I fell backwards the moment he turned to me. His face was contorted in anger and he spat whilst he screamed in my face.
“You have no idea what they have done to me. What pain they have caused. It is my time to get my revenge, I’ve waited long enough and you will either help me or face the consequences. The elven continents must pay for what they have done.”
“Where is Hadrian?” I snarled, pushing my face closer to his. I would not let him scare me.
“Wouldn’t you like to know? I never did thank you for saving him. If Alina succeeded in killing him I would have been one Dragori short.”
My arms shook, “You wanted him dead! How could you do that? He is your son, your blood.”
He laughed. A slow, deranged noise and smiled.
“You silly, silly boy. You still know so little.”
“You tried to kill him and blame the Morthi, you wanted to use him to start a war for your benefit.”
“True, but in the end, I didn’t need to spill blood to get what I wanted. Now the whole of Thessolina has answered my call. There will be war. And you will be a part of it.”
“No,” I spat, attempting to stand.
“You will.”
He walked to the left of the room, right towards the covered table. His jewelled hand gripped onto the material and with a great tug, he pulled it off.
It wasn’t a table at all. Beneath the sheet was a cage. Sunlight danced across the golden bars and inside it, was a body. Blood covered every inch of his naked skin, cuts and burns like runes etched into him.
I couldn’t tear my eyes off him. I stood from the floor, arm still clasped to my chest, and walked over. The smell I’d noticed before was stronger since the material had been taken off. I knew what it was. Burning flesh.
I didn’t want to believe it.
I could see King Dalior out of the corner of my eye, but I didn’t look to him. I didn’t need to.
The body was curled into a ball, rocking back and forth on the base of the cage.
“Hadrian?” I whispered.
The elfin looked up and golden eyes looked through me.
“Hadrian…”
I LOST ALL grasp on reality and forgot about the pain beneath my gold band.
The smell of burned flesh stung my nose, but didn’t stop me from trying to reach for him.
I ignored the burns off the gold bars when they knocked against me. I just needed to reach him, touch him.
I called his name, but he didn’t say a word in response. He just looked through me, emotionless and detached.
It was clear to see just how much he’d been through. His hair had been burned away in certain parts of his head, clumps laying around him. Lacerations covered his arms and legs, his chest dirtied and covered in blood. He looked like a little boy, a scared child.
“When my people created you, we needed a way to control your powers. So, during the ritual we made sure we gave you a weakness. Gold,” King Dalior’s voice sang from behind me.
I turned and growled, every part of my body wanting to hurt him. The band burned the moment my anger took over and I willed for my magick to listen. It ignored me, refusing to answer my call.
I threw myself at Dalior. I reached where he stood and launched a back handed slap to his face. He caught it.
He clenched his large hand around my wrist. In the next moment, I was launched in the air. My back slammed against the edge of the desk and I slumped to the ground. The energy that had flooded my body was dwindling rapidly.
King Dalior ran at me. I had seconds to get up before his steel boot would’ve connected with my jaw. Something crashed to the side of my face. I saw Dalior’s foot had connected with the leg of the desk.
“You dare try and attack me!” he screamed, swinging for my face. I was still on the floor, dragging myself backwards until my back knocked against the locked door. I pulled myself up, one handed, and threw myself to the side as a fist came for my face.
I kicked out. It connected with his leg.
King Dalior roared and grabbed a hold of my shoulders. The wind was snatched from my lungs when his knee connected with my stomach.
I gasped, the world slowing down. His fist came right at my face. Before it reached its mark, the boat rocked and we were both sent toppling to the floor.
My head missed a side cabinet by inches as I rolled across the floor. I could hear King Dalior’s frustration from the opposite side of the room.
The ship had been hit.
I heard shouts beyond the room. I looked at Dalior who lay dazed on the floor and to Hadrian whose cage had shifted. He was sprawled out on the base of the cage not moving. I needed to get him out.
My broken hand throbbed from where I’d landed on it. I pulled myself up and stumbled towards Hadrian, but caught movement out the corner of my eye. Beyond the window, ivory-white ships covered the sea line. The masts of the ships had a single symbol on them. The burning feather of the Alorian elves.
They’d come for us. The realization gave me enough energy to reach the cage. I turned back to check on King Dalior, but he was no longer on the ground.
Something heavy connected with the side of my head and I lost focus. For a moment, I saw nothing but black.
“I will not let them take you. You are mine.” I felt his presence grasp me from behind. Slapping my good hand against his arms, I tried to claw my way out of his grasp, but he didn’t let go.
I screamed as loud as I could. If they had come for us, I needed them to find us.
The ship rocked again, but I was still stuck in his embrace. He wouldn’t let me go.
I threw my head back until it cracked against King Dalior’s jaw. He screeched and spun me around, grasping my broken hand and squeezed.
I opened my mouth to scream, but I choked on the pain. My legs gave way beneath me and I dropped to the floor. It was over. I couldn’t fight any more. I peered at my broken hand, the skin already bruised in purple and yellow.
There was a sound beyond the door.
The noise came again, and I noticed King Dalior’s focus was also directed towards it.
There was a final shudder and the door burst open. Wood and water exploded across the room. I turned my head to Hadrian as the water rushed over me. I cried out and covered my head in shock.
My mind raced to catch up. I scrambled from the ground, water up to my ankles. We were sinking. Then the water started to pull backwards towards the door.
I followed it, turning for the door to see a woman. She stood in the entrance of the room, arms raised, and water spinning in the air around her. She lunged forward, her right hand striking out with a silver sword. Right towards Dalior.