A Song of Silence

Chapter 25: An Interrogation in the Dark

The High King brings practically drags me to our destination. The High Queen and Karasi don't object as I am dragged out of the trashed and bloodied kitchen, therefore I am left to get my wrist out of his grip all on my own. I twist my wrist as he drags me down the narrower hallways, his shadows a his neck and call, his grip only tightens at my attempts. At this point, it is better to just wait and see where he takes me because there is no other way I am getting out of his grip, unfortunately. We walk the endless halls of the palace until I am brought to  gilded doors with guards posted on either side. The High King towers over them as he says, Nobody comes in." The soldiers merely nod, loyalty and determination set within every fiber of their beings. The High King pushes open the gilded doors and drag me inside. Finally, he lets go of my wrist, only to place a spell on the door. Well, my chances of running just went from very small to nonexistent.

The High King now turns to me, wariness and speculation rife on his face. "Sit," he gestured to some chairs placed next to a table. I crossed my arms and shook my head firmly. Now that my fighting skill secret was out, I didn't take orders from anyone. Not even if they were from the High King. Now that I have a change to look around, I realize that we're in the throne room that Brynn and I had originally met him in. The gilded curtains and decorated walls were just as I had remembered. Bleak and unforgiving. Not all that different from the fae male that stood in front of me, as stubborn and determined as I.

"Fine, don't sit." The High King levels his now cold gaze at me, any signs of pleasantness gone. Oh, this was going to be good. "This is his things are going to go, Lady Aerilynn. I will ask you a question and you will answer it. Fail to do so and I will not hesitate to send you to the dungeons." An interesting predicament, but unluckily for him, I had my own bargaining chips.

What about the brew for Karasi?

"Simple," he says, matter of faculty as he crosses his arms in mirrored imitation of my own. Sharp claws scrape across my mental shields. A telepath, a gifted fae capable of traversing and using all facets of mind manipulation. Combined with his shadow power, the High King was a fearsome opponent, indeed. The Grand Assassin had long ago trained me to guard my mind and therefore, my secrets from prying outsiders, for they were his secrets as well. My mental shields were strong, so his initial prodding gave him nothing, but I knew if it came down to it, I wouldn't be able to keep my secrets from him while not having my mind shattered. The High King was not expecting me to have such strong mental shields, so his displeasure at being unable to breach them gates on him, but her recovers quickly. "Strong mental shields, excelled fighting skills, knowledge in the healing arts, my, my, Lady Aerilynn. You are a wealth of surprises."

I shrug, trying to feign nonchalance. What can I say, I'm full of secrets.

"Nevertheless, I will still be able to access you memories one way or the other." He says.

Not without shattering my mind and then Karasi will die within half a year.

This predicament doesn't stop him because he continues, "If magical methods prove ineffective, there is always good old fashioned torture." He suggests.

As fun as that will be, you won't break me that way either. The Grand Assassin had trained me well. Nobody was getting answers out of me unless I wanted them to.

"You'd be surprised, Lady Aerilynn, what my spymasters and his torturers are capable of."

What? You mean Lord Adonis? I smirk at the High Kings surprised expression. You thought I didn't know? He can get information out of anyone through charm and wine. He doesn't have the stomach for torture, no matter how fearsome you would wish for him to appear.

"If torture won't work on you for answers, what will?"

How about asking me? I suggest with a sly smile. Instead of outright threatening me.