Lady in the Iron Mask

II: Chapter 23

"Are you sure?" Evie muttered, in step with Kiera who was striding briskly in the cave and heading towards the main entrance to the underground lair.

"I'm certain." Kiera responded, her eyes not wandering from the path, and the other women struggled to match their pace.

Her neck stung, and she scratched at it whilst walking.

"What are you-" Evie frowned, beginning to ask, but Kiera silenced her.

"Be quiet! Stop asking questions. This is what she wanted. It's too late now." The sounds came out as a hiss, as they erupted into the main cavern.

Nobody was in there.

At a running pace, the women made for the final uphill staircase leading to the church and a way out. Kiera allowed the other women to go first, and then began to follow. Some of them hadn't seen daylight in years, and were excitedly smiling, the light lit once more in their eyes. Soft glowing hues shone on their backs from the glow worms, illuminating the right path.

Just as Evie was about to leave, something reached out to latch onto her arm. She leapt back, withdrawing a hidden dagger from her torso, and swiped at the enemy in the shadows. They dodged quickly, their cloak giving them the appearance of a reaper of souls. Evie could not see their face, and therefore their intentions.

"Show yourself!" She demanded.

Immediately, the coiled enemy relaxed, breathing a sigh of relief. Evie watched in disbelief as he removed the hood, stepping into the light and sheathing his own dagger.

"Kieran!" Evie exclaimed in genuine surprise. "How did you get down here?"

"I've been taking care of...business," Kieran responded, sweeping an arm around himself to the rest of the room.

Before, Evie had been running through it and hadn't paid much attention. Now, when her eyes peered into the darkness at the edges of the room, she spotted bodies lying on the floor, or whimpering softly. Not many were alive. Their eyes gloated, but their situation told her that their reign of terror was over.

Scanning the faces in the room, Evie sought one out. Scott. It took a while to find him, as he blended into the faces of other murderers and lechers. But there he was, as sure as daytime. His eyes were puffy, and his face scrunched up with annoyance. Occassionally, his body twitched as he attempted to free himself from ropes around his midriff.

"Good work, Kieran." Evie smiled, but he did not reciprocate. "Could I perhaps talk to one of the men?"

"Yes."

He turned away, but she shrugged and walked over to Scott.

"You're going to regret letting that one roam free," Scott growled, his head thrusted in the direction of Kieran.

"What are you talking about?" Evie enquired. "Kieran is a trusted warrior of the Kingdom. His father reigns over the land, and he is in line for succession!"

Scott stopped his struggle and lifted his eyes to meet hers. His were filled with pity, and she took the time to punch that out of him. He spluttered, spraying the ground with blood and a few broken teeth.

He then chuckled, relishing in his secret knowledge.

"You'll learn everything soon enough." He grinned, and Evie raised a fist again, her knuckle shaking with anger and fear.

Everything was uncertain for her right now.

"What is it? Too scared to finish off a lowlife like me? Come on, keep pretending you're tough." He mocked.

"You are abhorrent." Evie sneered, kicking him in the gut and stalking back over to Kieran, who was stood idly.

"Anything useful?" He asked her.

"No, just a personal vendetta I had to clear."

"Where is Eve, by the way? I saw those women go ahead of you, and I was wondering if you were going to smuggle them away before this cave collapsed." He asked intently.

Evie sighed, rubbing her temple.

"Kiera told me that Eve wanted to be left to find her way through the meadow just through the second arch on the left, because she wanted everyone else to get out first," she shrugged. "It sounds like something Eve would do, so I'm not questioning it."

As she began speaking, Kieran's face set roughly into stone.

"The meadow?" He repeated. "I've been in there...She needs to leave. Now."

He made a start towards the arch, but Evie called him back.

"No." She stopped him. "If Eve believes she can handle it by herself, then it would be disrespectful to treat her like someone who can't."

Although both were secretly worried, they conceded.

"But why are you so concerned about it?" Evie questioned, stretching her arms out while they waited for Eve. "When were you in the meadow?"

"I-I found it when I was clearing out this dungeon of a place," Kieran grimaced, stuttering a little. "It made me get hallucinations of what I desired most...But once you fall for your lust, that is when it takes everything away from you."

He stared intently into the distance, remembering his experience.

"It?"

"Yes. The form that the Beast takes on in this lair. The lord of this place."

"What...are you saying?" Evie shuddered.

"Well, from what I've been beating out of these men, the women are used to satiate the Beast's bloodlust. It requires a new sacrifice every few days, and nobody has ever seen its true form. They are a devious shapeshifter."

"Then Eve is in great danger! We must do something!" Evie cried out.

Kieran sighed.

"No. We can't interrupt this time. It is definitely too late; I wasn't thinking before. This time, if you interrupt Eve's experience, she may be lost to her delusions forever. We have to hope she will pass the test. If she fails, we will know."

"And how will we know?" Evie asked, crossing her arms and steadying her legs.

"You will hear it. The sound of tearing flesh, and-," Kieran ended on a whisper, his voice trailing into nothingness, "her last dying screams."