Chapter 21
21
DAMIEN
W e reached the Ryder residence much faster than I expected. Cat didn’t have a chaperone, but she did have a carriage waiting for her, which was better than nothing.
She sat across from me in silence for the duration of the ride.
I hated it. I wanted to reach for her. To touch her skin, her lips, but I knew she wouldn’t let me again. What happened at The Gilded Serpent was due to the circumstances. Circumstances I didn’t think we’d get again. At least not anytime soon. She’d made that perfectly clear.
She was consumed with finding a way back home to her world; the thought made me grit my teeth with fury. She couldn’t wait to get away from here. But I was desperate to keep her… and I would. She just didn’t know it yet.
“My lady, we’re here,” the driver announced as the carriage rolled to a stop.
Cat hesitantly peered up at me. “Thank you for escorting me. Let me know what your uncle says.”
I nodded and leaned closer to her. “Can we meet tomorrow?”
She leaned back until her back met the wall of the carriage. She swallowed loudly. “What for?”
I shrugged. “I want to make sure you’re staying out of trouble. I don’t want to find you dancing for anyone else at The Gilded Serpent,” I smirked.
She rolled her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest. “That was a one-time deal. You won’t catch me there again.”
“Good,” I said. “If I do, you won’t like the consequences.”
She snorted. “What? You’ll spank me?”
“Maybe.”
She glared. “You do that, and I’ll chop your balls off!”
I laughed and leaned away. “I believe it!”
Cat narrowed her eyes at me. “You better.”
I watched her in the shadowed carriage and saw the twitch of her lips, as if she was holding back her laughter. I sobered. “I don’t want you going into the Southern District alone again. Let’s meet somewhere in the Northern District tomorrow night.”
She furrowed her brows. “Isn’t it dangerous for you to be this far north and so close to Dragon Valley?” she asked, concern lacing her voice.
“It is,” I said. “But I would risk it… for you.”
She chuckled. “You’re quite the smooth operator.”
“I’m assuming that’s a good thing?” I quirked a brow.
“Sure,” she laughed. “We’ll go with that. The Ryders have a beach house by the water. It’s heavily guarded by a warlock. We can meet there if you’d like. You’ll be safe there, and it’s not close to Dragon Valley.”
I tilted my head and watched her. “A warlock? Since when did you befriend a warlock?”
She grinned. “I have a few aces up my sleeve.”
“Your language is so odd,” I mumbled. “Who is the warlock?”
“Do you know Garrick? Warlock with an eye patch?” She pointed to her eye.
Garrick? She’s involved with him? Does this girl have a death wish? First the fae, and now him? If the emperor ever found out, I was almost positive he’d have her killed on sight. Especially if he found out about the mark on her forearm that matched my own.
“He’s not good company to have, Cat,” I cautiously ventured.
She shrugged. “He’s helped me out a lot, and vice versa. I saved his life.”
I couldn’t stop my eyes from widening. She saved his life? What would a warlock as strong as Garrick possibly need help with from a human? He was the most powerful warlock in all of Elaria. He didn’t need saving. “I find that very hard to believe.”
“Believe it.” She grinned and crossed her arms over her chest. “But whether you do or don’t doesn’t matter. What matters is that he owes me and we’re helping each other out.”
“Fine. I’ll meet you at your beach house tomorrow evening. Let Garrick know to expect me there. I don’t want any trouble,” I grumbled as I exited the carriage and turned to help her down the steps
“Will do.”
I was reluctant to release her soft hand when she reached solid ground, but I let her go when she pulled away. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” She jogged toward the front door and called over her shoulder, “Get home safely!”
She knocked on the door and the Ryder servants swiftly opened it for her and ushered her inside. Once the doors were shut behind her, I let out a relieved breath, knowing she was safe at home.
I was about to turn to leave when the shadows shifted and I realized someone was lying in wait. “Come out,” I called out, peering in their direction.
After a pregnant pause, a slender figure stepped out of the darkness and into the puddle of light from a nearby streetlamp. Gianna .
“What are you doing out so late?” I asked gruffly as I watched her once meek appearance morph into one of anger and resentment.
“I should be asking you that,” she said tightly. “It’s not the third Sunday of the month. You shouldn’t be on the mainland,” she accused.
I nodded and tilted my head to the side, sensing the shift in her demeanor. “I’m here on business that doesn’t pertain to you, and I don’t need to explain my actions to you.”
Gianna scoffed. “ Arya is your business? You used to hate her, yet now you want to spend time with her? So much so that you would risk your life to come on the mainland just to see her?”
I clenched my jaw in aggravation. I didn’t like having to explain myself, much less to Gianna. But she was owed this much. “Arya is the one,” I admitted coldly. “I’ll do anything for her.”
Gianna’s honey golden eyes widened at my admission and her mouth fell open. “W-What?”
My eyes narrowed. “You heard me. I don’t think I need to repeat myself.”
Her breathing accelerated and she started to heave. “You know how Arya has treated me! You know how cruel she can be!” she cried out. “How can you possibly love her?!”
I shrugged. “Love defies explanation, Gianna, but beyond that, Arya isn’t the same as she once was. She’s different.”
“No she’s not!” she exclaimed. “If you can’t see that, I’ll just have to prove it to you!”
I growled and took a menacing step toward her, forcing her to take a step backward. “If you do anything to hurt Arya, I won’t hold back,” I threatened.
Her beautiful visage shifted to one of scorn as she scoffed, “You would truly go that far for her?”
“Yes. I would.”
Tears streamed down her face and she turned away. “You’ll regret this,” she murmured. “Arya is pure evil. Always has been and always will be.”
With those parting words, she stomped up the walkway and disappeared inside the Ryder residence.
I shifted on the coast and flew over the water’s edge under the cover of clouds until I reached Obsidian Reach. The inky night obscured me from sight, and I swiftly flew into the mouth of the volcano without being seen, diving to the bottom where our makeshift living room was located. Seeing my uncle waiting for me, I quickly shifted back to my human form.
I stretched my neck and arms as I walked to the living room where Uncle Bai was seated, reading a book. It was a long flight from the Northern District to the island. Usually, I traveled from the Southern District, so the flight wasn’t so bad, but the longer flight had tired me out.
“What took you so long?” Uncle Bai asked without dragging his eyes away from his book.
I sat opposite of him. “I took Lady Arya home.” I decided it was safest to continue the ruse that Cat was Arya. Maybe I was worried he might want to send her back to her world if he knew the real story. That he would say she didn’t belong here. Because truthfully, she didn’t. Her presence here could disrupt whatever balance Elaria had. But selfishly, I couldn’t find it in me to part ways with her, especially since she was my one and only chance at freedom, and possibly more. At least I hoped for more.
Uncle Bai finally looked up from his book and peered over at me. “Lady Arya, you say?”
I nodded. “I ran into her in the Southern District.”
“Have you confirmed the mark on her forearm?” he asked curiously.
Nervousness coiled in my gut. “Yes. It’s the same as mine… She’s the one.”
“Hmm, I figured as much. I wonder if she’s always had it? Lady Arya, of all people… So odd,” he mumbled and scratched his head in contemplation.
I shook my head. “No, she got it the night before the accident.”
“Ah, right, I remember she did tell me that,” he said almost as if testing me… or her. “You know it’ll be difficult to wed her. The emperor has already banned Lord Zacharia—”
“I know,” I cut him off. “But I have to try. Even if we elope, I have to marry her.”
Uncle Bai chuckled. “Will Lady Arya be willing?”
I swallowed, fully aware of the answer to that question. She wouldn’t stay here with me even if I gave her all the gold in the world. I lifted my chin. “If not, then I’ll kidnap her. I’ll bring her to Obsidian Reach and lock her away.”
Uncle Bai choked. “W-What? Damien, are you unwell? You cannot simply kidnap a noblewoman!”
My resolve was unflinching. “I can and I will, if I have to.” It sounded bad, even to my own ears, but that was my desperation speaking. I knew deep down I had already started to care for Cat, and I wouldn’t hurt a single hair on her body.
Uncle Bai pursed his lips in disapproval and shook his head, closing his book with a snap and placing it on the side table. “Before you do anything drastic, let me see if I can figure something out. I will secure the emperor’s approval.”
“My father is sneaky, uncle. I’m sure he has some tricks up his sleeve. I don’t trust him,” I muttered as I bit my lip.
“Then trust me , Damien. I’ll secure Lady Arya’s hand for you the right way.”
I sighed. “Fine. But there’s another favor I need to ask of you.”
He nodded. “Of course, anything. Go ahead.”
I recounted everything Thorne had asked me to do for him, including what was happening in the palace with the ministers in court and how it tied in with the vampires. Then, I explained how my investigation led me to the underground fights of the Underclaw Market, which were run by the vampires. I told him about Arya’s involvement with the paintings and her theory about how it all tied together.
Uncle Bai listened carefully until I finished the whole story, though I could tell from his thunderous expression throughout my tale that he wasn’t thrilled by my association in the sordid affair.
“Damien, how many times have I told you not to get involved with the Crown Prince?” Uncle Bai demanded as he leaned back in his chair and stared at me. “Getting involved in politics will only bring you trouble.”
“You were the one who introduced me to him! I’m just helping my brother in return for a future favor.” I fought the slight flare of annoyance. Uncle Bai only introduced us because he wanted me to befriend Thorne so he would back me up in the future, especially once he assumed the throne. But I didn’t feel comfortable using my brother without helping him in return.
Uncle Bai sighed. “You never know what the future might hold, Damien. Whether friend or foe, it’s better not to get too close.”
“You wanted me to get close to him!” I exploded.
“But not like this, Damien!” he shouted back just as hotly. “You’ve become his dog, doing the dirty work for him! Is that what you want to do for the rest of your life?”
I frowned. “That’s not what I am.”
“Yes it is, boy. Do you think that once you get what you want, the Crown Prince will truly let you go? You are the renowned Shadow Prince. Feared throughout Elaria and just as elusive, with few who have ever seen your face. Your value is better than gold to him,” Uncle Bai said. “You want to leave Elaria and start a new life elsewhere? You can forget about that once the Crown Prince takes the throne.”
“Thorne is not like that,” I argued confidently. Thorne was soft spoken and gentle. He was also noble at heart. He would never confine me.
“He is, Damien. Or at least he will be once he learns of that mark on your arm,” Uncle Bai warned. “You need to protect yourself and Lady Arya.”
The sound of her name made me snap my gaze to him. “He wouldn’t dare hurt her.”
“Let’s hope not,” he murmured. “Now what is this favor you need from me?”
I took a deep breath and leaned forward with my hands on my knees. “We want you to infiltrate the underground fighting ring. You’re royalty. They would accept your bets with no questions asked.” I plowed ahead. “It would give us a chance to confirm our painting theory, as well as discover the location of where the noblemen and royalty watch the fights and place their bets. Then we can cut off their money source.”
Uncle Bai narrowed his gaze and pursed his lips. “I still don’t like you getting involved.”
“You already mentioned that,” I grumbled.
He shook his head. “I’ll do it, Damien. Just this once,” he conceded. “I’ll have one of my servants go to the Underclaw with my token to request a bet.”
I sighed. “Thank you, uncle.”
“Don’t thank me just yet.”