“The firstborn are usually accidents, and parents keep trying to do better with more siblings,” Zane said, keeping a straight face despite the twinkle of amusement in his red eyes. “So, you know, don’t beat yourself up. There’s only so much grandeur that my father was able to fit in you. He had to try, and, by the time he got to me, he finally got the formula right. It really isn’t my fault that I’m better than you. At absolutely everything.”
“And yet you’re the one going to jail,” Cayn shot back, seething. A vein furiously throbbed in his temple, and his eyes burned red with rage.
“And even behind bars, I’m more likable than you ever will be, brother. That says a lot,” Zane replied, unforgiving and barely holding it together.
“Cuff him!” Cayn barked at the guards, and ended the conversation there. He then shifted his focus back to Velnias, gritting his teeth. “He doesn’t get a single soul until he apologizes for insulting the first in line for the throne.”
“Judging by your failure to capture the outsiders, Your Grace, I’m not sure who the first in line for the throne will be by the end of this week,” Velnias replied with a flat smile.
It was my turn to cover my mouth to stifle a cackle. As much as I wanted to drive my swords through all the daemons who were after us, I had to admit that Velnias was slowly but surely becoming one of my favorites of his species. His takedowns of Cayn, the first freaking prince of daemons, were deliciously brutal, and, judging by how influential Velnias seemed to be at this point, it didn’t seem like Cayn could do much about it. Even the other guards were glancing to the side, struggling to hide their smiles.
As a private prison warden, Velnias was surely slathered in useful and influential connections in the kingdom, that probably extended well beyond the city of Draconis.
One of Velnias’s guards slapped a pair of engraved cuffs on Zane, then politely escorted him out of the cage and inside Cell 132. Zane continued smiling, as if he were being checked into a hotel, rather than a prison cell. Somehow, he didn’t seem all that affected—on the contrary, he was more delighted by the jabs he could still launch at his obnoxious elder brother.
“Rest assured, the outsiders will end up in Draconis sooner or later,” Cayn hissed at Velnias. “I’m the future king, and I don’t do anything by half measure.”
“Technically speaking, we’re already here,” I whispered, then glanced over my shoulder and noticed the smirks.
“The key here is to not end up in one of these boxes, that’s all,” Hansa replied.
“Easy breezy,” I said, then gave her a wink before shifting my focus back to Velnias, who watched Zane go into the box, then turned his head to look at Cayn once more. The guards came back outside, carrying the charmed cuffs they’d slapped on him for the short walk from his cage to his new “residence”. I figured they were an additional security measure.
“Your Grace, the prisoner has been delivered.” Velnias smirked. “I imagine you have more business to attend to back in Infernis?”
“What are you implying?” Cayn replied, narrowing his eyes at the warden. The rest of the daemon guards took their positions in the middle of the road, ready to head back with the empty cage.
“Not implying anything, Your Grace,” Velnias said, shrugging. “I just figured there are some outsiders you are probably eager to capture. After all, the entire kingdom knows about how they escaped, and the many casualties they left you with. Not to mention the humiliation. Surely that must sting. I can only imagine what King Shaytan is thinking right now.”
“You need to mind your own business, warden!” Cayn barked, losing his composure. “Before I have you jailed for disrespecting my authority!”
“Your Grace, being frank with a member of the royal family is not prohibited, nor frowned upon in any way, especially since I have been nothing but courteous and respectful,” Velnias replied. “You could order my imprisonment right now, and my guards would, of course, obey. But I would be walking out by midnight, once the king heard of your very thin skin.”
I had to admit, I was impressed with Velnias. Whereas most lower-level daemons seemed frightened of the king and his sons, Velnias was the exact opposite. He had enough knowledge of the laws and the royals’ weaknesses that he could dance circles around them without getting himself arrested. I doubted that Cayn would have Velnias killed, either. The warden didn’t strike me as a suicidal maniac—he obviously knew his limits, and most likely had great connections throughout the kingdom.
Like Zane had said, it took one hell of a dedicated worker to move up from pit wolf kennel-cleaner to private prison warden. At this point, my only hope was that this was all a façade, and that Velnias was still very much on our side as an undercover pacifist. Otherwise, it would be an absolute shame to have to kill him in order for us to get to the swamp witch.
Fiona
There was something about watching Zane go into his meranium cell that didn’t sit well with me—at all. In fact, it made me sick to my stomach, and anger coursed through my veins. Then again, he kind of had it coming for helping us the way he did. It was a miracle he was still alive, based on what I knew about his father.
“Just keep an eye on Zane, Velnias,” Cayn scoffed, then walked over to the front of the convoy. “He’s surely a conspirator, working with… GASP, or whatever those outsiders call themselves. He’s plotting against my father and our great kingdom, and he’s incredibly lucky to still be alive. My guess is that my father wants to snack on his soul sometime in the near future.”
“At least he’d want to consume my soul,” Zane shot back from the box. “He’d toss your corpse into the pit wolf kennels, if given a choice.”
“The day will come when you will die, Zane, and I’ll be taking my front row seat to watch you give your last breath!” Cayn hissed.
“Whatever helps you sleep at night, Brother,” Zane didn’t let go, either, and that made me smile. “I can only imagine what it’s like to sleep with so many inadequacies.”
Cayn muttered a curse under his breath, then waved Velnias away and motioned for the ten guards to follow him. Velnias stood there for a while, watching until Cayn and his guards disappeared behind a corner, farther up the road.
With no red lenses present, we were able to leave our hiding spot and return to the front. Caspian, Fiona and I quietly followed Velnias and his two guards inside the box, where Zane had already made himself comfortable in the double bed. I motioned for the others to wait outside and keep a look out. The box wasn’t big enough to hold all of us without Velnias or his guards noticing or bumping into one of us—even in invisible form, the air still rippled. The seasoned eye could spot us. There wasn’t much furniture for him to work with, but it seemed spacious and comfortable enough not to drive him crazy in his isolation—provided he’d be there for a long time.
I’d already decided that Zane wouldn’t die in this meranium box, and that I’d be the one to get him out. He’d saved me more than once, and, despite his arrogance and daemon origins, I owed him a very big favor. Let this be it.
“Boy, you’ve really pissed the king off this time,” Velnias said, clicking his teeth as he sat in one of the chairs. The two guards stood firmly in a corner, while Harper and I snuck in.
“At least my head didn’t come off,” Zane replied with a shrug, then put his hands behind his head and leaned back against the wooden headboard. My eyes wandered up and down his body—he was truly massive, his bare chest and the ropes of muscle on his abs making my cheeks catch fire. He wore a pair of tight leather pants and combat-style boots, and he’d caught his long black hair in a tight bun on top of his head. Despite his circumstances, Zane was still bold and defiant, and that made my heart skip a few beats. My gaze settled on his face.
“That being said, you’ll be here with us for a while, Your Grace,” Velnias said, crossing his arms, then looked at the guards. “You two can resume your posts on Cell 67. He’s not going anywhere, and I’ve got the keys.”
The guards nodded, then walked out, prompting both Harper and me to quickly step to the side so they wouldn’t bump into us. Zane seemed to notice us—he’d probably caught some movement ripples in the air—but didn’t say anything. I wondered if he’d figured out it was us. The thought actually warmed me up on the inside.
A few moments went by in silence. Velnias and Zane stared at each other.
“So, for how long have you been a pacifist, Velnias?” Zane asked.
I almost heard Velnias’s stomach drop. His eyes grew wide, then narrowed into angry slits. “What are you talking about?” he hissed.
Zane chuckled, shaking his head slowly. “I thought I was pretty clear earlier, when I said that the firstborn are usually dumber. You must think I’m blind, or something.”
“What makes you think I’m a pacifist, Your Grace? I’m one of the High Wardens of Draconis, not an Iman-hugger.”
Harper and I looked at each other, while the rest of our team quietly sneaked inside the cell box. They were all watching the exchange between Velnias and Zane with renewed interest, now that the guards were gone.
“Oh, come on, Velnias,” Zane scoffed. “No loyalist takes as much pleasure in jerking my brother around as you do. Besides, I have my sources.”
Velnias didn’t say anything for a while, carefully contemplating his next move. He took a deep breath, his shoulders dropping in the process. “How did you know?”
Yes! Thank the stars, we still have a daemon on the inside.
“Like I said, I have my sources,” Zane replied with a smirk.
“You see, that’s the kind of attitude that gets you imprisoned in the first place. And I’ll be damned if I’m going to end up in a meranium box like you. So, please, Your Grace, how did you know?”
“No one told me, Velnias. Relax. I move around the kingdom a lot, most of the time unseen. I’ve been secretly listening to pacifists whispering to one another behind corners for a few days now,” Zane explained. “And, like I said, your disdain of Cayn kind of sealed the deal for me.”
“And I was holding back, believe me.” Velnias chuckled. “I’d love to slice his head off just for being such a pompous piece of trash.”
“I’m right there with you on that one, my friend. So, tell me, Velnias, for how long have you felt that this kingdom wasn’t headed in the right direction?”
Velnias let a sigh roll out of his chest. “Years, Your Grace. Many years. It’s been going horribly wrong from the moment the Maras set foot in this world.”
Zane nodded slowly, processing the information.
“Are there others in Draconis? Specifically, are there others who have yet to be discovered?” Zane asked.
“I’m not sure I can tell you, Your Grace,” Velnias replied. “Why do you want to know? I certainly hope you don’t wish to use any of this knowledge as leverage against me. I am literally the only one who can make your stay here more pleasurable. Surely you’re not hoping to score some points with the king over me.”
“Do you think I’d actually do that?”
“To be honest, no. Especially not after the way you helped the outsiders escape,” Velnias said, smiling. “I’m simply curious as to what your end game really is, regarding the pacifist movement. I doubt it’s to get back on the king’s good side. You knew exactly what you were doing when you aided those people.”
“I most certainly did.” Zane grinned.
“I heard you went all the way to Azure Heights to get the others out of the Maras’ reach, too.”
Zane looked incredibly satisfied with that account, his broad smile making it difficult for me to keep a straight face. “Yup. And it paid off, too.”
“How so, Your Grace? You’re in prison.”
“Not for long.”
Velnias was once again confused. I walked over to the cell door and closed it. The clang from the automatic lock made him jump to his feet and spin around, with one hand on his sheathed rapier.
“Relax, Velnias,” Zane added, not moving from his laidback pose. “I imagine they’re here to talk to you. Which is exactly what I would’ve done, by the way, Fiona.”
My heart leapt into my throat as I turned to face him. It was time for us to reveal ourselves, so I took out a water bladder from my backpack and passed it around for each of us to counteract the invisibility spell. One by one, we became visible. Velnias held his breath, surprised to see us all here.
“Vesta! I didn’t expect you’d come all the way here!” he exclaimed, then gave Vesta a warm smile. Zane didn’t take his piercing eyes off me. I suddenly felt naked and vulnerable, given that he could finally see me.
“Well, where did you expect me to be? I told you I’d be bringing the outsiders in for help, and that I’d find you, wherever you are,” Vesta replied, raising an eyebrow.
“You crazy girl, I figured you’d at least wait for me at my private quarters!” Velnias shot back.
“I didn’t even know they made you warden.” Vesta scoffed. “We would’ve wasted hours looking for you in the pit wolf kennels.”
“Ah, yes. That’s true. I forgot to send word to you about my… promotion.”
“How did you know I was here?” I asked Zane, crossing my arms in the hopes I’d feel less like a deer in headlights before him.
“I caught a glimpse of your eyes during movement,” Zane replied. “I’d recognize those amber beauties anywhere.”
Lord, the charming smile he put on made my knees melt. The amount of self-confidence in him was enough to disarm an entire kingdom. I was helpless on my own.
“Well, then, good to see you’re still in perfect working order,” I muttered, desperately trying to hide my blush—I could feel my cheeks almost melting under his persistent and fascinatingly intense gaze, which softened in response.
“I have to admit, I have been worried about you, little vampire,” he replied, his voice lower than usual.
I paused, not sure what to say to that. He felt genuine, and that further chipped away at my defenses. Each of our encounters had been riddled with dangers and unanswered questions, and, for the first time, we were facing each other with nothing but relief and faint smiles. In the absence of dark secrets and mysteries, I could feel that little string connecting us—an invisible bond that I didn’t even know had come to be. This feels too intense to be Stockholm Syndrome, for sure.
“No need,” I said slowly. “I thought I told you I can take care of myself.”
“I can see that.” He laughed lightly, positively beaming. I felt my lips stretch into a smile.
“Velnias, we’ve come for your help.” Hansa then joined the conversation, with Jax standing right behind her. “As you know, we’ve made it out of Infernis and Azure Heights in one piece, but there isn’t much we can do right now. We need to get to the swamp witch.”
Velnias scoffed, visibly amused. “Wow, you people don’t play around.”
No, we do not.
The stakes were too high. Our lives, and the lives of many others, depended on our ability to get the swamp witch away from the daemons and the Exiled Maras.
We’d come too far to back down, and, as I’d repeatedly said to myself, the only reason I ever would’ve stayed on Neraka would’ve been because I wanted to, not because there were bloodthirsty fiends out there who wished to eat my soul. Besides, now I had an extra reason to fight back harder than ever, and he was looking at me with his fiery crimson eyes.
Harper
I’m afraid we can’t afford to play around at this point in time,” Hansa said. Velnias measured each of us from head to toe, occasionally narrowing his eyes—as if assessing us on an individual basis, and trying to figure out our strengths and weaknesses.
“I have to say, I’m already impressed,” Velnias replied, turning his chair around to face us and resuming his seat in a casual pose. There was something about him that I truly appreciated—this quiet, but equally blaring way of asserting his position. One could tell, just from his uniform and confident half smile,
that he was pretty much in charge of this place. Aligning him with the pacifists was nearly impossible, unless he personally confirmed it. Everything about him said “budding authoritarian sociopath,” not “Iman-hugging pacifist”.
He played his part with thespian dexterity, and that was probably what I liked most about him—his ability to seamlessly blend into a society that thrived on spilling the blood of innocent creatures, just to secretly help and free said innocent creatures.
“I’m with Velnias on this one,” Zane added with a smirk. “It’s not every day that you see outsiders infiltrating a daemon city not once, but twice, even after they were discovered and nearly neutralized.”
“Agreed. You people are either brilliant or downright suicidal,” Velnias said, his appreciation perfectly noticeable.
“We had no choice,” Hansa replied with a shrug. “We were brought here as part of a sick farce. We thought we were helping the Maras defend themselves from your kind when, in fact, we were just being tested and skillfully prepped for dinner.”
“The Exiled Maras sorely underestimated us,” Jax muttered. “Unfortunately, there isn’t much we can do until we get the swamp witch back. She doesn’t belong here. Her magic has already caused irreparable damage to the current ecosystem of Neraka, and we need her to bring down the shield that’s blocking our communication with the outside world. Once we get the whole of GASP down here, this whole daemon and Exiled Mara alliance will come to a very abrupt and painful end.”
“I take it you have an army or something, eager to come over and spank us unruly daemons?” Velnias shot back, crossing his arms with a grin.
“A handful of dragons alone will do the trick,” Hansa replied. “Our core mission is to restore peace and balance in this world. That means subduing the daemons into a less corrosive position and facilitating a peace treaty between your species and the others inhabiting Neraka. A treaty that we would closely monitor, once everything is said and done.”