CHAPTER 12
The restless voice of the ocean roused Riley. Sitting up she noticed that she was on a rooftop, a wide circular space with a concrete floor and iron railing. The night sky, unadorned by stars, surrounded her, pressing in on her so she felt that she was suspended in space, adrift on a sea of darkness. Creeping to the railing, she looked down at the inky ocean encircling the narrow thin structure thrusting skyward. The sea and sky merged into one vast dark space, pulling her into its void.
Furtive rustling sounds shook her out of her disquieting reverie, eyes adjusting to the dark she saw a shadow gliding towards her. Chilly fingers of fear clutching her heart, blood thundering through her veins, she froze as the shadow rustled closer. Stopping mere inches away from her, it clapped its hands and a ball of golden light appeared, floating above their heads. Unmasked by the light, the shadow became a woman with blond curls, ivory skin, and sherry brown eyes. She wore a scornful expression and a red silk gown which rustled when she moved. Her eyes raked Riley from head to toe, lush lips curling in disapproval.
“So you are the famous Princess of Light,” she sneered in a falsetto voice.
Dressed in a T-shirt, and jeans, Riley felt shabby next to this lovely vision in red. Holding her head high, she said, “In the flesh. And you are?”
Ignoring her question, the woman continued to examine Riley who was beginning to feel like a new species of disgusting insect. Nodding her head once, as if she had come to some kind of agreement with herself, she said, “Cole belongs to me. I will not let you waltz in here and take my fiancée away from me. Stay away from him or I will kill you.”
Stunned, Riley gaped at her. Cole’s fiancée? But he had asked her to marry him, had made exquisite love to her. The bastard, he would do anything to rule, including cheating on his fiancée. And she had foolishly hoped that he might love her or at least want her.
With a smile full of venom, the woman grabbed her arm. “Come with me. The Council will see you now.”
Riley fell through darkness and landed in a clearing in the midst of a wooded area roughly shaped like a circle. A blue fire burned in the center. Massive trees surrounded the circle, trunks so close that they appeared joined together, leaves forming a canopy overhead. It was almost like if the trees were guardians of the clearing, protecting its secrets. A chill wind blew, whipped her hair across her face and tore at her shirt. Seeking warmth she moved closer to the blue fire. The wind did not affect the woman in red, her blond curls remained undisturbed. The wind was everywhere except where she was. Pondering on the strangeness of this phenomenon, Riley almost missed the head that appeared in the fire. Startled, she rubbed her eyes, and looked again. The head was still there, with its white hair shimmering in the fire and merry steel grey eyes, grinning at her. Gasping, she realized that she knew who this head belonged to. “Diara, is that you?”
“Greetings, Princess of Light. Have you decided to join the Dark Mages?”
“No. I still think both the Light Bringers and the Dark Mages should govern Avalyss together. Cole brought me here. Can he force me to marry him?”
Before Diara could reply, the woman in red pushed between Riley and the fire. “Exalted one, she is not worthy of your help. She is the enemy.”
Diara’s grey eyes turned to chips of ice. “Paisley. I am surprised that you are here since Cole intends to marry the Princess of Light. Why would you help him?”
Paisley laughed, a harsh sound that ripped through the clearing. “Help him? Not bloody likely. I am here to stop him! There are other ways to accomplish his goal, he does not need her.”
“And you think that he needs you? Time for you to give up. He does not love you and never will.”
Tossing her curls, wiggling her hips, she smirked. “He loves me just fine.”
Pain knifed through Riley as an image of Cole lying naked in Paisley’s arms flashed into her mind.
Silver streaks of light filled the air accompanied by strange whistling sounds as a circle of hooded, dark robed figures appeared in front of the fire. Grabbing Riley’s arm, Paisley hauled her closer to the fire. Pulling away, Riley rubbed at her arm where Paisley’s long nails had dug into the soft flesh. One dark robed figure stood in the middle of the circle, and beckoned to her. Recognizing the flash of amber as the figure turned its head, she moved to Cole’s side. The rest of the dark robed figures were seated around them, chanting, an eerie sound that echoed around the clearing, raising the hairs on the back of Riley’s neck. Cole’s hand slipped into hers,
warm and strangely reassuring, given that they were on opposite sides. The chanting stopped, replaced by a silence so alive that she could almost hear it breathing, a harsh guttural sound.
Cole stepped closer to the fire, pulling Riley along with him.
His whisky voice shattered the silence. “Greetings, Exalted One. Thank you for heeding our summons. The Council has decreed that I must marry the Princess of Light and we need you to perform the ceremony.”
Paisley, standing beyond the circle, gasped and let out an involuntary “No!”
Ignoring her, Diara studied Cole with somber grey eyes. “Is this also the Princess of Light’s decision?”
Cole’s grip tightened on Riley’s hand. “She agreed to come here, to the province of the Dark Mages, therefore the Council has the power to make this decree.”
Glittering grey eyes swiveled in Riley’s direction, eyebrows raised. “Did you agree?”
Wrenching her hand from Cole’s grasp, she replied, “Yes but he threatened to kill Max if I did not!”
Before Diara could respond, Cole said, “She agreed. The reason why is not important.”
Throwing back her head, Diara shrieked with derisive laughter. “Priceless. Technically, you are correct but I am disappointed. How could you let your ambition make you stoop so low? Among the Dark Mages, you are known for your honor and integrity. In your heart, you know that this marriage should not take place until you have her whole hearted agreement. I cannot countenance this decision. You do not have my blessing.”
One of the dark robed figures shouted, “With all due respect, Exalted One, we do not need your blessing. There are others who will perform the ceremony.”
The strength of the wind increased, fanning the flames of the blue fire into a whirlwind. Cole dragged Riley back as sparks flew around the clearing. Whirling, he spun towards the circle of Dark Mages, his face twisted in anger. “Which one of you idiots said that? We cannot afford to lose Diara’s favour.” Facing the fire once again, he yelled above the wind, “Exalted One, we beg your forgiveness.”
With a sputter, the fire shrank until it was nothing but a wisp of flame. Diara’s face hovered above it, sparking with fury. “I have been more than generous to the Dark Mages. But be warned my benevolence could be halted at any time. Do not insult me again. You are free to have someone else perform the ceremony but it will not be in your best interests. May I offer a suggestion?”
Cole nodded. “I want only you to perform the ceremony, Exalted One. Please what is your advice?”
“Wait a while. Keep the Princess of Light here. Show her around, let her see the ways of the Dark Mages. Try to win her over to your side. Given time she may come around.”
Diara’s image vanished, along with what was left of the fire, plunging the clearing into darkness.
Strong hands wrapped around Riley’s neck, squeezing tight. Struggling for breath, she tried to shout for help but no sound escaped her throat as the squeezing intensified. Desperation gripped her as consciousness faded, kicking out she connected with bone, heard her assailant swear but the grip around her neck did not loosen. The waiting blackness surged up and claimed her.
Burning pain yanked Riley awake. Slumped on the ground with her wrists pinioned behind her back, she was in a small, cylindrical room with a steel door. A bare light bulb hung from the ceiling, casting a dull glow
which intensified the shadowy atmosphere. A dripping sound made her look up. Water leaked from an overhead pipe into a puddle near her feet. She took in a lungful of stale, dank air, choking on its metallic taste. Dragging herself to a sitting position, she tried to free her wrists but they were bound with a thin circle of wire that tightened the more she struggled. She had no idea where she was but she was certain that Cole would be looking for her. He needed her to fulfill his precious destiny. To alert any would be rescuers, she tried to shout but emitted only a hoarse croak, her throat was still sore from almost being strangled. Trapped and helpless, all she could do was wait and hope that Cole would find her soon. Closing her eyes, she sought relief from the pain by falling into a deep sleep. .
Riley dreamed that she was in a bathtub, the water warm against her skin, jasmine scented bubbles permeating the air. Relaxed, she leaned her head against the wall and immediately it slipped beneath the surface. Gasping, water in her nose and mouth, she dragged her head up and woke to the dire reality of her situation. She was sitting in freezing water up to her neck, smelling an odor redolent of dead skunk with her wrists still bound. Choking on the fetid smell, she saw that the dripping pipe was slowly filling the room with water. Death by drowning would be her fate if she did not find a way to escape. Terror granted her a strange kind of calmness, her mind focusing on only the need to survive. Standing, the water was almost up to her hips, she was not sure how much time she had left. She could not wait to be rescued, her survival depended on her. Trying not to breathe too much of the rank air, she waded to the steel door. Earlier, she had assumed that it was locked, and although she still believed it to be, she still had to try. Twisting her body so that her bound wrists faced the door, she turned the knob. It refused to yield, but the act of turning the knob tightened the wire around her wrists causing her to cry out as fresh waves of pain shot up her arm.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to think in spite of the tight band of fear clutching her heart. Panicking was a luxury she could not afford. Chilled by the steadily rising water, dizzy from its foul odor, she looked around the room for a possible route of escape. None was visible, the walls and ceiling were concrete columns. Sagging against the wall, she could almost feel Death’s bony fingers reaching out to her, its rancid breath hot on face. A bitter laugh burst from her frozen lips, drowning in a room full of stinking water was to be the grand destiny of the Princess of Light after all. She almost smacked herself on the head as the knowledge slammed into her. She was the Princess of Light and she had powers. Maybe she could use them to save herself. But what if they didn’t work? She had to try.
Closing her eyes, she reached for her power center and tried to teleport herself out of the room but nothing happened. She did not move, not even a wobble. Perhaps the room itself prevented teleportation much the same way that Sarri’s room allowed only her to teleport in and out. Allowing herself a small sigh of despair, she noted that the water was now at shoulder level. She did not have much time left. Shivering in the freezing water, teeth chattering, she found it hard to think. Numb except for the fiery band of pain around her wrists, she could almost hear the seconds ticking away. Teleportation did not work but she had other powers. Closing her eyes, she pictured the wire band binding her wrists and reached for her power center. The wire band jiggled, a movement so slight that she thought for a moment that she had imagined it. Hope rising, she tried again, putting everything she had into it, and this time the wire band lurched into the air, and fell with a splash into the freezing water. Her brief laugh of triumph, tinged with rising hysteria, ricocheted off the concrete walls. Even with her hands now unbound she was still no closer to getting out of the room.
With the water now licking her neck with its icy tongue, intent on devouring her, she cast about in desperation for some way out. Her eyes fell on the steel door. Closing her eyes once again, focusing fiercely, she tried to levitate the door. Nothing happened. The door remained stubbornly in place, her guard and her executioner. Weak from fear and cold, the strength of her powers were dwindling. Despair swirled around her, for one brief moment, she had grabbed at a ray of hope, only to watch it elude her grasp. Tears filled her eyes, ran down the frozen slab of her face, and salted her tongue. She was going to die, alone and defeated. With what little remained of her will to live, she roused herself from her pity party, she had to fight.
Since her only hope for escape was through the impenetrable steel door, she studied it. Water covered most of it. Maybe she had enough power left to levitate the doorknob. She needed a clear picture of the doorknob in her mind so she took a deep breath and ducked under the freezing water. Unable to see through its murkiness, she groped blindly for the doorknob, exploring it with her fingers, discovering that it was smooth, round and held together with four screws. Lungs screaming for air, she surfaced and discovered that she had to stand on tiptoe to breathe, the water level appeared to be rising at an alarming rate but maybe it was just her fevered imagination playing tricks. Dampening down the rising panic, she closed her hers and pictured the doorknob floating to the ceiling. It did not budge. Desperate she tried again and achieved the same result. Defeat settled around her shoulders like a mantle of steel pushing her to her knees. Submerged in the foul water, she waited for Death to claim her.
Suspended in the nether world between life and death, she heard a soft voice command, “Live or Die. Choose. It is your choice. Choose now.”
“Life. I choose life.” Riley’ shouted but the words were little more than a whisper.
White blinding light filled the room and she found herself floating on the surface, the ceiling of the room about a foot above her head. If she stood, the water level would be above her head but if she continued to float she could still breathe, at least until the water filled the room completely. She still had time to find a way out. The word “screws” slipped into her mind. Yelping as sudden understanding flooded through her, she focused on one of the screws affixed to the doorknob, reached for her power center and pictured the screw leaping into the air. With a whooshing sound, the screw rose into the air and hovered over her head. Bursting with elation, she made short work out of the remaining three screws. As the last screw leapt to join the others, she heard a clunk as the doorknob fell to the floor. It was the most beautiful sound she had ever heard, until she heard the sound of water rushing through the hole where the doorknob used to be. The water level in the room started to drop.
The water rushed out as Riley wrenched the door open. Tumbling, swallowing some of the disgusting sludge, she struggled to her feet. Soaked, smelly and shivering, she wondered if she had really heard a voice in the room? It did not really matter, she was alive, blessedly alive and grateful to the voice, imaginary or not. Grinning, she looked around. She appeared to be in an underground tunnel, serpentine in shape with the walls and ceiling covered in moss. Seeing a light in the distance, she walked towards to it ignoring the flutters of anxiety running up her spine. Turning the corner, she discovered a big cave, flooded with sunlight pooling from a hole in the roof. Momentarily blinded by the harsh light, she blinked a couple of times as her eyes adjusted to the brightness. Spotting an iron door embedded in one cave wall, she hurried over, but could not find a doorknob or keyhole. The door appeared to be just a solid sheet of iron. Hearing footsteps, she jumped back, stifling a yelp. Heart thudding in panic, she looked around for a place to hide. She considered running back down the tunnel but that would lead only to the cylindrical room, a dead end.Looking up at the opening in the roof, she jumped grabbed an edge and hauled herself through the hole just as the door slid open. Crouching on a web of massive rocks, almost deafened by the roar of the ocean glittering in the distance, she strained to listen to the voices echoing from the cave below.
“She should be drowned by now”, announced a high-pitched female voice that sounded vaguely familiar.
> “You have done well. You have earned your reward.” The second voice was male.
“Even without the reward I would have done it. The bitch deserved to die”. The woman’s voice was filled with venom.
“You are quite the hellcat. I am glad that we are on the same side. Cole may suspect you, I think he already does. He knows that you did not agree with the Council’s decree. You were quite vocal about it.”
“Leave Cole to me. I know how to handle him. When he hears my plan he will thank me for saving him from a fate worse than a thousand hells.”
Peering over the edge of the opening, Riley saw a head of blonde curls. Paisley. Paisley had tried to kill her, she should have guessed. Rage surged through her as she vowed to wring Paisley’s scrawny neck at the first possible opportunity. She did not recognize the tall man with the hatchet face and thick black beard whose cold grey eyes brimmed with admiration as he looked at Paisley.
Paisley strutted towards the tunnel, blond curls bouncing. “Come, it is time to take out the trash.”
Riley leapt to her feet. In minutes they would discover that she had escaped, she had to find a place to hide. Clambering down the rocks, she raced down the rocky trail towards the ocean. Legs pumping, panting, still weak from her experience in the cylindrical room, she tried to teleport by closing her eyes and picturing Max. Nothing happened. She heard shouts in the distance and the sounds of pursuit. A sudden flash appeared directly in her path causing Riley to stumble and fall. The flash faded leaving a smirking Paisley in its place.
Holding a fire ball in one hand she advanced towards Riley. “Where do you think you are going, Bitch? Straight to Hell that’s where!”
As she raised her arm to hurl the fireball, Riley, desperation and terror giving her strength, managed to teleport to the person that popped into her mind in what could have been her final moment of life.
Paisley’s mouth fell open as Riley disappeared. Screaming in fury, spittle running down her chin, she hurled the fireball at a tree, watched it burst into flames and incinerate. She had to stop Riley from telling Cole the truth. She had risked everything for power. She could not lose now that victory was almost within her grasp.