Page 96 of The Heir

I wanted to vomit onto the floor. Seeing my parent’s murderer in person was more than I could bear.

“It has been a long time, has it not,brother?” I looked around the room, and Shad stood beside me, placing an arm around me, pulling me away from Ryker as Keil took my place, holding Ryker up for me. Shad held me protectively against his body, as that man, apparently hisbrother—my parents’ killer—came closer to us. I looked to Shad—then to that man, and I recognized the physical similarities. Both of them had the same rich, dark hair that looked almost blue in the lamplight; they both had defined cheekbones and jaw structures, symmetrical faces.Shad’s eyes held gold within them, which was different from the pure black eyes of the Dark Prince. I could still see the resemblance. It was uncanny, and even with the man’s crooked, broken nose, I was surprised at how alike they looked. Theywerebrothers. Why hadn't Shad told me? Why would he keep something like that from me? My head was spinning as I looked at Shad, who only looked at his brother, hatred in his eyes as he answered my question.

“I thought you were dead, Cadian,” Shad spoke rather calmly, but I felt my insides squirm.

I am sorry,Shad sent me a message.

Is he going to kill us?I responded.

I will not let him harm you.

“Yes, yes,” Cadian continued. “Well, as it turns out, there are secret passageways in the Dungeons of the Mist, brother, and would you know it—I found myself here in this world. It seems the Ancients who sent you here left something behind.” he held out a shard of mirror that reflected the golden light in the cavern. “I have made a rather nice place for myself,” hesaid as he tucked the shard of mirror into his suit coat pocket.He traveled to this realm through a mirror?If so, how did he still have it? Something about that felt off–wrong, just like him. “This cave is only temporary, on loan I guess you could say. I have a few homes set up here and there, many servants and such—life on Earth is rather easy for me, other than the fact thatEmmaexists to taunt me, and of course, now, you are here, brother.”

“How nice that things are going so well for you,” Shad spoke in his calm voice, but I could sense his soul, and he was beyond upset—beyond furious—beyond confused.

“Indeed, I am due something for all the pain Father caused me, am I not?” He raised a brow.

“What happened to you?” Shad asked, confused. “We were told you died–and then there were rumors–”

“Of course, he said I died.” He laughed without any humor in it.

“You were–you werecorrupt,” Shad said. “There were reasons you were sent away, but we all mourned you when father told us you had passed.”

“Ha! Reasons?” He played with a cufflink. He was dressed very well for someone living in, or even just visiting, a cold, dark cave. He wore a tailored navy blue suit, a white shirt, and a blue tie.Another similarity between the two of them,I thought. He wore formal clothing like Shad. Shad, who stood beside me in a white shirt and tie, must have already taken his armor off without me noticing.

Emma, we are nothing alike,Shad nearly growled into my soul.

I know that.I felt guilty for finding any similarity at all between them.

“Emma, do you want to know thereasonmy father, the king of Embra, sent me away?” Cadian asked.

I didn’t move, didn’t speak.

“Because I didn’t—have a melody. He sent me to the dungeons of Haleston, because I did not have amelodywhen I was born—as if I wasCorruptfrom my infancy. Oh, excuse me–in this realm, the term would beevil.” He folded his arms across his chest.

“You are Corrupt. Look at what you have done, even here,” Shad shouted.

“Oh, Shadrict, please. Do not even get me started. Corruption is made, not born; maybe I am a tad bit corrupt, now—” He raised his hand and fingers to gesturea small amount. “But that, I was made to be.”

“You murdered someone, which had not been done in—”

“Yes, yes, blah, blah. I murdered someone—big deal. In reality, they gave me no other choice, and to be honest, here, they really give you the benefit of the doubt when you are defending your own life. Could learn a few things from this realm, we could. I know I have.”

“I don’t believe anything you say,” Shad snarled at his brother.

“Now, I am sure that is true, so let's get to the point, shall we?” He clapped his hands together and rubbed them, stepping into the lamplight even more, so that his every feature was in full view.

I hated to admit it, but he was incredibly handsome, other than the dark glint in his eyes, of course, which confirmed that he was thiscorruptthey were speaking of. His crooked nose was the only thing, other than his soulless eyes, that was physically off about him. It looked as if he broke it once, and it never healed properly. I hoped that when he broke it, it hurt like the fires of hell.

“Emma, sweet? Come here, will you?” Cadian cooed at me, causing bile to rise in my throat.

“She goes nowhere nearyou, Cade,” Shad growled at his brother, holding me closer and tighter.

My melody swarmed, reaching out to Shad. Our melodies met together and spun around each other as I tried to calm him down. His chest was rising and falling so rapidly that his whole body shook with a rage I’d never seen or felt before.

“Ah, this is interesting,” Cade rubbed his chin with one hand as he paced around us. “I had not really been able to pick up on the connection between you two. Could it be—?” he questioned while looking at Shad.

“You have us here, trapped. What is it you want?” Shad’s voice was calm again. My melody still lingered within his own as I tried to sooth him.

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