Page 100 of What Lies Beyond the Realms

“I’m not finished talking to you.” Samael grabs my face, squeezing my cheeks hard between his thumb and forefinger. “What do you know about the artifact?”

I shake my head side to side. My chest burns with panic. “Nothing. I know nothing about it.”

“Lies!” He releases my face, shoving my head to the side. He moves so fast, lifting his leg and kicking the bucket over. Water spreads out across the floor, and Chepi’s wet body coughs, choking on water as he starts to crawl toward me. His wing dangles, dragging on the ground.

“Chepi!” I cry out. Samael walks forward, pressing one foot down on top of Chepi’s back. Chepi growls and squirms beneath him, but he’s no match for Samael.

“Please. I’ve told you everything I know. The artifact is hidden in Zomea. I don’t know where or anything else about it. I promise, Samael. Please don’t hurt him,” I blurt out in choked sobs.

“Too bad that’s not good enough, my little bird.”

His head whips to the door as a loud knock echoes across the room.

“Come in,” Samael shouts, his voice full of irritation.

My heart falters as Lili steps into the room. Her eyes widen for a brief moment, then her face returns to the perfect picture of calm.

“Your majesty, there’s a situation that needs your attention,” Lili says. Her voice doesn’t give away any emotion.

“Can’t you see I’m busy,” Samael growls.

“Yes, but, your majesty, some of the creatures from your wing of the castle have managed to get out and—”

“How did this happen? Which ones are loose? Move.”

Samael pushes past Lili, releasing his hold on Chepi, and moves toward the double doors. Lili’s eyes meet mine as she turns to follow Samael out of the room. She gives me a small nod, and I don’t know what it means. She must be creating some kind of distraction for us.

“No one enters this room until I get back,” Samael orders to the guards, and the doors slam closed. We are left alone in the throne room. Chepi crawls the rest of the way to my feet and starts gnawing at the rope around my ankles. I look at Nyx and wish he could speak to me right now.

“Lili’s on our side. I know it. We need to get out of here and quick,” I tell Nyx and Chepi.

Chepi keeps working the rope at my ankles, but he can’t fly, and I know I need to take care of the ones wrapped around my wrists. I twist and pull at the ropes as blood drips down my arms. Movement catches the corner of my eye. The bookshelf starts to shake slightly. Fuck, there are many secret passages throughout the castle, and Samael must be using this one to get back to us quicker. I pull at my wrists harder, biting my lip as I cringe through the pain of the rope eating away at my flesh.

The bookshelf swings open suddenly, and I gasp as Mr. Drogo breaks into the room, panting.

“Princess Lyra, we don’t have much time,” he says breathlessly, making his way toward me and getting to work on the bindings at my wrists. “Things are not as they seem, Princess. Samael is not always in control of himself. You need to get far away from here fast.”

My hands fall to my sides, limp, finally free from my bindings, but my wrists are past rubbed raw and the muscles in my arms feel like jelly. I drop to the ground to help Chepi get my feet free, and Mr. Drogo moves to Nyx. He takes the gag off from around his head. I get my feet free and grab Chepi, clutching him to my chest. I kiss the top of his head frantically as my heart swells with relief.

“It’s going to be okay, boy.” I sit him back on the ground and come to help Mr. Drogo break Nyx free.

We all freeze in unison as Samael’s voice is heard through the door, speaking to one of the guards. Fuck.

“Hurry, get out of here. Thank you for helping us, but please go. I don’t want you getting caught too,” I say to Mr. Drogo. His eyes look like he wants to tell me something, but there is no time. He bows his head quickly, going back through the bookshelf and closing it behind him. I just have to get Nyx free, and then Samael will be no match for us. I try to undo the iron chain from one of his arms, but it’s clamped in several spots. It’s taking me too long. I just need to get one of his hands free.

The double doors swing open, and a charge of magic spreads across the room like static in the air. I’m pushed back to the wall in a wave of shocked air as Samael’s eyes meet mine, their bottomless darkness staring into me.

“Looks like someone’s been up to no good.”

He’s alone, and my heart sinks that Lili isn’t with him to save us somehow.

“Fuck you, Samael. What do you think you’re going to do? You think my entire realm won't destroy you and wipe this place off the map if you kill their king.” Nyx thrashes on the table, and Samael shoves the gag back down his throat.

“I didn’t miss hearing your voice. Now, my darling Lyra, I don’t want to keep punishing you, but you leave me no choice. You won't tell me what I need to know, and every chance you get you disobey me. Others will have to pay for your disobedience.”

My eyes quickly go to Chepi, who is still slumped over next to Nyx’s table. No. I break out in a run, ready to dive over Chepi.

Time stops. Time does not slow down. It stops. A shrill cry escapes my lips, echoing through the castle. Terror seizes my gut as Samael whispers under his breath, and a wave of power shoots into Chepi. His body falls limp. My entire body heats as I burst into flames. I scream as magic rushes out of me, slamming into Samael and throwing him back toward the wall. A look of pure shock is plastered on his face. I drop to the ground.