.
Katla was unnerved at the rapid change of her emotions. There was no time to dwell on it, though, as she followed Villette . It wasn’t as if she could turn back now. Especially not after hearing Merrill . She didn’t want to see him being tortured, but there was no turning away. Katla would have to face it all.
Villette stopped next to a queen root tree, its spiraled trunk so wide three men wouldn’t be able to link their hands around it. Katla flattened her palms against the rough bark and pressed her front against the trunk. Then she leaned to the side and peered around it. She squinted through the vegetation to the glade beyond to find a fire with men and women milling about. They were staring at something. No , some one . Katla waited for the warriors to move so she could get a better look. They finally parted, giving her the first sighting of Merrill from the side. The canopy above them was so dense only meager rays of sunlight filtered through it. But in the clearing, sunshine landed on Merrill like a spotlight as he hung from his arms by two vertical poles stuck in the ground.
She saw the bulky chains and the thick cuffs bolted around his wrists, but it was the dark splotches covering the ground that drew her gaze. Katla’s heart hammered wildly when she saw how much of Merrill’s blood had been spilled. If it were anyone else hanging there, they would already be dead.
Katla drew in a steadying breath, but nothing could prepare her for what she saw next. Tears stung her eyes, and her throat clogged with outrage and horror. Merrill’s clothes hung on his body by mere threads, the rest cut and torn. Blood ran down his arms, face, neck, chest, and legs. There were so many lacerations and stab wounds on just the side of his body she saw she knew she wouldn’t be able to count them all.
Finally , she lifted her gaze to his face. His head hung forward, his hair obscuring his features. Her eyes tracked down his neck to his shoulder and then up his arm to the shackles. His fingers were slack, and the entire weight of his body was on his arms as he hung, suspended with his knees just a few inches off the ground.
Katla straightened and pressed her forehead to the bark. She might have found him, but he was in rough shape. She needed to get the chains off so he could heal. But that wouldn’t be easy with the entity.
She turned her head to meet Villette’s gaze. Now , she understood why the Star Person had sought her out.