All those thoughts aside, at least it seems like Klaus finally remembers the topic since his comment was made after he sat down. Marcus lets out a long exhausted sigh, “Do we need to catch up on anything else right now? I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s exhausted. I need at least a power nap before we move on to other deeper discussions.”
“Some rest and a shower sounds like a good plan,” Klaus states. “Actually switch that. A shower and then some rest…” Alex, Klaus, and I move off toward our bedrooms to take showers and get some rest. It’s been several, very long days all in a row. Finally getting the chance to grab some rest sounds heavenly.
Chapter 23
Cecily
Five Hundred Years Ago
Iwake up with a surprised jolt, my heart’s pounding in my chest and I’m disoriented. Panic overcomes me, flooding my body with the desire to both freeze with dread, and run around in a panic to figure out what’s wrong. Although, I have no idea how I know something is wrong, it’s just an inner voice screaming in my mind. Since I’m not able to pinpoint what’s causing me to feel this way, I focus inward to gain some clarity. It takes a moment to finally catch on to the cause. There’s no doubt something’s off with my bond with Marcellus.
Even though I've just started learning how to recognize the presence of it, I can tell the connection is as thin as a spider’s webbing. I climb off of my bed and walk over to the arrowslit trying to get an idea of how long I was asleep, and how long until Marcellus could possibly be coming for me.
I reach the small opening that allows me to see outside and the view in front of me is pitch black. It’s expected for some time to have passed, but no more than an hour or two. By the pitch black of the sky outside, with not even a hint of light from the sun, it’s probably been at least five hours. Marcellus should’ve been here by now.
With the mounting ache in my chest, I know I need to go search for him. I expect to find either Baxter or Frances standing guard when I walk out my door, but they’re both missing. I may argue against the need for their protection, but that doesn’t mean I don’t secretly find comfort in knowing they’re always there. Then there's the undeniable fact they would never abandon their post, which only increases my concern tenfold.
It’s possible they thought I was with Marcellus and they’re in their room.Don’t be naïve, Cecily, you know that isn’t possible.Knocking on their door, I hold on to hope. Maybe this is just a split second of them switching positions. My knock leaves a hollow echo, and on the final pound of my knuckles, the door clicks open.
Hope for someone to answer quickly dwindles. After a few moments, I swing the door open to glance inside. The room is empty aside from their packed trunks. Somehow I half expected it, but that doesn’t stop my heart from sinking. Oh, this isn’t good. Where could they possibly be? I back out of the room without thought, my mind occupied with not wanting to believe what I’m seeing. This is so contradictory to what I know of the men who’ve dedicated their lives to protecting me.
Quick strides take me down the hall toward Marcellus’ room. Please be in there... I finally get to his door and knock. My weight shifts back and forth between my feet, needing the movement to help expel some of my nervous energy. Once again, there’s no answer. At least in this case, I believe it’s probable he isn’t in his room. Maybe the spell he was helping Silas with is taking a lot longer than predicted.
The silence I had initially coveted in the passageways, I now find suffocating. Is it just me... or is it a lot darker in the halls? The standard torches are all in place so there’s no reason for there to be less light, but it feels almost ominous and confining. Reaching inward to where that thin link between Marcellus and I is sitting, I give it a slight tug hoping it’ll give me an idea of where he’s located.
A twinge reverberates through the link moving down the line, until I detect the returning vibrations coming back to me. I follow the sensation of where those vibrations are leading me. My fingers trail the wall as I walk. Something I never do, but with the darkness surrounding me and the illusion of the walls closing in, the touch brings me a sliver of comfort.
Keeping a steady pace, I make my way through the castle, descending staircases and entering halls I’ve never been down before. I have no idea what lies ahead of me. My fingers have been trailing the walls for so long, the tips are caked with slimy grime. The sensation adds to my ever-growing unease.
Finally I come to a door resembling all the others in the castle, except this one feels like it’s the doorway to my doom. The voice inside myself starts screaming at me to run! Run, far, far away! Pressing a hand to my chest, I try to calm the throbbing beat of my heart and back into the wall behind me. A scream lodges in my throat, unable to escape. An eerie sensation washes over me, enveloping my body with a fear I’ve never known before. Under no circumstances, can I allow my presence to be known. Deep down, I know there’s pure evil waiting for me on the other side of this door.
I attempt to take a full breath, which is more difficult than expected. My brain is at war with my body, part of it flooding me with the urge to flee, the other part chained in place knowing the bond is telling me Marcellus is somewhere on the other side.
One more searching thrum gets sent down the line just to be sure, doesn’t hurt to double-check, right? My body almost doubles over when the responding echoes make their way back to me laden with pain. Marcellus! What happened to him? He was just supposed to be helping Silas with a spell and we were going to leave. What could have gone wrong? And where is Frances and Baxter?
Tears prickle behind my eyes as I try to wade through the fear flooding my body. I want to run, but there’s no convincing myself to leave Marcellus behind. I haven't known him for long, but our bond knows no limits of time. If I could describe my love for him, I wouldn’t be able to find adequate words. He’s my soul, my friend, and my life partner. Marcellus hasn't known love, but I know I can fill all the voids in his heart just as he’s easily filled mine. We need to be together for not only one another, but for our people. I would never want to live in a world without him nor would I be able to. There's no possible way for me to function as the Queen of my people if he’s torn from this world, torn from me. I’d be left in an unfeeling void of having my emotions stripped from me.
Maybe I’m being dramatic, I have no real idea the pain coming down the bond actually means he’s in a life or death situation... but can I really risk that? Why couldn’t Frances and Baxter be where they were supposed to be? Having back-up would’ve done wonders for my confidence right now. It’s okay... I have my magic to protect me, and we’re quite the duo.
I take a step forward, and with trembling hands I reach out to grab the handle of the door. A cold chill spreads up my arm when my hand makes contact. Forcing myself into action, I open the door before doubts can root themselves in my mind. I stride through with a feign confidence I’m not entirely sure I possess.
Before me is a set of stairs, leading into darkness. Every step I take down the spiraling staircase is akin to walking into hell knowing once you pass the gates, your soul will be forever trapped. The moist stones surrounding me coat my skin in dampness, chilling me to my core. It doesn’t help that I’m having to rely solely on my night vision. The torches that normally line the hallways and stairs throughout the castle are nonexistent here.
How long have I been descending these stairs? Hours? Days? A lifetime? My mind runs in all different directions with morbid thoughts as a constant companion. Finally some light is visible, filtering from the base of the stairs and my approach is filled with caution. It’s probably a good thing the thought didn’t occur to me until right now, but this is their dungeon. The hall leading from the stairs is lined with cells. I quickly pass them by, not wanting to know if they’re occupied or not. The link leading me to Marcellus extends past all of these cells anyways.
The temperature in the air has dropped significantly down here, signifying this isn’t a place I want to remain in for long. Find Marcellus and get out, find Marcellus and get out. I chant the words over and over in my head as a mantra to get me through this nightmare, instead of turning around and running away from here as fast as I can.
Light spills out of a doorway onto the dirty stone floor from a room at the end of the hall. Wait... Marcellus was supposed to be helping Silas with a spell. I’ve never heard of anyone having their magic room in their dungeon, and for that matter with my dungeon knowledge it would be the torture room. What has Marcellus agreed to help Silas with? Did he lie to me?
Quietly, I tiptoe toward the doorway and peer around the edge into the room. It appears I was correct in my assumption, it’s a torture room if I’ve ever seen one. From this vantage point the room is partially visible. There are chains hanging from the walls and numerous other devices of torment sprawled along the floor space.
Marcellus’ voice drifts toward me from farther inside causing me to take a step forward without thinking. He’s become a place where I feel safe, and right now I want his arms around me more than anything else. My foot takes another step forward and I see it...
Two bodies are fixed onto a rack hanging upside down, blood drips slowly from slices across their necks. Drip, Drip, dripping into a large bowl placed below them. The sound echoes in my ears, momentarily blocking all other sounds within the room. I’ve run out of places to observe other than their faces. I don’t want to confirm my fears by looking any further. My heart's already breaking, somehow knowing before seeing their actual faces, exactly who it is. It's the uniforms that give way to their identity, every member of the Royal Guard wears the same thing. I know I owe it to them to confirm, their families deserve reassurance. With the fastest glance I can muster, I note red rivulets of blood distorting their features, but the familiar faces will haunt me till my dying day…
A whimper escapes unbidden, and my hand whips up to cover my mouth. Tremors wrack my body as I try to hold in my sobs of pain and sorrow. Frances and Baxter didn’t deserve this kind of ending, they didn’t deserve to end at all. The two men who dedicated their lives to protecting me. Who watched me grow up, who spent every single day of my life with me are now hanging lifelessly. Their souls are no longer in their bodies which means there's no possible way for me to fix this. No amount of magic will bring them back to life.
Unfortunately, my small whimper doesn't go unnoticed and I find myself no sooner face-to-face with Silas. “Ah, you finally found us! Please come in, we’ve been waiting for you. Marcellus, look who’s here.” Marcellus finally steps into view and I can’t help but run right into his arms seeking much-needed comfort.
