A Court of Song and Shadow

Chapter 18

Guards quickly grab me and take me down about five stories worth of stairs. I try once to pull against their grip on me but I give up after that. I will not be able to escape them using physical strength--so I will have to outsmart them. A chill runs down my back as I realize my shadows are no longer with me--they must have been sent back with the others. With my powers gone, my wings have also been released.

I felt so empty without my shadows--or my powers.

The guards take me to a door, and when they open it I expect it to be a dungeon of some sort, but it is an ornate bedroom instead. They throw me inside and I grunt as I fall to the floor. I look up quickly to observe my surroundings, and come to the conclusion I am in some royal female's room by the looks of it. I stare into the fire crackling in the fire place.

"Look what we have here, sister, our King did not disappoint when he said he had someone fun for us to play with." I hear a familiar voice walking from one of the doorways. I narrow my eyes as Amarantha and Clythia approach me-- the former smiling broadly at me.

"My father will be wanting me back." I warn her and she lets out a laugh.

"Will he?" She asks, cocking her head as her dark red hair falls to the side. "From the looks of it, you mean absolutely nothing to him."

I have to go about this situation carefully. I slowly stand up and wipe the dust off of my leathers, and smirk at Amarantha.

"You are right, my father could care less about any woman, but that does not mean he will appreciate the King of Hybern keeping his daughter captive."

"You consider yourself being held captive? In a beautiful room such as this?" She begins to circle me as she speaks, reminding me of a wolf circling their prey.

But she was no wolf.

I was.

And I would not be contained.

"So I may leave then?" I ask sweetly.

"When you tell us what you did with those Illyrian women." She places her hands on her hips as she awaits my response and I let out a surprised laugh.

"The King sent you to find out where the women are?"

"You can find I can be quite persuasive." She purrs in my ear and runs a hand down one of my wings. A low growl rises up in the back of my throat and she lets out a laugh, "Such wild animals, you Illyrians."

"You must think that of many people don't you? Considering you like to enslave so many." I point out.

"They need us--the humans would be nothing without us." She snaps and I smirk at her annoyance.

"I think you are scared."

"Scared?" She scoffs, "Of that pathetic species?"

"You are scared of what they can accomplish if they were to be freed from your chains." It is my turn to begin encircling her. "I know this because I have met many men just like you in Prythian, they fear women holding power so they enslave and contain them."

"It is different for us women here on Hybern, as you can see I am very high in power. Why do you think that is?" Amarantha asks me.

I do not have an answer for that. For all the horrific things that happen on this island, they seem to treat their women equally to men--at least what I can gather from Amarantha, I turn to her sister, "What kind of power do you hold here?"

"None." Clythia says quietly and Amarantha shoots her a glare.

"Do not lie, sister. Clythia is an amazing warrior--" Amarantha cuts herself off as she narrows her eyes at me, "What is your plan, little girl?"

"To outsmart you." I tell her the truth and she gives me a genuine smile in return.

"I must admit, you are intelligent, especially for your age," She sits down on one of her chairs and throws her legs over the sides, "How I cannot wait to tell my dear friend how you used a glamor to make one of his spies appear here on Hybern. That was a smart move, until you fell into the trap."

I have to shut my mouth before I admit it was Cassian's idiotic self who stepped on the trap, but I cannot allow them to know who else was here with me. I begin to observe Amarantha--the way she holds herself. I can tell she wants more power than she already has, but what is her goal to attain that power? If I can figure out her end goal, I would be able to outsmart her.

"Are you two originally from Hybern?" I turn to ask Clythia.

"No--"

"That is none of your concern." Amarantha sits up in her chair and narrows her eyes at her sister for revealing that piece of information. "Tell us where the Illyrian women are and you can return home, and we will not even tell your father you were here."

"No." I point my finger at her, "I protect my people, unlike some rulers. I will pay whatever the cost is to protect the lives of innocent people."

"And how far are you willing to go, Lady of the Night?" Amarantha stands up.

"I do not fear darkness, General." I say lowly at her weak attempt at a threat, "As you said--I am Lady of the Night. Darkness is what powers me." 

"Good," She turns to exit the room, "Because this stubbornness will cost you everything."

"So be it."

She stops walking away when I speak again and turns back around to observe me.

"I am no coward-- fear consumes me just as it does you-- but I refuse to let others suffer at the hands of people like you." I snarl at her and she looks to her sister. Clythia has a tear streaming down her face that she quickly wipes away, Amarantha grabs her sister's arm and walks out of the room. I realize that if I ever have to face Amarantha again--her weakness will be her sister. I tuck that thought into the back of my head as the door swings open again and more Hybern soldiers come pouring in. This time, they hold chains in their hands--not just any chains I soon realize--

Faebane chains.

I try to back away from them but they wrap my hands and ankles in the chains, I let out a scream of pain as the chains burn through my skin. They pull on all the chains to make me follow behind them. I quickly stop fighting against the chains when I realize the more I fight it, the more it hurts. I am dragged into what I believe to be the King's throne room. I watch in suffering as the King of Hybern stands from his throne and points to a spot on the wall. I watch in confusion as the guards take me over to the wall and begin to lift me up.

I let out a small gasp when I see the two large ash arrows the guards hold.

I begin to fight them, ignoring the scorching pain around my wrists and ankles--this pain is nothing compared to what I will endure if they place those ash arrows in me.

"I will give you this one chance to tell me where you sent my property." The King looks up at me as I stop fighting against them.

"Up your ass."

He lets out a short laugh and waves his hand for his men to continue.

I do not stop screaming as they plunge the two ash arrows through my wings to pin me to the wall behind me. The pain grows even more intense as they let go of their hold on me and the only thing holding me up is being pinned to the wall by those arrows. It feels as though I was being stabbed by thousands of knives in every part of my body. I let out sobs I never even knew were capable of escaping from me.

"Please." I cry.

"Tell me where they are and I will remove the arrows." The King says softly.

For just a brief moment, I debate whether or not to tell him--then the thought is gone as soon as it came. I feel ashamed for even considering telling him, but the pain is just too unbearable.

I will not be broken.

When I do not answer he begins to walk away as he says, "Leave her up there for a few days and then she will answer our questions."

And they did.