Chapter 8
Eight
Slumped against the cell wall with my knees to my chest, I drop my head into my hands. Sitting several feet away is a velvet bag filled with glimmering stones, a handful of which are now scattered across the cold floor.
I know that I can’t do what the king has demanded, but I couldn’t help myself from at least trying.
After all, he’s threatened Ella and the other sullied, I had to try.
In my desperation I started to believe that there was something I could do.
After all, I can hear their song that no one else seems to, that has to mean something.
Perhaps these stones are strong and their properties would shine through, enough that if I present them properly, the king will believe that I have magicked them.
However, as soon as I touched them, I knew that was impossible.
Lifting my head I stare at the stones accusingly.
Gems all make a sound, a quiet humming that is unique to them, yet the ones I’ve been provided with are completely silent.
There is no hum, no feeling of their power, almost as though they have been drained of that inner light.
They are now nothing more than pretty stones, as useful to me as rocks.
Reaching for the pouch resting at my hip, I release it and let the gems fall out into my palm.
It had been agreed that I could keep these with me in case they helped with my task.
The idea that I could use them to escape clearly wasn’t something they were worried about. Sadly, for me, they were right.
As soon as my stones lay in my hand, I can feel their strength, their quiet song reaching my ears and bringing a small smile to my face.
It aches from where the advisor slapped me earlier, but it is worth the sting to hear that sound.
I feel more grounded, and it confirms to me that there is something wrong with the crystals the king has given me.
Has something been done to them to make sure that I couldn’t succeed even if magic somehow had returned?
Why go through all that effort though, it makes no sense.
How is Ella coping being alone? Is my little sister okay?
What a stupid thought. Of course she isn’t okay, her whole life has been turned upside down and she’s on her own, again.
After I promised her she would never be alone again.
These were words whispered in the night when I would hold her through the nightmares.
They were a comfort to her, but I never should have made that promise.
As sullied, we have both lived longer than expected and every day could be our last, I had no business promising her that I would always be at her side.
She is too gentle for this life, and I have no idea how she is going to get through without me.
I should have taught her more, forced her to learn how to survive instead of coddling her.
The thought of her losing that innocence and kindness to become hardened and bitter like me had always stopped me, and now she will suffer for it.
Joel will take care of her though, he has a soft spot for her. He wouldn’t let her suffer alone, right?
The thought of her curled up, frightened and alone makes my shattered heart ache, and a wave of nausea washes over me.
Clutching my crystals tightly in my hand, I screw my eyes shut, drawing on whatever strength I can, whether it be from the gems or any hidden survival resources within me.
My stomach revolts and I think I’m going to throw up.
No, I need whatever energy I can get, and vomiting will only make me weaker.
There might not be much in my stomach, but it’s still fuel I can’t waste.
My eyes sting with the effort of holding it back as I gasp for air.
Sitting back on my heels, I allowing my despair to swallow me.
When I fail tomorrow, I just have to hope and pray that the king was bluffing about wiping out the other Sullied, the Ella will be safe.
Wait. When I fail tomorrow. That doesn’t even sound like me, why am I thinking like this?
The position I’m in is pretty desperate, but I’ll be damned if the king is going to win this battle.
I’ve never been one to accept defeat, even in the most hopeless of situations, so why would I start now?
For as long as my heart continues to beat, there is hope.
Repeatedly, the gods, this city and its king have tried to destroy me, taking and taking until I break.
They didn’t succeed then, and I will not let them now.
Sitting in his castle with ample sources of water, the king has never wanted for anything in his life.
Until now, it seems. Magic is banned and an affront to the gods, so why does he want me to produce it for him?
If he is looking for a reason to kill me, he already would have, meaning this isn’t some elaborate plot to prove me guilty.
Sighing, I lean back against the wall and take several deep breaths, clutching my crystals to help keep me grounded.
I have tried reaching for the gems power, both the ones provided and my own, but nothing happened.
I even tried talking to them, but other than being able to hearing their song, I have no magic and that’s not going to change while I am locked up down here.
There is one thing I have yet to resort to. Pray.
My relationship with the gods is murky. They took my family from me and ensured that whatever life I had left was going to be difficult and lonely.
My last prayer to them was on the day they redesignated me.
I was sure it had to be a mistake, so I prayed and sobbed my heart out, begging them to forgive me, but they had already turned their gaze from me.
The rest of the city followed suit. I made a vow never to pray to them again.
My soul is not the only life to be on the line.
I have Ella to think about and I’m not too proud to at least try.
This will work, it has to. Why do I feel nervous all of a sudden? My hands are even trembling slightly. Blowing out a shaky breath, I close my eyes and focus on the grounding crystals in my palm.
“I don’t know who is listening, whether it be the gods, or someone else entirely,” I start quietly, feeling awkward as I speak aloud but pushing my desperation into my prayer.
“But I need your help,” I continue, my voice breaking as I admit this aloud.
My eyes sting and I feel the cool trail of tears dripping down my cheeks.
“This probably isn’t going to work, you have never listened to the likes of me before and I have never looked toward the gods kindly, but I am turning to you now in my time of need.
” I forget that I’m kneeling in a cell beneath the palace, that guards are probably listening to me and laughing at my plight.
All that I can focus on now is my destress and desperation.
The gems are warm in my hands, their distinct hum forming part of the background noise as I ignore everything but my prayer.
“If not for me, then help me for Ella.” A sob tares from my lips and I tilt my head back to look up, as though I can see straight through the ceiling and directly to the feet of the gods. “Please help us. I don’t have much, but whatever I do own, you can have it! It is yours!”
“You probably shouldn’t offer that; someone might take advantage,” a sage voice offers from behind me.
Heart in my throat, I spin to face the voice. There’s a man leaning against the wall of my cell, his arms crossed over his chest. My eyes lock onto the two small horns protruding from his forehead and the wicked smirk on his lips. No, not a man at all.
“Demon,” I whisper, horrified by my rapidly worsening situation.
How did he get in here? I’ve heard all about demons, but never seen one in the flesh before.
To be honest, I didn’t believe that they existed and thought they were simply a warning tale for children.
Tall and slim in build, he looks surprisingly…
human. His features are slightly feline and I can see the pointed tips of his ears poking through his straight, shoulder-length dark hair.
If it wasn’t for the horns, you would forgive people for mistaking him as a very attractive human male.
His eyes are steely grey and seem to see directly into my soul, his stare intense despite the smirk he wears.
The power that pours off him in waves makes it impossible to mistake him for anything mortal.
His eyes widen suddenly and he jumps away from the wall, spinning as though looking for someone.
“A demon?! Where?!” He exclaims and I belatedly realise that he’s joking.
I don’t know what expression I’m currently pulling but it seems to amuse him.
Snorting, he leans back against the wall, raising one dark brow.
“You summoned me, why are you so surprised that I’m here? ”
Summoned… Scrambling to my feet I feel my head shaking rapidly in denial. “I didn’t summon you! I was speaking to the gods!” My voice is high pitched and a little shrieky as I try to defend myself. There is no way I could have done what he’s suggesting.
“No,” he clucks his tongue and rolls his eyes, clearly bored with my reaction. “You were speaking to anyone who could help you. The gods have already decided you are beyond helping,” his eyes narrow as he nods toward the black band on my arm.
Slowly, the reality of what he’s saying begins to dawn on me.
He is a demon. Somehow, I’ve summoned a gods-damned demon and now he’s staring at me like I am the dumbest creature he’s ever met.
I’m beyond helping, that’s what he said.
The gods have turned their backs on me and now the only ones to listen to me are…
demons. Normal people cannot summon demons, right?
That must mean there is something wrong with me.
Am I a witch like the guards accused me of being?