10. Raelle
Chapter ten
Three days I’ve been locked in this tower, only visited by Osiris when he brings a meal or when the chambermaid comes to tidy. And visited is a loose term. He says nothing, and the chambermaid will not even look at me. I’m growing stir-crazy being tucked away like this. Today, I will get out of this room. Sitting on the edge of my bed, I bring a glowing orb of white to hover over my upturned palm. I’ve been doing the exercises Alaric was teaching me before everything went awry every chance I get. I summon the magic, let it build, then let it retreat. Control.
According to Alaric, controlling my magic is one of the most important things I must do. Witnessing Dax’s turmoil with his shadows, I assume he is correct. Thinking of how Dax wields his fire, I shape the light in my hand into a fox. It sits in my palm, and the first smile in as long as I can remember graces my face. Quickly to be down turned as tears burn at my eyes. Closing them, I let the moon glow leave the room, the fox sputtering out to nothing, and I ball my hands into fists at my sides. Clenching my teeth, I let the tears well up, but they don’t fall. I blink them back and pull steel into my spine. I will not cry. This is not our end.
A knock at the door tells me it’s Osiris. He is punctual. Every morning, as the birds begin to chirp and the sun is cresting the tops of the trees, he arrives with my breakfast. I’m normally still in bed. The heavy door creaks when it is pushed open. I hop down from the large bed on the raised platform and cross the room, popping my hip and crossing my arms as Osiris closes the door behind him and looks up puzzled.
“You’re up.”
“And you’re a visual one…” I say, even though I’m curious if he will say more. He usually doesn’t say anything at all when he comes into my chamber. Honestly, I’m surprised every time he does. There has to be help that could be bringing me food… It makes me wonder more about the Prince of Dragons.
“You are just, usually… Nevermind. Here. Eat.” He places a platter of food on the table in the center of the room. The dining space set for one was already made up the night before when the chambermaid came in.
“I’m not hungry,” I say, pinning him with my eyes. I’ve never denied the food he’s brought. Too bored to do anything else, I welcome the food just for a change. He narrows his eyes on me before shrugging.
“Suit yourself.” He steps forward, grabs the tray with a grunt, and heads for the door.
“Wait!” I call after him, and he stops but doesn’t turn. “I just want to get some fresh air. I can’t be locked away like this anymore. I can’t handle it!”
“Unfortunately for you, Moon Raven, you will not be caged here today.” He looks over his shoulder, and his jaw ticks before he continues. “You should get dressed for training; Lord Soren will be fetching you before the afternoon hour. This will be no occasion fit for the dress you are wearing.” He leaves without a backward glance, locking the door behind him.
Filling my lungs with air, I flop back down heavy on the bed, letting the air rush from my mouth on a sigh. I guess I’m getting what I asked for. ‘Unfortunately for you Moon Raven,’ I mock the prince with a sneer on my face, rolling my eyes, I look to the closet, and even though I have hours until the afternoon, I pull training leathers out and dress as the Prince of Dragons suggested.
Chest heaving, I bend over with my hands on my knees as I attempt to steady my breathing. The dragon screeches as it banks a hard left, swooping down low to come back at me. When I feel the wind push at my back again and the telltale smell of sulfur attacks my nostrils, I pump my arms and legs, sprinting for the nearest cover. The open field they have taken me to has little to use as cover though, and as I look back over my shoulder, I know I’m not going to make it to the large boulder I’m aiming for.
Dropping to my back I slide across the rough ground and grind my teeth at the pain that burns at my back as the rocks cut through my tunic and skin. I throw my hands out and call to my moon magic and guide a shield of white light out to block the flames as they engulf me. The light of my magic and the fire combined is so bright that I have to squeeze my eyes shut to block it out. My pulse pounds in my ears, and I hear nothing but the thunder of it and my own screaming cry as I force the flames away from my skin.
When the fire recedes and the dragon lands nearby, letting out a chuff that sounds more like a laugh, I let my head fall back into the dirt. I take a deep breath, blowing it out of my mouth with a curse.
When Osiris said to dress for training, I thought I would be sparring. I couldn’t have been more wrong. This has been a test. They want to see what I can do. I caught on to what Soren was up to fairly quick, so I’m hoping I put on enough of a show to placate him.
While I am playing down my magic, the sweat on my brow is real. After everything I’ve been through, followed by days if not weeks of nothing, has me out of breath and struggling to keep up with the demand the dragon has put on me.
“Good!” Soren barks, clapping his hands out in front of him. The glower I pin him with is also real, and I hope he sees the promise of pain in my eyes. Whatever it is he sees, though, brings a wide smile to his evil face. “Keep going,” he says, looking over his shoulder to where the prince stands with his arms crossed over his chest.
“I think she has had enough for one day.” Osiris says flatly.
“You are not here to think . That is not what I need you for.” Soren growls. “I said again!”
“Keep testing her power, but my dragon is done. And Soren?” He steps forward, bringing himself closer to Soren, asserting dominance by his size alone. “Consider who you are speaking to when you so freely attempt to command me. I am the Prince of Dragons, the first heir of Valeska. I suggest if you want my kingdom’s respect—you remember who it is you are demanding.” Without waiting for a response, Osiris turns on his heel and climbs onto his dragon’s back. The dragon roars loudly before launching into the sky and almost knocking Soren on his ass with the power of its wings.
“Fucking prick.” Soren mumbles before steering his gaze to me, where I still lay panting on the ground. Leering down at me, his lip curls back. “Take her back to the tower.” He says low. The guards rush to do his bidding, roughly grabbing me by my arms and lifting me to my feet. Their grip is brutish and bruising, and they barely let me get my footing before they are pushing me to walk.
I keep my eyes down until I can no longer feel Soren’s eyes on me, and once I lift my gaze, I finally am able to take in my surroundings. I’ve never been this far from the grounds. The castle is built into the cliffside, making one whole side inaccessible unless you fly or come in on a ship. The other side looms high. Four spires connected with equally tall walls. The gray stone looks slick; some areas covered with moss and snaking vines. The ominous darkness bleeds out into the forest surrounding it. Beyond that, lay the Soule Mountains and Ravendene… It’s so close, but feels like another lifetime away.
When we reach the castle entrance, I trip on a stair going in. My hands fall flat on the rough granite, biting into my palms. “Get up!” The dark-haired guard barks, looking around as though my falling is going to cause something to jump out at him.
“If you weren’t pushing me, I probably wouldn’t have tripped,” I grumble as I push myself to standing.
“Or maybe you just enjoy being on your knees.” A blonde guard steps forward. His greasy chin-length hair falls into his dirty face. I physically recoil, and it makes him bark out a laugh. It’s not until his hand comes out and cups my ass that I choose to stab him. Well, I didn’t really decide at all. As soon as I felt his violation, instinct took over. My hand comes up and snatches the blade from the waistband of the guard to my right, and then within a flash, it sinks deep into the handsy guard’s groin.
His eyes round with a cry of pain and shock before he doubles over and drops to his knees. “I think I enjoy you being on your knees more,” I say before I kick him in the chest, knocking him onto his back. The other guards are scrambling with what they should do. Grab me, or aid the asshole who just lost his cock. It’s a clusterfuck of commotion. But through it all my lip quirks up, and I get a taste of satisfaction from the delivery of revenge on one of the guards I marked as I was brought into this hell.
“Seriously?” I hear Osiris before I see him. His voice is easily decipherable—deeper and more demanding than the others. When he grabs my arm, I don’t even flinch. I just bring my eyes to meet his.
“What happened?” He asks.
“He tripped on the steps.” I shrug, batting my eyelashes at the prince, who just grumbles something unintelligible before yanking on my arm and pulling me through the halls.
Again, he guides me in silence. When we reach my room, he surprises me again. Instead of just depositing me and leaving, he shuts the door behind him. Locking himself into the room with me. I take a step backward. The look on his face wiping the smug satisfaction from mine.
“Are you trying to get yourself killed?” He steps forward and asks sharply.
“No, I told you he—”
“Save the bullshit. I’m here to take what is owed to me and nothing more. Soren and my father have tied my fate to yours, but I will not go down with you, Moon Raven. You need to think before you act on these emotions of yours. You need to understand that your actions have consequences!” His voice raises as he continues to stalk toward me. When my feet hit the chair in front of the fire, I fall backward, sitting awkwardly in it. “If you make me lose what I came here for I will kill you myself.” He growls before picking up the table that sits next to the chair and throwing it like a child’s plaything across the room in a tantrum.
I’m in shock for a brief moment, gawking up at the man who has barely said anything to me since being held captive here. Now, he is yelling at me in full sentences. I blink rapidly, trying to dispel the surprise and letting in the festering anger.
“You speak to me of consequences? I AM THE PRISONER!” Against my better judgment, I cannot hold my tongue. “I am being kept away from my mate and the only family I have left. But you know that… It’s you who is my keeper after all…”
“Listen to your magic, and use your fucking brain. I have a feeling that you are smarter and more powerful than you let on. Soren may be blinded by the powerplay you showed in the field today, but I am not. I know more than you think of your magic, Moon Raven. This magic has not been buried in Valeska as it has been in Aldramani. If you honestly think to tell me all you could do was shield from Bracarva’s fire, I pity you. Even my dragon can sense the magic in you. It would be a shame if you could not sense it in yourself.” Leaving in a huff, he slams the heavy door behind him, and I swallow my heart that has crawled up my throat.
Closing my eyes, I let my head tip back and think about everything that has happened since I woke up and decided today I would get out of this room. I never imagined that by getting that mere wish granted, I would also gain knowledge that the Prince of Dragons has something he is working toward that doesn’t involve me. He could very well be my gateway back to Dax, my family, and eventually vengeance for the wrongs against us.