Royal Pain ~ Slave to the High Royals

Chapter Twenty-One

I kept my head down as we marched one after the other, following the boy. My hands were plastered with mud and my fingernails encrusted with the dirt. I had no doubt that my clothes were also displaying the smudged look of wear and tear and, judging by the smell, my hair wouldn't look the cleanest either. This all made me wonder how those around viewed us.

Was this normal? Did they regularly get runaways into their camp requesting membership to join the fight against the vampires?

We came to a sudden halt, interrupting my thoughts, and I realised that we were stood before the gaping mouth of a cave. The ginormous rock form reached high above our heads, sharp spikes protruding from the entryway naturally, but convenient for protection. The cavernous structure displayed shadows flickering in the lights of crafted torches placed systematically along the walls.

''This is the main cave. The area where our leaders reside, you will find them inside.'' The boy sounded on edge, his eyes shifty as he turned towards us and addressed Aiden.

''Is there anything we need to know before we go in?'' Aiden asked in an innocent voice, sounding curious and hopeful. It was so out of character that I had to bite my lip to hold back the laughter that threatened to tumble out.

''They may reject you, but it's rare and for good reason.'' The boy shifted once again.

I watched Aiden as he took a step towards the boy, his demeanour suddenly changing from submissive to domineering, ''What must we do to be accepted?'' He sounded formal, his tone taking on a husky quality.

Although I could not see Aiden's face, I spotted the reflection of a crimson light in the boy's eyes and wondered what was happening. Surely he wasn't revealing his true nature to the boy already? I thought he was good at acting.

''They accept those who prove they are worthy of joining. They will test you.'' The boy's eyes had become glassy, his voice monotonous as if he were in some sort of trance.

I felt my eyebrows pull together in confusion, my hands relaxing to my sides as I cast a questioning glance in Josh's direction. He felt my gaze and turned his head to face me, a small, knowing smile lifting his lips.

''What are the tests?'' Aiden's voice hadn't changed from its deep, gruff tone and suddenly all of the pieces of the puzzle seemed to click.

Aiden was using compulsion, a mind trick that all vampires possessed. I had never seen it in action, only hearing stories of it from my mother and peers in school. The reflection of light in the boy's eyes had come from Aiden's own, he was controlling the boy and forcing him to reveal the information we needed to be able to blend in effectively.

I hated to admit it because this felt extremely violating to humans, but it was a clever - and seemingly effective - strategy.

''They will assess your reasons for coming here, ask you questions. Test your physical and mental strength. It's designed to reveal any ill intentions.'' The boy answered honestly, the words leaving his lips without consent.

Aiden nodded thoughtfully, casting his eyes away from the boy for a mere second. That was all there was to it, the boy shook himself, acting as if he had dazed off and had come to the sudden realisation of where he was.

''Are you alright?'' Aiden didn't miss a beat, his eyes returning to the boy's confused face as he looked around frantically.

''Y-yeah. I think I spaced out for a sec, too much time out in the woods.'' The boy laughed nervously, running his hand through his hair and giving him a dishevelled look, ''Anyway, head straight in, you can't miss them.'' He stood aside and gestured towards the entrance into the eerie cave. It was weird to see him snap out of it so fast, without any memory of what had happened.