Moon Song (Crowns of Zima #1)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Laurel

 

            "Laurel. Laurel."

            I opened my eyes to a dark room. When I tried to reach for a stray hair that fell in front of my eyes, I couldn't move my hand. It was bound to the arm of the chair I sat in right now just as the other.

            "Laurel, are you awake?" Titus's voice lilted from behind me. "Are you alright?"

            I nodded, my voice scratchy as I responded, "Yes, I'm fine. My head hurts, but that's all. Where are we? What happened?"

             "The rebels attacked," Dahlia's voice echoed in the small room. "They must have knocked you our just as us. We suspected something was going on, but never did we think they would gain the upper hand."

            I pulled at the ropes. "Why haven't you two used your magic to get out?"

            "We can't," Titus explained. "Whoever these rebels are, they know what they're doing. The ropes they bound us with are anti-magic. The harder we try to get out--if we even attempt to use our powers--we'll only grow weaker."

            Fury found itself raging in my chest. I'd grown used to bearing magic. Being unable to use it now seemed unthinkable. "Then what are we supposed to do?"

            "We wait," Dahlia whispered. "Someone's in the castle. An army other than the rebel force. They are here to play rescue. I feel it."

            "Through magic?" I asked.

            "Through hope."

            The word made me fidget now. At one point in my life, I believed. Only days ago, I believed. Now, all I felt was doubt, like we'd already lost the battle that had barely even started. And how the people to settle with belief, we had Dahlia.

            "My father," I remembered. "He knew this was going to happen. He's been a part of it all along. When I went to his office, those magical advisors--they weren't the only ones there. There was a man dressed in black. I...I couldn't see his face. But he spoke of a deal made with my father." I kept my eyes straight on the door in front of me, recounting the scene in my head. "My father made a deal to give the man--this rebel party magic, the witches in the castle, if I was kept safe. Then...Then they discovered me. My father let them knock me out."

            "Of course," Titus breathed from behind me. "The King has been behind this all along. I suspected something, some sort of activity on his part. But never did I really imagine him going that far. Betraying his whole kingdom...Any other man would be tried and hung."

            Dahlia practically snarled. "But never the king."

            "We have to stop him." I shook at the ropes that bound me, my efforts obviously useless. "He's going to destroy this entire kingdom and every species in it. The witch's will be abused even further. The werewolves killed..." Panic rose in my chest causing my breathing to falter. "Willow...what will happen to her?"

            "Laurel," Titus commanded. "You need to calm down. If you get yourself too worked up, you'll do magic that will only condemn you further. We will survive this just as your sister. Have a little faith. We have people on our side. Forces you could never imagine."

            "We...we do?"

            Just then a howl echoed through the castle, shaking my bones. Dahlia cackled lowly from beside me like she knew--she just knew the force about to drive through the door to save us all. Maybe she did. I didn't have time to ask.