HEIR | The Cursed Monarchy | Book 1

Mercy: Part IV - Chapter 20

Cecily didn't fight the current of darkness. Instead, she let her body grow still, floating as if she were swimming in the dark waters of a jungle in the night, hiding below the surface from the shining eyes of crocodiles, camouflaged on the river banks, scoping out their prey. She heard the fizzes of the water, and imagined fishes swimming beneath her, silent and curious.

Heat began building in her lungs as the desire for air grew, but she forced herself to stay still, feeling the dark slopes of the waves lift and drop her body like a piece of driftwood.

She heard a shout, and then she felt herself sinking under again, the darkness filling her mouth and shooting down into her lungs. Cecily's body shook as the current dragged her downwards. Her arms flailed, desperate for air.

Finally, she surfaced again, gasping. There was more shouting and she kicked out thrashing, only to realize that she hadn't been underwater at all.

Cecily had woken with a start, heart racing and breath coming quick and heavy. A fire was dying down beside her as the darkness faded from the soft gray of the moon – a time she rarely saw in the day.

Where is everyone? Cecily thought. Realizing she was shivering, Cecily rubbed her arms with her hands and tried hard to remember what had occurred after she released the darkness. With fright, the memories came flooding back, and she gasped with the shock of her realization. Had it been a dream, or was it real? No, it must be real. They had been battling against an indomitable enemy. They were hurt, badly, but not losing. She had evened the odds, but at what cost? The men surrounding her, tied to her, witnessed how the darkness turned her into a killer, a brave soldier but a killer just the same.

As her mind floated in the river of darkness, her possessed body had cast a spell on the surrounding Veils that melted them from the inside out. She remembered the smell most of all – damp earth and flesh. Sickening sweet and full of pain. So much pain. Cecily took a deep breath and closed her eyes. She concentrated on Daire's mind but couldn't find him. Why? Why couldn't she find him? Why wouldn't he think to tell her what the map could do?

Sighing, she looked around her, relieved. Most of the elves were sleeping; the sound of a few stirring and a distinct snore echoed through the campsite. At least Hael was alive.

With an oath, Cecily realized her leg was growing numb. Her injured leg – which had been tightly bandaged with strips of cloth – had been throbbing since she woke. She sat up too quickly and had to wait for a spell of dizziness to ease before she began the daunting task of undressing her wound.

She carefully peeled part of the giant mass of cloth back, seeing only dried blood and the edge of her torn skin. It made her feel light-headed, so she pushed the bandages back into place. Several moments passed between her dizziness and swaying. She splashed a handful of cold water onto her face from the pouch she kept laced on her belt, relishing the relief it gave to her parched mouth.

It wasn't long before she realized she was not alone. With inordinate care, Aedan had quietly found his place across from her at the fire. He made no movement, instead he sat there like a statue. His long blonde hair fell straight down past his shoulders and lay as motionless as he was. Without his helmet, she could see his handsome features in more detail – high cheekbones, straight nose, and strong chin – along with one extraordinary thing: a patchwork of scars that cut down his right cheek and jaw.

Aedan glanced up at her, and she quickly returned her eyes back to her leg, embarrassed that she had been caught staring. The others must stare at him frequently for carrying such an unabashedly beautiful face beneath a cobweb of scars.

Cecily spoke first. "I'm sorry –"

"Don't," he said, disappointed. "Do you think me a fool? That I don't know the significance of that piece of parchment in your pocket? I've been in the presence of the cursed map. You put us all in danger, serious danger."