Royal Games

Chapter 39

"Kelly." Isaac calls in disbelief.

She looks up with eyes that shimmer with fear in the flickering torchlight, before hunching further back into the corner. What has Donovan done to her?

"It's alright Kelly." Isaac continues. "It's just me. Isaac. Your brother."

"You're not real!" Kelly cries, trembling terribly. "Go away!" My heart breaks looking at the shattered girl across the room.

I stay back as Isaac inches towards her.

"I am real, Kelly. I'm here to rescue you." He persists.

"No. The real Isaac is far away at university." Her voice shakes, but it's not quiet.

"I did go to university, but I'm back for the Christmas holidays."

"Why should I believe you?" Kelly sounds more wary than hopeful.

"Because I have this." Outside the iron bars of Kelly's cell, Isaac produces a small object from his coat pocket. I squint in the dim light but can't discern what it is from this distance. However, Kelly winces as she half crawls, half hauls her way over to Isaac and tentatively takes the object from him.

The way she looks up at him... I know the object makes her want to trust him.

"Who's the girl?" Kelly asks cautiously.

"My name is Ally." I introduce myself as Kelly turns her gaze to me. "I'm a friend from Isaac's university." I wander towards the cell.

"We need to get you out of here before Donovan or his cronies find us." Isaac sounds panicked. He desperately scans the room for a way to unlock the cell.

"Look up." Kelly points towards the ceiling. A collection of keys dangle from high up above us.

Isaac shifts, spreads his healed wings, and flies up to the keys. I'm relieved that the only proof his wings ever had a hole burnt through them is a slightly shadowed patch of feathers.

"Any idea which key it is?" He asks Kelly.

"I don't know."

"Watch out." One by one, Isaac picks up all the keys and drops them at my feet.

I jiggle each key in the lock of Kelly's cell, discarding each key into a separate pile when I find that it doesn't work. Isaac helps me once all the keys are down from the ceiling. There must be about a hundred keys to try.

There's a thud upstairs.

After a hurried frenzy, a key finally clicks. We swing the cell open and turn to leave the dungeons.

"Where do you think you're going?" Donovan bellows. Steady footsteps bring him down the last few stairs into the dungeon. I guess the thud upstairs was the door opening.

Fresh blood drips from his lips, as well as various wounds over his body. No wings peak out from behind him.

Kelly lets out an inhumane squeak. I glance behind me as she crushes herself against the nearest wall, shaking violently.

"I'm taking my sister home." Isaac declares. I think he means for it to come out more confidently than it does.

I concentrate hard on my magic. I try to communicate with Isaac mentally. But there's too much iron and too much negative energy in this room. I feel sick and lightheaded.

Donovan's eyes lock onto me as I sway slightly. "What are you trying to do?" His voice is menacingly low as he stalks towards me.

"Go." I give Isaac a small shove. He grabs Kelly's hand. She tries to shake off his grip on her, but she doesn't resist as he pulls her to the exit. Donovan lets them go. Isaac stops as he reaches the stairs, pushing Kelly ahead of him as he turns back to me. "Get out of here." I urge him. He doesn't move.

"You should listen to the lady." Donovan says, eyes remaining fixed on me. The way he pronounces the word 'lady' doesn't sound respectful like it should. "I'll send her out to you alive as a gift for providing my entertainment for the night."

"Promise she'll leave here tonight, unharmed." Isaac grits out.

"Done."

Reluctantly, Isaac follows Kelly up the stairs, presumably only leaving to make sure she's safe.

"I know who you are." Donovan purrs sensually.

My heart beats rapidly against my chest. "Wha... What do you mean?"

"Three of my assassins were hired a few months ago to kill you, princess." His sinister smirk and wicked words send shivers down my spine.

"How?" I whisper. How does he know who I am? How have I ended up stumbling into the lion's den? I'm not entirely sure what I mean.

"That's not the right question." He taunts.

My mind races to unscramble his meaning. Is he going to try to kill me himself? My hand reaches for the dagger in my boot.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Donovan warns. "I'm not going to hurt you unprovoked... Tonight."

"Then what do you want?" My fist grips the hilt of my dagger tightly, but I don't make any move to use it.

"Now you're getting somewhere." His smirk grows into a gruesome grin. "I never much cared whether you lived or died. Sending my assassins after you was a way to get to Queen Dahlia. She's the one I want dead."

"And you want me to kill my own mother?" I try to sound shocked and disgusted, even though I can now see a common goal. Working with an infamous criminal is the opposite of appealing. But perhaps, if I do this, I wouldn't have to worry about his dangerous organisation being a threat.

"Don't pretend you haven't thought about it." I tense as he gently tucks a lock of hair behind my ear. It's such a simple, caring gesture, and yet it only serves to make me even more nauseous than before. Then he places a singular finger under my chin, forcing me to look into his eyes. "Everyone is capable of darkness. Some of us don't fight it." His words are like a sensual caress against the dark part of me that wants to turn the tables on my mum.

"And some of us do fight it." I take a step back, relieved to be away from Donovan's sickening touch.

"But it's there." He leaves his unvoiced offer hanging.

"Goodbye, Donovan." I try to walk past him to the stairs, but he stops me with my coat in his fist. His face is suddenly too close to mine.

"If you try to come after me in any way, you'll end up so bloody and broken that you beg me for death." He threatens, voice menacingly low and quiet.

"I'm trying to keep a low profile at the moment. You don't have to worry about me." I'm barely able to keep my voice steady.

Donovan lets go of my coat roughly. He watches me as I walk away from him.

"I'll be here to help when you decide you're ready for murder." His parting words chill me to the bone as I ascend the stairs.

I find Isaac waiting outside the car for me. He sweeps me into an emotional embrace. I shake in his arms.

"Are you alright?" He asks.

"Physically, yes." I really don't want to talk about what just happened.

Isaac seems to get the message from my vague answer. "Kelly and Adrianna are in the car." In all my fright, I completely forgot about Adrianna. "Adrianna's seriously injured, but she'll live. I've given her a sleeping potion for now."

"Let's drive back to your house." I say.