Chapter Seven
I walked alongside the white stone wall bordering Sitri’s manor, letting my hand trail over its surface as I went. The rough, quartz-like rock had nearly rubbed my fingers raw. I didn’t really mind. Though borderline painful, the sensation anchored me to my body, helping me sort out the mountain of unresolved emotions on which I sat.
The demonic guest Sitri hosted two days ago had been the first of many, or perhaps just the first I’d noticed. Since then, a steady stream of demons continued to appear at the door, and I didn’t trust their presence one bit. That distrust, combined with Mara’s dire warning, had made the mansion an inhospitable place.
I would rather be out here, on the outskirts of Sitri’s estate, where I could keep my body moving without feeling like a caged animal.
Out here, I’d been able to make some interesting observations. Hell didn’t seem to have weather, as far as I could tell. Each time I stepped outside, the same slight sulfur stench and chilled air greeted me. No wind, no rain, just eternal stillness.
The grounds themselves were boring, near barren. The Prince kepthis outbuildings locked tight. Forcing entry would be a trivial affair. Sitri utilized simple locks, and if my bargain with Vapula still stood, I could make them yield to me. I didn’t dare to try in the courtyard, under its perpetual cover of darkness, where I couldn’t see who might be watching. One stroke of bad luck could bring me face-to-face with Sitri or his underlings. The last thing I wanted was to show them the talents Vapula had gifted me.
They didn’t know what I was running from, and it wasn’t worth the risk of revealing that weakness now.
“Lost in thought, darling?”
Sitri’s voice shattered the silence. I nearly jumped out of my skin. My hold on the lantern slipped, and I fumbled as I caught it, barely stopping it from shattering on the ground. The next thing I knew, the Prince stood beside me, leaning into my personal space. I shuffled away. He continued to encroach until my back bumped against the stone wall. Once again, he’d cornered me. I scowled.
“I’m not interested in playing games today. Go do whatever it is you do here and leave me alone.” I hoped I sounded firm, but with my wide eyes and ragged breathing, I must have been a pitiful sight.
Sitri held his ground. A grin crossed his face. “I don’t think I will. It is awfully rude to order a Prince. Try asking.”
“Get. Away. From. Me.Please.” I choked the words out through gritted teeth.
Sitri stepped back until he hung at the edge of my light. I gasped, starving for air.
“Was that so hard?”
I opened my mouth to retort, then shut it again. It took all my self-control to leash my temper. The gnawing grief that ate away at me day by day cried out for release, but Sitri couldn’t be my target. He held too much power over me. Slipping up in his presence would be disastrous—so I did what I always did, and stuffed the emotions down.
“What do you want?”I asked.
“I think we’ve gotten off on the wrong foot, and would like to make amends. I have an offer you might appreciate.” Sitri looked me over from top to bottom. “Tell me, darling, do you know how to ride?”
What little composure I had snapped. Heat flushed my face, now twisted with grief and fury. I stomped towards him, opened my mouth, and—
“Horses,Lillia. Do you know how to ridehorseback?”
I froze. His interruption served as a warning, a chance to extinguish my anger before it flared out of control. I forced my shoulders to relax and drew a deep breath. Sitri’s deepened grin suggested he meant exactly what he’d asked.
“Give me a reason to tell you, and just maybe I will.”
“I’ll be leaving Lantyca shortly to perform a survey beyond the city’s walls. You may accompany me should you wish. I shall even provide you with a horse of your own, granted you are able to control it.” As Sitri spoke, he turned and sauntered away into the darkness. A wave of his hand signaled for me to follow.
I wanted to turn my back on him, to leave, if only to spite him. If I did, I’d also be turning my back on an opportunity to understand the strange world I’d been thrust into. Sitri told me nothing, showed me nothing that informed me about this place. He forced me to confine myself to his estate or risk losing the protection I’d asked for. There was no telling when I would get another chance to see beyond his gates.
In the end, my curiosity won out, and I fell into step behind him.
“If I’m being honest, I’ve never even seen a horse up close before.”
I could drive a car, or fix one up if it didn’t run, but I didn’t know the first thing about horses. In the modern world, they had no use, aside from serving as expensive hobby pieces. I was coming to find that this place was anything but modern.
“Then we shall ride together. Come now.”
From the darkness, a wooden-framed stable with broad barn doors emerged. The key Sitri produced unlocked it with a click. When he opened them, light poured out to greet us. As I took in the scene before me, I realized there were no candles or lanterns inside. They weren’t needed. The horses cast plenty of light on their own.
They were tall and slender things, with pelts as black as coal. Their eyes burned like red-hot embers with uncanny intelligence, but the horses’ most striking features were their manes and tails. The flowing hair glowed and flickered, as if made from fire. My heart skipped a beat. They were beautiful, terrifying beasts, every bit as unnatural as the demons who kept them.
I watched from a distance as Sitri walked up to the first of the creatures and set about saddling it. As he led it from the stables, I caught sight of the glowing, cherry-red symbol that marked its haunches. Without thinking, I brought my hand to my shoulder. It reminded me of the verdant sigil hidden beneath the sleeve of my shirt. The color and pattern were different. Still, the resemblance was uncanny.
