Chapter 14 Bolt of Lightening
Bolt of Lightening
Cedar
I lay staring up at the stone ceiling I’d grown used to counting, staring at, and potentially hallucinating upon. Since whatever magic Cora had used against Vega, I hadn’t been bothered. It seemed none of us had—nor had our blood been spiked with the venom.
I closed my eyes as my mind wandered back to the dream I’d had of her—wondering just how much of it was real. The entire thing felt real, but that didn’t always mean anything.
The vision of her face when she slit that girl’s throat flashed in my mind.
I wanted to feel something other than what I did, but it wasn’t happening.
I tried to muster up the hatred, the feeling of distaste that normally accompanied my thoughts when it came to Cora, but all I felt was…
understanding. It left me unnerved watching the past version of her act so calculated yet nervous over her actions, while also knowing I would’ve done the exact same when it came to protecting Silvana.
I had done the same when it came to protecting her, with no regrets.
“It sounds as if you’re deep in thought over there,” a low voice from the vent stated.
Since they’d stopped drugging us, Oren had been periodically reaching out and talking to me.
I wondered how he felt about these same four walls for so long.
If I were to go off how I was feeling as the scale to go by, I knew it wouldn’t be well off.
I wasn’t sure how I’d feel once I made it out of this hell.
“I am,” I swallowed, my throat tight. “I may be getting out of here soon.”
“May?” he questioned.
“It’s—uh, complicated, if I’m being honest. But possibly.”
He chuckled. “Try not to say hello to the sun for me.” His voice dropped and I heard him moving around beyond the wall.
“What do you mean by that?”
“Oh, Cedar, you know what I mean. Males like us… wild and uncaged—animals some call us—find ourselves suddenly locked in this cage… a stone box.” He paused, clearing his throat before continuing.
“Sometimes I wonder if… when we get out, what we’ll be like.
How we’ll react to those wide, open spaces we once coveted so dearly. ”
We’re both quiet for a moment before I finally respond. “It isn’t the wide-open spaces I’m worried about, Oren.”
“What is it then?”
I watched my doorway as I heard the guards stop outside my door and unlock it.
“It’s being put back into the small spaces,” I told him.
The cuffs were linked in front of me this time, so I should be grateful, however I just felt annoyed. I’d tried to ask what we were doing, where we were going, what exactly they could tell me, and I’d been met with complete silence.
None of these guards were familiar to me. They were all quiet and stoic—sort of grumpy, and I felt like if I didn’t get answers soon, I’d be forced to start cracking jokes, which I hated resorting to when I was uncomfortable.
“Don’t worry, boys, I promise to listen,” I muttered. The one behind me snickered, almost silently while the other didn’t even flinch. “Tough crowd out here.”
They led me out into the throne room, one in front of me, one behind me.
My last visit here flowed into my mind, only then I’d been in my raven form staying near my best friend to ensure she was okay and not near ready to kill everyone or go into some sort of catatonic state.
I should’ve known better though. While Silvana was a bit unhinged when angry, she had control.
She was just particular about when she chose to use it.
Now it was different. Now, I was here in cuffs, hoping beyond hope that what Cora said in the dream was real. Which was shocking, because it meant I wanted to be connected to the female on some level—a fact I wasn’t willing to dive into at the moment.
We walked through the archway and the room opened up into the bright golden domed space. The guard in front of me stepped to the side, falling back to my right, while the one behind me moved up to my left.
My eyes squinted, blinking a few times. I realized instantly just how long my body and mind had been in the dark. Swallowing roughly, I forced myself to focus on who was here as I tried to make sense of what was to come.
Keres was seated next to his massive ice sculpture, looking smug.
Nothing out of the ordinary. A tall male with long dark red hair was standing behind him.
Something about him felt familiar, but I couldn’t place what it was.
Rusor was on the other side of Keres, and there, knelt before him, was Cora.
She was dressed in another sheer gold gown, similar to the one she’d been wearing that first night she came rushing into my cell. Her gaze was on the floor and there was a thick black collar around her neck. I felt my teeth grind together as my brain took the entirety of the situation in.
“Finally,” a deep shadowy voice muttered. My gaze snapped to him, and if I could kiss his feet at this moment, I would. “Can I take my male and go now, Keres? Or are there more theatrics and nonsense you wish to speak of?” Raiden asked.
“You may take him and go, Raiden. I’m sure your mate will be eager to have you home.” I looked around to realize that Raiden had come alone. He didn’t even seem to have Bastian with him.
Raiden rolled his eyes. “You have no idea.” He looked towards the guards on either side of me.
“Uncuff him,” he growled. I could physically feel the fear wafting off of their bodies as they both moved simultaneously and removed the cuffs from my wrists.
For the first time in months, I could fully feel my raven beneath my skin, eager to get out, fly, to breathe.
“Soon, my friend,” I whispered to him. I couldn’t leave yet and as Raiden walked towards me, I knew he wasn’t going to be happy with what I was about to do.
I cleared my throat, my gaze falling back on Keres.
“I’m not leaving without her.” I was surprised by how strong and unwavering my voice sounded—not because I was nervous, but because I was unsure of how this would work.
Cora’s eyes snapped from the floor to my own.
I could feel them burning holes into my skin, but I didn’t care.
My eyes didn’t leave those of the ruler of the Court of Ice.
His face gave away nothing. He sat—no, lounged—on his hideous throne, legs wide, hand sitting on his fist as it rested on the armrest. His chin lifted, one index finger running along his bottom lip as he stared at me from across the room.
Just as quickly as it began, his arm dropped down and he smirked with a slight shrug.
“Take her. I have no use for her anymore.” His eyes slid to Raiden.
“This has been fun. We should do it again sometime. Rusor?”
“Yes, My Lord?” Rusor asked, stepping forward.
“Please see our,” his gaze fell back to Raiden and me for a brief moment before he chuckled, “guests out of the city limits. I’d hate for any of them to get lost again on the way out. Lady Cora shall join them soon. I’m sure she’d like to bring her things.”
He got to his feet then, his hand wrapped tightly around Cora’s arm as he yanked her to her feet and dragged her from the throne room, the tall redheaded male following behind him.
I didn’t have to look at the ruler of the Court of Shadows to know without a doubt he was glaring at me. I could feel the shadows vibrating beneath his skin from where I stood.
“My Lord? Please follow me,” Rusor said as he walked past us and led us the opposite direction out of the throne room.
I hadn’t been able to look at Cora before he pulled her from the room, but I could feel her shock, her anxiety, her disbelief.
I could feel it all. She was doing nothing to hide her emotions.
Raiden stopped beside me as Rusor continued, his hand wrapping around my forearm.
“I’m not sure what you’re playing at, Cedar, but if you get my mate hurt in any way, not even her pleas will save you. ”
I stared into his onyx eyes and nodded, only for another problem to flow into my mind. “I understand. And, Raiden?”
He arched a dark brow at me and I took a step closer towards him.
“Oren is here,” I whispered for his ears only.
His eyes went wide for only a moment before he schooled his features.
“I’ll handle it.” He released my arm only to pull me into a brief hug. “Let’s get you the fuck home.”
A half-hearted smile slid across my face as I nodded. “Let’s.”
We caught up to Rusor easily, and once we exited the castle and the air hit me, my raven was pounding at the internal gates to be released, but I refused until I laid eyes on her again.
So we waited with bated breath in the snow.