Chapter Eight

“Charnrosa will fall without the four kings,” I said. It was the truth, and I hoped it was dramatic enough to hold his attention. He looked from me to his fingers, stroking the surface of the ring he appeared to love so much.

“The Stalwart Emperor is draining the Empire of magic. He can only be stopped by the four kings working together.”

The soultaker yawned ostentatiously.

I gritted my teeth, and saw an escape. “Forgive me. My story clearly bores you. With your permission we will remove ourselves from your presence.”

That caught his attention like nothing else had done so far. “By no means.” He jumped down from his throne and stalked towards me, moving soundlessly on legs that looked too thin to support the man. “I like your spirit. You are highly entertaining.”

So, the boredom was feigned? I didn’t have time for this frustrating man. As he drew closer, Fon and Vashri closed ranks, their shoulders brushing mine. The soultaker’s eyes glinted with amusement. My gaze darted to the wall behind his throne. There should be another gate, or a door. Were we trapped here? Where was the way through to where we would find Axxon and Rey?

I’d allowed my attention to drift.

“As well as decorative.” The soultaker was right in front of me. He reached forward, his fingers dipping into my hair. “You remind me of someone.”

Fon and Vashri stiffened. “The guardian is due respect, also,” Fon ground out, his tone only just civil.

One corner of the soultaker’s mouth lifted. “I mean no disrespect, I assure you.”

I found Fon’s hand and squeezed his fingers. I could fight my own battles. I braced myself as the soultaker’s fingers slipped down my curls. We couldn’t leave until he gave us permission. If he wanted to touch my hair, that was a small price to pay.

“Now…” He was almost speaking to himself as he reached out a second time, his eyes unfocused. I thought he was seeing whoever I reminded him of, rather than me myself.

His large moonstone ring filled my field of vision. Then I felt the snag of it pushing through my hair.

This close, I could see the decoration at his neck. It was hair, I realised. Plaited hair. My heart dived to my boots. Had it belonged to the person I reminded him of?

“I have a deal to offer you, human.” The soultaker spoke quietly, fingers raking my hair. “Stay with me and I’ll speak with the goddess. I’ll tell her to free the souls of your friends.” My heart jumped – and not just from his closeness. Could he do that? Would the goddess take an order from this man?

“The guardian stays with us.” Fon and Vashri spoke in unison. Tension poured from them.

The soultaker only smiled. “Need I remind you that here you are mere humans, whereas I am the master of this place. My current companion is … lacking in conversation. Leave your pretty friend here and you can take your stolen souls back.”

His fingers dipped in and out of my field of vision. The flash of his ring was hypnotic. It didn’t look like a stone when you were this close, it seemed to move and shift, as though he’d turned smoke into a jewel.

“That is impossible,” Vashri said. “The five of us belong together. We will not leave the guardian in this place.”

My throat filled with my heart. I couldn’t bear the idea of being separated from the kings. The knowledge that they felt the same made tears well.

“What do you say, Kyann?” The soultaker paused, his gaze fixed on my face. “Will you stay with me?”

“No. Thank you,” I added belatedly. If he was insulted, he didn’t show it.

His smile widened. “Ah, human. That is not the answer I was looking for.” His hand dropped from my hair and I winced. His ring had snagged a few of my hairs. The soultaker wrapped the strands around a finger, as though he would make it into another ring.

My heart thrummed like a trapped bird. “I won’t stay here.”

“Analee said that to me,” he whispered. “The resemblance between you grows ever stronger.”

The ancient song flashed into my mind. It was real. There had been an Analee centuries before, a story that turned out to be true. The soultaker had fallen in love with a human girl and had stolen her away when she’d turned him down in favour of her human lover, Rikk. The master of the underworld had held Analee captive until her lover had ventured to the underworld and rescued her. I realised it was her hair that decorated his neck. He might have lost the girl, but he’d kept a trophy. “Analee escaped.” I wasn’t sure whether I was reminding the soultaker of the outcome of that tale, or reminding myself that escape was possible. My eyes darted past his throne, my own thoughts flying to escape.

“The guardian stays with us,” Vashri repeated.

“She is not your plaything,” Fon said.

The soultaker ignored them, his eyes on me, replying to my statement. “Analee only escaped me for a short while.” He stretched his hand out, admiring the ring. “Now, I have her with me for all time.”

Horror paralysed me. The gem he wore wasn’t a stone, and nor was it smoke. It was the confined soul of Analee. She had lived her mortal life with her beloved, Rikk, but now her soul was stuck with the underworld king for eternity.

That wasn’t going to happen to me.

“I still must decline your offer. My friends need me.”

“Do they indeed.” He stepped away, far enough to look me up and down. “But if I am to let you pass, I require payment.” He smiled. The gesture sent a shiver straight down my spine, rooting me to the spot. “What will you offer me?”

My mouth was so dry I could barely speak. “What do you want?” The gems in my pocket were heavy, as though the soultaker would be able to sense them. I wished I hadn’t brought them.

His smile widened, revealing sharp teeth. “I know. A memory. I’d like one of your memories.”

A memory. I even had one prepared, that the boatman hadn’t taken. I lifted my chin. “Very well.”

He stepped closer. “I want a very specific memory, though. Your first kiss.”

Blood surged into my face, and I was powerless to stop it. I had nothing to be ashamed of, but it felt like admitting a weakness to a man used to taking advantage of those who stood before him. “I can’t let you have that,” I said, my voice little more than a whisper.

Vashri and Fon shifted closer. Had they guessed?

The soultaker laughed, clapping his hands. “Our sweet guardian has never felt the touch of a man! Oh my, what a delight this is!” He reached out, his thumb resting against my cheekbone. I forced myself not to pull away. We weren’t safe yet. “I tell you what,” he whispered, so close that his breath on my ear made me twitch. “Kiss me and I won’t need your memory. I’ll have one of my own.” He sighed in satisfaction. “First-hand.”

“No.” I stepped away from his grabbing hands and waiting lips. “My first kiss will not be with you.”

He spread his hands, tilting his head and pulling a face as though it pained him to say, “Then you cannot move on. Your friends will be trapped forever.”

“You can have my first kiss.” Fon stepped forward, standing half in front of me, shielding me from the king’s gaze.

He considered a moment. “No. Yours isn’t as special as hers will be.”

“Fon.” I took his hand, pulling him to face me. My heart beat hard against my ribs. I’d never dare ask in other circumstances, but the master of the underworld had given me an excuse. “I’d like it to be you,” I said, settling my hands on his shoulders and boosting myself so my lips were a millimetre from his.

Blood roared in my ears. Fon could accept the offer I’d made, or not. I wouldn’t force him. I’d made my choice, constrained though it might be. I’d leave him with a choice, too.

He moved. Desire leapt in me.

His lips brushed my cheek. And stopped beside my ear. “I want you so much, Kyann.”

I must have imagined the words, because he didn’t kiss me. His arms were still tight around the tops of my arms, but after that first, too-brief touch, his lips didn’t touch me again. He dropped his head so our foreheads touched. “I’m sorry, Kyann,” he breathed. “Not like this.”

“Cheat!” the soultaker cried. “Do you call that a kiss?”

“I call that all you’re getting,” Fon said. His voice in my ear had scorched. When he turned to the soultaker, his tone was colder than ice.

“You wanted a kiss.” Vashri’s voice was similarly glacial. “Now let us pass.”

Fon shifted to my side so we all faced the master of the underworld. Vashri took my hand and strength flowed into me from both of them. Strength and fury. The soultaker had walked on our emotions and toyed with us for his pleasure. I was glad Fon had refused to play along, at the same time that I felt robbed of the embrace I’d wanted to share with him.

“I’m bored of you now.” The soultaker flicked a hand to dismiss us and strode back to his throne. His ring caught the light for a final time. Perhaps the movement was deliberate, to remind us that he had been kinder to us than he had been to Analee.

My jaw clenched.

“You’re free to roam the underworld. Good luck getting the goddess to free your friends.” As he spoke, a doorway shimmered into view at one side of the room. Finally, we had our exit. But I wasn’t done with the soultaker, not yet.

“Thank you.” I left the kings and walked forward. Fon and Vashri both shifted, as though they would join me. I shook my head, tilting my head to direct them towards the door.

Nearing the throne and the lounging soultaker, I stuck out my right hand. He stared at me, as though not understanding.

“I won’t forget my visit to the underworld. Perhaps next time I stand before you, you’ll persuade me to stay longer.”

A frown twitched between his brows. He gave me a salacious smile. “Perhaps I will.”

“No hard feelings,” I said. I forced a smile. “Let’s shake on it. A gesture of goodwill.”

My heart surged. He’d refuse. He cared nothing for humans, or mortal traditions. Then he grinned and leaned forward, slotting his hand into mine. I’d wondered if I might feel a surge of magic, but if he had power, it wasn’t the sort I could steal. “I’ll be watching for you, Kyann,” he promised, and I held back the shiver that tugged at me.

I bent my head over our clasped hands. “Until then, master.” I walked away, towards the door, joining Fon and Vashri. My head was held high, and I might have added a little swing to my hips. I wanted to be sure his gaze stayed on me.

“Is he watching me?” I murmured to the kings as I reached them.

“Like a fox with a hen,” Fon said, his voice coiled fury.

“Good. Hurry.” I slotted my arms through theirs and all but pulled us through the doorway.

“What’s the rush?” Vashri asked. “Beyond the obvious?”

The door slammed shut behind us. I uncurled my fist. A gold ring set with a white, ever-shifting gem, lay on my palm. “I couldn’t bear to leave Analee with him.”

The last word had just left my mouth when a roar of fury resounded through the closed door.

Fon grabbed my hand. “Run!”