My cry of anguish echoed on the stone walls as Finn’s eyes stared sightlessly back at me.The word ‘TRAITOR’ had been savagely carved into his brow with a small knife.I had interrupted King Hared at the entrance, cleaning blood from his hands.It was him.The king had done this to poor Finn.
How had Finn been captured?He was supposed to be showing Tomas where the dragon fire was stored.This was his punishment for helping us.His death was on my hands.
The dungeon was filled with the dead.A sick mind game designed to weaken me with fear and guilt.I knew of one man malicious enough to kill innocents just to toy with me.
‘It’s time to face what you have caused.’A malevolent voice came from the last cell.The same cell that had held Queen Yaris.
I wiped harshly at my tears.‘I’m sorry, Fox Boy,’ I whispered to Finn before leaving him to face Merrick.
My heart seized as I reached the last cell.They were alive.
Torgrin was standing precariously on a three-legged stool with a thick rope wrapped around his neck.Cillian was next to him, on his knees, his head bowed.Hiding behind the men I was here to save, was Merrick.He held a knife to the side of Cillian’s throat, and had a foot poised to kick the stool out from under Torgrin.
The Darkness pushed for freedom once more while I wrestled to stay in control.I wanted to see Merrick’s face go up in ash, but I wasn’t willing to risk Cillian and Torgrin’s lives to do it.
‘You can leave your sword out there,’ Merrick ordered with an excited gleam in his eyes.
I dropped my sword and moved into the cell on shaky legs.Torgrin’s dark eyes were expressionless, but his body was rigid.The rope was pulled so tight around his neck that it looked hard for him to breathe.
I shifted my attention to Cillian, who had not raised his head.Matted with blood, his long unbound hair hid his face from me.
‘Cillian?’I called out, wanting to see those honey-brown eyes to reassure me he was all right.His body shuddered at my voice, but he didn’t respond, so I tried again.‘Cillian, please look at me,’ I begged desperately, watching him kneeling on the hard stone floor.
‘Yes, Cillian, look at your love,’ Merrick said mockingly.It was like my suffering was a game to him.
I saw Torgrin teeter on the stool in the corner of my eye before Cillian finally raised his head towards my voice.
As I stared into Cillian’s empty eye sockets, anguish consumed me.‘No, no, no!’I sobbed, thinking of the pain he must have endured as Merrick took his beautiful eyes.
‘Don’t cry, Caris – please don’t cry,’ came Cillian’s weak plea.
The walls quaked as my control slipped.
‘I wouldn’t do that,’ Merrick threatened, putting his foot on Torgrin’s stool.
The Darkness was pounding at the door in my mind.
‘Why?’I screamed at Merrick, hot tears running down my cheeks.This man took my mother’s life, and now he butchered the man I loved.‘Why did you do this to him?Why did you kill my mother?’ I screamed so savagely my throat burned.
Merrick’s ice-blue eyes fixed on me as he ignored my questions.‘Who are you?You can’t be her.’He shook his head.‘I’ve dreamed of the Cursed One coming for ten years.I dreamed of days turning to never-ending nights.I saw her infect the minds of men as she took the throne for herself.I had visions of her turning all of Eritz into ash.I’ve been preparing for a worthy foe, yet here you cry and scream like a pathetic little girl.’He looked at me with disgust.
I shook my head in disbelief.‘You kill and torture innocent women and anyone who loves them.Youare the one who needs to be stopped,’ I spat out.
‘Innocent?’he roared.‘The Cursed aren’t innocent.They corrupt the souls of men!They deceive men with beauty and manipulate us with their bodies and their Curses.Women have had weak masters who allowed them to use the power given to them by the first Cursed One.When she is reborn, she will try to enslave men again, but my Order will stop her!’His face contorted and turned a deep shade of purple as rage consumed him, causing his eyes to bulge.
‘And you are not her.You may have a powerful Curse, but that does not make you the Cursed One,’ he said with a sneer.‘I had thought it was the queen, but she disappointed me too.It’s time to end this.’He kicked the stool from under Torgrin’s feet and brought his knife against Cillian’s throat.
The raw heat of my power surged through my hands as I thrust them forward, desperate to be precise.Torgrin’s rope dissolved into ash, a dark plume curling away before his body fell to the floor.My focus snapped to Merrick – my shadows slamming into his chest hardenough to wrench the blade from his grip.He flew back from Cillian and hit the cell wall behind him, the knife clattering to the floor.
Torgrin got to his feet and made to move towards me.
‘No!Get Cillian out of here,’ I shouted.
He hesitated and looked at Merrick, who was also getting to his feet.
‘He’s mine,’ I reminded him.Torgrin had promised he would let me have my revenge on Merrick.He clenched his fists, jaw tightening as he stepped closer, his eyes flicking to my trembling hands.I could see the war inside him – every muscle tensed, ready to pull me back, to shield me from Merrick.But then he exhaled sharply, and something in his gaze softened.He didn’t speak, but a flicker of understanding passed between us.He knew.This was something I had to do.For my mother.
My heart doubled in size when he moved towards Cillian.Torgrin put his hand to Cillian’s throat, staunching the flow of blood.‘Let’s get you out of here, Blacksmith.’He supported Cillian with his free arm and drew him to his feet.As they passed me, I brushed Cillian’s stooped shoulder with my shaking hand.My eyes locked with Torgrin’s.
