Page 8 of Her Royal Blood

“Good. So what’s next?” Halo asked, still watching as the guests made their exit. We stood a pace away from one another and I pretended to be putting on my cloak.

“I’m going to Navarrah City then to Vitoria to free Lex. Once I secure him, we’ll join forces with Navarrah City and go to war, but first I have to find Bindi,” I told Halo as succinctly as possible so no one overhead us.

“She’s in the dungeon, you should go now while Polonius is distracted. I can come with you if you want, most of the people have left.” She didn’t look at me while she spoke, but she was right, the courtyard had cleared out quickly and the few guests who were allowed to attend my wedding were already gone.

“I need you to stay near Gabrielle in case Polonius asks her to conjure magic.” A prick of fear danced over every nerve at the thought of what a dangerous position Gabrielle was in.

With the ceremony ended Polonius will train his focus on her, perhaps exclusively as “Aria” is a coveted prize he went to great lengths to secure.

“I’ll stay near, let’s just hope he doesn’t ask her to do much while you’re gone.” Halo looked as worried as I was.

“Polonius loves having his ego stroked. He has no idea how skilled at magic I’ve become. Just reiterate the fact that I’ve recently acquired my magic which might take years to strengthen and master. Act as if it takes a lifetime.” I said, encouraging her.

“Truthfully it does take forever to perfect magic, you’re just a freak who’s mastered her mage in weeks instead of years.” She flashed me a quick smile and I laughed, it felt good and I hoped one day we’d live in a world where there was more laughter than heartache.

“Okay. I’m off,” I told her as I was about to walk back into the building.

“Good luck, Aria. I pray this works.” Halo gave me a hopeful glance, though there was little faith in it.

“It will because it has to,” I said to her and walked into the shadows of the castle and disappeared so as not to be seen by the guards.

Chapter 4

Lex

I saw it, I was there watching and yet I still couldn’t believe my eyes. Aria had married Polonius. The wedding was projected into the sky and all of the prisoners on Vitoria Island were forced to watch. Great interest was given to me and my reactions by the guards and wardens and I wasn’t going to give them the satisfaction of seeing me defeated. I steeled my expression and gave them nothing.

However, inside, my heart shattered. Aria looked stunning in her hideous red dress. It was a remarkable gown, magnificent even, especially in its diabolical symbology. It was literally the personification of the destruction that had once buried Onyx Rah. Polonius had made Aria the queen of flames, thus making it look as if she sanctioned the genocide of her people. Her demure submission throughout the ceremony sent a different message, one that told her people they were all Polonius’ victims. When Aria and Polonius kissed there was jeering and catcalls and I did all in my power not to rip my hands through my metal chains and strangle every throat that dared utter lewd comments about my wife, for despite Polonius’ wedding, Aria was my bride.

I should have killed Polonius when I had the chance. As soon as I discovered that he and Fallon were conspiring against myfather, I should have ended him. Now he had the love of my life and was about to embark on a war on Tobran. After the projection in the air shut down the guards pushed us through the intake line.

“How did you like the show?” a guard standing beside me with bulging muscles and a strange graphic tattoo on both of his biceps asked as I shuffled forward in line.

I didn’t answer him because I didn’t think I could without gnashing my teeth and trying to bite anywhere I could grab flesh. My hands were bound so I could do little else. Instead I focused on the scenery. Its unforgiving landscape promised a lifetime of hardship, but to me I found the craggy mountains and rough terrain just the kind of place one could get lost in long enough to kill without being discovered.

Amidst its lethal beauty were slums and derelict dwellings where people lived on top of one another sifting through waste and excrement. The small inhabitable part of the island was populated by too many people with too little care for one another. The prison was set up with cells piled on top of each other and a main structure for the sick sequestered away from the rest of the building that also housed the gathering place for the guards and staff and the official’s offices.

Women were stationed on another part of the island, separated by a channel and a violent river that ran deep and was impassable. The only way across was over a bridge that was heavily guarded by Crypt Claw. I came to learn the layout of Vitoria prison after spending a day in the insufferable place. What I hadn’t seen or heard discussed was where the Crimson Pitaya fields were located or if they were still being harvested, I had a suspicion they weren’t.

After the wedding projection ended, prisoner intake continued. I was processed with the receiving guard who didn’t publicly announce my identity as the Sergeant had. For thatI was grateful, because while I would find allies among some of the prisoners, there were also many enemies. Several of the prisoners had set their sights on becoming Crypt Claw Warriors for Polonius

Polonius offered honor and an opportunity to transmute prison sentences to service in his growing army. To me that confirmed he was planning on attacking all of Tobran to hold his fictional claim as ruler of it. After my intake was completed, my shackles were unlocked and I was thrown into a muddy holding pit with other prisoners. All around us were walls of crumbling earth slick and wet with a sluicing sludge that pooled in the corners. The men were dirty and disgruntled. Tempers flared hot and patience was thin, including my own as I was ready to kill in order to pacify my grief and misery over Aria’s marriage.

We were waiting for housing assignments and our work details. There was no telling how long we would stay in that stinking hot pit corralled like a bunch of wild animals. The scene was chaotic and no one seemed to care. Crypt Claw warriors kept constant watch on us as they encircled the pit carrying swords and knives ready to quell any altercations that erupted.

For a moment I thought of shifting into my wolf and making a break for the mountains just a few miles away from the port but I realized escape was futile. Even if I were able to get into the densely forested jungle and tuck myself within a cave or nook amid the sharp jutting mountains, I would eventually be found or die in my hiding place. There was no way off the island itself. I would eventually have to stow away on a boat in order to get back to Aria.

As I waited in the muck a random group of prisoners marched towards me. They were dirty and disheveled as was I, however their sheer might and braun set them apart. They were muscled to the point of absurdity, literally walking weapons. They came at me as a force to be reckoned with. I wasn't sure if Iwas being singled out or if the group I was standing in was being sequestered.

“You’re going to die here.” The leader and heaviest member of the pack, jabbed a finger at my chest.

I certainly wasn’t going to die on that island, I‘d kill everyone on it before I took my last breath. I stared the man down, not saying anything so that I could keep focused on my goal. Random fights with instigators wouldn’t get me any closer to Aria.

“What do you say to that? Scum. You want off this floating hellhole?” He certainly wasn’t coming around with benevolent offers of escape.

“Who wouldn’t?” I said carefully.

The man laughed, but it was a cold and calculated kind of cackling. His lackeys joined in and I saw in their behavior a hive minded manipulative bullying. They exerted their power dangling opportunity on a string then striking it down with laughter.

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