Ascension

This trip I had made on my own.

The creepiness of this walk hadn’t diminished one bit since the last time I was here, but it was something I could deal with as long as I remembered that the footsteps that I heard behind me were just the soft echoes of my own. Diego was with the other Guard on duty at the other end of the stairs.

I fumbled through the funny-shaped keys until I found the one I was looking for. It had the picture of a wounded animal, a dog it seemed, engraved on it. How fitting I thought, as it matched the very profile of the prisoner which the cell held.

“You are here again.”

“I really don’t want to argue this time. I am just here to talk.” I said sitting on the earthen floor.

“Okay. We will talk. I’m not sure what about, but fine.” he said finally looking up to me.

“How are you?” I asked.

“Is that a serious question?” he said cocking his eyebrow.

“Yes, actually.”

“I am locked in chains in a pressurized cell hundreds of feet below sea level. I am doing fine. Thank you for enquiring.”

“I am sorry about that. It was either this or death.”

“So you said. What is that you really want?”

“I need your help, which you might not feel inclined to give…”

“Which I don’t.” he said interrupting me.

“Regardless, I do need your help Naeht.” I said meeting his eyes. “I know that you weren’t the main mastermind behind this plan and regardless of what you say, I don’t believe that whole bit about wanting money and power. That is someone else speaking not you.”

“Is that so?” he said with a slight smile. “You have joined the ranks of the know-it-alls upstairs I see.”

“You should really drop this front. It doesn’t become you.” I snapped. He laughed loudly.

“And how do you know what suits me, Summer? We hardly spent a full day together in a year. Once upon a time, you might have been able to say that, but a lot of things can change in a year. The seasons, the weather, and even people. People including me. I am not the same person that you’d known in high school.”

“I refuse to believe that,” I said petulantly.

“Well, it doesn’t matter what you believe about me now does it? It is what it is,” he growled. “Now can you tell me the real reason you are down here, because we are getting nowhere with this behaviour change psycho-babble argument.”

“We were attacked a few days ago. Hundreds of arrows were shot at us. Luckily neither Rain nor I were harmed badly. The Guard claimed that it was an accident but I don’t believe that. There is something going on with those soldiers and I want to know what it is?”

“And you believe that I know?”

“The person you had steal Thorn’s gem, which I want back, by the way, was a member of the Guard. Someone with much influence. I believe that if we know who that was, I could figure out who it was behind the attack.”

“Hypothetically speaking, suppose I did know of whom you were speaking, just how would I profit from giving you this information?”

“This,” I said pulling out Rain’s diary.

“A book?” he said sounding puzzled.

“It is not just a book. It was your mother’s diary.”

“I wasn’t aware that my mother kept a journal. Where did you find it?”

“It was hidden behind some books in the room that you locked me in. So will you help me?”

“I am sure that there is nothing of consequence in that book for me to tell you anything. You will have to do something more than just give me a book.”

“Like what? Your freedom?” he shrugged. “There is a lot in this that you would want to know. Things that neither Thorn nor Seidon even know about. Things that affect you even more than you know.”

“Well, that is still not enough. You know what I want.”

“And I can’t give it to you.”

“Me not knowing whatever is written in that journal hasn’t killed me so far and I think I can live through a few more decades of not knowing. So thanks but no thanks for the offer. I just wish you luck with whoever it is out there. I really hope they don’t kill you Summer. I would truly be very sad if you did die. ” he said staring at the blank wall ahead of him.

I bit down on my lower lip angrily. Why was he being such a hard-headed idiot! I wanted to tell him that straight to the face but that wouldn’t be wise especially if I wanted to get answers from him.

“Are you really going to be so naïve to believe that if something did happen to Seidon, Rain, or me that you would go through this unharmed? Apparently, your friend in the Guard managed to leave out a few major details. But obviously, you are not interested.” I said getting up.

“Just what are you talking about this time?”

“I was only recently made aware of a certain rule among the Guards. If something did happen to one of us up there, your life would also be in danger.” I said stringing him along. If there was one thing I knew about Lune men was that they were always curious and hated being out of the loop.

“Summer quit dancing around the issue and tell me what it is that you know,” he said exasperatedly but I’d obviously caught his interest.

“You first. Tell me what you know.” I said sitting back down.

“Are you joking? I do that, and what is to stop you from closing the cell and walking out like you did the last time that you were here.”

“My promise. My life. They should still count for something.” I said calmly.

“That maybe so, but I still think that you should go first.” he countered.

“I don’t see that I have a choice now do I.” I sighed. “It is a long story, but the long and short of it is that if something was to happen to the whole royal family, anyone that the Guard voted for would be the next Grand Lune. That was not a written rule, as you can imagine none of your forefathers would ever think that they would never leave an heir behind. Whether it be a child or their sibling. Now you can see why we are all in danger?”

He remained quiet and leaned back on the wall, thinking, I think. “Now it all makes sense. I was just a pawn.” he said letting out a short laugh.

“Does that mean you are going to tell me what you know now?”

“It started the day of your wedding,” he said ignoring my question. “Despite what I told Rain, I was there. I saw the I dos right up to the flame show that the two of you put on. I was about to leave and that was when I met him.

“He’d obviously been watching me for some time now, noting my reaction to the whole wedding, to you. He said that he knew of a way that I could get what I wanted. Anything that I really desired. He told me of a way that I might be able to get you.” he continued without looking up.

“I knew that this plan was dangerous, stupid and that I would end up betraying my whole family, so at first, I declined the offer and I left the island, coming straight to Ireland. And it was there in my loneliness I started reconsidering his offer as my jealousy started making itself more apparent. I was angry with myself that I hadn’t taken the offer when it was right before me. You were out on your honeymoon with my brother, while I was left alone.

“I wanted to find him but had no idea where to look. But one day, out of the blue, he just showed upon my doorstep. As you can imagine, this time I didn’t hesitate. I never understood why he would be doing this for me, as he stood to gain nothing, except maybe a little extra cash. But then again it didn’t matter as I would be getting what I wanted.

“You had no idea how easy you made it for me that morning when I found you at the door. I thought it was fate and I had thoroughly convinced myself that it was meant to be. That was the only way I could justify dosing you those three times. I hated doing that to you, but I thought it had to be done. It was the only way I could keep you.

“It was after I kissed you that last time that, I realized what a big mess I had made of things. I knew that although I wanted you, it was not the way I had imagined as you didn’t want me the same way. That lesson I’d learned over and over again for the last two years, but it wasn’t until then that it really hit base.

“That was when I took you out of the cellar and brought you upstairs. I wanted to but didn’t know how to bring you back. By that time you hated my guts, so I just left. I knew that Rain would be coming to look for you. There was no way he was going to go a whole month without searching for you. Hard-headed, stubborn, and selfish as I said. You were his and he wasn’t going to share, no matter the consequences.

“That was when I left with no intention of coming back. That was of course when he found me at the train station in Dublin and brought me back. Gave me a taste of my own medicine with the dosing. I didn’t even see when his hands moved towards me. One second he was there and the next, I was out.”

“Who Vitali?”

“Yes,”

“But that can’t be possible. He swore fealty to us.”

“It is very possible, Aurora. Fealty just means loyalty, he didn’t promise you anything. Even if he did, he countered those after. You saw how that worked when you promised yourself that you were going to kill Omayra and then you were out-promised by Rain, if there is such a word. Do you remember one thing that your dad said to you and Rain while we were at the hospital?”

“He said a number of things, I am not quite sure which one.” I said as I tried to revisit the memory.

“He said that Vitali had the trust of the whole Guard and if. . .”

“And if we had his support, we would have that of the entire Guard.” I said completing his sentence. “And if we don’t. . .” I said tapering off into a silent panic.

“I can’t believe how stupid I was. He hadn’t killed me that day when he found me because he was probably hoping that when he took me back here, I would be executed taking me out of the picture completely. Then the attack on you and Rain. The rest of the Guard probably thought that they were having routine training and why wouldn’t they, as it was commissioned by their own captain. That would leave only dad. I admit that Seidon is a good fighter, but he didn’t have the years of training that Vitali had and he would have probably beaten him. Leaving no one else behind but himself to take the seat.”

“Oh my gosh you are right,” I whispered. “But why didn’t you tell us when you just came in? This could have saved us a lot of worry and would have given you a little less jail time.”

“I was being stupid mostly and then there was the whole issue of my pride. I had already alienated everyone in my family. Didn’t know how to come back from that.”

“A simple I am sorry would have worked just fine.”

“Not that time. Not after what I did to you. You really have a lot to learn about men and their pride.” he said with a sharp laugh. “Even if I did swallow mine, my brother might not have.”

“You are probably right.”

“Besides, didn’t you see the look on Seidon’s face that day?”

“Yeah, I did. He was hurt by what you did. Probably even more than Rain and me. But we can discuss that topic later.” I said jumping into the cell. “First, we need to get out of here.”

“Summer, what are you doing?” he asked as I tugged at the fetters that bound his feet to the ground.

“You’ve been granted a royal pardon.” I said tugging at the chains but to no avail.

“That isn’t going to work. I’ve tried.” he said. “The only thing that is going to work is if you get the keys.”

“Or superheat. Protect your foot. This could get pretty hot.” I said as I powered up allowing the heat to surge through my arms and to the metal that was bound by my fingers. The metal had acquired a soft orange glow but it was still as hard as ever. I needed more energy, which I summoned from my core. It was not until it had turned a burning white that it felt any softer.

“Is it melting yet? I can only hold off so much heat.”

“Just a few more seconds. There.” I said pulling the shackle from around his foot.

“That feels good to be able to lift my leg freely again.” he said rubbing his ankle.“Come, we need to get out of here.” I said jumping out of the cell, landing softly on the ball of my foot.

He was soon beside me. “What are we going to do now?” he said with his eyebrows knotting into a frown. “I am sure we just can’t walk out of here like this? What about the guards upstairs?”

“Like your brother, always with the questions,” I mumbled. “I will deal with that when we get there. Our priority is to find Rain.” I said blazing up the stairs with him close on my heels.