Page 98 of The Heir

“Leave him alone!” I ran to Cade, ready to hit him with everything I had, but Shad had me in his arms again almost as quickly as I had left them, and I was unable to move.

“You care for him?” he asked, nostrils flaring under his crooked nose. “I thought you cared about my brother?” He shook his head. “Now, I did not take you for a tease.” He shook a finger at me.

“I am not. Ryker is my family—you—please, you took my parents from me. Please, you can't hurt him.”

“He had a choice, Emma. He could have told me how to get back to Terra, and he wouldn’t have been beaten. He chose the beating, and it was a sad thing, too, because I hate ever so much to get my hands dirty, and he is a bleeder, as you can tell. Father did always teach us that using our words was a much better approach to conflict. Seems that Mr. Noble-Knighty-Boy wasn't raised like us, Shadrict, huh?” He shook his head and looked at Shad.

“Let us go, please. He will die if I do not get him cleaned up and warmed,” I begged.

“You see, I would let him go, but he still has the information I need. Don’t you, Ryker, you sad excuse for a guardian knight? You were supposed to keep Lamont safe–his family–Emma, how does it feel to have failed so miserably? How does it feel to see her here, now?” He pushed Ryker’s head hard onto theground then stepped on his face, causing blood to ooze from unhealed wounds.

“Stop it! You are a monster! He doesn’t even know anything! Take my melody. Take me for all I care; just let them all go.”

“No, Emma, what are you doing?” Shad shouted, that time aloud.

I pulled away from Shad’s grasp.

He was so shocked by my words that he let me go for just a moment, and it was just what I needed to stand firm. I couldn’t see a way out of it—no other way than for me to give Cade what he wanted. I was what he wanted. If I went willingly, maybe he would let everyone else go. I could save them all. The guards around Cade moved to Shad, to hold him back from taking me.

“Ah, what a smart girl we have here,” Cade said with a smile, as he walked over to me.

“Please, let them go. It is me you want.”I was meant for this,I thought. I survived the crash, maybe, because I was needed at this moment in time to save them all. Perhaps, I will finally see my parents again, and all the pain and all the sorrow will be over, forever.I stood firm, convinced.

“It is indeed, dear, but I do still need a way to return home, or my plan is ruined. You do see that?” he asked, cupping my cheek in his hand. His touch sent my stomach coiling, and my body wanted to convulse. He touched a finger to my lips, and it took everything in me tonotpull away. He leaned in close, his breath on my lips. “I do see the appeal you have; you are a beauty, aren't you? Hard to see you this well when I was doing all that sneaking about.” He turned my face to the left and to the right. “You would make me a wonderful Queen.” He kissed my cheek, and I could not handle his touch any longer.

“Don’t touch me. You murdered my parents. Do you not remember that fact? I despise you. I will come willingly, but the pure hatred and disgust I have for you—that will never change.”

Cade laughed. “You find me handsome, do you not? I am, after all, where Shad gets his good looks.”

I shook my head.

“No? I am offended, and I dressed so well for the occasion of our first meeting.”

“Just get this over with,” I said with clenched teeth.

As if he had not heard me, he went on: “Yes, yes. I did not, however, kill them—your parents–dear, no. I did not kill them. Unfortunately, it was one of my men who hit them—a true accident. I will admit, we were following you, and, yes, one of my men got a little impatient, wanting to know if you were the one. After your parents died, and the shield your father had on you dropped, we knew you were the one. So although it was not on purpose, it did help in the end.” I reached out my hand and slapped him across the face.

After the slap, he grabbed my wrist, holding it in place.

“Now, I will let that one slide, seeing as your parents did die, but that was your one and only free pass, Princess.”Cade motioned to two of his guards behind him, and they were on me in moments. Shad groaned and jumped to my side quickly, finally breaking away from his guard’s hold.

“Leave her alone,” he shouted as he pulled the guard away.

“Shad, please, I am who he wants,” I called out to him.

Shad glared at me in anger and irritation.

“No, I am not losing you.”

“This is all touching, really, but you see, there are really no options.” He shrugged his shoulders and motioned the guards to move me. I was placed in the shiny cage-like cell near Keil and Ryker, the cage with pristine metal bars which I had seen earlier when I had entered that room. Was it always meant for me? “So as soon as I get the little tidbit about how to return to Terra, to home-sweet-home, I will be on my way.”

“Ihave everything you want,” Shad said, walking over to where his brother stood.

“Excuse me?” Cade smiled, and I wanted to vomit.

“Takemymelody,” Shad offered.

I gasped, “Shad, no!” I screamed and banged on the bars. He was ruining everything; I could not live in a world without him. Shad didn’t look at me. He just sent me a mental message that was jumbled and quick; I felt the emotions more than the words, which clearly meant that he was sorry and that he would never leave me. He knew that he would never regret saving me. I cursed at him, yelled and cried, and begged him not to sacrifice himself for me, for Ryker, for Keil, nor for anyone. I knocked my shoulder against the side of the cage, kicking and screaming as the metal stung my wounds, inflicted by the sharp cave walls. I was helpless. I could not do anything but watch.

---