“Very well,” Ildir said. “Jiren—”
A bright purplish light filled the room. It came from where Jiren stood and was so bright it stung my eyes, making them feel like they were melting. I couldn’t search for Marren. I couldn’t think to use our private way of talking. The screams and shouts that filled the room would drown out any word. A loud hum filled the air, growing louder as the light grew brighter until a burst of heat knocked me off my feet.
Silence filled the air, and then darkness.
Chapter 19
Taken to a Dark Place
I waited for the humming to end. It started back up shortly after the silence fell. It began as a soft whisper, then grew in intensity while I remained on the ground, too afraid to move. The sound grew louder until I realized the noise was a combination of my heart beat banging in my ears and murmurs that surrounded me. Words came to me in bits and broken pieces.
“Not…gone!”
“Jiren…“
“He’s right…“
“We were blind…“
I opened my eyes to the stone floor covered by feet surrounding me. I gazed up and found Joe’n, Blyl, Ildir, and Gurth, the goblin Ancient who had remained out of sight and distant, all stood around me like a shield. Panic struck my heart. I stood up and pushed my way through the Ancients, despite their grumblings not to, and found in place of Marren, only his clothes were left. Lying as if he curled himself up on the floor, but his body had been completely consumed.
“No! No! Where did you take him?” I shouted at Jiren who appeared pleased with himself.
“Think about this,” he said to the crowd. “If she is Marren’s heart song, would she be standing here, asking such questions?”
With his words, I understood what he tried to do. He wasn’t above sinking to levels so low he set new standards. He somehow made Marren disappear and made it seem like he died in an effort to prove me wrong. To get his way.
A hand gripped my arm and jerked me back behind the line of Ancients.
“The laws of this land are clear. An Ancient killing an Ancient without due cause is an unforgivable wrong. In an effort to prove your desires, you may have killed Marren, but Relena is with child. Not only is she protected because she carries Marren’s heir, but she is protected because of you, Jiren. She is protected because she was Marren’s mate. Whether or not they share a heart song,” Ildir said. He tried to force the sadness out of his words, but they still poked through, eating away at my strength.
“But he can’t be dead! I’m still alive!” The words fell out of my mouth softer than a whisper.
“The Ancients decree you are banished. Any races following you are to be released of your leadership and allowed to side under the Ancient they choose,” Joe’n said, her voice calm and smooth. Her words, as far as I could tell, didn’t hint at sadness. I was grateful for that.
Blyl turned toward me. “I’m sorry, but you are not free from punishment either. It has been written if two share a heart song, they share in death. Either Marren isn’t dead or you aren’t his heart song after all.”
I nodded my understanding. The motion felt numb, almost as though I no longer had control of my body.
“You will be taken to your room, where you’ll be most comfortable. But you will have no luxuries, you will not be allowed outside, and you will be forbidden to leave,” he added.
I nodded, numbly, again.
Blyl tried to escort me toward the room. His hand gently cupped my upper arm. My attention was pulled toward the metallic clanking of the sword on his belt. I turned my gaze toward his waist. It wasn’t secured. He must have forgotten to do that during the commotion. His hood remained over his head, making me seriously doubt he had seen me looking.
We approached the doors leading out of the mountain. They hung open. I stopped, and Blyl stopped with me, seeming to understand I needed a break. Well, I needed a plan.
Footsteps echoed toward us from down the hall. My head turned toward Jiren, being escorted out with a smug smirk on his face. I narrowed my eyes toward him, needing to see a flaw in him. He would stop at nothing to win this war. But why?
“Are you satisfied, Jiren?” I asked.
“Relena, don’t,” Blyl warned.
Jiren walked past, then stopped and turned his head toward me. He didn’t let his gaze rest fully on me. The smile on his face gave me the answer I needed. “One thing you should remember, I always win. One day, this realm will see I gave them a gift.”
“This isn’t over, Jiren. Marren is alive!”
“Oh, you have that right.” He paused long enough for the question to linger as to which point he agreed to. “This isn’t over. I will be back to finish the job. I won’t stop until you and that abomination is dead.”