A Song of Silence

Chapter 65: An Ultimatum in the Dark

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Pounding in my skull is the first thing I feel. Not a hangover headache, or even a migraine from a stressful day. Just unending, pounding, pain. Shit. I hadn't been hit that hard on the head in a really long time. I probably had a concussion. There was most likely blood. The back of my rues hurt too much to check. With the most effort I can muster, I blearily open my eyes. The setting Sun pierces my eyes. I squint in concentration, trying to find my surroundings. From the tasteful draperies to the excellent view, it looks like I am still in the High Queens rooms. I face the outer courtyard and I can see the entire city below from the window in which I look out.

Looking down, it seems my attackers had placed me in a strong metal chair, with my wrists wrapped in silent stone. It is the only thing that can mute a fae's power and only MetalBenders can wield it. I try to crane my neck to see if my captors are still around or the High Queen is in sight. There is nobody to be seen. Focusing my carefully honed senses, I try to see if anyone is in the vicinity. Only a slow, relaxed heartbeat greets me. I know that heartbeat. It's faint, nearly unreadable, but I had been around it for years. The Grand Assassin waited in the room with me.

"You might as well come out," I say calmly, my voice hoarse and faint. I sense his amusement. Slowly, he approaches me from behind so that he can't be seen, even with me craning my neck. "Why are you here?" Getting straight to the point is what I would prefer in this situation, but I have a feeling he is in the mood to play. Great.

His hands rest on my shoulders as he says, "What? I can't come visit my prized assassin?"

"No," I say simply, waiting for him to say what he wants.

He stays silent, so I ask, "Why involve the High Queen?"

"I needed an incentive for you to come to me quickly. You wouldn't refuse the High Queen, no matter her involvement in the death of your mother all those years ago." He says, a mocking tone to his words.

I scoff, "You think I didn't know about that? She told me herself weeks after I had arrived in the Capital."

I sense his surprise, but he continues, "So you didn't seek vengeance upon her in all this time?" He clicks his tongue, "My dear, sweet, child. How soft you have become."

"More like I grew tired of doing carrying to your every whim. With every vengeance, I gave you control over me. I won my freedom years ago. You will not control me any longer."

A laugh bursts out of him before he mockingly says, "No power! My dear, sweet child. As long as there are innocents in the world, I have all the power." I stay silent at that. I know he is right. How can he not be. My one weakness is the orphans I work day and night to protect. As long as he threatens them, I am under his power, no matter how hard I scheme you make it otherwise. I can feel his victorious fucking smirk even though I cannot see him.

Anger rears up in me like a vengeful snake. I ramp it down. Now is not the time to be making stupid decisions based on my anger. "What is it you want?"

"A favor, little one. Give me that favor and I will give you my oath to never directly or indirectly harm an innocent ever again." A strange request. He would be unable to harm those I care about anymore. His power over me would cease to exist. It was everything I had ever wanted. There had to be a catch.

"The price?" I ask cautiously.

"A death." He says simply.

"Who?"

"Kill your target and many lives will be spared."

"Who?" I ask again, though I already know the answer.

"One unimportant little life, and you will be free."

"Who!" I practically scream.

"You know who," he says, almost whisper quiet. Yes, I know. The only man I had ever dared to truly love. Azazel. Faster than a blink my ropes are broken and the hidden dagger in my dress is at his throat. He smirks at the rage on my face.

"No," the word sneaks out of me, guttural and angry. "Absolutely fucking not. I killed one king for you. I will not kill another."

Unafraid of the dagger at his throat, the Grand Assassin brings his face to my ear, "If you do not. I will send my people after him and his court and their deaths will be quite grotesque, I can guarantee you that. Lady Karasi will be first. Then your spineless king. The rest will follow." He smirks victorious at my frozen expression. Bringing his hand up, he takes the knife from my grasp. Make your choice, little one, or I will make it for you.

With that he exits through the door. I know it would be useless to follow him, he will have already disappeared, so I don't bother. Instead, I go look for the High Queen. She is tied up in the next room. From the way she looks at me when I enter, I know she heard the first part of our conversation. The second was much quieter. "You killed my husband?" She says, he voice broken and mourning to match the tears trailing down her face.

"Yes," I say simply as I go to untie her ropes. Her fist punches out and hits me in the jaw. I could have stopped her, but I don't. Once the silent stone shackles hit the floor, metal from around the room encases my wrists and feet. I don't stop her assailant of punches, kicks, and scratches. I did not fight her. She deserved to hurt me. I deserved her anger and reproach.

Suddenly she grabs me by the collar and says, "Why did you take him from me!" Why?" So, I do the only thing I could. I shared a memory. Our psyches collided. A memory came to the surface. Then, darkness.

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I stood at the foot of the High Kings bed. He lay in it, dying. My lightning had not worked. It had not killed him as it was supposed to. He had not had a peaceful ending. Instead he lay in unimaginable pain as my lightning went from muscle to muscle. Eroding and destroying. It would be hours until he passed. It was all my fault. "I'm so sorry," I whispered to him.

"Do it, my child. You must finish what you started or many innocents will die." I shake my head in distress but using the last of his strength he leaps out of bed and grabs my arm. "You must, my child. You must." I place my hands on either side of his head, and let go. All my energy. all my focus. All my determination goes into killing him. His body is nothing but a burnt husk when I am done with to him.

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The High Queen and I abruptly surface out of the memory. She pants in exertion and emotional pain. I merely stay silent and wait for her sentencing. She looks up at me, "He never told me he asked you to kill him."

"The Grand Assassin would have killed over ten thousand innocent children, had I not. I wished to take my own life, but the High King said my work wasn't done. I had never regretted something so much until I killed the only man I had ever thought of as family." The High Queen regards me with sympathy and reproach. I don't blame her.

"And are you here to finish what you started? Are you here to kill my son?" She asks gravely.

I look up quickly in alarm. Is that why she thought I was here? To kill her son? I shake my head, no, and say, "No, it was my every intention to leave ages ago, but...." My voice trails off as I realize the reality of my feelings for Azazel. I had fallen in love with him. The High Queen realizes it as well because her face grimaces in sympathy and pain.

"Break his heart. Shatter it so he doesn't love you, and go." She says simply. "You have a week."

"Two weeks," I counter. "I need time to find the  Grand Assassin and kill him. Only then will Azazel be truly safe." She mulls over my response before nodding once and striding out of the room. The metal let's go of its hold of me as I slump to the floor. Fucking great.