Reign of Embers

Chapter 36 - The wall

Lysandra

Come here. The voice in my head says.

The thing inside me pushes me to obey.

Part of me tries to resist, but the other longs to follow the order. These warring thoughts have the world shaking. I'm trembling.

Come here. The voice repeats.

I find myself digging my claws into the stone floor. It takes me a moment to register why I have claws. I'm a ghost leopard. This thought heightens the battle for control, I don't know if he knows what I can do, and I want to keep it that way. The thing inside has other ideas and keeps up its assault to gain control.

"Still resisting I see." The voice says, but this time it's outside my head. "It was much easier when I was using you as a vessel but that wasn't practical." My ears prick with confusion.

The thing forces my eyes into focus, and I take in my surroundings. Arches of dark marble line the walls, shadows looming out onto the scarred flagstone flooring. Dark drapes cover all the windows except one. At the front of the room is a huge circular window with curling wrought iron accents, displaying the dark snow covered mountains outside. Light washes the centre of the room, keeping the shadows at bay. Black candles fill the tall once golden candelabras that are dotted throughout the room, and an unlit ancient chandelier hangs from the intricately designed domed ceiling. On a platform under the huge window, a dark throne with gold swirling accents sits upon it.

My eyes lock onto the young ebony haired man lounging on the throne, a crown of shadows resting on his head.

My mind and body fight the desire to succumb to his wishes. He smirks, yet his eyes flash with annoyance.

The thing hiding in my core rages against my internal walls, fighting me with my every breath, fighting to please the tall man on the throne.

"Come on Lysandra play nicely"

I freeze at the sound of that name on his lips, a name that resonates deep inside for a reason I can't quite grasp, and that moment is all that it takes for-

"Certainly your majesty." distantly a voice responds.

The man's grin is the only indication who said it.

Bow before your King

The man's voice echoes in my mind.

It's all I can do but watch from behind a wall of shadow as my body bends to his will.

..

Days go by trapped, or maybe it's weeks, months even. Time feels insignificant.

The brief flashes of the world around me I have are filled with monsters and darkness.

The king found out about the powers at some point as I'm in human form. I wish I wasn't locked out of memory so much, because then I might be able to understand the source of the bruises and pain littering my body. At one point in time I could have guessed, but not now.

The thing controlling me has sent its darkness all over and I'm starting to think I've become more shadow than substance.

Occasionally I'm forced to watch as someone is tortured, or shadows are shoved down their throat, while sat with the king in the throne room. Flashes of before appear in my mind at times that I find the energy to push through the darkness. Usually presenting me with the same faces. Golden hair, turquoise eyes ringed with gold. Young children with similar features to myself and the golden haired one's. I try to cling to these brief memories, whether true or just another form of torture.

As time passes, the wall of darkness becomes harder to cross, the chains in my mind harder to break.

"Work faster Fedjose, she is going to find ways to break through if you take much longer." The king's harsh voice travels through the last of the wall of shadow, as if through water.

"I'm sorry your highness." I feel my voice respond.

"Sorry isn't good enough, we need to be ready for when we finally move at large against our enemies, she can't be the reason we fail."

"Of course sir."

"She is one of the best weapons we've got do you understand me?"

"Yes sir."

The King's eyes flash with rage just as I surface through the darkness; "What have I just told you Fedjose? Control your host or I will see that someone more capable is assigned, and you sent back to the realm in which you came!"

I'm forced back through the darkness thinking over what I just overheard. Who are the King's enemies? Does it have anything to do with the faces I see? What are they planning?

I try to cling to the memory, knowing soon it will be but another shadow in the wall.