Quick message before the chapter!
I'm sorry for the long. Overly long. Regrettably long absence. I honestly think I was in a mental funk. I couldn't find the desire to write anymore. I felt completely disconnected from my stories and didn't know how to find the rhythm again. Every time I tried, I got no where. But recently, I started feeling inspired. I missed you all! Forgive me :(
CORA
The clanking of the metal shackles bit into my ankles and filled the dark passageways with a sadistic song. Two stoic-faced guards draped in steal armory stood on either side of me, dragging me forward. But I did not go easily. I fought and screamed until my lungs burned, and my weak body shook with agony. Still, I raged until the whole castle trembled.
My voilent eyes glared at King Toro, who was priveledged enough to avoid being bounded like a thief, but that didn't stop four guards from encircling him. The Fire King was not exempt from the cold dungeons below.
Unlike me, Toro didn't make a single sound, which should have been a sign that a plan was brewing in his head. But it didn't matter to me. I was born a fighter, and I was going to fight my way out of this, with or without his added protests.
We abruptly turned down another hall, this one illuminated by the quiet moon glowing through the open windows. The wind quietly swept through the hallway, gently tossing my hair about as if the night held no promise of malice.
There needn't no storm for me to know the horrors that lay ahead. Titus' wrath was unmatched, and I feared for his rebuke.
We finally reached a set of double doors, which were covered in thick ice, and almost looked frozen shut. A guard appeared from behind me and opened one of the doors, and then he stood aside, allowing us to enter.
My captors led me to a single chair in the middle of the room. They roughly forced me onto the seat, and tied me down so that I couldn't move.
King Toro entered next - his hooded eyes full of fury, but he refused to meet mine as he took his place next to me. There was no chair for him; he stood proud and unashamed the way a king aught to.
I turned in my chair to look up at him, silently begging him to meet my eyes, but he remained facing forward. My heart was nearly shattered by his aloofness.
Minutes ticked on, the silence growing painful. I was sure every guard in the room could hear my drumming heartbeat. Finally, Titus peacefully strolled into the room as if he were meeting us for tea.
He was clad in burgundy elegance with a crown encrusted in heavy jewels. On either hand, he wore rings with jewels twice the size of his fingers. He even wore a smug smile as he approached us.
One could have thought we were meeting to discuss the weather. The only telltale sign that something was amiss was the sight of the guards flanking him, hands on swords as if awaiting his order to attack. My breath caught in my throat.
Titus took his time adjusting in a seat at the long, oak table. After straightening his tunic, he lifted his eyes to greet us.
"My accomplice and my girl have become quite friendly, I take it," Titus stated, his lips curled in amusement. "Perhaps too friendly."
"I am not your gir-"
"Silence!" Titus roared. His eyes met mine and blazed like a mad man. There. There hid his anger. I knew it was behind the indifferent mask. "I am your king."
"You are no king," I spat.
My head whipped to the side from a blow to my temple. I hadn't even seen it coming, but surely the guard to my right had struck me.
"I have been patient with you," Titus spoke and almost too low for me to hear. "I have extended my kindness when I should have kiled you. I loved you, which was a weakness of mine. And how do you repay me? You try to seduce my ally.
"You don't think I know about you sneaking out to go to his room? You don't think I know everything?" Titus stood from his seat and began walking toward me. Every step brought a fierce coldness that made my bones shake. "Tell me, Cora. How is the queen fairing? Was she happy to see you? I bet she was. Maybe I should bring her here."
"No," I called out, instantly upsetting myself for speaking out and showing a weakness. Titus' smile grew as his eyes bore into mine. He leaned down so that his eyes were leveled with mine, and his smile turned into a sneer. "And where is Lady Esmeralda?"
"I killed her." I said, making sure my eyes didn't wander over to where King Toro stood motionless.
"Did you now? And why is that?"
"She got in the way," I told him. "I'd do it again." A laugh escaped my mouth. "I hate you. I can't wait to watch you burn."
"Oh?" Titus stood straight. "You must be mistaken, love I can't burn." Like a flicker of light, fire exploded in his outstretched hand.
I held in my shock, too stubborn to bless him with any form of mistaken awe. But the shock was still inside of me, nonetheless. Titus was an Amicus. I should have known. I should have seen it.
"You don't seem so surprised by my revelation, Cora. Is it possible that you might also be-"
"Fuck you and your fire."
"Brash." Titus huffed. He closed his fists, extinguishing the fireball. "I want to know one thing, Cora. Are you in love with King Toro?"
I turned my face away from him and I bit down on my lip, refusing to answer him. "Did you fall for every lie he fed you? Did you know that every one of those love lies were orchestrated by me?" Titus chuckled. "Of course you didn't. I bet you fell for every kiss...every whispered declaration of love. You're so needy, Cora. You can't tell an enemy apart from a friend, especially when they are holding your heart in their hands. But I am confused about one thing."
Titus turned toward King Toro, sizing him up. "Why did you kill Lady Esmeralda? Why didn't you let her go and simply tell Cora that you had killed her? Why go through the trouble? She knew." Titus stopped to breathe deeply as if he was trying hard not to explode. "She knew more than you did! So why did you kill her? Is it possible, Toro, that somewhere along the line of lies and deception, that you also fell for Cora?"
The first tears feel from my eyes in sycronized waves. I didn't want to hear the truth. I couldn't bare it.
"Why are you doing this?" I cried.
"Because. I can." Titus responded. "Answer the question," he said to Toro.
"You've allowed your short rule to get to your head, Titus. Do not speak to me as if I am your prisoner. I have been king far longer than you have. I also have men within and surrounding this castle. If it was my purpose to go against you, I could have easily take you out. Don't bite the hand that put you on the throne. My loyalty is obvious. The girl I killed was disposable, regardless of what she knew. Cora knows more. If Cora trusted me, especially after killing her enemy, then she'd tell me everything. In fact, I was sure she would have revealed everything to me tonight. But you ruined that."
"Toro..." I whispered, only because I was too broken to speak strongly. "You're lying. You said you cared for me. You said I took away your need for revenge. That wasn't a lie!"
He refused to me my eyes. It was as if I hadn't spoken. "Make your guards move. We now need a Plan B if we wish to catch Prince Sebastian."
Titus smirked. "And what is the plan?"
"Bring in the queen. If Cora can't be seduced into telling us where the Prince is, she will be forced to." His eyes finally met mine, and for the first time since I met him, I saw cruetly.
"What are you going to do?" I asked.
"I should be asking you that very question. Tell us where Sebastian is, or we will kill the queen," he smiled at me, but it did not meet his eyes. This fire king, I didn't know who he was. I no longer knew anything.
We were doomed.