Winter King by Sloane Murphy

9

Emilia

I walk across the misty plain, dust kicks up with each of my footsteps, the dead earth cracked and dry. The mountains in the distance trace three peaks on the night sky, blotting out the faint stars. The wind whispers my name as my hair flies in the breeze.

I don’t recognize this place, but it feels like I’ve been here a thousand times. Like I’ve walked this path over a dozen lifetimes. As if the mountains are my home. My pace doesn’t falter as I move towards the three peaks. There is no sound beyond the laughter on the wind, and there is no other soul here.

Wherever this is, it has been long forgotten. Abandoned by any who have walked here before.

I smile as I reach the mountain face. The black rock warm beneath my hand. I rest my cheek upon it as if it were an old friend, and the stone heats my entire body. I close my eyes and feel the warmth wrap around me. When I reopen them, I am no longer leaning against the mountain, I am inside it.

A tunnel stretches out before me, slanted downwards, taking me deeper beneath the mountain. With a smile on my face, I start to move along the rocky path as the wind whispers my name.

‘Secret Bearer’ it calls as I run the tips of my fingers across the rough stone as each step takes me deeper into the mountain.

I lose count of my steps. It’s as if time has no meaning here, but that’s okay. Still, I smile, like nothing could possibly be wrong here. I follow the path until I come to a cavern, the ceiling so high I can’t see it in the darkness, but I’m not afraid. I have nothing to be afraid of here. I don’t know how I know that, but I do.

I move further into the darkness, the blue-green glow in the middle of the room calling me closer. I feel the power from the glow. It pulses in time with my heartbeat. As if it is a part of me. My fingers brush across the surface of the black well and a jolt runs up my arm. It’s not unpleasant but I know that holding on to the well for too long would be dangerous. Again, I have no idea how, but I’m not going to question the knowledge.

Looking down into the blue-green hue of the well makes my eyes water. When I look back up, I see my Grandma looking back at me from the other side of the well.

“Oh, Emmy,” she gasps, a hand on her chest. “What a mess we’ve ended up in. I’m so sorry it was you, dear girl. Do you remember the story I told you?”

I tilt my head as I take the sight of her in. She flickers before my eyes, but the fear on her face is so real that it sobers me, taking away some of the pure happiness I’ve felt since I came here. “I remember.”

“Oh, good. I am sorry that this passed to you, sweet girl. You were always so innocent, I had a feeling it would be you. There were always shadows in your brother, the well doesn’t take well to those shadows,” she says before smiling softly at me.

“I don’t understand why we’re here. Where here even is.”

“This is the resting place of the well of origin. The well led you here because you needed to know the truth of the secret you bear. I know that that foolish boy wants the details from you, but Emmy, you cannot tell him. Even if it means death. It is not safe for one with such hate in his heart to reach the well. The Elves are coming Emmy. They know the truth of it all. Trust the Elves. Even if you trust no one else. Despite the differences and prejudices between our kinds, they are the only ones who will help you without expectation because they know what is at risk. Do not let any Fae or Hunter know the resting place. If they discover it… the world you have grown to know will be no more.”

“I understand, but how did he even know? How does anyone know?” I ask her, so very confused.

“Your mother, I didn’t realize she was there that day, listening. But she was there. She was always smart, but just too weak willed. Too easily manipulated. We don’t have time to go into it in depth, but promise me that you will protect the origin with your life, Emilia. The Demons will ravage the world once more if they get a chance.” She starts to disappear before my eyes, but my mind is reeling. How can she say so much, and yet say so little?

“Wait, please. I don’t understand!” I yell.

“Our job is not to understand, Emmy. It is merely to protect. You have a strong heart, sweet girl. It will lead you true if you trust it.” Her words are barely more than a whisper as she fades from sight. I let out a breath and bow my head. I don’t understand how I can protect this place when I have no idea where it is, even if I know the truth of what it is.

“Emilia,” a voice calls but I can’t see anyone else. I step back from the glow of the well when it turns a blood red.

Something is wrong.

“Emilia.”

Cold runs down my spine. I know that voice. I need to get out of here. He can’t know where it is. Gram said as much.

“Emilia,” the voice practically sings my name and my heart rate picks up. “You’re going to tell me, Emilia.”

I run as fast as my feet will carry me from the cavern.

He can never know.

* * *

I wake up and find Oberon standing opposite me, just watching me, and if that isn’t just creepy as fuck… It takes me a minute to blink away the sleep and focus on my surroundings. I wonder which version of him I’ll get today.

I open my mouth to speak to him when my dream crashes into my consciousness. Holy shit, where was that place? I mean, it’s probably good that I don’t know, because then I can’t tell anyone, but if anyone looked into my mind and recognized where I was… Nope, not happening. Gram has never come to me in a dream before, but I know it wasn’t just a dream. It was more. And now I know I need to protect my mind even more than before.

Oberon is still watching me intently while not saying a word. I try to calm my breathing, to not give away the panic I feel in my heart. Thanks to the ties holding me in the chair, the shaking of my hands isn’t so obvious.

“Is there any reason you’re here, or are you just creeping? I didn’t think you were meant to be here.”

“Rohan changed his mind,” he says with a shrug, and goes back to observing me. I swear it’s like he has a dual personality. This is not the same man I fell in love with. It’s also not the Oberon who was here a few days ago begging for my forgiveness. No, this Oberon is angry. So angry it takes up every inch of who he is. He’s practically vibrating with rage.

Now that I know certain things about how the Fae came to be, I half understand it, but also, I don’t understand how siding with Rohan and his inane schemes seemed like a good idea. Especially the whole, let’s kidnap Emilia, thing. I get that I wouldn’t tell them, hell, when they took me I didn’t even know the information they wanted, but maybe I could’ve been persuaded to tell them what I knew if they weren’t giant dicks.

I mean, not really. There’s the whole, life as you know it would be destroyed thing if I told them, but still. I don’t understand what pushed Rohan to this point. I know his father was a raging dick, but this seems extreme. I can’t help but wonder what pushed him over the edge and led us to this point.

“Oberon,” I murmur. His eyes glance to my lips but that’s the only sign I have that he heard me. “Why? Can you at least tell me why?”

“You would never understand,” he says, his voice hoarse. “You could never.”

I shake my head, because he’s right. I will never understand how he could do what he did. Even if he was sorry. Is sorry? Hell, I don’t know anymore.

“Ahhhh she’s awake again.” Rohan strides into the room looking far happier than I like. “Good. I know you know where it is. As soon as you tell me, all of this will be over.”

“I don’t have any idea where it is,” I tell him honestly, not that he’ll believe me. “But even if I did, I would never tell you anyways.”

“Well, I guess we’ll see about that. You didn’t seem to like my methods of getting information, so I thought I’d ask Oberon to help me this time. You know, since you’re so willing to have secrets with him.” The smile on Rohan’s face makes my skin crawl. I know nothing that’s coming is going to be good, but I cling to Gram’s words. I know I can make it through this. I can protect the secret of our people, no matter what.

Rohan moves towards me, and the glint of silver in his hand makes my heart race. “I’d say hold still, but soon, you won’t have any choice.” He lifts his arm and pricks me with the needle in his hand, the maniacal smile on his face spreading as he injects me.

“What was that?” I ask, and he just laughs.

“That was something to make your body compliant, even if your mind isn’t. You will give us the information we want, even if we have to tear it from you piece by piece. You might think we can only break your body, but Emilia, you have no idea the lengths I am willing to go to get the information I need. You have no idea the things I’ve already done. If I’ll poison my own mother, imagine what I’d do to the woman who holds the last piece of the puzzle.”

“You poisoned your mother?” My words slur as whatever he injected me with starts to take effect.

“She had information I needed. Those with the sight always know. I’m pretty sure that’s how your mother knew the little that she did. Not that it matters now. The end justifies the means. And since you’re the thing standing between me and what I’m looking for, I will not stop, Emilia. I know you think you know me, or you thought you did. Let me tell you this, you have no idea who I am. Not really. I will not stop. So anything that happens to you is your own fault for keeping things from me. This is all your own fault.”

He reaches down and unties my bindings, but I can’t move. My arms fall from the arms of the chair because nothing holds them in place. Oberon comes towards me and lifts me over his shoulder. I can’t see anyone, but I hear as people move in and out of the room while all I can do is hang here, wanting to scream, but I can’t even make my mouth move. This might be the worst torture yet. Being trapped inside my own mind.

“Enjoy, but make her talk. Give her this, it will make her able to speak while not undoing the toxin.” Rohan’s voice is full of glee, and terror shoots through me. What the fuck do they have planned?

Oberon turns and throws me down. I land on something soft and bouncy.

They brought in a bed.

He wouldn’t. Would he?

Oberon moves towards me and puts a vial at my lips, tipping it and making me swallow whatever it is. “You should really just talk, Emilia. It would be better for you.”

I glare at him while my lips tingle from the vial. “I have nothing to say to you,” I hiss as soon as I can.

“Then all of this, is your own fault,” he says, as his eyes begin to glow and the claws extend as he takes off his clothes. Once he’s bare, he shreds what’s left of my dress until I’m laid out before him, bare and unwilling, but unable to move. “Scream for me, Emilia.”

He grabs my ankle and pulls me towards him, while I close my eyes, a tear trickling down the side of my face.

I won’t give him my screams. I won’t give them a god damn thing.