The War (All Chapters + Synopsis)

Chapter 9.2 - Ilena

"What's your name?" I ask of the boy, my voice weaker and more hoarse than I thought it would be.

"Charyls, my lady," the boy bows to me, and the guards come.

"Alright kiddo, time's up, run along," the guard says, touching the boy's shoulder.

He gives me a look of fear and I turn my eyes to the guards. I know they see the darkness writhing in my eyes, the dark flames that leap behind the violet of my irises, and I know they can feel the pulsating sense of pressure that comes from my magic.

It thrums beneath my skin, rushing through my veins. More power than I've ever had at my finger tips, but I'm not at full strength yet. The necklace that usually hangs from my neck is gone, Carber probably thought it was just a keepsake from my mother. It was the only thing holding the monster at bay, the floodgates holding back the tide. But now the floodgates are gone, ripped away by a demon more dangerous than Sko's dark children, and now the tide will come in, swallowing those I despise, it might even swallow me when it's through.

I smile at the guards, the way a hunter looks to its prey, the way the gods smile as they bring destruction upon those they deem unworthy of life. My smile is not one of kindness, but one of coldness, a smile promising death to the guards standing before me.

With a click the cuffs on my wrists fall loose, and with a loud crash they clatter to the floor. Before the guards have a chance to scream they are dead on the floor, blood dribbling from their eyes and nose. The boy, who must be positively terrified, takes the keys from the guards and opens my cage.

I thank him and listen as guards come to find Charyls. A snap of my fingers has them dead on the stairs. Charyls takes in all the death with fear wide eyes, and he turns those fearful eyes to me.

"I won't hurt you, Charyls," I tell the boy truthfully and he nods to me, I'm already starting to feel the strain of so much power.

"Where do your relatives live?" I ask him.

"Just outside of Moor," he responds, his voice quivers.

"You need to do exactly what I say, do you understand?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Take this knife," I pull a knife off of one of the dead guards and wipe the blood off on their clothes. I hand it to him and he takes it hesitantly.

I take a sword off of the same guard and wipe the blood off of it, I can't have it slipping from my hands in the middle of an escape. Carber shouldn't know I'm free yet, he won't send any guards after me just yet.

"Stay behind me."

The boy does as he's told. I lead him up the stairwell, past all the dead guards that are laying dead on the stone steps. I tell him not to look at them, and he watches me instead. When we reach the main dungeon, I check for more guards before walking through. The cells are all empty here, I heard that Carber's had all of these criminals executed. Under his reign, the only punishment for those not already in the Pits is death.

We make our way to the same exit Katlyn and I used, when we tried to lead all of the prisoners to freedom. The servants must've missed a spot, because the smell of blood is still strong in the courtyard. Charyls and I stick to the shadows around the courtyard, and none of the servants give us any attention.

Slowly and carefully we make our way out of the palace grounds. I apologize halfheartedly as I steal a horse tied to a post near a resting spot. I pull Charlys up behind me and we ride through the city, his arms wrapped tightly around me. The warning bells toll, our escape has been discovered.