Page 32 of Once Written in Gilded Blood

I feel utterly numb—my nervous system so overwhelmed with shock that I can’t even manage a glare as King Achill tilts my chin up so that I’m looking at him. His smile is twisted with cruelty.

“Take her to my dungeon and make sure she has a nice cell. Wouldn’t want our most precious flower to wither away down there,” the king says with a cheerful tone when his words are far from it.

The two knights already gripping me are the ones who lead me away. They are both wearing their helmets, so there’s no telling who they are.

I go willingly, too defeated to resist. My thoughts are entirely on the laurel in my pocket and the herbs to break the sacred oath in the other. I cast a wary look at Kalel, who watches with despair written over his expression as I walk toward the king’s palace.

“Round up the kingdom in my courtyard. I will brief them in the morning about the war at our veil.” The king’s voice carries through the gardens until we reach the edge and disappear behind the stone columns lining the road leading to Kalel’s palace.

The two guards walk me to the castle. We don’t pass many demons on our way there. The happiness and all the people from the festival have already gone home, leaving the streets vacant, and not so much as a whisper is muttered.

Once we reach the front of the castle, the guard on my right stops and says to the other, “I’ve got it from here. Go ahead and head back to the king so you can help round up the citizens.” The voice is familiar, but I don’t have the energy to try to figure out who it belongs to. I only stare at the ground, my thoughts bound to the laurel in my pocket, determined to face the vision the moment I’m alone.

The knight nods and heads back the way we came.

My attention moves back to the castle, taking in its sheer size. The front doors alone are two stories tall and require two knights on either side to open them for guests. Every lancet window has ivy vining down, making the structure look like it belongs in a forest.

“This way,” the knight grunts, leading me to a side door that is used by the staff and knights. It’s made of wrought iron and is a more standard size than the front one.

I’m guided through the castle, passing brilliant artwork on the walls and expensive furniture that I doubt anyone ever sits on. It’s almost laughable. Does the king even come to this wing? I roll my eyes as we enter a larger common area. Not quite the size of the foyer and main room in the castle, but a decent second.

The knight takes me to a door that looks shabbier than the rest. This one is made of old wood, the stain washed and graying, while the others are painted in brilliant colors, with deep red and gold finishes, much like the rugs and tapestries that steal the eye.

The moment we pass through the worn wooden door, the knight pushes me against the stone wall and throws his helmet down the spiral steps descending into what I imagine is the dungeon.

My eyes flick up, and tears pool in them the second I see the fawn hair and small horns. He ungags me and swiftly unties the rope around my wrist.

“Nikolai,” I cry, throwing my arms over his shoulders and letting the emotions run out of me. Tears pepper his shoulders, but I can’t contain the grief that I’m feeling. Kalel betrayed me… He never trusted me. How could he say that he loved me? That’s not love. He was only possessive of me. My jaw tightens as a fresh wave of tears flood my eyes.

Nikolai wraps his arms around me tightly and says with a low tone, “Alira, I need to get you outside of the veil before anyone comes to check on you.” He pushes me an arm’s length away, hands on my shoulders. The look in his eyes is filled with sorrow and fear. “I’m so sorry it’s come to this. Tessa’s heart is driven with fear—she doesn’t want harm to come to you, but she’s worried for her family.”

I blink and try to process what he just said.

“Tessa is afraid…of me?” I ask, barely able to get the words out. “So she really did tell the king about me chasing after the wisp.”

Nikolai nods and firms his lips with reluctance.

My eyes shift to his. “You knew all this time too, didn’t you? You knew about the Alzhorian army waiting on the other side of the veil.” Ice starts to move over my heart. The betrayal that festers within me is like venom.

He exhales slowly and nods, guilt woven into his features.

“Alira, some things are beyond us. What good would it have done to tell you?” he says softly. “Kalel wouldn’t agree to it no matter what.”

“I would’ve known that you trusted me not to be the monster you all seem to believe that I am.” My hurt tone must strike a chord in him because he flinches at it.

Nikolai looks like he has a million things to say, but he swallows the words and takes my hand, pulling me behind him down the steps.

“You can hate me. I don’t care. I’m getting you outside of the veil.”

I don’t argue with him. Although I’m not sure what I will do once I’m out of the kingdom. I don’t have the heart to join Alzhor and fight the demons. I also don’t want to run away and do nothing either. It feels like no matter what I do, it will be wrong.

“That’s exactly how I feel too,” Nikolai says with a defeated tone.

“Don’t read my thoughts,” I snap, keeping my voice low in case other knights are close enough to hear.

Nikolai doesn’t say anything more after that; he keeps his head forward until we reach the bottom of the stairs. He puts his hand up, indicating for me to stay where I am as he steps out and looks to both sides. Once he’s certain there’s no one down here, he nods at me, and I follow.

“What will happen to you if King Achill finds out that you helped me escape?” I keep my eyes on the cells as we pass them. They are made of bars and cement; inside many of them are humans and demigods. It looks like they’ve been here for a long time by the way they hopelessly watch Nikolai guide me down the corridor. A cold draft blows down here, a chill that moves straight through my bones.