Serena couldn’t find Cain. Usually he wasn’t more than a few miles away, but she had been scanning the surrounding areas for hours and still had not touched his mind. A hand to her head she reached further, stretching to the outer reaches of the city. It had been some time since she had last had to search for him.
Occasionally he would disappear for a few days and she would find him lying in an alleyway, having drunk away the night. Serena allowed it, so long as he came back when she called him. But this time he had travelled far beyond where she could easily find him.
Her eyes snapped open and she sucked in a breath. The only other time he had travelled this far was a year ago. The memory of how close she had been to losing him gave her strength. She stretched farther. Just as she was about to dissolve into tears she felt him. Fearfully, she checked to see if he was in danger, but when she found him safe, she relaxed slightly. Surveying his surroundings she was surprised to see him conversing with a young man of about the same age. He looked familiar. Suddenly she remembered. He had been the man walking with the girl who had escaped. He had fought Cain after she had killed the girl.
Serena slipped into Cain’s mind. She didn’t make a sound, simply sliding among his thoughts like a fish in the sea. She gasped at the pain she felt, his guilt overwhelmed her, his agony making her fall to her knees. She was about to take his mind to bring him home and end the roaring chaos that had inhabited her mind when a girl appeared at the doorway.
Cain looked up and she felt the weight of his mind lift slightly. He experienced something like… hope? Cain gave her a name, Resa. Resa had also been there when she had killed that girl. She had spoken of a promise made to Serena’s nephew, before the queen had lost her grip on him. Intrigued, she slipped out of Cain’s head and enveloped Resa in her mind.
Immediately she withdrew. Resa burned with a startling intensity. Everyone’s heart exuded a warm glow, but Resa’s blazed white hot. Serena yearned for her heart. That amount of power could keep her young for thousands of years. It held the energy of a thousand suns. She would have that heart. Picking herself off the ground, she retreated back into herself.
A soldier marched into the throne room, bowing low, and waiting for her signal to rise.
“Speak.” She ordered.
He rose hesitantly, keeping his eyes on the polished floor as he spoke, “We have a man here who says he has found your nephew. He also claims to have captured the escaped prisoner and her rescuer.”
Serena’s interest sparked. So the man and Resa were the escapees.
“Retrieve my nephew and the girl. I don’t want them hurt. You can kill the man.” He bowed again before scurrying away. “Stop!” He froze and turned about to apologize but she cut him off.
“If my nephew or the girl is harmed I will dispatch of you, your men, and all of your families. Tell them that. You may go now.” The man scurried away, shades whiter than he was before. Serena felt anticipation rise inside of her. Soon that heart would be hers, and with it she would be unstoppable.
Cain leapt to his feet. Reaching across the table, he grabbed ahold of Matthew’s shirt, bringing them face to face.
“You little rat, you’ve betrayed us! Where is Wicks?” Cain hissed. Matthew tried to shrug him off, but Cain would not let go.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about! I haven’t done anything, and neither has Wicks.” Matthew spat back.
“You lied to me; you told me he was trustworthy.”
“He is trustworthy.”
“He lied to us about where he was going!”
“So?” Matthew challenged.
“So, he’s gone to alert the soldiers to where a deserter and an escaped prisoner are hiding!”
Matthew probably would have responded, but Resa cut in before their argument could get any more heated. “Shut up!” She ordered. “Let him go Cain.” Cain shoved Matthew, causing the younger man to fall back in his chair, glaring furiously.
“We don’t know that Wicks has really betrayed us.”
“But…” She silenced Cain with a look.
“But we can’t be too cautious, we should leave now.”
“I know Wicks, we can trust him.” Matthew protested.
Resa looked at him sadly. “You knew him three years ago; a lot could have changed since then.”
“He isn’t a traitor.” Matthew said, but he didn’t meet their eyes. Cain snorted and Matthew rose to his feet abruptly, glowering.
“What? Are you going to fight me?” Cain mocked. “Come at me.” Matthew lunged at him, but Resa jumped between them, a finger to her lips. They froze.
Cain instantly heard the sound of the door at the end of the hall being unlocked. Muttering a curse he drew his sword, seeing Resa and Matthew retrieve weapons of their own as they prepared for what lay on the other side of the door. It swung open to reveal Wicks standing there looking nervous.
Wicks’ eyes fell upon Matthew and his face fell.
“I’m so sorry, they gave me no choice.” He apologized.
“So it’s true?” Matthew asked, his voice hoarse.
“They took Elaine. They said they’d let her go if I could give them any information. I love my wife; I couldn’t just let her die.” The man pleaded.
There was no time for him to say anything else because at that moment a dozen soldiers barged through the door.
Cain tensed ready to fight as Wicks begged, “Please let my wife go. I did what you asked. I just want to see her.”
One of the soldiers sneered, Cain recognized him. He was a particularly nasty piece of work, a man who took pleasure in other’s pain.
“Sure. You can see her.” Then the man plunged his sword into Wicks’ chest. Matthew choked back a sob. Cain felt a burning anger stir in his chest and he relished the thought of killing the soldier himself. The soldier slid his sword from Wicks’ chest, letting the man slump to the floor, dead.
The soldiers turned and bowed to him, “Your highness.” One of them spoke. “We have orders to return you and the woman safely to the castle.”
“What about this man?” Cain gestured to Matthew.
The soldier looked uneasy, “Your highness, are orders are to execute him for treason against the crown.”
Cain shook his head. “No, your orders are to let these two go and escort me home to the queen.”
“I’m sorry your highness, but this was a direct order from our queen.” Cain shrugged.
“We’ll have to fight you then.”
The man went white. He started to stutter, “B-but we have orders n-not t-to h-hurt you.” Cain felt sorry for the poor man, but he couldn’t let Resa be recaptured and he definitely couldn’t let them kill Matthew.
“I’ll give you a trade. You let them go or…” He said placing his dagger to his throat, “I die.”
“Your highness…”
“I mean it.” He wasn’t sure if he did, but he was sure that these soldiers wouldn’t take that chance.
“Very well your highness.” The soldier conceded.
“Go.” Cain jerked his head at Resa and Matthew. Without a word they backed away, leaving out the back door. He gave them a few moments before dropping his dagger to the floor. Dread weighed him down at the prospect of what his aunt would do when she found out what he had done. Spreading his arms to his sides he said “Come get me.”
The soldiers rushed him, disarming him and binding his arms behind his back. He was pushed roughly out the door, a massive difference from their earlier manner. Letting his hair fall into his face he felt his lips twitch into a smile. Whatever tortures were awaiting him, Matthew and Resa were free. They were one step closer to ending all of it once and for all.
Sorry it takes me so long to update this, but I'm still experiancing writers block. Sorry if this was bad because of that.
So you get more of a glimpse into who Cain is in this one. What do you think of him? Like or dislike?
Please vote and comment! I really apreciate all of your support. Thanks!