Chapter Eighteen
Uneasiness undulated within Carys at witnessing the prince's private emotion. She hastened from the room, unable to understand how the princess could worth such sacrifices.
But her confused remained, haunting her through the night, through exhausting hours with Mistress Claudia, and still continued nagging during Meical's End of Day feast.
Filled to the brim with warriors and dependents, the main hall was alive with cacophony and light.
Carys choked on smoke and sweltered from the heat of the torches lining the walls and the massive mystical bonfires.
She hated her brother's insistence on communal meals.
He believed it was important to establish an egalitarian atmosphere in his domain.
People were seated on cushions around low tables, symbolizing no difference in rank.
Except there was a difference. The Law of the Beasts demanded the strong to dominate, and her brother dominated the center of the room.
Surrounded by the most fearsome warriors and mages, his table overflowed with lavish food and wine.
Everyone endeavored for a seat near Meical, leading to inevitable, questionable displays of strength.
"Meical!" Carys held her hand over her mouth, trying to gain a measure of privacy for their conversation. "May we please eat in our private quarters now?"
He raised an eyebrow. "You aren't enjoying the entertainment? Listen to the sweet music, Nightshade."
She winced at the clamor. It started when a Curse Mage flung a goblet at another mage.
The wine-drenched man sent a black fireball at the first one.
Howls erupted as flames ravaged his body, but it didn't stop him from beating mystical arsonist with a club of searing iron.
As the travesty ensued, she felt a surge of envy toward Aidan.
He might be eating alone, likely staring at his lost love, but anything was better than this destructive drama.
Meical nudged her. "I'd wager Fiery beats Ugly to death."
Bradon, no happier than Carys, picked up his goblet. "Foolish... how did he forget those cursed flames can only be extinguished by the caster?"
Nyx, practically seated on Meical's lap, smiled in a goading way. "The pain probably burned the sense right out of his mind."
Meical snorted. "Too true. Fiery is in for a hollow victory."
Carys scowled and poked at her unappetizing meal.
Most were too drunk to care that the food was cold, hard, and burnt.
But the dubious entertainment sickened her, destroying what remained of her appetite.
She pushed aside her plate of heavily seasoned bone-dry meat.
"Meical, I have private matters to discuss. .."
Her brother nodded, but his attention was diverted as the ugly mage went flying into the wall. Meical scrambled up on the table. "Last man standing will be awarded my sister's famous healing potions."
Carys groaned, burying her face in her hands.
As one of the few who didn't fear challenging Meical, Nyx pulled him down. With a seductive tilt of her head, she tapped his nose. "Oh Meical, Meical... you make that damn offer every time. I thought you wanted a show?"
He took her in his arms. "Fiery's screams are becoming rather annoying." He kissed her neck, his hands moving all over her body. "We might as well get to the finale."
She leaned back into him as his mouth moved over the rotten half of her face. "I don't know why they fall for your offer every time. Every damn time you dangle that healing potion, they end up killing each other quicker."
He snickered. "It's great fun."
She took a swig of ale. "Did you ever consider that your sister might not want that sort of carnage while she eats?"
"She's of the Curselands." He inhaled her raven locks as if they were the sweetest flower. "This is nothing to her."
Carys didn't know whether to be proud that her brother thought so highly of her or if she wanted to scream.
"Perhaps." Nyx nestled against Meical. "But every time you make that little announcement, it puts her on display."
Bile besieged Carys. She hated to think about what Nyx was saying, but it was unavoidable.
A dozen men eyed her and even more pretended not to eye her.
The obvious lust disgusted her. It wasn't because she was pretty or made an effort to look nice.
Her shapeless black dress and tangled hair didn't bring attention.
She knew the true reason for their attention.
Meical frowned at their depraved gazes. "Nyx? Darling? Take my sister to my quarters, won't you? If any man as much as touches her, get yourself some new jewels."
Nyx laughed as she pulled out her dagger.
A savage smile crossed her face, and she flipped the blade in the air, catching it with expert skill.
Meical leaned forward and kissed her with such passion that Carys was surprised that they didn't start fornicating on the table.
Nyx broke away before it went that far and gestured for Carys to follow.
Screams of Fiery and Ugly pierced her ears and Carys hastened after Nyx, almost skidding on bloodied floor. Her toes curled at the wet stickiness clawing at her feet. She hoped it was only Curse Creature blood.
Despite the gory duel, black eyes continued tracking her.
But most ducked their heads at Nyx's grisly visage.
Her diaphanous tunic showed the curves, but the ghastly scars caught Carys' attention.
It didn't stop the braver or the licentious from ogling Nyx, but she strode with boldness, indifferent to the depraved watchers.
Carys' skin always crawled at the open decadence. The Law of the Beasts and living on the edge of a dagger brought out depravity. Hands and tongues were employed openly while a couple fornicating against a wall.
Her discomfort didn't fade as they turned down a corridor, leaving behind most lechery. It mostly irked that Meical sent her away like she needed to be protected. "I can take care of myself," she mumbled. "I don't need a chaperone."
Nyx twirled her dagger. "Of course. I pity any cocksure fool who tries something with you. But your brother has good reasons to be concerned."
Carys shivered at the warning tone. "Then why does he call such attention to me?"
Nyx paused and sighed. "Curselord Meical is one of the most cunning lords in these nightmare lands. But those with cursed blood don't think clearly when the bloodlust has us in its grip."
"I've the same blood and I haven't any bloodlust," Cary said, as a greasy man approached them.
She assumed the drunken lecher didn't recognize them. Although he likely did a few seconds later when she unleashed a burst of magic, slamming him into the wall.
Then she kicked him for good measure.
Nyx stepped over the groaning man. "Oh no, you're ice. So... are you sure you want to head to Meical's quarters? He'll likely be some time. If you'd rather slip away to your prince, I'll make your excuses."
"He's not my prince!"
Nyx held up her hands and stuck out her tongue. "I beg your pardon. Obviously you don't care a cursed fig for him."
They turned the corner, reaching the spiral staircase leading to her brother's quarters.
The cursed stairs allowed only those with permission to ascend, so Carys didn't have to worry about lechers following her.
One young woman who schemed to seduce Meical had attempted to sneak up to his room.
She ended up falling, breaking her ankle and swearing the stairs had tried consuming her.
Nyx had laughed rather hard that day.
The long climb was worthwhile, as Meical's quarters were the nicest area of Ghost Tower.
As they entered, a warm fireplace roared to life and dozens of candles spontaneously illuminated.
Carys' cold feet rubbed against lush carpets and her eyes took in her brother's dazzling tapestries.
Meical's fine bed was the centerpiece of the room, swathed in scarlet coverlets.
Nyx bounded over to it as if it was a habit.
Carys flinched at the sight of Meical's bone altar. Blood and gore smeared it, debris of life littered it. Although she couldn't understand how he kept obtaining animals for sacrifice.
She turned her head from his half-opened potions cabinet, fearing how many healing potions were missing. Cursed healing potion carried consequences.
The beautiful tapestries of the Starlands offered a bit of distraction.
Some found them saddening or angering since they depicted the banishment of Curse Mages into the Curselands.
But she never paid mind to the wretched forced into perdition, only captivated by the sky.
After seeing the real place, she realized the blue threads could never capture the sky's richness.
The little golden ball was nothing like the blinding beauty of the sun.
Nyx coughed. "The Starlands aren't as nice as tapestries make them look."
Carys cringed at being caught staring. "I know."
A knowing expression came over Nyx. "And you shouldn't judge them all by your prince."
"Aidan is not my prince, just as Meical isn't your Curselord," Carys said. "In truth, Meical's likely having some girl in a corner and forgot that we are waiting."
Nyx ran her fingers over the bed. "Meical is welcome to any girl. We both enjoy our freedom."
They bewildered Carys. Meical respected Nyx, and the two had a strong, sensual relationship, but that didn't stop them from pursuing others.
"Are we capable of love?" Carys blurted out.
Nyx tilted her head, the hideous half of her face more prominent. "Us? Or a more general us?"
Carys couldn't meet Nyx's gaze for long, ducking her head and playing with a thread on her sleeve. "Curse Mages... any condemned to this place. Does the Curselands kill our ability to love?"
Nyx leaned forward. "Why are you thinking like that? Is it the prince?"
"No. I don't know... it's just how he loves his princess," Carys mumbled. "I've never fel... I've never known anyone who could feel that way."
She raised her head, and Nyx patted the bed.
With reluctance, Carys joined her. The sympathy on Nyx's face was worse than the decaying half.
"There's a reason you've never experienced that kind of love.
I can't claim to know your prince very well, but I think I understand his love.
I was a maiden in the Starlands once, after all.
That sort of love? It cannot grow in the Curselands. "
"Ah."
Nyx shook her head. "Let me finish. It cannot flourish here because it is innocent first love.
There is no innocence here. That is not saying that there is something wrong with those who grew up here or that they cannot love.
Love exists here, regardless of what those in the Starlands believe. Look at your brother."
Carys frowned, unable to find the polite way to say that Meical didn't love Nyx.
Nyx chuckled. "I didn't mean that he is in love," she said, winking with her good eye. "But look over at that tapestry. Do you never wonder why Meical has it?"
Carys hunched down. "Because he wants to remember the wrongs done to us by the Starlands."
"He doesn't need a tapestry for that," Nyx said dryly. "It's for you. He keeps them to remind himself to give you the sun. Why do you think he originally had that mad plan to go through the Jumping Portals? He actually hoped to return..."
"What?"
Nyx smiled. "He wanted to find a mage and force them down here to heal you."
Carys' heart lurched and she stared at her hands.
Her pale skin hid rot, the curse chaining her to hell.
Some theorized a Star Mage could heal the corruption.
If she were healed, she could spend more than a day in the Starlands every year.
She would have many days under the sun and stars, breathing the sweet fragrance of freedom.
The weight of reality crushed hope and her shoulders sank. "But it never would have worked. He may never have found a Jumping Portal in time, nor been able to force a mage down. Most would never fall for a sacrifice curse."
"True enough." Nyx exhaled. "But try arguing with your brother. He wants you to have the sun."
"Are you sure he didn't just want to kill the people of the Starlands?"
"Likely both." Nyx patted her back. "He has gone through hell to make sure you survive this world. Love is the only explanation. Everything else he does is out of lust or hate."
Carys lifted her head and studied the tapetry's blue sky. "Perhaps Meical can love, but he dwelled in the Starlands longer than me. I've been here since I was a babe. I don't... I don't think I can feel that way."
"I can't expect you to trust me, as we all have lies in our blood. But I swear to the Blood Dragon that I am speaking true. You can love." Nyx's hand tightened on her dagger's hilt. "Never let that prince of yours make you feel like you cannot love."
"It's not his attention," Carys whispered. "I see the difference between us. Not just me. No young in the Curselands could ever feel that way for anyone."
"For anyone?" With a quizzical look, Nyx twirled her dagger. "Do you want—"
Her words broke off as Meical stormed into the room. Carys resented that he didn't blow his own door off the hinges. "I'm never feasting with those bastards again," he pronounced, as he did after every meal. "We're going to eat each other alive before ever making it back to the Starlands."
Nyx rolled her good eye. "I hope no one was actually indulging in cannibalism."
Meical kicked a trunk, expelling enough magic to send it flying across the room. "You know, I wish they would! Curse Creatures show more sense."
Bradon, Gil, and Cal, Meical's new protégé, trailed in after their lord. Cal and Gil maneuvered a food cart inside, followed by a young serving girl. Too young. She couldn't have been more than fourteen.
Nyx went to calm down the raging Meical as Gil helped the servant set the table and pour ale.
When the girl's sleeve fell back, a putrid scar showed on her arm.
Carys suspected this was another lost soul saved from the wilds of the Curselands.
Her brother worked hard to appear wicked so that no one would ever notice his acts of mercy.
Someone like Aidan would never understand.
People in the Starlands looked down on them, never understanding the difficulty of fighting the poison.
But Carys wished she could be like Aidan.