Page 17 of Taken By The Dark Three
She stumbles, nearly falling. Rage sears my veins. I tear free of one soldier’s grip long enough to close the distance by a single step. Another guard clamps down on me from behind, pulling me back. My voice emerges in a snarl. “Don’t touch her like that.”
The tall guard smirks. “And what will you do, captive?”
Ai cringes away from him, her blanket dropping to the floor. Her eyes gleam with tears, but she bites her lip, refusing to cryout. My heart clenches. This is exactly why I risked everything: to prevent Orthani from turning her into a trembling victim or a mindless weapon.
Suddenly, Ai shakes off her fear and steps closer to me. The guards stiffen. She tilts her head, that pale hair sliding over her face, and for a moment, her eyes glaze with an odd light. Her voice emerges in a hushed, eerie tone. “Selene… the Red Purna… they whispered your name… said you’d be the bait.”
Cold dread washes through me. Bait. That confirms my suspicion. The Red Purna used me to draw Orthani’s attention or incite some bigger plan. Ai’s next words come out in a tumble, as if an unseen force compels her. “They wanted you caught. They need a reason… a reason to strike at Orthani. You have to leave… or it’ll get worse.”
The corridor falls silent, every guard transfixed by her cryptic speech. My fists clench. A swirl of betrayal collides with my protective rage. The Red Purna I once trusted set me up. They arranged for Ai to be discovered, ensuring I’d come for her. The knowledge burns. But we’re both trapped here now.
Ai’s gaze sharpens, her voice fading back to that small, frightened child. “I’m sorry,” she whispers, tears slipping free. “I didn’t know…”
I wrestle against the guard holding me, desperate to comfort her. “Ai—no. It’s not your fault. I’m going to protect you. I swear it.”
She blinks, uncertain, as if not sure she can believe in hope. Another soldier steps in, shoving her toward a side corridor. “Enough chatter.” He spares me a scornful glance. “Get the older purna out of here.”
“Wait—” I protest, but the guard yanks me backward. Ai’s eyes meet mine, a plea dancing in her expression. Then she’s shepherded away, swallowed by the gloom, her small footsteps receding. My heart twists, each beat pulsing with fury that theRed Purna would stoop to sacrificing a child for their schemes. The betrayal tastes bitter on my tongue. I vow silently to tear them apart if I ever escape Orthani’s chains.
The lead guard forces me down the corridor in the opposite direction. My bones ache from frustration, but I keep my head up. At least I know Ai is alive. Bruised, terrified, but alive. That single truth anchors me. My mission has not ended. If I have to burn the entire city to free her, I will.
We ascend a spiral stairway that leads to a broader walkway with black iron railings. Tall windows line one side, revealing a partial view of Orthani’s lower tiers. The city’s architecture looms, spiked towers and twisting bridges set against a swirling sky of ash-colored clouds. I can’t see the horizon, only more fortress walls. The gloom intensifies my sense of claustrophobia, yet I push that emotion aside, filing each detail away for an eventual escape plan.
The guards march me into a reception hall where Vaelith awaits, arms crossed. He’s dressed in his customary black leather with plate accents, his silvered hair catching stray beams of lamplight. A cluster of lesser officers stands behind him. The tension in his stance suggests he’s been waiting a while.
He nods curtly. “That took long enough. Report.”
The soldier nearest me bows. “We had… a complication. The purna child was being moved for a check at the same time.”
Vaelith’s eyes flick between me and the guard. He says nothing, but the lines of his jaw tighten. A subtle question lingers in the air: Did I see Ai? My glare remains steadfast, refusing to give him any more satisfaction.
He exhales through his nose, dismissing the lesser officers with a wave. Once they file out, he steps closer, voice low. “I told them not to let you anywhere near the girl.”
I match his tone. “Then your soldiers are incompetent. Because I saw her. And I know you’re all using her.” My anger simmers near the surface.
Vaelith holds my gaze without flinching. “She’s dangerous. Orthani doesn’t keep untrained purna children in the general prison for pleasure. The high council wants her powers contained.”
I grit my teeth. “If you think you can harness her magic, you’re no better than the Red Purna who sent us here.”
His brow furrows slightly, as if my words strike a nerve. “We do what we must to protect Orthani from threats. That child nearly burned half a district?—”
“She’s terrified,” I cut in, voice taut. “She has no mentor, no guidance, just a city of sadists prodding at her.”
Vaelith’s expression flickers. Perhaps he remembers something from his past. I recall hearing rumors that he once lost someone close to a purna. But if I expect a confession or show of weakness, I’m disappointed. He schools his features into a mask of detachment. “I can’t change Orthani’s stance on purna.”
I let out a bitter laugh. “So you’ll stand by while she’s caged, hoping to shape her power into a weapon. And me too, I suppose.”
He doesn’t deny it. Instead, he shifts his weight, scanning me from head to toe. “Your entire body radiates defiance, and the high council finds that… troublesome.” He takes a step nearer. “If you want to survive—if you want the girl to survive—cooperation is your best path.”
I tilt my head, refusing to back down. “Is that what you believe? Or are you parroting Orthani’s scripts?”
A flicker of annoyance crosses his face. “Enough talk. I brought you here for a demonstration of your combat skill. We want to see if you’re truly as capable as your infiltration suggests.If you pass, you might earn privileges. If you fail, the decision on your future will be less kind.”
A demonstration. It sounds like a twisted test, but I sense an opportunity. Perhaps if I impress them, I gain a sliver more freedom, more leverage to help Ai. My mind examines every possible angles. “Fine,” I say.
He nods, motioning me toward a set of double doors at the opposite of the hall. As I walk, I notice the rhythmic clink of chain from my ankles is gone. They haven’t replaced the shackles, which is interesting. I glance at Vaelith in suspicion. “You’re giving me freedom of movement?”
His voice stays measured. “You’ll be supervised. And the wards on this level are strong enough to hamper most purna spells. Don’t mistake this for leniency.”
