Serpent in Shackles

Chapter Twenty One

The brick exterior of the buildings were painted with a variety of different images, each one depicting a different story. A skeleton woman singing on a stage. A cartoon bird playing the guitar in a jail cell. Two giant eyes that followed you wherever you moved.

Yet another thing in this place that Leila would have loved. That I loved.

The streets were occupied, but not busy. Occupied with laughter, creativity, life. And their stories lived there in that art. For all to see.

But one painting caught my eye, tugging me back. I stopped in front of it, making Mia stop beside me. A man dressed in all black wearing a diamond crown. A monster wrapped over his shoulders and onto his right arm - that was stretched out in front of him - resting its head in his hand. But not just any monster-

"A viper," Mia said.

Little viper.

"Is-" I cleared my throat, looking up at the familiar face painted on the wall. "Is that your brother?"

"Yes. They love him here. He visits often and invests a lot into their art. He bought all the paintings for the house here."

I nodded. Why? Why did he visit often? Why did he invest so much in their art? Why did these monsters love him? "What about other places?"

"He visits them too. He visits them all." Mia's hand spread across my back as she pulled me along with her.

"Okay," I drawled, surveying the rest of the paintings spread throughout. "So why a serpent?"

"Serpents symbolize rebirth and healing."

Rebirth and healing? He was known for being a monster. An evil, cold-blooded killer. Certainly not a hero, not someone known for- "What has he done to bring about rebirth and healing?"

"A lot," she snapped.

So an anger streak did burn in that warm, kind soul after all.

Mia's eyes scanned the street, tracking something, or someone. She lifted an arm, swiftly stalling me beside a shop.

"Stay here," she muttered, and then disappeared down a dark alley.

Even as I lingered in the spot Mia left me, monsters seemed to keep a fair bit of space between us.

Leila belonged here. She would have loved the whole kingdom really and maybe if the powerful rulers didn't abuse their positions, didn't lie to their people, then maybe Leila could have seen it.

Anger coursed through my veins. I wanted to scream- scream at the King, at the Prince, at my Dad. At everyone. For lying to me. For lying to our people. For keeping us from a place like this.

For filling us with hatred for the monsters and telling us that they didn't exist.

A whistle had my feet moving again, strolling back down the street to where Mia resurfaced into the crowd.

The previously bare street was now filled with monsters. Music drifted through the air from the group of musicians marching up the stone. monsters danced beside them, enjoying the lively sounds.

The smell of fresh pastries hit my nose. We paused briefly at the stand and bought a few pastries before making our way back through the district.

I cleared my throat. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course," Mia cheered, flashing me a bright smile.

"Is Danver interested in anyone?"

She chuckled. "Other than his own reflection in the mirror? No. He needs someone who can handle his personality."