“King Tassarion, I think?—”
The words died on my tongue as an enchanting, melodic hum unfurled in the air, sweeping through the hall as the king continued his uninterrupted flight. I was mesmerized by the sound, wholly entranced with the swells and falls. He hummedsoftly at first, getting louder as the rhythms of the song grew, building to its climax.
I watched in awe as a starry coil of shadow slithered between the souls. As the shadow passed, the souls were hypnotized, calming instantly. Tassarion’s humming turned into a song, in a language I didn’t understand. And the souls. Everyone grew pleasant again. As if the song had eased away the trigger of their ire.
“What did you just do?” I breathed. “Is this Soul Bending?”
I pulled back to look into the king’s face.
Instead of finding his twinkling, steel-blue gaze, I was met with two glittering black stars. There was a thin, crimson ring around his irises. The vibrant mahogany of his skin had dulled. A bluish-grey hue colored beneath his eyes and his now sunken cheeks. His grip on my waist tightened. I wheezed, desperate for air.
“Tassarion, please. You’re hurting me.”
He didn’t answer. He kept only flying.
His wings jerked, propelling him faster into the bowels of the manor.
“Please,” I cried. Stars, he was going to leave bruises. “Please let me go. Where are you taking me?”
He didn’t so much as spare me a fleeting glance. I let out a small cry, shoving against him. His strength was unparalleled. Then a deep, cruel voice that couldn’t have belonged to the king spoke.
“If you wish to leave Everthorn Manor, Phantimèssa, you and I need to strike a bargain first.
Chapter 11
Nahomie
I keptsilent as King Tassarion continued flying with me firmly in his clutches. He shifted my weight, no longer holding my body like a sack of feathers, instead carrying me in his arms with an unusual gentleness that was unnerving. I noticed the king kept the entire manor in ever-present gloom. Almost all the drapes were closed. Most of the windows trapped the sunlight from the outdoors, keeping the light from pouring in. The walls were made of onyx stone, which only made the manor darker. More ominous. As if the king lived in the shadows, avoiding what could be exposed by the light.
So far, I hadn’t seen a single maiden or attendant.
There were no other angels, aside from Khaziah.
It seemed mainly to be just us and the Nanmiess.
I monitored his souls, nervous whatever trick Tassarion had pulled would wear off, and the diaphanous creatures would be set on edge again. I observed most of these Nanmiess were full grown like Saundeiah. They were haunting with their obsidian, ghostly bodies and luminous eyes. But I could see which ones were male and which were female by the style of their spectral hair, features, curves, and ephemeral clothing.
I thought about what the king said. If I wanted to leave, he and I would have to strike a bargain. I wasn’t so sure I liked the sound of that. And even if I left, where would I go?
I wasn’t dumb enough to believe the Ivory Rain and Dyabèssa wouldn’t comb through Edenael to find me again. Worse, they would probably hurt my family, or even our villagers, to make them confess anything they knew about my whereabouts. Besides, the Farasees had ordered Nahomie Manor to be burned. I couldn’t go home, and I couldn’t return to Okapi Village. Stars. I couldn’t return to Edenael at all.
Which left Mortevain Island.
Would Tassarion let me live here as one of his angels? Would my presence on this island only draw the wrath of the Empyrean to it? Was there anywhere in all of Sorellien where I would actually be safe?
A gentle rub down my back soothed me until my mind slowed and my thoughts were no longer frantic. I could feel the tension leaving my body. I exhaled, leaning into Tassarion. The King of Mortevain sensed my distress and rubbed my back until I calmed down. I didn’t know how to feel about the gesture. In one moment, he was teasing and taunting. The next, he was beastly and intimidating. And now he was gentle and observant.
“There’s no need to fear the Rain when protected by their Bane.”
The Everthorn King’s whisper chilled my spine while consoling me. For a moment, I felt bad for attacking him in a blind rage earlier. Although he could’ve done without shackling me to a chamber without my say. He tucked me close, angling his body to fly horizontally across a long hall. It was like being flown through a maze. He took me down hall after hall until he finally came to a rest.
Tassarion stopped his flight, and to my surprise, lowered to his feet. His six wing pairs hung to the carpeted floor while he took a deep, steadying breath, resting from the long flight.
I tried to move, but he didn’t immediately let me go.
And for some strange, foolish reason, I didn’t protest.
Tassarion eventually put me down, giving me a chance to take in our surroundings.
