Page 14 of Golden (Fairytales Retold)

THE TURRET

A sharp pain stabbed through Tabian’s head as he groaned. He tried to open his eyes, but they were impossibly heavy. His body ached all over. He shifted against the cold stone floor and heard the clanging of metal. A sour taste coated his tongue and throat. He was thirsty. So. Incredibly. Thirsty.

Memories came rushing back. The dinner. The hatred in Lady Ravenshire’s eyes. Lilith, the enchantress. He blinked, forcing his eyes open. His vision swam, and he felt nauseous. It was all he could do to fight against the thick fog pressing around him, threatening to drag him down to oblivion.

He went to move his hands so he could check to make sure he was still wearing the necklace. As he did so, he became aware of something cold and hard digging into his flesh. He looked down, forcing his vision to sharpen. His wrists were shackled. He followed the length of the chain to where it was anchored into the rounded stone wall. His gaze traveled way up the tall walls and to the round ceiling, which seemed impossibly far away. He was in the turret of the manor. In a streak of defiance, he yanked against the chain, but the anchor held fast to the wall.

The room was damp and chill, and there was a faint scent of old wood in the air. Hearing a whistle, he looked up again and spotted a narrow window not far from the ceiling. Bright light streamed in, suggesting that it was daylight outside. He’d been out since last night when Lilith drugged him.

He lowered his gaze, looking around the room. It was sparsely furnished. There was a chamber pot close enough for him to use. A small wooden table and chairs sat off to one side. Above the table was a faded and moth-eaten tapestry depicting a hunting scene.

He lifted his hand and touched the necklace—amulet—relieved to find it still attached. Why hadn’t Lilith just taken it? What else could she want with him?

His heart began to thud with the knowledge that he couldn’t remain shackled to the wall. He had to figure out how to escape.

He forced himself to sift back through the haziness of last night’s dinner. Lilith said the amulet belonged to her. He made a face. How could that be? His mother wanted to make sure he got the amulet when he turned eighteen. What was the significance of his eighteenth birthday? If Lilith had wanted the amulet, why did she wait so long to try to get it back? Was Lilith the same enchantress who helped his mother plant the tree? If so, then why had she turned evil? When Elda spoke of the enchantress, it was with the highest degree of reverence. Tabian had been brought up to believe that the enchantress was good.

Was Lilith forcing Katerina to work for her just as she’d done her mother? Katerina had been panicked when she realized that something was happening to Tabian. Lilith accused her of caring about Tabian.

And yet, Katerina had adamantly denied having any feelings for him. Perhaps she’d done so to protect him from Lilith.

Was any of this connected to the golden apples? If so, how?

He needed to figure out how to use the amulet. That was his only way out. The chain rattled as he brought his hand up and pulled the amulet from underneath his tunic. He’d been thinking of it as a necklace or stone this entire time; amulet was a more fitting description.

He forced himself to concentrate. Nothing happened. He gritted his teeth in frustration. The amulet had worked when he was attacked. Why was it not working now? Maybe he just needed to try harder. Exerting all of his mental power, he commanded the amulet to work. This time, all he got for the effort was a slight warming of the stone.

Or perhaps it was growing warmer because of his own body heat.

He kept trying until his head throbbed. He’d rest for a few moments and then try again.

Finally, after numerous attempts, he released the stone and sat back, his breath heaving in and out of his chest like a billow. He looked over at the closed wooden door. How long was Lilith planning to keep him here? His heart lurched. It was a three-day journey back to Verdermere. He was now on day ten of his trip. That meant he only had one more day before he would need to leave. One day to get out of this awful situation.

His blood chilled. Would he make it out of this alive? According to what Lilith said the night before, she planned to let him go after he gave her the amulet. He scrunched his face. What was Lilith waiting for? Why didn’t she just take the amulet and be done with this sordid mess?

The day passed torturously slow. He knew it was getting late when long shadows fell over the walls.

He was terribly thirsty … and hungry. Was Lilith planning to starve him to death? A quiet panic trickled down his spine. He would go crazy, chained to the wall like an animal, his thoughts plaguing him.

When dusk settled in, and the room started giving up its light, he heard movement. His heart leaped with hope when he saw a streak of gold. Katerina.

She swooped down, dropped something onto the floor, hopped back a few steps, and studied him with glassy, amber-colored eyes. He looked at what she’d brought. It was a cloth tied up on the ends.

She flapped her wings. For one awful moment, he thought she was going to leave.

“Wait,” he called out as desperation clutched him in an iron fist. “Stay with me.”

She turned and materialized into human form. Even though she was wearing a simple brown frock, she was as stunning as always, with her glossy hair spilling over her graceful shoulders. Her arm was in a sling, a nagging reminder that he’d caused her injury. “I would’ve come sooner, but I had to wait until dusk. I didn’t want Lilith or any of her spies to see me.” Her expression turned forlorn as she took in his wretched state. She placed her shaky hands to her mouth. “I—I’m so sorry.” She lowered her head in shame.

“I want to know everything.”

She lifted her head, her anguished eyes connecting with his.

“Please,” he uttered. “You owe me that much.”

Nodding, she knelt down and untied the cloth. “I brought you some food and water.”

His stomach growled noisily as he clutched it with a half-laugh. “I think Lilith is trying to starve me to death.”

“That’s exactly what she plans to do.”

He blinked. “Why?”

“I’m not sure. After her men took you away, I heard Lilith order them to put you in the turret, where she planned to keep you without food or water.” She went over and sat down beside him. She handed him a flask, bread, cheese, a strip of dried meat, and some grapes. “Eat and drink first, and then we can talk some more.”

He lifted the flask to his mouth and drank greedily. When this thirst was sated, he dug into the food, eating every last morsel. When he was finished, he drank more water and then sat back, grateful to have a full stomach. “Thank you,” he sighed.

“You’re welcome,” she responded with deep emotion.

He pushed out a humorless chuckle. “Now, if you could just help me get out of here …”

Tears bubbled in her sapphire eyes.

“What?” He searched her face.

Her expression grew tortured. “If only I could.”

An edge seeped into his voice. “Why can’t you? Surely, there must be something you could do. Like, get me a key to open the door.”

“I shouldn’t even be here,” she said hoarsely. “If Lilith knew, she’d kill my father.”

His words rushed out. “What if I helped you both escape? You could go back with me to Verdermere.”

A curtain fell over her eyes. “Nay,” she said softly. “It wouldn’t work.”

“Why not?” he pressed.

“She’s too powerful. We could never escape her. She would track us down. Lilith is ruthless.” A harsh laugh fell from her lips. “If there was a way to escape, I would’ve found it already.”

He touched her arm. “There has to be a way.” His eyes latched onto hers. “I need you to help me find it. Otherwise, I’m going to die in here.”

More tears filled her eyes and slipped over her cheeks. “You have no idea how hard this is.”

He grunted. “Oh, I think I have a fairly good idea.”

She rushed on. “To have to choose between saving my father’s life.” Her lower lip trembled. “And the life of the man whom I—” She stopped as if fearing she’d said too much.

“The man whom you what?” His voice went soft and imploring as an understanding settled over him.

“Are you really going to make me say it?” She threw him a glare.

A low chuckle tickled his throat. “I thought I meant nothing to you.” Tenderly, he wiped the tears from her cheeks, the chain jingling with the movement.

“You want to hear the truth?” she muttered. “Alright, here goes. I care about you. In fact, my feelings for you run so deep that you’re all I’ve been able to think about since that first night we met in the garden.”

His eyes rounded. “Really?” A pleased smile stretched over his mouth. He cocked his head, grinning from ear to ear. “That’s good to know.” He pressed his lips together in mock consternation. “Hmm … I had no idea.”

“You don’t have to look so smug about it,” she smirked. “I’m sure you have plenty of maidens clamoring for you, including Arabella.”

She spoke the words like they were a statement of fact. He didn’t want to lessen her opinion of him by admitting that she was the only one who’d ever fallen for him. To his credit, he’d gotten the best of the best. It was hard to believe that someone like her wanted him. A wicked grin slid over his lips. “Are you jealous?”

Pink brushed her cheeks. “Absolutely not,” she punched out.

He reached and cupped her jaw. “If it’s any consolation, I care about you, too.”

Hope lit her eyes as a smile curved her lips. “You do?”

“I do,” he acknowledged. A moment later, he lowered his hand from her face and shook his head, harsh laughter scratching his throat.

“What?” Wariness edged into her expression.

“I finally find the maiden of my dreams … just in time to be killed by some evil enchantress. In another life, I would’ve loved to have courted you properly” —he crooked a droll grin— “so I could make you fall madly in love with me.”

“It wouldn’t have taken much,” she said softly and then took in a sharp breath as more tears gathered in her eyes. “I wish there was something I could do to help you escape. I can’t bear the thought of losing you when I’ve only just found you.”

“Aye.” Emotion thickened his throat. “Life can be so unfair. So cruel.”

She frowned. “Do you really have Lilith’s amulet?”

“I have an amulet, but I didn’t realize it was hers.”

Eagerness fanned over her features. “May I see it?”

He rocked back. “Why?”

She frowned. “Well, it’s the reason why Lilith has you locked away in the turret. I know that Lilith’s amulet is the source of her power, so I assume yours must be powerful, too. I only want to see it.”

“Maybe later,” he said offhandedly.

Her face caved in on itself. “You don’t trust me.” She balled a fist. “All I’ve done since we’ve met is to try and look after you. And still, you don’t trust me.” She gave him a wounded look.

He was surprised by how quickly the anger ignited. “Let’s not forget the part where you drugged me in the garden and then stole the apple. Had I not gotten wise to you, you would’ve done the same the next night.” He ground his teeth. “Need I remind you that an innocent man will die because of you?”

“I had no choice,” she spat. “Lilith forced me to steal the apples.”

“Why?”

She threw him a challenging look. “If you want me to tell you everything that I know, then you’re going to have to be forthcoming with me. Let me see the amulet.”

They eyed one another for several long moments.

He pushed out a long sigh and then removed the amulet from his tunic.

Reverently, she touched the stone. “How does it work?”

“I have no idea. If I knew how to use it, I wouldn’t be chained to the wall.”

“You used it on those men the night they attacked you.”

He went on instant alert. “How did you know that?”

“I didn’t know anything last night,” she said defensively. “It was only after Lilith drugged you that she told my father and me about the attack and how you used the amulet to fight off those men.”

He studied her, trying to decide if she was telling the truth.

“How did you channel the amulet?”

“I don’t know. The men attacked. One of them pulled a dagger. The other said Lilith ordered them to kill me. On instinct, I held up the stone and wielded it like a shield. A blaze of light issued out. It had the power to burn the men.”

Katerina listened with an expression of awe.

“Don’t get too impressed,” he grumbled. “I have no idea what I did.”

She looked thoughtful. “I know an amulet is the source of Lilith’s power, but I have no idea how it works. How did you gain possession of the amulet?”

He told her about his mother and the enchantress. He explained how it was the enchantress who helped his mother plant the tree that yielded the golden apples. “Elda is Garrin’s wife. My mother instructed her to give me the amulet when I turned eighteen. I only got the amulet a short while ago—right before I left to come in search of you.”

She knitted her brows in concentration. “Why did your mother feel the need to give the amulet to you instead of one of your older brothers?”

He shrugged. “I have no idea; I’ve asked myself that same question numerous times.” He hesitated, wondering if he should divulge the rest. Sensing his reticence, she tugged on his arm. “What else are you not telling me?”

“When you turned into the bird that morning in the garden, you left a golden feather on the ground. I took it to show my father so I could offer proof that you had been there.” He paused, getting lost in the recollection.

She nudged him. “And?”

“My father said that before my mother died, she told him a golden bird would one day come and nest in the tree.”

She blinked in surprise.

He held her gaze. “Mother told my father that I was destined for greatness. That I would be the one to capture this bird and bring it back to Verdermere so that a golden age could be ushered in.”

Fire shot from her eyes as she thrust out her words in angry bursts. “I’m not some prize to be captured and brought back in a cage.”

He couldn’t help but chuckle at her vehemence. “I’m learning that the hard way,” he said dryly.

She wasn’t finished. “I’ve spent years as Lilith’s slave, and I’ll not do the same with you.”

“I don’t expect that of you,” he soothed. “I’m only telling you the full story.” He searched her face. “That’s what you wanted, isn’t it?”

She let out a long sigh before nodding. A moment later, she gave him a steely look. “How am I supposed to know if it’s me you want … or the bird?”

He gathered her hands in his. “It’s you,” he said fervently. “Only you.”

Her eyes glistened.

“I mean it,” he affirmed.

With that, she settled down. They sat in silence for several long moments until he spoke. “Okay, I told you my story. It’s time to tell me yours.” He squeezed her hands before releasing them.

She dipped her head, her glorious hair slipping lower over her arm. He couldn’t resist picking up a strand and running it through his fingers. The weight of the heavy shackle around his wrist was so cumbersome that he released her hair and let his hand rest in his lap.

“Remember the lullaby I sang to you?”

“Aye, the one about the bird who fell in love with the cobbler. You were talking about your mother.”

An admiring smile broke over her face. “Aye, no one can accuse you of being a simpleton.”

He laughed. “I’m not so sure about that. It didn’t take much to connect the dots. Continue,” he prompted.

“My mother thought that if she flew away and removed herself from Lilith’s clutches, then my father and I would be safe.” Pain darkened her eyes. “I can understand my mother’s reasoning. She thought I was a normal girl. No one knew at the time that I inherited a very unique quality from my mother.” A smile touched her lips. “I’ve always been able to sing like none other, and I felt a peculiar pull to the open sky. When I was thirteen, I was out twirling in a meadow. Suddenly, my body changed. Before I even realized what was happening, I was soaring upwards, experiencing a freedom I’d never before known.” A rapturous glow shone over her face, enhancing her beauty. “I glanced at my arms and realized they were wings made of gold.” She laughed softly at the memory. “I circled around to a clear pond so I could see my reflection and was startled to learn that I was a golden bird.”

She paused, a shadow passing over her face. “Lilith must’ve suspected that I inherited the gift of flight from my mother. She set spies about to watch me. They saw me transform into a bird and reported back to her.”

“Did you know that Lilith was an enchantress?”

“Nay, my mother never revealed the identity of the enchantress, not even to my father. We, like all the others in the village, thought Lilith to be kind and generous—the first to lend a helping hand to those in need.” Bitterness coated her voice. “She’d invested heavily in Father’s business, claiming that a cobbler of such skill should have the means to expand his business and thrive.” Her face tightened as she caught Tabian's gaze. “It was only when Lilith summoned Father and me to her manor that we realized we were in the clutches of someone evil. Lilith demanded that I step in and fulfill the role that my mother escaped.”

The pain in her eyes pricked his heart.

“I can’t stand the thought of losing you … and yet, I can’t bear to lose another parent.” Her lower lip trembled. “Why does life have to be so cruel?”

He thought of Garrin. “I don’t know.” Melancholy pressed around him as he cupped her hands with his. Maybe these precious moments together were all that they would have. “Why does Lilith want the golden apples?”

“I don’t know. She forbid me from ever asking questions. I’m only to do as I’m told.” Resentment burned hot in her eyes, turning them into liquid blue flames.

“What I can’t figure out is why Lilith is keeping me a prisoner. If she wanted the amulet, why has she not already taken it?”

Regret tightened her features. “I wish I had the answers, but I don’t.” She hiccuped a laugh. “I never imagined that I would fall for a man when I was on one of Lilith’s errands.”

His eyes caressed hers. “So you fell for me right off, huh?” He loved hearing that. He’d most likely fallen for her in the garden also, but it took him longer to realize what was happening.

“I did.” A sentimental smile tugged at her lips. “To hear Father tell the story, it was the same with my mother. She fell in love with him the first time she saw him.”

He threw her a playful grin, his voice taking on a musing taunt. “So the bird fell in love with the cobbler. And the thief fell in love with the prince.”

Her cheeks flamed. “Let’s not get ahead of ourselves. I never said I fell in love … only that I fell for you.” She threw him a sharp look. “And if I remember correctly, you certainly don’t make a practice of acting like a prince. You’re too busy roaming the forest with Hans.”

He laughed. “I told you all of that?”

“You did, and I’ll never forget it.”

They shared a long, tender look.

Her eyes grew misty. “I’m so sorry I can’t help you escape. I just can’t run the risk of putting my father in danger.”

“I understand,” he uttered, and he meant it. “Your father is a good man.” Emotion clogged his throat. “I don’t blame you for doing all that you can to protect him. I just wish I could’ve done the same for Garrin.”

“I’m sorry,” she said quietly.

The tortured expression on her beautiful face wrenched his heart. He couldn’t give up, not when he’d just discovered this amazing, rare prize of a maiden. He wanted to explore a relationship with her. See if they could carve out their very own version of a happily ever after. “What if there was a way for me to learn how to use the amulet? Then, I could protect you and Bartholomew against Lilith.” Courage kindled inside him. His mother wouldn’t have given him the amulet unless she trusted that he could learn how to use it.

A cautious hope lit her eyes. “Do you think you could learn?”

“I can certainly try.” He made a point of looking around. “It’s not like I have anything else commanding my attention at the moment.”

She knitted her brows, a petulant pout forming over her luscious lips. “Hey.”

He laughed. She was so cute when she got irritated. “You always command my attention.” He brought his hand up to touch her face, ignoring the annoying rattling of the chain. “You took me completely by surprise.” His voice hitched as he continued. “No matter how this turns out, I want you to know that I’m so grateful you came into my life.” His eyes locked with hers. “My rare, precious, beautiful little bird.”

She giggled. “Little? I’m the size of a hawk.”

“You get the point,” he drawled. Before he could utter another word, she lunged forward and pressed her mouth to his. A flame—hot and alive—leaped up between them. He pulled her closer and deepened the kiss, giving in to the tumult of emotions she unleashed in him. In that moment, he was no longer in a damp, dark room, chained to a wall. He was soaring high and free, as surely as if he’d been given wings of his own. He responded to the insistence of her lips with an urgency of his own, wanting to live fully in this moment.

Then he felt something. The stone grew warm against his tunic. He kissed her harder, and the stone grew hotter. A surge of elation swelled through him as he pulled back, breathless. “I think I know what triggers the power of the amulet.”

“What?” she questioned, looking at the stone.

“Intense emotion.” He talked faster. “When I was being attacked, I was petrified. Especially when I heard the man say that Lilith had ordered them to kill me.”

Malice streaked through her eyes. “You have no idea how much I detest Lilith,” she seethed. “It makes me physically ill to hear all of the people in the village revering her almost to the point of worship, day in and day out.” She shook her head. “Sorry, I’m digressing. Tell me more about the emotions.”

He launched back in. “During our kiss, the amulet grew warm.”

A pleased expression overtook her face. “Really?”

“Really,” he chuckled. “You elicit strong emotions in me.”

A flush rose over her high cheekbones as her eyes went to his mouth. “Should we try again?”

“If we must.” He let out a dramatic sigh.

She swatted his chest, eyes sparking. “I wouldn’t want to put you out.”

Laughing, he pulled her in for another long, breathless kiss. Again, the amulet grew warm.

After the kiss, he tried tapping into his emotions. He pictured Garrin in the dungeon. He remembered how fragile and beaten-down Garrin was as he stood before the throne with his head bowed low. He let the anger flow through him—hot and unrestrained.

“It’s working,” Katerina exclaimed. He glanced down to see, but the stone went dim.

“Try again,” she encouraged.

He tried again … again … and again.

Until finally, he was exhausted.

He rested his head on Katerina’s shoulder. She stroked his hair and hummed soft lullabies until he gave into exhaustion and fell asleep.