Chapter 31
Chapter Thirty-One
~ Shade ~
The pain is agonizing, but my magic works slowly to heal me. It’s just getting to the point where I think it’s somewhat bearable, when a searing pain blooms in my stomach. I slap my hand to the wall, hissing as the wave of agony spreads.
“Ouchie,” I rasp in a panic to the shadows. “It hurts.”
Elgen is sitting on my shoulder, and she studies my face. “Yes, I would assume so considering the beating you received.”
“No, not that,” I reply. “I’ve been away from my mates for too long. If they don’t find me soon, I don’t know what will happen.”
The shadow must note the panic on my face, because she doesn’t retort with a sarcastic reply.
“Hopefully soon, child,” Tarlaz replies soothingly, but I know the shadows don’t understand the gravity of the situation. My mates have always been there to help me erase the pain, and I don’t know how to stop it on my own.
I start panting as sweat coats my skin, and I close my eyes, trying my best to fall asleep in the hopes it’ll dull the pain. It feels like it takes forever, but eventually, sleep takes me, and I fall straight into a nightmare. A memory.
Blood coats my shaking hands, and I stare ahead at where a person lies motionless on the street.
This time I can make out more of their form.
The man has tattoos inked on his bald head, and his eyes are glassy as he stares forward.
His clothes are rumpled and soaked with blood, and just the sight of him has fear invading my senses.
Because even though I don’t remember who he is, I know where I’ve seen him before.
When Professor Yevar kidnapped me the first time, the professor had shown me this man’s image.
My boot taps the knife at my feet, and somehow, I know this is the man that I murdered...
More pain stabs into my stomach, and I cry out in my dreams, a ripple of power flowing out from me.
I feel his presence the moment he slips into my dream.
“Knox?” I rasp as my mate appears before me. “Is it really you?” I know I’m probably delirious with pain and imagining him, but there’s something about the sheer relief in his expression when he looks at me that has my heart racing. My mate looks…shattered.
“Shade? Tell me where you are,” he says, his gaze running over me, desperate and assessing, like he’s hoping my dream state will give him an indication as to how I look in the real world. I’m glad he can’t see my broken body.
“You’re not a figment of my imagination, are you?” My voice cracks. “How did you find me?”
His hands run over my dream body, and I feel every touch. “I’ve been trying to reach you in your dreams since you were taken, but I’m guessing Professor Yevar has been blocking me.”
My brows lower. “Then how are you here?”
His hands cup my face. “You called me, mate. Now, you need to tell me where you are.”
I shake my head. “I can’t. If you come here, they’ll kill you.” I want more than anything for the guys to rescue me, but the idea of King Malgur slaughtering them has me paralyzed.
A dark smile curves Knox’s lips. “Let them try. Nothing is going to keep us from you, mate.”
Tears prick at my eyes. “You don’t understand. The Xalgrith king thinks he can use me against you. He wants me to be his weapon. And their army Knox… There must be over a hundred thousand warriors. Their numbers are so much bigger than what the shadow army has. I’m serious. You can’t come here.”
Knox rubs his thumbs along my cheeks. “And you can’t keep us away, so you may as well spare us a few battles and point us in the right direction.”
I lean into his touch, more tears forming. “Fine. We’re in a volcano. It’s surrounded by a lake of lava. I’m in a cell right now.”
Knox’s gaze hardens, but he nods. “Anything else you can tell me?”
I frown. “Not really. There’s open land far around the volcano, and the Xalgrith army is camped nearby. I don’t know the actual numbers, but like I said, there’s a lot of them. Where are you guys?”
“Don’t you worry about us. All you need to know is that we’re coming for you.”
I want so badly to believe that they’ll get me out of this, but images of the Xalgrith army fill my head, and I don’t know how they’ll get past that. More pain fills my stomach, and I cry out again.
“What’s happening, mate?” Knox asks me, his gaze filled with concern. “I will make the Xalgrith king pay for all he has done to you.”
I grip Knox like he’s the only thing keeping me upright. “No, this isn’t because of the king. I’ve been away from you all for too long.”
Knox goes still as he understands what I’m saying. “Then let me help you, my love. As much as I can.”
His power ripples in my dream, and a bedroom appears around us. It’s the same one I keep conjuring when I’m trying to escape my nightmares.
Knox carries me to the bed, and he gently places me on the mattress before moving between my legs. Our clothes disappear, and before the next wave of pain can hit me, he’s dropping his head between my thighs.
His tongue brings pure pleasure as he slides it up my center, and I whimper, so overwhelmed and relieved to be feeling something other than pain. “More,” I sob, my fingers diving into his hair.
He nips at my clit, sucking and licking until I’m bucking beneath him, and when he works a shadow inside me, fire and ice racing up my core, I fall over the edge, screaming his name.
I’ve barely stopped shuddering when he lifts himself and buries his cock inside me. I gasp as the pain in my stomach completely dulls, and all I feel is my mate stretching me. There’s an urgency to his thrusts, and despite the pleasure, worry makes my heart race.
“Knox,” I moan. “Where are you guys?”
He doesn’t stop thrusting, and his shadows lick along my skin like icy tendrils. “Don’t worry. We’re all right.”
I swear I see a flash of pain on his face as he says it, but it’s gone an instant later.
His fingers move to my clit as he pushes inside me, and I call out his name as I find another release.
He holds me until the orgasm ends, and he leans closer, pressing soft kisses to my lips. “Feel better?”
I nod and sniffle, blinking back tears.
He brushes his thumb across my cheek. “We’ll find you, my love. Until then, you said King Malgur wants you to be his weapon. Play along. Do whatever you need to survive.”
“But he thinks I have some kind of great power or something.”
Knox’s lips twitch. “You do have great power, mate. You always have. Now, promise me you’ll do all you can to last until we get there.”
I clear my throat. “I-I promise.”
His answering smile makes my heart ache, and he gives me one last reluctant look before he disappears from my dreams.
I’m woken hours later when the guards replace my tray of unappetizing goop. I stare at the steaming red pile and wince.
My magic has healed the worst of my wounds, and the pain from not being with my mates hasn’t returned since my visit from Knox.
But my stomach is aching again, and I know this pain is because I haven’t eaten in some time.
I promised Knox I would do anything I could to last until they get here, which is why I’m staring at the goop.
Damn Professor Yevar for not letting me conjure food.
“All right, you’d better say your goodbyes now,” I murmur to the shadows as I set myself down in front of the tray.
“We shall think of you fondly,” Tarlaz replies, and I grin, because this guy is really starting to get my humor.
“Oh, stop being so dramatic, girl,” Elgen berates me.
“Okay, if you don’t think it’s that bad, let’s trade places,” I reply. “I give you full permission to possess me just for this moment.”
Elgen gives me a dry look. “Our souls may be connected, but that doesn’t mean we can possess you. Just plug your nose and let it slide down.”
I grumble because I really was hoping to get out of this. I say a mental goodbye to my mates and everyone else I know. “Okay, here goes.” Reaching down, I fork some of the goop and pinch my nose with my other hand. Please let this taste better than it looks.
Grimacing, I shove the forkful into my mouth with the intention of swallowing the goop in one go, but something sharp pricks my tongue, and I throw up immediately, vomiting on myself.
When I can breathe, I push my fingers through the mush still on my plate, only to find shards of broken bones mixed into the goop. I go to vomit again, but there’s nothing left in my stomach and I retch instead.
I quickly conjure up a bottle of water, because thankfully Professor Yevar hasn’t blocked me from doing that, and I down half the bottle in one go.
The guards cackle with glee, enjoying every moment of my suffering. What assholes.
“Ah, I see you’ve found your appetite,” Professor Yevar drawls, and I look up at where he stands in the doorway. He wrinkles his nose as he sees the vomit splattered on my chest.
I glare at him, and I’m entirely ready to sling a barrage of insults his way, because messing with someone’s food is a really fucked up form of torture, but he narrows his eyes, and I remember my promise to Knox. It’s not worth it, Shade.
Using my magic, I conjure up a clean outfit, glad that I can at least do that.
“Get her up,” Professor Yevar orders the guards, and they haul me to my feet.
The professor starts walking, and the guards jab their spears at me until I follow. Once again, Professor Yevar leads me to the summit of the volcano, and his cobra is already waiting for us.
“Let me guess, you’re taking me to see the king?” I say dryly.
He gives me a dark look. “Get on.”
I don’t make him ask me twice, and once again, we fly from the volcano and over the army. This time I pay more attention, and by the time we’re landing beside King Malgur’s tent, I’ve already filed away more information to tell Knox that I hadn’t noticed the last time.
A tingle of hope goes through me. No matter how I got here, being able to see the other side will help when I get back to the shadow realm.
That’s right, when. Because I will get back.
I realize that before, I hadn’t really believed it.
It wasn’t until Knox had walked into my dreams and made me promise to survive that I finally saw a way out.
They’re coming for me. The thought makes my heart clench.
We walk into King Malgur’s tent, and my steps slow as I take in the mess. The rack of weapons is on the floor, and there are torn maps strewn across the carpet.
King Malgur’s face is red, and going by the expressions of his guards, I’m going to guess his outburst was recent.
“Well, look at that. Male tantrums are universal no matter the species,” Elgen comments dryly, and I can’t help the smile that crawls onto my face. Which is a big mistake. Huge, actually.
King Malgur is across the tent in a few strides, and he grabs my shoulder, his face inches from mine as he lifts a knife to my cheek. I freeze, having to fight against my flight reflex at his outburst.
“Now what are you smiling at, human?” he snarls.
Great going, Shade. So much for doing anything you can to survive. Though in my defense, I didn’t realize smiling was a crime. “What? Can’t a girl smile when she sees a handsome face?” I blurt, hoping to disarm the situation.
King Malgur searches my gaze, and to my relief, his temper cools a fraction and a smile teases his scarred lips. But he still doesn’t drop the knife. “And what would your mates say if they heard such sinful words slipping from your lips. A compliment given to their enemy.”
“I’m sure the dark lords would want to cut your ears off for listening to them,” Elgen replies matter-of-factly, and her words help me keep the smile on my face. Which takes some effort considering King Malgur moves his blade, dragging it along my collarbone.
I hold his gaze. “I suspect they’d finally feel justified for their acts of cruelty against me,” I reply, trying my best to sound like I’m not lying.
“I’m the only one who can break them and make them lose this war, so a part of them will always hate me.
Even if I am their fated mate. I see that now.
I’ve lost count of how many times they’ve put me in danger, and now Queen Krosia is trying to kill me too.
At least with you, I know where I stand. ”
King Malgur considers this, and his gaze falls as he takes in my new clothes.
I’ve gone for a more conservative outfit, with stitched black leather that covers my arms up to my wrists, and my legs down to my ankles.
Silky black feathers decorate my shoulders, and most of my body is covered.
I was careful to try to hide some of my curves, but desire still ignites in the king’s milky eyes.
I fight to hide my disgust as he appreciates my body before finally returning his gaze to my face.
“It’s good to see she’s had a change of heart,” the king muses to Professor Yevar, who has been standing silently nearby.
“I told you she’d come to see reason,” Professor Yevar replies confidently. “She’s no ally of the shadow queen. She just needed time to realize that.”
King Malgur watches my face. “Is that true, human? Are you ready to be the weapon the Xalgrith need?”
I broaden my smile and rest a hand on my hip. “I’ll want assurances of my place here, but yes. The shadow warriors think I’m a threat. I guess I may as well prove them right.” The lie is wooden, but it’s enough to satisfy the king.
“Good,” he says, stepping back at last. He moves to pick up a massive sword from the floor. The blade is the length of my entire body, and I struggle to hold onto my smile.
“Because your mates are causing quite a lot of havoc in our realm,” he continues. “And I was close to skinning you alive and leaving you out there as bait for them.”
A chill slides down my spine, and I stiffen.
He turns his head toward me as he tests the sharpness of the sword, and blood wells on his finger.
“But having you by my side when we defeat them will be so much sweeter.” His smile is a grotesque slash across his harsh face.
“So, let’s see if you’re true to your word, and whether you’re the warrior Professor Yevar claims. Because if you’re not…
” He trails off as his gaze flicks to a smaller, curved knife resting on the armrest of his throne.
“…Well, let’s just say I don’t care how we defeat them.
One way or another, you’ll break those shadow men. ”