Tainted: Book Three - Enslaved

49. The Real Enemy

Gemma

"You can't keep her here, you know."

I knew that voice. It was part of this nightmare that wouldn't end, but I couldn't remember where I'd heard it before. It frightened me, though, and I had a brief image of cold, black eyes.

"If Hubler finds out you have her, he'll make you hand her over," the voice went on. "The demon prince would do the same."

"She is our first window of opportunity in centuries." That voice belonged to Darius. "We may not ever have another. Everyone wants her because she is the miracle worker. We must use this to gain our freedom."

"It's only a matter of time until word gets back to Hubler that Harker's the one burning down the Alchemists' organization," the first voice argued. "When Hubler finds out why, and he will, he'll summon you, and your window will slam shut in your face."

They were right outside my door now.

"Darius, you must realize that any gambit you make is doomed before it begins. So long as you remain a slave, that will never change. Harker is your window, not this girl. Unlike me, he can act against Hubler in the open. Unlike you, he has no shackles to impede him."

"Fine! But know this: Should he harm my brothers in such a way again, I shall teach him what pain truly is."

Darius sounded furious, which I wasn't used to. With me, he was pure Old World courtesy. I could understand his anger, though. What Kerry had done to his brothers was simply brutal.

"With this one, my friend," the first voice said, "the way to hurt him isn't to hurt him."

Samuel Castle.

The realization stopped my breath.

At least I could sympathize with Darius. He had explained that he and his brothers had been enslaved since 900 B.C. or something crazy like that. He had also talked about some of their former masters and the cruel deeds they'd been forced to do.

Yes, I detested being held against my will, but I could understand where he was coming from. I didn't like it, but I could understand it. He longed for his freedom as passionately as I did, and I couldn't hold that against him.

But Samuel Castle? For what he did to Kerry, I wanted him dead.

There was a soft knock on my door.

"Gemma, we have a visitor," Darius announced.

I remained silent, but stood as the door swung open. The djinni came in and stood to the right of the door, and Samuel Castle entered. I met his flat black eyes for a second, then shifted my gaze to Darius. His eyes were just as black, but they glittered like faceted onyx.

"You invited him here?" I hissed.

"No, unfortunately, he found us."

"Darius, you told me that, as your guest, I had a right to your protection." I lifted my chin. "Do you still stand by that?"

"I mean you no harm," Castle assured me.

"Like I believe you," I retorted.

"But you trust the djinni who kidnapped you?"

"Yes. I know Darius has honor."

The look on Darius' face reminded me so much of Kerry's when I complimented him, it pierced my heart.

"No harm will befall you while you remain in my custody," he vowed.

The tight spool of fear in my chest relaxed a little.