Chapter Twenty-Five
Stassi
I missed the creature in the cell.
Iniko was droning on and on about how boring life had become since I was sent away, which was probably true, but I was tired of hearing about it. Plus, it had barely been any time at all. I wanted to go back and play. I didn’t wish to sit and sulk while we all waited and waited for our oh-so-glorious ruler to show his face.
Seven of us sat at the wide round table, the soft steel color of the marble reflecting back warped versions of our faces. Iniko was to my left, his skin as black as night and hair the vibrant blue of a polished sapphire, just as his magic was. He wore only a pair of cotton trousers, the loose blue fabric sitting low on his hips, every muscle straining in his body as he looked at me and winked.
To my right sat Karys, who glowed the orange of a flame as she attempted to assuage the hatred filling the room—her matching hair blowing on the breeze that creeped through an open window. She wore no clothing, covered in an array of strung jewels instead, the orange gems shining in the light of the candles around us. Briefly, she flinched, her magic flaring. I gasped, raising my hands to shield my eyes.
“A love so far away shouldn’t be that powerful,” Karys whispered, as crazy as she always was. Still, her magic was strong, pulsing through the room once more and demanding we submit.
As per usual, I felt weak. Sin and virtue didn’t exist here as it did on Alemthian. We felt in different ways, held standards that seemed blurry in comparison to their stark contrast between good and evil. The others didn’t care that we lived like this because none of them were affected in the way I was. They might differ in their strength, but it was I who was left with barely any magic at all.
“They are all doing fairly well—though I find they are unsettled by our fearless leader’s aloof attitude as of late. Not to mention that new lover he has taken.” Venturae’s voice was louder than before, her green eyes locked on Jonah beside her. Her thin, forest green braids were nearly to the floor now, dark skin identical to one of the females I had spent a night with while on Alemthian—reminding me once more of how desperately I wanted to leave my home.
“War is on the horizon. I can feel it stirring within me. Peace has become rare, and unrest will push him to make a decision.” The calmness in Jonah’s voice seemed to settle the wariness that clouded the room. They all wanted war, regardless of who we were defeating. Immortality did that to a creature—made them eager for something new.
Which was why if he wasn’t here in five minutes, I was going to leave. It was his mission after all; he couldn’t fault me for taking it seriously. Nor could any of them blame me for wanting to feel more than stagnant comfort.
“How was it?” Druj asked from across the table. She wore a shimmering yellow gown, the shape molding to her body and cascading down her long brown figure. Her yellow hair was cut short, nearly showing her scalp, just as it had always been.
Life on Shamay never changed.
“It has been fine. I have yet to find her, but she will turn up eventually. Apparently, I caught her during her rebellious phase. She has run away from home.” With a wave of my hand, I brushed off the intrigue that lit up all six of their faces. I didn’t need any of them attempting to steal my mission from beneath me.
My head fell against the high-backed chair—the detailed carvings of different sins and virtues marking it as mine, just as its pink color did. The walls sported different symbols, the sky itself etched upon it—night and day. Before my eyes closed, I caught a glance of a detail upon the ceiling that reminded me of another obligation—I would need to visit Torrel before I go back to Alemthian. Her little one was likely driving her insane as he learned to fly, and I would need to make sure that Jesre—their keeper—was properly seeing to them in my absence.
“Don’t go getting lost now. You wouldn’t want to end up missing like Sol.” That was my last straw. I looked over at Iniko, his smug smile making me want to peel the skin from his face with a dull blade. He knew what Sol meant to me, what she meant to her sister.
“I’m leaving, tell our all-powerful and imposing leader to brief me later. Whatever it is, I have more important things to do,” I said, my nose tilting up as I pushed back the chair and let it scrape against the dark marble floors. Everything in here was too monochromatic. It was giving me a headache.
The others protested, all of their magic surging—electrifying the air. So heavy was the weight of it that I stumbled, my pink heels nearly snapping under the pressure. Unfortunately for them, I had maintained much of the strength I had gained on Alemthian. I whipped around, lifting my hands and forcing out as much as I could spare—adding pink to the rainbow of colors that were quickly mingling at the table.
Gasps sounded, none of them prepared for my magic to feel as potent as it was. A smile lit up my face, stretching my skin and lifting my cheeks.
“How about you all have a bit of fun while I’m gone?” And then the sin took over, each of them feeling far greater than they normally did. And as they succumbed to my magic, their own was fed as well.
Iniko’s body shook under the onslaught of chaos. Kyoufu’s red magic blasted out of his body as fear took hold of the others. I laughed, walking away as fast as the pink dress would allow me. The way it held my thighs together made it difficult, but soon, I was marching out of the castle, feeling the relief as I passed through the wards.
First I would go to the mountains, then to my caged creature on Alemthian.
***
“Well, you smell particularly foul,” I said, leaning against the bars. I still wore my pink dress, the skin-tight fabric ripped where Milo’s talons had scratched me. Torrel had scolded him little, but I wasn’t bothered. They were the only two things I missed about home.
The male on the other side of the bars was slightly slumped forward, his breathing a heavy wheeze. I could hear the rattling of his lungs attempting to suck in air. They hadn’t healed him this time. Interesting.
“Ah, Spice, you wound me. Since the last time you visited, I had my leg snapped in four places and my chest kicked in, so I imagine what you are smelling is the gore. Alas, two hours of torture is usually followed by alone time rather than a chance to wash off the bile and blood. But I promise that, as soon as I have access to a bubble bath, I will be sure to get squeaky clean for you.” Even his playful words couldn’t mask the pain that bled through his tone. He was hurt quite badly.
“Only two hours? That’s a truly paltry torture session. They could use the practice.”
His laugh sent him into a fit of coughs, blood pouring from his lips. “It seems I might die before I get the chance to show you just how enjoyable I can be. A pity.” His charming smile wavered slightly, eyes fluttering closed.
The wicked part of me—the sinful part—was angry that he would die before I was able to have him inside of me. I was livid with myself for choosing to answer the summons home rather than stay here. What I planned to be a slow and teasing experience was now going to end before it even began.
Virtue hated early death even more than sin—when it was doled out by anyone other than me, at least. I was far too conceited a creature to believe any of my own actions were wrong. Now, that virtuous half of myself was angry at the injustice of it all. It was that half that acted, forcing me to back away from the bars. My magic seeped from me, crawling through the dungeons and up into the golden halls.
“You won’t die. Not until I am ready for you to.” Before he could respond, I was walking away, storming up the countless stairs. This day was proving to be heinous.
When I reached the spot where my magic had pooled, following a soul of virtue that manifested in the need to heal, I grabbed onto the female. She had short brown hair and an uninteresting face, her cream skin and thin lips not standing out as anything particularly exciting. My hand went around her throat, pink aura pulsing from me as I looked her in the eyes. They were blue, like the sea or a clear sky on this planet.
“Fix him, now.” My voice echoed, tone chilling in its fury. And then I shoved my magic into her, latching onto her virtuous thoughts and igniting them, letting that desire to help run rampant in her mind. When I released her, she gagged, gripping her neck.
Only a few seconds passed before she stood up, took four deep breaths, and headed to the male dying on the stone floor below these gilded halls. I would take him with me, but it would have to be after I found Asher. I needed her secure before I began making demands and stealing away foreign creatures. Evidently, I was far more like that bossy male than I realized, seeing as we both enjoyed a good abduction.
When we reached the cell on the left, the fae female pulled out a large iron key, opening the cage and walking in. She offered what sounded like genuine apologies for taking so long and then added even more as she healed him, the experience painful by the sound of his gasps and cries.
The male didn’t pay much attention to her. Instead, he stared at me, his dull eyes taking on a shine that was not there before. I rolled my own eyes, but the smirk on my face could not be stopped.
When her hands ghosted across the male’s chest, he was forced to stifle a scream, his body convulsing from the pain. If he didn’t recover quickly, I was going to lose my patience. Luckily for everyone involved, the Healer finished. I pushed past the slightly open cell door, grabbing the female by the arm and spinning her to face me.
“Don’t tell anyone that you saw me here. If you do, I will cut off your eyelids and make you watch as I slowly kill everyone you love. Understand?” She nodded, her gaze wide with fear and her lip trembling. I couldn’t help but compare her to a scared fawn, her mousy brown hair and big eyes reinforcing that docile resemblance. “Now, leave before I do all of that just for the fun of it.”
Shoving her away, I turned to face the now-healed male, listening halfheartedly to the rushed steps of her retreating. For the first time, the creature on the ground looked fearful. Not in the way most were when they realized just how dangerous my kind could be. No, this was an inquisitive sort of terror.
“Must you threaten someone when you can simply ask for their discretion?” I groaned at the taste of virtue that came from the words, my fingertips giving off a pink glow. It bubbled inside of me, eager to burst free. After a lifetime of straining for a semblance of the magic the others held, the overwhelming nature of having more than I could handle threatened to consume me. “Why is murder your first instinct?”
Normally, I would kill someone for having the audacity to place judgment on my character, because who were they to question me? To look down upon me? Who were they when I was closer to Eternity than I was these mortals?
But when he said it, with his eyes that now held a fragment of life and his innately curious tone, I wondered if he meant something different.
“Would you like that?” I asked, as if I couldn’t help myself. As if I had to see what he would prefer.
It was strange, feeling so intrigued by something for this long. He was different. Lust and horror circled the space between us, like hawks readying for the kill, just as they always did when I found a new toy. Beyond that, however, was a new sort of experience. This male was compelled by my nature, and it seemed that outweighed everything else.
“I am no fan of death and destruction. I find myself more inclined to seek entertainment in adventure and drink.” With a scoff, I walked towards him. He watched, his eyes never leaving mine—to my dismay. Slowly lowering myself to sit beside him, I leaned my head back, the grime of the cell wall quickly coating my pink locks. When I turned to look at him, the male was smiling. “Is it truly death you desire, or is it the prospect of feeling something that drives you to slaughter?”
My responding laugh was far too loud, but I could not bring myself to mask it. What an unusual thought, that we were anything more than wicked and cruel. Each of us possessed the antithesis of what made us evil, of course. I drew magic from virtue in the same way I did sin. Just as Venturae drew from both fate and chance and Kyoufu drew from fear and bravery. But that didn’t make us half good. We were all unable to feel in the same way that these creatures did, and that made us more dangerous than any evil they had known.
“You seek to see redemption where there is none, handsome. But that does beg the question: If you aren’t a malicious murderer, then why are you being held captive by the golden fae?”
Absentmindedly, I reached out and conjured a small pink knife, twirling it in my hand. As expected, the male seemed unbothered. Even I was unsure if this action was meant to be a threat.
“If I answer, will you explain what in the Underworld you are?” There it was. I had been waiting for him to ask, seeing as I was so clearly other.
“Prove your worth, and I will s how you.”
He laughed, his hand brushing through his dirt-filled hair. I couldn’t help but notice the cut of his jaw as he did, his neck and shoulders straining with muscle.
“How about we make a deal, Spice? You get me out of here, and I will show you exactly how worthy I am. All I need is answers and freedom.”