I seal my lips. The guard doesn’t have to know that I told Enzo and his brothers that they should try their hand at retaking their thrones before we left, and my silence isn’t helping.
The guards continue their path through the dungeons, their bodies covered head to toe in plated armor. These are the first monsters I have met other than my own. What do they look like? Do they resemble one of my own monsters?
Does the king?
Finally, the guards stop outside a couple of cells. The head guard directs my monsters into one, and Alice and me into another, and my heart pounds.
No, they can’t separate us.
Madoc growls when one of the guards tries to steer me and Alice away, and the smaller monster looks at his boss pleadingly. It appears my psycho has a reputation amongst his brethren.
The captain of the guard sighs, waving his hand in Madoc’s general direction. “Fine. You can stay with your mates.”
Well, only one of us is their mate—Alice is fifteen, the pervert—but whatever. As long as we won’t be separated.
One by one, we enter the cell, and the doors clang shut behind us. Alice whimpers, and I wrap my arms around her, trying to reassure her that everything is fine and we will get out of the cell soon.
Shit. Maybe this wasn’t a good idea. I get the feeling that I have led my monsters into a den of vipers.
Soon it’s just the six of us as the guards leave us alone in the dungeon cell, and what’s happening up above? Has the king already found out about our arrival? Is he pissed that his nephews ignored his warnings and showed up at his castle after a hundred years?
I suppose a hundred years is a long time. Maybe the king has had a change of heart about executing his nephews. They say absence makes the heart grow fonder after all.
We hover around the cell in various positions. Enzo stands facing the door as if he’s waiting for word from the guards, and Grey paces back and forth, his long wings trailing on the floor behind him. Nero lingers in the corner, folding his arms, while Madoc spins his knife around in his hand, his eyes burning like fire gems.
“Do you think they’re discussing how they’re going to kill us? I hope I get burned alive!”
Alice flinches. I hug her closer, scowling at Madoc. “Will you shut up? You’re not helping!”
Madoc giggles obscenely, and now he flips the blade around, passing the handle to Alice. She stares at his hand like it’s a live snake.
“For you, blondie. You need to protect yourself after all. My beauty already has the knife I gave her, so it’s only fair that you should be armed, too.”
Alice’s eyes widen in terror, and the lights from the flickering scones reflect the blue. The others watch the exchange with interest. Honestly, I’m surprised I never thought to give her a knife myself, and I guess I’m the world’s worst big sister.
Finally, she reaches across and wraps her hand around Madoc’s blade, and she holds it out in front of her, gazing at the steel in wonder. Her mouth parts in an ‘O’ as she waves it around, and I don’t miss the crazy flash inside her baby blues. Great, it looks like my monster has tainted her, a once sweet, innocent girl.
But I suppose a tainted spirit is what she will need if she hopes to survive in this world. I didn’t like the way the guards regarded her like she was a piece of meat, and we need to protect ourselves.
Madoc teaches her how to spin her knife, and after a few tries, she manages to get a firm grip, and I’m proud.
Maybe she’s not as helpless as she looks. Soon, she will be able to face a bunch of wraiths all on her own. But if we thought the wraiths were bad, then wait until we meet the king and his entire court.
We really are entering a viper nest.
Some time passes, but when a guard arrives and announces that the king has granted us an audience, I yank a hold of my own knife.
Time to fight some snakes.
Chapter ten
Enzo
Mywholebodytenses,activating my flight or fight response, and I try to rein in my instincts.
I have to stay calm and focused. No doubt our uncle will be pissed when he sees that we completely ignored his warning a hundred years ago, showing up at his castle like a pack of disobedient little boys, but recent circumstances have given us no choice.
The darkness is spreading, and fast. Too many are being infected, and soon the Abyss won’t be able to handle the extra amount of tortured humans entering its sphere.