Heir of Nothing (The Light-Bringer Trilogy, # 1)

Eighteen

Miles Gomez had known that this day was coming for almost nineteen years. Knew that the day his best friend—Queen Marilyn Pyro—had exiled the Queen of Darkness instead of sentencing her to death, the witch would come back for revenge.

And now his best friend lay unconscious upstairs. It was easier for her to remain unconscious. He didn't have it in him to tell Calista that her mother had made a bargain with the gods for her own protection. To buy her time to grow up and master her magic. The light and fire.

Miles was chained to the stone wall of the dungeon. He knew the dungeons well. Had helped Marilyn escape here twenty-four years earlier. Had tortured innocent men and women down here while under Melania's influence. Now this was where he would make his final stand against the witch who had tortured him for twenty-four years. Where he would prove to the kingdom—to the world—just how much he was willing to bleed for the people he had so devastatingly wronged.

He heard footsteps jogging down the stairs. He looked up in time to see a messenger run into the dungeons—alone.

"Did they get out?" Miles whispered.

The messenger nodded. "They did. They're running north to Krigere as we speak."

Miles rested his head against the wall behind him. "Good," was all he said. "I have one more message for you."

"I can get you out of here right now," said the messenger. "I can get you out, Your Grace. You can go into hiding or to another kingdom and call for aid."

Miles shook his head. "No. I will stay here with our queen. Make my final stand here."

The messenger looked saddened. "But you won't see your son again."

"I'm fine with that. I deserve it. I deserve whatever bloody end the gods and Prince James have in store with me." Tears started running down his face, the memory of his son's bloody, cut up face resurfacing. "I give you my final orders as the Queen's Hand: Run to the other kingdoms and spread word of what happened here. Take the set of golden armour upstairs in the armoury to Krigere and give it to the Light-Bringer. And when you see my son, tell Captain—no, Lord—Gomez that his mother and I love him very much, and that we'll be waiting for him in Valhalla."

The messenger was wide-eyed. "My Lord—" he started.

"That is an order from the Queen's Hand," Miles snapped.

The messenger bowed his head. "Yes, Your Grace."

"Run. Now. Before the Mad Queen and her demon prince come down and kill you. Trust me—Prince James of Helheim is a sadist and a psychopath. He'll make sure you suffer and beg him for death and mercy."

The messenger bowed his head to Miles. "As you wish, My Lord." He then left, sprinting up the stairs to make it out of the dungeons before Melania and James got back.

A few minutes later, James wandered down into the dungeons, a weighted hammer in his hands. He grinned at the sight of Miles. "Not so brave now, are you?"

Miles said nothing. Only glared at the prince with all the hatred he could muster.

"Don't worry," said James. He tilted his head as he stared at Miles. The next time he spoke, his voice was distorted into two. The first was quiet and breathy; the second was his own and sing-song like. The very sound of it chilled Miles to his bones and scraped like nails on a glass pane. "I'll make one of you sing. Besides, I think my brother can attest to my... joyous methods."

James set the hammer down and unlocked Miles's shackles. He hauled the lord to his feet. He looked a little older than Matias, but not much. James forced Miles down onto a table and chained shackles onto him, securing him to the table. The chain was short enough that Miles couldn't lash out and hurt someone. With Miles on the table, James picked up the hammer and began to pace the length of the cell block.

Several sets of footsteps started down the stairs. Melania came into the dungeon first. Two guards followed her with a weak Marilyn between them. They chained Marilyn to the wall a few feet away from him.

Tonight it is, then. Tonight, Lord Miles Jareb Gomez, Hand of Queen Marilyn Pyro, would atone for his past.

Tonight, Miles Gomez was going to show the kingdom he loved so dearly just how much he was willing to bleed for them.