"He doesn't have the stomach to harm you," Vesper presses her lips to my ear and grins. "But I do."
She snatches my hand and slides her knife across the middle of my palm. I wince and bite my lip, refusing to shed one tear though the pain is excruciating. Vesper yanks my wrist, placing my bloody palm to the pieced-together portal. For a moment, nothinghappens. My relief and confusion evaporate when my blood begins to fill the cracked spaces between the glass. Onceeach one is filled, it glows brightly, seamlessly forging together in one large reflective archway.
Vesper pushes me back,ordering forthem to put me back in the cage with an unconscious Nyx. OnceI'mshackled back in place, my hand bound with linen, Vesper takes her hand and pushes it against the glass.
I hold my breath, praying the portal is beyond repair, even with my blood. But I have no such luck. Her hand disappears through the liquid mercury, the glass rippling like waves in the sea. She tosses me asatisfiedgrin over her shoulder. Once I gothrough intothe Underworld,there'sno protecting me. Bastian can put up a fight all he wants for me not to be harmed, but I have a sick feeling gurgling in my bellyVesperwill demand my life onceshe'sreunited with her true master.
"It's done," Vesper shouts triumphantly. "The portal is open!"
The demons raise their hands and cheer, their hissesspider-walkingup my spine.
Vesper walks throughand the group follows suit. Bastian is second to traipse into the Underworld while his minions drag my cage along with them.
Passing through the portal is akin to swimming and breaking through the plane of water. OnceI'mon the other side though, my stomach knots.
Malvolioisn'tthe hellscape I pictured it to be. Where I was sure there was going to be walls of flames, endless darkness, and smell of rot and decay, I find it to be the exact opposite. The kingdom is filled with black buildings composed of wood and stone, clean and organized. The castle in the near distance is made of polished black marble with red hues of light piercing from the countless windows. A red sun eclipsed by the moon is the source of the crimson lighting in this realm. The haloed sliver in the dark starless sky lights our path straight through town.
No one is waving pitchforks or hissing as we traipse through. The demons here, although uncomfortable to gaze upon with their black, soulless eyes and pale skin, stare at us with keen interest. Without speaking a word or asking any questions, little by little, the further inland we go,more and moredemons and creatures from the Underworld follow our party toDrogon'scastle.
I tap Nyx's leg with my foot, hoping he will finally stir. Ifthere'seven the slightest opportunity tobreak forthe portal, he will need to be awake and strong enough to walk. Iwon'tleave him here, but I am physically unable to carry him.
There is a square before the castle steps with a wooden platform at the center. At first, I believeit'swhereDrogonwill address everyone, but then a thin creature with jagged horns stomps up the stairs with a whip twisted in his grasp.
Shit. That can't be good.
The square quickly fills until I can barely see the platform. I spy between arms and bobbing heads when the castle doors open with a thunderous creak and a dark figurelooms. ThoughI'venever seenDrogonbefore, I know deep in my heartit'shim.
Wearing trousers anda heftyfur across his broad shoulders, his dark grey chest has red tattoos etched across. Ican'ttell what they are from this distance, but my best guess would be ancient runes,probably forprotection.He'stall, so if Iwerecloser,I'msurehe'dbe a giant compared to me. His face is a mixture of what I can only describe as Elf and Troll features – as if hewasspliced together. Pointed ears, sharp teeth, and eyes that glow an eerie yellow.It'snot possible, but I feel as ifhe'swatching me. But how can he when I barely have a clear view of him?
He takes his time walking up the steps to the platform, his fur robe trailing behind him. I suppose I was right he wouldbe addressing everyone gathered from that podium, but the creature beside him has meanticipatingthe worst.
Drogonholds up his hands, the fur sliding off his shoulders and pooling on the floor. His nails are long and sharp and without the robe, I see his inky black hair plastered to his chest.
"Brothers and sisters," his voice scrapes inside my mind – a torture ofit'sown. "Our time for vengeance has come at last." His vicious glowing eyes find Vesper. "Vesper, you have returned to usvictorious. You are a faithful servant and will berewarded greatly."
Vesper falls to her face. "You honor me, Master."
Drogonignores her groveling, focusing now on Bastian. He tilts his head, eyeing Bas from head-to-toe. "And you are?"
Bas kneels, bowing his head. Traitor. "I am Bastian Tarkin. I led the efforts in reforging the portal, making a deal with VesperI wouldrule theMidorianswhen you rebuilt our realm."
Vesper rises whenDrogonmotions for her to come up to the platform. "Is that so?"theDemon King crows. "Did you promise the mortal he would be king?"
Idon'tthinkI'veever seen Vesper afraid before. Butit'sundeniable. There's true fear in her eyes. Her shoulders tighten, her back straight like a rod. WhenDrogonpresses his hand on her shoulder, she flinches, beads of sweat bubbling near her hairline.
"Of course not," she stammers. "You are the only king, Master. No one shall compete or compare."
That slimy bitch.
I whip my head to Bastian. His mouth drops. Betrayal. It's written across his face. Can't say I didn't warn him.
Drogondrags his fingernails through Vesper's hair similarly to howonemight pet a venomous snake coiled around their arm. "What a wicked little liar you are, Vesper." He smiles, but itisn'twarm and reassuring.It'smenacing and dark, like he isdeciding between offering her half of his kingdom or snapping her deceitful neck.
"Vesper, you promised -"
Bastian chokes on his cries whenDrogonscreams, "Be silent, mortal!LestI cut out your tongue and feed it to my dogs."
Said dogs are now besidehim,and they look more like something that crawled out from a swamp than the furry creatures we enjoy in our mortal world.
