"I'm going out today. I'll be riding through my kingdom. I'm sure it's changed quite a bit since I was unceremoniously ousted from my rightful place as ruler."
Briar's lip curled. "What do you care about them? You want them all gone."
I watch Briar flinch as Drogaem snaps his head toward her, his eyes narrow and his mouth tight. But slowly, he turns his frown into a smirk and reaches up, patting Briar on the top of the head. "You are keen, little human. I need to set up my portals. If I'm going to invade the mortal realm, I need to have a multitude of them. We need to enter the mortal realm at all different directions. They will never know what's coming, and they will never know what hit them by the time they're gone."
My first reaction is relief. I can see the same look on Briar's face. We will be free of him at least for a little while. But slowly, the realization dawns on me. It is more dangerous for Drogaem to be out in town, unleashing his wrath on the kingdom, than to have him here at the castle. With his temperament, I have no idea what he will do when he finally sees the souls within the kingdom. My eyes shift over to Briar's, and from the look on her face, the concern, I can tell she's thinking the same thing. I wish our bond was stronger again, I need to speak to her without Drogaem knowing. All I can hope is that she catches on and quickly. We need to come up with a reason to make Drogaem stay.
I wait for a moment, seeing if she makes a move, but she doesn't. Her eyes shift out the doors toward the window and back to me, panic building on her face. I have to do something. Otherwise, I'm damning my own people.
"Sure, sure," I say with a chuckle in my voice. "After yesterday, I don't blame you at all for not wanting to be shown up. Surely, you're getting tired of not being able to break me. We'll all play along and act like it's for some other reason."
Briar's mouth drops open, and Drogaem stands there speechless for the first time since I've seen him alive and in his body. I continue before he can react. "Besides, this gives me ample time to figure out exactly how I'm going to vanquish you from the face of the underworld, and any other realm, for an eternity. In fact, it gives me a little time to see what I can do to torture you back in ways that you could never think of."
"Kane!" Briar calls out, reaching for me, but Drogaem slaps her hand down.
Drogaem balls his fists and turns away from me for a moment, giving me a second to shake my head at Briar. I need her to know that I have a plan. My plan will absolutely lead to more pain for me, and probably the worst so far, but sacrifices need to be made. Briar cannot be the only one that's making them. The idea of pain doesn't please me, and I know Briar can see that in my eyes, but it will be worth it.
Drogaem swings back around and eyes both Briar and me. It's a different look than he's given us before. I can tell he no longer thinks of us as playthings, torture victims for his own amusement. For the first time since he's been back, he looks at Briar and I as a threat. I didn't want him to make that realization just yet, but sometimes things happen. I have to make a move, or all of this has been for nothing.
Drogaem marches forward and stands only inches from me. His lip twitches, and I can tell he's holding himself back. "Do you really think that in your condition, mangled and pathetic, you can be as strong as a God?"
I lift my head and stare him straight in the eyes. "Stronger."
Drogaem blinks at me and begins to laugh. "Let me remind you that immortal does not mean eternal life for you, Kane. Not the way it does for me."
He steps away, and I look over at Briar, who has her hand to her mouth, her eyes teary even though she's trying hard to pull it back. Yes, the words are threatening, and yes, Drogaem means them with everything in his existence. But that's precisely what I'm going for.
"Slave!" Drogaem turns walking toward the other side of the throne room, where one of the very few servants left nervously comes from the shadows.
It gives Briar a brief moment to slip up next to me and shake her head. "What are you doing? I know we have to keep him away, but he's not playing anymore. I can't lose you."
With my hands tied, I can't touch her, but I lean my forehead to hers for just a moment. "You won't."
Before she can reply, Drogaem is on his way back, and she swiftly moves away before he can notice. Behind him, one of his guards hurries along, stopping at attention. Drogaem clears his throat. "I will not be traveling with the hunt today, but you will continue out without me. You know exactly what you'll be doing, and you know the orders to secure."
The guard snaps his heels together and nods, swiveling around before marching off. Drogaem slowly rubs his hands together, looking me up and down. "And as for you, I hope you're prepared to entertain me while I abandon my trip."
Prepared or not, it's my only choice.
* * *
Briar
"Kane," I call out, my voice different than usual.
The light emanates
