In The Shadows of the Cavern of Death (Shadows of Death Book 1) (24 page)

“They were surrendering,” Michael yelled into my face, hitting my gun from my hand. Turning my back to him, I went to walk back the way we had just came, wanting to visit the prisoners. “I’m talking to you, Misty”––when I kept moving, a hand gripped me and pulled me around––“is this who you want to be?” he growled, gripping my face to force me to look at the soldiers who I had just killed. “Do you want to be like them? Because if you keep this up, you’re no better than them.”

I don’t know what he expected his words to do. With a slow hand, I reached up and gently gripped the hand at my chin, removing it so I could look at him. “Since they’re dead, we’ll never know if they meant to surrender,” I replied softly, dropping his hand. “And since I’m alive and we have appeared to have won, I think I am better than them. Now you have work to do and so do I,” I finished, walking away. The sound of cheering echoed outside in the streets. They won and they were rejoicing in their freedom. To me though, it was just the beginning. Nothing had changed for me; I was still just as broken and alone. I was still surrounded by the darkness and living in it. I knew what he wanted me to see, that by my actions I was no better than they were. I don’t know how he still denied the truth after seeing the things that I had done. I don’t know how he didn’t realize that I was just like them. I was what they had made me––a soulless killer. Instead of hiding from what I was, I embraced it. I had more questions than ever and moving forward, I didn’t look back, knowing what I had to do to answer them.  

Chapter 24

Two weeks had passed since their victory. They were still celebrating though they mourned those that had been lost. The government officials involved with the Loyalist city’s attempted coup were being held for trial. The council led by Victor had seized control, taking their place. The City to the West had been quiet, making no attempt to try again so far, though emissaries had been sent to speak of peace, saying that a rogue fraction had been behind this and not the official government. Victor and the council had been meeting with them behind closed doors.

Moving through the Stone City, I watched as its occupants still cleaned the streets of debris as other teams worked on rebuilding what had been destroyed. Though all of the towns and villages had suffered in some form of attack, most of the fight had been centralized in this area, making Twin Rivers and the Stone City the hardest hit in destruction and deaths. People nodded to me as I passed, though they don’t meet my eye. What I had done to the prisoners made it into the general population. Not just what I had done to the men at the barracks and in the hall, but what I had done to those we had taken in that room. I wish that I could say that the thought of the way I had tortured them for information made me sick, but it didn’t. Michael had gone and seized control of the troops, giving orders to secure the Stone City while contacting the council and other rebel commanders to see where help was still needed and to share information. By the time he returned to check on the prisoners, more than a day had passed, though he had arranged for guards to rotate the duty of guarding them.

What was left by the time he came was not pretty. Those I hadn’t gotten to yet were sniveling messes. Forced to watch my methods on the Loyalist commander and his soldiers, the politicians begged to volunteer information. The bloody mass attached to the chair was what was left of the commander. It had taken hours to break him, but once I did, the information that he gave me was worth it. Sitting across from him, covered in blood with my knife firmly in my hand, was how Michael found me. He yelled at the guards who were outside instead of in the room, as they hurriedly explained that they were following my orders. Walking in, he took the scene in with a sweep of his eyes before landing on me. I could feel his gaze boring into my back, but I just sat there watching the creature before me that moaned for death. The retching sounds of the guards joined those of the other captives, who upon seeing Michael enter begged to be spared. Pleading to tell him anything that he wished to know if he would just help them get away from me.

Slowly, I rose from the chair, causing the whole room to tense. Turning, I saw that the guards were gripping the hilts of their guns as they looked at me in horror. Sliding the knife back into the holster at my leg, I walked forward. Hurriedly, they moved to the side except Michael, who just looked at me with an unreadable expression. Walking out the door, I saw that a crowd had gathered. Stumbling upon themselves, they moved back just as swiftly as the guards in the room upon seeing me, most adverting their gaze. I never said a word nor was one said to me by those I passed. They all but raced to get out of my way. Keeping my pace, no more than a leisurely stroll, I walked from the Stone City and through Twin Rivers. I don’t know how long I walked or how long it took before I came to the river that the town was named for. The river where we first met these people that had caused my life to change again. Just like every other change in my life, it wasn’t for the better. I didn’t stop walking when I reached the river; I just walked in fully clothed. The water around me turned instantly red. Dunking my head under, I systematically washed away my sins, making them invisible for others to see. That’s all that mattered, was what others could see. They were all the same. As long as the outside was beautiful, it didn’t matter how dark and evil what it hid was.

The water ran clear by the time a group of troops was sent to get me. Opening my eyes, I turned slowly to face them. They stood back from me as if they were afraid to approach. Staring at them, I watched as one turned and motioned to someone. A girl moved forward. It took a moment for me to place her. “Why are you here?” I asked the nervous girl as she walked past the troops to the edge of the water. When she just stood there frozen, I moved toward her, stopping when she hurriedly stepped back. Not having the patience for this, I continued on stepping out from the water, but going no closer as the troops gripped their guns. “Why are you here?” I asked again. When all I got was silence I lost my patience. “If you’re here to kill me, get on with it.”

“We’re not here to hurt you,” the girl blurted out, finally raising her gaze to mine. “I don’t know if you remember me, but my name is Keely.”

Interrupting her, I said, “I know who you are, now answer me. Why are you here?”

“They thought,” she stuttered, before taking a breath and continuing, “they thought that you’d feel more comfortable if someone you know came to get you and escorted you to a living unit so you could rest.”

Closing my eyes, trying to hold on to my patience, I opened them and smiled grimly at the poor lamb in front of me. “Will I be allowed to leave this living unit after I’ve rested?” I asked.

“Yes,” she said, looking at me confusedly, “why wouldn’t you?”

Oh, I don’t know, the fact that an armed trigger-happy troop had been sent to fetch me might be some indication, but instead I just shook my head and walked forward. I don’t know who jumped farther, the girl Keely or my armed escort as they moved to give me a wide path. Rolling my eyes, I walked past and made my way back. They didn’t have to worry about me escaping––the answers I needed where still there and I wouldn’t be leaving without them. After a while the girl Keely moved up to walk next to me, still keeping a distance between us, but showing more courage than the group of men that surrounded me.

“They say you’re the reason that we won,” she said, finally breaking the silence.

“They say that, do they? And how was I the reason your people won?” I asked, amused.

“The troops said that you got the communications block jammed and freed the barracks troops to fight. It’s the reason we were able to hold Twin Rivers and warn the Stone City,” she babbled, stopping at the look I threw her.

Stopping dead, I reached over, grabbing the girl’s arm and pulling her to me. Ignoring the troops who pulled their guns, I said, “Your people won the battle, Keely. When the lines fell, they left behind the safety of their shelters and fought with their bare hands. No one person did anything; when people think like that, they give a single person too much power and that is dangerous,” I spat, letting her go and continuing on. I would have to move quickly and get my answers or I wasn’t going to live long enough to have a chance.

The rest of the walk was silent and I was surprised when I was brought to the original place that Tristian and I first stayed. Going in, I wasn’t followed. The door was closed behind me, but it wasn’t locked from the outside. I suppose they were trying to maintain an illusion that I wasn’t a prisoner. I guess that if these people thought of me as a hero they would have a hard time explaining why I was imprisoned. Going to the bathroom, I quickly showered, leaving my damp clothes on the ground, only stopping long enough to take my knife. Taking a flowing dress from the closet, I pulled it on, putting my knife in the deep pocket that was slit into it. I looked just as harmless as I had the first day I arrived here. Going to the bed, I crawled in. I don’t know how long it had been since I slept, but I felt the exhaustion and I fought it. I fought it because I knew that it would bring the dreams. Eventually it didn’t matter and it took me. It took me right back into the darkness that never left me. The darkness that always lived within and grew with each dark deed I was forced to commit to stay in the light.

My thoughts were interrupted as one of my constant escorts stepped up into my path. “Council leader Victor wishes to see you now,” he said, before quickly stepping back. Not bothering to acknowledge his words, I turned and walked to the government’s center. The coward was finally going to see me. For two weeks every excuse had been sent as to why he was unavailable and I guess he had finally run out. Stepping up the steps, I ignored it as everyone turned to look and whisper. What they whispered could be anything––to some I was a hero and to others a danger that should be put down. More troops joined my escort as I was directed to a door down a long hall. The troops who guarded it waited until I was almost upon them before opening it.

Walking into the large office, I went to the seat before the table that Victor and the council sat at, not acknowledging the others littered around it. I guess this was not to be a private meeting. Sitting down, I looked straight at Victor, careful to hold back my smile and keep my face blank when he couldn’t hold my eyes and waited. The seconds ticked by and the other occupants began it fidget, nervous at the battle of wills.

Finally, unable to take it, Victor broke and spoke first. “Misty, I’m sorry that I wasn’t able to see you before this, but with what’s been going on we’ve been trying to give our people some sense of stability in its government.”

Tilting my head to the side, I kept my eyes glued to Victor’s and let a small smile grace my lips. “Yes, I’ve heard that you’ve been meeting with the Loyalist city’s representatives to discuss a peace treaty.” Everyone at the table suddenly found something more interesting than me to look at.

Keeping his sympathetic grandfather look, Victor nodded his head. “Yes, we’ve been meeting with the city’s representatives. It would seem that a rogue fraction of their government was responsible for the attempted takeover and they were hoping to avoid any more bloodshed.”

“And I’m sure now that your council has seized control of the government that you also wish to avoid any further bloodshed,” I said, instead of calling him the liar that he was.

It was harder for him to hold the look this time. “We have taken heavy casualties…” he began.

“They would have been much heavier if I hadn’t interceded,” I interrupted. “In fact, if it hadn’t been for Tristian and I, you would have had no clue that your whole government hadn’t already sold you to them and were just waiting for a chance to hand you over,” I told them pleasantly. If the bastards thought I was going to make it easy on them, they could think again.

There it was, now the real Victor was going to come out and play. “While we are grateful to what you have done, Misty, and acknowledge the sacrifices that you have made, you can’t expect us in good conscience to risk our battle-weary people against a fortified city,” he responded, unable to keep the anger from his voice.

“Expect a government to keep their word, Victor? Now why would I do that?” I taunted.

“You little ingrate. We gave you protection when no one else would have. How many of my people died to make sure that you lived?” he hissed, spittle coming out from his lips.

I couldn’t help but laugh. “Died for me, Victor, are you kidding? You know, I fell for it all, you were good.” Shaking my head, I wiped a tear from my eye. “It was the commander at the barracks that helped me put it all together. Tell me, Victor, how long were you playing both sides? I mean it must have been quite a surprise when they couldn’t find me and went on a killing spree to prove a point.” Looking at his daughter Karen, who was behind him, I said, “And you, dragging your dead daughter and using her as a prop. That speech, you knew exactly what your father was up to, so you made sure he wouldn’t be suspected of being the traitor,” I said, shaking my head at the fear my words brought to her eyes before she masked it with hate. Like a cornered rat, his eyes darted before he covered them with indignation ready to brazen his way out. Holding my hand to stop his words, I said, “Not that I’m not sure that the story you will tell these fools after I leave will not have them believing your every word, but I don’t want to hear it.” Standing up, I moved to the door, and stopping before reaching it, I turned and gazed around the whole room, nodding my head to Michael and Johnathon before turning back to the council. “I knew that you were not going to help my people, yet I still helped yours. I did it because it was the right thing to do. You all look at me like I’m going to attack you at any moment, like I’m a monster.” Allowing a grim smile to grace my lips, I said, “I’m a killer and I make no excuses nor apologies for it. The things that they whisper I’ve done––I don’t deny them. I’m a product of the world around me. The difference between me and every other person in this room is that I accept it. You stand here in judgement of me and yet I can honestly say I am better than each of you. I’ve kept my word while you have proved you are no different than those you fought to be free from.” Bowing my head, I opened the door, startling the guards on the other side and walked away without looking back.