I use a small light globe I stole from the dungeon to travel through the passages, feeling my way through dust and cobwebs. My feet are still wrecked and I need clothing, but those concerns will have to wait. I'm on a tight timeline.
The sound of leather slapping against flesh and bone is all I need to know I'm in the right place. I swallow back the vomit forming in my throat and steel myself for what I know I'll see.
But there's no way to prepare yourself for seeing the love of your life tortured while you can do nothing to stop it.
And that's exactly what I have to do.
Fen hangs upright, looking as if he’d collapse if he could, if chains didn’t shackle his writs to stone columns. His lips are stained dark red. Crimson streaks cover his back.
Snap.
A leather whip lashes through the air, tearing another line of flesh open across Fen’s back. He doesn’t cry out. He says nothing.
Levi steps into view, whispering something to his brother.
I watch through a crack in the wall, too far away to hear what Levi whispers to Fen, but close enough to see what he does next.
It makes me sick, and angry. Someday I will kill that bastard. But I am naked, unarmed and injured. Exposing myself now will only get me caught. I must wait and hope Marco does what he promised.
After what happened in the streets of Stonehill, Marco's anger at me transformed into guilt. He explained he'd spent the last few weeks spiraling out of control in his grief over his family. That Levi promised him vengeance against those who caused the battle. Against me and Fen.
But seeing the kind of king Levi would be, the kind of ruler he is, Marco couldn't support him. He knew I wasn't the enemy, that I had no control over what I was born as. So when I found the key to my cell, I took a risk. I asked Marco to help me.
He wouldn't help me escape, per se. That would be too risky, even for him. But he could get me water. And tell me where Levi was. And he could finish Levi's mark in the dirt with my blood, after I left. To give me more time to free Fen and escape.
So now I must wait for Levi to feel the pull of the mark. To come to my cell.
It takes so long I fear the plan failed, that Marco chickened out, or I hadn't left enough blood. But then Levi stops talking and looks down at his wrist.
He says something that makes Fen scream louder than any of the torture had, and then leaves the dungeon laughing.
I grit my teeth and wait until I can no longer hear his footsteps, then I push out the loose stones I know are there and climb out.
When Fen sees me, his mouth falls open.
"You know, you really have to stop getting yourself captured and beaten," I say, trying to lighten the mood.
I rush over to him and shove the key into the lock, hoping it works. It truly is a master key, because his chains fall off, and I support his body as he steps away from the beams. "How did you get here?" he asks, his voice hoarse and low. Even in this broken state, it soothes me to hear it.
"Remember, I know this castle's secrets," I say. Then something whines behind me, and I turn to see Baron chained in the corner. "Oh my god, what has that monster done to you?"
I quickly free the white wolf and check him for injuries. There are none, and Baron rubs his head against both me and Fen. I still can’t believe this wolf is the Earth Spirit, but I will have to think on that later.
Fen pulls me closer to him, and I take comfort in the warmth of his body, in the hardness of his muscles and the feel of him so close. And beneath the layers of stench we both have brought with us, I can smell him. The wildness that clings to him always. The pine and woodsy scent. I breathe him in and dig my nails into his arms to hold him tighter.
I sob into his chest, all the fear and tension of the last few weeks flowing out of me, releasing in one great swell, like a wave I can no longer control or hold back. The beat of his heart is steady and strong and I sigh into his embrace, so happy to be with him again. I haven't seen him since the trial, and I feared I would never see him again. After a moment, I pull away just enough to look up at him. He's still Fen, with his ruggedly gorgeous features, his piercing blue eyes and sandy brown hair with copper flecks always a little disheveled. But he's also more. I reach up to touch the points of his ears, now so much like mine. "This is my fault," I say softly.
He reaches for my hand and pulls it against his chest. "No. You didn't even know what you were until we brought you here. This isn't your fault. Never blame yourself."
I nod, wiping the tears from my eyes. "We don't have long. We must leave. Levi will know we've escaped as soon as he gets to my cell."
That's when Fen looks down at me and notices I'm wearing only a cloak. "What happened to you? What did he do to you?" A growl forms deep in his throat, and the new tattoo on his stomach glows a slight pale blue, radiating his magic.