A Golden Heart Read online

  Esmerelda had a cat-like smile. “Esmerelda will help you, ma cherie. Esmerelda will watch your sister. Keep safe.” The pirate reached into her pouch at her side to show Vashti a small gem.

  “To show Esmerelda’s bon heart, I will give a gift to ma cherie.”

  Suddenly, the crazed pirate reached to her side, drawing a sharp dagger, piercing her own finger. Vashti gasped in shock and backed away, hoping the crazy pirate didn't come for her next with the blade and pierce her heart.

  Esmerelda smeared her blood on the stone. It melted inside to blend in and dry like it was meant to be a part of it the whole time.

  “What is that?” Vashti whispered hesitantly, stopping her retreat. She had never seen a gem that absorbed blood. Had it been part of the Blood War?

  A cunning look entered Esmerelda’s eyes, but Vashti never tore her eyes away from the blood to see it. “A bloodstone. Une time will Esmerelda be there for ma cherie in time of great need. Only une!”

  Vashti froze, considering her words carefully. She could call the pirate to her at any time if something happened to Odesha.

  If Odesha fell to the ice and was placed in the gardens where the cursed stayed to rest, Vashti would take the pirate’s life as payment by calling her to her side with the stone.

  With the Incendie’s training, it wouldn’t be a problem to kill.

  “And what would I have to give you to keep her alive and safe?” Vashti stressed the “alive” part.

  The crazy pirate lady smiled broader. Vashti raised a brow and waited. She didn’t have to wait long.

  “Esmerelda asks for a boon.”

  Vashti blinked her eyes. She hadn’t expected that from the trickster. “You want a favor? Now?”

  Esmerelda cackled merrily. “Oui! Oui! A favor. Bueno! Not now. When Esmerelda needs it most.”

  Vashti wondered if Esmerelda was touched in the head, switching accents and languages continuously, but she was giving her the only option to benefit everyone. It was too good to pass up.

  Thinking this was the most foolish thing she had ever done; Vashti sighed and made her choice. “Esmerelda, I accept your offer.”

  The pirate’s eyes flashed in triumph. She kicked her black boots over the alcove, landing gracefully in front of Vashti, and stood tall as if her jump had been nothing. After landing, Esmerelda reached in her tunic to bring out a vial of thick liquid. She held it out to Vashti, patiently waiting for her final decision. Vashti clasped the vial gently in one hand and uncorked the top. There was no smell to the liquid, which was strange. Worst case scenario, it was poison, and she was about to experience a horrible death.

  Moving slowly, Vashti raised it to her lips, thinking of Odesha and her dreams. She was willing to bet everything on their future and swallowed the entire vial.

  The now-empty vial slipped easily through as her hands, while she dreamily stared at Esmerelda.

  The liquid sliced through her body, moving through her as if alive.

  The burning started in Vashti’s toes moving up her legs. She reared her head back to scream in panic, but Esmerelda’s hand slapped over Vashti’s mouth to silence her. Vashti tried hitting at the pirate lady with her weakening hands, but the flames continued to lick at her insides. Tears fell from her eyes, blinding her to her surroundings.

  This was torture, unlike she had ever experienced before. Esmerelda watched Vashti’s eyes closing when the pain became so unbearable her body was unable to handle the change without rest.

  Esmerelda leaned forward to whisper in Vashti’s ear, “Use the fire. Release it in the coming darkness, my Tanssijja. You will survive.”

  Vashti gasped as she woke from the memory, still in the box, the last words echoing hauntingly in her ear. The torture of the liquid that had given her the gift was nothing like what had come afterward.

  But Esmerelda had promised.

  She said I would survive.

  Chapter 3

  Vashti used the power that Esmerelda had secretly helped nurture to free herself from the box.

  Not even her family was aware of it.

  Vashti fed the fire inside her with the anger over losing Saphira. She was unable to use her power earlier, worried that Saphira would be burned badly or killed from the smoke.

  The fire didn't need much coaxing to be free; she had been angry for so long it reared up quickly. The flames erupted from her fingertips, soothing her skin from the pain caused by the shocks. The burning smell from the scorched wood was a balm to her soul. The wood disintegrated underneath her hands, like putty molded from an artist’s touch. Vashti had once fought the fire but now embraced it. It was a part of her after drinking Esmerelda’s potion and would never leave.

  Her body bathed in flames, melting her bonds. Vashti knew the people that captured her were close by, so she would have to move fast now that she had full control of her body again. They wouldn’t want to lose the profits she would bring. Her name had enough pull for kingdoms to pay dearly to own her, so the men running the auction would search for her.

  When the smoke began seeping out of the container, Vashti slammed her fists against the wood to break the rest of the burned black pieces away to escape. Her arms pulled her body through the hole she had created while her legs helped her crawl through.

  Vashti looked around once she was free of the box, absently noticing it was now night outside. The people from the auction were far enough away they wouldn’t be able to see the smoke she had created or hear the noise of the wood breaking. Not yet, anyway. It would only be a matter of time, though.

  Saphira wasn’t with them, Vashti was sure of that. The bastards had sold her off to the highest bidder, and they had enough time to take her far away. No, the ones left were waiting for her to recover before finishing the auction. Bounding to her feet, she took off running in the opposite direction from the crowd to hide deeper in the dark forest. She drew from her training as a Tanssijja to not panic, to focus, and look at important details buried in her surroundings that could save her life.

  Vashti avoided the sticks and poisonous plants in her path. The animals lurking in the shadows stayed away from her when she created fire in the palm of her hand. Her nose still twitched with the smell of sulfur in the distance, but instead of running away from it, she ran toward it.

  Sulfur would be her safety now. The larger animals that would pose a deadly threat to her wouldn’t be there. Most feared the flames.

  Exhausted, Vashti felt like she had been running for ages. Her legs were weak, almost buckling on her. Leaning against a tree to catch her breath gave her enough time to look around and realize the trees weren’t as thick here, helping her to run a longer distance.

  Finally, able to see what was in front of her, Vashti shoved off the tree and slowed her pace to a walk.

  In the far distance, she discovered where the smell of sulfur was originating from. A massive, active volcano loomed ahead. It’s forbidding peaks were stunning, the magma flowing down the side as lava was spat in the air. The lava cooled when it landed on the volcano’s side, turning black as if it was growing itself.

  Vashti had heard stories of a volcano south of Romule, but it was forbidden to outsiders. The monsters hiding inside the volcano terrified the neighboring kingdom. The stories of what could be inside were far-fetched and changed each year. Not wanting to start a war with someone that hardly left their impenetrable fortress, the borders of the land were never crossed, by order of the King of Romule. That border was clearly at the edge of the tree line because there were giant signs painted with a shaking hand that warned travelers away — a sign lined with skulls and various bones.

  Vashti could inadvertently start a war if she crossed the line. If she went back to the Forest, she would be taken and sold, never to see her sister again. It seemed like hard choices had followed her through her entire life.

  Like her first day joining the Incendie.

  “Welcome to Romule, Princess Vashti,” the head maid greeted with a wide sm
ile. The woman wore the custom red sash across her shoulders that many owned in the kingdom. “If you follow me, I would love to introduce you to Prince Ruben. He’s in charge of the new Incendie.”

  “Of course,” muttered Vashti politely. She turned to Endemion to say farewell, but her only brother was already at the steps of his carriage. It was typical of him, but she couldn’t help the hurt from spreading up her chest and souring her mouth. The Dark Prince had one thing on his mind at all times, the kingdom of Merdi, which was more than she could say about the reigning King.

  The maid cleared her throat delicately. “If you will follow me.”

  Nodding, Vashti turned away from her distant brother and followed the maid. They walked through the halls of the castle and then through a large door.

  The well-dressed man standing inside was staring down at a map on top of a table.

  “Your Highness,” the maid timidly called out. She never made eye contact with the man, even when he looked up.

  Glancing at Vashti, the man bit out, “Speak.”

  “This is Princess Vashti of Merdi, Prince Ruben.” The maid’s voice trembled with fear through the introduction.

  Ruben straightened the black jacket that he wore with a flame stitched on the side of the breast. “Yes, I had forgotten. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Princess. If you follow me, I will show you the room you have been assigned.” The changed demeanor of the Prince wiped the worry that had been blooming in Vashti’s heart. He seemed sincere during his greeting.

  “Thank you, Prince Ruben. I am glad to be here.” Folding her hands, Vashti waited for him to lead the way down the hall. Ruben gestured to the closed door behind him and began to walk without waiting on her to catch up. Vashti frowned at the rudeness, walking briskly to catch up with him.

  Ruben was gesturing to the rooms as he named what they were used for. There was a weapon room, a training area, and a kitchen. They stopped by one door that stood apart from the rest with large bars blocking anyone from entering without a key. Ruben reached down the front of his shirt and grabbed the chain hanging around his neck, pulled it free, and inserted it into the lock. He grabbed the bars hard and pushed with all his might.

  The walls of the room were lined with torture devices she had seen in the dungeons in Merdi. In the center, a woman was bound to a wooden device with her arms outstretched in a painful position with her eyes closed.

  Ruben grunted and motioned toward the room’s lone occupant. “I had forgotten she was still here. My mistake.” He walked up and kicked the woman’s leg hard, ordering, “Wake up, Rainey. You can go back to your room now. Let this be a reminder not to cross me in front of the other Incendie in the future.”

  Rainey moaned loudly, cracking an eyelid and staring at Ruben with pure hatred. Looking closer, Vashti noticed the dried blood that had once flowed down her legs to land at a puddle on the dirty floor.

  “Your Highness, she can’t move.” Vashti tried to control the anger in her tone but knew she wasn’t successful when Ruben turned to sneer at her. As soon as she could, Vashti would be grabbing her things and leaving Romule for good. There were too many things wrong about Ruben and his kingdom that didn’t sit well with Rainey.

  “Then grab her and move. I’ve wasted enough time with this tour. You share a room now.” Ruben folded his arms and waited for Vashti to do as he ordered.

  Vashti had no choice.

  Blowing out a breath, she walked over to Rainey and began untying her hands from the ropes binding them. She winced when she noticed the deep wounds made from a whip across Rainey’s back and legs. Rainey was close to Vashti’s age from what she could tell beneath the blood. From the scars littering Rainey’s skin, it wasn’t the first time she had been marked with a whip.

  “Don’t pity me,” came the whispered plea from Rainey’s lips. Vashti glanced up. Rainey watched Vashti closely as she worked as fast as she could without causing more damage. Rainey licked her dry lips and added, “Worry about yourself. You’re in hellfire now. They will never let you go.” Rainey’s eyes flicked to Ruben.

  Vashti watched Rainey closely. To survive this and still have the pride to stand up to your torturer showed how strong she was. “Hellfire doesn’t stand a chance against me,” Vashti whispered back honestly.

  Rainey’s eyes widened, a sliver of hope entering, as she relaxed at Vashti’s gentle touch and fell asleep.

  Vashti refused to leave the broken woman behind to suffer alone.

  The sounds of feet breaking branches on the forest floor behind her forced her attention away from the volcano. Vashti peered into the forest to see what was causing the noise, but only shadows greeted her. The rustling leaves were coming closer, but the raised voices were more alarming than the possibility of an animal stalking her.

  Torches.

  The men from the auction were hunting her.

  Fate had made her choice this time.

  Vashti stepped across the boundary and fled toward the forbidden volcano.

  Chapter 4

  The rocky terrain surrounding the volcano from the magma spray provided large areas for Vashti to stay hidden. She tried scouting the area for enemies and paths of escape while weaving through the giant rocks, but voices near the volcano made her progression slow as she tried to stay hidden.

  The base of the volcano was just ahead. Somewhere, there would be an entrance to the inside where the hidden group of people stayed, but wherever it was, it was hard to find.

  Vashti ran to a massive cooled blob of lava and hunched her body down to hide until she could figure out where to go. Small pants of breaths that escaped her slowed as she tried to regain control of herself. Keeping low against the rock, she gently peeked around the boulder, in case her small movement alerted someone.

  The large entrance loomed in front of her at the bottom of the volcano. It was protected by a large metal door held by steel bars, crafted by a skilled hand, shaped in many different designs meant to frighten intruders. The iron beast’s teeth would inspire many horror stories, especially among visitors.

  Something beyond this door was being protected. Or was it the outside world they were trying to protect?

  Vashti heard sounds approaching from the edge of the forest, on the other side of the volcano, from the portion she hadn’t explored yet. Glancing toward the increasing noise, she couldn’t believe her own eyes. She blinked twice at the image coming toward her to make sure it wasn’t a mirage from her nightmares.

  A beautiful woman slithered from the dense trees.

  From the head to her waist, the body was all woman. Her top half was encased in a plated bodysuit that moved with her body easily. The bottom half of her from her hips down was encased in snakeskin. The scaled skin was primarily a soft brown, with dark diamonds starting at her hips that flowed in a perfect pattern to the tip of the tail. A chain hung from her pierced nose to her ear, connected across her cheek. The snake woman’s chestnut hair was braided to her shoulders, swinging along with the swish of her tail.

  Vashti shivered, taking in a deep breath.

  Why did the woman have to be half snake?

  The woman was armed to the teeth with various blades strapped to her body. She approached the door and waited patiently in front of it, without knocking, and stared at it as if waiting for something. Or someone.

  Vashti looked back to the forest path the woman had emerged from. Her eyes widened when she noticed the outline of bodies standing in the shadowed darkness. The silent people at the edge of the forest were much larger than the woman.

  The metal bars on the door to the volcano bent and shoved to the side. Vashti stayed still but kept watching to see what happened. The door swung open with great force without a creak or groan, the very ground moving to accommodate the enormous weight. Two female demons walked through the doorway toward the snake-woman, each one holding a long-bladed halberd with ease. The long horns on top of their heads were short, filed down to knobs, and their hair was shaved away.
/>   The first demon ordered the snake woman, “State your business.” From her tone, the demon was clearly not happy to have this foreign visitor.

  I feel you. I really do.

  The snake woman brought her tail close to her body to push herself taller, exuding dominance. “I am Medorah, Dynast of the Crotalus nest. The Dynast of the Pit received the invitation and chose me to represent our clan.”

  Medorah’s long sharp tongue scented the air through her speech, checking for danger. Just like a real snake. Vashti tried to control her increased breathing, but from her past experiences, she had hoped never to see a snake again. She avoided anything that looked like one.

  The two demon guards hesitated, looking to each other, before the second demon grudgingly replied, “It has just started. There have been many foreign demon territories that have sent envoys but none from the Pit. What words do you give? Only the Pit Dynast would have them.”

  Medorah looked behind her at the tree line, nodding her head to the shadows, before turning back to the guards. “Only my life for strength, art, and sorcery will I give.” The people on the far side of the forest melted away at her nod. They must have been her escorts from the Pit — a whole clan of snake-people living in secret in the middle of nowhere. Vashti was ready to get out of this cursed place after finding Saphira.

  The demons bowed their heads before approaching Medorah with a dark mask and cloak. “We must conceal you to reach the center. It is the law of Baklan. You will not be admitted without a weapon. Do you have what you need for the coming battle?”

  Medorah nodded. She took the offerings, wrapped the cloak around her, and fastened the mask firmly in place. She wound up her tail even closer to her body, hiding it under the cloak to make herself look smaller, blending easier with the demons. If Vashti hadn’t seen the tail before, she would have missed it.