Dark Waters Rising

Prisoner

Wesley hugged his arms around himself as he fought off the cold, wishing more than anything that his mate was beside him to keep him warm.

He'd been locked in this cell—this cavity within a wide, deep cavern, that kept him inside with a series of metallic bars that were likely repurposed from a downed ship— for hours. Maybe days at this point. He couldn't tell. There was no day or night this deep into the mountain. Only the bioluminescent glow of the vegetation and coral that clung to the walls, floors, and ceiling.

He'd seen a little bit of the Aurelian palace on his way to this place. It was an impressive structure, mostly made from the ruins of an ancient civilization and expanded on by the burrowing of tunnels and rooms into the mountain itself. He suspected there was an impressive network of tunnels throughout the area, but the only ones he'd really seen were the ones he was currently trapped in.

Though it hadn't been that long in the grand scheme of things, Wesley missed the sunlight. He missed the warmth and familiarity it brought. Here, even the light was cold and dim.

He missed Valentine more. He tried not to think of him too much, since his worry tended to throw him into bouts of panic. He played with the band of metal on his arm to try to find a little comfort, but it didn't provide much. Wesley had no idea if Valentine was okay, if he was looking for him, or if he was even alive after what happened.

The only thing Wesley knew for sure was that the King was going to come visit him. When? He had no idea. What would happen after that was also a mystery.

Wesley didn't like the uncertainty. The waiting. It made him anxious.

The more time he spent in his cell, the more he realized how alone he was. There was no one here to help him. He couldn't even help himself. He felt like a helpless little kid again, powerless as he watched his little sister slowly being consumed by her illness and his mother relentlessly working herself to death. He hated that feeling.

It was around then that Wesley felt something was different.

There was a sort of shift in the water around him. Something was. . . off.

Feeling uneasy, Wesley strained his eyes to look around his immediate area. There was nothing outside his cell, at least for as far as he could see, and upon first glance, there wasn't anything within it either. However, when he looked again, he finally found the culprit.

Wesley's body went completely frozen, but this time, it wasn't because of the cold. His stormy blue eyes latched onto the far corner of his cell, afraid to look away.

There was a darkness there. One that was deeper and darker than everything else. A darkness untouched by the glow. It pulsed and sputtered, curling in on itself like some sort of swirling ink or smoke. It didn't move though, and Wesley was at least a little grateful for that.

After a long while of staring, Wesley finally found the courage to speak.

"I saw you in a dream once," his voice was small and he didn't bother to move his lips as he projected the message outward.

The shadow's only response was a slight shift in its position.

"You're not here to hurt me, are you?" he asked nervously, knowing in his heart that the entity could genuinely understand him.

As he watched, the shadow seemed to shrink into the corner, which he hoped was its attempt to confirm it wasn't a threat to him.

Wesley gripped one of the cell bars for support as he watched the darkness return to its original size.

"W-what exactly are you?"

Much to his amazement and terror, the shadow started to grow. The tendrils of black ink crept along the stone walls, snuffing out the glow of the plants that clung to it. Then, all at once, the darkness converged in the center of the cell, twisting and pulsating until it started to take form. From the blackness bled color, and Wesley's chest constricted painfully as he watched a figure step toward him.

"That's impossible," he said, pressing his back against the bars as he took in the figure with wide eyes.

Unfortunately, a sound came from down the hallway, causing the figure to melt back into darkness and disappear entirely before Wesley had time to process what he'd seen.

Shakily, he turned to face the rather large procession of guards swimming toward his cell. Among them was another face he recognized from his dream.

The King.

Wesley wisely kept his head down as the royal siren stopped in front of his prison. It was a few frighteningly long seconds before Abyssal decided to speak.

"You are the one called Wesley Roberts?" His voice was deep and powerful, easily planting a seed of fear in Wesley's heart. This man could easily crush him. One misstep and it could all be over for him.

"Yes, Your Majesty." He didn't dare raise his head.

"Remind me," the King said slowly, "What was the name of your mate?"

Wesley felt as though he was suffocating under the man's gaze. He then felt himself starting to panic when he couldn't remember the fake name Valentine had given to the guards.

Wesley opened his mouth, but there were no words to form his lips around.

"Think twice before you lie to me. I already know the truth and I am not fond of liars."

Wesley slowly lifted his gaze to meet the fierce golden gaze of his mate's father. Tears flowed freely into the water around him as he realized he had no choice. He had cried out Val's name when the guards were taking him. Surely they had told the King and they'd probably figured out that Valentine was lying about who they were.

The only question now was which answer would get him in more trouble. The one where he admitted he was Valentine's mate or the one where he didn't speak at all.

"I do not like waiting!" The King practically growled through the bars, causing Wesley to flinch.

"V-Val," he said so quietly he wasn't sure anyone heard him.

Before he could react, the Aurelian King had reached through the bars and yanked him flush to the cold metal. Wesley's arm and ribs ached from the force of it, but he tried not to cry out.

"Speak up, boy!" the King spat.

"Val," he said again, louder this time.

"Val what?" it was obvious he was not pleased with how long this exchange was taking.

Wesley squeezed his eyes shut, feeling like he was betraying everyone he cared about but knowing it was his only chance at keeping his life.

"Valentine Cross," he whimpered.

An unsettling smirk identical to the one he'd so often seen on Valentine's face spread across the King's.

Grasping Wesley's chin roughly through the bars, the King forced him to look him in the eye once more.

"You're going to tell me everything you know about my son."

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A/N

That's a wrap on part two. Stay tuned for part three and some more character art.

What's your favorite scene from this series so far?

Who's your favorite character?

What do you think will happen next?

What is the shadow?

Happy Easter to those who celebrate it!
-Mora Montgomery