Page 54

Draevyn

T he cold, dirt-covered floor pressed against Draevyn’s cheek as distant voices roused him from being unconscious. His body ached—muscles sore while his wrists remained bound.

His mind raced, alternating between rage and panic. A persistent, dull throb ached where his magic once flowed freely. Now he and Esmyra, two of the most powerful beings he knew of, were trapped and powerless.

Esmyra .

Draevyn glanced side to side, noting she wasn’t there with him. It was clear he was in a prison cell—the space was filled with damp, stale air, and the only light was an odd teal glow seeping through the barred window. He had no way of knowing how much time had passed.

Think. There has to be a way out of this. They wouldn’t have taken him alive unless they needed him for something.

Then voices sounded down the hall once more.

They were faint at first, like a ripple in the silence, but growing steadily as they approached—and they were female.

He slowly sat up, his back resting against the wall as he strained to listen. His pulse quickened as the voices grew clearer, and he knew then he would recognize one of them anywhere.

Esmyra . Only she didn’t sound distressed or even detained as he was. The last he saw her, she’d been bound and held captive alongside him. Was she…walking about freely? And in casual conversation?

The thought of it had Draevyn nearly rolling his eyes, because, of course, she would be.

The clank of keys rattled outside his cell door, followed by the unmistakable groan of rusted hinges being turned. Adrenaline surged through him as the door creaked open, letting the teal light of the hallway spill into his dark prison.

He squinted against the soft light, and then he saw them—two women standing in the doorway. The first was striking, wearing robes that seemed to ripple like the sea itself, her golden hair flowing in soft waves. Behind her, Esmyra lingered, her expression uncertain, but her wild eyes were sharp.

How had she already found an ally to get them out of this hellhole?

“Is this him?” the golden one asked, her voice filled with curiosity, though there was a hint of caution in it.

Esmyra nodded. “Aye. He’s the one who accompanied me here, and he’s not to be harmed if I’m able to make such requests.”

Draevyn’s brows shot up his forehead in confusion.

Esmyra stepped closer to him, her eyes locking onto his as if in warning, or perhaps pleading. “And once they remove your bindings, you will prove you’re no threat, correct? After all…you’re only mortal. And you bear no magic.”

It was the wildest lie he’d ever heard, and for it to come out of Esmyra’s lips made him even more wary. If Draevyn was one thing, it was dangerous. Esmyra knew that, and she was the other side of the same coin.

She would never have him walking about freely if she didn’t need him to have access to his magic. Something was happening, and the unknown of it all was nearly suffocating.

Draevyn glared up at her, biting back a retort. However, if they would free him based on her word alone, he had no choice but to follow along.

The second woman moved forward, stepping into the subtle light, and Draevyn’s eyes widened, realizing she looked strikingly similar to Esmyra.

Good gods, there’s two of them.

Her eyes narrowed slightly as she studied him. “State your name.”

“You first,” he mocked.

“ Draevyn ,” Esmyra warned through clenched teeth, her brow creasing.

“Draevyn,” the golden woman echoed. “Interesting name.”

“A name of no meaning, I assure you,” Esmyra lied. “He hails from Lephyrin.”

What in the hells was happening?

The first woman tilted her head, a small smile forming.

“Hello, Draevyn ,” she said, emphasizing his name, unaware that it held royal lineage from being trapped down in Maerinys.

“My name is Syrena Aeress. As a thank you for helping my sister reach me, we’re granting you your own quarters in my home. ”

“What the fuck?” The words slipped from him, unable to help it. His gaze whipped to Esmyra, the veins in her neck straining beneath the pale teal light. But her stare held no answers.

Guards rushed in from behind them and grabbed Draevyn by his arms, pulling him to his feet before unwrapping the bolas. The moment the bindings left his skin, the surge of his power returning nearly brought him back down to his knees, and it took everything in him to hide it.

“Follow along, would you? If you’re to be presentable for dinner, I must insist we get a move on down here.” Syrena turned from him and stalked out of the cell, her gown twirling around her ankles before flowing down the hallway after her.

Esmyra rushed to his side and helped him steady himself as he moved to take his first step. “Play along. Please. I can’t even fucking believe I have to ask.”

“What in all gods is happening, Esmyra? Why are you not in a cell?”

“I can’t explain right now, but play along and maybe we can find the information we need and escape to the surface somehow. ”

He scoffed. “You expect me to believe you convinced our new captors to release me and my power on some whim? You wouldn’t be down here if you didn’t need me for something. So let’s skip the games, shall we?”

Her eyes narrowed on him, her pupils morphing into slits.

He hit a nerve. Good.

“I will have you know, Draevyn Rowe, that I am once again saving your stupid life when I should leave you down here to rot. However, you are the only thing that will release my fa—” she cut herself off, and he raised a brow in confusion. “Release my captain from your father’s hold!”

He would never be anything more than a pawn in her game—in anyone’s game. Draevyn’s jaw ticked at the realization.

“Esmyra,” a guard called from beyond the door.

“We’re right behind you!” she answered as her eyes remained locked with Draevyn’s.

She lifted herself onto her tiptoes and whispered into his ear.

“I don’t trust them. Not fully. We get their story and we find a way out.

Speak nothing of your royal name, and don’t use your magic if you can help it.

We know they somehow possess velsinyte, so our powers are useless until we think of a plan. ”

Draevyn suppressed a shiver as the heat of her breath brushed against his skin.

She took a step back from him. “Aye?”

His gaze traced up and down the curves of her body. Her stance was stiff as her eyes seemed to plead.

A feeling of dread settled in his stomach, realizing that even Esmyra was frightened by the position they found themselves in.

“Aye,” he echoed.

Before them, the castle’s great halls revealed themselves, radiating an elegance he’d never seen in any kingdom above.

Draevyn walked in silence a step behind Syrena and Esmyra while the guards remained at their backs.

The soft glow of the bioluminescent orbs illuminated their path as they hovered along the coral-carved walls.

The palace was a perfect blend of natural sea formations and intricate designs.

Its floors beneath them were smooth stone, polished and veined with luminous silver and gold threads that looked like currents frozen in time.

The ceilings soared above, domed and adorned with faded paintings of the sea’s waves.

He had to admit, despite his growing suspicion, the place was magnificent.

Draevyn kept his steps steady, his senses alert as he took in the surrounding beauty—only the castle wasn’t the only beauty that plagued his thoughts.

The two women walked in silence in front of him. While their features were identical, it appeared their similarities halted there. Where Syrena’s movements were graceful and unhurried, Esmyra’s were stiff and forced, looking just as tense as he felt.

His stare traced their bodies, the teal markings along their arms mirroring each other. Only Esmyra’s no longer glowed, nor did they appear as burns, but as if they were inked into her skin by the sea itself.

Esmyra’s steps slowed just enough to walk alongside Draevyn, though she wouldn’t meet his stare, her own fixed on Syrena’s back.

“What do you know?” he whispered.

She shot him a death glare and pressed a finger to her lips. He forced himself to suppress his smirk as they continued to walk in silence, the only sound coming from the echoes of their footsteps.

They passed through a massive archway leading into a sprawling courtyard, where plants native to the deep sea glowed softly.

A fountain flowed in its center, its water overflowing to the ground in small streams that twisted through the garden like veins of life.

Beautiful women surrounded the garden, tending to plants and whispering as they passed, though he could tell by the slits of their eyes that something else lurked beneath their skin, much like Esmyra.

Once on the opposite end and back within the castle walls, his thoughts were interrupted as they came to a stop before two grand opposing doors at the end of the corridor.

“These will be your quarters,” Syrena said, turning to face them as she gestured to each door. “My wing is close by. I would hate for us to lose track of each other.” There was a faint edge of warning in her voice as a feline smile curved her lips.

Two guards stepped out and opened the twin doors in unison before standing at attention on their sides. Draevyn looked between the two doors, his gaze narrowing slightly. He loathed the idea of being kept under watch.

He hadn’t realized Syrena was watching him, waiting for a reaction. “A precaution, I’m sure you understand, Draevyn.” He hated how she spoke his name so casually. “There’s a lot to take in, and this castle can be a maze. I’m sure this is overwhelming, but you’ll find it easier to adjust in time.”

Draevyn glanced over at Esmyra as her eyes softened at the woman’s words—though there was something distant in them, as if she, too, was still coming to terms with all of this.

His stare drifted to the underwater queen once more. “Just a bit odd to have two quarters readily available on such short notice.” He shot her a fake, closed-lip smile.

Syrena’s smile mimicked his before letting out a soft chuckle.

“Well, this is a fortress. There are many wings. Many unoccupied rooms and chambers. If it’s this that makes you wary, please allow me to apologize for keeping my home clean and presentable.

” Her stare raked over him. “Unless you prefer the dungeons. You didn’t seem so on edge while down there. ”

Draevyn’s nostrils flared before he cleared his throat. “Was a question, is all. Do forgive me for being…wary.” He cocked his head to the side, and he could feel Esmyra’s dagger-like glare blazing into the side of his cheek.

“You’re forgiven.” Syrena gestured to one of the doors. “Esmyra, this is your room. I hope you find it suitable.”

Draevyn crossed his arms, studying Esmyra’s face for a moment, trying to read the layers of her emotions as she stared into her room. Her lips were pressed into a thin line, seeming guarded as she always had, but there was something in her eyes he couldn’t place. Longing, perhaps.

Syrena spoke again, cutting through the quiet tension. “Both of you will get cleaned up and we’ll meet in the great hall for dinner in one hour. I look forward to hearing of your grand adventures then.”

With that, she turned and aimed back down the hall, most of the guards following behind her while two remained right at their doors.

He stood there for a moment longer, watching Esmyra, wondering if she would say anything more.

She hesitated at her door, her hand resting lightly on the handle.

“It seems I will see you in an hour,” she said quietly.

Her eyes met his with a seriousness that caught him off guard, as if she were begging him to continue to play along.

Before he could respond, she slipped into her quarters. Draevyn stared after her, her warning from in the dungeons echoing in his mind.

Finally, he entered his new chambers, taking in his surroundings once the door shut behind him with a soft click.

His quarters were large, more luxurious than he expected for someone who wasn’t royalty, though he supposed he was now considered a royal guest.

Despite the luxury, the room felt like a cage, especially knowing the guard stood just beyond the door.

The castle’s beauty couldn’t disguise the fact that he was still a prisoner, watched carefully.

He moved to the window that overlooked the gardens, pressing his hand against the cool glass as he gazed into it.

The silence of the large space pressed in on him. Maerinys and its creatures might be beautiful, but he knew better than to be lulled by appearances.

For beauty could be as lethal as any weapon.

The wildfire across the hall was proof of that.