And the last was Kossira’s visits. The female was punctual, she’d realized, coming twice a day, once in the mornings and once in the evenings.
Given these three things, Erin had decided she’d been in the dungeon for five days already. Five days since she’d been blissfully unaware and happy with Jaxor at his base. Five days since she’d last seen him or touched him. Five days since theMeviraxhad taken her from him.
On the morning of the sixth day—the light coming through the crack in the cave was slightly warmer than silver—Kossira came down the steps, the same guard in tow.
When the Luxirian female saw that the tray from last night was cleared, that the skin of water was empty, she almost looked pleased, relieved. She set the lantern down and Erin looked at it,needingto see it. They left her in darkness, except for the small sliver of natural light. At times, she’d felt panicked and unbelievably frightened, feeling like the darkness was clasping her around her ankles, chaining her, slithering down her throat until she choked on it.
Again, she wondered about Jaxor’s fear of darkness. It was something she’d never asked him about. And the first question that Erin asked Kossira that morning, once she stepped into the cell and deposited the new tray on the floor, was, “Was Jaxor ever kept down here?”
Whenever Erin mentioned Jaxor, Kossira got uncomfortable…as if she wasn’t allowed to speak about him. Even the guard at the base of the stairs, though he didn’t know English, shot them a look at the name that fell from Erin’s lips.
A name that she’d whispered and cried out and moaned and smiled as she said it a short while ago. Remembering brought back that familiar, dull ache, but mostly, she felt a little numb thinking about it, thinking abouthim.
“When he first came here, I believe he was,” Kossira said. “Pivar was leader of theMeviraxthen. He believed that Jaxor came to spy on us. It took time for Jaxor to prove that he would be loyal to the ways of theMevirax.”
“How long?” Erin whispered, fearing she knew. “How long was he kept down here?”
Kossira shrugged, though her lips pressed together. “A rotation. From what I have heard.”
The breath was squeezed from her lungs and her fingers dug into the dirt of the floor. Earth that Jaxor would have laid upon, in darkness.
A year.
No wonder…she thought.
She closed her eyes, feeling pain pour into her belly, making her want to vomit. She’d talked to him of her fear of sharks and he’d told her he was afraid of the dark. How silly, how small her fear must’ve seemed to him when faced with the reality ofthis. This endless dark. Now she understood why he always kept a lantern lit where they slept. She felt even more like a fool now.
“Tavar saw Jaxor as a weapon. A useful one. After Tavar took rule from his brother, he released Jaxor from the dungeons, brought him up to the surface to live among us.”
So, of course, Jaxor would be loyal to Tavar. He’d saved him from this darkness, this loneliness, thismadness. Otherwise, he could’ve rotted alone down here.
Erin felt that loneliness creeping, like little fingers trailing along the ground towards her. How had Jaxorwithstoodit? Especially since he’d just lost his family back then?
Because mentally, he was strong, she decided. Erin believed he could probably withstand anything.
Yet, he’d also confessed to her about his loneliness, living at his base. And right then, Erin wanted to curse him for making her begin to love him, while alsowantinghim so much that she ached with it.
“Do you love Tavar?” Erin whispered to Kossira.
The female went still. “Of course I do.”
Erin watched as her hand went to her lower belly, cupping the swell almost protectively. She’d learned a little about Kossira over the course of the last five days and nights. Every time she came, she answered a couple of Erin’s questions, but ignored others.
She’d learned that Kossira had been born in the Caves of thePevrallix, just like Tavar. That her father had been one of Tavar’s father’s allies in the rebellion at the Golden City. Their families were closely linked. Kossira had always known she would be the chosen mate—or rather, breeding partner—for one of the sons. She’d told Erin it was an honor, but her eyes had seemed hollow as she said it.
Erin wanted to hate her. But she couldn’t. Kossira had been somewhat kind to her—disregarding the whole imprisonment situation. She’d made sure she was well-fed, though sometimes Erin had a difficult time holding down the food, and Kossira always sat with her as she ate…talked to her.
“What…” Kossira trailed off, frowning, then looked down at her belly, thinking over something.
She’d been about to ask Erin something, which she’d never done before. Erin had always asked the questions.
“Yes?” Erin prompted quietly, dragging the tray over to herself, reaching out to eat some more dried meat, which tasted like ash on her tongue, as though it would make Kossira ask her question.
“What is the Golden City like?” Kossira asked softly, not meeting her eyes. It wasn’t quite a whisper, but with the guard looming near the stairs, she still felt the need to lower her voice. Why? Were they not allowed to talk about the Golden City?
Erin licked her dry lips, taking a swig of the water. Her heartbeat had raced a bit at Kossira’s question. A tiny bloom of hope swelled in her heart. Would Kossira help her?
“I didn’t see much of it while I was there,” Erin answered truthfully. “But what I did see was beautiful. Otherworldly, like something out of a book.”
