Chapter 5
“Get up,” Orien orders as he unlocks my cell door.
I’m not sure how long it’s been since I fell asleep.
It couldn’t have been long. I was up all night thinking about everything Slader and Kane told me.
Part of me wishes I didn’t know any of it.
Now, I’m more confused than I’ve ever been.
There’s still a huge part of the story missing, and Slader made it clear he wasn’t going to share it with me.
When we enter the meeting room, I’m surprised to find Ryder sitting next to his father at the round table. This is the first time I’ve seen him since just after I epically failed trying to use the truth serum on him.
I know what part Damien has played in all of this, but I have yet to figure out the prince’s role.
Our eyes meet, and there’s a slight flicker in his eyes.
If I had to guess, it’s because I don’t look like the same girl he knew back at the Sector.
This new version of me is only the shell of the girl he had been training.
I break eye contact first. Looking at him is only a reminder of how much has changed.
A moment later, Damien walks in, and my heart stutters.
Could he really still be my Damien behind the hollow mask he now wears? Could we really find our way back to the love we once knew? Tyran was able to undo Slader’s magic on me. Would he be able to do the same for Damien?
Even then, could I ever trust him again? Could I ever look at him and not see the man who betrayed me? Could we repair the parts of us that have been broken? Maybe the Night Renderer magic could be undone, but what about everything else?
Too many questions. Too many unknowns. None of it really matters if we’re still prisoners of the king.
“Let’s get down to business,” King Cimmerian begins. “General Viros may be dead, but his followers must still be dealt with.”
I suppose that answers my question about the rebel leader being part of the military.
I would’ve assumed that those in the military units would be most loyal to the king, but maybe it’s the opposite, as they are the ones to see his savage ways firsthand.
Just like Kane and me, they’re the ones sent to do his dirty work.
“Cylas, you’ll take Reign with you to Cyron. I’ve been told that’s where his second in command is.”
Cylas nods. I had assumed all of this would be behind us. After everything that has happened recently, it was looking like the rebellion had been dismantled.
Maybe for King Cimmerian dismantled isn’t the same as destroyed.
Rebellion or not, I know I’m not going anywhere. If it’s not the rebellion forces he needs me for, it’ll be something else.
“How are the military units looking?” The question is directed at Ryder, and I now realize that’s where he’s been all this time.
“They’ve been handled, and the traitors have been dealt with.”
A sinister grin spreads across the king’s face. “Very good.”
After the meeting ends, I’m brought back to my cell and told I’ll be leaving with Cylas in a few hours. I have yet to find out what the king has planned for us in Cyron, but my gut is telling me it will be much worse than simply starting a fire.
“How’d the meeting go?” Kane asks once Orien is gone.
“Oh, you know. Just the king deciding one dead rebel leader isn’t good enough.”
Kane rolls his eyes. “Of course not.”
“Ryder’s back. Apparently, he’s been with the military units, cleaning house.”
“That makes sense. Other than the king himself, Ryder is the next best thing to scare them into submission.”
“Ain’t that the truth,” Slader pipes up. “I hate to admit it, but that is one scary dude. If it weren’t for his father wanting to keep me around, he would’ve killed me the night he found us… well… you know.”
“Torturing me? Yeah, I do know.”
“Okay… anyway,” Kane mumbles, trying to break up the tension between me and Slader. “Anything else we missed?”
“He’s sending Cylas and me to Cyron today to find the rebel leader’s second in command. Other than that, I don’t know much. He’s already made his public execution, so maybe this is business he wants to handle quietly. Either way, I’m not looking forward to it.”
“You really think the rebellion is still thinking about attacking?” Slader asks Kane.
“No, but I do think this is the first time the king has felt truly threatened, and he’s not taking any chances.”
I tried to sleep as much as possible before Cylas came to get me, but most of the time was spent running through different hypotheticals of how today could go. Knowing what’s about to happen wouldn’t change anything, but I’d rather be mentally prepared.
“What’s the plan?” I ask Cylas, who seems to be in a rush by how fast he’s dragging me through the palace.
“You’ll find out when we get there.”
Once we’re outside, he pulls the same colored vial from his cloak and throws it to the ground just as he had before.
The dark blue mist that reminds me of Emeric’s dragon scales is still evaporating when several armed men ambush us. Cylas is pulled from me before I even have time to take in the new surroundings. A hand comes from behind and covers my mouth, muffling my screams.
There are too many of them, and everyone is moving in different directions, like they each have their own orders. Cylas fades from my view as I’m dragged into a nearby alleyway.
I’m pushed up against one of the walls by the man who was just behind me.
“Remember me?”
Recognition instantly sets in. I could never forget the face of the man who taught me how to throw daggers that day in Cyron two years ago. The scar on his cheek only confirms it’s him.
“You can trust me, Reign.”
I nod my head and he slowly removes his hand from my mouth. I don’t know if I can fully trust anyone anymore, but I do know I’m better off with him than a member of the Royal Circle.
“How did you know where we would be?” I’m not sure if it’s the first question I should be asking, but it’s the first one to come to mind.
“We have someone on the inside.” I open my mouth to ask another question, but he cuts me off. “I promise I’ll explain everything to you, but right now we need to go.”
He grabs my hand and takes off running down the alley. A couple others join us, but there’s no sign of Cylas. When we come to a dead end, the man, whose name I still don’t know, taps on the ground.
“Step back,” he orders, gently guiding me with his arm.
The place we had just been standing suddenly opens up, revealing a hidden tunnel. He motions for the two other men to go down first, and we quickly follow behind. The passageway is already lit with glowing orbs, but even with the added light I can’t tell how far it goes or where it leads.
We’re not running anymore, but our pace is quick as we make our way through the tunnel.
Once we reach what must be the end, the tunnel opens up again.
This time we’re met with a forest of gold and rust-colored trees.
I’m not sure how deep into the forest we’ve gone but based on how long it took us to get here we must be pretty far from the heart of the realm.
The man, who I would guess is in his late thirties, offers me his hand and pulls me up out of the tunnel.
We walk only a few yards before they all stop.
He nods to one of the other men who kneels on the ground.
I watch as he removes the black glove from his hand and places his palm on the grass in front of him.
I let out a gasp when a house appears before us. Whatever magic had been concealing its location has vanished, revealing a charming cottage-looking house camouflaged within the surrounding trees.
“Not what you were expecting, huh?”
I shake my head, still in awe.
As we walk through the front door, we’re greeted with the smell of cinnamon.
It’s been so long since I’ve smelled anything resembling food that the scent instantly makes my mouth water.
The two other men kick off their boots and plop down onto one of the couches.
Whatever this place is it must feel like home to them.
“Come Reign, let’s get you settled.” The man with the scar leads me into one of the other rooms where a woman is laying a pile of clothes on the bed.
“Oh Artemus, you’ve brought home a stray.” The curvy woman waltzes over to us and swoops me up in her arms. “Hello, my dear! I’ve heard so much about you!”
When I turn to the man, whose name I now know is Artemus, he adds, “I promise I’ll explain.”
“First things first.” The woman walks out of the room and brings back a tall, bearded man with her. “Please get that monstrosity off this poor girl.”
The man walks behind me and before I can ask what he’s doing, the power dampener falls from my neck.
“How did you—”
“Ramus here, created these collars under King Cimmerian’s orders,” Artemus answers. “Before he handed them over, he made sure to put in a fail-safe that would allow him to override the lock if he needed to.”
I turn to the giant whose head almost touches the ceiling. “Thank you.”
He nods with a grunt before turning around and walking out the room.
“He’s a man of few words,” she tells me as she hands me a stack of folded clothes. “Let’s get you cleaned up! I’m sure it’s been a while since you’ve had a proper shower.”
“What gave you that impression?” I reply sarcastically.
The woman laughs hysterically. “Oh, I’m going to like you! It’s about time there’s another woman around here.”
She leads me into a bathroom and starts the shower. Just as she’s about to close the door behind her I start to say, “Thank you…”
“Tilliana,” she interjects. “But you can call me Tilly, dear.” She offers me a kind smile that reminds me of Agatha before leaving me to wash up.
The hot water feels like a massage as it pelts my bare skin.
As I wash my body, I notice just how many cuts and scars now mark me.
In the dark cell it was hard to tell and when I had seen my reflection in the oval mirror, I still had clothes on.
But now there’s nothing hiding every wound that has been inflicted on me since I was brought to the kingdom.
When the water goes cold, I take it as my sign to get out.
It’s going to take more than one shower to untangle the mess that is my hair, so I don’t even bother with it.
Instead, I just put on the fresh pair of clothes that are slightly too big and avoid looking at myself in the mirror.
I already know what I’ll see, and I’d rather save myself the heartbreak.
“Here you go,” Tilly offers, setting a plate of food in front of me.
Judging by the look on her face as she watches me shovel food into my mouth, I must look like a starving animal. I know it’s not the best manners, but it’s been months since I’ve had solid food and I can’t control myself.
“Alright.” Artemus takes a seat across from me. “I’m going to do my best to answer any questions you may have but know that there are some things I can’t tell you.” I’m not exactly pleased that he’s already preparing me to be let down, but at this point I’ll take what I can get.
“What did the others do with Cylas?”
“They took him to a secure location underground to extract information from him.”
I scoff. “Good luck with that. He’s not going to tell you anything.”
“Oh, you’d be surprised. We’re very resourceful,” he replies with a grin.
“How long have you been a part of the rebellion?”
“It’s been brewing for a while,” he says as he twirls one of the kitchen knives in between his fingers.
“Things picked up about eight months before you arrived at the Sector your first year and that’s when I was recruited.
It was really the change in the training regimen that was the last straw for people. ”
“Oh yes, I had heard about that, but he had changed it back?” I counter.
“By then it was too late. Once everyone got a glimpse of who he truly was there was no going back.”
“And what about now? I’ve seen the crowds. People are praising him for ending the rebellion.”
“Some, yes. He’s a smart man as much as I hate to admit it. But this rebellion started long before I got involved and it’s not going away until the king is out of power.”
“Well, you better have one hell of a trick up your sleeve if you think you can go up against him.”
“Oh, honey, it’s not a trick we have. It’s an army.”