Chapter 88

Chapter88
*Colette
Everypart of me is stiff as I sit in the dark,stuckin my chair for heaven knows how long. It feels likedays, but with no sun to measure time,it could be hours or even weeks. All I do know is I hurt andIamutterly alone. After filming what they asked me to, they tortured mom for fun and made me watch.
Everywhip,everystrikefeltlike it wastomy own flesh asIsobbed andbeggedfor them to stop. I would have happily taken those painfully hits for her,but theyweren’ttorturingherbecause she disobeyed.
Theyweredoingittoshow me theyhaveall the control, all the power,and it has only lit a fire in my chest. One of anger and hatred. A burning for revenge,not freedom.
Thereis a sound of clinking andstepsoutside the darkroom I’ve been left in. But noises don’t mean anything here. It could be a guard passing byorevena new victim being dragged to their demise. The dungeon makes plenty of noise, and more often than not, it even screams.
It’snot until lightfiltersinoverme that I realize I may not have been completely forgotten and I’m not sure which is worse. Being remembered in this hellhole, or being left for dead. I wince, turning away from the bright light as it burns my eyes. A shadow falls over me and hurried footsteps rushtowardme.
“It’stimetogoupstairs,” Teiran whispers in my ear. I open my mouth to speak, but my voice gets caught in my throat. “Can you walk?”
I nod my headyesashe helps me up, and then I promptly crumble to my feet, a pained whine escaping my parched lips. His large hands catch me by the elbow.
“Woah,” He mutters,with a sigh.“Let me help you.”
Islaphimawayweakly and he chuckles to himself.
“Stubborn hybrid.” He mutters before he bends down and lifts me up. I try to squirm, but exhaustion overwhelms me and I give up.
“Whereareyou taking me?”Icroak, my throat searing in pain.
“Iwasable to convince the king to treat you like a guest, rather than a prisoner.” He murmurs.
“Can I leave?”Iask. It’s not like I don’t know what the answer will be, it will be ‘no‘, butagirl can try.
He snortsalaugh and doesn’t respond, which only confirms exactly what I figured as he steps out of the room and down the hall.
We pass cells, some empty and others with old and grungy looking prisoners who must have been here for ages. Teiran deftly moves toward aspiralstaircaseand takestwostepsat a time.
Thestairsseem to go on for an eternityasI fall in and out of consciousness for small spurts of time. When we finally ascend to the top, he walks aboutahundred feet before a massive iron clad door opens. I watch as we exit it, Teiran looking dwarfed by the massive frame.
“Woah…” Imutter,unable to keep myaweto myself.
“It isforwhenwearein dragon form.” Hesayssimply.
I notice as weexitit looks nothing like theareahe had taken me before meeting the king. Instead offartoo hot and dry,Ican hear bird tweeting,feelagentlebreezethrough thelargehallway.Ashe turns, I notice a loud rumbling noise that grows clearer witheverystepand the airwetterand sonice.
That’swhen Ifeelitinmy bones, the way thewatermoves with a furious rage. I know whatiscoming before wegetcloserand itstirsmy wolf and feeds mysoul. Myeyesfallclosed asIinhale the damp air and,eversoslightly, I begin tofeelmore alive again.
“Don’t even think aboutusingyourwaterpowers, hybrid.” Teiransayslike heisbored.
“Iam too weaktouse itnow.Instead,Iamjustenjoying it, how itfeels.” I murmur. He doesn’t respondaswegrowcloserand I open myeyes, watching in wonder as we walk behind thewaterfallthat hammerspast us, singing its song of nature.
Irelish every damn second, my body shivering at thedesireto be in thewater,tojustsubmerge myself andfeelthe way it would heal meifIwas allowed to touch it. But just asquicklyas Iseeit, itfadesinto thedistanceasI am carried away.
“There will be rules to yourstay,”He says.
“Andif I break therules?”Iask. He snorts and shakes his head.
“Youwillfind yourselfbackin the dungeonatthe whimsofJennifer,thetorturejunky.”
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I press my lipstogether inthought,wonderingwhat his relationship with her is and why hedoesn’ttrytowork with her.Itisveryclear that they bothdislikeGiselle and know she is uptosomething,yetthereisnotrust between them.
“YoumeanIfind myselfbackwith my mother?”Isay,and he looks at me with a frown.
“Your mother has beenthereformanyyears, and you being upheremeans she will be tortured less. They kicked up her torture to get a rise out ofyou. Your mother is safer with you up here.”
I think about his words, hating that he is probably right.
“WhatensuresIstayhere?”Iaskas heslowsandplacesme down. I press my hand to the wall, steadying myself as he unlocks the door.
“Asidefrom this lock andkey?” Heasksand I nod.
“ThatIwill nothesitateto kill your mom.” Jennifer’s voice echoes down the hall behind me. I turn to look at her and she gives me a fake smile. “I havebeenbeggingtokill the bitch foryears,so I would love the chance to finally do it.”
“Youwill die before she does.”I grit out and she throws herheadback in laughter.
“Sure.”Shenodslike she believes me, but her demeanorsaysotherwise.
“Whyareyouhere,Jennifer? Iwastold youwereon a mission,” Teiran asks.
“Oh,don’tyou worry about me. I’m on my way out. I was just making sure our esteemed guest makes it to her room.” She shrugs.
Teiran arches a brow before taking an intimidating step toward her.
“Is there a reason you would think the king’s own son would you to verify he can do a simple room change?” He asks, and she pales, her lips twitchingasshe hisses and steps back.
“Of course not.” She grumbles.“In truth, Iwasjust passing by on my way out.”
“Then,passby already.” He growls,and she scowls at him before taking a few steps back and turning and scurrying away. Then he turns to me and pushes the door open. “Get in.”
Ieasemyself into the room. The lights coming on and showing a beautiful room carved out of stone. Plants line thewall,moss and flowers planted increvicesof the rock.
To my right there is a bed, covered in white linens and in the far corner,a small trickling fountain of water. I rush to it, cupping my hands and slurpingasmuch as I can.
Itis heavenly cool and crisp,easing my painsasifa tonic to my aching body.Isplash it on myface, my mouth falling open as it feels like it caressesmyskin, and I stand upright, looking at Teiran, who watches me with curious eyes.
“We need to talk.” Hesays, the door closing behind him.
“Then talk,dragonprince.”Isay,crossing my armsovermychest.
“Iwant Giselle dead.”Hesays,quietly. “And I want my father freed from her hold she hasoverhim.”
“Whatdoyouexpectme to do?”Iaskwith a frown.
“I needyourword,” hesays.
“Myword? What good does my word do?”Iscoff.
“Youareboth thequeenoftheLycansandwerewolvesandaprincessof the sirens.”Hescoffs.“You have more power than anyone bornofone world.”
“Whatmakesyouthinktheywilllistento me?”
Iamnot sure he understands how thehierarchyworks. I am a Luna,not the alpha and I may be a princess to the sirens, but it is not a titleIcanclaimas ahalf–breed.Hell,I’mnotevenentirely sure I can be underwater without drowning for more than a minute.
“Your King, he isalreadyon hiswaytous. With thehelpofsomeone whoknowstheirway around here. And Caspian…well, he won’tgiveup on you, not now that he has finally got hisdaughterback.”
I see his point, butitdoesn’tmeanhis demandmakesany sensetome.
“Whatis ityouwantfrom me,exactly?”Iask,tryingtounderstand.
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Hiseyesgrowdark and he licks his lips.
“Iwantyouto bringawarhereand I want you to promise my father will live.”
I shake myhead,chuckling. “War is already coming. If Merikh is on his way-”
“No,you don’t understand. We already know they are on their way and which way they will use to sneak in. I didn’t come by this information on my own. Giselle knows their plan. Where isityou think Jennifer is going?”
Panicgrowsin my throat and I swallow roughly, trying to fucking understand what he wants and how to warn Merikh.
“Iwill helpyouescape tonight.” He whispers.
“But you said if I escape, Jennifer will kill my mother,”Iscoff. “I just got her back. I won’t let her die.”
He dragsahand over hisface.
“There is nothingIcan do for your mother. Right now, you need to choose her or your mate. You have twenty–four hours to decide.”
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