Seven
Alara
As soon as the opening of The Enclave ended, I was hauled into another carriage and taken back to the castle. I thought I would be going back to the cells, but Declan with his too-tight grip is dragging me through the unfamiliar castle hallways.
Heavy, purple drapes curve around the windows of the corridor I’m in, and portraits of the king, along with his children and some past kings, maybe, line the walls.
One thing I realize though is that I don’t see any queens…
Coming to a stop at a room that has a guard stationed outside of it, Declan knocks.
“Enter.”
Declan opens the door and we enter another room, this one more like some sort of office. The king stands by the floor-to-ceiling window, looking over what seems to be a courtyard below.
“Welcome Alara, take a seat.”
I hate the way he says my name, like it’s some sort of joke.
I’m shoved into the seat before the desk, and I place my hands on my knees, fisting the fabric of my dress.
“Today is the start of your new task.” My task? He turns and sits opposite me, hands resting on the desk, his eyes gleaming with what looks like calculation. “Let’s get to it, shall we?”
He looks at me, and I nod my head.
“I don’t particularly like silence as a response.”
“Y-yes.”
“Good. We haven’t gotten to know each other, you and I. Tell me, where did you come from?”
My heart hammers in my chest. “W-what do you mean?”
“There are no elves in my land without my knowledge, so, tell me. Where did you come from?”
If I tell him, will he go for Emerish? Will he find the undergrounds? But then what of Effy, where will she go? No one wants to take on an older slave. She’ll be sent to the streets to die of hunger or the winter cold.
Or The Pit even, like I was.
Is it better than her being with Emerish?
And the other elves I’ve seen in the underground. What would happen to them?
They would rather slit their own throats than be captured by the king.
“I… I was sold to someone when I was younger. I don’t know much but I was given tasks. Housework and things.”
“A slave?”
“Yes.”
His eyes drop to my neck, taking in the scarring. “Yet you have no collar.”
“It was removed.”
“No doubt my son’s doing.” I say nothing. “Who purchased you?”
“I don’t know. No one told me anything.”
“You expect me to believe that you have no idea who your Master is?”
I flinch at that word, casting my eyes down. “They wouldn’t tell slaves anything, we are too lowly for that.”
He sits up straighter. “We? There were others?”
“S-slaves, yes, but I was the only elf there.”
He eyes me for a moment, suspicion in his gaze. “Where did you live?”
I bite my lip. “Here, in the city.”
His eyes flash. “In my city? In Lothmere?”
I nod. “Yes.”
His nostrils flare. “You mean to tell me that not only was an elf in my lands without my knowledge, but you were in my city?”
I gulp. “I was.”
Anger turns his face red. “You are to show me where, immediately.”
“I… I’m not sure. I was kept inside a lot. I don’t know my way around here very well at all.”
That’s not entirely truthful, I know some areas. But still, I wouldn’t even know the way to those places now unless I was at the old house.
“Then tell me what you know.” He leans back, taking a sip from a goblet, hard eyes on me.
“I was in a house, t-two stories. It had a home on either side. There were alleyways to the homes.” I shake my head. “There was some land behind them, but not… not much.” Lie. But I can’t let him find Effy. “I… I don’t know much more than that.”
Silence follows, and I shift in my seat, uncomfortable. I would rather be in the cell than sitting in front of him like this. Interrogated, watched so closely for the lies spilling from my mouth.
“And how did you come into my son’s possession?”
I falter at that. Rohan and I didn’t speak on what to say exactly if the king asked this.
Am I going to get him in trouble?
“Speak,” he demands.
“I stole bread… and then I was thrown in The Pit for it.”
“The Pit? Near the Wilds?”
“Yes.”
“When was this?”
“Sometime in winter.”
“And who took you there?”
“I’m not sure. A man. I’d never seen him before. I don’t know his name. He just threw me into The Pit and then the Blackscale clan found me.”
He nods. “I already knew this, but it’s good to know you did not lie to me.”
He knew? How did he know that?
“Declan?”
He takes a step forward from his place against the wall. “Yes, my king.”
“Afterwards, send out an announcement throughout the city on what happens to those who hold elves without my knowledge.” He leans back, eyes hard.
“Then start taking people in for questioning. There is a traitor amongst us who took an elf without my permission. I want to know who. I want to know how.”
“Of course, my king.”
“Now then,” Halen says. “I’m satisfied with your story, but if I find you have lied about anything, you will not like my consequence for that, am I clear?”
“I-I understand.”
“Let’s move on for now. You are probably wondering why I made a deal for an elf in the first place, I presume.”
I squirm. “A little.”
He nods. “You see, the Dragorie scum has lived out in my lands for years upon years, tainting it. My father, and his father, and so many generations before, have tried and been unable to get rid of them because of the bonds they have with dragons.” He leans back, hands folded on his belly, observing me.
“However, they aren’t the only ones who can converse with beasts.
Elves have this… ability to talk to certain creatures, sometimes many, and you, elf, are going to talk to dragons for me. ”
I breathe deeply through my nose, panic rising.
He wanted me or any other elf, for the same reason Rohan did.
And again, I realize no one wants me for me, just what I can do for them.
“I am aware of what elves can do,” I start. “But no one has been around to teach me.”
“So you don’t know how?” he asks, eyes hard.
“I-I don’t.”
He’s silent as he studies me, and then he stands, fixing his deep purple waistcoat and rounds the table. I don’t breathe. I keep very still. In the next moment, his hand fists my hair and my head is shoved down on the desk. Hard.
“Ahh.” I cry out, hands flattening on the wood.
“I thought we had an understanding, you and I,” he says, fingers digging in. “I am aware of what you were doing for my son in his clan, aware you were learning to speak to his dragons.” He pushes my head harder into the wood, and a whimper spills from my lips. “Yet you sit here and lie to me? Tsk.”
“I’m sorry!” I pant, squeezing my eyes shut.
“Are you sure?”
“I am, I didn’t mean to lie, only to let you know I don’t have much experience in the way of the elves. In talking to any creatures.”
“Hmm. Do you believe her, Declan? What did your accomplice say?”
“I must admit, my king, I was told she is very na?ve in her ways. Like she wasn’t around much of anything. Pretty useless. Weak,” he spits the word out. “Her saying she doesn’t have much experience adds up to what I’ve been told by Darcia.”
Darcia… this is the second time I’ve heard her name being mentioned. What has she done? The clan, the people, the dragons. She told them? Told them why I was there?
“Hmm. I suppose the apology shall do for now.”
He lets go of my head, looking down his nose at me while I breathe through the pain.
“Are you going to lie to me again?”
“N-no.”
“I wouldn’t, otherwise I would have to punish you. Now, follow me.”
I stand on shaky legs, the side of my face burning as Declan grabs me again.
We follow the king out of his office, guards bowing their heads in respect, turning down another corridor.
Only this one has a looming black door at the end.
The king produces a set of keys, opening the series of locks there and the door swings open.
It’s dark inside, a set of stairs going down.
“Come now.” He gestures forward and Declan pushes me. I nearly tumble down the stairs, but I reach out to the wall to steady myself. “Guard the door, Declan.”
“Yes, my king.”
The door shuts behind us with a resounding thud, then we walk down the stone steps, the king putting me in front of him as torches light the way.
“My great, great, great grandfather had these stairs made,” the king says, hand resting on my shoulder none too gently to keep me going. “No one has managed to count them all, they always lose where they’re up to. Maybe I will have you do it, seeing as you will be making your way down them a lot.”
We continue to descend, and I want to rip the dress off of me now more than ever with how the air seems to tighten around me. Being in such a small space with the king, after everything Rohan told me, about what he did, has fear threatening to make my knees give out.
I want to be anywhere but here with him.
It feels like it’s forever, but eventually, light flickers at the bottom, resting before large double doors at least three times my height.
“Open it.”
I hesitate, but then I push at one, inching it forward. A wave of agony reaches me.
I breathe through it, trying not to show any sign of emotion with the king’s cruel gaze at my back.
He pushes the door above my head, opening it wider when I falter and everything comes into view.
I breathe through the pain in my chest as I look around the cavernous space.
Torches line the walls, braziers placed sporadically on the ground while others hang from the ceiling, lighting up the area, illuminating the large cages that line the sides.
Some are on the ground, some are dangling from more chains above.
Further ahead, there’s a large gap between cages to the right, and what looks like the entrance to a large tunnel takes up that space, guards on either side.
What in the Gods could be in there?
The king grabs a torch from a pyre and walks ahead of me.
“Hurry up.”
I follow on stiff legs, my eyes darting to the cages, my chest aching when I can’t see what’s within them— but can feel it.
Fear, resignation, apprehension, agony.
I watch the king’s back, my breaths stuttering as I wrap my arms around myself.
Why am I here?
What’s down here?
Why is there so much pain?