Page 41 of The Darkest Knight

Chapter Fourteen

The wizard was not her father. Despite feeling assured that he lied, a part of her wondered if that could be the reason her mother was so against her going to Scotland.

Tammie’s entire body felt as if she had her hand around an electric wire. Everything tingled but it wasn’t unpleasant. Somehow she knew it was a power that she needed to harness, to control if she and the others were to have a chance of escape.

The wizard, Meliot, was just as she’d pictured him. Long lack-luster silver hair hung limp past his shoulders. He wore robing that was belted with what looked to be a golden cord. He was not an ugly man, but the malevolence he exuded made him terrifying.

His eyes were as black as night when he studied her. “Save your strength, you are not strong enough to stand against me.”

“Come in. I know you are there,” Meliot said, glancing over his shoulder. “This is my realm. I know all, see all.”

Hands bound Niall and Padriag appeared in the doorway, both had been stripped of their weapons, and were flanked by four of the beastlike guards.

Tammie pulled energy inward and considered how to strike the guards that held Niall and Padriag, but she wasn’t sure enough of her aim.

“Bring them,” Meliot instructed sweeping from the room. The guards walked forward, dragging a struggling Niall and Padriag with them.

Niall turned met her gaze and mouthed. “Run.”

She mouthed “No,” back. She wasn’t about to leave them there.

Although she didn’t doubt that Meliot could inflict harm, to the point of them wishing for death, his lack of response earlier confirmed her suspicions.

The Wizard couldn’t kill them.

When she and Erin stepped past the doorway, they caught sight of the men turning a corner.

“I don’t know what to do,” Erin said in a trembling voice. The woman’s skin was pale, her eyes red. “I am still not sure why I am here. We need to escape, run.” Her voice lowered to a whisper.

“We can’t. The wizard will send those things after us. I have to find out where they went, and your best bet is to stay with me. I’m sorry,” Tammie said as they took off at a jog in hopes of finding out where Meliot had taken Niall and Padriag.

The castle was a labyrinth of corridors, doorways, and empty rooms. Some led to open spaces, others to balconies from which the expanse of a dark forest could be viewed.

Just as Tammie was about to give up, they entered what looked to be a throne room of sorts.

Heart in her throat, Tammie moved into the space slowly, stopping at seeing Meliot. The wizard had his back to her, but he was aware she was there.

Other than a blazing fire in a monstrosity of a fireplace, there was no other lighting in the room.

Niall and Padriag had been chained to a wall. Neither struggled. They were either held still by magic, or aware it would be useless.

Meliot turned to face her. “You are right, daughter mine. I cannot kill them, as much as I would love to. They have caused me more grief as of late than they’re worth.”

A shiver of revulsion traveled down Tammie’s spine at him referring to her as his daughter. “Then let them go. Stop all this. They have more than paid the price for whatever trespass you perceive they did. Enough.”

The maniac shook his head, giving her a look like that of a parent to a petulant child. “It is not in my nature to do so. No, what I will do instead is to send them to a place where neither you nor anyone else will ever find them.”

“No!” Tammie screamed.

“You are right about one thing,” Meliot continued. “It is enough.”

“What is this Meliot?” A lithe, tall, dark-haired woman stepped through the doorway, her eyes trained on Niall the entire time. “I wasn’t aware you entertained. Why wasn’t I invited?”

An aura of darkness surrounded the woman and Tammie immediately recognized her. This was the woman in the dream. The one who tortured Niall.

Meliot’s gaze swept over the woman. “This is not the time, Devina.”

Instead of replying she walked around the wizard directly to where Niall stood. “Why is he here?”