Chapter 8 Dungeons and Dreams
Fiona
I wish I hadn’t missed. A big glob of saliva lies on the muck-covered stone floor of the dungeon near where Varek’s boot was a moment ago. He’s long gone, though. His entourage following him up the stairs sounds like a herd of elephants storming through the jungle.
I hate every single one of them and wish they were dead.
The bitter cold of this Goddess forsaken land just about did me in on the way here. Ultimately, I ended up using the blanket he gave me, but it did little good. The snow falling down and the bitter wind were freezing. I couldn’t shift inside of that fucking cage because it was made of silver, which weakens our shifting powers.
I can’t shift in this cage either. Grabbing the bars, I give them a good shake, but nothing happens. No one is around to hear me, and even if they were, they wouldn’t let me out.
With no other choice, I move to the back corner of the cell and sink down onto the floor. It’s not any cleaner here, and I shudder to think about what I might be sitting in. Everything is damp and covered in muck. At least there don’t appear to be any rats. Not yet anyway. There would have to be food for there to be vermin, I imagine, and I have seen none of that yet.
I didn’t eat the bread crust that was tossed to me. My stomach rumbles, and I sort of wish I had. At least I drank the water before it froze.
Exhaustion washes over me. I fight sleep, just like I did on the long journey here. I can’t fight it for long, though, and before I know it, I’m dreaming.
I’m in my home, in my father’s war room, and he’s holding a missive in his hand. At first, I think maybe this is the letter from Varek I overheard him discussing, but this is different.
“He wants the princess,” his advisor says. “Handing her over will save our people,” his advisor says.
“Yes, I know, but she is my daughter,” my father says. “Tell him he’ll have to take her from my cold, dead hands.”
“But sir, he’s threatening to attack if we don’t hand Princess Fiona over. We both know that the Caldaran Army is far stronger than ours. They will decimate us. Thousands, maybe tens of thousands, of people will lose their lives. The Caldaran Army will slaughter innocent villagers. We cannot stop him!”
“I will not hand over my daughter!” My father slams his fist down onto the arm of his chair so hard, the entire room shakes, and I startle awake.
For a moment, I don’t remember where I am. But then, it all comes flooding back to me. I’m a bit warmer now, but I’m still cold. The stench of this place invades my nose, gagging me. My stomach rumbles, and my tongue sticks to the roof of my mouth.
I have no way of knowing what time it is or when someone will come and check on me. I don’t think I’ll rot to death here, though, because Varek said he was going to break me. Well, he can’t do that from upstairs with me down here.
I start to nod off again, but then I blink a few times and think I see a figure standing on the other side of the bars. I open my eyes as wide as I can and realize I am looking at a man.
He’s handsome, with thick, long brown hair that reaches almost to his waist. Gray eyes watch me with interest. He’s certainly a warrior, judging by his muscular build, but he doesn’t look at me as if he wants to do me harm. In fact, he’s watching me like a child might stare at a dog in a cage with genuine curiosity.
I slide up the wall to standing. My legs are stiff, and every muscle in my body aches. “What do you want?”
A smirk tugs up the corner of his mouth. “Hi. I’m Ronan. Beta Ronan. I’m Varek’s Beta, and his cousin, Ronan.”
“I’m sorry–what was your name again?” I ask, rolling my eyes.
My attempt at being a bitch only makes him laugh. “You’re funny. Fast, too. No one out runs the Alpha, but you got close last night.”
On shaky legs, I stand next to the bars, but I don’t touch them. I don’t want him to think I need them to support myself. “Did you just come here to gape at me?”
“Oh, no. I came to fetch you. It’s cold and dirty down here. We figured you’d be more comfortable in one of the towers. We will still lock you in, of course, but at least you’ll have a bed. And a bathroom. You’ve gotta be hungry, huh?”
I eye him suspiciously. This doesn’t sound right to me. “Varek can’t know about this. He would never agree to my being taken up there.”
“Oh, it wasn’t his idea,” Ronan admits. “But he told me to do whatever the fuck I want, and I want you to be upstairs, so that’s where we’re going. But listen, here’s the deal. You can’t try to run from me. If you do, well, he’ll be right, and I’ll have to bring you right back down there. Now, I know what you’re thinking. It might be worth it. Think about it, though. You’re in the dungeon. There are guards everywhere. Even when I get you upstairs, there are guards and warriors at every exit. An enormous wall surrounds the castle. It’s freezing cold out there, and you do not know where you’re going. Not to mention the cliffs. One wrong move, and you’ll cause the ice beneath your feet to give way, and you’ll tumble to your death. So… it’s truly in your best interest and mine for you to not try to run. Oh, and I’m about to put silver chains on your wrists, so you won’t be able to shift. Promise me you won’t run?”
Every word he says seems like a challenge to me. “Fine.”
“Seriously, I know you’re tough. I know you’ve trained to be a warrior, but you can’t possibly make it out of here. And the next time someone tries to move you, they won’t be so nice.”
“I heard you,” I tell him. “Let’s get on with it.”
He stares at me for several seconds before he tells me to put my right hand through the little slot in the door. I do. Then, he asks for my left, and he chains them together. The silver stings a bit, but I’m getting used to it.
With me in chains, Ronan opens the gate. He gets the key stuck in the lock, and while he’s distracted, I bolt.
Once again, I’m running for my life, and this time, I have to get away–or they’ll probably kill me.