Scarlet Rogue (Book One)

Chapter Thirty-Three: Chambers Galore

Kaelynn

The spring breeze rushes against my skin, its iciness raising my hairs forming tiny goosebumps across my form. A shiver running up my spine has my eyes wide open trying to locate the source of this brutality. The tall glass doors, laced with a gold frame, leading out to the balcony the clear culprit.

Wrapping my arms around my body, reluctantly, I close the doors sensing movement as I do. Dark as a night-sky void of stairs, feathers slick back, beak pronounced, walking side to side as if taunting me. A single crow, showing no signs of leaving. Shutting the curtains, I block out the creature and return to the only place one should be at this time of night.

The clock striking past three catches my eye as I climb back into bed, only to realise one side of the bed is empty. Unslept, cold and to make matters worse, the scent of the fields covering the usual powerful smell of the bedroom.

Shuffling through the bedside cabinet, I pull out a cashmere sweater and let my feet lead me to the only place I want to be. Through the empty corridors, the silent fields visible through the windows, shadows swaying left and right as the dim-lights from outside do little to illuminate the house. Past the kitchen, sink full and tables uncleared, seeming out of sorts from its usual spotless state.

As the scent of the air starts to change to the sweet smell I crave, the quiet of the night transforms into quite the opposite. Sounds getting louder and bright lights now shining down the corridor. I hear voices shouting over each other, disagreements of some sort or maybe just sheer panic. When my feet stop at the oak door that is my destination, the voices stop. Not a pin-drop is heard and I wonder if my mind has been playing tricks on me.

The oak door decorated in wolf carvings, something I haven't noticed before. Large carvings, covering at least a quarter of the space. Observing the carvings, I continue to bide my time unsure of whether entering is the best idea. It wasn't last time or the time before that, so why would it be this time?

Moments later, the carvings begin moving and my mate stands directly in front of me. His scent almost engulfing me, his striking features staring down at me.

"Are you coming in or would you rather continue just standing there?"

He moves aside letting me enter and I hear the door shut behind me. Inside familiar faces crowd the room, their glum faces matching the dead of the night. I look to Ayden hoping for an explanation, not knowing if it's any of my business.

"We've been infiltrating into the Queen's land, trying to weaken her. Edon has been doing the same."

Ayden's words don't explain the mood of the room. Infiltrating the land is to their advantage, isn't it?

"They found another torture chamber."

At the back of my mind, I half-expected other torture chambers but confirmation of another one is a whole different story. One I wasn't prepared for but not surprised at. Wishful thinking on my part perhaps, that the chamber was a one-off, a despicable mistake.

"It's worse than the one we were in," Kurt adds in, fists clenched. "There were dozens of children."

"Who knows how many more there are?" Mark whispers.

His words echoing through our ears, every last word of his clinging as though they are blades running across my skin. Sending chills through me, this time from the heat rushing through my body.

Nobody deserves those chambers. How can Mother let this happen under her rule? Being oblivious to one is a mistake, but twice can't be. Years of torture happening under her nose, she can't have missed it. There's just no way. Victims re-living their cruel nightmares over and over again. People, old and young, slaughtered in front of their families, those who survive placed in a living hell. All happening from the second I ran away, the second I committed that grave crime and abandoned everyone.

"We've destroyed two chambers, she'll be coming after us soon," Erik says, breaking the eerie silence.

"We should send the survivors to Baden's land, they are too weak and vulnerable here," Ayden continues. "Even Hannah."

"We can protect her better here," Kurt's harsh voice tries to argue.

A meek point, everyone would be safer further away from the Queen's borders, that much is clear as broad daylight. His failed attempt at arguing is dismissed quick enough and his sulked mood in the situation makes no sense. Ayden quickly moves on to ease the tension in the room.

"Increase the weapon productions and add more patrols at the border."

He faces me right after, his eyes oddly not meeting mine.

"There's only one way to end this, to overthrow her."