Chapter Twenty-Five
N o matter what Noe said, there was no place for me here. Not unless I wanted to be tortured, brainwashed, and used.
That was the reality of the situation. These beings seemed nice, but that was because I had power they wanted. When I was a small fae barely able to walk, they attacked and mutilated me with no remorse. All because they had no use for me; I was not vital to their success. Prince Baron was not so lucky.
Which was why I was leaving.
Immediately after Noe closed the door to my chambers, I began frantically pacing, attempting to make a plan. It did not take long for me to form one, though the likelihood of success was low.
I would pack enough supplies for a fortnight, which was likely not enough, but truly all I could carry. From there I would manipulate whoever was standing watch to take me to whatever small boat they had that would be discreet but also functional.
No plans would get me through the journey past The Mist.
When I finished packing clothing in the conveniently placed satchels, I went in search for a bathing chamber. I figured the wall of books had to house it, because otherwise I would be stuck going down all of those stairs every time I had to relieve myself.
The center shelf had an indent in the wood, big enough to not be an accident but small enough not to be immediately noticed. I grabbed onto it, tugging slightly, and it gave way, swinging out towards me. Inside was the bathing chamber, which was much more Bellamy’s style. Every inch of it was black marble, including the bath that was large enough to fit multiple bodies. I raised my brow, curious as to how the previous owner made use of it.
This room had curtains hiding the light from the windows, also black of course. But what struck me the most was the demon lights floating above. They were far smaller than the ones throughout the manor, looking even more so like stars than they had in Bellamy’s chambers. Calling the sight captivating did it little justice.
After I finished ogling, I took another bath. My body had been through more than should be possible since my last one a few hours ago. Products of all kinds had been left in vials, the most common being vanilla scented.
Once I finished soaking, taking well over an hour to relax my growing nerves and tense muscles, I got dressed in another set of all black clothing. Then I waited until the sun set over the horizon and knocked on the door. To my dismay, Henry was on the other side.
“Hello, little brat. Pray tell what you might need?” he asked.
I rolled my eyes on instinct, but quickly flashed a smile to recover. I would need to do this without my powers, because there was no telling who might be on watch duty tonight. I could not risk taking control of more than one of them.
“Henry, I was hoping to take my dinner in my own chambers. I am in need of alone time to…process everything. Would you be able to tell me how to get to the kitchens?”
I knew he would not allow me to go on my own, but his chuckle still infuriated me. Despite Bellamy suggesting I was free to roam anywhere I pleased, his particular wording did not suggest I could do so alone. Stupid demon.
“Oh Asher, you wonderful, manipulative little creature. There is no world where we would set you loose on the unsuspecting residents of Haven, though I am sure you of all beings will do your best to try anyways.” He smiled, leaning towards me slightly.
Was this Bellamy’s new tactic? Revoke my ability to roam the grounds and send the pumpkin demon to seduce me too? I pushed past him, scoffing as I did.
“Well then please do lead the way, carrot top.” My tone was not kind, but I did find myself not completely loathing Henry’s company. He was entertaining to say the least. If I were to be seduced, Bellamy and Henry were not the worst males to do so. That was if I chose to forget the way the former deceived me and the way the latter attacked me.
Not that great of suiters actually.
Henry chuckled, placing his hand on my mid back. I flinched away, hating how his hand reminded me of Sterling’s. The demon did not miss my reaction, but chose to say nothing while he removed his hand. More than likely, they all knew what had happened to me.
“So, since everyone seems to be privy to my life, tell me about yours,” I said as Henry began walking down the many stairs.
“What could you possibly want to know?” Henry asked, his tone full of surprise.
“Everything.” I shrugged, giving a shy smile. A short pause had me eying Henry, whose bewildered expression almost made me laugh. Then, in an instant his eyes narrowed in suspicion. I just continued to smile expectantly. Finally, he caved.
“I am going on my two hundred and thirty-ninth year, I have no siblings, I enjoy riding horses, and I rather like when you pretend to hit on me in order to learn more information that you hope to exploit later on,” Henry said, flashing a smirk. I clenched my teeth to prevent myself from saying something snarky in return.
Henry’s orange hair was particularly vibrant under the strange demon light now that darkness had fallen. The sharp cut of his jaw cast a slight shadow on his neck, nearly hiding what looked to be a small scar. If it was enough to scar a demon, then whatever attacked had to have been gruesome.
“What cut you there?” I asked, not attempting to mask my blatant interest in the matter.
Henry stopped suddenly, then side-stepped so he was directly in front of me. I looked up into his eyes, the green irises suddenly alight with fear. I felt that if I looked into them long enough, I might be swallowed whole by the mere memory of the creature.
“There are some things that even your magic cannot manipulate, one of those is an afriktor . Our lands are mostly safe from creatures that feast on flesh and revel in fear, but even so, you would be smart to stay out of the Forest of Tragedies.”
With that, Henry turned and continued walking, effectively ending the discussion. At least my plan tonight did not involve the forest, which was so poetically named. Though, I would take on whatever nightmare stood in the way of me and the Fae Realm.
I had to speed up to maintain Henry’s quick gait, his long legs taking strides twice the size of my own. I let out a quick huff of annoyance, but he only sped up slightly, chuckling.
“So you like horses? I have never ridden before, but I hear it is exciting,” I said, attempting to maintain some form of communication as we wove our way through the seemingly endless manor.
Henry ignored me, pressing on. We stopped in front of an open entryway that housed a grand kitchen, which was the same black and red that Bellamy seemed to favor. The wrap around red cabinets and glossy black countertops housed an assortment of tools and foods, with both demons and fae rushing around in what could only be described as organized chaos.
I spotted the head of the kitchen quickly, her booming voice demanding attention and obedience. Her cropped black hair and lavender eyes paired well with her high cheekbones and long eyelashes. She appeared almost ethereal, as if she were not a demon or a fae, but something entirely other. Her rounded ears made me assume demon.
“Hello, Calista,” Henry cooed, causing the female to groan.
When she turned, her face was pinched in annoyance, which gave me the impression that Henry enjoyed irritating everyone rather than just me. Calista opened her mouth as if to retort, but then her eyes met mine. At the sight of me, she immediately paled, her throat bobbing as she swallowed back what I assumed was fear based on the way she stumbled.
“Um, hi, my name is Asher,” I said, giving a slight wave.
My introduction snapped Calista out of her trance. She blinked repeatedly and shook her head, as if trying to clear it. Looking over at Henry did not help me. His face was perfectly neutral, bored even.
“Hello, Asher, it is so very nice to meet you,” Calista said, her voice breaking midsentence.
Something was strange about the way these beings viewed me. I had always been feared, but the openness of which they showed that terror here surprised me. I knew I should take advantage of it, but I had always hated the way the fae cowered in my presence, had been raised not to capitalize on it unless in the pursuit of justice.
“You as well, the kitchen smells divine,” I offered, smiling. “I was hoping to snag some food so I could have alone time, would it be okay if I took a plate as well as a bit extra?”
My attempt at flattery worked, because Calista nodded eagerly, running around to collect what looked like enough food to feed me five times over. Perfect. I hoped some of it was nonperishable, this trip would take a long time.
Calista came back with a basket full of food in her hands, a smile now on her face.
“Here you are. I added a few treats in there for you,” she said with a conspiratorial tone. Then she turned towards Henry, a scowl forming. “You, go get Asher a cup of my famous cocoa. I already have an entire barrel in the dining area.” Calista waved toward the door.
Henry betrayed his annoyance with the tilt of his head and the narrowing of his eyes. He stared at me for a moment, then allowed his gaze to bounce between Calista and I. She shooed him off with her hands, and finally he relented, leaving the kitchens. I let out a soft chuckle, reveling in Henry’s sour mood.
Suddenly Calista cleared her throat. I turned to face her fully, the purple of her eyes bewitching me for a moment.
“I know the waters well. I implore you to rethink your plan,” she whispered. I stepped back, my mouth agape. The surprise hit me so swiftly I was unable to speak. “Please, use your power on me; there is something I need to show you.”
I was nervous to use my power again after my incident earlier, but her wide eyes seemed to beg me to do so even more than her words had. When I finally caved, entering her mind was easy. Like cutting through butter.
Flashes of a view underwater, so clear it was unnerving, ran through her mind. She showed me images of a squid the size of a house and fae-like beings with fishtails instead of legs. Then the image became darker, though still eerily clear. A thick, red haze could be seen in the distance, with flashes of white that seemed to charge the water. Shadows, large enough to swallow the giant squid whole, crept within the confines of the red haze.
I let go of her mind, gasping for air as if I had been holding my breath.
“The Mist,” I rasped. “You showed me The Mist.”
Calista nodded, her face grim.
“What are you?” I inquired, knowing that the depth she had to have been at and the clarity of her vision labeled her as other in the same way her beauty did. She sighed, grabbing for my hand and leading me towards a door. When she tugged my arm, pulling me into the room, fear crept in as well. Not mine, hers, I realized.
There was no light in the cramped space, but I could feel shelves and an assortment of items littering them.
“We can speak freely here, though how much time we will have I am unsure.” Calista’s voice sounded muffled despite being next to me, as if the lack of light was a ruse to hide some sort of barrier. “I am a siren.”
She could not see me, but I still tilted my head in question. I had never heard of a siren before, though I was also unaware that there were other creatures besides demons and fae that existed within the realm of supernatural before today. “What is a siren ?” I asked.
Her gasp told me that I was serving my ignorance on a silver platter.
“Those imbeciles will get you killed if they continue to keep you in the dark,” she hissed. “Sirens are water folk. I have the ability to change my physical body at will, which allows me to have feet on land, but a large fin and gills in the sea. We are a deadly species, Asher. Our beauty, our aura, and our song will draw you in, then we will eat you alive.”
I stepped back, my head smacking into a shelf. Sweat began to bead on my brow as I realized that I was in a dark room with a creature that had a taste for blood. I wanted to vomit, or run, or do something other than stand here next to her as she scented me. I heard Calista chuckle, a devious sound that did nothing to soothe me.
“Eating you is not my intention. I am merely hoping to shed some light on why your current escape plan is likely not the best,” she said, her voice lowering to a whisper.
Relaxing a little, I thought over what she was saying. I would not admit that I was planning to flee, unsure if she used deductive reasoning based on my desire for extra food, my jumpiness, and my overall demeanor or if she also had the ability to know what I was thinking.
Calista stayed quiet as I attempted to formulate a response, but before I could, the door was ripped open, light filling what I realized then was a room for storing food. I blinked, trying to fight back the tears threatening to spill from the sudden light. Bellamy stood in the doorway, looking as if he might rip out our hearts. I forced myself not to cower, to remind myself how much stronger I was than all of them.
“Asher, let’s go,” he ordered.
I saw Henry glimpse into the room from behind him, his face betraying his discomfort. I chose to stay put. Bellamy let out a deep growl, causing Calista to flinch.
“Go. Now,” he told her. Calista did a swift curtsy and hurried out of the small space.
I still did not move.
Bellamy scoffed, then he turned, pushed Henry back softly, and promptly slammed the door shut. As if having been in the storage area alone with a siren had not been enough, I had to be subjected to being stuck with The Elemental as well. Joy.
“You should really stop telling me what to do,” I spit, hoping he heard the venom in my voice.
The air became charged, making the blackness seem alive. In fact, it felt as though small whisps of it tickled at my arms, my legs, my cheeks. My body stilled, waiting for Bellamy to speak. Move. Anything.
The silence stretched for what felt like minutes, hours, days.
Did he hope I would confess my plans? Could he be angry enough to attempt to kill me?
He could do it too, kill me. With his strange ability to block out my power and his superior combat skills, there was no competition. I would not go down without a fight though.
“If you try to kill me, I will shatter as many of your subjects’ minds as I can before you take me down.”
“Is that a threat, Princess?”
“It is a promise, Prince.”