I know this place.
The dungeons.
The Warden sits at a table, eating a loaf of bread, his hands still bloody from his nasty work of torture. He starts to turn, about to see us, but then Fen leaps forward, and in one movement takes off his head. "One of Levi’s" he says, spitting on the dead corpse.
"We need to make haste," says Dean. "Before Levi realizes we are in the castle and tries to flee." I nod, and we move for the stairs. But something catches my eye.
A man in the corner, broken and bloodied, his back shredded into ribbons of flesh and skin.
Marco!
I run to his side and break the chains that bind him with my sword. "Fetch him some water. Now!"
Asher obliges, brining me a jug from the table, and I pour the cold water down Marco’s throat.
He gulps down what he can, then turns away, signaling he is finished. His face is bruised and purple. Barely recognizable. When he looks at me, he smiles. His voice is barely a whisper. "Arianna… you came back…"
I nod, stroking his hair in soothing motions. "Yes. You’re safe now."
"Levi… he… after I helped…"
"I know." Levi did this to him. Because he helped me escape. Tears well in my eyes for the man before me. For the pain he's endured. Levi must never cause such pain again. No matter what happens, today I capture the mad prince.
Marco tilts his head to the side. "There… friends…"
I follow his gaze to the back of the dungeon, where large steel cages stand covered in shadows. "Make sure he’s comfortable," I say to Asher, and then I run to the Warden’s corpse, grab the keys off his belt, and open the cell in the back.
Inside, I find a woman. Dirty and bloody. Curled into a small ball. Shaking and murmuring nonsense. I step closer to offer water. And then I see who she really is. "Kayla?"
Kayla scrambles back, her eyes wild and bloodshot. "No. No. No! Don’t punish me again. Not again. I’ve been good. I swear I’ve been good."
I sit down, bringing myself to her level. "Kayla, it’s me. Arianna."
She brushes her messy hair out of her eyes, squinting. "Arianna? Arianna!" She jumps forward, grabbing me and holding me tight, weeping against my chest. "I saw your head on a spike. You were dead. You were dead!"
I grab her shoulders and make her look at me. "It was only an illusion. I’m here. I’m alive. You’re safe."
She nods, then looks away, to the cage. No. The cage beside hers. She reaches for the bars. "Tavian. Tavian!"
I don’t know who she speaks of, but I understand what she means. I run outside and unlock the second cage. A man lies within, unmoving, his back bloody, his gut covered in recent wounds stitched back together. I check his pulse. "He’s alive!"
Kayla falls to his side, clutching him dearly. "Oh, thank the Spirits. Tavian. Tavian, please wake up."
Someone grabs my shoulder from behind. Fen. "We must go. Before it’s too late." He glances at Kalya. "I am glad you are safe, sister."
She looks back at him. "Go. Make Levi pay."
***
When we reach upstairs, it's chaos. The slaves have taken advantage of the rebellion and attack the guards using kitchen knives. Brooms. Anything they can grab. Some manage to kill a vampire and take their sword. Baron joins the fray, tearing out the throat of a soldier. Viscously striking at anyone he deems an enemy.
Our party carves our way through the hallways, avoiding as much combat as possible. Sometimes soldiers rush to fight us, but then they see Fen, drenched in the blood of his enemies, Dean, with the thrill of battle in his eyes, and Asher, swift despite new wounds. They see me, clad in the colors of midnight, a dragon upon my shoulder. And then the soldiers flee.
A group of Fae block the path ahead. And I recognize Kara with her golden hair and Julian with her green eyes, the Fae girls who tended to my needs in Stonehill and later at Sky Castle. They fight off their attacker, a man soaked in blood, a sword in his hand. Before he can strike I rush forward.
And cut off his arm.
The girls scream. Then they see me. And their eyes fill with hope.
"Go," I say. "Find a room and bar the door. Don’t come out until you hear no more battle." They nod and disappear down the hallway.
Something nudges at my feet.
I look down and see Kal, laying against the wall, clutching his belly.
"How bad is it?" I ask, already examining the wound.
He chuckles. "Nothing a Keeper can’t handle. I’ll be fine."
I can’t tell if he’s being honest, or just saying what I want to hear. Kal was one of my only friends when I arrived at Stonehill, one of the few who understood my struggle to help the Fae. I reach down and kiss his head. "May the Spirits bless you," I say, casting an incantation to heal. Then I stand and walk away. I have done all I can. No point in worrying now. I must focus. Levi awaits.
A few more steps, and we reach the entrance to the grand hall. A dozen elite guards protect the door, slaughtering all Fae who try to break in. Fen and Dean rush forward, engaging them in battle. But I have other plans. As the brothers fight, I dash through the opening they create and ram open the door. I seek the head. Cut it off and the body dies.
I jump into the throne room, and find myself away from the chaos, in a hall empty and quiet. Leaves cover the floor, fallen from the great tree that stands in the center of the room. Once, this was a place of happiness. A place of comfort and safety. Now, it is a barren field, rotten, corrupted. I move through the hall, sword raised. And then I see him. Sitting on the throne in gold and red robes. Running his pale fingers through his long white hair. He studies me, and then he laughs. "Oh, well played, Princess. Well played. You made it all the way here. But you have yet to win."