When he wants me, he makes it happen. He raps that dark magic around my soul and forces my body to go wherever it is he wants me to go.
I take a deep breath and close my eyes for a moment reveling in the last few seconds I have before I must leave Kane's side. My hand flutters over his arm, feeling the connection between us. It's light, but it's there. The darkness pulls at me harder, and I groan, carefully lifting myself from the bed and taking one last look at Kane before I leave him resting in the room. Drogaem will find him when he wants him.
My feet carry me with little control as my body searches for Drogaem's dark pull. I travel through the castle, the same hallways I've seen over and over again, but they no longer feel familiar and comforting. It's as if a dark wave has settled over the castle, even more ominous than it was before. Even with the warmth of the underworld, I constantly feel a chill down the back of my neck.
The soft velvet fabric of my dress rubs across my legs as my feet move quicker with every summons Drogaem throws out there. As I approach Kane's old rooms, my stomach flips. I turn the corner and stand in the doorway, watching Drogaem pace around, stopping in front of the fireplace where I once sat with my betrothed. There's a nausea bubbling in my stomach, and I hate seeing that monster in Kane's space. I hate seeing the evil takeover where once, love blossomed. Kane and I have never been perfect, but we fit together in a way that's confusing to others, but it makes perfect sense for us.
Drogaem and I have absolutely nothing in common, and we never will. As I watch him and his rotund figure thump through the dimly lit room, I imagine myself pulling my dagger from its sheath and flying through the air, burying it deep in Drogaem's stomach. In fact, I don't believe in these moments, anything would give me more pleasure.
Drogaem stops and turns, sensing that I've arrived. He narrows his eyes at me. Immediately the thoughts of killing him vanish, and in their place, I feel nothing but deep-seated fear. I don't know if I'm manifesting it myself or if he's forcing it into me, but it wraps itself around my soul and almost punishes me for my thoughts. The former king may not know precisely what I'm thinking, but he has to know that he disgusts me.
"Come further inside."
I clench my teeth, but my feet move before I can even think about it. I wobble slightly as I fight my own movements. Being dragged around by Drogaem's dark magic takes a bit to get used to. I stand a few feet away from the long table where I once shared meals with Kane. My eyes stay focused on the back of the chair, and I clutch my hands in front of me tightly.
Drogaem moves toward me, and I can feel his breath just inches from my skin as he stares at me, moving from side to side. He's studying me, trying to get under my skin, and I do my best not to let him know that it's working. Just being that close makes me want to vomit.
"And what is the little human thinking about that makes her so defiant in nature?"
Everything in me wants to turn away from him and run. I want to shift my feet, I want to move my eyes, but he's too strong. The only thing I can figure is if I'm forced to be here, my body acting as a puppet for Drogaem, I might as well be honest with him. There's a bit of security, a false bravery that allows me to lift my chin and shift my eyes to stare directly into his.
"I was thinking…"
Drogaem reaches up and twists a piece of my hair around his finger. "Yes?"
I turn my head and grab his attention once again. I'm not going to back down. "I was thinking about shoving a dagger deep into your stomach and ripping you open from end to end. I was thinking about killing you."
Deep within my chest, the fear rises, but I hold steady, keeping my chin high, and my eyes piercing him. His forehead wrinkles and he takes a step back, looking me up and down. He knows I fear him, no matter how good I play it off, but I don't care. Every time I feel the urge to bend or grovel, I think of Kane and how strong and defiant he is and continues to be every day. That gives me courage.
It feels like Drogaem is about to retaliate, but then his lips curl into a smile, and he begins to laugh. "That's cute, little human. That's very brave of you. Personally, I don't think you have it in you."
My lip quivers that I look away from him, finding him yet again underestimating me. He waves his hand and rolls his eyes, walking past me and back to the fireplace. "You know, it's not surprising to me that no one has figured out who lives inside of you. You are nothing like Lux." Picking up a chalice, he takes a big gulp, wine running down his chin. "You don't look like her, you don't act like her, and you aren't nearly as powerful as her. She would never hide. She was not weak. You, my dear, aren't even half the woman that Lux was, and she couldn't even kill me for good. I'm sorry to burst your bubble, but even free from my control, you don't stand a chance. You can continue to care for your little
