Page 99 of The Last Heir of Elsewhere

My gaze landed back on the old man. “Are there more cells somewhere? Another room perhaps?”

The man rose to his feet, more gracefully than I would have expected possible. He chuckled darkly. “You have a lot of questions, girl.”

“Yes,” I said desperately. “Can you help?”

He moved toward the bars. “Let me out, and I’ll help you with whatever you like.”

My eyes widened as we came face to face, and I realized that he wasn’t old at all.

A strikingly young, handsome face emerged from a tangle of waist-length hair and an unkempt beard. His hair was so matted and filthy that it could have been any color, but his violet eyes shone with clarity even in the darkness.

I hesitated. “Why are you in here?”

“Let me out, and I’ll tell you.”

“Tell me now,” I demanded.

He laughed again. “I would, but it’s a long story. I’ve been here for nearly seven-thousand years.”

That…couldn’t be right. He was mad, or confused, or…something. Wasn’t he? A shiver traveled up my spine and I shrank back. “No…”

“Wait!” the man said desperately calling me back. “I could help you.”

“Do you know where my mother is?”

“No,” he admitted, as his eyes flicked to the crown on my head. “But I could still help you. Wouldn’t you like to know where that crown came from? Would you like to know how it’s supposed to be worn?”

“I—”

Before I could answer, the sound of sudden footsteps pounded behind me, and the mysterious prisoner yelled in alarm. “Behind you!”

I whirled around, my eyes frantically scanning the room for the king, or perhaps the guards, but instead they landed on the figure of the veiled queen sprinting toward us.

For a moment, I’d completely forgotten she was there. Apparently, that had been a deadly mistake.

40

LONNIE

UNDERNEATH

The queen rushed toward us, her long, red robe swirling around her. While her veil concealed her face, I could feel the intensity of her gaze as she sprinted toward us, the sharp edge of a sword gleaming in her hand.

I didn’t understand anything that was happening. Why would she attack us? Why now, when she’d been standing behind me for the last several minutes.

I didn’t have long to wonder.

My muscles tensed as I gripped my dagger, ready to strike. But before I could make a move, Bael pushed me roughly aside, and charged toward the queen. Fear gripped me, and every second felt like an eternity as the two of them met in the middle of the hallway.

I watched in abject horror as the queen’s sword pierced Bael’s skin. My scream of fury and fear echoed through the room, and I started forward to help. Except, then Scion’s furious voice rose behind me. Suddenly, I felt a sharp tug as his muscular arms wound around my waist, yanking me backwards into his cell.

“Let me go!” I shouted. “He’s hurt.”

“He’s fine!” Scion held me tighter.

I kicked at him, but he ignored it, reaching forward to pull the door of the cell closed behind us with a heavy metal snap.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I demanded. “We’ll be trapped in here.”

---