Cold, narrow passageways and ancient stone steps greeted me as I made my way up toward my room, far away from the rest of my family’s chambers. The sun was gone and the shutters closed, and I was back to being alone.
“You should have killed when you had the chance. You promised a life and have not delivered.” The voice resonated in my head.
My heart fluttered. I pushed open my bedroom door and screamed.
Seven dead crows laid in a circle on the floor. Blood markings surrounded them. The smell was overpowering.
“Now you will pay.”
CHAPTER FOUR
Strangled screams sounded from behind jail doors. The stretching table sat stark under the candlelight and had been whittled to be used on faeries’ wings. The room dropped several degrees. I shouldn’t have ventured into the dungeons, but I had to find a human heart and fast, and who was better than a thief or murderer?
I’d cleared the birds from the floor last night and took their bodies to the woods when night had fallen. I was sick to my stomach. The necromancer haunted my nightmares. I did not get a single moment of peace, awake or asleep. When I awoke, I knew I needed to end the torment.
I pushed on ahead, looking for my victim. The only innocents in the dungeon were the fae. The rest were sorcerers, awaiting trial for their crimes. Shimmering caught my eye, pulling me to my right. A bucket of rubies glistened under the shuttered light pouring through the barred windows. They were untouched, yet to be filled with the magic siphoned from tortured creatures. Storing magic in relics and precious gems was smart, as it was the only thing, aside from gold and silver, that couldn’t be replicated using magic. If only it weren’t so barbaric. Rumors could be dismissed, but when it was in front of my eyes, the destruction was harder to ignore. I pondered how many rubies one fae could fill before it desiccated, pushed to the brink of death but never offered the sweet release.
“These souls are too broken,” the voice warned as I approached locked doors. “I need vibrance, vitality, youth…”
I ran my hands down my face, pulling the skin under my eyes. There was no way I could find that girl from the other night without being seen or kill her without arousing Zalia’s growing suspicion.
“I don’t want this.” I choked. “I’m not a murderer.”
“You could have everything. Be a queen.”
The words fell like poison from his cold, blue lips. He gripped my soul, unveiling my wants and desires. I didn’t know where his physical self was, but his location was of little importance. His reach was far, his hold suffocating.
Lifting my skirts from the ground, I ran out of the dungeons, leaving the tortured pleas and howling to the darkness under the castle. I emerged to a bustling corridor, ensuring I took the back passages people seldom roamed. I knew my way through the web of hallways better than any other.
“You again.”
I jumped, my shoulders tensing on seeing Caspian again. His eyes flitted from mine to my dress. I knew what he must have been thinking; my dress was far too beautiful for such an ugly maiden.
I shivered, then tilted my head to look around him. “I was actually about to—”
“Please. You left so quickly before.”
His eyes were like sapphires, brighter than any I had seen. He was so captivating, his essence beautiful and alluring, a rose among thorns.
“I stay out of the way of people.”
His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”
“It’s not important.”
“Then perhaps you can direct me to the dungeons.”
My heart pounded in my chest. “Why do you want to visit there? It is the place for criminals.”
He rubbed his forehead. “I can’t say.”
“You don’t want to go down there.”
He lifted an eyebrow, then whispered. “Why?”
I swallowed hard. “Things you will not want to see.”
His gaze narrowed, his lips thinning into a hard line. “Exactly.”
I gulped. If he found out what they were doing to his people down there, it could evoke a war. Immortals against sorcerers, in time the fae would win, as my father was one man and could not take on their numbers.
The only reason sorcerers were the reigning leaders was our ability to organize ourselves. Regrettably, I’d believed the fae were lesser than us when I was a child, until I was old enough I could make up my own mind. I’d read enough books and had listened in on more than one conversation to know enough about politics. We were taking advantage of them and always would.
“Are you cold?” he questioned.
His voice pulled me from deep thought. I blinked twice. “You were wondering if I’m cold?”
He laughed, the most beautiful sound. “Why is that such a surprise? You’re shaking.”
“Oh.” I fumbled my fingers, then pressed my hands together. I was cold, but I couldn’t admit it without arousing suspicion. It was warm in the castle, but my master was sucking the life out of me, as punishment, until I delivered him a human soul. “I’m fine, but thank you. Sometimes I shake for no reason.” I guffawed, then fell silent. I had no decorum. “I apologize for my outburst. It’s not often people show me kindness.”
“It’s their loss.” He buried his hands into his deep pockets. He was dressed eccentrically, even for my taste, but then the fae always did wear things made from nature. His shirt looked as if it were woven from leaves, each of them shimmering with gold faery dust.
I could feel my cheeks burning with heat. I cursed internally at my body’s obvious reaction, praying he wouldn’t notice. A boy like him would be offended if his act of goodwill was taken the wrong way by someone like me.
“I don’t understand why you do.”
“Because you’re beautiful.”
I flinched. “Are you teasing me?”
“Why wouldn’t I show you kindness? Besides, I cannot lie.” He smirked. “Unless… Are you one of those criminals you talked of?”
I knew he was joking, but it held an uncomfortable truth. Had I not set out to murder another?
“Then you must be blind.” I sighed softly and turned on my heel. I wouldn’t be preyed on or humored.
“Wait!” he called, but I didn’t look back.
He was obviously searching for something and using me to get it. Everyone had motive, but I knew it better to not look back. As much as I wanted to believe it, I couldn’t help but see there was something innately good about him. For that reason alone, I needed to leave. I was where pretty things died. Speaking of beautiful things… I saw my sister turn a corner in the distance.
I hurried away down a desolated passage, my feet thumping against the ground as I did. Turning the corner, I ran cold. Blood dripped out of the cracks in the stone, trickling down into a pool on the floor. My hand shot up to cover my mouth.
“If you do not take a life, it will be your blood on the wall.”
I blinked, and the blood disappeared.
“You.”
I jolted on seeing her. She was one of my sisters’ ladies. I recognized her jewelry. Although, I had to wonder what she was doing in this part of the castle.
The lady’s voice was high-pitched and grating. “Wandering around alone?”