Mistress of the Damned

I thought about whether I would have the opportunity to escape at the event. Would they have me chained up like a pet? Or would I have an opportunity to flee when they weren’t looking?

Just then a roar broke the sound barrier and it felt like the whole Kingdom shook. Startled, I dropped the plate. Another roar ripped through the air and it was just as powerful as the first one.

“Brimstone!”

“What in the Demon Isle is going on?” The guard got up from the floor and went to the corridor window. I scrambled up, and went to the cell door, peering through to see if I could see anything. I couldn’t.

I would recognize that roar anywhere, and tears of relief sprang to my eyes. I turned and ran to my window to see what I could see.

I was not at a good angle to see what was happening, as my window faced outwards towards the Kingdom, instead of the courtyard. There was so much noise, it was close, but I still couldn’t see anything.

“Can you see what’s happening?” I asked Irving.

“Not really, aside from citizens running around. Something sure has them panicked. I have to go.”

“Wait, don’t leave me.”

He didn’t respond as he ran down the corridor. I had my face pressed up against the bars trying to see something. My heart was slamming into my chest. I was so excited and wanted to be out there in the action. Tears were streaming down my face at that point. He had come, he had come back for me. I was so relieved that he was not leaving me behind. I couldn’t stop crying. I was so happy, but I knew that I had to keep myself composed. The Queen's guards would come for me, and I needed to at least appear shocked that a Denon was attacking.

I wondered if my powers would work in the courtyard, or would they still be weak because I was inside the Palace? I doubted I would need them with Drayven here, but a little showmanship didn’t hurt. The Queen did want some entertainment after all, and I didn’t want to disappoint her.

I went to the window to see if there was anything new that I could see. I went up on my tippy toes to try to see more. There was a lot of commotion going on in the Kingdom; screaming, citizens running, and I saw the soldiers show up at the gate and pull into the Kingdom. I swallowed hard. It had begun. I worried that things would happen differently. Maybe they wouldn’t want my help and they would just kill me onsite and serve me to the Denon. However, Drayven would slaughter the whole Kingdom if they presented me dead to him. They probably knew better than to play those games with a Denon.

Azil was completely right about the plan, because it wasn’t long before I heard marching coming down the corridor. By then I was back on my cot, waiting for someone to show up. The Captain that had dragged me to the Queen was suddenly standing at my cell door.

“Get up,” he said.

“What’s going on?”

“We are under attack.”

“What? What is it?”

“This is all your fault. You really are a curse.”

I tried to act offended, but instead a slow smile came across my face. “Really? That’s not very nice. You’re under attack because of me? I’ve been locked in here for days. How is it my fault you are being attacked? Is this another curse of mine?”

“Watch your mouth, little lady. There is a Denon attacking the Kingdom, and you are most certainly the only reason why it would be here. We don’t exactly have Denon’s showing up here all the time. We need you to go down and either fight the bloody thing or convince it to leave?”

“Under one condition.”

“And what’s that?”

“I’ll come with you, but only if you let me go.”

He nodded. “The Queen has made arrangements for you to be set free if the Denon is dealt with. We don’t want any further problems. You can leave, but only if you take care of the creature. If you don’t, then you are back in the cell.”

I shook my head. These Mer people were unbelievable.

“You have yourself a deal.”

He unlocked the cell and opened the door wide. I stepped forward. “I need my weapons and my gear.”

He hesitated, looking unsure. I was sure the last thing they wanted to do was to give me any type of weapon that I could use against them.

“Look, if you want me to go up against a Denon, I’m not doing it without my stuff. You’re just going to have to trust me.”

He nodded. He motioned to the pudgy guard. “Go and get her things and meet us out front. The guard trotted away at a moderately slow speed.