Sweet Innocence and Gentle Sin || 𝐀𝐂𝐎𝐓𝐀𝐑

Chapter 5: Wolf In Sheep's Clothing

I rose from my chair and said, "all this talk has given me a headache. I expect to see you two tonight when I meet with the High Lord?"

Eris stood and said, "that is, if he remembers."

I walked out of the room with my head held high, but as soon as I was free of them, my head dropped again. I hated Azriel—that was something I was sure of. But I didn't hate him enough to wish this kind of death on him. Not enough to even want him dead... unless it was by my hand, and for good reason.

No soul deserved such a thoughtless death.

I walked down the halls that I knew well now and worked my way down to the lower levels. The halls were mostly empty, but I passed a few slaves that bowed when I walked by them, stopping all their work to do so. I hesitated a step when I passed the kitchens. It was empty in there, but I could almost hear the banging of pans and the bubbling of stew—the smell of it all.

I shook my head and continued on—deeper beneath the old keep. I finally reached the lowest level, where the staircase simply ended in a long and wide hallway. Metal doors lined the walls, each with little sliding windows to view inside.

I walked cautiously down the hall, my heels echoing in the dimly lit space. My heart pounded faster than I expected it to, and I rubbed the fabric of my skirt to comfort my nerves.

The guard at the door looked me up and down and said, "I was given orders. No one's allowed inside."

I took a deep breath. "I want to speak with the beast that tried to kill me."

"I'm sorry, but my orders are—"

"I am the princess. My orders overrule any given to you already. Now, I want to see that man and know that he is going to die. Can you allow me that?"

He paused a moment long enough to make me worry that I would be denied again. Finally, the guard stepped aside and unlocked the thick metal door.

I slipped inside the cold cell and had to squint while my eyes adjusted to the bright light overhead. The door closed with a bang behind me, and I suddenly felt like breathing was difficult. The space was so small, with nothing in it besides a pile of hay for a bed and a few scattered boxes. From the looks of it, they used the dungeons of this ruin as storage spaces.

Azriel looked up from where he sat against the wall, the chains rattling from where they attached to his wrists. They chained him to the wall. Cauldron save us both.

"I wanted to tell you that... I'm sorry," I said, stepping deeper into the room.

He looked away from me. "Do you know why they lit this cell so bright?"

I shook my head.

"They think I can only use my shadows if there is darkness."

I didn't have time to fully process his words before an invisible force brought me to my knees. No, not invisible, just without feeling. His shadows grabbed me and pulled me down to my knees, then dragged me towards him.

"You lied to me—lied to all of us," he said, looking at me with darkened honey eyes.

I tried to get out of those shadows, but they held me down tight. I shook my head. "Believe me, I didn't know. I thought we would be alright—I didn't think they would catch us."

"Traitor," he hissed.

"No—no, I'm not. I didn't want this, I..." I sighed and dropped my head. "Yes, I am a traitor, but not to you. I am a traitor to my kingdom, to my uncle, because I ran. You have to believe me."

He shook his head and leaned back against the wall, making the chains rattle again. "I don't."

"On my mother's grave—"