Page 20 of Hidden Kingdoms

It was still too early for any sane person to be awake and other than the soldiers and us, it was empty of anyone else. Horses whinnied somewhere off in the distance, the sound carrying far in the silence of dawn.

Will they feed me before I fall into my soft dungeon bed?

Despite the heat from the braziers, the cobbled floor was icy on my feet, flares of pain shooting through the already tender soles with each step across the empty square towards the largest of the archways.

An enormous wisteria grew along its edge, stretching over the arch, its long flowers draping down towards the floor, brushing the top of the opening. Though unlike any I had seen before, the blooms were red.

A thud of hard soles against the stone drew all our eyes to possibly the biggest man I had ever encountered, striding purposefully towards us.

There was no doubt my captors were both large men, but this one was easily nearing seven foot, with the build to match. Oneof his arms was probably as wide as I was, and that was only a slight exaggeration. We stopped as one as he made his approach, pausing a few steps away.

He wore a heavy black cloak, draped over his shoulder, the hood pulled up to obscure most of his face and fastened with a silver brooch inlaid with a large, shimmering opal. It fell almost to the floor, the fabric covered in strange, iridescent symbols I didn’t understand.

Despite the hood, I could make out the top of four jagged, pink scars that interrupted the black stubble covering his jaw.

A jumper similar to the one I was drowning in was overlaid with what looked like leather armour, and black trousers were tucked into the heavy boots laced up his bulging calves. Dark belts crisscrossed his chest and hips, containing more weapons than I cared to count. How he didn’t sound like a walking brass band with every move he made was a mystery.

The hilt of a large sword—also inlaid with opals—was strapped to his hip, and he rested a large hand on it before sending a barely perceptible nod towards the two men next to me.

Tug.

I winced as I raised my hand to rub my aching chest, and the giant’s eyes flicked towards me as though he only just realised I was there, narrowing slightly for the briefest second before returning his focus to the other two. Big Man nodded curtly, and the giant stepped towards him, his tone low as whatever he whispered caused a deep frown which could be seen through his black mask.

“Take her inside, Marcellus, and then come find us. Kaius, we’re needed,” he demanded, not even looking at me before marching away through a large wooden door.

“What?” I whirled in his direction.

“What the fuck is going on? Why am I here?” I shouted my own demand, but it was clear from his retreating back he wasn’t going to reply. The guards bowed again as he strode past them, the door that slammed behind him also a good indication that he didn’t feel the need for a response.

The scowl on my face matched the one on Marcellus’ as we bristled at his commands, my fists clenching at my sides, not that they would know under the too-large jumper.

Who did this bastard think he was? Only because I desperately needed somewhere to rest was I going to go along with his nonsense, not because I planned on going meekly towards captivity.

I would fight, I would get home. But I wasn’t stupid enough to think I could do that right now.

And why is everyone fucking bowing to him?

Kaius sighed next to me, watching his masked friend storm away. His hand rested gently on my lower back as he urged me forwards, my anger hesitating at his touch, and I almost wished he wasn’t leaving me.

“Go on, you’ll be safe in the palace.” His hand dropped as he turned to follow, leaving me alone in the courtyard with this monster of a man. The soldiers who had been following behind bowed their heads at Marcellus and returned to wherever they had come from in the first place.

I’ll be safe?

As if they weren’t the ones who put me in this situation in the first place.

Marcellus turned, cloak billowing and his large strides creating a considerable gap between us. I hurried to keep up as we walked in silence through the large archway, crimson flowers almost brushing the hood of his robe. It was then I got my first good look at where I was headed.

10

CHAPTER TEN

BASTIAN

My hands were tight balls of tension clenched at my side as I swept through the door, the urge to light the entire fucking courtyard on fire hammering at my mind. Once out of sight, I ripped the mask from my face, discarding it onto the stones. Kaius’ footsteps followed softly behind, but I didn’t slow. I knew it would take him only moments to ease me from the edge I was teetering on, but right now, I needed that rage to fuel me onwards. Before I turned back around and shook the tiny white-haired creature we had brought into our kingdom until she gave up the secrets I was so desperate for.

When the magik had indicated we finally locked down a location, nothing could have prepared me for what we found in that room, or for the giant mutt that had guarded the place. Irritation at the shredded sleeve of my top added an extra layer to my turbulent emotions. Holes now peppered my skin and blood crusted on my forearm. I should have been able to take on a fucking dog; the fact that it got one over on me only prodded the simmering anger that was flooding me so easily.

Fuck Nova and fuck her prophecies.

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