Page 8 of Crowned A Traitor
Abadan clenched her fist while Eve gripped her skirts in frustration.
"You cannot treat us this way!" Abadan glared at Eve's outburst. Eve bowed her head in submission. Klara released a sigh, a break from Eve's high pitch squeak was a mercy to the ears.
"Since you are determined to undermine us, I have no choice," the High Queen spoke. "I'll send for the Hounds, and they will escort you to your Father, I don't trust you not to deceive us," Abadan's voice was calm, and calculating. “I would never dream of doing such a thing, you all know how much I love you.” Abadan gripped Klara's arm painfully and dragged her out from the kitchen and into the narrow corridor. The portraits framed in gold, watched in silence as the scene unfolded.
Abadan's eyes rolled back in her head as she summoned the Hounds of Hell. Klara felt a small victory, but she dared not show it. Together, they waited for the scrapping of nails and howls to travel through the Castle's corridors. Klara hadn't seen her pups in so long she couldn't wait to embrace them. Fear crept through Klara,maybe they will have forgotten me after all this time.
Abadan's smile beamed as she chanted quietly in Latin. As soon as the chanting ceased, all eyes drifted to the double doors at the end of the corridor. The dark wood warped and stretched as the enchantment caused the door to come alive and swing open. The blackened portal glimmered as the invisible Hounds entered the Castle. "Let's see how smug you are now," Abadan smirked as the sound of claws rattled off the walls. The eyes of the portraits searched for the threat as the Hounds could be heard and not seen.
The Hounds reached Abadan's side and awaited orders panting softly. "Maybe we should talk about this?" Eve stepped towards Abadan only to receive a growl in response Eve quickly retreated to Lilith.
"Anything you wish to say to your Guardians before you leave?" Abadan asked, expecting Klara to grovel but her pleas would only satisfy their egos and increase her suffering.
"I'll bring you back something special Eve. I know how long it's been since Lucifer called on you for company," Klara said, and Lilith stepped between them.
"How dare you!" Eve lunged at her, but Lilith held her back. Klara could just about see the smirk Lilith was concealing.
"She only wishes to provoke you. Our Lord cares for you deeply," Abadan hissed like the serpent she was, and Lilith rose her nose high in the air.
"Take the Heir to her Father and don't bring her back until she is presentable!" Abadan commanded to the growling air beside her.
Only those whom Lucifer granted sight could see the Hounds. Abadan as the High Queen received such a gift as did Klara due to her born ability, but only once she touched them. Most who gazed upon the horrid beasts were collected souls who had failed to pay their debts.
The snarls and slow scrape of nails told Klara they were getting closer. "I can't stand the sight of you, maybe you will learn how to respect your elders before you return." Abadan's hair swished with her Crimson cloak as she stormed off. Lilith and Eve followed after her down the corridor as they moved towards Abadan’s wing of the Castle
Once they were gone, Klara leant against the cold stone wall as the Hounds' claws marked the marble floor. "Good Hounds, remember me?" Klara said anxiously, opening her jacket, hoping the smell of her blood would surely remind them. She reached out her hand and brushed their fur. Her touch removed the invisibility glamour, and the growling subsided.
The corridor grew silent as the clicking of Eve's heels disappeared into a faint echo, and all that remained was soft panting. Klara stared at the Hounds' fanged smile as their tongues hung from their mouths. The last time Klara had seen them was her last day in Hell, when she'd handed their small bodies to Frendall. Both Hounds had white spots at the tips of their perked ears. Klara raised her arms to protect herself but instead of attacking they pawed at her, whining happily. Klara scratched their ears as they sniffed at her chest, sensing her injury. "Who's my good Hounds?" Klara said stroking their matted black fur.
"Come on, off!" she panted under the weight of them. They whined as she pushed them off and wrapped her arms around their mangy bodies, reassuring them that she was okay.
"Ancient Abadan couldn't turn you against me," Klara said as one of the Hounds barked in agreement.
"Hush, you want to disturb the Ogres!" The Hounds bowed their heads in submission.
"Ready to see the King?" Klara said, resting her hands on her knees and they both sat on their hind legs with their snouts high in the air. Both ready to obey and serve at the mention of the King.
"I'll take that as a yes," Klara steadied herself against the wall as her legs wobbled underneath her. The strain of removing the Hounds' glamour had put more pressure on her heartless body than she had anticipated. "Let's get you a treat first," Klara winked, pushing herself off the wall. The Hounds licked their lips hungrily as they strolled back to the kitchen.
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"Some juicy steak for you," Klara threw it to the floor, and the Hounds both lunged for the meat. Klara separated them as they fought over the last piece. Starvation was a training tactic to keep the Hounds in line, but despite their mangy coats, they had some meat of them.Least their Commander is keeping them healthy, she thought knowing that soon enough she would have to part with them.
The two Hounds tried to get around her to the full pantry. "That's enough you two! Can't return you plump and full, Father and Abadan would throw a fit."
They whined and barked a little, but when she clicked her fingers, they sat quietly on their hind legs.
"Good Hounds!" Klara said scratching their heads and giving them each a wooden spoon of peanut butter from Eve's private stash.
Klara opened the medicine cabinet above the food stores. The brass handles shone from excessive polishing. "Belladonna, laudanum…" Klara read the labels as she searched the many jars of assorted lotions and potions until she saw the silver glow at the back of the cabinet.
A low growl distracted Klara and she looked to the arched backs of the Hounds. "You've had enough," she told them returning her attention to the jars, the Hounds backed up against her legs, and Klara nearly dropped a vial of smallpox. Klara turned to scold them, but the words escaped her as Lilith stood at the door to the pantry.
"Knew you'd go straight for it," Lilith said, tossing something in the air and Klara caught it on instinct. "Abadan will have the Doomed go over the inventory. Arthur, as head of the kitchen, would take the blame for any missing jars," Lilith took a step forward, and a Hound rubbed its head against Lilith not perceiving the Queen as a threat.
"What? I can't help my ward. We can't have you tracking blood all over Hell. You'd have none left by the time you get to your Father."
"I think Abadan was counting on it," Klara said, straightening her back and Lilith smiled at Klara's feigned strength. Lilith's dark beauty surpassed the others. There was a raw strength in her Father's General that Klara respected.
