Chapter 33
Chapter Thirty-Three
~ Shade ~
Imessed up. Somehow, I went from promising to play good little warrior, to outright challenging the king.
Professor Yevar takes me back to the volcano, and I expect to be thrown into my cell again, but I’m surprised when I’m taken to a room on a higher level.
It’s incredible. There’s a bed against one wall, a small stone table with an actual chair, and most importantly, a washroom. I almost cry.
Professor Yevar also restores full access to my power, and for the first time since coming through the portal, I’m able to conjure up food.
Now, I actually do cry. Sobbing, I fill my table with all sorts of dishes, and I settle down, salivating over the spread.
“You’re going to make yourself sick,” Elgen says.
Of course, she’s right and I throw up most of it not too long after, but I tell myself it was worth it.
It’s hours later, and I’m curled up on the bed when shadows pool near the door and Professor Yevar walks into view.
“Ever heard of knocking?” I complain, still cradling my stomach.
Professor Yevar narrows his eyes at the mess of dishes still on the table. “You need to get up,” he says harshly.
I groan. “You asked me to impress your Xalgrith king and I did. Can’t I just rest for the remainder of the day?” I ask hopefully.
“No,” Professor Yevar growls. “I told you to prove that you’re an asset, not to challenge the king.”
“Well, I guess you should have been more specific.” My smile falls, and I sit up. “How’s Leira?” I’d continuously asked about her on the flight back to the volcano, but Professor Yevar ignored me the whole time. I’m scared to ask now.
“You were foolish,” Professor Yevar replies. “You should be focused on worrying about yourself.”
I blink around at the room in confusion. Before I can comment, the professor’s shadows wrap around me and squeeze. I try to fight him off, but I’m drained after what happened with Leira. I can’t feel Elgen and Tarlaz’s power now, and the past few days are catching up with me.
Professor Yevar grips my chin painfully and turns my head so I’m staring at the mess of plates. “What is this, Shade?”
My brows lower. “What? I was starving, and now that I have full access to my magic I—”
“And who gave you access to that?”
“To what?”
“Your magic,” he bites out.
He’s making no sense. Has he hit his head since the last time I saw him? “You did,” I answer, staring at him like he’s crazy, which let’s be real, he probably is.
“And why would I do that?”
I cough. “You were rewarding me for my demonstration with the king?”
His harsh laughter has fear curling around my neck. “I haven’t given you full access to your power, Shade.”
I blink at him, processing what he’s just said. While I can’t feel Elgen and Tarlaz’s power right now, I can still feel my own. As drained as I am, my power still simmers inside me. If I wanted to conjure a giant chocolate cake right now, I could.
“Oh, please do,” Tarlaz whines at the idea of cake.
Professor Yevar shakes me. “What did you do, Shade?”
“I told you I was hungry.”
“No, enough of that,” he snaps. “The more important question is what you did with that student.”
I swallow hard. “You saw what I did. I brought Leira back. I had to. I couldn’t kill her.” I won’t apologize for that. No matter what he does to me.
Professor Yevar’s hold tightens on me, and his eyes darken with fury. “Explain it to me,” he demands.
What? “You saw what I did,” I bite out. “I just made her remember Kenzie and pushed the king out of her mind.”
Professor Yevar laughs. “You simply pushed him out, did you?” he says mocking me.
“Well, yeah,” I reply, not sure why he’s acting like this.
His nostrils flare, but when he releases me and speaks again his words are calm. “I tried to help you, Shade. You could have been happy here. I suggest you think of a better answer than that when King Malgur interrogates you.”
“Interrogates?” True panic hits me then, because I realize Professor Yevar isn’t kidding. “But I told you what I did.”
Professor Yevar peers at me with disdain. “Then why does King Malgur seem to think you’ve found the very thing he’s been trying to locate for centuries?”
Confusion crashes through me. “I-I don’t know. I’m not even sure what the Xalgrith want. Any chance you’re going to tell me?”
“Lies.” Professor Yevar glares at me. “They found it didn’t they? Your so-called mates. And somehow, you’ve been exposed to it.”
When I continue to look confused, Professor Yevar moves to the door. “No matter. I’m sure you’ll give King Malgur all the answers when he’s peeling the flesh from your bones. Do remember that I tried to help you.”
I sag on the bed, fear making my heart thunder. What is he talking about? “You know, King Malgur seems pretty damn evil. Why the hell would I want to be on the Xalgriths’ side anyway rather than with the shadow warriors?”
“King Malgur’s actions do not compare to what I believe Queen Krosia is capable of,” the professor answers. “Guards!” he booms, and four Xalgrith warriors shuffle into the room.
I don’t understand what’s happening. The guards march me to the throne room where King Malgur is waiting. Unlike Professor Yevar, he doesn’t seem angry. No, he rubs his hands together excitedly as the guards drag me into the room, and somehow that seems worse.
“Ah, there she is,” the king says. “Our guest of honor.”
Professor Yevar remains silent as he moves to the side of the room, and I’m thrust to the floor in front of the throne.
“Your Highness,” I say, my voice trembling a little now, because clearly I’m in trouble. “I thought you were happy with me. I showed you my power. I can be your weapon.”
King Malgur studies me, his lips curving up. “Oh you showed us something, that’s for sure.” He gestures with his hand, and my heart sinks when Jensen and another hybrid student walk out from a side door, dragging a struggling Leira between them.
Crap. Deep down I’d been hoping that by having control of her mind again, she’d find a way to escape. But here she is. On the bright side, she’s still alive, but for how long?
King Malgur tosses a dagger in Leira’s direction, and I wince as it embeds in her shoulder. She cries out and stops struggling.
“Don’t!” I call out. “I shouldn’t have removed you from her mind. I guess I got carried away when you asked me to display my power. You should be punishing me, not her.”
“I thought the goal was survival?” Elgen croaks. “Not sacrifice.”
“I can’t let Leira pay for what I did,” I reply.
“You mean how you kept her alive instead of slaughtering her as the king asked?” Elgen replies.
“I mean how I’ve made her a target,” I counter. “And of all people I know how bad that feels.”
King Malgur smiles, his white teeth gleaming in the light. “Punish you? Oh, quite the opposite. This student is here merely as proof of what you did. This is a celebration. I’ll admit, I’d thought Commander Yevar was wrong about you, but you’re even better than he described.”
“A celebration?” I ask, not liking the sound of that.
King Malgur nods. “Yes, and to show my appreciation, I’ll even let this human live. All you have to do is tell me where you encountered it.”
I frown in confusion. “Where I encountered what?” I think back to what Professor Yevar had said.
Something about the king believing I’ve found whatever he’s been searching for.
Which makes no sense, especially seeing as I don’t even know what they’re after.
“I just gave Leira her mind back. I don’t know what you’re talking about. ”
There’s a stretch of silence, and then King Malgur laughs. It’s a hollow, harsh sound that bounces off the stone walls. When he finishes, I shift uncomfortably on my feet.
“Don’t play dumb with me, human.” He gestures to where Leira stands, a trickle of blood oozing from where the blade is still embedded in her body.
“I can let her live, or I can just as easily torture her and take her life instead.” The smile falls from his face, and his milky eyes bore into me. “Tell me where you found it.”
I swallow hard. I would lie, but I’ve always been terrible at that. “I told you. I don’t know what you’re talking about. If I could I—”
“The power! Where did you find it?” King Malgur booms as he rises to his feet.
It’s only then that I think about the strange energy I’d felt from Elgen and Tarlaz. The energy I’d touched before my power exploded and freed Leira. But that couldn’t be it, could it? “Is it you guys?” I ask the shadows, my heart racing. “Is that what he’s after?”
“I hardly see what the king would want with us,” Tarlaz replies.
But it’s the only thing that makes sense. Can this power be what both King Malgur and Queen Krosia want?
King Malgur strides toward me. “We’ve been searching for centuries trying to find that power source.
It will finally give me what I need to complete my mission, and you…
” He trails off and reaches down, grabbing me by the throat and lifting me to my feet.
“I can sense it on you. On your own, you wouldn’t have been strong enough to give this human back her mind. ”
There’s no way I’m going to tell him about Elgen and Tarlaz. I still don’t know if that’s what he’s after, but I won’t be responsible for putting more power into the hands of a deranged king. Besides, I wouldn’t betray my friends like that. “Perhaps you’re underestimating me,” I wheeze.
The king’s lips thin. “I didn’t just take her mind. I shattered it, and nothing could have brought her back. But look…” He gestures to where Leira is staring at me and the Xalgrith king with horror. “Here she stands, no longer under my influence.”
“So… you want the power because it’s a threat to yours?” I surmise.
He leans close, his breath hot on my face. “I need the power because with it, no one in all the realms could ever stop me. With that power, I would be…a god.”
I shiver. “Elgen and Tarlaz,” I hiss. “I could really use an explanation right now.”