The Grey Ones
The Dark Before the Dawn: XIII

JUNIPER

A terrible dream woke her up. She desperately clutched at her throat as though she was being strangled by starving people. Her breath was short, and as she sat up, she felt the soreness sting throughout her body, reminding her that she was alive and awake.

The Vasaath was sleeping soundly next to her and even though she had grown up thinking her bed was enormous, it looked rather small with him in it. Too small for him, at least. His feet were sticking out of the end, dangling outside the bed while he slept.

She fought the ache and slid out from underneath the covers, careful not to wake the slumbering giant. She noticed faint bruises on her hips, red scratches on her pale skin, and her heart beat a little faster. The soreness was strangely pleasant, and the markings on her body made her blush. Looking at the sleeping general, he looked so innocent—but when they made love the night before, he was quite the contrary. It was perhaps unladylike of her, but she enjoyed seeing his marks on her. They told a story, one she cherished.

She gently and slowly pulled her shift over her head and let it fall over her sinned body. With a sigh, she walked up to the window. The city was dark and still and stars were brilliant against the sky—but from the east, the horizon had turned into a careful, purple hue, foretelling the rising sun.

She suddenly gasped, remembering that she left her poor brother down in the dungeons when she had promised to bring him food. She quickly grabbed a blanket from her daybed and carefully lit a candle by the nightstand. She made sure the Vasaath was still sleeping before she took the candle and the blanket and silently left the room.

As she walked across the cold floors through the castle, she could hear voices here and there as a testimony that the celebration wasn’t quite over just yet. Somewhere, she heard speaking voices, from somewhere, she heard giggles, and from some closed doors, she heard faint moans. She hurried on.

Her experienced feet brought her directly to the kitchen where there were plenty of leftovers for her to grab and wrap in a cloth. Silently, she made her way to the dungeons.

A Kas soldier, the same as before, stood by the gates, looking focused and determined. Juniper carefully moved closer with her lit candle.

“My lady,” the soldier said and bowed his head. “What are you doing up?”

“I’m bringing some food and a warm blanket for my brother,” said Juniper.

The soldier furrowed his brows and tightened his jaw, looking rather displeased.

“Is that not allowed?” she asked.

“It is allowed, my lady,” the soldier said, and then he eyed her. “But your feet are bare. Are you sure you wish to go down there is such a condition?”

Juniper looked down. Indeed, her feet were bare and cold, but she smiled. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll manage just fine.”

The soldier nodded, still not entirely convinced, and stepped aside. “Do you want me to accompany you?”

She shook her head. “Thank you, but I need to speak to my brother alone.”

The soldier respected her decision and allowed Juniper to descend the stairs, down to the dark dungeons.

She was as silent as she possibly could, careful not to wake the other sleeping prisoners. So she hurried, her bare feet light on the cold and wet floor, through the maze and towards her brother’s cell. Some prisoners noticed her as she passed them, the torch flickering softly, but most just gasped as though they had seen a ghost.

“Sebastian,” she whispered when she had reached her brother. “Sebastian, are you awake?”

She heard her brother stir and sigh before he shifted into the light and muttered, “I’m surprised anyone can sleep in this dirt hole.”

Juniper smiled half-heartedly. “It’s not forever. You’ll be out soon, I promise.” She gently pushed the blanket through the bars. “Here, in case you’re cold. And I brought food.”

“You’re a bit too late,” Sebastian muttered.

Juniper bit her lip. “I’m sorry I didn’t come sooner. I was—I couldn’t retire.”

Sebastian was silent for a little while before he said, “I hope you enjoy spreading your legs to the beast-man, because that will probably your future now. Or death, of course.”

She wanted to yell at him, to tell him to stop being such a rude child, but she bit her tongue. She was too tired to enter into an argument with her brother, whom she knew would not understand her until he had seen the Kas for who they truly were. He would not understand.

Sighing, she asked, “Will you at least eat?”

“I’m not hungry.”

“You have to eat, Sebastian.”

“I have already eaten,” he said. “Apparently, the grey bastards care more about me than you do.”

Her chest tightened. She should have come down earlier, she knew she should have. Had the Vasaath ordered one of his men to feed him? She sighed and leaned her head against the bars. “You will be out soon, I promise.”

“Just go.” Sebastian slipped back into the darkness, and Juniper felt the bitter sting of rejection.

She sighed and whispered, “I’ll be back later in the morning,” but Sebastian did not reply.

She didn’t linger, and took the candle and the food and headed back. But she paused at bit her lip. Gazing over her shoulder, down the dark path that led to the Pit, she contemplated her options. Her father did not deserve her generosity, but could she truly live with herself if she left him without food?

Sighing deeply, she hurried down the dark path. Her father was asleep on the floor. She felt a pain shoot through her heart; he looked so small, so helpless, as he lay curled up on the floor of the cell. Once, he had been a Duke of the Free Cities of Nornest, and now, he was alone in the darkness.

She knew she ought to cry—it was her father, after all—but she couldn’t. She had no tears left for him. Carefully, she placed a piece of bread and a sausage in his cell before she hurried back. Again, she rushed past the others like a spectre. Outside the gate, the soldier stood firmly, still as strict as when she went down.

Juniper stopped by him, looked at him, and asked, “Have you been there all night?”

“Yes, my lady.”

“Haven’t you been celebrating with the others?”

“No, my lady. This is my duty.”

Juniper nodded. “Well,” she sighed and handed him the cloth of food. “Here. Have something to eat.”

The soldier glanced hesitantly at the bundle she handed him, and carefully accepted it. “Thank you, my lady.”

She nodded. “It’s my pleasure.”

She hurried back through the corridors and into her chambers. The Vasaath was still sleeping like a babe, and Juniper sighed in relief. She dried off her feet before she carefully crawled back to bed, wrapping her cold feet in the cover and leaned her cheek against his chest. But she could not sleep. There were too many troubling thoughts in her head for that.

As dawn approached, slowly filling the room with light, the general stirred and pulled her closer. Carefully, he caressed her arm and her back, but his brows furrowed.

As he drowsily opened his eyes in slits, he said, voice slumberous, “Why are you wearing this thing?” He pulled at her shift, surprised he didn’t replace her in the nude—where he had left her.

Juniper chuckled. “I went to see Sebastian. I had promised to bring him food and a blanket.”

The Vasaath yawned. “Your brother is spoiled. He can’t survive one night without food and a blanket?” He huffed and shifted. “He has to grow up sometime.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, I don’t care about what you think. I won’t let my brother go hungry or be cold if I can remedy it.”

“I know,” he said and planted a kiss on her forehead. “You rarely care about what I think.”

She smiled. “Why should I?”

He scoffed and gently jerked her chin upwards. “That’s no way to speak to a leader.”

“Well, in case you have forgotten, you’re not my leader,” she teased.

He smiled back at her, and slowly put a strand of hair behind her ear. “No. I’m not.”

She looked into his golden eyes and felt warmth spread through her body. Her belly was fluttering and her heart was racing. “I love you,” she whispered.

The Vasaath caressed her face, lovingly, ardently, as he said, “You have my heart, menaan. You, and no one else.”

The words were soft and warm, and when their lips met, Juniper wished she could stay in that moment forever. He kissed her tenderly and she wrapped her arms around his neck. She had no reason to hurry out to the others.

They kissed for a long time, just enjoying each other, before Juniper pulled away, much to the general’s dissatisfaction.

“I am thinking about staying in bed all day,” he said and placed his hands behind his head. “Care to join me?”

Juniper chuckled and sat up. “Tempting, my love, but there are still things to do. Many people still need help.”

He sighed deeply. “No rest for the wicked.”

She laughed at him and rose from the bed. The sun had risen and the skies were finally blue after so many days of dark clouds. She looked out over Noxborough, just waking up from its nightmarish days of killing and carnage.

It was strange, she thought, seeing the sunshine upon a grieving city, but things had to move along as usual. Her eyes were drawn to the glittering sea, where the sun hit the soft waves as they slowly made their way to the shoreline. The water was remarkably still this morning, almost serene, and it calmed her.

Then, like a shadow on the horizon, something appeared, rising from the gentle curve. She squinted her eyes to see better, but it was just too far away. She stared at it, trying to see, and when the object was close enough, she saw that it was a ship. As is slowly moved closer, she saw the brilliant scarlet colour as the sun hit the sails. Her heart stopped.

She turned to the Vasaath. “I—I think there are more of you coming.”

He sat up at once, his face set in deep thought. He did not believe her, that much was evident. “What do you mean?”

“There’s a ship with red sails coming this way.” She closed her hands over her chest, trying to still her racing heart.

He sprung to his feet and in just a few great strides, he stood by the window. Juniper followed his eyes back to the harbour, and from seeing only one red sail a mere minute ago, sail upon sail was now stretched across the whole horizon—it wasn’t just one ship, but an entire fleet, sailing their way.

Juniper felt all blood drain from her face. It was one thing hearing about the army, but seeing it was another matter entirely, like a wave of blood rushing towards the city.

She gazed at him. “What happens now?”

The Vasaath was tense and his jaw was squared. “Things are going to change.”

She had hoped that would not be the answer. Taking a deep and strengthening breath, she gazed out over the harbour again and watched as the ships came closer and closer to shore.

Alarmed, she sought the Vasaath’s hand and took in in hers. The chime of the bell thundered over the waking city, as a fanfare to the approaching tidal wave, letting everyone know that the end of an era was truly nigh. The age of the Grey Ones had begun.

* * *

END OF BOOK 1