Joely Sue Burkhart - Queen Takes Darkness

For my Beloved Sis.

Thank you to my comma warriors and beta readers:

Sherri Meyer, Stephanie Cunningham, Lydia Simone, Bibiane Lybk, Kaila Duff,

and Jennifer Swan

1

Helayna

T he voice that I dreaded to hear again drifted toward me in the darkness. Im so very disappointed in you.

I shivered, even though the slightest movement hurt every muscle in my body. Any break in the endless monotony was a relief. Even if he only brought some new torture.

He came closer, bringing a soft, glowing light with him. I stared up at the ceiling above me. Was it closer now? It must be my imagination. Rock ceilings didnt slowly descend.

Water dripped, a constant barrage on my naked skin. Chilled and damp, I tried not to move. It hurt so badly, as if all the skin on my back and legs was ripping off my body. Maybe hed chained me to a bed of nails. Though surely that would make me bleed.

Which would be a very bad thing indeed. Though I wasnt sure why.

The light came closer, vaguely green and soft. It made me yearn for colors. Trees. Blue sky. Flowers. Anything that wasnt darkness.

It was so dark here. Complete and utter black.

A small cry escaped my lips. I think Im going mad.

He squatted down beside me with a look of benevolent patience on his face like a father would look at a toddler whod thoroughly exasperated him. Which pissed me off. Hed dragged me from my home and left me in this cave to suffer. How long had I been here? Days? Weeks? I had no sense of time.

Why havent you freed yourself yet, Helanya?

He knew my name, but I had no idea who he was. I clenched my teeth, holding back my retort. As much as I hated him with every fiber of my being, I didnt want him to turn around and leave me in the darkness so quickly.

I studied him, trying to memorize every detail. Looking for any clue to his true motivation. Hed imprisoned meso I could free myself? That didnt ring true. He wanted something else. Something so much worse.

He wore an old-fashioned black velvet suit coat and a white, lacy shirt. A signet ring dominated his pinky finger with a large green stone. A paisley silk scarf in the same emerald-green shade was tied around his throat in a complicated knot.

Slender, graceful, and genteel, he looked like some kind of ancient lord. Not a kidnapper, and completely out of place from anything that made sense to me. But when I tried to remember where Id come from and how men had dressed and looked, my mind blanked. Black holes were slowly spreading through my memories like a cancer. I couldnt remember the details of my home or family, other than a soul-deep yearning to return to them.

I couldnt even remember how old Id been when hed taken me. A child? A woman grown?

Why cant I remember?

Youre fully capable of freeing yourself, my dear. He touched my cheek lightly with the back of his fingers. Tears filled my eyes at the small touch. A comfort in this endless dark hole of pain. The longer you stay here, the worse your pain will be. I dont like seeing you suffer, though he certainly enjoys the feast.

He? Hope bubbled up inside me. I wasnt alone here? Why hadnt I sensed anyone else here with me? Other than this strangely-dressed man, I hadnt seen anyone during my captivity.

Youre the key, he continued, softly stroking my cheek. The sooner you unlock your power, the better.

I opened my mouth and rasped, What power?

Youre a queen, Helayna. Dont you remember?

A queen? Me? But why would I be chained in a dark cave? It made no sense.

The power is within you. You must tap it and release yourself.

Something inside me insisted that was a very bad thing. I couldnt risk I couldnt free

I closed my eyes. Trying to remember.

I was so fucking tired. Everything hurt. Even my hair. Why did my hair hurt?

Hes feeding on you, he whispered. Hes leeching your power. If you wait much longer, you wont be needed. He will have drained your power for himself. I would hate to see that, child, though in the end, my goal is accomplished either way.

Child. He said it fondly, as if I were his child. But how could he do this to someone he was supposed to love and protect?

Let me remind you of whats at stake.

My heart pounded, my eyes flying open. That didnt sound good. At all.

The green glow around him expanded, spilling up and down the cave walls. I blinked. The ceiling was definitely closer, barely above his head now. The rock looked strange. Smooth and wet, glistening in the green light.

The ceiling moved. Up and down, reminding me of deep, steady breathing.

He set a glowing ball beside my head and then walked away, his footsteps echoing down the tunnel. Remember how a pearl is made, and what happens to the single grit of sand.

I bit my lip, refusing to call after him and beg him to stay. Or better yet, to take me with him. I didnt want to stay here, alone and forgotten in the darkness. With walls that moved and breathed.

The ceiling dropped closer to my face so suddenly that I flinched.

I screamed in agony. Flesh tore along my back. I could feel the hot spill of blood from the wound. Instinctively, I tried to lift my arm. My leg. I had to get away.

Pain. Tearing. Flesh.

Sobbing, I tried to stay still.

I wasnt chained here in the cave.

I was somehow attached. Stuck. In whatever held me captive.

I stared up at the ceiling only a foot above my face. Green light spilled over the surface, illuminating a beautiful pattern in the rock. I could make out individual pebbles, some darker, all tinted green, though that could be the glowing ball hed left behind.

Panting, I tried to calm myself. Something wasnt right. The markings werent pebbles. They were too uniform in shape. Some were larger than others, but they were all the same diamond.