Page 58 of Dark's Savior

Aly was thankful for it. As beautiful as this maiden was, there was something incredibly off about her. Something Aly couldn't explain but which gave her a sick feeling of dread. It was like the woman's light sucked in all else, making the darkness around her somehow even blacker, deeper. A giant shadow moved above the woman, following her; but for the life of her, Aly couldn't make out what it was, only that she had a sudden and terrible intuition that she should remain completely still and silent, not even daring to try and wake Ryziel.

The woman eventually passed and morphed once again into a blob of light before fading away into the darkness beyond. Aly remained staring into the dark, deeply astonished and disturbed by what she had seen. It occurred to her that there was no end to this strange, terrifying underground world, and, as enchanting as it could be, Aly longed more than ever to get on the ship and get as far away as she could and never look back.

***

He was in the First House. His father's house and his brother's house. But never his. It was night, and the lanterns were lit—hundreds of them, like little suns. His brother was there with him. They sat in his private chamber, one that stood beside his own. Korzien had demanded it and had somehow convinced his father to let Ryziel have the adjacent rooms, ones that were connected by two doors with a short antichamber and nothing more. He had always wanted Ryziel close to him, even as children. Perhaps Ryziel had thought in the beginning to be suspicious of it, some untrusting thought he had with anyone who tried to get too close; that they were looking to gain something from him and nothing more. But his brother seemed to prove time and again that wasn't the case. He alone had taken Ryziel under his careful guidance when no one else would. Not in fighting and killing—Ryziel's father had seen only to that—but in all other things, from diplomacy to social hierarchy to understanding the ways of court to pleasing a woman. Korzien alone made him understand, and Ryziel was never ungrateful. When Ryziel was under any sort of scrutiny, it was Korzien who defended him. When the young men of the First House—cousins—found him in the outer courtyard, looking to pick a fight, Korzien was by his side.

Many times, he stood by him, even took blame for him when he did wrong, and Ryziel—though not much for prayer—silently thanked Nihl for his brother.

He loved his brother. That was a fact. And for a long time, he firmly believed he could love no other. He pledged himself long ago to always be by his side and that he would one day return to give back all that Korzien had done for him. Because his brother was all that he had. He was everything.

But Korzien was not without his faults, though no nillium would admit to having them. He did what he liked and spoke what he thought, and few could argue with him. He believed firmly in a nillium's right to rule. To have firm dominance over all others. And Ryziel never argued this. For Korzien was the voice of what the nillium had always believed since the beginning. He preached it. And Ryziel never spoke against him nor ever voiced his doubts. Because, despite his differences and the rumors about his lineage, he was nillium, so to doubt one's own was unacceptable. Therefore, Ryziel simply let Korzien do and say what he wished and rarely did he ever refuse him. Except perhaps this night. One he wished he didn't have to relive, even in a dream.

They sat at Korzien’s table in his private room, and his brother smiled over at Ryziel as he brought a cup to his lips then set it down gently. "Take your pick, Ryziel," he said smoothly.

Ryziel did not let his eyes drift over to the ground where the women knelt. He looked only at his brother. "It is...unseemly, if not forbidden, to bed servants," Ryziel said softly, his hands clenched in tight fists.

Korzien laughed low. "Ah, brother, let’s not waste time arguing about such things. You and I both know many nillium of the upper houses take pleasure in those who serve them."

He did. His brother included. But it wasn't so much that as it was the thought of taking a random servant—one he was certain Korzien had forced to comply—to his bed and knowing they only laid with him because his brother had willed it. There would be no joy for either of them.

"You have nothing to fear," Korzien said. "You understand the workings enough."

"It's not that," Ryziel said.

Korzien leaned back, observing him carefully. "You want a nillium woman. And you could have one, but you've refused. Out of guilt or fear, you won't say, but I know you enough to know it is one of those. I only wish to give you this one gift. You deserve to know the pleasure of a woman. It is your right to know, Ryziel."

Ryziel almost laughed. "There are many things you claim I have the right to, Korzien, yet still, I remain closed from such things."

Korzien waved a hand, dismissing him. "Father is a jealous coward."

Ryziel did not respond to this. Only Korzien could say such a thing, in front of servants no less, and know he would never have to fear punishment. Ryziel, on the other hand, knew if he did choose a woman to take back to his rooms and such an occurrence was found out by his father, he would likely be whipped. He was made to be his father's assassin and silent servant and nothing more. Otherwise, he was supposed to remain a ghost—or shadow in his case—in his father's home.

"The night hour will end soon," Ryziel finally said. "Father will wonder where I am. He wants me to make a visit to Nihl Wronin at the Fifth House and his kin. I will likely have to take out their head servant for spying." He rose but did not leave right away.

Korzien tapped his fingers along the table and sighed. "One day, you will come around, Ryziel. And stop being so afraid." He picked up his cup and drank it down then stretched out his hand until a servant took the cup from him. "If anything, to be afraid to love is unseemly."

"Since when have you loved any woman?" Ryziel said.

Korzien hit him with a sly grin. "Oh, I have loved many. In fact, I am about to love these ones here since you will not."

It was then Ryziel finally looked at them. The women kneeling. Servants with their faces covered by hoods, all quiet with heads bowed.

As he walked away from his brother, the room began to dim.

"It is time you learned, Ryziel," his brother said behind him.

A light flashed out at him from a distance, beaming back and forth. The dream broke as the light hit his face, dissolving like smoke. His eyes opened, and he saw the light beaming across the opposite wall from where he hid. He closed his eyes again then opened them, watching the light dance across a balcony passage on the opposite end then cast down to a courtyard below. Coming around, he started to lift himself up when he felt something heavy on him. He looked down and became very still as he discovered Aly snug against him, her suit ripped down one side, her soft hair brushing over his shoulder. His arm was around her tight, and when his brain finally caught up to his senses, he realized they touched skin to skin and his Drega did not stir.

In shocked disbelief, he did not move at first, fearing he might still be dreaming. But then the light came back around, beaming in his face, and he saw it was attached to the shape of something. Something very real and stalking about below them.

A growl ripped from his throat before he even had a chance to assess what it was. His arm tightened around Aly, and he thought he heard her make a small noise, but he didn't cast his eyes down to look at her, only to watch the light aim up at them. There was then the sound of something clambering up the wall and that something poked its head up at them. Ryziel pulled Aly closer to him, baring his fangs at the unseen intruder, when the light turned off and he saw the something was actually a someone.

"Nihl Ryziel, you growl at me one more time, and I will take it as a challenge." Xilya's sharp face came into view as she pulled herself up the rest of the way to brace herself firmly before them.

Ryziel let out a hiss of breath, his muscles relaxing. Aly stirred against him, her face turning to Xilya.

"You came," she said as if not quite believing it.

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