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“Well.” The king clears his throat, pushing back from the table. “We shall talk more. Another time.”
I can’t let this happen. I have to do something.
Suddenly, I spring to my feet. “Actually, I can show you my powers, if you like.”
The king slowly lowers back into his chair and gestures for me to go, and I hate that he seems pleased with himself. Like some cat licking its milk.
But I’m going to wipe that look right off of his smug, asshole face.
I smile, then hold out my hands, calling the goddess’s power. My hands begin to glow brighter and brighter, and then as light begins to radiate from them, I point them at the king. He begins to brighten like lava, to turn to ash, just as he had before. It’s so fucking satisfying to watch him dying in front of me, to know this is all about to end, that I’m swelling with happiness.
And then, I’m slammed to the ground.
I try to gasp in a breath, but the heavy body on top of me makes it impossible. Looking up, I see Phantom above me and his face is cold. “Try hurting my king again, and I’ll remove your hands.”
No, Phantom, I’m helping us! I’m saving you!I silently beg him as the need for air builds.
The king speaks. “Release her, son.”
Phantom climbs off of me then offers me his hand as I’m sucking in breaths. I don’t take it, so he grabs my hand and yanks me to my feet far too roughly. Before I even know what’s happening, I’m shoved back into my chair.
“Bastard,” I manage to gasp.
The king laughs, his face slowly returning back to normal until there’s no evidence of my attack. “You, Ann, are powerful but stupid. Doing exactly what I expect of you at all times. It must have been pure luck that it took me this long to capture you at all.”
He pushes back from the table and leaves as if he’s dismissing us. His monkeys follow him in a rush, racing ahead of him to open the doors before he reaches them.
What the fuck just happened?
“You’ll never defeat him, Ann. Save yourself some time and stop trying.”
I look at my Phantom and my heart breaks. “Never.”I’m never giving up on you, no matter how hard it is to see how little of you is left.
“Eventually, you’ll learn,” he says, then stares at the wall, his eyes vacant. “Are you finished eating?”
“Yes.” I push the plate away and watch him for a second, remembering how it was before. Desperately wanting to see something in this man that reminds me of the person I loved so much. “I wonder how Onyx and Dusk are doing.” He’s never asked about them, but it occurs to me that maybe even if I’m not able to bring back the old Phantom, mentioning them might remind him of who he is.Maybe.“Don’t you miss them?”
He shakes his head and shrugs like the time before he came here doesn’t matter. “No.” To Him the answer is simple. To me, it’s heartbreaking. “Onyx and Dusk no longer hold value to me. I don’t need their protection. All I desire now is their service.”
I want him to be the man I knew so badly. And my hope is dying. “What about me? Do you still have feelings for me?”
There’s a second of hope when he doesn’t answer automatically, when he tilts his head and studies me. And then he dashes it with, “No,” followed by another shrug like the words don’t matter. “But I want to see what happens with the prophecy. And I want to see how you might be able to help my king.”
“And you noticed he didn’t answer about sharing power with you? Doesn’t that make you nervous? And the way he spoke, it’s like he’s already decided he’ll kill you.”
Phantom pushes away from the table. “Whatever my king desires. Now, it’s time to go back in your room.”
It isn’t my room, but I don’t correct him. For some reason, I’m exhausted, and I want to save my strength for more than just arguing. Perhaps even escaping, if I find the right opportunity. Because who the hell knows how many chances I’ll get to leave that room?
We take a different route back to the stairs. It isn’t dark or as dank as the last one, but it’s long and our footsteps echo off the walls. I don’t know why he’s taking me this way, maybe to confuse me, maybe because it’s more convenient and he doesn’t give two shits about whether it’s a longer walk for me, but I don’t care. I’m busy trying to remember everything I see, trying to figure out where I am, and trying to see if there’s any opportunity for escape.
I glance to my side as we pass another hall. There’s a door. It’s big and probably heavy by the looks of it, definitely larger than what I’d expect to be used for another door inside. As I move slowly, peering down the dark hall, I realize it’s opened a crack, and I think I can see the light from a torch from the wall outside. Which means it could lead to an escape.IfI’m right.
This is my chance. Phantom is right ahead of me, not looking back, probably not expecting me to try anything. We’re about to pass the hall, and then my chance to get back to Onyx, Rayne, and Dusk will be over.
Not giving it another thought, I take two steps and run harder than I’ve ever run before. So hard that it feels like my heart is instantly pumping as fast as my legs are, and the sound of my footfalls fill my ears.
When I get to the door, it is open wide enough I can squeeze through. Immediately, darkness surrounds me other than the light in the distance. I give my eyes one second to adjust because I don’t want to fall into the moat, and then I keep running. I feel relieved when I feel wood beneath my feet and realize I’m crossing the moat, heading for the other side.
