The Royal Palace (The Kings Study)
Dario
After telling my father what Vladimir had told me about Lord Marcus my father did not look like this was news to him.
"I suspected as much; He does not approve of my value for human life or the fact that I see no difference between an aristocrat and a common vampire. But we should be watchful and not leave anything to chance. If he did abduct Thalia and the girls then he will not be shown any mercy. She was already your consort and thus a member of the royal family committing a crime against her is treason and there is no mercy for treason."
Just as my father finished his sentence Vladimir appeared with a very weak Skye and Rose clutching his shoulders, the moment they all appeared the girls collapsed and fell to the floor. Finn and Enzo rushed to the girls' sides., the rest of us however was staring at Vladimir who was holding a very bloodied human girl in his arms.
"First: I did not do this. I found her in a cell, she needs healing and I must confess I am not that great with healing spells. As for Thalia when I found her friends in the cell, she wasn't with them. They said she was taken a while ago by Serafina and a man they have never seen before. I assume he is a mage they informed me Thalia was already weak from the effects of the "Change". To make it worse she gave her friends her blood probably to sustain them and keep them from starving."
He then walks to Lucian and placed the unknown girl in his arms.
"Please take care of her until I return."
Turning to me he said in a very serious voice more serious than I have ever heard him speak in he said:
"I have to return, the sleeping spell will soon were off. But be ready and prepare yourselves if Thalia is still alive, we must find her before dawn. I will come to fetch you and whoever you choose to come with you. This will not be easy and a battle may ensue. But I fear given the state her friends wherein, that Thalia's is even worse."
With that, he was gone. Finn and Enzo took Skye and Rose home and Lucian took the unknown girl to see a healer, it was clear from how he acted that Vladimir cared a great deal about what happened to her. Danica went with Lucian; she was appalled about what they did to the girl. She was clearly tortured and for how, long none of us knew. Turning towards my father I was about to ask him about his thoughts when he answered before I could even form my sentence.
"Whoever you choose to go with you is fine by me, if we have to fight to bring back Thalia then make sure that our enemies can never target our family again. "
Nodding I turned to leave. As I left the study, I was not surprised to see my brothers and Griffin following me. As we walked down the hall Lucian came running down the hall towards us, having clearly made sure the unknown girl was taken care of as he too fell in step behind us as we made our way to the training center. Clearly, a silent agreement had passed between us all. We would wreak vengeance to find Thalia and anyone who stands in our way will be eliminated. I just hope and prayed to the powers that be that Thalia will be able to hold out just a little longer.
As soon as we arrived at the training center Griffin and Leo went to gather all the weapons we may need. Logan and Lucian followed me towards the planning room.
"Will the girl survive her injuries?"
"She has been through a lot. But I have faith, we have the best healers in the whole realm plus I am sure Danica would refuse any other outcome than for the girl to survive."
"She will be safe, Vladimir looked really concerned about her. I do believe he cares greatly about what will happen to her and her safety. How they could do something like that to a girl. For goodness' sake, she is barely an adult. I also notice old scars on her arms that looked older than a few months or even older than a year probably. That means they brutally tortured a child."
Logan sounded as outraged as I felt. For them to do something like that made them monsters and I have no patience for monsters. Especially monsters that hurt children and women.
"They will not go unpunished for their crimes."
Just then Finn and Enzo came rushing through the door dressed clearly ready for battle.
"Your highnesses, Lucian.'
"How are Skye and Rose doing? Are you both sure you want to come? We will understand if you would like to stay with the girls."
"Thank you, Prince Dario. Skye and Rose are resting, they have taken nourishment, and have been checked by the healer's Princess Danica send to look at them. All they can do now is rest. We need to go with you, they would want us to help. Little Red is important to all of us, and we need to do what we can to help rescue her but also seek justice for Skye and Rose."
"Then I am glad to have you both with us but be sure; this might be bloody."
"That is fine with us your grace."
(Somewhere in Blood Rose Castle)
Thalia
The pain was the worst I have ever felt, more so than the pain of my bones breaking as they punched and kicked me repeatedly until my bones broke. I was a good fighter but that didn't count for anything. The man that came with Serafina tortured me for hours using dark magic. Adding to the pain he was inflicting, were the effects of the 'Change' seemingly shattering my body from the inside and draining all the strength I had. By the time the guards took over with the endless torture, I had no strength to defend myself. I could only lay there as they kicked and punched me listening to the sounds of my own bones breaking as silent tears ran down my face. When they finally stopped, they dragged my broken body to the edge of what I then assumed was a pit and chained my hands and feet. They then pulled another chain which in turn hoisted me over the pit. Which in fact was a round cell that seem to be linked to the ocean, because the one guard pulled a leaver that was next to the door. Sea water came gushing inside threw an opening at the bottom filling up the cell until the water was just a few centimeters below my feet.
But I should have known my ordeal wasn't over yet. Just then my father and Serafina came in, as they stood watching me dangling above a vast pool of salt water, they laughed like it was the funniest thing they have ever seen. Without uttering a word, they both turned and walked back towards the door they came through, before leaving my father stopped next to another leaver and pulled it. At first, I feared that the leaver would make me plummet into the salty water below me. But what he intended was so much worse, the moment the door shut behind them I felt an instant agonizing pain on both my wrist as I struggle to lift my head to see what the cause of the pain was. I notice there was some form of a tube connected to the chains and from that tube saltwater was dripping. The saltwater then ran down the chains and onto my wrist burning and blistering my skin.
As waves of pain after agonizing pain washed over me the thought that this is really a horrible way to die, and the realization that I could not save my friends or tell Dario that I loved him drifted through my mind before darkness surrounded me….
The Royal Castle training center…
Dario
Just as we were finishing getting geared up and finalizing our plan of attack Vladimir appeared right Infront of us in the middle of the training center.
"So, this is the place you spent most of your waking hours. I can't say that the idea of that is appealing to me but to each their own."
Looking around he just shrugged. As his sapphire blue eyes fell on Lucian they seem to blaze with light.
"Is the girl going to be, ok? Is she safe?"
Lucian looks at Vladimir and gave a smile like he just discovered a great big interesting secret.
"The young Lady is being taken care of by the very best of healers and Princess Danica has taken it upon herself to make sure she is safe and well taken care of."
Vladimir gave a sigh of relief.
"Thank you for making sure she is being taken care of. If you are ready, we should go now. I am glad to see you are prepared for a fight when I left Lord Marcus just arrived back home. So, we can expect a fight."
"That is fine. The plan is as follows: Logan, Leo, Finn, and Enzo will handle the guards. You, Lucian, Griffin, and I will go and find Thalia, and anyone that stands in our way will annihilate them…"