Reign Check

Before I could finish my question, the door opened to the dungeon level. As Kassandra had warned me, it wasn’t at all what I would have expected. It was bright and modern looking, with sheets of glass and silver walls. Kassandra walked off the elevator and quickly headed toward a glass desk.

“Princess Kassandra,” the guard on the other side said with surprise. “What are you doing down here?”

“I’m here about a prisoner,” she said confidently, as if she strolled down to the dungeon level on a daily basis.

“Which one?”

“The Shadow.”

His expression turned to shock. “Jonas? He isn’t allowed visitors, not even you, Princess. He’s much too dangerous.”

“No, not him. The one who was brought here just now. Young, tall, dark hair. Killed my brother’s hellhound?”

“Oh that Shadow.” The guard nodded. “What about him?”

“I want him released and pardoned of all charges. He’s going to be my servant now.”

“Kassandra—,” I began, but I stopped talking when she gave me a look that told me to shut my mouth.

“Even though he’s officially your servant, Nikki, it doesn’t matter in the dungeon,” she explained to me. “Any connection like that vanishes between these walls. Therefore, it’s easiest to transfer him to me here.”

Was that why I wasn’t able to talk to Michael telepathically after he was taken from the lobby? I was worried now. Kassandra could be playing me, trying to take Michael away for real.

“You’re sure about this?” I asked her pointedly.

She grinned. “Everything’s going to be fine.”

I had no choice but to trust her. That was a scary thought.

The guard frowned at us. “Maybe I should contact the queen and see if this is okay. After what happened to the hellhound, that Shadow has proven he could be just as dangerous as Jonas.”

Oh no. He couldn’t contact Queen Sephina. She’d never approve this.

“Are you questioning my authority here?” Kassandra snapped.

The guard blanched. “No, I’m just saying—”

“What you should be saying is ‘Yes, Princess, whatever you say, Princess.’ You will follow my royal orders as clearly as you follow my mother’s. Now I suggest you don’t get me angry. Release the Shadow to me right now and don’t waste another minute of my valuable time.”

He stood up quickly. “Yes, Princess. Follow me.”

“That’s better.”

Being a spoiled brat seemed to have some advantages. I could learn a few lessons from Kassandra on how to get what I wanted when I wanted it.

Kassandra tugged on my hand and I looked at her.

“Say as little as possible,” she whispered. “And just keep playing along, okay?”

I nodded.

We trailed behind the guard through two locked sets of doors that led to the main dungeon area. We walked past room after room, each fronted by a thick glass wall that clearly showed the interior of the cells. Many were empty, but others contained a prisoner — some of whom were in human form, some in demon form, and some who looked more monstrously akin to Beasley’s physical appearance. I didn’t look too closely at the latter. I already had a full schedule of nightmares to look forward to in the weeks to come, thanks to this little field trip to the Underworld.

Finally we came to Michael’s cell. He stood at the glass wall, his eyes widening as he watched our approach. My heart drummed wildly, and I felt relieved that he seemed unharmed. His eyes were still gray, his amulet still dull. He hadn’t recovered yet from using his power.

“Princess,” he said. His voice was clearly audible, even from behind the thick glass separating us.

I didn’t say anything. I fought to keep my expression neutral.

Michael, can you hear me? I sent telepathically.

He just looked at me searchingly, his right hand held up to the glass between us, and didn’t reply. Kassandra had been right. Our princess-servant connection was gone while we were in the dungeon.

This had to go as smoothly and as quickly as possible. The moment Kieran came to, he wasn’t going to be a happy demon prince.

“You’re sure about this, Princess Kassandra?” the guard asked, then flinched at the glare he received. “Just checking.”

“Yes, I’m sure. The Shadow’s very … interesting, don’t you think? He’ll make a nice addition to my personal staff.” Kassandra fixed a cool smile on her lips. She moved toward the glass and looked closely at Michael. Now that she knew he wasn’t only a servant to me, her curiosity had obviously been piqued.

“What’s happening?” Michael asked with concern, his attention focused on me. His forehead furrowed as if he was concentrating on sending me a telepathic message, but of course I didn’t hear it, and I couldn’t explain to him verbally what was going on.

“What’s happening is, this is your lucky day.” Kassandra tapped the glass between them. “Nikki has decided you’re too much trouble for her, so she’s giving you to me. You’ll be my servant now, Shadow.” She grinned. “My mother is totally going to freak over this.”

She was good. Very believable. I wondered if they had drama class in her demon boarding school. A part of me, though, still had trouble believing she was only faking this. If she was serious about using this opportunity to take Michael away from me, I didn’t care if the prophecy was a lie or not. Destructo would be my new middle name.

“She’s giving me to you?” Michael repeated with disbelief. “Princess, is this true?”

“Yes, it’s true,” I said simply, trying very hard to play along and not say anything that would get us in any more trouble.

“Why?” There was a catch in his voice that almost undid me.

He really believed this? Without a moment’s doubt, he believed I would give him away to somebody else, as though he were a trading card I’d put up on eBay for the highest bidder?

Had I given Michael that much doubt about how I felt?

Between breaking up with him and kissing Rhys, I couldn’t really blame him.

“Lots of reasons,” I finally replied. “Your major tendency to get into trouble. Lurking around my school and not bothering to tell me. Breaking the rules. It’s too dangerous to keep you as a servant. You should be thanking me. If I didn’t do this, you’d be executed for killing that hellhound.”

“I see.”

He was angry, too. I could hear it in his voice and see it in his eyes as he glared through the glass barrier at me. It was a strange relief that he wasn’t just taking this news without any glimmer of emotion. It meant he cared. About me. About himself. I was glad he was mad.

“Let’s go,” the guard said sharply. He had a handheld electronic device and he punched something into it that popped open the glass door to Michael’s cell. “Princess Kassandra wants you pardoned so she can put you to work. I’ll make sure you’re pardoned, but if you get in any more trouble, I’ll personally eliminate you, Shadow. I’ve had enough of your kind lately.”

There was no time to waste. I began walking out of the dungeon, following the guard. Michael was behind me and Kassandra behind him. Had Kieran woken up yet? How much time did we have to get to the gateway?

I felt Michael’s eyes on me, disappointed and confused about why I’d so easily given him away to someone I’d just met. I was desperate to tell him everything, but it would have to wait a couple more minutes.

“You there!” someone shouted from a cell as we passed. We were only a few steps from the locked door leading to the front of the dungeon where the elevators were. “Stop.”

I turned to see a man with his hands pressed up against the glass wall of his cell. He was tall and had green eyes, dark hair, and a full beard.

“I’ve been waiting for you,” he said. “I knew you’d come.”

A chill went down my arms at the way he said it. “Who, me?”

He grinned to show off white teeth. “No. Him.”