Snippets of Writing

13.

Tamren stepped up to the cell. It was too large for its occupant - the cell had been meant for a large group of prisoners. He put his hands up to the bars, gripping the cold metal with equally cold hands.

Cassiopeia sat in the corner with her arms around her knees, red and black hair falling like a curtain around her head.

"Cassiopeia," Tamren said quietly.

Her head jerked up and she regarded him with fiery eyes. "What do you want?"

"To talk to you," he replied evenly. Tamren slipped the key out from his sleeve pocket and the lock clicked open. He swung the door shut behind him, locking it again.

"Why?"

"Because we can fix this."

"There's nothing to fix," she hissed. "You betrayed me. I trusted you, Tamren. I trusted you!"

Tamren shook his head. "Trust isn't given, Cassiopeia. It's earned."

Cassiopeia drew further back into the corner as Tamren came closer. "You did earn it," she mumbled. "You earned my trust, and you still betrayed it."

"Do you remember what you said to me, Cassie?" he said softly, crouching down to be on eye level with her. "When we started all of this? When you told me your crazy idea the first time?" Carefully, gently, he lay a light hand on her knee. "There's always more power to be had."

"That's not an excuse for what you did." Were those tears tracing down her face?

"No," Tamren agreed. "No, it was not. But we can fix this, Cassie. I did what I had to do, but I need you for the rest."

"So you threw me into the dungeon?"

"I'm sorry." Tamren sighed. He'd always been bad at talking about important things. "I'm truly very sorry, Cassie. Please. You can help me, and I'll let you out of here."

Cassiopeia shook her head. "I want to know everything first," she said. "Everything. Every detail of your plan, and don't you dare leave anything out, Tamren. I'm not going to help you unless I know exactly what you want me to do."

Tamren sighed again. "May I sit?" After a quick nod from her, he settled down on the cold floor beside Cassiopeia. "There's actually a few things that I need you to do, and I can't tell them all here." He glanced up and around at the guards that stood silent at the corners of the prison. "It involves some... sensitive information."

"Then tell me all you can." Cassiopeia shifted slightly as Tamren put his arm around her shoulders. Why was he always so much warmer than her?

He took a deep breath. "The Darkfey are conspiring against me."

"Serves you right," she muttered.

Tamren ignored her and continued, "I need you to help me keep my throne. Help me drive the Darkfey out and possibly discredit them if possible, and I'll share this power with you. I'll make you my High Lady."

"I thought you were against arranged marriage," Cassiopeia said, raising her eyebrows. "What happened to the Fey who said he'd rather seduce me?"

He laughed softly. "I do think you seduced me first, Cassie."

"Hmm." She fell silent, resting her head against his shoulder. "I should have listened to Hyperion," she said quietly. "I never should have trusted this... never should have pitched this mad idea. I could have had a great life as the High Lord's sister."

Tamren smiled. "Well, we see that now, don't we?" He shook his head. "We see more of our faults in hindsight than foresight, Cassie," he said, and Cassiopeia felt that he wasn't talking about her. "All we can do now is fix the mistakes we've made and hope we don't make any more."

"And you want my help fixing those mistakes?"

"I need your help," he corrected. "Please, Cassie. Please."

Cassiopeia took another deep breath. "Fine. Fine, I'll do it. But I want a say in what I want to do. I'm not going to blindly agree to this."

"Thank you," Tamren said, taking her hand. "Thank you, Cassiopeia."

"I know you've guilt-tripped me into this," she muttered. "And I know that I'm getting deeper into this than I want to."

"Cassie," Tamren said softly, cupping her face with a hand. "I'm sorry for this. For all of this. I... I did what I had to do, and it came around to bite me in the neck. I'll do better this time, Cassie. I'll do better. I promise."

"Don't call me Cassie," she whispered, letting him help her up even though she knew that his words were laced with lies like poison.