Page 14 of Shattered Jewel

Those initiated with us died, ran, or were cut down by their own family for their cowardice.

All for the promise of power. Control. Heedless and hedonistic for the rest of our lives.

Yet we endure. We survive. We thrive.

I will not falter. I cannot. Not when Elara’s fate is woven with mine.

The thought of her, ignorant and vulnerable because of her brother’s deadly mistakes, causes my hands to clench into fists, the knuckles cracking like gunshots in the quiet underground of the tunnel. I will not let them have her. I will not let them break her as they broke us.

The stone corridor winds directly under campus grounds, passing below the dorms, scholarly buildings, and recreation centers, with direct access points all if we choose to sneak in and alter papers, fuck co-eds, seduce professors … anything, really.

We reach the end of the tunnel, the massive iron doors looming before us like the gates of hell itself. I square my shoulders, drawing in a deep breath that fills my lungs with the stale, musty air. With a nod to my brothers, I step forward, my hand reaching for the handle.

The door swings open with a groan of protest, revealing the cavernous circular chamber beyond. The Sovereigns sit upon their stone thrones, their faces obscured by the emotionless masks clinging to their faces. The air is thick with the stench of decay, the coppery tang of blood, and the incense meant to diffuse the stench, a miasma that burns the back of my throat with each inhalation.

Black-robed figures ring the periphery, still as statues. In the center, atop a dais of obsidian, the three Sovereigns await.

I stride forward, my gaze unwavering as I move in front of the Sovereigns. I’ve never seen their true features or called them anything but the three Sovereigns, but I’ve always imagined them behind their disguises and how they likely regard me with a mixture of contempt and amusement, their lips curling into cruel smiles that promise only pain and suffering.

I mount the steps, spine straight, shoulders back. Kaspian, Axe, and Wilder flank me in a united front.

And we kneel.

The middle Sovereign fixes his bottomless gaze upon me. Firelight dances across the porcelain mask. “You took your time in answering our summons.”

I incline my head, finding the Sovereign’s stare through the eyeholes of his mask. “We came as soon as we received your summons, my lord.”

The Sovereign leans forward, his robes rustling. “Yet you tarried. What pressing matters could possibly take precedence over our command?”

The undercurrent to his words runs deep. Someone will be punished for your tardiness.

I fight not to look at Axe.

And I refuse to tell them the information Kaspian uncovered. About Maverick. The files. This supposed hidden library underneath Thornhaven.

Do the Sovereigns know about this forgotten room?

The question gives me pause.

Everything I say must remain one step ahead. Half-truths. White lies. But never, ever, complete deception.

My attention flicks to the silent Sovereign, motionless, yet I can feel his study like spiders crawling under my shirt. To invoke his wrath?—

We’ve never done it. For good reason.

The silent one hasn’t moved, his gaze cold and dispassionate like the mask that conceals his face. A chilling reminder that he always watches. Always waits.

And I wonder how long it will be before my turn comes to kneel before him.

I choose my next words with care. “We were discussing the Heart, my lords. Strategizing on how best to retrieve it for the Court.”

The center Sovereign leans back, his fingers steepling. “Is that so? And what, pray tell, have you discovered?”

I hesitate, weighing my options. To reveal what we know about Maverick risks exposing Elara to their machinations. But to lie outright invites the creativity of the silent Sovereign.

“We believe we have a new lead, my lord. One that may prove fruitful. But we need more time to pursue it.”

The Sovereign’s mask betrays nothing, but I sense his displeasure. “More time? You have already had ample opportunity to retrieve the Heart. Yet it remains lost.”

---