Blood On The Altar

Chapter 9

Early-morning darkness greeted me as I awoke the next morning, my head surprisingly clear. Kai slept soundly beside me, and I kissed him gently on the cheek before swimming out of bed. After everything we'd been through, I should have been sleeping soundly too.

Even without the swirling thoughts in my head, it would have been impossible. My eyes traveled to our closet where my wedding dress hung. Without even glancing at it, I knew where I needed to go.

A short-sleeved gray shirt paired with a purple skirt, along with my signature locket, completed my outfit. My cloak was slung over my shoulders and I tugged it over my head, veiling my face from view.

As I swam out of our room, the straps of my bag clutched tightly in my fists, I passed Mom and Dad's suite. The door was closed, which was good because it meant they were getting some much-needed sleep. And also because it meant they weren't aware of where I was going.

I was going to visit Aunt Naia. I knew it was risky, but I couldn't let it go. The satisfaction with which she'd delivered each task; her smug grin as she met my gaze. My hands curled into fists at my sides, and I took several deep breaths, pushing that anger and sadness into the very back of my heart where it couldn't be reached.

The dampness of the dungeons hit me before I'd even reached the door, along with a foul-smelling odor. Not surprising; prisoners were often treated harsher than those in the palace. The guard at the door bowed to me before unlocking and opening the inner door.

Once again, I was thankful for the anonymity my cloak gave me. Despite me freeing most of the prisoners, some of the cells were occupied. Multiple pairs of eyes fell on me as I swam inside. Some backed away as I swam past them; others clutched the bars of their respective cells, eyeing me.

I kept my own eyes straight ahead, my face a mask of boredom as I swam down the rows of cells. There was only one prisoner I was looking for. There were a dozen cells, all lining up across from each other to create a pathway in the middle. When that familiar smirk came into view, I had to visibly restrain myself.

Aunt Naia's eyes were filled with sarcastic humor. "Isadora. To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit?" Her voice was dripping with malice, and I almost couldn't bite back the retort that rose to my lips.

I swam up to her cell, clutching the bars. "Did you know about the attack on our wedding? Did you organize it?" The words were biting, and I let every ounce of anger inside me flow into them.

Mock shame appeared on her face. "I was only trying to make your job a little easier. Of course, I couldn't miss the chance to taunt my sister. That was just a bonus." Her words took on a bitter edge, gaze hard as she stared at me.

"What about the attack on the palace? Did you organize that, too?" Anger made my voice rise until I was practically shouting.

The expression on her face never wavered, even as the words left my mouth. "Yes. In truth, it wasn't that hard. All it took was getting the guards to wear the Loyalty Pendant, and voila. Of course, they lost their lives afterward, but it was a small price to pay."

My hands shook at my sides as I felt the anger reach its boiling point. A heartbeat later, my daggers were in my hands, ready to strike. I thrust my arm through the opening between the bars on her cell, trying to get to her.

A prisoner on the other side of the row shouted, causing everyone's attention to shift. While she was distracted, I made my move, slicing a line across her cheek. She cried out, slapping a hand over the wound. The cut was deep, but not enough to permanently scar. As far as I could tell, she seemed to have healed rather fast from her previous injury.

Seeing her in pain, blinded by the anger heating my body, I wanted to make her gut wound permanent. But a little voice in the very back of my head told me that it was over, that I'd gotten what I wanted. It took every ounce of willpower in me to leave the dungeons, my entire body trembling with barely-restrained anger.

I was conscious of the eyes that were on me as I swam, but I ignored them. My heart pounded as I headed for our room and I felt a few tears slip down my cheeks—the calm before the storm. Thankfully, Kai wasn't here—I was alone. I knew he wanted to help, knew he was worried about me, but I didn't want to face anyone right now.

Silent tears streamed from my eyes, rolling down my cheeks as steady as a waterfall. As if on cue, the familiar thoughts swarmed my head. To my horror, however, I recognized the voice. It wasn't my own—it was Aunt Naia's. Failure. Disappointment.

A cry burst from my lips as I suddenly rose and left our room. The rage and hopelessness swirled around inside of me until I couldn't contain it. Before I realized what I was doing, I reached the open water. My hands drifted to my waist, where my daggers always waited.

Someone had left a few chunks of stone beside the castle—likely a builder—and in doing so, had given me the perfect target. I curled my fingers around the hilts, jerking them free from their sheaths. I conjured an image of Aunt Naia in my head, her emerald-green eyes filled with smugness, that familiar smirk on her face.

My anger and depression rose to the boiling point as the first dagger left my hand, a cry escaping my lips. A satisfying thwack could be heard as it hit the target, embedding itself into one of the chunks of stone. Adrenaline rushed through my veins, but I didn't stop.

Again and again, until I was sobbing through clenched teeth. I could hardly see in front of me due to the tears streaming down my cheeks. I sank to the ground, my daggers slipping from my fingers. I knew I needed help; I just didn't know where to begin.

I'm not sure how long I stayed there, tail tucked underneath me. When my tears finally dried, when the adrenaline gave way to exhaustion, I lifted my head. Rallying myself to swim to my room was agonizing, but I managed. The sun was just setting when I swam in the door.

Immediately, a gentle arm was wrapped around my shoulder. I knew who it was without even lifting my head. Nadia. The swim to my bed drained whatever was left of my already severely depleted energy. When the room was dark, when I was finally alone, the tears came back with a vengeance.

I wasn't entirely sure why. I laid awake for a long time, my thoughts swirling around inside my head. When sleep finally came, I let it drag me under, let that blissful darkness overtake me until I knew no more.

Read and review!