“Yes, my Lord,” the Captain replied through his slithery tongue and quickly left the room, barking orders to the other Dragors and Rozzers within the courtyard.
When the door closed, Jason quickly opened the Monster King’s desk drawers, searching for the hidden key. He had not yet earned the Monster King’s trust to gain his own.
A cold sweat broke out down his spine as he scattered papers across the table and checked through coat pockets in the wardrobe.
Where the hell was it? He heard shouting and a gunshot outside the door and panicked as he looked around. Time was running out. His gaze fell on the picture hanging above the desk, showing two young boys. He ran over to it and threw it to the ground, shattering the glass and tearing off the cardboard backing.
A silver key with a mushroom-shaped bow reflected back at him.
He wasted no time, grabbed the key, placed it in his pocket, and ran back to the wardrobe. He grabbed a cloak from within and walked out the door. A battle of desperation lay before him as the prisoners fought the guards, screams piercing his ears as chaos erupted across the sandy terrain.
He walked briskly, with practiced discipline, focusing on the scene ahead in case anyone looked his way, pretending to be invested in the count. When he reached Mordred’s cell block, he quickly snuck in and closed the door behind him.
When he saw that no guards were within, a deep sigh of relief escaped his lips.
He rushed to the cell.
“Mordred,” he hissed. “Wake the hell up.”
Mordred was asleep, curled into a ball in the far corner. Whenhe heard Jason, he popped his head up and began muttering incoherent words.
“He’s not here to harm you. I found the key. We’re leaving this place,” he said, trying to encourage Mordred out of his panicked state.
Mordred stilled and looked up at him with red-rimmed, burning eyes that mimicked the sun.
“Get up. The Rozzers are performing a count now, and the distraction won’t last long.” Jason stuck the key into the lock, and it loudly creaked open. He threw the cloak at him.
Mordred’s scarred, bloody hand with missing fingers shook as he reached for the material. Jason walked in and held out his hand for him to take. “We’re in this together, friend. We always have been.”
Mordred studied his outstretched hand. “How will we get out?”
“The mirror. Now hurry up.” Jason flexed his fingers, hoping he would accept.
“Do you think that blood was from her?” Mordred asked as he turned away and stared at the bed covered in dried, dark blood.
She may have been Jason’s daughter in this lifetime, but she was Mordred’s one wish from the heavens. She was created in her grandmother’s divine image, as a guardian between the heavenly and mortal realms, and as an offering of love to their creator.
“No. I don’t,” he replied. “She’s strong. Stronger than we realized.”
“I’m done, Jason. I cannot do this any longer,” Mordred whispered with a sigh. “I’m of no use in this fight. It all started because of me, anyway. I wish for death.”
Jason stood there for a long moment, listening to Mordred’s ragged breathing and the chaos outside. He knew that Mordred had already surrendered, as the sun did not rise.
“The dome’s about to collapse. You’re not allowed to give up. We’ll help the innocence of this world…together…with her,” he encouraged.
A ragged laugh escaped Mordred, and he shook his head. “I’ll never be forgiven. I accepted that long ago. Now I wish for eternal darkness.”
“We need you. We needSolios,” Jason pleaded. “We can’t let the planet die in darkness.”
His name. His real name. Solios, the god of the sun and the Solar Sovereign. He was the Mother Goddess’s first creation, a Fae god to walk the mortal realm, and the first towish for more, as the fairy tales described.
Mordred’s eyes burned as they met Jason’s, but he reached a hesitant hand out toward Jason and pulled himself onto shaky legs. He held his wrists out, and Jason slipped the skeleton key into the locks, uncuffing the bloodstone blocking his Fae magic.
The bloodstone was strong enough to block mortal magic, but not enough for the magic of the heavens. Teivel didn’t know this, and it worked to their advantage. Tievel didn’t know Mordred was Solios, after all.
Mordred pulled the dark cloak over himself, masking his face with the hood lowered over his brow.
“Walk alongside me casually,” Jason said as he slowly opened the cell block door and peered out. He took a deep breath, feeling his heart race at what they were about to do. If they got caught, these plans could fail.
