Whatcould barely be called fights continued.Iwould be beaten to within an inch of death and left in my cell to recover.Afterbeating me with fists seemed to no longer satisfy the king, they brought clubs and maces to bludgeon me.Thetorture was endless, andInever understood the purpose.Surely, my pain could not amuse the king so much that he continued this process.Heand the woman were always conferring asIwas dragged away, neither seeming pleased.
Forthe first time in my life, my thoughts were not directed at willing my body to give in and die.Instead, something unfamiliar blossomed in my heart.Afterevery beating, my ethereal visitor would come.Herhands would touch me with a gentleness thatIhad never known as she tended my wounds.Icouldn’t speak.Myjaw was often broken, so she regaled me with stories.
Somewere fantastical, of legendary heroes and unspeakable evils, but mostly, she spoke of her life, andIhad never foundanything so beautiful.
“Youwon’t believe whatMotherdid to me today,Hadeon.Shescolded me for taking theTomeofArendilout into the garden, saying the book might become damaged.AsifIcan’t care for a book properly.Theweather was so gorgeous; how couldIbe expected to complete my studies inside?Thebest place to read is the garden under the great oak tree.Icannot wait to show it to you.”
Shelied to me like this often.Thesweetest, purest lies telling me that someday my pain might end, andIwould know more than darkness.Sometimes,Ilet myself believe her.Sheran her hand gently over my forehead while my head lay in her lap.
“Iwouldn’t know;Inever learned to read,”Imanaged to croak out.
Hereyebrows shot up. “Wellthen,Imust teach you!Readingis invaluable.PerhapsIcan even bring you some books down here…”Shecontinued on and on, but the words didn’t matter.Allthat mattered was her sweet voice and the warmth of her hands on me.
Theyapproached me with swords,andIhad no doubt this would be our last dance.I’dbleed out before my body could heal.Afew weeks back,Imight have welcomed it, but something soft clung to my scarred heart.Itwas a soft laugh and a vision of an oak tree swaying in the morning sun.
Themen approached me slowly, more hesitantly than normal.Theyknew this was the last time, so maybe they were showing me the only kindness they could by delaying the moment.Allit did was let dread creep into my heart.Ididn’twant to die!Wasthis fate's final cruelty?Ihad been blessed with a fae’s long life only to have it cut short at twenty years.Ihad been ready to die when fate had sent meherto give me hope, so that a deep, razor-sharp dread could claim me just before my end.
Iwas back in that burning house, andIwas afraid.Iwas scared ofDeathas he descended on me, and there was no way out.Flameslicked at me, devoured me, andIcould hear my mother calling my name.
“Hadeon!”No, that wasn’t my mother.
Ilooked up at the stands, and the king stood withPlagisand the woman as he always did.Butclinging to the woman’s robe, there she was—golden and perfect, with tears streaming down her face.
“Hadeon, run!”Pallasshouted.Theolder woman slapped a hand over her mouth as the king looked on in annoyance.Shedidn’t fight, only looked at me with pleading eyes as her tears sending rivets of the arena’s dust down her face.
Noone had ever cried for me before.Istared at her and felt her gentle hands on me.Iimagined her soft lips touching mine, asIhad every day since she had first saved me from the dark.Shehad driven it away and filled my heart in a wayIhad never known before.Evenat that moment,Icould feel it, like a storm rising inside of me.Astears fell from her like rain, my heart filled with the clouds, thunder, and lightning of a tempest.
Painslashed across my ribs as the first man struck me with his sword.Ifell to my knees and looked up, but allIsaw was her.
“Pallas…”Iwhispered her name, my final prayer for when the gods finally answered.Anotherman stabbed me through my stomach, and as he pulled the sword back out, a storm erupted.Lightning, uncontrolled and hotter than the sun, flared from my heart.Allthree men in the arena were incinerated, the smell of the burnt flesh was hot in my nostrils.Thestorm didn’t stop.Iheard stone crack as my power laced through the walls of the stadium.Windand dust blinded me.Ifell on one hand, the other clutching my stomach, trying to stem the flow of hot blood.
Lightningflared, and my vision went black.Thelast thingIheard was that beautiful voice calling my name.
Idriftedin and out of consciousness like waves in a storm.Sometimes,Iheard voices so diffused they hardly seemed human.Othertimes,Ifelt a warm hand pressed against my face, calming me in the dark.
Eventually, shapes solidified, andIfound myself lying not in a dungeon but a fine room.Thevoices around me became clear, andIkept my eyes closed to listen.
“Whatwas your final analysis,Runya?”Thatwas the voice of the king.
“Thepower he presented was remarkable.Evenbefore the magic began fading, we hadn’t seen someone at his level in centuries.Herivals the powerPrinceAbraxasheld two hundred years ago.”
“So, the prophecy, it was correct?”
“Wecan never be certain, but given whatIhave seen…Iwould say he is the best chance we have.”
“Thenit’s time he learns how to be a prince.Letme know when he wakes,” the king ordered, andIheard the door close as he left.
Thebed beside me sank down, and my eyes snapped open.Theolder womanIhad seen,Runya, sat next to me.Upclose, she looked so similar toPallasthat my heart stuttered.Butthis woman wasn’tPallas.Hereyes were deep and pitiless, and the hand that touched my face was icy and harsh.
Shepinched my face in her hand, forcing me to look at her. “Youhave a lot to live up to,GreatHero.Ihope you are up to the task.”Hergrip was surprisingly strong, and my jaw ached.Ifelt that tempest rising in my heart again, andIfelt the crackle of static over my skin.Herhand snapped back, and for a moment,Isaw fear flash through her eyes, and something about that felt better than anything else in my life ever had.
Thedoor flew open again, and a soft voice called out my name. “Hadeon!”Amoment later,Pallas’ kind face appeared over me. “You’realright!Mother, tell me he’s alright.”Tearsclung to her eyes as she reached for my hand.
Runya,Pallas’ mother, stood. “Hewill be more than alright.Youmay remain with him until the king returns.”Sheleft the room without looking back.
Pallasimmediately sat on the bed and laced her fingers through mine.Shegently stroked my cheek, and for the first time,Ireached out and touched her back.Iran my hand over her hair, so soft and smooth under my callused fingers.Istroked her jaw, and a blush rose on her cheeks.
“Hadeon—”Ididn’t let her finish beforeIgrabbed the back of her neck and pulled her down to my lips.Shelet out the most adorable little squeak, but after a brief hesitation, her lips softened on mine.Fora moment, that was enough, for a moment we were both enough as the world stood still.
