Iyan was drawing close to the dungeons. She could hear moaning and screams just down a flight of stairs. She flexed her hand around the hilt of her dagger and pressed on. The floor beneath her feet shuddered, flinging her against a wall.
Iyan grabbed her dagger before it could hit the ground. She gasped, spying silver smoke drifting beneath her feet. Arius, she realized. What was that?
Iyan forced herself to keep moving, despite the growing fear that clutched at her heart. The moans were louder now. She stepped into a hallway and her mouth fell open. Cells lined both sides of the corridor. They were packed full of people.
Humans were crying and clutching at the bars. Many more weren't even moving. Iyan scanned the cells for any sign of a familiar brown hair, blue eyed woman. She couldn't see Lucille anywhere. A few of the humans had noticed her but they said nothing.
Iyan crept back towards the stairs. I've got to get back and tell them. She turned, smacking into two very familiar people. Derek Avery grabbed her wrists, wrenching her daggers away.
"Well, well, well. Looks like those Faeries knew what they were talking about after all," Derek sneered. "Even with those false eyes, I would know you anywhere, Iyan Vesper." Sven glowered over his shoulder.
"How...Asena..." Iyan cried out as they pushed her against a wall.
"That wench took our tongues and hands, but nothing else," Derek growled. "Day Faeries found us and promised to restore us if we helped them. They kept their word. We told them everything they needed to know."
They knew who I was the moment I walked in, Iyan realized.
As if sensing her thoughts, Sven spoke. "They would've known you because of your mother, even if we hadn't told them."
"What are you talking about?"
"Leila Vesper was a very talented witch and her great great grandmother was a Day Faerie," Derek sneered. "It's a wonder she never told you. Then again, perhaps Julius, that simpering fool, swore her to secrecy when you and your sister were born."
"How dare you speak of my father that way!" Iyan kicked his shin and brought her knee up hard between his legs. Derek crashed to his knees with a cough of pain. She bolted, but Sven wrapped his arms around her waist and threw her onto the ground. Iyan gasped for breath.
Sven grabbed her discarded dagger and plunged it into her forearm, pinning her onto the stone floor. Iyan screamed in pain. "Struggling will only make this worse for you," he hissed. "As soon as Emeric and Ezlyn have dealt with your Faerie friends, they will join us. Save your strength. You're going to need it." Iyan didn't have a chance to protest. He slammed a brick against her temple and darkness claimed her.
✦❘༻✦༺❘✦
Arius landed in the foyer of the manor screaming. Blood poured from the open wound in his father's chest. Even more dripped from Torin's mouth. "Someone find Sybella!" Arius shouted. He rocked on his heels, panic threatening to overwhelm him. "Father."
Torin clenched his hand tightly, his breath rattling between his teeth. "They...don't know what happened," he rasped. "You have to go back. Your cousins..."
Arius swallowed hard and pulled his hand away from his father. He disappeared just as servants came running towards them. He reappeared in the ballroom. Chaos had already erupted. Day Faerie soldiers were swarming his father's ambassadors and generals, but they were making good use of their hidden weapons.
Arius drew his sword and quickly aided Aurelia and Odile. The sisters were fighting back to back, magic flying from their hands. "Prince Arius, what happened?" Aurelia shouted.
"I can't explain now." Arius drove his sword through the neck of a soldier. He pried it loose and held a hand out to her. She took it and grabbed onto Odile before Arius teleported once more.
He dropped them in the manor, just as Gabriel was arriving with Asena, Lilith, and Zephyr. They didn't hesitate. In another flash of silver, Arius was back again. His head spun, an after effect of traveling so quickly, but he pushed past the dizziness.
He spied General Killian locked in battle with another guard. Arius rammed his shoulder into the soldier's back. Killian stabbed his sword through the Day Faerie's gut and grabbed Arius' offered hand.
Arius half turned, spying Emeric and Ezlyn from the corner of his eye. They were staring at him, a mixture of anticipation and frustration in their eyes. He closed his eyes and teleported away once more.
Arius crashed onto the floor of the manor, his head pounding. Esen braced a hand on his back. "Where's my father?" He wheezed.
"Sybella's workroom."
"Is she here?"
"Not yet. Someone is going to Sparrowhaven to find her. Abigail and a few others are doing what they can."
Arius pushed himself to his feet. He ran up the stairs towards the third floor. The ground spun beneath him. He stumbled into the healer's room, almost knocking over a table.
Abigail grabbed him by the shoulders, her silver eyes fearful. "Can I get you anything?"
Arius pulled away from her and knelt by his father. Torin was still clinging to life, his eyes opening and closing. Arius grabbed his hand and Torin's gaze slipped to him. Arius called on his magic and held it over his father's wound.
"Don't..." Torin coughed. "There's...there's iron in the wound. It will...nullify your magic." Arius winced, already feeling the negative effect of the iron, but he kept his magic alight.
"I can help until Sybella gets here," Arius replied. "You'll be all right." Blood leaked from the side of Torin's mouth, mingling with his father's tears. "I'm sorry, Father. I didn't know they were behind Mother's death. I didn't...I never..." Arius hung his head, his dark hair covering his shining eyes.
"She protected you," Torin's voice was growing fainter. "I never blamed you. I never will."
"Father." Arius lifted his head, clutching his hand tighter. "Father, hold on."
"Take care of our people, my son. You will..." Torin drew a shuddering breath. "You will be a good king. I..." he smiled faintly and his eyes became unseeing. "We love you."
"Father, no!" Arius covered the wound with both hands. Sharp pain sliced through his palms as his magic detected the iron within the wound. Torin gave one last sigh and fell still. "Father!" Arius screamed. He grabbed Torin's shoulders and shook him. "Father! Father!"
A hand fell on his shoulder and Arius whirled, baring his teeth in a snarl. Esen pulled him into a tight hug, unphased by his anger. Tears streamed down his cheeks as Arius hugged her back.
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she murmured. Strength fled from him and Arius buckled to his knees. Esen sank down with him, clinging to him all the more. "I'm sorry, Arius."
"Where's Iyan? I need her." He squeezed his eyes shut. He had to see her. He had to know that she was all right. He had to have her close by if he was going to face the others.
"Gabriel got back just as I came up here. I'm sure she's with him." Esen hugged him a moment longer, then pulled him to his feet.
Arius wiped a hand across his eyes and followed her out of the room. Abigail and the others lowered their eyes as he walked past. They made their way back down the stairs. Gabriel was speaking with Asena in a corner.
Arius joined them shortly. "Where's Iyan?"
Gabriel's eyes widened. "I thought she was with you."
"What?" His heart dropped. "Gabriel, what do you mean? Where is she?"
"I don't know. I didn't see her at the palace. I thought you brought her back."
Arius lifted his hands to his head, panic fogging his mind. "She's still there? You didn't...how could you leave her there?"
Esen jumped in between them as Arius took a step towards Gabriel. "Arius, don't. This won't solve anything."
Arius shrugged away from her. "I'm going to find her."
"No." Both of his cousins grabbed onto him. "Arius, if you go back there, Emeric and Ezlyn will kill you," Esen said.
"If I don't, they might kill her!"
"You don't know that."
"Neither do you!" He fought back a choked sob. "I can't lose her too. Not now."
"What happened?" Gabriel demanded.
"Emeric and Ezlyn..." Arius fell to his knees once more. "They betrayed us. They were behind my mother's death. They killed my father." The generals and ambassadors behind him gasped. Gabriel's face fell. "I have to go find her."
"You can't." They all turned as Asena moved closer. Her illusion had faded. He imagined Iyan's had as well. "You can't," she repeated.
"She's your sister."
"And you're now a king. Your people need you." Asena drew a trembling breath and knelt in front of him. "Iyan is smart. She'll be all right. Odds are, she's hiding somewhere right now and waiting to steal a horse."
Arius searched her gaze. She didn't believe the words she spoke. Neither did he. The officials behind him were waiting to see his reply, his first act as their king. Arius squeezed his eyes shut and nodded. "Ready the soldiers. The Day Faeries won't give us time to mourn before they reveal their true plans."
Gabriel nodded and pressed a kiss to Asena's forehead before joining the other generals. Arius picked himself up and let them look him over. He didn't care how he looked. Let them know that he was their king, no matter his mental state. Let them know that he had just abandoned the woman he loved to help them and his people.
Arius met their gazes and strode into his father's office. He locked the door behind him and cast a sound barrier over the room. Arius clenched his hands into fists and roared his pain to the empty room.