Page 88 of Marked By the Dark Lord
“Now that you know your ultimate fate,” the Dark Lord of Duloke rumbled, “come, let me show you theotherreason.”
He yanked me away hard enough to nearly dislocate my shoulder, pulling me up a set of stairs after him. I stumbled to try to keep up with his long legs but was pulled along forcefully.
“How far away is this ‘real reason’?” I asked.
“She’s not far.”
That time I lost my footing out of surprise. “She?”
“Oh, yes,she,” the head of House Duloke confirmed. “Therealreason Korr’ok left so long ago.”
I felt my stomach sink. “He said he left because he was bored and knew he’d never rule, so he wanted to go make a life for himself elsewhere.”
“Is that so?” Kraw’ok laughed heartily. “I wonder how long it took for him to start telling himself that. Does he believe it now? Probably.”
We exited the stairwell into a nicer but still dim section of the House. My eyes saw signs of scuffling. Broken pictures, marks on the wall, pieces of crumbled stone not cleaned up.
The evidence of Kraw’ok’s coup was still fresh on the minds of anyone who walked the halls. A reminder, perhaps, of what lengths he would go to for power? I wouldn’t put that past someone like him.
“And this is where you will stay,” Kraw’ok announced abruptly, pushing open one side of a set of standard double doors. “I can’t stay, business to attend to, but I’m sure you two havelotsto catch up on.”
He shoved me through the door and then closed them behind me. The sound of a lock sliding shut followed.
“Great,” I muttered, staring around the room. It, at least, was brightly lit. Chairs and a couch decorated the center of the room, with several small tables holding myriad objects pushed up against the walls.
There were three more doors, one on each wall. Torchlight glittered everywhere, giving the place a golden hue to it.
“Trust me,” a soft, feminine voice said. “You want it this way. It’s better than when he shows interest.”
The shudder that accompanied the voice was palpable. Footsteps announced the speaker's arrival as she emerged fromthe room to my left, the doors sliding open, revealing a library beyond.
She was tall and lithe but lacked the lines that indicated strength. The glowing eyes gave her away as Fae, however, so I doubted she was weak. But after seeing nothing but large, muscular men, it was quite a change. She was almost elfin in nature, except she had to be close to six feet tall.
“I’m Fahll’ok,” she said, lifting a slim hand in greeting.
My attention momentarily reverted away from the library as I took her greeting. “Mila,” I said with a shrug. “So, you’re the reason Korr’ok left this place?”
Fahll’ok sighed. “He’s been so angry ever since learning his brother was alive. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised he’s trotted that back out.”
“I don’t get it. Can you explain?” I asked. “Are you and Korr’ok …”
“Were,” Fahll’ok said sternly. “Wewerea thing. A long, long time ago.”
“What happened?”
“I made a really bad decision,” she said.
“Kraw’ok.”
The Fae nodded, long brown hair shimmering with the movement, reflecting the torchlight, turning her locks amber. “Yes. I chose him. A terrible mistake, and one I’m constantly paying for all this time later.”
I tried to comprehend why she would stay with someone for two hundred years if it were a mistake.
“Why?” I whispered. “Why stay? Why have I never heard about you?”
“Korr’ok was hurt,” she said. “Not that I can blame him. I was young and capricious back then. I … don’t know what I was thinking.”
“I see.” I tried to hide the uncertainty in my voice.
