Smoldered Flames: Part I of the Edonia Series
Chapter 44

Valeri

I’m surrounded by woodland filled with emerald-like gems from the sun. The sing-song of birds brings about a certain tranquility, the fluttering of their wings excites me. I gasp in wonder at the breeze caressing my skin. It wasn’t the bitter cold winds where I’m prisoned. The slightly warm winds here were far more welcoming. A smile is placed on my cracked lips. I inhale the earthy fragrance. My heart awakens at the smell of deer, squirrel and other prey amongst the woods, but my hunger is sated.

Suddenly, the sound of a stick cracking in two comes from my right side. I whirl in the direction and catch a glimpse of a set of red eyes ringed with amber stare back at me before disappearing.

“Follow,” a voice commands from the shadows.

I shuddered at the eerie calmness of the voice. My legs move on their own accord. I try to buck and fight against it, but they seem to have a will of their own. The shadows swallow me whole, and the sounds of the brightly lit forest is muted. Instead, I shiver at the bone chilling stillness of the dark.

A figure flashes from outside of my peripheral vision. My feet pause in their betrayal. I whip my head to the side as the figure zooms forward from my left side. I target the elongated shadow and shoot forward, racing towards it. I don’t know what draws me to this mysterious shape, but I couldn’t ignore the lure.

The loping form weaves in and out of the dark green shrubberies and thickets, never looking back. It’s confidence in me following is great, to say the least. The figure finally takes one look back at me, before darting into an even darker shadowy part of the forest.

I stop, nearly hurdling myself forward. The quiet forest becomes white noise. I hesitantly creep towards the area where the shadowy figure leaped. My undead heart pitter patters in earnest. The opening to the dark space surprisingly held little light from the sun. it beams down on a small pool of depthless water.

“Come.” the voice ordered. Its tone was feminine with a slight baritone quality.

I step forward, just as the voice willed me so. The moist-laden soil beneath my feet is a welcome reprieve from my run. The red and amber eyes appear again. The fire-esque orbs seem to speak a million words, but none hit my ears.

“What do you want from me?” my voice croaks. My throat constricts from lack of use.

“Look.” it says, growing strong and fierce with a hint of a growl.

I do as commanded. I expected to replace my face gaunt in the dark water. I expected to replace my eyes haunted and hollow. What I didn’t expect was to replace a head thrice as large as my own. Fur darker than the abyss with sharp pointed ears thit sit atop my head. Eyes slanted a tad towards the sky, filled with the color of hellfire, ever swirling. Razor-sharp canines made perfect to tear through flesh. Small horns dot my head, similar to a ram. I try to look into the strange eyes across from me, but an invisible force keeps my head down.

The words slip out of the reflection’s mouth as it looks deep into my soul. “Remember. You are more than one. Embrace the brokenness inside. Embrace the dark, because only then will you see the light. You may thirst, but hunger for more…”

********************

The dream has haunted me for six moons now. I’m not sure what’s triggered it, but my memories have begun to resurface, although slowly. My childhood memories would rush forward while I slave away in the Earth’s crevice. The unhealed welts along my back are worth it though. To be able to escape the day with the bliss of reminiscing what was, is truly a blessing. A painful one.

A bowl sits next to me. I feel a pair of eyes on me. Snapping my head in the direction of that sensation, I meet the rheumy eyes of the croon. She’s done the same every day since I’ve been here. And every day I pass it along to someone who I wake up to when she isn’t looking. I’m grateful for the portion, and I don’t want to be rude. But I have no hunger. I thirst. I thirst for something I can’t have. Sometimes, my portion I give is to a stranger, but other times? I give it to my acquaintance Finn.

Finn is a handsome -albeit lanky- male of about six-foot-three. His glowing amber eyes tell me he is some sort of werewolf hybrid. Finn’s face is all sharp lines and chiseled jaw. His tan skin has become pale due to the lack of sun covered by clouds. He wears a collar similar to my own, but the spikes turn inward. He isn’t bound in chains.

In fact, hardly anyone is… besides the old woman. Her clear chains were indistinctive. They wrapped around her wrists like gemmed bracelets. I don’t know what deems her dangerous, but you can never put it past anyone. Thus my reasoning for labeling Finn, and other prisoners, acquaintances. Finn is about the only one I speak with. Although, he monologued our conversations for months until I told him to shut his trap about a month ago.

“Do you think she’s caught on?” Finn smirks, slurping his extra porridge.

I whip my head back to him. “Not quite. Why does she do it, I wonder?”

“Perhaps to see how long a vampire goes without starving,” he chuckles as I arch an eyebrow.

“Come on, now. Everyone is talking about it. It’s not hard to figure out why you haven’t wasted away yet.”

I nod my head. “True.”

Finn finishes his porridge and stretches his arms to the sky. “We might as well start our day.”

Just then, the thick metal doors screech open and whipmasters pour in with the guards. The sharp tang of dirt and sweat. During my pleasant stay, I learned that there are hundreds upon a few thousand soldiers posing as guards. Their rotations vary and security is rather high strung. Also, it seemed that only hybrids were sent to chip away at the depressed terrain. Even here, the hybrids are treated with utmost disrespect. A short spark of anger thrummed through my veins before the icy chains doused them.

I gasp quietly and Finn glances at me. His eyes seem to ask “are you okay?” and I nod briefly. I school my face to be expressionless. Deep inside, I’m shocked to have felt the familiar flames of rage.

A guard steps forward. “Alright you bunch of rats! Line up, front and center!”

It’s the same routine everyday. We line up in rows of five and stand still. The whipmasters count out the appropriate number of prisoners they are supposed to have before sending us out to work. The number never changes unless someone dies mysteriously. Which is seldom, since fights rarely break out.

Once everyone is accounted for, we are handed small tools for digging and guided to our destination. My feet have hardened long ago from the rocky terrain, albeit slowly. Someone grabs my arm, and I have no choice but to comply. It was a guard. One of many guards I’ve tried to avoid eye contact with.

The guard’s rank breath sizzles my skin. “Haven’t I seen you ’round here, before?” his dark hungry eyes searched mine.

I give a small shake of my head and avoid his starving orbs. I shiver in disgust while my mind reels back to a time long before now…

Bodies writhing over an unwilling soul as she begs for it to end-

The guard shakes me. “Hello! Is anyone in there! Shev! We have a dimwitted bitch on our hands, haha!”

I almost empty my light stomach as I’m brought back to reality. Shev, the whipmaster saunters over. He is the rotund male that sees over my groups’ activities. And boy, does he itch to give us a lick from slacking for a second!

“I don’t got time for your bullshit, Frankie. Not today,” Shev grunts.

“Well shit, Shev. what’s got your panties in a bunch?”

Shev spits out a dark fluid. “A dozen or so fancy schmancy vampires and alphas are coming mid-Octō for some celebration.”

Frankie scratches the side of his head. “What does that have to do wit’ us?”

“The King is hard pressed about replacein’ that tomb.”

“Well, ain’t you replace it yet?”

“Does it look like I found it, dumbass?” Shev exasperates.

Frankie scratches his head again. “No…”

“Well there ya’ go.”

As is remembering my presence, they both jump slightly. Shev yanks my arm close to his body. The revolting smell of tobacco seizes my breaths. He grins a toothless smile at my short breaths. He thinks I’m breathless because of his comely face.

“You heard nothin’ we speakin’. Am I clear?”

I nod my head yes. He gives me a short and violent shake before releasing me. Finn stands at a distance waiting for me.

And thus how I start my day.

************************************************************

Chancellor Barati

The air has become stagnant, like thick oil. Making it poisonous for a mortal to breathe. Days are shorter, and nights longer. Birds have lost their sense of direction. I’ve received reports of Soulbound Cohorts turning against their partners. Missing person reports continue to increase again, despite the sacrifice my two Custodians have made. Shame and bitter disappointment sours my tongue.

I should have been there, I think bitterly.

I was sent away on a quest. It could have led to something of an old life. I come back empty handed. It was a mere distraction. A ruse to keep me away.

It has started again. The hairs along the back of my neck raise at that chilling thought.

“Yes, yes it has my love. The beginning of an end is near. You cannot stop it this time.” a dark, sultry voice purrs.

And my worst fears have come to life. Not again.